Best Heroic Fantasy (aka Sword and Sorcery)
74 books |
22 voters
book data
194 ratings, 4.25 average rating, 16 reviews
(more data...)
edit
published
June 29th 2004
by Del Rey
binding
Paperback, 432 pages
isbn
0345461509
(isbn13: 9780345461506)
description
With Conan the Cimmerian, Robert E. Howard created more than the greatest action hero of the twentieth century—he also launched a genre that cam...more
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of this book.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »
friend reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 266)
bookshelves:
fantasy,
favorite-authors,
favorite-titles,
pulp,
short-stories,
sword-and-scorcery
“He was…a strange blending of Puritan and Cavalier, with a touch of the ancient philosopher, and more than a touch of the pagan…A hunger in his soul drove him on and on, an urge to right all wrongs, protect all weaker things…Wayward and restless as the wind, he was consistent in only one respect—he was true to his ideals of justice and right. Such was Solomon Kane.”
“Such was Solomon Kane,” indeed.
This book rocks. As much as I’d like to try and sound clinical about this—sc...more
“Such was Solomon Kane,” indeed.
This book rocks. As much as I’d like to try and sound clinical about this—sc...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in September, 2005
recommends it for:
Fans of Badassery
Alright, I'm just going to list some things...
Puritan avenger with Thankgiving pagent hat, white socks, and buckle shoes.
Twin flintlock pistols.
Broadsword beheadings.
Pirates vs. Puritans.
Naked over-sexed ebony skinned Satan-worshiping jungle princesses.
Ruined jungle cities.
Zombies.
A Lovecraftian demon imprisoned by King Solomon.
Need I go on? True pulp if there ever was. This volume collects all of Howard's Kane stories, including the unfinished drafts. Beautiful artwork as w...more
Puritan avenger with Thankgiving pagent hat, white socks, and buckle shoes.
Twin flintlock pistols.
Broadsword beheadings.
Pirates vs. Puritans.
Naked over-sexed ebony skinned Satan-worshiping jungle princesses.
Ruined jungle cities.
Zombies.
A Lovecraftian demon imprisoned by King Solomon.
Need I go on? True pulp if there ever was. This volume collects all of Howard's Kane stories, including the unfinished drafts. Beautiful artwork as w...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in March, 2007
A grim person-always wandering & never quite finding-
Would like to see a movie version-Sean Bean would be good.
Qualities: honour, compassion, vengeance, tolerance
Would like to see a movie version-Sean Bean would be good.
Qualities: honour, compassion, vengeance, tolerance
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
1 comment
I read a lot of Conan when I was a teenager, and I remember liking it, and finding it a bit more complex than the movies had led to believe it might be. The characters, even as their most basic, were still living, breathing creatures of depth and complexity. So when I read:
Quote:
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 con...more
Quote:
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 con...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
I read this book shortly after watching the movie "The Whole Wide World" which was about the author. He was a lively, complex and brilliant person who killed himself at the age of 30 when it looked like he had a good life as a successful author ahead of him. Reading Howard's tales about a restless and melancholy wanderer named Solomon Kane take on a whole new level of interest when you know a little bit about the man who wrote them. Even if you don't know anything about the author i...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
I have always loved Solomon Kane stories. It is pulp writing at its finest. Howard creates a character of such strong moral pursuit that he refuses to allow injustices to be committed. A very noble character that travels the darkest parts of the world just because he feels extremely compelled to do the right thing.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
books-with-swords-in-them
Read in August, 2008
I'm sure that Howard's fantasy was mind-blowing back in the 30s, but I get the sense that most people who praise him nowadays do so mostly out of nostalgia. I give him props for making his main character a hardcore Puritan who walks the earth righting wrongs and kicking ass. Otherwise I was pretty bored.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
good-sci-fi-and-fantasy
Read in January, 2004
Howard was a true master of his craft - Solomon Kane is a wandering Puritan who destroys supernatural evil wherever it lurks. This volume also includes Lovecraft's moving "In Memoriam" on the occasion of Howard's death.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
fantasy
Read in January, 1994
I read these stories in old paperbacks that are no longer in print, not in this volume, but they were superb. The best of the pulp fiction era of the 1920s. Robert E. Howard is king.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Far and away one of the most compelling heroes of 20th century fiction. A regal righteousness from a man whose faith in himself is not hubris, but justified.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Awesome for what it is - a throughback to the age of pulps, with brilliant action, horrifyingly ignorant ethnic biases, and righteous heroism.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
fantasy,
loved-it,
short-stories
Read in August, 2005
Read online that REH's Solomon Kane tales were better than Conan. Thought it was hyperbole, but they were right!
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
fiction
Read in February, 2008
reading now. lovecraft to the max - he wrote the "in memorandum" for robert e. howard succeeding the foreword.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
fantasy,
sword-sorcery
I didn't care much for the hero. My prejudices against religion, I guess.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Some stories are awesome- others not so good. Isn't that the R.E. way?
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
bookshelves:
horror-gothic,
sf-fantasy
Read in July, 2005
Grimmer and closer to pure horror than the Conan stories.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
to-read
(on 47 people's shelves)
currently-reading (on 27 people's shelves)
fantasy (on 20 people's shelves)
fiction (on 3 people's shelves)
pulp (on 3 people's shelves)
adventure (on 3 people's shelves)
short-stories (on 2 people's shelves)
short-story-collections (on 2 people's shelves)
2008 (on 1 person's shelf)
sci-fi---fantasy (on 1 person's shelf)
More shelves...
currently-reading (on 27 people's shelves)
fantasy (on 20 people's shelves)
fiction (on 3 people's shelves)
pulp (on 3 people's shelves)
adventure (on 3 people's shelves)
short-stories (on 2 people's shelves)
short-story-collections (on 2 people's shelves)
2008 (on 1 person's shelf)
sci-fi---fantasy (on 1 person's shelf)
More shelves...

































