John R. Fultz's Blog, page 59
March 10, 2014
CROMCAST: “Jewels of Gwahlur” episode now up!
The newest episode of THE CROMCAST, featuring an in-depth discussion of Robert E. Howard’s “The Jewels of Gwahlur” -AND- an interview with Yours Truly, is now posted for listening.
Don’t miss it!!!!
Click here to begin your CROMCAST experience…
February 23, 2014
Enter: THE CROMCAST
Earl Norem’s superb cover to SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #28 (1978), the first issue I bought as a 9-year-old. Still one of my favorite issues with terrific interior artwork by John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala.
“Crom! She’s alive!”
– Conan
“The Jewels of Gwahlur”
In about an hour I will be joining the guys from THE CROMCAST for a discussion of Robert E. Howard’s classic Conan story “The Jewels of Gwahlur”.
The story was first published in the March 1934 issue of WEIRD TALES; it has been reprinted many times since and has been adapted into comics twice over the years.
THE CROMCAST is a regular podcast featuring “the works of Robert E. Howard, his pop culture legacy, and other weird fiction.”
Already at the site you can listen to the Cromcast Crew’s discussion of classic Conan tales like “People of the Black Circle,” “The Devil in Iron,” and “Queen of Black Coast,” among others.
As a lifelong fan of Howard’s work (his CONAN and KULL stories are my favorites) I’m looking forward to joining Luke, Josh, and Jon as we discuss one of the last Conan stories written during REH’s 5-year period of chronicling the Cimmerian’s adventures.
Art from WEIRD TALES, March 1934
Based on my own research (which may be incomplete), “Jewels” was either the 14th or 15th Conan story that Howard wrote, and there would only be a handful of others after this, including his only Conan novel HOUR OF THE DRAGON.
Howard’s original title for the story was “The Servants of Bit-Yakin”, a reference to the subhuman ghouls who inhabit the bowels of a ruined city in remote Keshan.
The story isn’t usually considered among Howard’s “top” Conan tales, but by this time Howard really knew what he was doing. Conan wasn’t a new idea anymore, and neither was the Hyborian Age with all its mysteries, monsters, and magicians.
“Jewels of Gwahlur” may be a tad light on the swordplay, but there is plenty to love about this tale which thrives on the powerful images created by Howard’s prose. There is so much skullduggery going on here that the plot becomes a huge “who’s fooling who?” gambit wherein several factions attempt to steal a cache of alien jewels from a lost “holy city” venerated by the Keshans.
This is a tale of Conan post-Belit, when he was roaming the black kingdoms of the southern world and drowning his grief in tribal wars and savage cultures. In “Jewels” he is basically working a “long con” on the rulers of Keshan. But so are two or three other factions, everybody out to locate and steal the legendary jewels right out from under the priests who guard them.
The tribes of Hyboria’s southern jungles are remarkably similar to those of the far north where Conan was raised. It’s no surprise that he navigates this treacherous and primal world with expert skill and feels right at home among the jungle tribes, since he is from a similar wilderness. The only thing missing in Keshan, Kush, Punt, and Zembabwei are the ice and snow of Conan’s native Cimmeria. He is a barbarian among savage kingdoms who are as warlike, superstitious, and primeval as his own homeland, if not moreso.
The ultimate Conan artist: FRANK FRAZETTA
The holy jewels of the story are so precious they are about to spark a war among the jungle kingdoms, but Conan’s only goal is to grab them first and escape. Yet the presence of a beautiful young slave-girl from Corinthia, who is being used as a pawn by her captors, is a complication the Cimmerian didn’t anticipate. Could there be a Hyborian romance churning at the center of this caper?
A fantastic lost city; a hoard of jewels; a lost race of brutish cannibals; ruthless tribesmen; underground rivers; scheming priests and conniving politicians. “The Jewels of Gwahlur” has all this and more.
I will be sure to post here when the “Jewels of Gwahlur” podcast goes live. Until then visit THE CROMCAST site and listen to previous shows.
February 13, 2014
February 6, 2014
A TRIBUTE: Manly Wade Wellman
Wellman’s “Silver John” stories have been collected several times. I have this version from the late 80s. Most recently Planet Stories reprinted them in a book called “Who Fears the Devil?”
Clarkesworld Magazine just posted a tribute to the great Manly Wade Wellman, one of the best fantasy writers of the 20th Century. Myself and several other authors were asked to write comments about Wellman’s work, and I had to talk about my favorite Wellman creation—John the Balladeer (also called “Silver John”) who was a wandering wizard with a guitar in haunted Appalachia.
Silver John is like Andy Griffith meets Gandalf, and there is nothing like Wellman’s weird tales of this southern hero.
