Hawk of the Hills

Introduction

HAWK OF THE HILLS is an El Borak short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the June 1935 issue of the pulp magazine Top-Notch.

From the letters:

In a letter (#301) To August Derleth, mid-October 1934:

Lately I’ve been trying to break into some new markets, specializing on the adventure angle. Top Notch has bought four long stories from me, giving me the cover design on the last issue, and I’m trying to make it regularly.

This is most likely “Hawk of the Hills”, but could possibly be “The Daughter of Erlik Khan” or “Blood of the Gods”.

And in a letter (#313) to H.P. Lovecraft, circa May 1935:

Lately I’ve been trying to break into some new markets, specializing on the adventure angle. Top Notch has bought four long stories from me, giving me the cover design on the last issue, and I’m trying to make it regularly.

Top-Notch bought only four Howard stories: “Swords of Shahrazar,” published October 1934; “The Daughter of Erlik Khan,” December 1934; “Hawk of the Hills,” given the cover illustration, June 1935; and “Blood of the Gods,” also with cover illustration, July 1935.

Again to August circa June 1935 (letter #314):

I’ve given up trying to write detective yarns — a job I despise anyway — and am concentrating on adventure stuff. You might possibly have noticed my novel in the latest Top-Notch.

In a letter (#323) to Clark Ashton Smith, on July 23, 1935:

I’ve been concentrating on adventure stuff recently, trying to break into that field permanently. I’ve made a start, with yarns published in Action, Thrilling Adventures, and Top-Notch; got a couple of cover designs in a row with Top-Notch and am toiling manfully to become a regular contributor.

A Breckinridge Elkins story appeared in each issue of Action Stories from the March-April 1934 issue through September 1936. “The Treasures of Tartary” appeared in the January 1935 issue of Thrilling Adventures; there would be no other Howard stories in the magazine until “Son of the White Wolf” in December 1936. Four Howard stories appeared in Top-Notch: “Swords of Shahrazar,” October 1934; “The Daughter of Erlik Khan,” December 1934; “Hawk of the Hills,” June 1935; and “Blood of the Gods,” July 1935. The last two were featured in the cover illustration. No further Howard stories appeared in the magazine.

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