The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard

[@AJDunnReads]

You're extensive knowledge of these authors and their books always amazes me. You should put together your own anthology.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I should! That would be fun.

[@ScullyPop]

Robert E. Howard. Awesome. Thanks for introducing us to him.

[@antonkovalenko364]

Any book can be improved with the addition of "mighty thews".

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

That’s certainly true.

[@chemdog1632]

Brother just found your channel had to sub. I only found Robert E. Howard's through my love of Lovecraft. I've recently completed the entire Conan series, I never thought I'd like it so I put it off for years. I was completely wrong, the entire series is pure gold and I loved Howard's style of writing.

[@johnkeenan1829]

I'm looking over at my copy sitting on the bookshelf while I watch this. I've read it and re-read it so many times I had to glue it back together twice.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Pigeons from Hell has long been a favourite of mine. I was going to get one of those cheap kindle anthologies with loads of stories in but you’ve persuaded me to get the paperbacks instead

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

This book is really great. Especially with the illustrations. Pigeons from Hell is one of my favorites as well.

[@polydactylproductions6787]

Worms of the Earth is his best story.

[@FrankGrauJr]

Not only is that a great collection, but I absolutely dig the illustrations. I wish there were a nicer hardback edition of more of these REH (non-Conan) books.

[@stews9]

Big REH fan here, and his horror stories are probably my favorites among his range of work. Had he lived longer, he'd have become one of America's most-esteemed writers. His talent was astounding, especially considering where it was fostered.

[@artofawr]

I love this book. I've been reading it bit by bit between novels. Some of my favorite Howard stories.

[@davidsigler9690]

Excellent book.

[@paulforder591]

Very well done on the REH presentation, Mike! Robert E. Howard had the ability to keep the story going full steam ahead without losing sight of the plot or the characters. Small wonder his stories have stood the test of time. Howard's heroes were the tough ones to fight back against nameless evils. (I have a copy of The Horror Stories of REH at home; I've partially read it, but will finish reading it someday.) Which is what makes his stories stand head and shoulders above the rest. 😺🗡🗡🗡

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks Paul. Robert E. Howard has been my favorite author since I started reading his work back in the 80s.

[@midnightgreen8319]

That book is absolutely amazing! Pigeons from Hell, The Song of the Mad Minstrel, The Black Stone, so many more epic stories!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

It really is full of great stuff.

[@FrankGrauJr]

You can find a television episode of “Pigeons From Hell” on Boris Karloff’s Thriller program. I was excited to accidentally come across it on KZbin. It’s better to read the story, but it made for a decent horror episode on Thriller.

[@DDB168]

Pigeons from Hell - is that set in Melbourne ? We refer to them as rats with wings here 😂 Since learning about Robert E Howard from your videos, I have become a Howard tragic. I'm even thinking of getting a hat too 🤣🤣 I havent tried his horror yet but will do so. I keep forgetting he was a young man indeed but his writing reads as if he's been doing it for decades. Thanks for doing another Howard video.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Are there pigeons from Hell in Melbourne? Our pigeons are not as frightening in California. Our rats however …And yes, you will like this book I think!

[@AndrewBuckleBookReviews]

Solomon Kane ... superb. Didn't have this volume, just purchased it. Great video ! Read loads and loads of Weird Tales material over the years, some were brilliant but some were truly dire.

[@jamesfetcho6315]

You never have 2 sell me on Robert E. Howard. Solomon Kane is My 2nd favorite Character of REH. Like in Joe Abercrombie books so far Sand Dan Glokta(Body Found.. Floating by the Docks.LoL)is My Favorite with Bloody 9(You have 2 be realistic about these things) being my 2nd favorite. Robert was always more graphic then HP. Worms of the Earth is a great Story. Their are a few Authors that have written around that style, and(Worms of the Earth)Story I've read . Matter of fact every Roman V.S. Mythos(or Mythos like)I've ever seen I snatch up, and read. People Really Should grab and read all the Weird Tales they can...IMO. I found a lot of Authors from them I Love.👍 Great Video 👍😁👍

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Glokta is the best! Though I like Cosca a lot also. Glad you are enjoying it more as it goes along.

[@jamesfetcho6315]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 👍😁

[@johna6291]

The pop band, the Pretenders, used the title of "Pigeons From Hell" in the verse of one of their songs.. "Back on the Chaingang" ... Maybe? But I remember immediately catching the reference, even if I can't recall the exact song..

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Interesting. I didn’t know that.

[@rutger9491]

I literally just finished this book opened up KZbin and this video is recommended. Great book thanks for talking about it.

[@Johanna_reads]

Sounds like a fantastic collection of stories! I also love hearing that there are fantasy elements in these as well. I always enjoying learning more about Robert E. Howard from you, and I intend to read more of his works in the future (beyond the tiny sample I read-which was great). Congrats on being 12 subscribers shy of 1K! Well deserved! Edit: Congrats on 1K! 🎉 🎉🎉

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks! And yes, Worms of the Earth is definitely a dark fantasy story as well as horror.

[@horrorhound4923]

I've only read his Conan stories and I loved those. I'm always on the lookout for new reads to add to the tbr list so thank you. Very cool!

