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Editor's picks

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  The Robert E. Howard Omnibus: 99 Collected Stories (Halcyon Classics)

  eBooks (Halcyon Press Ltd.)
  

  Rating (10 reviews):

  (4.8/5)

  

  Great Starting Point

  A very good Robert E. Howard sampler, and it's possible to go directly to each story. If you're not aquainted with Howard, here's your chance. He's known mostly for heroic adventure, usually in a fantasy setting, but he wrote horror and humor, westerns and boxing stories as well--not to mention some excellent historical pieces.This collection includes western--humorous and otherwise--Solomon Kane stories, horror, historical adventure, Kul, Bran Mak Morn, Cormac FitzGeoffrey, boxing stories, and a substantial majority of the Conan tales. Other than his poetry, you'll have to dig a bit to find Howard material not represented.Contents include at least two novels--"Hour of the Dragon" and "Almuric"--and a great many novellas any one of which would be worth the purchase price. 5/5 Robert L. Piepenbrink - See all my reviews, January 2, 2011

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  Not a True Omnibus, but Hey, Who Cares?

  There is no way on earth to get more Robert E. Howard stories for your buck than by buying this particular work. However, this 'omnibus' does not include everything Robert E Howard ever wrote, as the title suggests. For example, if you are a fan of Conan primarily, I would recommend 'Conan the Cimmerian: The Complete Tales (Trilogus Classics) [Kindle Edition].'If you are looking for a lot of good work from Robert E Howard, and enjoy a little boxing, horror, and westerns, then this book is the one for you. Robert E. Howard is a little more multi-dimensional than simple sword and sorcery, but most of his work has recurring themes which a lot of people find appealing. Reading this omnibus will give you a greater insight into the man who created Conan the Cimmerian, by understanding his literature in the broader sense.While this book does sport a navigable index, it is not accessible from anywhere in the book. You have to go the beginning of the book, go over the... 4/5 Dave (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews, March 2, 2011

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  Robert E. Howard the Best of the Best Author and Poet ever!

  These stories are some of Robert Howard's best! I highly recommend this collected edition. If you've never read Robert E. Howard you're in for a real treat and if you've never read any of his other writings besides Conan you're in for a real treat. These are classics! Two of my all time favorites stories of Robert are here: Beyond The Black River and Red Nails!! You can also get for free here on Amazon. If you'd like to sample Robert's work first before getting this collection please try Red Nails for free. Believe me; You won't be able to put your Kindle down! Enjoy! 5/5 The Barbarian (Cimmeria) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: The Robert E. Howard Omnibus: 99 Collected Stories (Halcyon Classics) (Kindle Edition) These stories are some of Robert Howard's best! I highly recommend this collected edition. If you've never read Robert E. Howard you're in for a real treat and if you've never read any of his other writings besides Conan you're in for a real treat. These are classics! Two of my all time favorites stories of Robert are here: Beyond The Black River and Red Nails!! You can also get Red Nails for free here on Amazon. If you'd like to sample Robert's work first before getting this collection please try Red Nails for free. Believe me; You won't be able to put your Kindle down! Enjoy! Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , August 2, 2011

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  List Price: $1.99
  

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  Red Nails

  Book (CreateSpace)
  

  Rating (8 reviews):

  (4.4/5)

  

