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Posted By: Archangel Foster Mar 06, 2001 - 12:02 pm

Any fans of the savage in here? I just finished reading my first Conan story, 'Red Nails', and am now a few pages into 'The Jewels of Gwahlur'. While Howard might not be the world's best writer technically, he has a power of imagination that IMO surpasses that of most of the writers in Tolkien's tradition.

Posted By: Orkin the Exterminator Nov 06, 2002 - 02:15 pm

Welcome to the Hyborian World (from a grizzled old veteran)! I am glad you are enjoying the original REH tales. Tell me, where do you find your books? They've been out of print for a long time. I suggest the library.

I disagree that he's not a great writer technically. A great writer doesn't need paragraphs full of flowery prose to transport you to another realm. See the work of Papa Hemingway; he is well-known for his economical writing. Howard, I believe mastered this as well. With a few vivid verbs, he could send you to a world you'd never seen and catapult you into an exciting adventure, while Tolkien (no offense intended) would just be beginning his preface.

Posted By: Red Mar 18, 2003 - 02:55 am

I view REH as the Godfather of heroic fantasy, reading my first Conan story in my early teens and still returning to them occasionally when dissatisfied by some pretensious modern authors! He is (was) a master of creation, and though his prose may be simplistic, it is very effective.
Look out for other works of REH- the Solomon Kane novels, other short stories and even collections of poetry- his short poem "Paradise" haunts me still.....!