ZINE PAGE
Welcome to our HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEY
zine page. We decided to include this one because although many of us post
our fiction on the net there are still a number of authors who do not have
the facility to do so, and still publish their fiction in hard copy.
With one of us being an author who has been writing
for over 30 years and has been published in various fandoms, it is our aim
to continue to encourage such publications, for, as much as we love the
immediate access our net gives us, we also love the good, old-fashioned
zine!
Herein, therefore, you will find the works of
several authors of our acquaintance who have been writing H:TLJ for a while
but have not been as widely read as they deserved. Excerpts from their various
stories are to be found on the links as detailed below. Having been privileged
to read these pieces, and being very discerning judges of fiction (even
if we do say so ourselves, one of us also having been an amateur critic
for many years), we can assure you that, once you read these excerpts, you'll
rush to buy the zines which contain them!
So, we hope you enjoy these short pieces - remember,
they are JUST EXCERPTS, NOT FULL PIECES!!! - and if you would like to order
the zines, please mail the snail mail addy or the email addy listed after
each one. If you have any problems contacting the editors, you can email me
THE CELESTIAL TOYBOX
Issue 13: includes 'THE TIES THAT BIND' by
Lorraine A. Scherrer
Hercules and Iolaus are caught up in
one of Hera's plans to kill them. Chained within a ship, they are subjected
to brutality and misery, with no hope of reprieve ....
"The sound of his friend's voice, more than the pronouncement of
the sentence, brought Iolaus out of his self-imposed trance, but he heard
the penalty. By the Gods, so many! He had no idea if he could survive the
blows. Already his back and chest burned from the earlier beating and he
felt giddy and light-headed. Sure signs of a fever. He was not afraid of
death. Because of his association with Hercules, he'd always accepted the
fact that he might die in some cause or another ... "
Issue 14: includes 'THE TIES THAT BIND: THE
THREADS THAT WEAVE' by Lorraine A. Scherrer (sequel to 'THE TIES THAT BIND')
Our two heroes are on the trail of
a vicious band of thugs who are attacking villages. However, as memories
of their time aboard the ship continue to plague them, they are unaware
that events are propelling them toward another encounter with someone they
know very well from that time ...
"Watching his friend march in
front of him, Hercules allowed a grimace to pas over his features. No amount
of hinting or suggestions of counter activities had worked to persuade Iolaus
to leave. He was determined to keep Hercules company. it had become very
apparant these men were dangerous. Iolaus would not let even the Son of
Zeus face them alone. That resolution made Hercules' knowledge even more
of a burden. He wanted Iolaus far away when the bandits were finally caught
..."
Issue 15: includes further chapters
of this story by Lorraine A. Scherrer
Iolaus refuses to stand by and allow
the man he perceives as his saviour to die. Consequently, he condemns himself
to a life even he had not envisioned ...
"A coracle was pulling away, already
too far for even Hercules to jump. Huddled in the bilge at the bottom lay
Iolaus, still bound. His clothes were even more torn. A thin trickle of
blood flowed sluggishly from his scalp, smearing with the grime on his face.
Several more fresh cuts and darkening bruises marked his face and arms.
Most alarming was the red staining the once white bandages around his torso.
"Iolaus!"
At the anguished cry, the blond looked
up. His face mirrored Hercules' distress, the emotion directed at what the
other was feeling. "I'm sorry." The mouthed words spunded in Jason's
ears although he hadn't heard them ..."
It also includes 'REVENGE' by Cass.
When Iolaus disappears, Hercules mounts
a full-scale search for his friend which proves fruitless until, several
weeks later, news reaches him of his friend's whereabouts. He is ill-prepared,
however, for what he finds when he reaches the blond warrior and totally
unprepared for the consequences.
"Herc... " it was a thin,
hollow sound, wrested from a throat long since rubbed raw by his own screams
and uttered by a man who looked for all the world like an uncontrollable
savage. The dichotomy was incredible. Iolaus watched the demigod shake his
head in abject dismay and confusion, even as hot on the heels of the barely
audible word came the question, 'Wasn't I trying to get away from Herc?'
He could barely spare the time to ponder this as fire drove through him
again. It didn't matter. Hercules could help him. He knew Hercules could
help him. More, the demigod wanted to help. He didn't want to see his best
friend in such torture. Iolaus uncurled slightly from the wall and reached
out one hand to the tall figure before him, watching as confusion drained
from the azure eyes to be replaced by a deep distress which cut through
him as well, following the path already blazed by the fiery inferno within
him. "Herc ... help me ..."