  BEST OF THE BEST

  No fan of Conan would give such a lousy review and only 2 stars! This is one of Robert E. Howard's (1906-1936) best stories ever as told by all REH Scholars! REH is the creator of Conan, Bran Mak Morn, Red Sonja, Kull, Solomon Kane, and many other characters and even poetry and horror stories! He's the best writer and poet ever!Red Nails starts out with a prehistoric monster chasing Valeria with Conan in hot pursuit. They climb a tree and from their the story gets really good.If you've never read a REH story you're in for a real treat! Read Red Nails for free and then get the REH Ominbus 99 stories for only $1.99 and read other outstanding stories he's written.Beyond The Black River, Red Nails, and Tower of The Elephant are three of my favorite REH Conan stories.Other suggested REH stories: Blood and Thunder, The Life and Art of REH by Mark Finn, One Who Walked Alone by Novalyne Price Ellis his girlfriend, The Dark Barbarian by Don... 5/5 The Barbarian (Cimmeria) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Red Nails (Kindle Edition) No fan of Conan would give such a lousy review and only 2 stars! This is one of Robert E. Howard's (1906-1936) best stories ever as told by all REH Scholars! REH is the creator of Conan, Bran Mak Morn, Red Sonja, Kull, Solomon Kane, and many other characters and even poetry and horror stories! He's the best writer and poet ever!Red Nails starts out with a prehistoric monster chasing Valeria with Conan in hot pursuit. They climb a tree and from their the story gets really good.If you've never read a REH story you're in for a real treat! Read Red Nails for free and then get the REH Ominbus 99 stories for only $1.99 and read other outstanding stories he's written.Beyond The Black River, Red Nails, and Tower of The Elephant are three of my favorite REH Conan stories.Other suggested REH stories: Blood and Thunder, The Life and Art of REH by Mark Finn, One Who Walked Alone by Novalyne Price Ellis his girlfriend, The Dark Barbarian by Don... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , August 25, 2011

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  Can I add another 5 stars to the above?

  First of all, I started reading "Conan the Barbarian" books by Robert E Howard when I was 9 years old. With the help of a dictionary, I parsed the wickedly exciting stories and fell in love with this genre.Meanwhile, revisiting this story now as an adult, and being able to appreciate it for the masterpiece it is, well, it's just wonderful.You can't go wrong with this one as an introduction to the sword and sorcery genre. His scenes and stories are so weirdly beautiful, it can take your breath away.Consider this "Conan 101" and enjoy. I promise, you'll be back for more.Oh, DO NOT confuse all Conan stories for the genuine articles written by Robert E Howard. And take into consideration that as the author matured, so did his character, Conan.Nuff said. Enjoy.I envy you the moment of your first reading of a Conan story. 5/5 Ms Beastle - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Red Nails (Kindle Edition) First of all, I started reading "Conan the Barbarian" books by Robert E Howard when I was 9 years old. With the help of a dictionary, I parsed the wickedly exciting stories and fell in love with this genre.Meanwhile, revisiting this story now as an adult, and being able to appreciate it for the masterpiece it is, well, it's just wonderful.You can't go wrong with this one as an introduction to the sword and sorcery genre. His scenes and stories are so weirdly beautiful, it can take your breath away.Consider this "Conan 101" and enjoy. I promise, you'll be back for more.Oh, DO NOT confuse all Conan stories for the genuine articles written by Robert E Howard. And take into consideration that as the author matured, so did his character, Conan.Nuff said. Enjoy.I envy you the moment of your first reading of a Conan story. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , January 27, 2012

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  Super Reader

  Conan is travelling, finds a dead woman, and then encounters Valeria of the Red Brotherhood. After trading some insults, they have the misfortune to stumble across a dragon.Then they have fun in an abandoned city full of crazed warriors, two evil, leering royals, and a third undead type one. Capture, bondage, slayage, all the great stuff in this tale of a fantastic partnership. 5/5 Blue Tyson "- Research Finished" (Legion clubhouse) - See all my reviews This review is from: Red Nails (Kindle Edition) Conan is travelling, finds a dead woman, and then encounters Valeria of the Red Brotherhood. After trading some insults, they have the misfortune to stumble across a dragon.Then they have fun in an abandoned city full of crazed warriors, two evil, leering royals, and a third undead type one. Capture, bondage, slayage, all the great stuff in this tale of a fantastic partnership. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , April 5, 2008

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  List Price: $10.99
  

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  The Horror Megapack: 25 Classic and Modern Horror Stories

  eBooks (Wildside Press)
  List Price: $0.99
  

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  The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard

  Book (Del Rey)
  

  Rating (18 reviews):

  (4.3/5)

  

  A last! A big book of REH horror!

