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Western Tales
The REH Foundation Press is proud to present Western Tales, a collection of Robert E. Howard’s traditional and weird western stories. The book checks in at 550 pages, and will be printed in hardback with dust jacket, in a limited first-print quantity of 200 copies, each individually numbered. Cover art by Tom Gianni and introduction by James Reasoner. This volume marks the first book publication of “Six-Gun Interview” and the first appearance anywhere of “Drag”—an item bibliographers refer to as Untitled, “It was a strange experience . . .”—this one-page fragment mentions the Sonora Kid, as well as Gordon (aka El Borak) and Lal Singh. While both of those items are unfinished, Western Tales also features the never-before published complete alternate version of “The Devil’s Joker” and other rarities.
Contents
Western Tales
Robert E. Howard: Western Pulp Pioneer by James Reasoner
Western Tales
Drums of the Sunset
John Ringold (verse)
The Extermination of Yellow Donory
Old Faro Bill (verse)
The Judgment of the Desert
The Sand-Hill’s Crest (verse)
Gunman’s Debt
The Devil’s Joker
The Feud (verse)
Knife, Bullet and Noose
Law-Shooters of Cowtown
Over the Old Rio Grandey (verse)
Wild Water
Cowboy (verse)
The Last Ride (with Robert Enders Allen)
The Vultures of Wahpeton
Vultures’ Sanctuary
Ace High (verse)
The Ballad of Buckshot Roberts (verse)
The Weird West
The Horror from the Mound
The Valley of the Lost
The Man on the Ground
Old Garfield’s Heart
The Thunder-Rider
The Dead Remember
Essays
The Strange Case of Josiah Wilbarger
The Ghost of Camp Colorado
Miscellanea
Six-Gun Interview (unfinished)
Untitled, “I met him first at the Paradise Saloon . . .”
The Killer’s Debt (fragment)
Three Synopses (Gunman’s Debt)
Wild Water Timing
The Devil’s Joker (alternate version)
Untitled Synopsis (The Vultures of Wahpeton)
Juvenilia
A Faithful Servant
“Golden Hope” Christmas
The Sonora Kid—Cowhand
The Sonora Kid’s Winning Hand
Red Curls and Bobbed Hair
Untitled, “Madge Meraldson . . .”
Untitled, “The Hades Saloon . . .”
Untitled, “A blazing sun . . .”
Untitled, “The way it came about . . .”
Untitled, “The hot Arizona sun . . .”
Untitled, “Steve Allison settled . . .”
Brotherly Advice
Desert Rendezvous
The West Tower
“Drag” (aka Untitled, “It was a strange experience . . .”)
Notes on the text
Contents
Western Tales
Robert E. Howard: Western Pulp Pioneer by James Reasoner
Western Tales
Drums of the Sunset
John Ringold (verse)
The Extermination of Yellow Donory
Old Faro Bill (verse)
The Judgment of the Desert
The Sand-Hill’s Crest (verse)
Gunman’s Debt
The Devil’s Joker
The Feud (verse)
Knife, Bullet and Noose
Law-Shooters of Cowtown
Over the Old Rio Grandey (verse)
Wild Water
Cowboy (verse)
The Last Ride (with Robert Enders Allen)
The Vultures of Wahpeton
Vultures’ Sanctuary
Ace High (verse)
The Ballad of Buckshot Roberts (verse)
The Weird West
The Horror from the Mound
The Valley of the Lost
The Man on the Ground
Old Garfield’s Heart
The Thunder-Rider
The Dead Remember
Essays
The Strange Case of Josiah Wilbarger
The Ghost of Camp Colorado
Miscellanea
Six-Gun Interview (unfinished)
Untitled, “I met him first at the Paradise Saloon . . .”
The Killer’s Debt (fragment)
Three Synopses (Gunman’s Debt)
Wild Water Timing
The Devil’s Joker (alternate version)
Untitled Synopsis (The Vultures of Wahpeton)
Juvenilia
A Faithful Servant
“Golden Hope” Christmas
The Sonora Kid—Cowhand
The Sonora Kid’s Winning Hand
Red Curls and Bobbed Hair
Untitled, “Madge Meraldson . . .”
Untitled, “The Hades Saloon . . .”
Untitled, “A blazing sun . . .”
Untitled, “The way it came about . . .”
Untitled, “The hot Arizona sun . . .”
Untitled, “Steve Allison settled . . .”
Brotherly Advice
Desert Rendezvous
The West Tower
“Drag” (aka Untitled, “It was a strange experience . . .”)
Notes on the text
646 pages, Hardcover
First published November 20, 2013
5 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Robert E. Howard
3,044 books2,693 followersRobert Ervin Howard was an American pulp writer of fantasy, horror, historical adventure, boxing, western, and detective fiction. Howard wrote "over three-hundred stories and seven-hundred poems of raw power and unbridled emotion" and is especially noted for his memorable depictions of "a sombre universe of swashbuckling adventure and darkling horror."
