Cirsova #23, Summer 2025“Black Sand” by Jim Breyfogle
“Troll Fen” by Ken Lizzi
“Melkart and the Rich One” by Mark Mellon
“‘Twas Bato Did It” by David Skinner
“While the Islands Slept” by J. L. Royce
“Double or Nothing” by Michael Ray
“True Destiny” by Paul Lucas
“Tigers Dream in Colors” by Rodica Bretin
“Flight From Reckoning” by Michael Tierney (serial, not reviewed)
Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
This issue features several stories that take place in historical times, as well as a few set in worlds that never existed.
The narrator of “Black Sand” by Jim Breyfogle grew up in a gladiatorial arena. He becomes involved with the daughter of the emperor’s uncle, who plotted to assassinate the ruler. The young woman only escapes the same ignoble death as her father by becoming a slave. She seeks revenge against the emperor. The narrator, in love with her, tries to help her, but learns that the situation is more complex than he imagined.
In all its details, the setting appears to be ancient Rome. However, the city is always called Orume. As far as I can tell, this was never an alternate name for Rome. Presumably this is meant to be an imaginary empire. Other aspects of the story (the emperor is named Titus, but the plot does not follow events in the life of the real Roman emperor Titus at all) suggest this as well. The result is a story that reads like historical fiction lightly disguised as fantasy. There are no speculative elements, which may disappoint readers of a magazine dedicated to imaginative fiction. Others may enjoy it as an example of sword-and-sandal adventure, with plenty of gladiatorial action. In either case, the author, who clearly knows ancient Rome very well, might have been better off leaving out the tiny hints that it takes place in an imaginary version of the past.
We remain in ancient Rome in “Troll Fen” by Ken Lizzi. A German soldier fighting for the empire lands on a remote part of the northern European coast after a shipwreck. The locals practice human sacrifice to appease a troll. Welcoming the soldier as a representative of the empire, they convince him to battle the troll in its lair. There turns out to be another form of evil involved.
Unlike the previous story, this is clearly a tale of fantasy. It provides sufficient violent action to please readers of heroic fantasy, but the hero defeats the troll more easily than one might wish. The climax, which reveals the greater evil involved, is over too quickly to be fully appreciated.
“Melkart and the Rich One” by Mark Mellon turns from Rome to mythical Greece. The protagonist carries a pair of fine horses to a king in order to sacrifice them to the god of the underworld. While saving the life of a young man sentenced to death for violating the sanctity of the god’s domain, he is persuaded to take the horses into that realm himself. In fact, the king intends to sacrifice the hero for his own benefit. The protagonist and the young man delve into the underworld, braving many dangers in order to survive and defeat the wicked king.
Readers familiar with Greek mythology will recognize many elements taken from legends of the underworld. The hero’s ability to defeat the horrors of the place may strain credibility, even in a fantasy story. Even so, the author handles familiar mythical concepts in an imaginative manner.
Back to ancient Rome in “‘Twas Bato Did It” by David Skinner. The protagonist is on his way to the city when he meets a huge, strong fellow. The big man asks him to witness him lift a gigantic boulder, so the feat of strength can be recorded for posterity. On their journey to the massive stone, they rescue a young boy from killers. The lad turns out to be a relatively weak god who needs protection from powerful enemies. The minor deity joins their quest, while they continue to battle those who intend to destroy the young god.
As can be seen, the story has an unusual premise and a plot that goes in unexpected directions. Although the tale never becomes a comedy, the presence of the friendly strongman and the naïve godling add a welcome lightness of tone. The ending leaves room for a sequel, but the work is complete in itself. The unlikely trio are enjoyable companions.
We jump forward in time to an alternative version of the nineteenth century in “While the Islands Slept” by J. L. Royce. A male scientist, a female ship’s captain, and her crew explore wandering, living islands. The islands are not only covered with complex, interacting ecosystems, but are inhabited by humanoid beings. The islands turn out to have a disturbing secret.
The most interesting aspect of this story is the premise of the islands themselves. The author describes the way they migrate and reproduce in convincing detail. Less intriguing is the romance between the scientist and the captain. The climax is dramatic and unexpected, but implausible even in a tale full of fantastic content.
Leaving fantasy versions of history, readers enter an entirely imaginary world in “Double or Nothing” by Michael Ray. The hero steals a valuable jewel from a loathsome goddess of rotting things, only to lose the money he sold it for in gambling. A woman who is much more than she seems helps him steal it from those who bought it. They then have to face the goddess again, who is on the rampage because of the theft.
The story is full of fantasy concepts and endless action. I have not even mentioned the fact that the hero has a sword that contains a god, with whom he communicates telepathically. Fans of fast-paced sword-and-sorcery yarns will best appreciate this breathless adventure. Others may find that the hero is more of a passive observer of events than an active participant.
In “True Destiny” by Paul Lucas, an evil prince plots to inherit the throne from his elderly father, but a magically binding oath prevents him from directly attacking the older man. A wizard advises the prince to obtain an enchanted sword that will lead him to his true destiny. The weapon is owned by a commoner, who has no knowledge of its special nature. After losing it and being badly beaten in the process, he joins an elderly priestess in an attempt to regain the weapon and defeat the schemes of the prince and sorcerer.
This story resembles the previous one in that it takes place in an imaginary world, has a great deal of fantasy content, and moves briskly. It is also similar in the fact that the hero is often a hapless witness of events going on around him, frequently playing a passive role. The fact that the prince’s destiny is not what he assumes it is will not surprise many readers, but the hero’s fate is less predictable.
Less than two pages long, “Tigers Dream in Color” by Rodica Bretin features a telepath who reads the mind of a tiger. The description of the big cat’s thoughts is intriguing, but the story is little more than an anecdote, as if it were an excerpt from a much longer work.
Victoria Silverwolf notes that the last story takes place in modern times.