“The People of the Black Coast” is a tale of survival and revenge by Robert E. Howard, following a man stranded in an uncharted territory after a plane crash with his fiancée. The story unfolds on a sinister and mysterious island, populated by an intelligent yet horrifying species.
“The People of the Black Circle” is one of the original novellas about Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in Weird Tales magazine in three parts over the September, October and November 1934 issues. Howard earned $250 for the publication of this story.
It’s set in the Hyborian Age and concerns Conan kidnapping an exotic princess from Vendhya (prehistoric India) while foiling a nefarious plot of world conquest by the Black Seers of Yimsha. Due to its epic scope and atypical Hindustan flavor, the story is considered an undisputed classic of Conan lore and is often cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales. It is also one of the few Howard stories where the reader is treated a deeper insight into magic and magicians beyond the stereotypical Hyborian depiction as demon conjurer-illusionist-priests.
In “Names in the Black Book,” Steve Harrison, a tough detective, finds himself embroiled in a sinister plot involving a list of doomed individuals in a dangerous and mysterious quarter of the city. The story intertwines fear, intrigue, and dark forces as Harrison confronts a familiar enemy thought long dead.
In “The Hand of the Black Goddess,” a seemingly ordinary setting is thrust into a web of danger and mystery as Kirby, a private investigator, encounters a series of cryptic and menacing events. Starting with a puzzling warning from a dark, imposing stranger, Kirby’s world spirals into a treacherous adventure involving a dead body in his office and a deepening international intrigue.
An unfinished fragment featuring Solomon Kane. It is set in a forest, rather than the African jungle, but where and when (in Kane’s lifetime) is hard to say.
“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.
About a Satanic cult and a haunted record. A record is sent to Stephen Gordon after the death of Casonetto. Also featuring his friend Steve Costigan who might or might not be the boxer sailor Steve Costigan.
“Black Wind Blowing” is a suspenseful narrative set in the rural landscapes, featuring Emmett Glanton, who finds himself entangled in a horrifying night filled with madness and mysticism.
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.
Typescript facsimile from Wandering Star. This is the original version featuring Conan. Cover artwork by: Gary Gianni