Lord of Samarcand

Introduction

First published in Oriental Stories, spring 1932. Howard earned $140 for the story.

“The Lame Man” was the original title Howard had for the story “Lord of Samarcand“. A story about Tamerlane was requested by Farnsworth Wright circa August 1931 and Howard wrote this story.

Howard explains this in a letter (#172) to Tevis Clyde Smith, circa August 1931:

I just got a letter from Farnsworth hinting Tamerlane as a fit subject for an Oriental Story story.

Farnsworth Wright accepted the story circa November 1931 but requests a more interesting title. We learn this from another letter (#184) to Tevis Clyde Smith, written circa November 1931:

This morning I got — forwarded by Pink — a letter from Farnsworth, accepting my Tamerlane yarn — $140 — but requesting a more interesting title than “The Lame Man.” I don’t believe the readers will like it. There isn’t a gleam of hope in it. It’s the fiercest and most sombre thing I ever tried to write. A lot of milksops — maybe — will say it’s too savage to be realistic, but to my mind, it’s about the most realistic thing I ever attempted. But it’s the sort of thing I like to write — no plot construction, no hero or heroine, no climax in the accepted sense of the word, all the characters complete scoundrels, and every-body double-crossing everybody else.

“Pink” is Lindsey Tyson and the title it was changed to from was “The Lame Man“.

Alternative title:

The Lame Man

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