Robert E. Howard and Tevis Clyde Smith. Red Blades of Black Cathay.

Collects three short stories, plus a 3-page introduction, “How the Stories Came to Be,” by Tevis Clyde Smith. “Red Blades of Black Cathay” was first published in ORIENTAL STORIES, February-March 1931. The two other pieces collected here, “Diogenes of Today” and “Eighttoes Makes a Play,” are first published here.

The title story is the only one that was published in Howard’s lifetime; it appeared in the February-March 1931 issue of Oriental Stories. It’s an adventure set during the Crusades with Genghis Khan, flashing swords, mighty battles, lots of adventure and lurid description. It’s nicely illustrated by David Karbonik. The other two stories are; “Eighttoes Makes a Play” is a dog-team racing story set during the Alaskan gold rush and “Diogenes of Today” is a contemporary story.

Contents

•  Red Blades of Black Cathay • interior artwork by David Karbonik
• 7 • How the Stories Came to Be • essay by Tevis Clyde Smith
• 13 • Red Blades of Black Cathay • non-genre • (1931) • novelette by Robert E. Howard and Tevis Clyde Smith
• 81 • Diogenes of Today • short story by Robert E. Howard and Tevis Clyde Smith
• 101 • Eighttoes Makes a Play • short story by Robert E. Howard and Tevis Clyde Smith

Notes

By Robert E. Howard & Tevis Clyde Smith
Four interior full page black & white illustrations.

Stated first edition.
1091 copies printed per Chalker/Owings.
Bright red boards. Also comes in carmine (dark red) boards.