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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 813.52 EAN: 9780345490179 ISBN: 0345490177 Label: Del Rey Manufacturer: Del Rey Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 352 Publication Date: October 31, 2006 Publisher: Del Rey Release Date: October 31, 2006 Studio: Del Rey Sales Rank: 77671
Product Description: “Howard’s writing seems so highly charged with energy that it nearly gives off sparks.” –Stephen King
“Robert E. Howard had a gritty, vibrant style–broadsword writing that cut its way to the heart, with heroes who are truly larger than life.” –David Gemmell
In a meteoric career that spanned a mere twelve years, Robert E. Howard single-handedly invented the genre that came to be called sword and sorcery. From his fertile imagination sprang some of fiction’s most enduring heroes. Yet while Conan is indisputably Howard’s greatest creation, it was in his earlier sequence of tales featuring Kull, a fearless warrior with the brooding intellect of a philosopher, that Howard began to develop the distinctive themes, and the richly evocative blend of history and mythology, that would distinguish his later tales of the Hyborian Age.
Much more than simply the prototype for Conan, Kull is a fascinating character in his own right: an exile from fabled Atlantis who wins the crown of Valusia, only to find it as much a burden as a prize.
This groundbreaking collection, lavishly illustrated by award-winning artist Justin Sweet, gathers together all Howard’s stories featuring Kull, from Kull’s first published appearance, in “The Shadow Kingdom,” to “Kings of the Night,” Howard’s last tale featuring the cerebral swordsman. The stories are presented just as Howard wrote them, with all subsequent editorial emendations removed. Also included are previously unpublished stories, drafts, and fragments, plus extensive notes on the texts, an introduction by Howard authority Steve Tompkins, and an essay by noted editor Patrice Louinet. “Howard was a true storyteller–one of the first, and certainly among the best, you’ll find in heroic fantasy. If you’ve never read him before, you’re in for a real treat.” –Charles de Lint
“For stark, living fear . . . what other writer is even in the running with Robert E. Howard?” –H. P. Lovecraft
Amazon.com Review: As some cover blurbs so rightly state, "Before Conan--there was Kull!" The warrior Kull was yet another popular creation of pulp writer Robert E. Howard (1906-1936), generally credited as the originator of the subgenre heroic fantasy. Yet Kull should not be dismissed as second-rate Conan. (Although Howard did transform a few unsold Kull adventures into those of Conan the Cimmerian when the later series took off with the public.) Set in ancient, lost Atlantis, the Kull stories take place mostly after the barbarian has already come to power as King Kull of Valusia. What makes these scant dozen stories most memorable is Howard's heightened style of mystical decadence, similar here to his Weird Tales contemporary, Clark Ashton Smith. Rest assured there's enough gruesome bloodletting and wanton savagery to satisfy the most ardent Howard reader. (Variant editions of this collection have been published over the years, with the uncompleted stories finished posthumously by Lin Carter. Other editions have simply presented the few story fragments as untouched--and unadulterated--Robert E. Howard.) --Stanley Wiater
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - More than a precursor of Conan
Kull, the Atlantean exile that became King of Valusia, is far more than simply a precursor of Conan, though some of the parallels are striking. The physical descriptions of the two are similar, though ... Read More
Rating: - Before Conan there was Kull
Howard's first barbarian hero. From Atlantis he --like Conan -- becomes a king. The stories are a mixed bag from the incredible ("The Shadow Kingdom"), the eerie ("The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune") and straight ... Read More
Rating: - Kull disjointed
The advance ads implied this was a single story rather than a disjointed review and groups of unlinked stories
Rating: - Another Sword & Sorcery Hero
I'm enjoying these stories quite a bit. Kull is similar to Conan in many superficial respects, but his psyche is a bit different. The stories are well written and drive the reader along at a strong pace. The ... Read More
Rating: - By This Computer I Review!
Sorry about that, but Robert E. Howard is a bit infectious, which is interesting because I made it to the ripe old age of 48 before getting around to giving him a try, starting just a few weeks ago....
- More than a precursor of Conan
- Kull disjointed