Book 41: Almuric
Almuric, Robert E. Howard. 157p. 1939, Weird Tales (serialized)/1960, Ace Books.
Reading Time: September 21-Oct 1. Work Breaks.
I'm surprised this took me as long as it did to read, but I didn't take it with me on commutes. I read it in solely 15-20 minute spurts. 2x/day, 4 days/week.
Howard and Burroughs were contemporaries, and the language is similar. Just as Wells had the same writing style as the Dead White Guys I read in college, Howard reminds me of my attempt to read the entire Tarzan series. ( I had to quit after book 4, when Tarzan finally came on the scene in full British Safari uniform, complete with pith helmet.) While the story is something of an archetype --Earthman (American) gets thrust into savage otherworld, joins local population, brings peace and saves the girl-- it still rings as original. Kipling had an attitude of the White Man taming the "savages," but Howard introduces Esau as a man with a savage soul, born too late, better suited to a time when beating off predators was necessary for survival. The theme of Man against Nature doesn't get used as much in SF/F, because magic and tech are usually in place to counteract anything Nature can throw at Man. Most stories boil down to Man against The Other, or Man against Himself.
This is the first of Howard's work that I've read. We have a few other books in storage; I may have to dig them out for next year.
Reading Time: September 21-Oct 1. Work Breaks.
I'm surprised this took me as long as it did to read, but I didn't take it with me on commutes. I read it in solely 15-20 minute spurts. 2x/day, 4 days/week.
Howard and Burroughs were contemporaries, and the language is similar. Just as Wells had the same writing style as the Dead White Guys I read in college, Howard reminds me of my attempt to read the entire Tarzan series. ( I had to quit after book 4, when Tarzan finally came on the scene in full British Safari uniform, complete with pith helmet.) While the story is something of an archetype --Earthman (American) gets thrust into savage otherworld, joins local population, brings peace and saves the girl-- it still rings as original. Kipling had an attitude of the White Man taming the "savages," but Howard introduces Esau as a man with a savage soul, born too late, better suited to a time when beating off predators was necessary for survival. The theme of Man against Nature doesn't get used as much in SF/F, because magic and tech are usually in place to counteract anything Nature can throw at Man. Most stories boil down to Man against The Other, or Man against Himself.
This is the first of Howard's work that I've read. We have a few other books in storage; I may have to dig them out for next year.