He is well known for having created—in the pages of the legendary Depression-era pulp magazine Weird Tales—the character Conan the Cimmerian, a.k.a. Conan the Barbarian, a literary icon whose pop-culture imprint can only be compared to such icons as Tarzan of the Apes, Count Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, and James Bond.
—Wikipedia
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
He is well known for having created—in the pages of the legendary Depression-era pulp magazine Weird Tales—the character Conan the Cimmerian, a.k.a. Conan the Barbarian, a literary icon whose pop-culture imprint can only be compared to such icons as Tarzan of the Apes, Count Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, and James Bond.
—Wikipedia
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 20, 2015
A wonderful collection of standard Westerns and Weird Westerns. The Miscellania and Juvenilia sections are more for collectors and afficianados, but the other stories are perfect even for the casual Western reader. I think, had he not killed himself, Robert E. Howard could have become famous as a Western author, like Louis L'amour. As a Texan himself, he was well versed in the lore, as evidenced further in his letters. This was a splended collection.
December 20, 2023
Western Tales is a book I've read twice now. It's a captivating collection of stories that showcase the versatility and imaginative prowess of Robert E. Howard. Set against the rugged backdrop of the American West, each story in this collection of short stories offers a unique glimpse into the lives of characters who embody the spirit of adventure, resilience, and intrigue that is synonymous with the genre.
The stories are diverse in their themes and narratives, ranging from tales of bravery and justice to mystical and supernatural elements. Howard combines genres like Western, Horror and what is known as Weird Western.
The narrative style is engaging, drawing readers into the heart of each story with vivid descriptions and fast-paced action. The dialogues are sharp and fitting for the setting, capturing the essence of the Wild West era. The author's ability to blend action, adventure, and mystery with historical elements of the West is commendable.
One of the highlights of "Western Tales" is its ability to transport readers to a different time and place, offering escapism through its well-crafted stories. The book doesn't shy away from exploring the harsh realities of the era, including the lawlessness and moral complexities that characterized the Wild West.
Howard's way of writing is so unique that you don't even have to like Westerns in general. At the end of the book, there are also several unfinished stories and fragments. Even these are great to read, though you'll wish he had finished them.
The stories are diverse in their themes and narratives, ranging from tales of bravery and justice to mystical and supernatural elements. Howard combines genres like Western, Horror and what is known as Weird Western.
The narrative style is engaging, drawing readers into the heart of each story with vivid descriptions and fast-paced action. The dialogues are sharp and fitting for the setting, capturing the essence of the Wild West era. The author's ability to blend action, adventure, and mystery with historical elements of the West is commendable.
One of the highlights of "Western Tales" is its ability to transport readers to a different time and place, offering escapism through its well-crafted stories. The book doesn't shy away from exploring the harsh realities of the era, including the lawlessness and moral complexities that characterized the Wild West.
Howard's way of writing is so unique that you don't even have to like Westerns in general. At the end of the book, there are also several unfinished stories and fragments. Even these are great to read, though you'll wish he had finished them.
April 19, 2026
“The Vultures of Wahpeton” is not only the highlight of this collection but also one of Robert E. Howard’s very best stories. Additionally, “The Judgment of the Desert,” “Gunman’s Debt,” and “Vultures’ Sanctuary” are standout yarns.
What stands out most is how ahead of his time Howard feels—particularly in his stark violence and moral ambiguity. This harsher, less romantic vision of the West wouldn’t become widely popular until the 1960s and ’70s, when directors like Sergio Leone, Sergio Corbucci, Sam Peckinpah, and Don Siegel brought a similar sensibility to the screen.
What stands out most is how ahead of his time Howard feels—particularly in his stark violence and moral ambiguity. This harsher, less romantic vision of the West wouldn’t become widely popular until the 1960s and ’70s, when directors like Sergio Leone, Sergio Corbucci, Sam Peckinpah, and Don Siegel brought a similar sensibility to the screen.
May 21, 2022
Towards the sadly premature ending of his life, legendary pulp author Robert E. Howard, who excelled at stories of sword and sorcery fantasy, sword and planet/planetary romance science fiction, cosmic and supernatural horror, historical adventure, and boxing stories among others, decided to focus his talents on western stories, and these stories proved to be different from most of the contemporary westerns of his day.
Where most westerns of that time were simplistic “save the ranch” and “Cowboys and Indians” horse operas with black and white characters, most of Howard’s westerns had a dark, gritty edge to them inspired by the noir fiction which was popular at the time. Many of the heroes had flaws and were much more colorful and interesting than the usual white-hat cowboys. Howard’s western stories were thick with atmosphere and roughness of the frontier. Howard also pioneered the weird western genre by combining the western with supernatural horror and fantasy elements. Both his traditional and weird westerns are collected in this hardback edition from REH Foundation Press.
