Lord of Samarcand

Robert E. Howard

The Turks, cruelly lead by the scurrilous Bayazid, crushingly defeat a bunch of European Christians who were invading so as to steal land from the Turks, or something. But one of the Europeans, a Scott, Donald MacDeesa escapes with his life and hooks up with Ak Boga, who who had secretly been spying on the carnage. Ak Boga works for the Amir of Samarcand, one Timour the Lame.

Names in the Black Book

Robert E. Howard

Three unsolved murders in a week are not so unusual--for River Street, grunted Steve Harrison, shifting his muscular bulk restlessly in his chair. His companion lighted a cigarette and Harrison observed that her slim hand was none too steady. She was exotically beautiful, a dark, supple figure, with the rich colors of purple Eastern nights and crimson dawns in her dusky hair and red lips. But in her dark eyes Harrison glimpsed the shadow of fear. Only once before had he seen fear in those marvelous eyes, and the memory made him vaguely uneasy.

Pigeons From Hell

Robert E. Howard

Pigeons from Hell is a short story by Robert E. Howard written in late 1934 and published posthumously by Weird Tales in 1938. The story title derives from an image present in many of Howards grandmothers ghost stories, that of an old deserted plantation mansion haunted by ghostly pigeons.

Queen of the Black Coast

Robert E. Howard

Hoofs drummed down the street that sloped to the wharfs. The folk that yelled and scattered had only a fleeting glimpse of a mailed figure on a black stallion, a wide scarlet cloak flowing out on the wind. Far up the street came the shout and clatter of pursuit, but the horseman did not look back. He swept out onto the wharfs and jerked the plunging stallion back on its haunches at the very lip of the pier.

Red Blades of Black Cathay

Robert E. Howard

The singing of the swords was a deathly clamor in the brain of Godric de Villehard. Blood and sweat veiled his eyes and in the instant of blindness he felt a keen point pierce a joint of his hauberk and sting deep into his ribs. Smiting blindly, he felt the jarring impact that meant his sword had gone home, and snatching an instants grace, he flung back his vizor and wiped the redness from his eyes.

Red Nails

Robert E. Howard

Red Nails is the last of the stories about Conan the Cimmerian written by American author Robert E. Howard. A novella, it was originally serialized in Weird Tales magazine from July to October 1936. It is set in the pseudohistorical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan encountering a lost city in which the degenerate inhabitants are proactively resigned to their own destruction. Due to its grim themes of decay and death, the story is considered a classic of Conan lore and is often cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales.

Red Shadows

Robert E. Howard

The moonlight shimmered hazily, making silvery mists of illusion among the shadowy trees. A faint breeze whispered down the valley, bearing a shadow that was not of the moon-mist. A faint scent of smoke was apparent. The man whose long, swinging strides, unhurried yet unswerving, had carried him for many a mile since sunrise, stopped suddenly. A movement in the trees had caught his attention, and he moved silently toward the shadows, a hand resting lightly on the hilt of his long, slim rapier.

Rogues in the House

Robert E. Howard

Rogues in the House is one of the original short stories starring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in Weird Tales magazine in January 1934. It is set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan inadvertently becoming involved in the power play between two powerful men fighting for control of a city. It was the seventh Conan story Howard had published.

Shadows in Zamboula

Robert E. Howard

Shadows in Zamboula is one of the original stories by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian, first published in Weird Tales in November, 1935. Its original title was The Man-Eaters of Zamboula. The story takes place over the course of a night in the desert city of Zamboula, with political intrigue amidst streets filled with roaming cannibals. It features the character Baal-pteor, one of the few humans in the Conan stories to be a physical challenge for the main Cimmerian character himself.

Skull-Face

Robert E. Howard

The horror first took concrete form amid that most unconcrete of all thingsa hashish dream. I was off on a timeless, spaceless journey through the strange lands that belong to this state of being, a million miles away from earth and all things earthly; yet I became cognizant that something was reaching across the unknown voidssomething that tore ruthlessly at the separating curtains of my illusions and intruded itself into my visions.

Son of the White Wolf

Robert E. Howard

Francis Xavier Gordon was a living legend in the Middle and Far East. The boars called him El Borac, Swift, the title earned by his awkward abilities with a gun, a knife and a sword. Now, the mighty El Borak must stretch its forces to prevent the Turkish uprising, protect the hermits from murders and stop the dangerous amir without allowing him to seize control over India.

