Beneath Ceaseless Skies #368, November 3, 2022

“Tithe the Bones, Sell the Blood” by Auston Habershaw

“The Law of Substance” by Matt Hornsby

Reviewed by Mike Bickerdike

“Tithe the Bones, Sell the Blood” by Auston Habershaw is an entertaining fantasy, combining some inventive ideas and an exciting conclusion. In a fallen city, where ghosts rule, a young man’s sister has lost her soul to the undead. To win it back, the brother must face them in a game of cards, with everything on the line. Habershaw manages to create more depth to his fantasy world than might be expected in a short story, and this is likely to appeal to many readers, especially those who appreciate a touch of horror in their fantasy; recommended.

“The Law of Substance” by Matt Hornsby is quite an engaging tale, told from the perspective of a devout religious man in a fantasy world. The protagonist wishes to accumulate enough money to pay the ‘bride-price’ for the woman he loves. Unfortunately, he encounters difficulties—of a very violent nature—as he travels to sell the rare herbs that might raise the funds he needs. Unfortunately his responses to adversity are highly restricted by the strict Laws of his religion. This could easily be read as commentary on the self-defeating and intransigent nature of some religious doctrine. However, the man’s religion is sufficiently divorced from specific religions in the real world that the point is a generic one and shouldn’t offend many. Overall, it’s well paced and brightly told, and should entertain.

Mike Bickerdike’s reviews and thoughts on science-fiction can be found at https://starfarersf.nicepage.io/