  Here, at last, is a hefty trade edition containing the bulk of Robert E. Howard's horror stories. Best known as an author of heroic fantasy, Howard was also a most able practitioner in the horror genre. The stories assembled here have heretofore been scattered about in a number of mass market paperbacks over the last forty years--two or three stories here, a half dozen or so there. It is indeed a blessing to get them all between two covers in a quality edition. Here is a volume that belongs in the core collection of every serious horror enthusiast.Howard's horror stories fall roughly into several categories based on theme and setting. There are those with a regional southwestern setting ("The Horror from the Mound," "Old Garfield's Heart") as well as others set in the haunted piney woods region of the deep South ("Pigeons from Hell," "Black Canaan"). Memorable stories with a Celtic backdrop include "The Cairn on the Headland" and "Dermod's Bane." We also find tales of... 5/5 Charles Hoffman (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews, November 2, 2008

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  Scary

  For the first time I'm aware of, a systematic effort has been made to collect the majority of R E Howard's work in the horror genre. Surprisingly given the sheer number of stories and poems here, the overall quality of the volume is quite high. Of course there are a few surprising omissions here. Skullface, Valley of the Worm, Cobra in the Dream, and Grisly Horror are unaccountably absent, as is Queen of the Black Coast, one of the more horrifying entries in the Conan series. I guess these were probably omitted because the book is rather lengthy although as above noted, the quality of the stories is quite high. Standouts here are Wolfshead, Black Canaan, Hoofed Thing, Thing on the Roof, Hills of the Dead, and Pigeons from Hell. The poems tend to have even greater moody atmospherics than the stories--not surprising given Howard's brilliance as a poet. Even the artwork is superb. Here though I have a major quibble. There simply isn't enough of it. While the previous entries in the... 4/5 Jay "SarahsJay" (Douglasville, GA, USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard (Paperback) For the first time I'm aware of, a systematic effort has been made to collect the majority of R E Howard's work in the horror genre. Surprisingly given the sheer number of stories and poems here, the overall quality of the volume is quite high. Of course there are a few surprising omissions here. Skullface, Valley of the Worm, Cobra in the Dream, and Grisly Horror are unaccountably absent, as is Queen of the Black Coast, one of the more horrifying entries in the Conan series. I guess these were probably omitted because the book is rather lengthy although as above noted, the quality of the stories is quite high. Standouts here are Wolfshead, Black Canaan, Hoofed Thing, Thing on the Roof, Hills of the Dead, and Pigeons from Hell. The poems tend to have even greater moody atmospherics than the stories--not surprising given Howard's brilliance as a poet. Even the artwork is superb. Here though I have a major quibble. There simply isn't enough of it. While the previous entries in the... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , October 29, 2008

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  Howardian Horror - The Good and the Bad

  Before I begin this review, I want to note that I have enjoyed Robert E. Howard's fiction for a number of years, first discovering the old Ace Conan paperbacks (with the Frazetta covers) back in high school. With that said, The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard is a grand showcase of Howard's prowess at writing a scary tale, though the quality of the stories featured herein varies from one extreme (fantastic) to the other (downright awful).Here you will find a large number of tales, poems, and story fragments (only a few of the latter) in which Howard writes of werewolves, vampires, Lovecraftian horrors, sorcery, lost and abominable civilizations still grasping for life, and even traditional ghost and revenant yarns. It, however, is a mixed bag at best; included are two Solomon Kane tales, the most famous of the Bran Mak Morn stories ("Worms of the Earth"), his best-known horror tale ("Pigeons from Hell"), and many more. While it is not made clear by the book, careful... 3/5 CB - See all my reviews This review is from: The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard (Paperback) Before I begin this review, I want to note that I have enjoyed Robert E. Howard's fiction for a number of years, first discovering the old Ace Conan paperbacks (with the Frazetta covers) back in high school. With that said, The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard is a grand showcase of Howard's prowess at writing a scary tale, though the quality of the stories featured herein varies from one extreme (fantastic) to the other (downright awful).Here you will find a large number of tales, poems, and story fragments (only a few of the latter) in which Howard writes of werewolves, vampires, Lovecraftian horrors, sorcery, lost and abominable civilizations still grasping for life, and even traditional ghost and revenant yarns. It, however, is a mixed bag at best; included are two Solomon Kane tales, the most famous of the Bran Mak Morn stories ("Worms of the Earth"), his best-known horror tale ("Pigeons from Hell"), and many more. While it is not made clear by the book, careful... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , October 26, 2009

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  List Price: $18.00
  

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  I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior: Memoirs of an American Soldier

