Neither Beg Nor Yield: Stories with S&S Attitude edited by Jason M. Waltz
Rogue Blades Entertainment
Cover and interior art by M. D. Jackson
2024

The genesis of this epic collection began with the desire of Jason Waltz to devote more time to his writing. You see, as a publisher he was spending copious amounts of time reading, editing and publishing other author's stories, leaving little time to his own craft. Emulating the spirit of sword & sorcery, Jason wasn't going to go gently into that good night. No. He made a list of authors who he felt consistently wrote with S&S attitude. He put together a Kickstarter campaign to fund this epic endeavor, which was a resounding success. Not every author he contacted was able to participate. However, the table of contents is a fairly amazing thing and boasts many names you should find familiar.

Waltz offers an introduction titled “It's Not Gentle,” in which he hammers down his definition of S&S. The table of contents contains twenty stories. Many are traditional in subject and delivery, others present something new. Jason has also penned an editor's afterword for each story explaining his connection with the author and highlighting the author's other works. This part is enjoyable and enlightening. Each story is adorned with two pieces of art by M.D. Jackson. The one at the beginning of the story illustrates a scene and the second is found later in the story illustrating a weapon.

With any collection the appreciation varies from reader to reader. There were a few stories that stood out to me. John C. Hocking's “Soldier, Seeker, Slayer” was a memorable bit of violence. The ending was equal parts poignant and horrific. I caught on to what was really going on early, but I wasn't completely sure. It certainly did not spoil the ending. I enjoyed the line "I'm a thief––I even steal from death." From Phil Emery's “Golden Devils of the Crypt.” “The Shades of Nacross Hill” by Frederick Tor was a classic traditional story of thieves in a graveyard. A betrayal and a necromancer round out the story. Steve Gobble's “Virgins for Khuul” is another traditional story featuring a protagonist that I want to read more of. The final story, “Maiden Flight” by Adrian Cole, was rock solid. An interesting premise, one which I have not encountered before, which left me wanting to know what happens next. Ulric Wulfsen is a determined dude. I will leave you with this quote from the story: "Life is the most precious gift Odin gives to us," he said. "We should never give it away lightly. We must use every fiber of our being to cling to it. I will fight to the last warrior sent from my enemies or from Odin himself, to preserve that code."