Greetings, young scholar. I'm glad you found my advert in the newspaper! Yes, I still have a room to let. It's up the stairs here. In fact, it's are right below the top floor. One Mr. Zann holds the room above you. Have you heard of him? I'm told he's a viol player of some repute. Looks like a student of metaphysics to us! In our second Cromtober episode of 2014 we tackle H.P.

Hile, traveler! I bid you, please come out of the storm. Here... Have a hot meal and some tasty wine before we retire to the library to discuss 'many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore.' What's that, you ask? Pay no mind to that parchment!  "It is better not to ask.. . There is a curse on the pages that you hold in your hand: an evil spell, a malign power is attached to them,

This week, your loyal Cromcasters get into movie critique mode and direct their gaze toward the Brigitte Nielsen/Arnold Schwarzenegger sword and sorcery film Red Sonja from 1985. Does this film capture the essence of the strong female sword and sorcery character in the same way as the Howard and Moore stories we've discussed so far this season? Do you enjoy this film? Let us know!

Greetings and well met, fellow Cromrades! Are you prepared for a journey to a surreal land of light and darkness, where your worst nightmares dwell, in order to wreak terrible vengeance upon a tormentor? If so, you'll enjoy our story this week! In our latest episode, we discussed CL Moore's first Jirel of Joiry tale, "The Black God's Kiss"! It marks the first time we've covered a story

It was a woman, dressed as von Kalmbach had not even seen the dandies of France dressed. She was tall, splendidly shaped, but lithe. From under a steel cap escaped rebellious tresses that rippled red-gold in the sun over her compact shoulders. High boots of Cordovan leather came to her mid-thighs, which were cased in baggy breeches. She wore a shirt of Turkish mesh-mail tucked into

I found myself in a small chamber, without visible doors or windows, though there must have been some subtle system of ventilation. A hooded lanthorn lit the room with a vague and ghostly light. Nine figures huddled against the walls on settles – nine figures wrapped closely in dark cloaks, feathered hats or black morions pulled low to meet the black masks which hid their faces. Only their

"Aye, Dark Agnès!” said Étienne, lifting himself on elbow. “A star of darkness shone on her birth, of darkness and unrest. Where ever she goes shall be blood spilling and men dying. I knew it when I saw her standing against the sunrise that turned to blood the dagger in her hand.” “I have paid my debt to you,” I said. “If I placed your life in jeopardy, I have bought it back with blood.”

Hello Cromrades! This week we are joined by our friend Jason Sizemore, author of the short story collection Irredeemable, and owner of the excellent sci-fi and fantasy publishing house Apex Publications! Get ready for some insight into small press, submitting short stories, and the weirdest story submission Jason has ever seen. It's a good episode folks, and we hope you enjoy getting to know

"Satan's throne! There is a great ruby ring you've overlooked!"Now I looked for the first time at the face. It was a delicate oval with red lips that curled in mockery, large grey eyes that danced, and only then did I realize that I was looking at a woman and not a man. One hand rested saucily on her hip, the other held a long ornately-hilted rapier-and with a twitch of repulsion I saw a

 Art by Boris Valleho This is it! This week we reflect on our year spent reading the original Conan the Barbarian stories, and what we've learned about Robert E. Howard. These stories are full of passion, action, and adventure! But there is much more to them! If you look closely, you can see fragments of a man's life, his philosophy and outlook, his sense of humor, and yes, perhaps even