Steve Costigan. Fighting Sailor

Robert E. Howard

Robert E. Howard best known for his contributions to the extremely popular sword and sorcery genre of fiction. Howards writings became more successful posthumously and he created legendary characters such as Conan the Barbarian and Solomon Kane. Though much better known for his fantasies, Howard wrote more about the humorous escapades of Sailor Steve Costigan and his bulldog Mike than any of his other characters. In a unique Texas voice, the unreliable narrator Costigan recounts his adventures with the crew of the tramp steamer Sea Girl. He roamed the 1930s Asiatic sea, looking for boxing contests and other trouble. Like Howards other turbulent heroes, from Conan to Black Turlogh, Sailor Steve is always ready to wade into a fight, whether to uphold the honor of the fleet or to win a kiss from a beautiful woman. This collection includes the following: The Pit of the Serpent, Breed of Battle, Sailors Grudge, and many more.

Steve Harrison. Detective of the Occult

Robert E. Howard

Steve Harrison is a police detective. His cases are not always easy but for sure very, very weird. Robert E. Howard delivers an impressive tour de force of weird fiction awesomeness with Steve Harrison, Detective of the Occult! . Three short masterful stories in the Steve Harrison series from one of the greatest fantasy writers of the 20th century, the uncontained, uncontainable, Mr. Robert E. Howard: Fangs of Gold Names in the Black Book Graveyard Rats. Robert Ervin Howard (1906-1936) was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. He is well known for his character Conan the Barbarian and is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre.

Swords of Shahrazar

Robert E. Howard

Kirby ODonnell is a Howard hero less familiar to most readers. Howard only wrote three stories about ODonnells exploits, of which only two actually saw print during his lifetime -- The Treasures of Tartary and Swords of Shahrazar -- neither in Weird Tales.

Swords of the Red Brotherhood

Robert E. Howard

One moment the glade lay empty; the next a man poised tensely at the edge of the bushes. No sound warned the red squirrels of his coming, but the birds that flitted about in the sunlight took sudden fright at the apparition and rose in a clamoring swarm. The man scowled and glanced quickly back the way he had come, fearing the bird-flight might have betrayed his presence. Then he started across the glade, placing his feet with caution. Tall and muscular of frame, he moved with the supple ease of a panther.

Tales of Bran Mak Morn

Robert E. Howard

From Robert E. Howards fertile imagination sprang some of fictions greatest heroes, including Conan the Cimmerian, King Kull, and Solomon Kane. But of all Howards characters, none embodied his creators brooding temperament more than Bran Mak Morn. The last king of the Picts, Bran Mak Morn exists in a brutal, savage world set in the same universe as H.P. Lovecrafts Cthulhu Mythos. Unlike most of his race, Morn eschewed violence and actively sought peace among the other tribes of Ancient England. The Picts are savage, bestial, un-united; and Bran Mak Morn desires to bring his nation out of savagery, to bring it back to the civilization of their fathers. The Bran Mak Morn tales are littered with supernatural nasties and plenty of action. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy, historical fiction, and Robert E. Howard.

Tales of Breckinridge Elkins

Robert E. Howard

Breck Elkins is a hillbilly from Bear Creek, a fictional location in the Humboldt Mountains of Nevada. He is mighty of stature and small of brain"a physically huge and imposing figure, and his reputation as a short-tempered and ferocious fighter often precedes him throughout the Southwest. He is usually found in the company of Capn Kidd, his equally fierce and cantankerous horse.

Tales of Cthulhu

Robert E. Howard

Nameless Cults: The Cthulhu Mythos Fiction of Robert E. Howard is a collection of Cthulhu Mythos short stories by Robert E. Howard. It was first published in the US in 2001 by Chaosium Press. All of these stories had been published previously, between 1929 and 1985, in Weird Tales, From Beyond the Dark Gateway, Strange Tales, Weirdbook, Fantasy Crosswinds, Coven, Fantasy Book, Dark Things, and The Fantasy Magazine. The collection includes an introduction by Robert M. Price called Raven, Son of Morn. Prices introduction gives a short sketch of Howards overall writing and a more detailed overview of his Cthulhu Mythos work and its relation to that of other mythos writers.