  Book (St. Martin's Griffin)
  

  Rating (6 reviews):

  (3.2/5)

  

  Youth adapted version - more appropriate for younger ages

  This book is the youth-adapted version of SEAL Team Six : Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper. It is geared more towards a younger audience with more appropriate content for younger ages. This book is meant to inspire and motivate those of a lower reading level. Reviews from teachers have been awesome. Kids who have had no interest in reading have enjoyed reading this book and have been motivated by it. I highly recommend it. 5/5 Bookgirl (USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior: Memoirs of an American Soldier (Paperback) This book is the youth-adapted version of SEAL Team Six : Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper. It is geared more towards a younger audience with more appropriate content for younger ages. This book is meant to inspire and motivate those of a lower reading level. Reviews from teachers have been awesome. Kids who have had no interest in reading have enjoyed reading this book and have been motivated by it. I highly recommend it. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , April 25, 2012

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  Excellent

  What another reviewer said is incorrect. It's not written "down." It's shorter and condensed, but has the full story and all of the impact of the original version, a deserved bestseller. Mr. Wasdin's story is fascinating. Highly recommended.(For some reason there's no "Verified Purchase" label, but it was.) 5/5 David Colbert - See all my reviews, April 30, 2012

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  Very accessible to a younger audience

  Many aspects of this book were absolutely fascinating. I enjoyed (in a better-you-than-me-but-holy-cow-that's-impressive kind of way) reading about all the training that Howard went through, from joining the Navy through becoming a SEAL and then later a sniper. Learning some of the history of the SEALs was neat too. Seeing the events of the movie Black Hawk Down (yes, I'm sure the book was better and more accurate--I'm planning on reading it too--soon) from another perspective was really interesting as well. And I just can't get past the fact that the author met Rudy from Survivor; I had no idea that Rudy Boesch was such a well-known individual in the military world. I shared quite a bit of this book with others while I was reading it; I just couldn't help myself. There were many times that I didn't want to put this book down, and I'd already purchased a print copy for my classroom library before I was even halfway done with my digital one.The authors did a decent job... 4/5 rebecca moe (alden, ny United States) - See all my reviews This review is from: I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior: Memoirs of an American Soldier (Kindle Edition) Many aspects of this book were absolutely fascinating. I enjoyed (in a better-you-than-me-but-holy-cow-that's-impressive kind of way) reading about all the training that Howard went through, from joining the Navy through becoming a SEAL and then later a sniper. Learning some of the history of the SEALs was neat too. Seeing the events of the movie Black Hawk Down (yes, I'm sure the book was better and more accurate--I'm planning on reading it too--soon) from another perspective was really interesting as well. And I just can't get past the fact that the author met Rudy from Survivor; I had no idea that Rudy Boesch was such a well-known individual in the military world. I shared quite a bit of this book with others while I was reading it; I just couldn't help myself. There were many times that I didn't want to put this book down, and I'd already purchased a print copy for my classroom library before I was even halfway done with my digital one.The authors did a decent job... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , May 17, 2012

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  List Price: $7.99
  

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  The Cthulhu Mythos Megapack: 40 Modern and Classic Lovecraftian Stories

  eBooks (Wildside Press)
  

  Rating (3 reviews):

  (4.7/5)

  

  For the price an excellent buy

  I just bought and downloaded the Kindle Cthulhu Mythos megapack. The selection of stories is very good, featuring some of the best of the classic Cthulhu Mythos tales, but added a few stories that have been published in the last few years. Pictmans Modem was a nice touch on a classic Hp Lovecraft story and was fun to read.The basic formating for the stories was serviceable. NO illustrations, but for .99 cents its kinda hard to complain.Many of the stories contained in this collection have had mountains of reviews and commentary and I don't feel the need to add to that. I am reading from a e-reader that is not a kindle, but has a kindle reader software on it and I am reading the stories just fine. Some folks might find the navigation of the stories a bit hard to do, but again, when you can pick up a great selection of Mythos stories for the cost of a can of soda....I find it hard to nitpick.For those that have not gotten into Lovecraft and his... 5/5 Wayne H. Walls "Fat Fan Boy" (Oak Ridge TN) - See all my reviews, April 19, 2012

