“The Sowers of the Thunder” is a historical fiction short story by Howard, originally published in Oriental Stories, Winter 1932. It takes place in Outremer (the Crusader states) in the time of General Baibars and deals with the General’s friendly/adversarial relationship with Cahal Ruadh O’Donnell, an Irish Crusader with a troubled past cut in the Howardian mold. Both the Siege of Jerusalem (1244) and the Battle of La Forbie feature in the plot.
An article written by Rick Lai about the Legend of El Borak. Best known for his tales of heroic fantasy, Robert E. Howard (1906-36) also wrote contemporary tales of adventure for the pulps. Howard was influenced by Talbot Mundy, a major writer for Adventure in the 1920’s. Mundy’s heroes were American and British adventurers roving around India and the Middle East. Utilizing Mundy’s settings, Howard fashioned his own band of protagonists. Among Howard’s soldiers of fortune, the most famous is Francis Xavier Gordon.
A WITCH SHALL BE BORN is one of the original sword and sorcery novellas by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian. It was written in only a few days in the spring of 1934 and first published in Weird Tales in December 1934.
Queen Taramis of Khauran awakens one day to find her identical twin sister, Salome, staring her in the face. As an infant, Salome was deemed a witch due to a crescent-shaped birthmark on her chest. This birthmark was believed to be a sign of evil, so she was left in the desert to die. However, a magician from Khitai (China) found Salome, brought her up, and instructed her in the art of sorcery.
An El Borak story titled “Three Bladed Doom” had a short (24.000 words) and a long (42.000 words) version.
Spear and Fang. First published in Weird Tales, July 1925. After years of rejection slips, Howard finally sold a short caveman tale titled “Spear and Fang”, which netted him the sum of $16 and introduced him to the readers of a struggling pulp called Weird Tales. Spear and Fang is a story of the conflict between Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals.
“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”.
‘Sea Curse’. A tale that starts with a village tragedy. A local girl who lives with her elderly aunt has been seduced and deflowered by a swaggering, drunk sailor.
In “Moon of Zambebwei,” Robert E. Howard unfolds a chilling narrative set in the eerie backwoods, where Bristol McGrath confronts a nightmarish world of cults and ancient horrors. Published for the first time in Weird Tales, February 1935.
The Grisly Horror. Alternate title: MOON OF ZAMBEBWEI. Published for the first time in Weird Tales, February 1935.
“Beyond the Black River” is one of the original short stories about Conan the Cimmerian. First published in Weird Tales magazine, May-June 1935. The story was republished in the collections King Conan (Gnome Press, 1953) and Conan the Warrior (Lancer Books, 1967). It has since been published a numerous times in many languages. It’s set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan’s battle against a savage tribe of Picts in the unsettled lands beyond the infamous Black River.
