gamato's review against another edition
2.0
For being so action-oriented, this Howard story has a lot of slower points early on and ultimately contradicts some of its own commentary. In the beginning we get how noble and good a simple existence is, but later conclude its time to introduce some of the previously criticized culture. Howard was many versions of imperfect, but I think most of his other work is more reliably adventurous and consistent.
I've read a lot of Howard's stories, and this one has many familiar elements. It just reads more like a draft than a finished version, and is probably more of interest to people (like me) who find the author interesting in addition to his work.
I've read a lot of Howard's stories, and this one has many familiar elements. It just reads more like a draft than a finished version, and is probably more of interest to people (like me) who find the author interesting in addition to his work.
russk's review against another edition
3.0
By 1939 I guess that Robert E Howard's publishers and/or readers were getting tired of Conan the Barbarian and said, "What if he went to space?"
Esau is the toughest, strongest, fastest man on Earth. When he gets transported to the planet Almuric, where everything is tougher, stronger and faster than him, he goes through character development and becomes the toughest, strongest, fastest man on his new planet.
All your favorite classic pulp tropes are here. We've got savage tribes where the men are brutal and the women are sexy and beautiful. A hero who either defeats all of his foes or gets knocked unconscious until it's a convenient time to wake up. A damsel who's "not like the other girls" and needs to be rescued a couple times. This sword-and-space adventure has monsters to slay, friends to make, enemies to outsmart, and slaves to free (but only the sexy slaves, not the weird ugly slaves).
gianlucafiore's review against another edition
5.0
As a pulp story, it is as good as it gets. I thought it would feel the passing of time but it is as fun as I first read it 25 and more years ago. Don't expect a complex story, Howard was a master of entertaining, no slow moments, stories that are meant to engage and not make you think too much. In this, Almuric succeeds.
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