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  Some great stories

  I bought this on the reccomendation of a friend. I am halfway through the book and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Some of the short stories are better than others, but there has not been a real stinker in this collection so far. Several stories related to Innsmouth really flesh out that portion of the Cthulu mythos. 4/5 Matthew G. Wonson (PDX, OR) - See all my reviews, May 3, 2012

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  Cthullhu ftaghn

  What a great bargain for seasoned fans of Lovecraft, as well an introduction to new readers. In addition to works by the master himself , there are several mythos stories by desciples such as Robert E . Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert Bloch. Not to even mention the the newer converts to Cthulhu. My advice; grab it for this bargain price. You will thank me forever. 5/5 chrisam (Boston area) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: The Cthulhu Mythos Megapack: 40 Modern and Classic Lovecraftian Stories (Kindle Edition) What a great bargain for seasoned fans of Lovecraft, as well an introduction to new readers. In addition to works by the master himself , there are several mythos stories by desciples such as Robert E . Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert Bloch. Not to even mention the the newer converts to Cthulhu. My advice; grab it for this bargain price. You will thank me forever. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , May 2, 2012

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  The Bloody Crown of Conan (Conan of Cimmeria, Book 2)

  Book (Del Rey)
  

  Rating (32 reviews):

  (4.9/5)

  

  See the unedited versions for the first time..

  I was unaware that an editing process took place with the books. I always believed that the stories were always printed in their original form. This wasn't the case. If you are a Conan and Robert E. Howard fan; these are the best editions ever. I only wish there were more beautiful chapter illustrations. They really add a quality to the book that otherwise wouldn't have been there. If you want to see a good movie about the real Robert E. Howard I'd get "The Whole Wide World" ...it has lots of insight as to the type of person he was... 5/5 picardfan007 (USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: The Bloody Crown of Conan (Conan of Cimmeria, Book 2) (Paperback) I was unaware that an editing process took place with the books. I always believed that the stories were always printed in their original form. This wasn't the case. If you are a Conan and Robert E. Howard fan; these are the best editions ever. I only wish there were more beautiful chapter illustrations. They really add a quality to the book that otherwise wouldn't have been there. If you want to see a good movie about the real Robert E. Howard I'd get "The Whole Wide World" ...it has lots of insight as to the type of person he was... Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , November 24, 2004

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  PURE HOWARD MAGIC

  I've read practically everything that Robert E. Howard has ever written, from Conan, Kull, Kane, and Bran Mak Morn to Kirby O'Donnell, El Borak, Sailor Steve Costigan, Pike Bearfield and most of his other weird menace, horror, boxing, and adventure stories in the middle. But I never tire of reading them again, especially when they are in handsome, lavishly illustrated editions such as the Bloody Crown of Conan. The book contains only three Conan stories but they are among the longest and best."A Witch Shall Be Born" written in 1934 contains among the most powerful images in all of Conan Lore as Conan is crucified in the desert and left to the pickings of the vultures. It is among the most vivid testaments to his strength and fortitude to have survived where any other man would perish."The Hour of the Dragon" was Howard's longest Conan tale and the only true Conan novel that REH ever wrote. Having just become King of Aquilonia, intrigue from neighboring... 5/5 Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews, January 5, 2005

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  Three of the Best

  The second volume of Del Rey's definative collection of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories contains three of the best ones, The People of the Black Circle, The Hour of the Dragon, and A Witch Shall Be Born.The People of the Black Circle: Its obvious early on that Howard was really starting to hit his stride with the character by the time he wrote this . It was, at the time, the longest Conan story he ever wrote, and contains multiple plotlines which converge. It also contains some great black humor which would be right at home in today's cinema. My favorite line is, "I think I'll have your heart, Kerim Shah!", at which point the evil wizard telekenetically rips the heart out from the victim's chest. This is basically an oriental adventure story. The geographical names are changed just enough so that the reader will immediately identify with its historical counterpart. India is Vendya, etc. Many people consider this the finest Conan story that REH ever wrote. While... 5/5 amster - See all my reviews This review is from: The Bloody Crown of Conan (Conan of Cimmeria, Book 2) (Paperback) The second volume of Del Rey's definative collection of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories contains three of the best ones, The People of the Black Circle, The Hour of the Dragon, and A Witch Shall Be Born.The People of the Black Circle: Its obvious early on that Howard was really starting to hit his stride with the character by the time he wrote this . It was, at the time, the longest Conan story he ever wrote, and contains multiple plotlines which converge. It also contains some great black humor which would be right at home in today's cinema. My favorite line is, "I think I'll have your heart, Kerim Shah!", at which point the evil wizard telekenetically rips the heart out from the victim's chest. This is basically an oriental adventure story. The geographical names are changed just enough so that the reader will immediately identify with its historical counterpart. India is Vendya, etc. Many people consider this the finest Conan story that REH ever wrote. While... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , February 24, 2005

