One of the reasons I especially regret not attending the World Fantasy Convention this year is missing the release of The Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly: Volume 2, which debuted at the con. I wrote the introduction to the first volume, and I dearly wish I’d been there to celebrate the arrival of this one. In his review of Volume 1, Fletcher Vredenburgh wrote:

Regular readers of my monthly short story roundup know how great I think Heroic Fantasy Quarterly is, ranking it the most consistent forum for the best in contemporary swords & sorcery. Some may think I’m laying it on a little thick, but The Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly: Volume 1, 2009-2011, a distillation of the mag’s first three years, should prove that I’m not.

Under the stewardship of editors Adrian Simmons and David Farney HFQ has gotten better and better over the past six years, and I’m pleased that the wait for Volume 2 is finally over. It collects twenty stories and poems published in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly between 2011 and 2013; each one is accompanied by a full-page illustration.

If you’re looking for the best in modern heroic fantasy, look no further. The Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly: Volume 2, 2011-2013 was compiled by the editors of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly and published on October 23, 2017. It is 250 pages, priced at $12.99 in paperback. The cover is by Robert Zoltan. Get more info and order copies here, and check out Heroic Fantasy Quarterly magazine — available online and completely free — here.