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Solomon Kane by Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Gary Gianni, Salvador Sanz, Elvio E. Gandolfo
old_odd_biscuit's review against another edition
3.0
These are mostly tales of horror and the supernatural. Puritan Adventurer Solomon Kane encounters ghosts, vampires (which seem more like generic undead hordes), creatures that inspired Jason and the Argonauts's harpies, and in a tale reminiscent of M.R. James's 'The Ash Tree', a wizard-controlled dismembered hand that crawls like a giant spider to strangle an enemy in his bed.
They're set during the late 1500s but there's little period detail to make you feel like you're there. This is especially true when the setting is England, Germany or Italy, because we have an idea what those places looked like in the 16th century and nearly none of that is here. Several of the stories take place in Africa but in generic jungles. These are fantasy stories that, lacking real world detail, feel only slightly closer to our world than the Conan stories do. (One noticeable difference from reading Conan is that Howard is here less preoccupied with describing muscular men in scanty loincloths or leather breeks.)
There is some uncomfortable period racism, but if you know what to expect from other writing of this time and genre it isn't surprising. When he wrote these stories in the 1920s, Howard was a young, small town man who had never gone far from his home. He wrote about the far reaches of the world and the peoples living there with nothing but the culture of his time and place to inform him.
I do find interesting, in light of this, that one time Howard is saying a foreign villain is "contemptuous of the rights of others", he slips in an admission that Western kings are like that too.
Howard wrote quickly to earn his living, which is likely why his writing doesn't seem laboriously crafted. I think 'The Moon of Skulls', in particular, reads like Howard was making the story up as he went along.
Some stories have a fun formula: Solomon encounters a dead or dying person, learns of an injustice and then he declares aloud, "They'll pay for this!" I enjoyed every time it happened.
More than one story describes Solomon spending years in a pursuit, crossing many countries before finally tracking down his quarry. This leaves room for you to imagine many other adventures. He mentions being in parts of the world we don't get stories of, like China. It's also possible, like with some Sherlock Holmes stories, to place a story during the time frame of another.
Solomon eventually acquires a signature weapon, a magic staff of mysterious origin which can vanquish demons that mortal weapons cannot harm. It's "older than the world" and could be the same staff used by Moses and King Solomon. People guess that the name Solomon Kane comes from King Solomon and Cain (of Cain and Abel), but I suggest that it's because he's fated to carry King Solomon's cane.
If this sounds like your cup of tea, I do recommend these stories. The quality varies but the good ones are really good and I think they all make a fun package.
They're set during the late 1500s but there's little period detail to make you feel like you're there. This is especially true when the setting is England, Germany or Italy, because we have an idea what those places looked like in the 16th century and nearly none of that is here. Several of the stories take place in Africa but in generic jungles. These are fantasy stories that, lacking real world detail, feel only slightly closer to our world than the Conan stories do. (One noticeable difference from reading Conan is that Howard is here less preoccupied with describing muscular men in scanty loincloths or leather breeks.)
There is some uncomfortable period racism, but if you know what to expect from other writing of this time and genre it isn't surprising. When he wrote these stories in the 1920s, Howard was a young, small town man who had never gone far from his home. He wrote about the far reaches of the world and the peoples living there with nothing but the culture of his time and place to inform him.
I do find interesting, in light of this, that one time Howard is saying a foreign villain is "contemptuous of the rights of others", he slips in an admission that Western kings are like that too.
Howard wrote quickly to earn his living, which is likely why his writing doesn't seem laboriously crafted. I think 'The Moon of Skulls', in particular, reads like Howard was making the story up as he went along.
Some stories have a fun formula: Solomon encounters a dead or dying person, learns of an injustice and then he declares aloud, "They'll pay for this!" I enjoyed every time it happened.
More than one story describes Solomon spending years in a pursuit, crossing many countries before finally tracking down his quarry. This leaves room for you to imagine many other adventures. He mentions being in parts of the world we don't get stories of, like China. It's also possible, like with some Sherlock Holmes stories, to place a story during the time frame of another.
Solomon eventually acquires a signature weapon, a magic staff of mysterious origin which can vanquish demons that mortal weapons cannot harm. It's "older than the world" and could be the same staff used by Moses and King Solomon. People guess that the name Solomon Kane comes from King Solomon and Cain (of Cain and Abel), but I suggest that it's because he's fated to carry King Solomon's cane.
