91 replies to this topic

[bleno]

Godzilladude says "It doesn't include "Red Blades of Black Cathay", REH's very first Crusader story (and probably weakest),"

It does include "Red Blades," at least my edition does. However I do agree that "Red Blades" is certainly his weakest. Just my two cents.

[Libaax]

Lord Samarcand and other adventure stories:

"Red Blades of Black Cathay"(with Tevis Clyde Smith)
"Hawks of Outremer"
"The Blood of Belshazzar"
"The Sowers of the Thunder"
"Lord of Samarcand"
"The Lion of Tiberias"
"The Shadow of the Vulture"
"Gates of Empire"
"The Road of the Eagles"
"Hawks Over Egypt"
"The Road of Azrael"


Of course i checked the stories of the collection before i bought it. Thank god there is Howardworks sit. It saves you alot of time,effort.

[deuce]

Godzilladude says "It doesn't include "Red Blades of Black Cathay", REH's very first Crusader story (and probably weakest),"

It does include "Red Blades," at least my edition does. However I do agree that "Red Blades" is certainly his weakest. Just my two cents.

Right-o, Brian! Honestly, people, all this bibliographic minutiae is a little much for my brain at this stage of the day. NOW y'all have forced me to go to the back of the house and actually CHECK. BTW, I just re-noticed something; the co-author of "RBoBC" (in Lord of Samarcand) is listed as TRAVIS Clyde Smith, as opposed to the correct Tevis Clyde Smith.

While "Red Blades" may be "weak" in some ways, I wouldn't trade it for the world. It was the first REH "Crusader" yarn I ever read (read it before any Conan stuff, actually) and I love Godric's last stand at the end.

[Rusty Burke]

BTW, I just re-noticed something; the co-author of "RBoBC" (in Lord of Samarcand) is listed as TRAVIS Clyde Smith, as opposed to the correct Tevis Clyde Smith.

That one's going to haunt me to my dying day. Bison made us rush through the galley-proofing process, too big a hurry to get the books out (because they had a time-limited window for selling out the editions) to allow us a second pass at corrected galleys. In the first galleys I noted that the co-author credit had been left off of "Red Blades," so I hand-wrote "Tevis Clyde Smith" under REH's name. Now, my printing is pretty darned good, I always got good marks on my penmanship and no one has ever accused me of writing illegibly, so I can only assume some well-meaning copy editor had never heard of the name Tevis and figured it couldn't possibly be right.

At the end of the book you'll find that "The Wolf Chaser" was written by Howard Lamb. That material was a very last-minute addtion, and again the screw-up was on their end, not ours.

Rusty

[Roquefort Raider]

Just to fill in the detail, LORD OF SAMARCAND does NOT include ALL the Crusade stories, but most of them. It doesn't include "Red Blades of Black Cathay", REH's very first Crusader story (and probably weakest), though perhaps Rusty didn't consider this one to be a true Crusader story. There is also another short untitled piece that I'd consider to go under "Crusades", that starts "The Persians had all fled . . ."

Mmmmh... My copy has both...

Were there new, more complete editions of Lord of Samarcand?

(By the way, I just found out that Lord of Samarcand can be read online... Isn't that odd for such a recent book)?

[Mikey_C]

(By the way, I just found out that Lord of Samarcand can be read online... Isn't that odd for such a recent book)?

It's only a preview - some pages are omitted.

[Roquefort Raider]

It's only a preview - some pages are omitted.

Say, you're right. There were so many pages that I jumped to the wrong conclusion. Good preview, as it sure whets the appetite of the potential reader!

[Rusty Burke]

Were there new, more complete editions of Lord of Samarcand?

Nope, just one edition, hardcover and paperback identical texts. The 'dude was just having a senior moment.

There was a poem that I inadvertently left out, "Mihiragula." If we do another book of these tales I'll have to include that, and see what else is in Collected Poetry etc. that I might have missed.

Rusty

[Roquefort Raider]

Were there new, more complete editions of Lord of Samarcand?

Nope, just one edition, hardcover and paperback identical texts. The 'dude was just having a senior moment.

There was a poem that I inadvertently left out, "Mihiragula." If we do another book of these tales I'll have to include that, and see what else is in Collected Poetry etc. that I might have missed.

Rusty

Thanks, Rusty. Storywise it's all there, then... I feared for a second I'd have to hunt for more books!

[godzilladude]

Always a good rule: Make a mistake, then leave for a day so EVERYONE can point it out!

Just wait till y'all get old, you'll see. . . .

"Travis", giggle, snort. Don't worry, WE will always remind you periodically. Those that do, will make mistakes once in a while, just the way it works. We all live with it.

[crossplain pilgrim]

I missed out on the raging controversy Travis vs. Tevis, but I did want to second Deuce on "Red Blades of Black Cathay." I enjoyed every pulpy page of it.

