This is the book everyone begged for after The Black Tongued Thief. BTT was more fun to read, with wit; however, while gritty to the point of flinchinThis is the book everyone begged for after The Black Tongued Thief. BTT was more fun to read, with wit; however, while gritty to the point of flinching, this prequel is the better book.
Buehlman delivers the book fans craved: Galva’s story. He also delivers a book about family, both blooded and found.
Small detail that I appreciated: late in the novel he introduces a character named Simon. Simon is not important to the overall plot, but he and Galva develop a friendship that anyone who has had a “battle buddy” can relate to. It was a nice touch.
My only complaint, after Galva’s big show down with _______ (I won’t say, but it was inevitable), Buehlman rushes to the finish line. I would have supported a part two that took its time getting to the fate of two important side characters (again, I don’t wish to give spoilers and say who, but it will be apparent). However, I’m torn in this. Part of the charm of this and his first book in this world is that while they relate, one need not read the other. Both are enjoyable on their own.
That being said, while this is a prequel, I recommend that if you want to read “the series”, start with The Black Tongued Thief. Galva’s narrative assumes you have and reading Daughters’ War first will give slight spoilers. ...more
The excellence continues. Cary Nord art. Two Conan tales, the conclusion to a three part Solomon Kane story, an excerpt from John C. Hocking’s Conan CThe excellence continues. Cary Nord art. Two Conan tales, the conclusion to a three part Solomon Kane story, an excerpt from John C. Hocking’s Conan City of the Dead and a short autobiography of Hocking and how he came to write said book. ...more
This was a Re-read. I read it in Vol. 1 of the three volume Del Rey collection. I read it in anticipation of reading Scott Oden’s Conan short story frThis was a Re-read. I read it in Vol. 1 of the three volume Del Rey collection. I read it in anticipation of reading Scott Oden’s Conan short story from Titan Books. ...more
The final book of the Grimnir saga is the best. Scott Oden tossed all of the coal into the fire for this book. Packed with action, anExcellent Ending
The final book of the Grimnir saga is the best. Scott Oden tossed all of the coal into the fire for this book. Packed with action, and an engaging plot. The final five chapters will keep you up late for just “one more chapter”. The ending is satisfying, but with this, the last book, it made me wish I had read slower. Great work. I recommend the whole three book saga. ...more
Bloodstone is the usual favorite of Kane fans. I enjoyed Bloodstone, it is vivid; however, I liked the plot of Darkness Weaves better. Of the three KaBloodstone is the usual favorite of Kane fans. I enjoyed Bloodstone, it is vivid; however, I liked the plot of Darkness Weaves better. Of the three Kane novels, in my opinion, Darkness Weaves is the best. ...more
Peter Bebergal is taking some flack for putting together an Appendix N anthology that isn’t exacting to the A to Z list put together by Gary Gygax. SoPeter Bebergal is taking some flack for putting together an Appendix N anthology that isn’t exacting to the A to Z list put together by Gary Gygax. Some scream HERESY. I’m not so sure that those yelling loudest bothered to read the Introduction, in which Bebergal explained his odd choices.
Some are mad that he used the title Appendix N, which was used by Jeffro Johnson in his book Appendix N: The Literary History of Dungeons and Dragons. Johnson’s book and Bebergal’s book are apples and oranges. Johnson’s is a collection of essays about the works that formed D&D; Bebergal’s is a collection of stories that inspired D&D. Besides, I’m not sure either can claim the title as their own.
Me? Meh. So it isn’t chained tightly; I don’t care so much. I like what it is: a kick-ass collection of great stories.
It has three of my favorite S&S stories: Robert E Howard’s “The Tower of the Elephant”, C.L. Moore’s “Black God’s Kiss” and Fritz Leiber’s “Jewels in the Forest”. Add to that stories by Poul Anderson, Jack Vance, Clark Ashton Smith, Michael Moorcock, Manly Wade Wellman and Lord Dunsany and I find it hard to not love this eclectic book.
All of the stories included by those authors are not new to me; however, I discovered new to me stories by other authors I have read: Ramsey Cambell, Tanith Lee and Margaret St Clair. Campbell’s “Pit of Wings” was a rousing dark tale of gruesome monsters. “A Hero at the Gates” by Lee was predictable, but clever fun. Margaret St Clair’s short entry deserves mention as a great new to me treat.
