Upcoming Books
Another sneak peek at some of the best fantasy books coming your way in the next 3-4 months, including work from James P. Blaylock, Mark Anthony, John Marco, and more.
Subscription Form Changes
We’ve updated our subscription form to allow you to subscribe online with a credit card. The introductory subscription rates for Black Gate won’t last long…. if you’re interested in the best in fantasy fiction, news and reviews, the time to subscribe is now!
Premiere Issue Update
We’ve finalized the complete contents of the first issue of Black Gate, now at the printers — and confirmed that the page count has increased to a whopping 240 pages. With fiction from Richard Parks, Michael Moorcock, Charles de Lint, Jeffrey Ford and Karl Edward Wagner, and non-fiction from Paul J. McAuley, Mark Sumner, Don Bassingthwaite and many others, the premiere issue of Black Gate promises to be one of the most impressive debuts in genre history. Distribution of the first issue is limited, so order yours now at our subscription page to guarantee your don’t miss out.
The State of the Art: A Look at Speculative Poetry on the Web
by Stephen M. Davis
Speculative Poetry has thrived on the World Wide Web… but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to find. Contributing Editor Stephen M. Davis reports from the front on some of the best material out there, including tales of ghouls on the road, the perils of loving Medea, and even an ode to Seven of Nine.
Short Fiction Survey
Some of the very best fantasy fiction on the market today isn’t on the shelves of your local bookstore — it’s in the magazine rack. If it’s been a while since you’ve picked up a fantasy magazine, you’ve been missing the latest work by some of the field’s finest authors. David Soyka plunges into the pulp jungle to report on some of the best magazines for your money — including small press and international efforts.
New Books
… in which we launch Black Gate‘s New Books column. Like our report on Upcoming Books, the New Books column is an in-depth look at the most promising new material caught on tape this week, including the latest addition to L. E. Modesitt Saga of Recluse, a new collaboration from Andre Norton, and much more.
Looking for the best in fantasy fiction? Put your feet up — we’ve done the work for you.
Subscriptions
After numerous requests, we’ve added a page with subscription information for the print edition of Black Gate. The first issue hits the stands in November — why take a chance on missing our blockbuster premiere issue? 224 pages packed with original fiction from the tops names in adventure fantasy, including Michael Moorcock, Charles de Lint, Jeffrey Ford, Richard Parks, Devon Monk, and others — not to mention reviews, interviews, books columns, and much more. Subscribe today!
Upcoming Books
Ready? The fall Reading Season has started in earnest, and all over the country trucks packed with heavy books are headed your way. The next four months will see over 400 new novels, collections, anthologies, art books and more crammed unto the shelves of your local bookstore. This is where you’ll find them first.
New books and advance proofs in our offices this week include the latest Icewind Dale novel from R. A. Salvatore, Volume 4 of Kate Elliott’s Crown of Stars, and A Storm of Swords, the long-awaited third installment in George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy saga A Song of Ice and Fire. Better hold your breath — Martin has announced there will be at least three more.
Launch
Today the Black Gate website officially launches (hurrah!). To celebrate, we’re partying at Worldcon in Chicago all weekend.
We’ve also added a Staff page to let you know who’s who.
Issue Preview
The premiere issue of Black Gate magazine, on sale November 2000, will include new fiction, columns and artwork from some of the finest talents in the industry. We’re proud to present a sample of the contents here on the Black Gate website.
Article
Building the Fantasy Canon: the Classic Anthologies of Genre Fantasy: Part One
by Rich Horton
From the earliest days of this century, some of the most important works of fantasy have appeared in genre magazines — including the Conan tales of Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber’s classic tales of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, the Cthulhu tales of H. P. Lovecraft and many, many more. The crumbling pulps where those stories first appeared are now in the hands of collectors, and command outrageous prices. But over the decades these tales proved their worth by appearing in a number of wonderful fantasy anthologies — many highly collectible in their own right. Rich Horton takes us back almost 50 years with a look at the most important early anthologies in American Fantasy, in part one of his in-depth retrospective of the classic anthologies of the genre.
Review
The Grand Ellipse, by Paula Volsky
(Bantam, 560 pp $27.95) October 2000
Review by Charlene Brusso
Paula Volsky is known for lush, intelligent fantasy, often patterned on historical events — including such popular novels as Illusion (set during a reworked French Revolution) and The White Tribunal. Her latest takes places in an alternate 19th Century Europe — a land of dark politics, decadent aristocracy, and high adventure. Reviewer Charlene Brusso takes a closer look, and likes what she sees. This book is “wicked good fun.”
Fiction
“The Dark Muse,” by Karl Edward Wagner
illustrated by Bernie Mireault
Karl Edward Wagner practically re-invented the dormant Sword & Sorcery genre in the 1970’s with a brilliant series of stories featuring Kane, an intelligent and resourceful rogue who strode the streets of the world’s earliest cities in the First Age of mankind. One of the finest Kane stories is “The Dark Muse,” a tale of sorcery, poetry and betrayal set amongst the long-forgotten ruins of a once-great empire. Black Gate is very proud to present this classic of dark fantasy, out of print for nearly two decades, with brand new art by fantasy master Bernie Mireault.
Gaming
Forgotten Realms: Cloak & Dagger (Wizards of the Coast) June 2000
Review by Marc Goldstein
The latest Advanced Dungeons & Dragons accessory describes the numerous secret societies operating in the world of Faerûn, unmasking mysterious brotherhoods like the Night Masks, the Knights of the Shield, the Iron Throne, and the Shadow Thieves. It starts out with a three-year timeline that focuses on the behind-the-scenes maneuvering of the various secret groups, and critical events like the schism dividing the Harpers, the rise of tyrannical Fzoul Chembryl, and the Manshoon Wars get additional attention in sidebars. Obsessed with the world of the Forgotten Realms? Plenty of surprises for you here.