Lord of Samarcand and Other Adventure Tales of the Old Orient (The Works of Robert E. Howard) (Hardcover)

by Robert E. Howard (Author), Rusty Burke (Editor), Patrice Louinet (Introduction) "Trumpets die in the loud parade, The gray mist drinks the spears; Banners of glory sink and fade In the dust of a thousand years..." (more)
Key Phrases: masked knight, vizorless helmet, silvered mail, Sir Eric, The Sowers of the Thunder, The Shadow of the Vulture (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A feast of color and a riot of action. . . . Howard’s con brio story-telling is rich in lightly rewritten history. . . . Thanks are due to Rusty Burke for assembling these stories, and to Bison Books for handsomely publishing this volume.”—Peter Skinner, ForeWord Magazine

(ForeWord Magazine )

"The University of Nebraska Press collections are an important contribution to anyone interested in Robert E. Howard, or just how good pulp fiction can be."—Southwest BookViews

(Southwest BookViews )

“A very nice collection and a great buy for the price. . . . It’s very nice to have these available once more, and Howard fans should chase them down while they have the chance.”—Science Fiction Chronicle

(Science Fiction Chronicle )

“The mystery and exoticism of the Orient, the pageantry of medieval chivalry, the seductive qualities of the seraglio, and the rise and fall of great empires form the backdrop for a collection of action-packed short stories, all appearing in authoritative versions based on the author’s surviving manuscripts.”—Patrice Louinet, Forecast

(Patrice Louinet Forecast )

“Both Conan and Kull were pure fantasy. Before Howard created either, he was writing historical fiction, tales comprised almost entirely of bloody battles taking place in the Middle East during the Crusades. . . . These stories are not for the faint hearted.”—Steve Lewis, Historical Novels Review

(Steve Lewis Historical Novels Review )

Product Description

For five centuries of Crusades, European armies of believers, fanatics, and mercenaries warred with the followers of the Prophet for control of Asia Minor and Palestine. From Jerusalem to Vienna, the frontier between West and East saw battle and bloodshed, treachery and butchery on a scale hitherto unknown and unimagined. The pageantry of medieval knighthood, the exoticism of the Orient, the ferocity of the invaders from the steppes, the mysteries of the seraglio, the rise and fall of great dynasties—these provided a real historical backdrop for some of Robert E. Howard’s greatest fiction.

 

This volume contains the complete Oriental stories by the creator of Conan the Barbarian and Solomon Kane. Some were published in Farnsworth Wright’s Oriental Stories between 1930 and 1934; others were left unpublished and are printed here in authoritative texts based on the author’s surviving typescripts; and still others, left unfinished at his death, are presented as suggestive evidence of the work he had yet to do. As this collection attests, no one else writes action stories with Howard’s fast-paced intensity or brooding moral outlook. Here, the fates of empires rest on the swords of exiles, vagabonds, and renegades; whether civilization will be annihilated by religious zealots or by bloodthirsty barbarians, who is to say?

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 463 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803224222
• ISBN-13: 978-0803224223
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,749,244 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fine stories by an underrated writer, June 23, 2005

By	Milton W. Jackson III "SarahsJay" (Douglasville, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lord of Samarcand and Other Adventure Tales of the Old Orient (The Works of Robert E. Howard) (Paperback)

In this collection are some of the best historical stories written by the literary giant Robert E. Howard. My personal favorite among them is Lord of Samarcand, the title story, though all are well done. What other writers would have droned on and on about ad nauseum Howard completes quickly, compellingly, and concisely. The stories are never funny, and often have grim endings indeed. This doesn't interfere with our enjoyment, though, for Howard was both an accomplished writer and a first-rate story teller. From Red Blades of Black Cathay to Shadow of the Vulture to Sowers of the Thunder and all the rest, Howard is in top form here. The excitement never wavers, and the crispness of the writing never fails. Combined with some fine editing and a generous selection of other stories in the same vein Howard sadly never finished, these stories are a must for any fan of good writing and good storytelling (especially fans of the immortal Robert E. Howard).

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History brought to vibrant life, April 3, 2005

By	D. C. Stolk (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lord of Samarcand and Other Adventure Tales of the Old Orient (The Works of Robert E. Howard) (Paperback)

'Lord of Samarcand' is an excellent collection of some of the best stories ever written by Robert E. Howard, the writer who, in his all too brief career, created such memorable characters as Conan the Barbarian, King Kull and Solomon Kane, to name but a few.
Howard's historical stories may be less well known than those about the mighty-thewed barbarian, but show him at the peak of his narrative powers: set in the Orient at the time of the Crusades, these grim, blood-soaked tales bring history to vibrant life as only Howard could. Rewriting history in the guise of fiction was one of the things he loved most, and his suicide in 1936, at the age of 30, robbed the literary world of a very talented writer that had only begun to hit his stride.
So enjoy these tales about Godric de Villehard, Cormac FitzGeoffrey and Red Cahal, to name but a few of the grim-faced giants whose bloody exploits are told in this excellent volume of The Works of Robert E. Howard.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adventures in the Middle East, September 1, 2007

By	A Wanderer (Southern Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lord of Samarcand and Other Adventure Tales of the Old Orient (The Works of Robert E. Howard) (Paperback)

I've been collecting the works of REH for a few years now, and have found this book to be an excellent collection. The stories in here are unique, containing none one of REH's 'big' heroes (Conan, Solomon Kane, Kull). Rather is about the later Crusades. Think if REH had written Kingdom of Heaven and you'll have a good idea as to what these stories are like. This isn't quite Sword and Sorcery... there are none of the monsters or magic found in many of REH's writings, but it is still worth reading for any true REH fan.