Add to that an author I have never encountered before, David Madison. His story “Tower of Darkness” was fantastic fun, and I’m sad to learn he died so young (only 27). I enjoyed this story so much, I wrote DMR books begging them to collect Madison.
The only negative things I can say: I was disappointed that the Fred Saberhagen selection was a poem. I like poetry, but I wanted a meal, not a snack. Saberhagen is an author I have always meant to get to, but have not yet. “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” by H.P. Lovecraft is not one of my favorites, I have never been a fan of his Dream Cycle stories.
Many will cry SACRILEGE!!! at the inclusion of the Frank Brunner “Sword of Dragonus” comic, but I love the hint in the Introduction that it might be a taste of Bebergal’s next collection “representative of the books and comics that came to define the D&D of my own childhood”.
I procrastinated reading this. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is one of my favorite fantasies. What if Piranesi did not measure up?
It didn’t, and it I procrastinated reading this. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is one of my favorite fantasies. What if Piranesi did not measure up?
It didn’t, and it didn’t need to. Piranesi is its own cuppa. If you wade into this short novel expecting the next JS&MN, you will be disappointed. They are entirely different beasts. Which is better?
I can’t choose and do not want to. I have read JS & MN twice. I will probably read it again at some point. Piranesi will be read again by me.
The only negative I can state: until Piranesi’s gender was identified, I heard a female voice. I’m not sure why. When I learned the gender was male, I started the book over again and read listening to a male voice.
I do not often lobby for sequels, but I would read more about “16’s” investigation and the Other’s story, which would reveal more about the Prophet (I am trying to keep spoilers to a minimum).
This is what fantasy could and should be: fantastic....more
This issue is mostly a toss away issue; however, of note, it is an adaptation of one of REH’s “Spicy-Stories”, staring one of his lesser known charactThis issue is mostly a toss away issue; however, of note, it is an adaptation of one of REH’s “Spicy-Stories”, staring one of his lesser known characters Wild Bill Clanton. That story is original story title is “The Purple Heart of Erlik”. TPHoE is not one of REH at his best stories, but Roy Thomas manages to take a subpar REH yarn and crank it up one star to an average Conan the Barbarian comic issue, rebranded “Night of the Gargoyle”.
It’s a bit less rapine than the original, Thomas portrays Conan just a hair more heroic than lustful Wild Bill. He adds a touch of the supernatural with the inclusion of a demonic gargoyle. The best scene in the issue is a street fight scene between three brothers in crime: the dwarf Armand, Womar of the Single Eye and Brutos of the Weak Mind. The scene adds comedic brevity.
John Buscema’s art is outstanding as always and opens with a great single page splash of a steer in The City of Thieves. Toped off with a Gil Kane cover, the book becomes classic 70’s Marvel Conan. Average quality, yet classic. ...more
I took my time with this. I read it in conjunction with Roy Thomas’s Barbarian Life, which is a fantastic pairing.
Why get these omnibus editions? BecI took my time with this. I read it in conjunction with Roy Thomas’s Barbarian Life, which is a fantastic pairing.
Why get these omnibus editions? Because they not only reprint the comics, but also reproduce the covers, house ads and letter pages. These are time capsules with great comics to boot!
Roy Thomas is the scribe of each issue in this book. Art includes the talents of Barry Windsor-Smith, Gil Kane, Neal Adams and John Buscema. It includes the introduction of Red Sonja into Marvel’s Hyborian age, adaptions of REH stories, some of which did not begin as Conan tales, and an adaptation of Gardner Fox’s Kothar, with Conan in for Kothar, of course. It ends with a six part adaptation of _Hour of the Dragon_. The appendix reprints “behind the scene” articles from Saga of Conan, a 90’s era book that reprinted the original 70’s/80’s Marvel Conan books.
Well worth your time and money if you’re a fan of Marvel’s original Conan comics, or classic comics in general, or both. I am a solid fan of both. ...more
This is not one of REH’s more imaginative Conan tales. It feels like you’ve read this one before; however, it clips along nicely at a revved engine raThis is not one of REH’s more imaginative Conan tales. It feels like you’ve read this one before; however, it clips along nicely at a revved engine rattling pace. Swords, sorcery, ominous-dark sorcerous lair. It has all the right ingredients mixed to the perfect temperature with Howard’s furious writing. ...more
With every reading of this story, it jumps up on my short list of “favorite stories by REH”. It might be number 1, if not 1 then 2, the competition beWith every reading of this story, it jumps up on my short list of “favorite stories by REH”. It might be number 1, if not 1 then 2, the competition being “Pigeons from Hell”.
