Sword and Sorcery is alive and well today, just take a look at the new release from Flinch Books, Blood on the Blade. Ten stories of monsters, swinging swords, and sorcery. The table of contents is a who's who of talented individuals working in the genre today. See for yourself:

Godkiller by Cliff Biggers
Very traditional in set up and execution. The dauntless warrior mounts the tower of a god. An awful secret lies at the heart of the power of this god. A blade will not end this threat.

While his motivation is unclear, Gondar is a man on a mission. Armed with knowledge no other mortal owns, he is hell bent to end the threat of Er'esh once and for all.

The Unlidded Eye by James R. Tuck
Another traditional story. A sellsword fallen upon hard times because of an outbreak of peace is approached by a beautiful stranger. Events move apace and the warrior finds himself at odds with the cult of Set.

The setting sounds like the Hyborian age, although Theok swears by Yahweh. This story made me eager to seek out a copy of Theok the Indomitable: A Spill of Sorcerer's Blood.

The Island of Shadows by Paul R. McNamee
A Polynesian setting. Two comrades battle a storm, a whirlpool, and a giant tentacled sea monster (wheke) all within the opening of the story. Shipwrecked, both men find succor in a lonely village. The village holds an ugly secret that may spell the doom of both men.

More Blood by D.M. Ritzlin
Inventive and novel. An amnesiac finds himself in a battle for survival in the arena. The crowd will not be sated, they cry for more blood, more! Driven to know the truth our protagonist vanquishes every single foe he encounters. Talk about rude awakenings.

Hounds of Morhullem by James A. Moore
The dead do not rest easily in Herola.

Valen and Berek, his bodyguard and friend, seek out Danael on secret business for the king. As the sun sets, the town of Herola is plagued by an undead menace. Brazenly Berek seeks to slay these abominations inadvertently dragging Valen and Danael along. This unlikely trio will uncover the truth behind these nightly visitations.

The Sorceress Maiz by Anne Marie Lutz
Talk about a dysfunctional family.

Vintin, more swordsman than sorcerer, seeks the aid of his mother Maiz Arrasin, Master of the Soben Tradition. Vintin's father, Broj, seeks to make his other son his direct successor. Both Maiz and Vintin race against time to save the life of the unsuspecting Moreth.

The Bloody Crooked One by Charles R. Rutledge
A group of Roman soldiers are ambushed and massacred. Three are saved by the timely intervention of Kharrn, a warrior of unusual prowess. Kharrn has something the Arch-Druid Amergin desires and he will call up something from the outer dark to retrieve it. These things hunger for blood...

Knock the Hell Out of You by Steven L. Shrewsbury
One helluva bar fight.

Hunting a wizard possessed by a demon is unthinkable. Attacking him and his posse head on is suicidal, right? How do you kill something that can change bodies like clothes?

Dishonor Among Thieves by Adrian Cole
A direct sequel to “The Eater of Gods,” found in Swords and Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume Two. Does anyone know if Cole will be collecting these stories in one place in the near future?

Elfloq returns. He is still seeking his prospective master, The Voidal. Elfloq attempts to direct two unscrupulous parties to exchange supposed artifacts. When the prisoner of one of the artifacts is released, everyone loses.

Blood Games in the Temple of the Toad by Frank Schildiner
The anthology closes with a Mesoamerican setting. Obsidian Jaguar, a warrior of unsurpassed ability, and the sorceress Clawed Butterfly stand in defiance of the toad god, Gol-goroth. An army of Caiman warriors lie between them and The Speaker of the Gods.

Ten stories, each showcasing a particular author's style. I discovered many new favorites, and the added treat is that each author has other published works to seek out and peruse. Blood on the Blade is available on Amazon in digital and print formats.

It's wonderful to see yet another small press venture into publishing S&S. Bravo!