If this sounds like your cup of tea, I do recommend these stories. The quality varies but the good ones are really good and I think they all make a fun package.
kirkreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
topdragon's review against another edition
4.0
As always, I read a short story between each novel. This time around it's been Robert E. Howard's The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, a complete collection of all the Solomon Kane stories in one volume. Robert E. Howard, of course, is best known as the creator of Conan, but he was a prolific author during his short life, creating several other notable protagonists.
Del Rey has re-published the works of Robert E. Howard in beautiful trade paperback sets that include his complete works. They leave them un-edited, just as Mr. Howard wrote them and include unpublished story fragments, poems, etc. They are also nicely illustrated and really draw the reader back to the era in which they were first published, the era of the pulp magazines like Weird Tales.
As for Solomon Kane...“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.” A great character from the pulp era indeed
Del Rey has re-published the works of Robert E. Howard in beautiful trade paperback sets that include his complete works. They leave them un-edited, just as Mr. Howard wrote them and include unpublished story fragments, poems, etc. They are also nicely illustrated and really draw the reader back to the era in which they were first published, the era of the pulp magazines like Weird Tales.
As for Solomon Kane...“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.” A great character from the pulp era indeed
philthepile's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Loved it. May be difficult to enjoy for people with modern sensibilities.
elimiles's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
vinnsent's review against another edition
4.0
Если переиначить одну поговорку, то сборник рассказов о похождениях пуританина Соломона Кейна можно описать как "Началось за упокой, а закончилось за здравие". Пара маленьких отрывистых и не всегда увлекательных рассказов, которыми начинается сборник перетекают в захватывающие приключения, в которых не легкая судьба искателя приключений и справедливости забрасывает Соломона Кейна в самые не обычные ситуации и уголки мира. Начинаясь в туманных уголках средневековой Англии цепь связанных историй забрасывают Соломона через океан, обратно, снова в море и затем на чуждий, полный темных и не известных человеку тайн континент.
Расстраивают только пара рассказов, которые были не окончены автором ввиду каких-то причин. И если первые обрывки не очень сильно расстраивают, то заканчивающийся на самом интересном месте один из кульминационных рассказов огорчает не на шутку ибо он обещал быть по настоящему одним из интереснейших в сборнике.
Заключение: отличный сборник с очень харизматичным персонажем. Любителям приключений, истории и мистики рекомендую. Главное перетерпеть начало.
P.S. А какой бы мог получиться фильм на самом деле..
P.P.S. И надо просто закрыть глаза на скрытый любовь автора к арийской рассе.
Расстраивают только пара рассказов, которые были не окончены автором ввиду каких-то причин. И если первые обрывки не очень сильно расстраивают, то заканчивающийся на самом интересном месте один из кульминационных рассказов огорчает не на шутку ибо он обещал быть по настоящему одним из интереснейших в сборнике.
Заключение: отличный сборник с очень харизматичным персонажем. Любителям приключений, истории и мистики рекомендую. Главное перетерпеть начало.
P.S. А какой бы мог получиться фильм на самом деле..
P.P.S. И надо просто закрыть глаза на скрытый любовь автора к арийской рассе.
netondia's review against another edition
3.0
If you're a fan of fantasy or weird fiction, Solomon Kane has plenty of necromancers, evil spirits, and elder ones to keep you interested. Unfortunately for me, all of this cool stuff is hidden behind the stories' pulp origins. That is to say, I think Solomon Kane would have been better as a fleshed out novel rather than a collection of short stories. I just find everything moves too fast and plots a bit too simple for me to really latch on to as an adult reader. There's nothing wrong with fun swashbuckling adventures, it's just not really my thing.
murdrean's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
soniapage's review against another edition
4.0
Well, "savage tales" is right. I tried this book because I have enjoyed Haggard's books. These are adventure stories in the extreme - with the emphasis on fighting. Probably best enjoyed by boys. In fact, I can just picture these being read around the boy scout campfire, especially the scary ones about ghosts.
zare_i's review against another edition
5.0
Solomon Kane - Puritan adventurer, swordsman with no match and man ready to fight to the very end against injustice and evil-doers wherever they many be. In my opinion one of the greatest book-characters ever.[return][return]This great collection follows Kane while he hunts down the pirates and murderers, follows a strange call of the deep African jungle - and by doing that goes from one adventure into another, freeing slaves, fighting cannibals, discovering lost cities of old civilizations and all the time coming into contact and fighting ghastly creatures from eons passed.[return][return]Here are also [unfortunately] unfinished fragments of several tales that just make reader wish for more :)[return][return]Great collection, great stories.[return][return]Highly recommended.