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  List Price: $16.95
  

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  The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian: The Original Adventures of the Greatest Sword and Sorcery Hero of All Time!

  Book (Del Rey)
  

  Rating (129 reviews):

  (4.7/5)

  

  BACK IN PRINT -- Robert E. Howard's great creation!

  If you're a fan of fantasy author Robert E. Howard, who wrote for the pulps in the 1920s and 30s, rejoice! His stories of the great barbarian adventurer Conan are coming back in print, without unnecessary editing. These are the original texts.If you enjoy fantasy, but have never read either Howard or Conan -- BUY THIS NOW. It is a must for lovers of fantasy. Banish any notions you have of Conan in other media: movies, comics, books by other authors. Howard's Conan is a stunning, unique creation. At turns bloody thrilling, filled with passionate rushes of action, at other times brooding and beautiful, sweeping you off to strange vistas. Howard was a one of a kind author, an American great, and with Conan he was at his best.This first volume covers the first third of Howard's Conan stories, presented in the order they were written. The included stories are (in order):1. The Phoenix on the Sword2. The Frost-Giant's Daughter3. The God in the Bowl4. The Tower of... 5/5 Claude Avary "West Coast Reader" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian: The Original Adventures of the Greatest Sword and Sorcery Hero of All Time! (Paperback) If you're a fan of fantasy author Robert E. Howard, who wrote for the pulps in the 1920s and 30s, rejoice! His stories of the great barbarian adventurer Conan are coming back in print, without unnecessary editing. These are the original texts.If you enjoy fantasy, but have never read either Howard or Conan -- BUY THIS NOW. It is a must for lovers of fantasy. Banish any notions you have of Conan in other media: movies, comics, books by other authors. Howard's Conan is a stunning, unique creation. At turns bloody thrilling, filled with passionate rushes of action, at other times brooding and beautiful, sweeping you off to strange vistas. Howard was a one of a kind author, an American great, and with Conan he was at his best.This first volume covers the first third of Howard's Conan stories, presented in the order they were written. The included stories are (in order):1. The Phoenix on the Sword2. The Frost-Giant's Daughter3. The God in the Bowl4. The Tower of... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , January 28, 2004

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  A magnificent tribute to Robert Howard

  If a teacher assigned a project requiring you to draw up a list of the most influential authors in the fantasy/science fiction genre, Robert E. Howard would sit safely in the top five. Along with H.P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, Howard was one of the groundbreaking influences in popular fiction of the 1930s. His influence is still felt today as evidenced by the large number of books containing stories based on his most popular creation, Conan the Cimmerian. Sadly, most of these newer tales, spun from unfinished fragments found in Howard's possession after his untimely demise in 1936, barely manage to attain a shadow of the glory found in the original tales. I think of Lin Carter's "Conan the Liberator," a truly awful piece of junk based on one of these fragments, and I shudder at the damage done to Robert Howard's reputation. That's why we should all give a warm round of applause to Del Rey for releasing this comprehensive collection of the earliest Conan stories. It's... 5/5 Jeffrey Leach (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews, June 27, 2004

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  Elemental Myth Burns on the Page

