The first publication of these stories in book format. Three colorful adventure stories. Kirby O’Donnell is a fictional character created by Robert E. Howard. He is an American treasure hunter in early-twentieth century Afghanistan disguised as a Kurdish merchant, “Ali el Ghazi”. Howard only wrote three stories about O’Donnell, one of which was not published within his lifetime.

O’Donnell has, like many Howard characters, the stereotypical “Black Irish” combination of black hair and blue eyes. He has a lithe but powerful physique, relying more on agility and wits than strength. Kirby O’Donnell is similar to another of Howard’s characters, El Borak, in many ways. However, O’Donnell seeks hidden treasures in all of his stories while El Borak is more concerned with his own form of justice and stability in Afghanistan. O’Donnell carries a set of distinctive weapons, a scimitar with a bronze hawk-head on the pommel and a “kindhjal” [sic].

Contents

• 7 • Swords of Shahrazar • [Kirby O’Donnell] • (1934) • novella by Robert E. Howard
• 61 • The Treasures of Tartary • [Kirby O’Donnell] • (1935) • novelette by Robert E. Howard
• 91 • The Curse of the Crimson God • [Kirby O’Donnell] • novelette by Robert E. Howard

Notes

First published in Great Britain in 1976 by Futura Publications Limited. Orbit Books are published by Futura Publications Limited.
Assumed 1st printing but no other printing information.
Cover/artist match from “Beauty and the Beast” by Chris Achilleos, page 30. Dated September 1975 (probable commission date); signed ‘Achilleos’

2nd printing in 1976