Random House Australia, 2008Although perhaps better known today for his heroic fantasy tales, especially those involving Conan the Cimmerian, Robert E. Howard (1906-1936) also produced an impressive body of horror and dark fantasy literature during his short life, ranging from more traditional tales of ghosts, vampires and werewolves to those involving zombies, Egyptian lore and Lovecraftian entities.
The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard collects 56 of Howard's best dark tales and poems, together with various fragments and miscellanea, beautifully illustrated throughout by Grig Staples. While some of the pieces may not sit comfortably with readers due to their 'dated' depiction of non-whites, there's no denying that Howard's work includes some of the most effective and atmospheric (if occasionally melodramatic, in true 'Pulp' style) writing in the entire horror genre. I defy anyone to read 'Pigeons from Hell', for example, and not feel nervous about turning off the lights afterwards (I may or may not speak from experience here. Ahem).
This is definitely a collection for any fan of classic horror literature, and one that is readily available from Australian bookshops.
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