  In a society in which self-conscious irony has become standard in virtually every form of entertainment, these stories shine with the blinding light of 100% sincerity. This is pulp fiction elevated to the level of myth. Howard's hero moves through, and dominates, the Hyborian Age in much the same way that Beowulf and Odysseus do in their own, older, more respected, myths.Conan is a character hewn from the fabric of saga and legend; dark, dangerous, unpredictable, as much an embodiment of the forces of nature as a human being. His world comes alive as a wildly imaginative patchwork of ancient and medieval history, filled with haunting references to our own past yet existing as a independent world as lushly alive as any in fantasy.These stories have been more influential and imitated than practically any others in genre literature. But they have never been duplicated. Howard's prose is shocking in both its power and diversity, frustrating attempts at either imitation or... 5/5 John C. Hocking (Ann Arbor, MI United States) - See all my reviews, December 4, 2003

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  List Price: $18.00
  

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  SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper

  Book (St. Martin's Press)
  

  Rating (235 reviews):

  (4.1/5)

  

  Fascinating inside look into the Navy SEALs elite SEAL Team Six.

  I was honored to get a pre-release copy of this book and I was very excited to read it. Then I read the news a couple of days later that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. Killed by SEALs from Team Six! Damn, now I could not wait to get my hands on this book! Talk about great timing.This book is the memoir of Howard Wasdin, a sniper from SEAL Team Six, and co-authored by Stephen Templin, who met Howard when the two of them were going through BUD/S training together. While neither of the authors were on Team Six at the time of the OBL takedown, the book does give an excellent account of SEAL training and is one of the few books that actually talks about SEAL Team Six, which is an elite team inside the already incredibly elite world of the Navy SEALs.The book is very exciting, written well, and gives in-depth accounts of Wasdins childhood. You can feel the pain he goes through at the hands of an abusive step-father. While that is a bad situation, you can see... 5/5 Chris Jaronsky (NJ, the garden state) - See all my reviews, May 7, 2011

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  Fast Moving, You Will Love It - Here's Why? - FIVE STARS !!!!

  You read a book like this because you love the action, the scenarios and the pure learning curve it provides about one of the deadliest combat forces in history. Author Howard Wasdin was an actual member of Seal Team Six and retired out on a medical discharge after he sustained severe injuries on a mission.This book simply gives you details of the life of a Navy Seal that you will not find anywhere else, and I believe I have read most of what is on the market. Wasdin was involved with missions such as the Battle of Mogadishu, and the first Gulf War. He pulls no punches and he minces no words. What is is, and he is unafraid to tell you about it within the bounds of protecting his fellow Seals.As an example, he mentions that during the first Gulf War he thought it was reasonable that the Seals should have been put in charge of protecting the Kuwaiti oil fields from the retreating Iraqi army under Saddam Hussein. The generals in charge thought otherwise. As a... 5/5 A Customer (Westport, CT) - See all my reviews, May 10, 2011

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  Interesting and Exciting but Unpolished

  It's an exciting albeit clunky read. I enjoyed it for the story and the information it covered. There are lots of intriguing historical and anecdotal references throughout that keep it moving along. But it really could have used some additional editing and/or co-writing from someone who truly is a skilled writer. There are passages that are a bit too tangential and thus disrupt the flow. Information sometimes seemed crammed in out a sense of stream of consciousness rather than serving pertinent narrative value at that point in the book. They are often interesting or significant asides regarding historical events or referencing other operatives, but they seem jarring in their placement and all too often so brief that you feel left hanging for the rest of that piece of story.That said, the story of Howard Wasdin's journey from being a kid with an abusive step-father to becoming an elite operative and how his experience as a youth directly influenced and guided his ability to... 3/5 N Berrisford - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper (Hardcover) It's an exciting albeit clunky read. I enjoyed it for the story and the information it covered. There are lots of intriguing historical and anecdotal references throughout that keep it moving along. But it really could have used some additional editing and/or co-writing from someone who truly is a skilled writer. There are passages that are a bit too tangential and thus disrupt the flow. Information sometimes seemed crammed in out a sense of stream of consciousness rather than serving pertinent narrative value at that point in the book. They are often interesting or significant asides regarding historical events or referencing other operatives, but they seem jarring in their placement and all too often so brief that you feel left hanging for the rest of that piece of story.That said, the story of Howard Wasdin's journey from being a kid with an abusive step-father to becoming an elite operative and how his experience as a youth directly influenced and guided his ability to... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , May 16, 2011

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  List Price: $26.99
  

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  The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 1: Crimson Shadows

