Howard Works bibliography

REH World editorial overlay

The Swords of Shahrazar

1976

Material type

Publication date: 1976

Introduction

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" .

Notes

Cover artist credited on front jacket flap.
Interior art credited on title page.
12 B&W full-page illustrations, 3 color plates (unnumbered pages), pictorial endpapers different front and rear. There are sheets of tissue paper in front of the color plates laid in.

Numerous B&W illustrations throughout, including on the half-title page, the title page, the table of contents, the list of illustrations, the beginning and end of each chapter and story and other random locations.

Edition and production details

Format: Hardcover with dust jacket
Publication date: 1976
Pages: 149
Publisher / imprint: FAX Collector's Editions
Cover art: Michael William Kaluta
Illustrations: Michael William Kaluta

3 linked Howard works

23 contents entries

"Introduction" by Frederick Cook
Swords of Shahrazar • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] artwork
"The Curse of the Crimson God "
Introduction (Swords of Shahrazar) • essay by Fred Cook [as by Frederick Cook] xiii · introduction
"The Treasures of Tartary "
The Curse of the Crimson God • [Kirby O'Donnell] • novelette by Robert E. Howard 3 · novelette
"Treasure of Shaibar Kahn "
"Come and taste of death thyself, dog!" • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 4 · artwork
They left the city of thieves • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 11 · artwork
The fight for the Crimson God • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] artwork
The Jowakis came on • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 18 · artwork
Then his cry changed to a scream of terror • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 30 · artwork
The Treasures of Tartary • [Kirby O'Donnell] • (1935) • novelette by Robert E. Howard 41 · novelette
An agonized groan burst from his victim's lips • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] Ayisha gazed up at him as if his dark, hawk-like face had caught her fancy • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 42 · artwork
He made his way to a small side gate • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 51 · artwork
He had the advantage of position • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 57 · artwork
Yar Akbar launched himself through the air • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 64 · artwork
The Treasure of Shaibar Khan • [Kirby O'Donnell] • novella by Robert E. Howard (variant of Swords of Shahrazar 1934) 73 · novelette
Like an Oriental demon carrying a corpse to Hell • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 77 · artwork
Then O'Donnell snapped an order • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 85 · artwork
At his whisper they rose like ghouls • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 101 · artwork
Afzal Khan roared • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] 115 · artwork
"No, you damned swine!" • interior artwork by Michael Kaluta [as by Michael Wm. Kaluta] artwork

Contributors

Michael William Kaluta: Cover artist, Illustrator

Characters / Featuring

Kirby O'Donnell

Additional related terms

Preserved from the former REH World tagging system; these terms have not yet been assigned as contributors, characters or subjects.

Frederick Cook Robert E. Howard

Bibliographic and editorial layers

Howard Works source layer

Title: The Swords of Shahrazar
Publisher: FAX Collector's Editions
Date: 1976
Source file: shahrazf.htm

REH World editorial layer

Title: The Swords of Shahrazar
Publisher: FAX Collector's Editions
Date: 1976