It is my favorite weird work by REH and while Bran Mak Morn is not one of my top-three REH created characters, it is my favorite BMM story and my favorite Children of the Night tale.
The writing is vivid, and while vivid is often interpreted as “slow”, that is not the case with WotE. REH paints word pictures with his prose. He does this in his strongest writings, and this is one of those. He uses smart repetition of color (in this case: black, muted silver and mottled earth tones) and he uses alliteration to strong effect.
He also builds a sense of comparison: are “They” the monsters, or is Bran the monster for enlisting Their aid? And always They or Them. They are the Other.
Some consider REH’s “Red Shadows” the first printed sword & sorcery story, others say nay, that honor is the Kull story “The Shadow Kingdom”.
Red ShadSome consider REH’s “Red Shadows” the first printed sword & sorcery story, others say nay, that honor is the Kull story “The Shadow Kingdom”.
Red Shadows, whatever it’s place in the S&S timeline is the first printed Solomon Kane story, and like “The Shadow Kingdom” is included in the Del Rey volume The Best of Robert E Howard Volume 1: Crimson Shadows.
A few things I noticed with this reading of (not my first):
Chapter III: The Chant of Drums, is a nice bit of prose poetry. The line “Sword in one hand, dagger in the other, he stole forward, seeking to keep pointed from which the drums still muttered and grumbled” hi-lights well the fanaticism of Kane.
It’s telling that years have passed between chapters II and III, and during that time Kane has chased Le Loup about the world. All to avenge the death of girl whose name Kane never learned. He is an avenger that seeks triggers to set him upon quests of revenge.
This paragraph describes Solomon Kane so well, “...He did not understand. All his life he had roamed about the world aiding the weak...That was his obsession; he neither knew nor questioned why... he considered himself a fulfiller of God’s judgement...Solomon Kane was not wholly a Puritan, he thought of himself as such”. Kane is not an instrument of God’s vengeance, he is the sharp sword of his own zealotry.
REH builds a cosmology on page 53 (the Del Rey anthology) making mention of the serpent-gods and ape-gods which would figure into his Kull stories; thus, Kull, Conan and Kane are all in the same shared universe, but at different times.
Red Shadows makes use of color. Red and dark shadows appear throughout. He also makes use of the drums as the voice of the Dark Continent.
The He-ape hunts Gulka just as Solomon hunted Le Loup; however, the ape’s vengeance is personal, he is avenging his mate murdered by Gulka. It is personal to him. Kane makes the rape and death of an unknown girl personal to himself, but it feels more like an excuse to meet out God’s judgment....more
I have read this story, not counting comic book adaptations, at least three times. It’s not my favorite Kull story, that is “The Mirrors of Tuzun ThunI have read this story, not counting comic book adaptations, at least three times. It’s not my favorite Kull story, that is “The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune”, but I enjoy this.
There is debate of if this should be considered the first printed sword & sorcery story, or if that honor belongs to “Red Shadows”, a Solomon Kane story, printed one year previous.
Both stories have merit for the honor. I don’t think it matters. REH had no intentions of creating a new genre. The term S&S would not come in vogue until long after his death. If a more traditional, mostly “fantasy” spin is taken, then tSK is the choice.
But, I believe REH tapped into a vein of story telling that was born as early as Gilgamesh, if not sooner. It’s primal and earthy. Both tales are that. ...more
Great read. Come for the comics, stay for the extras: OG letter pages, essays by Roy Thomas.
High quality, beefy book. For bonus points, read in conjuGreat read. Come for the comics, stay for the extras: OG letter pages, essays by Roy Thomas.
High quality, beefy book. For bonus points, read in conjunction with Roy Thomas’ Barbarians Life Volume 1, but be better than me, have the second omnibus ready to go and not have to wait for it!...more
This would easily be a five star read if the editor had given some biographical information about the authors, the selected stories and their place inThis would easily be a five star read if the editor had given some biographical information about the authors, the selected stories and their place in the history/evolution of Sword & Sorcery.
Had this been done, this would be a great introduction to S&S. I’m a long time reader of S&S and I encountered gems I did not know existed.
Regardless, this is a great collection of Sword & Sorcery, from classic to modern. ...more
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