The stories within feature flawed and brooding heroes, sadistic and seedy villains, and lightning-fast gun battles. The stories I enjoyed are as follows…….
“The Judgement of the Desert”: Two cowpunchers go on a search for hidden gold in the wastelands, and uncover a secret about a notorious and legendary outlaw.
“Gunman’s Debt”: Lone rider John Kirby rides into San Juan on business, and finds a throng of deadly enemies awaiting him.
“The Devil’s Joker”: The Sonora Kid runs into a world of trouble when he guns down practical joker Big Bill Hartigan.
“Knife, Bullet, and Noose”: A mob of ruffian buffalo hunters lie in wait for the Sonora Kid after they hear he killed one of their compatriots.
“Law-Shooters of Cowtown”: Fierce buffalo hunter Grizzly Elkins faces a mob of angry vigilantes who want nothing more than to hang him high.
“Wild Water”: It is no longer the days of the Old West, but disgruntled citizen Jim Reynolds decides to fight in the spirit of his ancestors against a greedy land baron and his lackeys.
“The Vultures of Wahpeton”: A shadowy gunfighter is hired by an even shadier sheriff to be his deputy and to clean up the town of Wahpeton of the notorious gang known as the Vultures, but there is more here than meets the eye.
“Vultures’ Sanctuary”: A tough-as-nails, but virtuous trail boss seeks to settle an old score, but has he gone too far in over his head?
“The Horror From the Mound”: A greedy Texas cowpuncher goes digging for treasure in an Indian burial mound, and awakens something ancient and evil.
“The Valley of the Lost”: A hunted man in the middle of a feud enters a cave to hide from his pursuers, and finds there a maleficent force older than time itself.
“The Thunder Rider”: A modern-day businessman is haunted by his past life memories as a Native American warrior in the 16th Century.
I give “Robert E. Howard’s Western Tales” a 4 out of 5.
Where most westerns of that time were simplistic “save the ranch” and “Cowboys and Indians” horse operas with black and white characters, most of Howard’s westerns had a dark, gritty edge to them inspired by the noir fiction which was popular at the time. Many of the heroes had flaws and were much more colorful and interesting than the usual white-hat cowboys. Howard’s western stories were thick with atmosphere and roughness of the frontier. Howard also pioneered the weird western genre by combining the western with supernatural horror and fantasy elements. Both his traditional and weird westerns are collected in this hardback edition from REH Foundation Press.
The stories within feature flawed and brooding heroes, sadistic and seedy villains, and lightning-fast gun battles. The stories I enjoyed are as follows…….
“The Judgement of the Desert”: Two cowpunchers go on a search for hidden gold in the wastelands, and uncover a secret about a notorious and legendary outlaw.
“Gunman’s Debt”: Lone rider John Kirby rides into San Juan on business, and finds a throng of deadly enemies awaiting him.
“The Devil’s Joker”: The Sonora Kid runs into a world of trouble when he guns down practical joker Big Bill Hartigan.
“Knife, Bullet, and Noose”: A mob of ruffian buffalo hunters lie in wait for the Sonora Kid after they hear he killed one of their compatriots.
“Law-Shooters of Cowtown”: Fierce buffalo hunter Grizzly Elkins faces a mob of angry vigilantes who want nothing more than to hang him high.
“Wild Water”: It is no longer the days of the Old West, but disgruntled citizen Jim Reynolds decides to fight in the spirit of his ancestors against a greedy land baron and his lackeys.
“The Vultures of Wahpeton”: A shadowy gunfighter is hired by an even shadier sheriff to be his deputy and to clean up the town of Wahpeton of the notorious gang known as the Vultures, but there is more here than meets the eye.
“Vultures’ Sanctuary”: A tough-as-nails, but virtuous trail boss seeks to settle an old score, but has he gone too far in over his head?
“The Horror From the Mound”: A greedy Texas cowpuncher goes digging for treasure in an Indian burial mound, and awakens something ancient and evil.
“The Valley of the Lost”: A hunted man in the middle of a feud enters a cave to hide from his pursuers, and finds there a maleficent force older than time itself.
“The Thunder Rider”: A modern-day businessman is haunted by his past life memories as a Native American warrior in the 16th Century.
I give “Robert E. Howard’s Western Tales” a 4 out of 5.
January 24, 2016
A great action packed collection of my favorite writer's western stories. While he is not know for his western writing Howard delivers his usual fast paced action writing. If you want to read a quick page turner then Howard is the writer for you no matter what style story he is writing. Very recommended
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews