Swords of the Northern Sea. Unpublished during Howard’s lifetime. This is one of a handful of short stories Howard wrote about yet another in his large clan of ferocious Irish warriors. Cormac Mac Art is an outlawed Gael, a pirate, and a Reiver. He is very similar to Turlogh O’Brien.
Swords of Shahrazar” is a direct sequel to “The Treasures of Tartary”, following Kirby O’Donnell only days later. The story starts with a recap of “The Treasures of Tartary”, then brings us up to date.
Berkley, 1980; Volume 2 of 2. Mass market paperback, 1st edition. Introduction by Glenn Lord. Includes a mixture of poems and short stories.
“The Shadow of the Hun” by Robert E. Howard is an epic tale set in a time of ancient wars and legendary warriors. The story begins on a warship where three distinct warriors from different backgrounds – Athelstane the Saxon, Don Roderigo del Cortez, and Turlogh Dubh O’Brien – converse about their upcoming battle against the Saracens. Athelstane, a towering Saxon with golden hair and beard, inquires about these Eastern enemies, and Don Roderigo, a tall, dark Spaniard, describes the Saracens as brave and cruel, adherents of Muhammad. Turlogh, a well-built, dark-haired Gaelic warrior, adds his insights, dismissing the existence of dragons but acknowledging the dangers that await them.
“The King’s Service” is a tale set in the times of Nagdragore’s forgotten splendor, before its decline under the forces of various invaders. This story intertwines the fates of Western warriors with the intricate politics and culture of the East, specifically within the grandeur of Nagdragore, a city in India.
Perhaps not as well known as Valeria and Belit, Helen Tavrel is a also notorious female pirate and adventuress. She appeared in Howards story ‘The Isle of Pirates’ Doom written in 1928. The story did not sell.
“The Brazen Peacock” is a tale of treachery and ancient relics, set in the shifting sands of the Middle East. The story unfolds as John Mulcahy is thrust into a perilous adventure by the sudden reappearance of Erich Girtmann, a man believed dead, who drags him into a world of dark cults and devil-worship.
The story ‘Black Vulmea’s Vengeance’ first appeared in the magazine Golden Fleece in 1938.
Terence Vulmea, aka Black Vulmea, who was born a 17th-century Irish peasant, and carried his vendetta with the English oppressors of his country to the waters of the Caribbean. He is one of Robert E. Howard’s lesser known characters; more of his exploits were later added by David C. Smith. Robert E. Howard only wrote two tales about Vulmea.
Considered part of the Cthulhu Mythos. Alternative title: Black John’s Vengeance.
Robert E. Howard created many fictional characters. Most known is perhaps Conan, but there are so many more interesting men and women. I will try to add some information about them on this page.
