The Wells of Ur: Dreams of a Lost City edited by Neal Durando
Pilum Press
March 2022
222 pages

The Wells of Ur is the newest anthology from indie publisher Pilum Press. Pilum, as you are probably aware, recently made waves within the S&S community with their Kickstarter for the new edition of Schuyler Hernstrom's Thune's Vision which was a resounding success. Pilum has also published The Penultimate Men: Tales From Our Savage Future and Shagduk by DB Jackson. You can contact them via their website pilumpress.com.

The Wells of Ur comprises four stories with cities being the common thread. This is what Neal Durando had to say about the collection in his introduction:

So, here they are, two fictions which recount the bang from which urbanity begins. And two fictions recording the whimpers with which it ends. Or renews. (The choice depends on your politics.) All four seem as reliable a guide to any traveler resolved to the possibility of embarking at Camden Station, Baltimore, only to emerge at Salguero Street, or Café Groppi, or before the Synagogue at Budapest. Limits of time and space are nothing to these worthies.

The table of contents:

“New York City 1991; Buenos Aires 1939: An introduction” by Neal Durando
“The Wells of Ur” by Unknown, translated by Norberto Argentavis
“The City at Dawn” by Jon Mollison
“Philadelphia”: an excerpt from Shagduk, a novel by JB Jackson
“Across the White River” by Brian Renninger
“Elektra and the Laws” by Norberto Argentavis

There is also a nice profile illustration by Schuyler Hernstrom on page 16 and another stirring piece of art by Penny Melgarejo on page 68 illustrating a scene from “Across the White River”.

The City at Dawn
The Lion and Eagle clans are at war. The champion and leader of the Lion clan is most comfortable with a weapon in hand and seeks the subjugation of the Eagle clan. The Eagle chieftain is wily and works the Lions against themselves. The conflict will finally be resolved with a trial by combat. The result is all but certain, that is until the unexpected happens. This unexpected event will help forge the Eagle and Lion into something new and much stronger than before.

Even though it lacks any sorcery, The City at Dawn will appeal to fans of sword & sorcery fiction.

Philadelphia
This was an excerpt from the novel Shagduk. I enjoyed the nostalgia of the time period, but I was left with so many questions. So, the protagonist works for the library? Performs in a band? Goes to a conference with Diana, a woman we know nothing about, and bears a tattoo that also has significance that isn't explained. And our protagonist has an illness he must get regular injections for? It simply didn't stimulate my interest enough. Primarily because it is out of my normal wheelhouse.

Across the White River
Another story that will appeal to the S&S crowd. Written in first-person perspective.

A fragile peace is shattered when a personal vengeance is taken. In flight, the people must spirit their pregnant monarch home to their fortified city. The outcome looks bleak. That is, until a peerless warrior from out of time arrives and champions their cause as his own. This story is located somewhere between history and legend.

Electra and the Laws
I gave this one a shot, but it ended up as a DNF. This was completely out of my wheelhouse. I had trouble following the narrative. I assumed it was some future time, but things were just as primitive and barbaric as much of the past.

Pilum Press is another indie publisher to keep an eye on. I look forward to checking out Thune's Vision and The Penultimate Men next. The Wells of Ur is currently available in paperback from Amazon.