  Book (Del Rey)
  

  Rating (9 reviews):

  (4.6/5)

  

  Great intro for new Howard fans

  This almost 500 page collection proves Howard was more than just a sword and sorcery pulp writer. We get fine stories of fantasy; horror; adventure; boxing; humorous western; detective and some good poetry. We get Conan; Kane; Kull; Bran Mak Morn; Costigan; El Borak; Elkins, and several more brawling anti heroes. When great Pulp mag writers are discussed, Howard was one of the most versatile, and one of the best. 4/5 Pleiades2 - See all my reviews This review is from: The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 1: Crimson Shadows (Paperback) This almost 500 page collection proves Howard was more than just a sword and sorcery pulp writer. We get fine stories of fantasy; horror; adventure; boxing; humorous western; detective and some good poetry. We get Conan; Kane; Kull; Bran Mak Morn; Costigan; El Borak; Elkins, and several more brawling anti heroes. When great Pulp mag writers are discussed, Howard was one of the most versatile, and one of the best. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , August 14, 2007

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  The best stories from the best story writer

  If you have never read any of the late Robert E. Howard's works, then this is a great place to start. Collected in two volumes are many of his most popular stories about his most exciting heroes: Conan of Cimmeria; the grim Puritan, Solomon Kane; the boxer, Steve Costigan, and his bulldog, Mike; Red Sonya of Rogatino; King Kull; and a host of others. These heroes are truly larger than life, ready to do battle with fists and swords. Howard was a master of the short story format, and it shows in his writing style, which is intense, bold, descriptive, and yet concise, pulling the reader inexorably into his visions and leaving one wanting more. We are unlikely to ever again see another writer of his caliber. 5/5 Lois (Prescott, AZ, USA) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 1: Crimson Shadows (Paperback) If you have never read any of the late Robert E. Howard's works, then this is a great place to start. Collected in two volumes are many of his most popular stories about his most exciting heroes: Conan of Cimmeria; the grim Puritan, Solomon Kane; the boxer, Steve Costigan, and his bulldog, Mike; Red Sonya of Rogatino; King Kull; and a host of others. These heroes are truly larger than life, ready to do battle with fists and swords. Howard was a master of the short story format, and it shows in his writing style, which is intense, bold, descriptive, and yet concise, pulling the reader inexorably into his visions and leaving one wanting more. We are unlikely to ever again see another writer of his caliber. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , January 20, 2008

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  An excellent REH Sampler

  Crimson Shadows is the latest in Del Rey's definitive Howard series. The books provide the most authoritative versions of Howard's stories available anywhere, with scholarly notes (in the back, which you need not read, but can be cool to sample) on the original texts.I have only one caveat about this excellent collection. If (like me) you have previously purchased the previous volumes in the series, namely the Conan, Kane, Kull, and Bran Mak Morn books, then you have already more than half the material in the book. You may find it worth buying anyway, as I did, in order to get Howard stories about lesser known characters (but not written with less passion). Many are well worth the read.For some one who has not read much of Robert E. Howard, this is a superb place to start. The best Kull story ever (Shadow Kingdom, one of REH's very best) is here. So is the best Bran Mak Morn story (Worms of the Earth). The original version of "The Grey God Passes" is here, etc... 5/5 Occasional Commentator (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 1: Crimson Shadows (Paperback) Crimson Shadows is the latest in Del Rey's definitive Howard series. The books provide the most authoritative versions of Howard's stories available anywhere, with scholarly notes (in the back, which you need not read, but can be cool to sample) on the original texts.I have only one caveat about this excellent collection. If (like me) you have previously purchased the previous volumes in the series, namely the Conan, Kane, Kull, and Bran Mak Morn books, then you have already more than half the material in the book. You may find it worth buying anyway, as I did, in order to get Howard stories about lesser known characters (but not written with less passion). Many are well worth the read.For some one who has not read much of Robert E. Howard, this is a superb place to start. The best Kull story ever (Shadow Kingdom, one of REH's very best) is here. So is the best Bran Mak Morn story (Worms of the Earth). The original version of "The Grey God Passes" is here, etc... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , March 23, 2008

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  List Price: $18.00
  

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