[@CestKevvie]

Oh this is that author you talked about that other time, right? Sounds like a pretty cool collection! Love the pic for Shadow of the Beast!!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

It’s a great book. It’s full of illustrations like that

[@jeremyfee]

As you said at the end, I've seen this one on Amazon and I do like their Conan publications so I've thought about getting it. I'm really tempted to finally go through with it after this video. Great discussion!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks! And is that an actual, real life photo of you? Holy smoke! I must say, you have excellent fashion sense.

[@jeremyfee]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 Yes, thank you. With my short story getting published, I needed to give them an author photo and used it. It was actually taken in my classroom and I used one of those background remover effects and added the cool stripes and made it all black and white and stuff. It's fun playing with those effects, like your recent thumbnails. :)

[@nicholasjones3207]

Slowly replacing my collection with these volumes. I want this one next, then Kull, then El Borak

[@stevengentry9396]

Thanks for this video. It's nice to see Howard's other works getting some attention. Solomon Kane is right up there with Conan as a favorite for me, and you almost never hear of Bran Mak Morn or stories from Howard without one of his major characters. When you spoke of the quality of Howard's writing, I was nodding my head. I've told people that a lot of writers can make you see something they write about; Howard had the knack of making you FEEL the things he wrote, like you're experiencing it with the character.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

One of the best things about doing this is having a chance to talk about Howard. This is a really good collection.

[@AmalijaKomar]

Think there's a lot of issues concerning pulp. I am planning to think about it in different aspects. You're definitely right about Howard going back much deeper than pulp in some stories.

[@nicholasjones3207]

Speaking of time and place tales, I just scored the first three fu Manchu omnibuses. Hope sax roomer writes as ripping yarns as Howard (I’m now there thanks to skull face)

[@TheMikester307]

Wonderful analysis! I have a copy of this book and I was going to read from it every night starting a year ago, but my year got a little too busy! And I applaud how you handled the racial aspect of Howard's work. Curiously in "Pigeons From Hell" it is a Black character who provides necessary wisdom and is more help than the kids who stumble into the old dark house!

[@thekeywitness]

Given your knowledge of the author, I challenge you to do the following videos: Top 10 REH Horror Stories Top 10 REH Conan Stories Top 10 REH Adventure Stories (non-Conan) Etc.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Excellent challenge! I will do them all eventually.

[@PaxPanic]

I always feel like I learn so much from your videos! I am pretty familiar with Chandler (the boyfriend is a big fan of his) so I need to dive more into Howard and tell him about this! I feel like this collection would be a great edition to get my hands on.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Yes, you will really like this book! Also, your boyfriend has excellent taste in literature.

[@PaxPanic]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 I actually told him about this last night and he said that he watched your video this morning!

[@timabner848]

Another great video!!👍

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks!

[@BookBlather]

1K subscribers! Congrats, Mike! Well-earned. You’ve built a great channel here. Your videos are always both educational and entertaining. Truly a pleasure to watch. Keep up the great work!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks! I really appreciate that! At the moment I’m barely hanging on at 1001 so it could be back to 995 by tomorrow!

[@jerr3d]

I had the Zebra edition of PfH from the 70s. I was a bit disappointed when I started reading it and realized it was set in modern times and not a barbarian story. But I quickly got over that. As you say, REH had a way of drawing you into the setting of his stories.

[@douglaswilliams6834]

Thanks. I'll be picking that up.

[@anthonycorcino6700]

I like your outfit looks like you just step out of a gangster film.

[@toddtaylor4649]

It's also a lyric in the Pretenders song "back on the chain gang" pigeons from hell, that is.

[@richardmatheson5693]

Are there some scifi stories of his you recommend? I don´t know much About him, but this video reAlly helped me A lot

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

He wrote very little science fiction actually. He mostly wrote fantasy, horror, historical, and adventure fiction. Almuric, a novel written in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars novels is pretty good.

[@richardmatheson5693]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 thanks for the recommendation

[@mizukarate]

Black and White is better for action art.

[@phillise1]

I thought the scariest of these were "pigeons from hell" and "shadow of the beast"

[@jerrylynn2523]

My collection is a bit unusual. I collect youtubers that are fine people !

[@jasonsantos3037]

REH make good horror stories

[@Shellyish]

Look, Mike. Stop trying to change my mind about pulp. Pulp is pulp: low brow, money grabbing, cheap reads. Pfft! Ladies like me don’t read pulp. Don’t tell anyone, but I may or may not have bought a Conan volume.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I suspect you might be reading a bit of pulp in the near future. Pulp is good for you! Conan! I will take Howard over Faulkner any day.

[@Shellyish]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 I propose we co-host The Robert E Howard Read-Along sometime in 2022.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@@Shellyish Yes!

[@grantross2609]

did you deliberately lose your arkham lovecraft dws ?!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

My copies have always been naked.

[@stews9]

You broach racism being included. This reflects accurate portraits from his experience but, as you also point out, his narrative doesn't tend toward racism. A year or two ago I tried to read some Sax Rohmer, his Fu Manchu material, and found it entirely imbued with Yellow Peril racism. It reads like propaganda and is an instructive contrast to Howard's work. Lovecraft's work falls somewhere in between, depending on the story. We'll leave Sam Clemens out of this for now, shall we? lol

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

None of that is as bad as some of the stuff you run into with Max Brand. Oh man, that guy.