The first paragraph of this review is a generic section about Robert Ervin Howard, feel free to skip to the second paragraph for more about this particular book. Robert Ervin Howard was a prolific author of "pulp fiction" one of many people who filled the pages of cheap mass produced fiction in the 1920's and 30's to which Howard contributed) but don't underestimate the quality of Howard and others from that period. Born in 1906 his writing career began after settling in his home in cross plains, Texas where he lived with his father, a local doctor and his mother who was in ill-health. Bob Howard produced hundreds of stories in a short period before his sad death in 1936 from suicide after hearing of his mother's impending death. Howard never got to see the acclaim his work would achieve in later years, especially from the 1990's onwards as more of his original work was found and published by a dedicated group of America fans. His output was as varied as it was prolific. He wrote straight westerns, boxing tales, horror, adventure, historical adventure, science fiction, comedy westerns, comedy boxing tales and was the creator of a genre of fantasy that has proliferated to this day: sword & sorcery. Kull the conqueror was one of the first creations but it is conan the cimmerian who consolidated the sword & sorcery format. Howard's writing is fast, energetic, often brutally graphic (for the time) and always entertaining. His comedy writing is great fun, his horror thrilling and his adventure stories exciting. Robert Ervin Howard is one of my favourite writers. I've spent over 20 years hunting out as much of his original material as I could. For me he is the first and still the best modern fantasy writer. There is something to take into account as with all writing of this age. Language and attitudes reflect the times and may not sit comfortably with us now. But if you take things in context and concentrate on the stories and writing Howard's work along with that of writers from the classics of Shelley, Stevenson, wells, to the the crime writers of the golden age of crime to the age of 007 in the 50's and 60's and into those of the recent past are still just as enjoyable as they ever were. A science fiction novel in the same vain of edgar rice Burroughs Mars stories. I really enjoyed the book but there is some debate whether it's a pure Howard book or finished by another author. Either way it features Howard's usual mix action and excitement.