Black Gate

Black Gate is very pleased to offer our readers an exclusive first look at The Black Fire Concerto, a dark fantasy novel by Mike Allen, the acclaimed editor and publisher of the anthology series Clockwork Phoenix and the poetry journal Mythic Delirium.

It was one of the twins who warned her just after dark that a man dressed head-to-toe in black had come through the village earlier that day asking after a piper and harpist and left quickly upon getting an affirmative.

Olyssa had seen the cultists coming up the street from the wharf. At least thirty, all armed with rifles. When she returned to their room on the second story she told Erzelle that there might well be more covering the other exits.

After that brief announcement she sat lotus-style on the floor between their cots with her rifle in her lap and began to chant as the rough voice outside taunted.

“Come out and know our mercy. Come out or you’ll wish you had been eaten.”

She held the rifle up with both hands as if presenting it for an offering. Its red runes glowed brighter and brighter, her chant unceasing. Huddled under a cot, Erzelle made out the words, uttered fast and sing-song: “Find my enemies. Find my enemies. Find my enemies.”

Glowing brighter still, the rifle shuddered and lifted into the air.

John R. Fultz tells us “The Black Fire Concerto is Horror. It’s Magic. It’s a post-apocalyptic melody played on strings of Terror and Sorcery.” And Tiffany Trent says “Mike Allen offers readers a gift of the most delicately layered dark fantasy presented carefully on a post-apocalyptic platter.” And Tanith Lee called The Black Fire Concerto, “A prize for the multitude of fans who relish strong Grand Guignol with their sword and sorcery.”

Mike’s short fiction has appeared in Solaris Rising 2, Best Horror of the Year, Volume 1, and Cthulhu’s Reign, among other places. He was a Nebula Award finalist in 2009 for his short story, “The Button Bin,” and his first collection of short fiction, The Button Bin And Other Horrors, is forthcoming from Dagan Books.

The Black Fire Concerto was published July 15 by Haunted Stars Publishing. It is a 202-page trade paperback available for $15.95 and $8.95 for the Kindle version. Listen to the first chapter here, and learn more at Haunted Stars.

Read an exclusive chapter from The Black Fire Concerto here.

To men of greed go the riches. And the seasons.

“Seasons are all amuck,” Uncle Hobnor said. He turned, shielding his eyes as he looked down toward the inner city, its towers standing tall, reddish flags billowing about stone ledges. “Blasted season wrecker.”

“Why does he always keep it Dryburn, Uncle Hob-hob?”

“Why?” He snorted. “I’ll tell you, boy, it’s because of that damned sovereign’s heart.” In the distance, towering high above chipped marble houses, was Lord Banamp’s impervious demesne. “He cares only for this warm weather so his flowers can live forever.”

“I think I’m beginning to forget what snow’s actually like,” Perry said.

“Me too, boy,” his uncle said. “Which is why we’re going to get it back.”

Paul Abbamondi lives in the middle of the Pennsylvanian woods with his wife and two cats, reading, writing, and drawing. His short stories have appeared in Shimmer, Farrago’s Wainscot, Warrior Wisewoman 3, and Kaleidotrope, among other publications, and he enjoys all things weird.

The complete catalog of Black Gate Online Fiction, including stories by Vaughn Heppner, Mark Rigney, Aaron Bradford Starr, Jamie McEwan, Martha Wells, Mary Catelli, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, E.E. Knight, C.S.E. Cooney, Howard Andrew Jones, Harry Connolly, and many others, is here.

“So Go the Seasons” is a complete 1,300-word short story of adventure fantasy offered at no cost.

Read the complete story here.

The young warrior Lod, last seen here in “The Oracle of Gog” (Black Gate 15) and “The Pit Slave,” returns in a fast paced tale of sword & sorcery on the high seas.

Eglon paced the stern deck. Subdued archers and soldiers sat in clumps about the galley, whispering and casting fearful glances at the captain’s cabin. They were alone in the vast sea, a small island of rotten, creaking wood.

Then an eerie moan emanated from the captain’s cabin. Wood rattled and a harsh red light poured through the chinks between the boards. The hellish glare startled the soldiery, many crying out and pointing. The moan became a high-pitched scream. The shadows nearest the cabin flickered as if with infernal life. The scream lasted too long. It stretched impossibly, and then the wicked light snapped off and the scream died.

“Necromancy,” whispered Eglon.

SF Site called Lod “a cross between Conan and Elric of Melniboné,” and Louis West at Tangent Online called “The Pit Slave” “classic sword & fantasy.”

Vaughn Heppner has written Amazon best sellers such as Star Soldier, Invasion: Alaska and People of the Ark. His new SF novel, Assault Troopers, is hitting the top of some Amazon SF categories and Alien Honor, the latest in his Doom Star universe, will be released on November 26.

The complete catalog of Black Gate Online Fiction, including stories by Mark Rigney, Aaron Bradford Starr, Jamie McEwan, Martha Wells, Mary Catelli, Michael Penkas, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, E.E. Knight, C.S.E. Cooney, Howard Andrew Jones, Harry Connolly, and many others, is here.

“The Serpent of Thep” is a complete 11,000-word novelette of sword & sorcery offered at no cost.

Read the complete story here.