The Dark Lords Stir

Daniel Manslayer didn't know why he felt compelled to travel to the Westward and the Lands of Chaos. He only knew that he needed respite from Count Valkar and all the other prize-seekers that were looking to cash in on the bounty placed on his head. He had been told that the Lands of Chaos had no ruler, and he thought that was a perfect place to be. Little did he realize that his fate was not in his hands and the light was drawing together the pieces of destiny that were prophesied three hundred years in the past. Having been an orphan growing up with strangers, Daniel knew no family and found little desire for lasting relationships. He preferred to be alone and to trust only in himself. He greatly detested involvement with two distinct groups of people. In his mind rulers were to be avoided at all times and female companionship was meant to be uncomplicated and short--the shorter, the better. The light saw it differently, and not only were females in the plan, but these females were also the triumvirate matriarchal rulers of the Three Sisters, the most powerful nation in the Westward. They and the unholy monsters created by the dark lords were on an unexpected collision in the Lands of Chaos.

For over a decade, the Bards and Sages Quarterly has been a showcase for both new and established authors to share their speculative works. The short stories presented in each issue serve as a delightful sampler of the speculative genres. Whether your preference is sword and sorcery, time-travel, space exploration, gothic horror, urban fantasy, or any of the speculative genres, you are sure to find something to love in the pages of this magazine. Stories in this issue by Andrew Jensen, Antony Paschos, Jason Mills, Kelly Toughill, Lorna McGinnis, Luke Foster, Nestor Defino, Nicole Walsh, Patrick Honovich, Ray Daley, and Taija Morgan. A Sample of what you will find: An aspiring author visits a bookshop for inspiration and finds surprising news when browsing the bookseller's special collection of magical books in That First Page. Snow White’s evil stepmother attends a self-help meeting of recovering evil witches in Witches Anonymous. Murderous desperadoes attempting a train robbery get a bit more than they bargained for in The Santa Fe Five. Special notice: For information on potential trigger warnings in our titles, please visit our trigger warnings page at bardsandsages.com

In the concluding volume of Harlan's Oath of Empire series, the Roman Empire still stands in the 7th century A.D., supported by the twin pillars of the Legions and Thaumaturges of Rome. But can it stand against Dahak, lord of the Seven Serpents?

A special anniversary collector’s edition featuring the novels of all three classic films—Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Forty years after the phenomenon was born, Star Wars remains one of the greatest science fantasy sagas ever told. Read these stories and rediscover the wonder of the epic that begins: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. . . . Star Wars Trilogy is a must-read for anyone who wants to relive the excitement, the magic, and the sheer entertainment of this legendary saga—now and forever.

The classic adventure that started it all A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . . Luke Skywalker lived and worked on his uncle's farm on the remote planet of Tatooine—and he was bored beyond belief. He yearned for adventures out among the stars, adventures that would take him beyond the farthest galaxies to distant and alien worlds. But Luke gets more than he bargained for when he intercepts a cryptic message from a beautiful princess held captive by a dark and powerful warlord. Luke doesn't know who she is, but he knows he has to save her—and soon, because time is running out. Armed only with courage and with the lightsaber that had been his father's, Luke is catapulted into the middle of the most savage space war ever—and headed straight for a desperate encounter on the enemy battle station known as the Death Star. . . .

All anyone really wants is a normal life and a great adventure. Most people will settle for the adventure. Hunter Jusenkyou never wasted time wanting a normal life, because wanting things you know youre never going to have is pointless. Instead, find something realistic worth trying for, worth hoping for, worth fighting for. That is the secret to living well. Abandoned at an early age, this peculiar individual is cunningly intelligent, brutally strong, and not always known for thinking things through. He lives his life fighting for the things he knows are right. And follow the path, wherever it leads him.

One of the most famous - yet least understood - manifestations of Thelemic thought has been the works of Kenneth Grant, the British occultist and one-time intimate of Aleister Crowley, who discovered a hidden world within the primary source materials of Crowley's Aeon of Horus. Using complementary texts from such disparate authors as H.P. Lovecraft, Jack Parsons, Austin Osman Spare, and Charles Stansfeld Jones ("Frater Achad"), Grant formulated a system of magic that expanded upon that delineated in the rituals of the OTO: a system that included elements of Tantra, of Voudon, and in particular that of the Schlangekraft recension of the Necronomicon, all woven together in a dark tapestry of power and illumination. The Dark Lord follows the themes in the writings of Kenneth Grant, H.P. Lovecraft, and the Necronomicon, uncovering further meanings of the concepts of the famous writers of the Left Hand Path. It is for Thelemites, as well as lovers of the Lovecraft Mythos in all its forms, and for those who find the rituals of classical ceremonial magic inadequate for the New Aeon. Traveling through the worlds of religion, literature, and the occult, Peter Levenda takes his readers on a deeply fascinating exploration on magic, evil, and The Dark Lord as he investigates of one of the most neglected theses in the history of modern occultism: the nature of the Typhonian Current and its relationship to Aleister Crowley's Thelema and H.P. Lovecraft's Necronomicon.

Readers are invited to immerse themselves in the sovereignty of New Perigord, brought to life through the artistry of the author and illustrator, Ben Boos.

For the statement above quoted, also for full bibliographical information regarding this publication, and for the contents of the volumes [1st ser.] v. 1- 7th series, v. 5, cf. Griffin, Bibl. of Amer. hist. society. 2d edition, 1907, p. 346-360.