ISSUE 15 IS AVAILABLE FROM JUNE 1999
These zines can be ordered from the following address:
THE CELESTIAL TOYBOX
c/o JULIE FITCH
1501 GENESEE ROAD
SOUTH EUCLID, OH 44121 (USA)
or email: A4skate@aol.com
*****STOP PRESS*****
ISSUE 15 IS NOW AVAILABLE. THE RATES ARE AS FOLLOWS :
CELESTIAL TOYBOX # 15 - $20.00
(Please add on the following prices if you are
sending from abroad)
UK
Surface mail is $10.00 Airmail is $14.50
New Zealand
Surface mail is $10.00 Airmail is $20.00
ALSO AVAILABLE: ISSUE 18 (with 'Destroying Angel' - a 'Diagnosis
Murder' story by Cass)
COMING SOON: ISSUE 19 (with 'Journey out of Darkness' - a 'Diagnosis
Murder' story by Cass)
YOU'RE HERCULES?
The Brand by
Angela Field
When Iolaus is plagued by recurring
nightmares, Hercules takes him to a Seer friend of his, unaware that doing
so will cause the nightmares to come true
"Hercules was a second too late
to reach the High Priest. He roared in rage as he saw Iolaus' body convulse
and the High Priest lean almost lovingly against him, then he was up on
the dias and plucking the man from his feet, hurling him at the statue without
thinking ..."
The Flowers of Tartarus by Linda Chapple
Hercules is poisoned by one of Hera's
creatures and this time there is no cure. That is what Iolaus believes,
until Hermes arrives to tell him that there is indeed a cure ... deep in
the bowels of Tartarus.
"Hercules sat bolt upright in
bed and lunged at something only he could see. Mendalon and Alcmene dropped
the scrolls the healer had brought in a hopeless attempt to find some kind
of magic cure and threw themselves at him. The demi-god snarled silently
and swept them away, his eyes still fixed on some unseen danger. He was
screaming Iolaus' name over and over again, but his spurt of strength soon
died away and the other two were able to manhandle him back on to the bed
..."
Spider's Mate by
Angela Field
When Hercules hears tales of a monster
preying on yet another village, he decides to do something about it. The
matter becomes a little more personal when the monster snatches Iolaus,
but even after the monster has been dealt with, the legacy of its existence
lingers on.
"As Iolaus fell, Hercules bolted
forward through the smoke and dived, determined to get under his friend.
Somehow, he managed to get both his arms under the blond, breaking his fall
as the warrior thumped into his chest. Hercules rolled with the impact,
cushioning Iolaus against him. He waited only long enough to get a dazed
response out of his friend, before throwing him over his shoulder and running
for the cave entrance..."
First Draft by
Linda Chapple
When Hercules receives another instalment
of his biography from Salmoneous, he invites Iolaus over to take a look
at it ...
"Hercules' initial amusement was
beginning to edge towards concern as he realised that Iolaus was getting
a little short of breath. The blond had slipped to the floor and lay there,
curled up on himself as he howled with mirth over the latest passage. He
was definitely going to have to tell Salmoneous to tone down on some of
the overblown rhetoric ..."
YOU'RE IOLAUS?
Here be Monsters by Angela Field
Our two intrepid heroes are called
upon to save the day when they visit a small town for the wedding of a friend.
There are monsters in them thar mountains!
"Iolaus ducked flat and nearly
fell, but avoided getting snapped in two. Somehow, he managed to get a grip
on the edge of the monster's carapace between the shell and what passed
for its neck, securing himself as the monster did its best to twist inside
its shell to get at him..."
The Clutch by
Linda Chapple
Iolaus is abducted by a harpy whilst
accompanying Alcmene to the summer home of a king grateful to the two heroes.
His problems are compounded by the discovery that the harpy is a nesting
mother with VERY hungry chicks.
".. Everything seemed to be swimming
around him, though and, for a moment, Iolaus wondered if he was still in
the pond, looking at everything through a haze of water. He managed to get
to his feet and stood, swaying, for a couple of seconds. Then everything
caught up with him at the same moment and he went crashing back down to
lie in an oblivious huddle in the open ..."
