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.
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
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.
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.
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. 😺🗡🗡🗡
MIKE HOLY SHIT!!!!! YOU ARE NOW PART OF THE 1K-SUBSCRIBER CLUB! I am so happy for you. I am legitimately elated. 😭 You deserve all of this and more! You are one of the most unique and wonderful creators on this platform, and I wish you continued success.
Wow, thanks! I really appreciate that. Now why did I get this black robe and weird knife in the mail. And is that an altar on the lawn?…wait…is that a 🐐 goat?…
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.
A wonderful, amazing friend gifted me this amazing collection. I now have to read “Worms of the Earth” and “Pigeons from Hell” before Halloween! Thank you for this incredible introductory video on how to best approach his stories.
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! 🎉 🎉🎉
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 👍😁👍
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.
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)
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..
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.
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 RU-vid. It’s better to read the story, but it made for a decent horror episode on Thriller.
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!
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.
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 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. :)
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.
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.
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!
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