28 replies to this topic

[keny from prague]

Looking for some ideas for reading. What are your top 3 stories featuring other characters? (no conan, SK, Kull, Bran, etc.) And Why?

Ive got mine but I dont think Ive read enough REH to judge.

thnx.

[Dark Mark]

Pigeons From Hell – Simply one of the best horror stories ever written. I’ve read it a good few times and it still get the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.

Three-Bladed Doom – I consider the El Borak stories to be amongst Howard’s most exciting action adventures and this would be my favorite of all of them.

The Night Of The Wolf – For no better reason than this was the first of Howard’s stories I read that was not about Conan and I loved Cormac and Wulfhere the Skull-splitter’s too few recorded adventures.

In truth though my favourite of Howard’s stories is actually whichever one I happen to be reading at the time.

Edited by Dark Mark, 06 November 2011 - 12:00 PM.

[drush9999]

Black Canaan - You could cut the atmosphere in this yarn with a knife

Spears of Clontarf - Brilliant battle scenes

Three-Bladed Doom - I'll go with this as well, my favourite El Borak tale

[Rob Roehm]

I don't really have a top three, but one story that I really enjoy and is usually overlooked is "The Ghost with the Silk Hat." It's an adventure/ghost story that was probably aimed at the juvenile market, but it's quite entertaining.

Rob

[amster]

The Valley of the Worm
Spears of Clontarf
Lord of Samarcand

...then again, on second thought...

[MoeTheBarman]

...then again, on second thought...

Possibly the most difficult question ever asked; where to begin

I'll second Dark Mark and say the El Borak stories are very exciting.

[thedarkman]

Hmm... very hard to say. I have to admit, I have not read every story Howard wrote (hangs head in shame!) , but here are three off the top of my head;
1. Skull Face. A truly "weird" tale, and a classic of its kind.
2. Pigeons from Hell. Despite the silly sounding title by modern standards, this tale is truly chilling.
3. People of the Dark. Awesome atmosphere, stirring battle/bloodshed, and a unique first-person narrative really works for me. I will never think of the traditional "little people" of Irish myth in the same way, ever.

Edited by thedarkman, 07 November 2011 - 11:41 PM.

[amster]

...then again, on second thought...

Possibly the most difficult question ever asked; where to begin

I'll second Dark Mark and say the El Borak stories are very exciting.

There's so many it's impossible to narrow it down to just 3.

[Kathulos_Lives]

These are three of my favorites:

1. Skull-Face: I love this story. Kathulos is a great villain.
2. The Shadow Kingdom: The first Kull story I ever read.
3. The Pit of the Serpent: The Sailor Steve Costigan stories are a lot of fun.

[Libaax]

Its hard to choose top 3 but at the same time its very easy for me. Hard because there are so many great stories.

1. “The Daughter of Erlik Khan,” - my fav El Borak story,El Borak is REH most exciting adventure stories,best action ones. This one has everything that is great about Gordon.

2. "The Worms of the Earth" - his weird,S&S writing perfected in this story. His prose, athmosphere is better than ever.

3. "Red Shadows" - i have not read all Kane stories yet but that one is my fav so far.

[amster]

Its hard to choose top 3 but at the same time its very easy for me. Hard because there are so many great stories.

1. “The Daughter of Erlik Khan,” - my fav El Borak story,El Borak is REH most exciting adventure stories,best action ones. This one has everything that is great about Gordon.

2. "The Worms of the Earth" - his weird,S&S writing perfected in this story. His prose, athmosphere is better than ever.

3. "Red Shadows" - i have not read all Kane stories yet but that one is my fav so far.

The idea was to name 3 stories not featuring his popular characters.

[deuce]

Looking for some ideas for reading. What are your top 3 stories featuring other characters? (no conan, SK, Kull, Bran, etc.) And Why?

An incredibly hard task. Can't really be done, IMO. That said...

Pigeons From Hell: A horror classic and the first REH prose tale I ever read.

The Grey God Passes: Full of insights regarding Howard's attitudes about the Gaels and Vikings (and Odin). The battle scenes are incredible. Paradox should be pushing this for 2014.

The Brazen Peacock: Short, tight and good. "Tuareg scimitars" bothered me, but awesome otherwise.

Pit of the Serpent is very cool as well.

[Libaax]

Haha i just saw the title of thread and thought is it one of those threads again ?

Then here is my top 3 :

1. The Vultures of Whapeton - his best serious western that i had the pleasure of reading not to long ago. Made me wish he had written hardboiled detective stories like Hammett!

2. Sword Woman - Dark Agnes story is really fine historical fiction.

3. The Man on the Ground - real short story but the mood is wondefully creepy. The ending was shocking first time i read it.

I just voted out Hawks of Outremer and Lord of Samarcand because i think Dark Agnes is better historical lead than Cormac and who ever is the Celtic/Norman hero of Samarcand.

I have not read Pigeons of Hell yet. Saved that story for a year or two now.

Edited by Libaax, 20 November 2011 - 04:38 PM.

[Fernando]

1) The Valley of the Worm;

2) The Cairn on the Headland;

3) The House of Arabu.

[keny from prague]

thanks all. Ive read some of the stories mentioned but quite a few I still need to get a hold of. especially "Pigeons from Hell".

thanks for the input. i know it was a tough assignment:-)

[keny from prague]

i guess i should mention mine. of the tales ive read i think my favourites are:

Shadow of the Vulture

Hawks over Egypt

Black Vulmea's Vengence


but these could change depending on my mood

[Libaax]

i guess i should mention mine. of the tales ive read i think my favourites are:

Shadow of the Vulture

Hawks over Egypt

Black Vulmea's Vengence


but these could change depending on my mood

Haws over Egypt that spandiard in Egypt story ?

Shadow of the Vulture is awesome story, Sonya is hardcore warrior woman. I choosed Agnes over her just because she had more stories built around her.

[keny from prague]

yes thats the one. to be honest i love almost all of the crusader stories so any of them could have that spot.

I like agnes but I like the real Sonya more. Her background is a little more belivable (trained by cossaks, most likely) and she seemed a bit harder. but I also loved Gottfried von Kalambach, the German knight in that story, a great drunken warrior. Super character.

[Libaax]

yes thats the one. to be honest i love almost all of the crusader stories so any of them could have that spot.

I like agnes but I like the real Sonya more. Her background is a little more belivable (trained by cossaks, most likely) and she seemed a bit harder. but I also loved Gottfried von Kalambach, the German knight in that story, a great drunken warrior. Super character.

Her backround is more believable ? Agnes being a peasent girl running from arranged marriege is not realistic hehe

Sonya was not as fleshed out as Dark Agnes understandably as she was only in one story.

[keny from prague]

yes thats the one. to be honest i love almost all of the crusader stories so any of them could have that spot.

I like agnes but I like the real Sonya more. Her background is a little more belivable (trained by cossaks, most likely) and she seemed a bit harder. but I also loved Gottfried von Kalambach, the German knight in that story, a great drunken warrior. Super character.

Her backround is more believable ? Agnes being a peasent girl running from arranged marriege is not realistic hehe

Sonya was not as fleshed out as Dark Agnes understandably as she was only in one story.

I was refering tto the idea that Sonya (probably) had some training to learn how to fight. Agnes just kind of picks up a sword and can fight well without any training.

But its a minor detail.

It was actually both Sonja and Gottfried that made that story great.