Click HERE to read the tribute…
January 28, 2014
SHATTERED SHIELDS
Art by Ken Kelly—the cover of an edition of Robert E. Howard’s HOUR OF THE DRAGON.
Baen Books’ SHATTERED SHIELDS anthology is coming this November, a feast of military-themed fantasy tales. “Swords and Shields. Faith and Magic. Soldiers—ordinary and otherwise–struggling against extraordinary odds to survive the day…epic landscapes and characters…but also epic battles.”
“Yael of the Strings” is my own contribution to the festivities. It represents a return to the World of Zang for me, a universe I haven’t visited in at least seven years. Most of the Zang Cycle stories were collected this year in THE REVELATIONS OF ZANG, but this is a brand-new excursion into that world. The protagonist isn’t a soldier at all, but a minstrel whose fencing skills become his only chance at survival when the red tide of battle overwhelms. This story is something of a return to the nation of Ghoth (from “Oblivion Is the Sweetest Wine”), as well as an introduction to Sharoc, Land of the Griffon. There is music, and sorcery, and not a few monsters.
Art by Frank Frazetta—the cover of CONAN THE CONQUEROR (i.e. HOUR OF THE DRAGON)
It really is an impressive lineup of stories by some superb authors, and I am thrilled to be included. Fans of Epic Fantasy and Sword-and-Sorcery will come together like John, Paul, George, and Ringo for this one.
There’s no cover art yet, but here’s the Table of Contents:
“Ashes and Starlight” (Runelords) by David Farland
“The Fixed Stars” (October Daye) by Seanan McGuire
“The Keeper of Names” by Larry Correia
“The Smaller We Are” by John Helfers
“Invictus” by Annie Bellett
“Rising Above” by Sarah A. Hoyt
“A Cup of Wisdom” by Joseph Zieja
“Words of Power” by Wendy N. Wagner
“Lightweaver in Shadow” by Gray Rinehart
“Hoofsore and Weary” by Cat Rambo
“Vengeance” (Frost) by Robin Wayne Bailey
“Deadfall” by Nancy Fulda
“Yael of the Strings” by John R. Fultz
“The Gleaners” by Dave Gross
“Bonded Men” by James L. Sutter
“Bone Candy” (Black Company) by Glen Cook
“First Blood” (Paksenarrion) by Elizabeth Moon
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January 25, 2014
WE ARE ALL LEGENDS
Wrote a piece for Black Gate about this amazing book a while back:
http://www.blackgate.com/2011/11/10/sir-julian-the-apostate-doomed-knight-tragic-hero/
January 23, 2014
EPIC FANTASY @ Borderlands
An alternate version of Frank Frazetta’s “Moon Maid” painting, inspired by the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs.
This Saturday (Jan 25) I’ll be signing and reading at BORDERLANDS BOOKS in San Francisco to celebrate the release of SEVEN SORCERERS.
This is a DOUBLE reading: My pal Blake Charlton will also be there reading from his terrific SPELLWRIGHT Trilogy!
Saturday @ 3pm — on the Borderlands.
BE THERE YOU!!!!!
January 12, 2014
GAME OF THRONES – Season 4 Trailer
The best fantasy show on television, GAME OF THRONES, returns with its much-anticipated 4th Season on April 6. This season will adapt the second half of George R.R. Martin’s A Storm of Swords, the 3rd book of the SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series.
Here’s the first trailer for Season 4:
January 7, 2014
The Silmarillion Project
What illustrator Dresden Codak is doing with his Silmarillion Project is amazing. His goal is to “create a painted illustration to accompany every chapter in Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, as well as provide supplementary illustrations to round out the characters and world in general.”
Another goal of the project is to “create a Middle-Earth visually unique from the style of the Peter Jackson films.” Codak is indeed a fan of Jackson’s films but says “I miss the days when there was more diversity and interpretation to Tolkien illustrations.” That is such a great point. Tolkien’s work has inspired so many people, and we’re all inspired in so many different ways.
As great as the LOTR and HOBBIT movies are (I personally love them), we cannot let them confine our imaginations. The whole point of reading a great fantasy novel is to spark your PERSONAL imagination. Your vision of the novel comes from deep inside you—your inherent creativity responding to the “message” that the text is sending you.
So there are potentially an infinite number of Frodos, Balrogs, Gandalfs, Saurons, and Middle-Earths. What I love about Codak’s project (besides his superb art skills) is that he brings that infinite creativity to bear. And no doubt his work will inspire others as Tolkien has inspired him.
Another reason I love it? Because The Silmarillion is my favorite Tolkien book.
Check out The Silmarillion Project right here:
http://silmarillionproject.tumblr.com/