Tales of El Borak

Robert E. Howard

Robert E. Howard is famous for creating such immortal heroes as Conan the Cimmerian, Solomon Kane, and Bran Mak Morn. Less well-known but equally extraordinary are his non-fantasy adventure stories set in the Middle East and featuring such hero as Francis Xavier Gordon. Texas gunfighter F. X. Gordon traveled the world before settling in 1920s Afghanistan. The Afghans dubbed him El Borak for his quick thinking and skill with a sword and gun. The respected Gordon frequently mitigated tribal wars and conflict through guile or, barring that, violence. Contrary to Howards reputation, these were straight adventure stories with no supernatural elements. Every fan of Robert E. Howard and aficionados of great adventure writing will want to own this collection of the best of Howards desert tales.

Tales of the Weird Southwest

Robert E. Howard

If you like your horror with a western twist then these tales are for you. Awesome occult western adventure, from the master of strange fiction, Robert E. Howard! This collection includes the following stories: THE HORROR FROM THE MOUND, THE MAN ON THE GROUND, OLD GARFIELDS HEART, BLACK CANAAN, THE DEAD REMEMBER, PIGEONS FROM HELL and others. Kind of like Dreams at the Witch House by Lovecraft but mixed with Howards own legends. Tales of the Weird Southwest is a combination of western with horror, occult, and fantasy stories. Truly one of the greatest contributions to the development of the Weird Fiction genre, Robert E. Howards Tales of the Weird Southwest is a treasure for any collection!

Tales of the West

Robert E. Howard

Five incredible stories of the wild west, from the supremely creative mind of Robert E. Howard: "Golden Hope Christmas, Riders of the Sunset, Boot-Hill Payoff, Vultures Sanctuary, The Vultures of Wahpeton. The serious, hardcore western stories in this collection fit the writing style of Howard like a glove. Like his horror stories, historical fiction, straight adventure like El Borak does. The stories collected here show a West stripped down to essentials, where internalized codes of personal honor, loyalty, and courage matter more than laws, progress, or civilization. These stories also follow Howards trend towards writing more western and historical stories and fewer sword and sorcery stories as time went on. Highly recommended for long-time fans and first-time readers alike!

The Adventures of Kirby ODonnell

Robert E. Howard

One of Robert E. Howards lesser known fictional characters, Kirby ODonnell is an American treasure hunter in early-twentieth century Afghanistan disguised as a Kurdish merchant, Ali el Ghazi. Ali el Ghazi is a master of edged weapons, fiercely intelligent, tigerishly quick, and a merciless killer when threatened. Kirby ODonnell is similar to another of Howards characters, El Borak, in many ways. However, ODonnell seeks hidden treasures in all of his stories (Swords of Shahrazar, The Treasures of Tartary, The Curse of the Crimson God) while El Borak is more concerned with his own form of justice and stability in Afghanistan. There are betrayals, vicious swordfights, hot pursuits through brutally harsh Himalayan terrain, a hidden treasure and enough spilled entrails to satisfy the most discerning Howard fan.

The Adventures of Solomon Kane

Robert E. Howard

Before Robert E. Howard wrote of Conan the Cimmerian, he wrote of the swashbuckler Solomon Kane. The Adventures of Solomon Kane takes you through Howards horrific and fantastic world of swords and sorcery, the world of ancient secrets and the monsters that live in the jungles of Africa where Kane vanquishes evil. Here are shudder-inducing tales of vengeful ghosts and bloodthirsty demons, of dark sorceries wielded by evil men and women, all opposed by a grim avenger armed with a fanatics faith and a warriors savage heart. Whether it be a witch-cursed monstrosity, hell-spawned vampire, mutant throw-back, or just a wicked wretch of humankind, Solomon Kane will fight with equal determination and enthusiasm to see good triumph. Collected in this volume are all of the stories and poems that make up the thrilling saga of the dour and deadly Puritan, Solomon Kane.

The Black Stranger

Robert E. Howard

The Black Stranger"is one of the stories byRobert E. HowardaboutConan the Cimmerian. It was written in the 1930s but not published in his lifetime. When the original Conan version of the story failed to find a publisher, Howard rewrote The Black Stranger into a piraticalTerence Vulmeastory entitled Swords of the Red Brotherhood.