As I mentioned in my post on Howard Days, the first issue of Battleborn is now out. Sean CW Korsgaard is the editor.

I’ve read it. Well, almost all of it. There’s an installment of a serial. I don’t read those unitl I have all installments.

I hope this magazine has a long life. The team putting it together has the chops to do it right. And they did.

I have to say there isn’t a bad story in the whole issue. I enjoyed every single one of them (with the exception of  the serial). Usually, there is one story that isn’t to my taste.

Not so here. The first issue of Battleborn hit it out of the park.

Here’s what you get when you pluck down your hard-earned drachma, or shilling, or cursed coin you found in the back of what you thought was an empty tomb.

The aforementioned serial is by Pschuyler Hernstrom. I’ve heard good t hings about his work and have enjoyed what little of it I’ve read. I’m looking forward to reading this one.

When alll installments have been published. I have no problem with serials. I just know from experience I need to read them all at once or I’ll either forget what is going on by the time t he next installment  comes out or not ever get arouind to reading the next installment.

The lead story is “A Stone’s Throw”, a Hanuvar story by the late Howard Andrew Jones, appears here for the first time. And kudos to the team for listinig Howard Andrew Jones as the editor emeritus. That is a fine tribute.

Other short stories were by TJ Marquis, Erik Waag, Lee Patton, and Robert Rhodes. There were three novellettes. The ones by C.L. Werner and Gregory D. Mele, The reprint was a Nift the Lean story by Michael Shea. Jason Ray Carney provided an indepth analysis of the story.

Which brings up two things. First, Sean said at Howard Days that he planned to reprint one classic, long out of print sword and sorcery story each issue to introduce younger readers to some of the classi authors and stories that built the field.

That is an excellent strategy.

Second, there columns. This issue had columns by Sean, Jason M. Waltz, Morgan Holmes, Jason Ray Carney, and Gregory D. Mele. Jason M. Waltz’s column features first lines. I went and bought a copy of the story he featured.

I do have a minor quibble. I wish the print had been a little larger. These eyes ain’t getting any younger.

All in all, this was a strong debut. If you didn’t pledge the crowdfunding campaign (which you should have done), you can purchase a copy here. (Which you should.)