[lionmane]

REH fans, it was a great gathering last weekend. Lots of cool people, interesting panels, good food, and cold beer . Don Herron, author/editor of 'The Dark Barbarian" , a classic collection of essays on REH, had his new book, "The Barbaric Triumph" , available at Howard Days before it becomes available at bookstores. Leo Grin started a new journal, "The Cimmerian" and it's pretty d-a-m-n good. There's only two issues so far, but it looks like a promising publication. Other loot I aquired was some old Conan and Kull comics, a Savage Tales magazine, and old paperback of various REH stories, and probably the best find, a copy of the long out of print "Singers in the Shadows", a collection of REH's poetry. Author and REH fan Robert Weinberg brought it the Howard House to sell, with part of it's price going to the House. Couldn't pass that up!
It was great to see friends from past gatherings again, and meet new people as well.
Hopefully more REH fans from this board will be able to make it next year. Or, barring that, maybe I'll be able to make it to ReaperCon next time around,too!

[BunnyPuncher]

This is my favorite R.E.H. poem. But man that cat could write.
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Praised be the Prince that reigns forever
Throned in shadows stark and grim
Where cypress moans by the midnight river -
Lift your goblets and drink to him!


Virgins wail and a babe is whining
Nailed like a fly on a gory lance
White on the skulls the stars are shining
Over them sweeps our demon's dance


Heritage of the world is ours,
Gods of all evil grant us rule -
See where they hang from the flaming towers,
Woman and prelate, priest and fool


Trumpets bray and the stars are riven!
Shatter the altar and blot the light!
Of all the worlds from heck to heaven
We are kings of the world tonight!


--R.E.Howard, 1906-1936 RIP

[Bill_Adcock]

Sure, rub it in our faces those who couldn't go. Maybe next year...I pre-ordered the Savage Tales of Solomon Kane from Barnes and Nobles yesterday, ships June 29th...I can barely wait.

[BunnyPuncher]

Robert E. Howard is most famous for his stories about Conan the Barbarian. However, R.E.H. was also an accomplished writer in weird tales (early horror), westerns, and sport action stories and poetry. Most of his work during his life was published in what were known as "Pulp Fiction" magazines.

IMHO, REH is one of the best writers of the 20th century and turned out an incredibly massive body of work in his short life. He shot himself after his mother died while he was 29.

If you have never read R.E.H. I would recommend picking up any of his classic works at a used bookstore. If you are a fan of fantasy literature, the Conan series, the Solomon Kane series, and the King Kull series are must reads. In addition, some of his non series stories (which you can get in several different collections) often surpass the more famous series in quality.

Oh and btw... try to avoid the L. Sprague De Camp and Lin Carter pastiches if possible. While not as bad as what August "The Hackmaster" Derleth did to H.P. Lovecraft, they still can't match true R.E.H. tales.

[BunnyPuncher]

Tommy the Skip, on Jun 15 2004, 08:21 AM, said:

BunnyPuncher, on Jun 14 2004, 10:38 PM, said:

This is my favorite R.E.H. poem.  But man that cat could write.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of all the worlds from heck to heaven
We are kings of the world tonight!


--R.E.Howard, 1906-1936 RIP

sigh... needless to say that "heck" is not the proper word.

[gwangi32]

If you're looking for REH stuff "The Coming of Conan" is out and about. And soon "The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane" will arrive as well.

It is one of my goals to get to Howard Days. I didn't even know they had this festival while I was living in Texas. Now we are in Seattle and it's a bit of a trip. But we'll get there.

I have my books backed but there is a poem called Cimmeria that I really liked.