Deuce said...While "Red Blades" may be "weak" in some ways, I wouldn't trade it for the world. It was the first REH "Crusader" yarn I ever read (read it before any Conan stuff, actually) and I love Godric's last stand at the end. I couldn't agree more. I love that final battle and Godric's defiant words, "Come in and make an ending, you pagan swine!" Pure REH.

[keny from prague]

its kind of funny. not knowing tevis clyde smith, i had actually thought that that was the typo and his name was travis.

as for red blades, i liked that one. it wasnt the best, but i agree the last stand was very poetic.

[deuce]

there is a ton of good art in Sowers of the Thunder fer shure

Have not seen this edition yet and more than willing to buy it for the art but still curious if anyway to view it outside of the book or if there are other works to look at.

Hey Belisarius! You can find a whole bunch of RGK art here:

http://www.comicartf...p;Order=#Member

There are several pieces from the "Sowers" and "Azrael" books in there.

[Libaax]

its kind of funny. not knowing tevis clyde smith, i had actually thought that that was the typo and his name was travis.

as for red blades, i liked that one. it wasnt the best, but i agree the last stand was very poetic.

I liked Red Blades of Black Cathay when it came to Godric,the battles,the last stand. I thought the first 15 or so pages was badly paced it took me over an hour to read that. Very slow and hard to get into. Which was shocking cause i never struggle with the pace,writing of REH. Godric,the battle scenes saved the story from bad to good to me.

[Sermon Bath]

Shadow of the Vulture, Gates of Empire, The Road of Azrael, and the Slave Princess
were my favorites

[deuce]

In the newest issue of REH: Two-Gun Raconteur, our own Brian "bleno" Leno has contributed an article looking at the connections between Harold Lamb and REH's Crusader yarns entitled, "Kingdoms of Clouds and Moonmist". A fine piece of work, as all of Mr. Leno's have been. Check out the entire issue here: http://www.rehtwogun...m/Number13.html

[bleno]

Hey Deuce, thanks very much for the kind words about my article. It was a real joy to work on, rereading Howard's Crusader yarns and then dipping into Lamb's stories. Lamb's history of the Crusades is also not to be missed. I'm anxiously waiting for the four new Bison books that have promised, one devoted completely to his Crusader stories. Pure enjoyment, I'm sure.

Brian

[Libaax]

Anyone who knows how many crusades,oriental stories of REH there are ? The introduction i know isnt correct with saying the stories of the collection is all crusade stories he wrote.

I know of El Borak but i was thinking about everything. Every straight non-wierd historical story. Its really great discovering new sides of REH. I hope he wrote as many stories of this type as he did westerns.

Edited by Libaax, 01 July 2009 - 10:28 PM.

[Cap'n Kidd]

Anyone who knows how many crusades,oriental stories of REH there are ? The introduction i know isnt correct with saying the stories of the collection is all crusade stories he wrote.

I know of El Borak but i was thinking about everything. Every straight non-wierd historical story. Its really great discovering new sides of REH. I hope he wrote as many stories of this type as he did westerns.

The earliest books I knew of were:

"Hawks of Outremer" (published by Donald M Grant) a beautiful hardcover book with illustrations pubished in 1979, The stories included were Hawks of Outremer, The Blood of Belshazzar both Cormac FitzGeoffrey tales which take place during the Third Crusade. A 3rd tale name The Slave Princessm an unfinished story which was finished by editor Richard Tierney is also included.
"Sowers of the Thunder" (published by Donald M Grant) another even more beautiful hardcover book with illustrations by Roy G Krenkel with "Lion of Tiberias, Sowers of the Thunder, Lord of the Samarcand, and Shadow of the Vulture (with Red Sonya)
"The Road of Azrael" (also published by Donald M Grant) another beautiful hardcover illus by the great Roy G Krenkel with stories "The Road of Azrael", Hawks over Egypt, The Way of the Swords, The Track of Bohemund, and Gates of Empire
"Red Blades of Black Cathay" also published in HC by Donald M Grant
These books are harder to find. They are sold on ebay from time to time and the asking price is getting higher and higher.

You can get the stories in more current publications:
Lord of the Samarcand (an oversize ppbk published by Bison Books) which has just about every one of these stories and more including fragments and no posthumous collaborations!
Gates of Empire published by Wildside Press which has 8 of the above mentioned stories

They should all be coming to Del Rey in the next year or two as well. They are some of my personal favorites and IMO some of REH's best writing.

[Libaax]

I do have Lord Samarcand and reading it right now. Thats why i wondered what more there is. I dont really care about poems im wondering what historical REH stories are left to get crusades or not. I know of El Borak,Agnes stories but not much more. There is a Turlogh O'Brian story that are straight historical story i know too.

It wont be worth waiting two years for Del Rey collection of stories i already have

Edited by Libaax, 02 July 2009 - 10:23 AM.