Shadow of Fear by
Angela Field
When Iolaus' old enemy, Pericles, comes
to Hercules seeking help, Iolaus insists on going with them to watch his
friend's back when he should be watching his own.
"Hercules, edging down the down
slope of the bridge, saw Iolaus disappear apparently into the very jaws
of the monster and let out a scream of his own. As the snake convulsed and
threw its head up, Hercules threw his sword point first. He had time to
see the gaping rent Iolaus' sword had made in the soft skin of the snake's
throat as he dived under it ..."
YOU'RE SALMONEOUS?
Sales Pitch by
Linda Chapple
Salmoneous tries to sell a few ...
artefacts with a sales pitch all his own ...
"Size is relative, as a certain
blond hunter of my acqaintance would be only too happy to inform you ..."
What I did on my Vacation by Angela Field
What looks like a nice vacation for
Hercules and Iolaus turns into a battle for survival as mercenaries attack
the fort in which they and a few hundred other innocent people are staying
...
"With a tremendous crash, a gap
appeared in the wall several feet away from the main doors and through the
smoke loomed a tall, flame shadowed figure. The ragged cheers that went
up from the fire-fighters silenced Charys and Salmoneous and they stopped
glaring at each other to look round as Hercules staggered from the burning
stables with Iolaus lying limp in his arms..."
Stalk Like an Egyptian by Angela Field
A Mummy wants Iolaus and Hercules,
with the help and the hindrance of Salmoneous, try to stop it.
"Iolaus wasn't sure what happened
next. He heard what he thought was Hercules bellow his name then the mummy
lurched suddenly as something hit it from behind. It dropped the hunter
and Iolaus sprawled, his entire body feeling as limp as if he had run from
Athens to Sparta as he passed out ..."
Scene from Above by
Angela Field
Iolaus takes a bath - unaware that
he is being observed by several deities who are taking great delight in
his mortal form ...
"Sinking down to shoulder level
in the hot water, Iolaus eyed the ceiling curiously. Maybe it was the steam
causing odd reflections, but it looked very strange. Almost as if the whole
room was underwater. Still, as long as it didn't fall in, he was enjoying
himself too much to care. Singing happily to himself, he started to soap
his shoulders ..."
THE GATES OF DEATH by
Angela Field
Thanatos, banished by the gods for
eons, needs a sacrifice in order to re-enter the world. Iolaus is chosen.
It is up to Hercules, Jason and Iolaus himself to prevent Thanatos from
being victorious in his quest, but how successful can they be when Iolaus
is already injured, has been poisoned and starts to go blind ...?
"Holding Iolaus clamped against
him, Hercules thrust out one powerful arm and fended off the tree, staggering
back into the deeper water as its momentum thrust him backwards. He went
to one knee and for a moment the water surged up and over both men, half
drowning them. Somehow, Hercules surged upright, yelping as the tree scraped
his back and sent him staggering. Then the tree was past and Hercules lurched
towards the bank, wading through the waist deep water. Jason and Crokus
waded into the shallows to meet him, taking the barely conscious Iolaus
from his arms and carrying him to the safety of dry land ..."
LOOSE ARROWS by
Linda Chapple
Hermes has been in love with and futilely
chased after Iolaus for many years. But even he has diffi culty in believing
it when the hunter suddenly reciprocates his feelings. It's all the fault
of Malice and some rather special arrows stolen from Cupid Mix in Hercules,
Eros and a rather peeved Aphrodite, and you will understand why a certain
hotel chain never want Salmoneous and his little band to stay there again.
Confused? That's nothing to how poor Herc feels ..!!
"Hercules skidded to a halt so
fast that he practically fell off the chariot. Frustrated, he glared at
the herald-god but to his relief, Iolaus chose that moment to bound out
of the bedroom. He was wearing nothing but a towel and a wide smile, his
hair still damp from the water he had washed himself in and Hercules could
practically feel Hermes go white-hot with desire in an instant. Judging
from the expression on Iolaus' face, he had done this deliberately ..."
'You're Hercules?', 'You're Iolaus?', 'You're Salmoneous?', 'Gates of
Death' and 'Loose Arrows' are available from the following address:
http://www.nas.com/~lknight/H/Hercules/index.html
LEGENDARY COMPANIONS
Reflections of a Golden Kind by Cass
Convention by Chattan
A Life Worth Living by Cass
Queen of Witches by Chattan
Rescued by Cass
The above zine is available by emailing the author of this page. The
stories are also available on these webpages.