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The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane
The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane
Author: Robert E. Howard, Gary Gianni (Illustrator)
With Conan the Cimmerian, Robert E. Howard created more than the greatest action hero of the twentieth century -- he also launched a genre that came to be known as sword and sorcery. But Conan wasn’t the first archetypal — adventurer to spring from Howard’s fertile imagination. — “He was . . . a strange blending of Puritan and...  more »

Collected in this volume, lavishly illustrated by award-winning artist Gary Gianni, are all of the stories and poems that make up the thrilling saga of the dour and deadly Puritan, Solomon Kane. Together they constitute a sprawling epic of weird fantasy adventure that stretches from sixteenth-century England to remote African jungles where no white man has set foot. Here are shudder-inducing tales of vengeful ghosts and bloodthirsty demons, of dark sorceries wielded by evil men and women, all opposed by a grim avenger armed with a fanatic’s faith and a warrior’s savage heart.

This edition also features exclusive story fragments, a biography of Howard by scholar Rusty Burke, and “In Memoriam,” H. P. Lovecraft’s moving tribute to his friend and fellow literary genius.

Skulls in the stars --

The right hand of doom --

Red shadows --

Rattle of bones --

The castle of the devil --

Death's black riders --

The moon of skulls --

The one black stain --

The blue flame of vengance --

The hills of the dead --

Hawk of Basti --

The return of Sir Richard Grenville --

Wings in the night --

The footfalls within --

The children of Asshur --

Solomon Kane's homecoming --

Solomon Kane's homecoming (variant).
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ISBN-13: 9780345461506
ISBN-10: 0345461509
Publication Date: 6/29/2004
Pages: 432
Rating:
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 11

4.2 stars, based on 11 ratings
Publisher: Del Rey
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 10
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane on + 170 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane contains all of the collected stories of the Puritan adventurer written by the late Robert E. Howard. For those of you that already own the Baen books collection, this may not be a must-by for you, because it's pretty much the same material, minus the finished fragments...This only contains the material that Howard himself wrote. There are a few extra goodies, though, that might lead you to want to own this...It's a beautiful hardcover, it has gorgeous art throughout in the pulp style, and it has an alternate final poem, a detailed biography of Howard's life, and an obituary from his friend H.P. Lovecraft. And, lest I forget, if you haven't read the stories, they're truly great! Howard had a way of writing adventure stories that few others ever did...He mixed visceral action with poetry and fine detail that made for something greater than the sum of his works' pulp parts. If you've never read Solomon Kane, you're in for a treat. The stories focus on a crusading Puritan who travels the world for God, adventure, and a sense of doing the right thing even if others around him are not. Action blends with the dark fantastic to make a truly original read.
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reviewed The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane on + 170 more book reviews
The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane is a wonderful treasure for any Robert E. Howard fan! This book contains all of Howard's original works concerning Solomon Kane, a Puritan adventurer who does battle with the forces of darkness at home in England...And all over the world. Kane gets the Ballantine treatment by not only having all of his adventures presented, but also all of the extras they have so lovingly included in this edition, including original drafts and essays on Kane and his creator. If you're a Howard fan, these are the editions to have. And if you're just discovering his works and you're a fan of adventure, this is a great jumping on place.
nimbleninja avatar reviewed The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane on
Solomon Kane is one of Robert E. Howards most enigmatic characters. First appearing in 1928, there were nine short stories, three poems and four fragments written by Howard about the dour-faced Puritan avenger. All of these works appear in The Savage Tales Of Solomon Kane by Robert E. Howard. This edition contains all of Howards published work on Kane, as well as the known fragments that were never completed. Also included is a dedication to Robert E. Howard by H.P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft admired Howard as a writer and as a man. Through their correspondence, they shared their ideas and experiences with each other, forming a friendship that lasted until Howards death in 1936.

Some of the Kane stories are much darker than others, but they all share the same dark mood, symbolic of Kanes time. Taking place sometime during the late 16th, early 17th centuries, the stories follow the Puritan avenger all over the globe. From England, Africa, Cathay, and beyond, Kane travels the world and goes where fate leads him, one day at a time.

In all of the stories, Kanes personality is set in stone and does not alter. His path is never certain but his mission is: to right wrongs, help the helpless and avenge the fallen. All else is secondary in life for Solomon Kane.

In Skulls In The Stars, where we first meet Kane, he investigates a strange horror haunting a moor near a frightened village. In Red Shadows, Kane finds a dying girl in the forest, swearing to avenge her death, and years later, meeting the murderer in a final showdown. Here we see that Kanes ability with the sword is truly amazing and Howards descriptions of battle come to vivid life on the page. This story is also where we meet NLonga, a powerful African Shaman, who becomes a recurring character in the Kane stories.

In The Hills Of The Dead, NLonga gives Kane a mysterious wooden staff. In Hawk Of Basti, Howard describes the strange artifact: It was as long as a sword, hard as iron and sharpened at the smaller end. The other end was carved in the shape of a cats head, and all up and down the stave were strange wavering lines and curious carvings.

The Kane stories give us a wide range of genre styles. From ghost stories, jungle adventures, swashbuckling duels, and even a somewhat loosely disguised Cthulhu Mythos tale is included. With all of these settings and styles, the mood is still that of a somber Puritan whose sole responsibility is to serve others and help in whatever capacity is needed.

The book itself is arranged nicely. It is a large 9X6 paperback with interior artwork by Gary Gianni. In the back of the book, there are notes on the original Howard text, and a short biography on Robert E. Howard. I recommend getting this book if you like Howards other work, if you like high adventure, and if you like tales that span a myriad of genres, landscapes, and adversaries. The Savage Tales Of Solomon Kane provides all of that in a complete, spine tingling package.


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