Red Shadows

Red Shadows is a collection of fantasy short stories and poems centered on Solomon Kane, a Puritan adventurer and warrior created by Robert E. Howard. The book was published in 1968 by Donald M. Grant in a limited run of 896 copies, with subsequent editions in 1971 and 1978. Many of these tales first appeared in Weird Tales magazine. The collection contains fifteen works, including classic stories like "Skulls in the Stars," "The Moon of Skulls," and "Wings in the Night." Kane's adventures take him across Europe and Africa as he battles supernatural threats and human evil. The stories blend historical fiction with dark fantasy elements, creating a unique mix of swashbuckling action and horror. Solomon Kane emerges as a complex character - a stern Puritan driven by an unwavering sense of justice and a quest to right wrongs wherever he finds them. His journeys pit him against sorcerers, demons, bandits, and ancient evil forces. The stories explore themes of justice, redemption, and the eternal struggle between good and evil, while examining the cost of revenge and the nature of religious faith in a world filled with supernatural horrors.

Readers highlight Howard's taut, action-packed writing style and his creation of Solomon Kane as a complex Puritan avenger. Many note the dark gothic atmosphere and supernatural horror elements that set it apart from Howard's Conan stories. Readers appreciate: - Fast-paced narrative with minimal exposition - Blend of historical fiction and horror - Moral complexity of Kane's character - Vivid fight scenes and period details Common criticisms: - Dated racial attitudes and colonial themes - Uneven pacing between action sequences - Abrupt ending - Limited character development beyond Kane Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (90+ ratings) "Howard's prose hits like a sledgehammer - brutal and efficient," notes one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads review observes: "The racial elements are problematic, but Kane's internal struggles and Howard's atmospheric writing still resonate."

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The Coming of Conan by Robert E. Howard A continuation of Howard's Conan saga with new adventures of the Cimmerian warrior facing dark forces and mythical creatures across the Hyborian kingdoms.

The Book of Swords by Fred Saberhagen A series chronicling twelve magical swords forged by gods and wielded by mortals in a world of ancient powers and dark magic.

Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock The tale of an albino sorcerer-emperor who wields a cursed sword and travels through a fantasy realm of warring gods and demons.

Jirel of Joiry by C. L. Moore A medieval fantasy following a female warrior who battles supernatural entities and explores otherworldly dimensions in ancient France.

🗡️ Solomon Kane was partly inspired by Howard's own Puritan ancestry, which he discovered while researching his family history in the 1920s. 🌍 The African settings in Red Shadows were remarkably detailed despite Howard never traveling outside of Texas, relying entirely on research and imagination. 📚 Robert E. Howard wrote the Solomon Kane stories between 1928 and 1932, earning around 1-3 cents per word from Weird Tales magazine. 💀 Solomon Kane was one of the first "monster hunter" characters in modern literature, predating many similar protagonists in contemporary urban fantasy. 🖋️ Howard wrote almost all of the Solomon Kane stories in marathon sessions, often completing entire tales in a single night of intense writing.