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Los dioses de Bal-Sagoth
La saga de Turlogh O’Brien, «el Negro», abarca algunas de las mejores piezas que Robert Ervin Howard escribiera jamás. No nos encontramos aquí con piezas menores o de complemento, sino con un Howard en su mejor momento, capaz de crear obras maestras como The Grey God Passes, The Dark Man o The Gods of Bal-Sagoth. Con tres cuentos así, no cabe duda de que es esta una saga de gran calidad y que, además, presenta a uno de los mejores personajes de Howard: Turlogh el irlandés, un personaje histórico, sobrino del rey Brian Boru, que participó en la legendaria batalla de Clontarf. La versión howardiana del personaje combate por igual contra vikingos y monstruos, jura por Crom y protagoniza algunos de sus mejores cuentos, que incluyen dioses oscuros, batallas como sólo el texano sabía narrar y una prosa depurada, que no ha perdido un ápice de su fuerza desde que fuera escrita hace más de ochenta años.
Portada de Manuel Perez-Sanjulián.
Portada de Manuel Perez-Sanjulián.
252 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1931
7 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Robert E. Howard
2,990 books2,649 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 13, 2021
This book is a potpourri of Howard's pulp horror stories and fragments, and only the title story appeared during his lifetime, in a 1931 issue of Weird Tales. It features Turlogh O'Brien, one of his better (if not as well known) pulp creations in the tradition of Kull, Cormac, Kane, and Conan. Nekht Semerkeht is a story written by andrew j. offutt from a Howard fragment, Isle of the Eons was meant to be a novel but was never finished, and my favorite is a very short, moody piece with the terrific title, The Curse of the Golden Skull.
January 6, 2024
ΕΠΟΣ. Ο Howard ήξερε να γράφει ιστορίες τρόμου, το ίδιο καλά... Μπορεί ο Lovecraft να είναι ο πατέρας της μυθολογίας Κθούλου, μα για μένα ο Howard είναι ο βασιλιάς ΟΛΩΝ των ειδών! Απλά μοναδικός
May 6, 2016
Vikingos, espada y brujería y puro Robert E. Howard. Siete relatos protagonizados directa o indirectamente por Turlogh el Negro, un personaje, un héroe, mejor que Conan.
Cada vez que digo que Robert E. Howard escribía muy bien, recibo expresiones de escepticismo o disconformidad. Yo, que tengo un criterio terrible. Este señor sabía ser poético cuando había que serlo. No se entretenía en largas descripciones, pero nos describía campos de batalla, islas y barcos a la perfección. Y dominaba las escenas de lucha sin convertirlas en complicadas coreografías.
La narración de este Turlogh es mucho más consistente y serena; tiene más gusto y es más completa que muchas aventuras de Conan, aunque Turlogh lo escribiera antes del famoso bárbaro. Ya os digo, prefiero a Turlogh mil veces. Además, por si todavía dudas, cierras el libro y te dan ganas de liarte a espadazos, porque te deja bien arriba.
Reseña completa en: http://nomegustanlosnumeros.blogspot....
Cada vez que digo que Robert E. Howard escribía muy bien, recibo expresiones de escepticismo o disconformidad. Yo, que tengo un criterio terrible. Este señor sabía ser poético cuando había que serlo. No se entretenía en largas descripciones, pero nos describía campos de batalla, islas y barcos a la perfección. Y dominaba las escenas de lucha sin convertirlas en complicadas coreografías.
La narración de este Turlogh es mucho más consistente y serena; tiene más gusto y es más completa que muchas aventuras de Conan, aunque Turlogh lo escribiera antes del famoso bárbaro. Ya os digo, prefiero a Turlogh mil veces. Además, por si todavía dudas, cierras el libro y te dan ganas de liarte a espadazos, porque te deja bien arriba.
Reseña completa en: http://nomegustanlosnumeros.blogspot....
August 7, 2014
What surprised me is that collectors and editors were still pulling manuscripts out of Howard's estate as late as 1977: "The Isle of the Eons", an unfinished serial, had its first appearance in this volume, and a good chunk of the remainder was copyrighted after 1960.
The collection isn't strongly themed, but leaned toward the "lost city" / "lost people" / "lost island" direction, with "The Gods of Bal-Sagoth", "King of the Forgotten People", "Nekht Semerkeht", and "Isle of the Eons".
Most of these prove the point that if you're a member of an insular, isolated people at the far edge of nowhere, then the appearance of a dynamic and possibly violent outsider--particularly a white-skinned outsider--should be your cue to start packing your bags.
The collection isn't strongly themed, but leaned toward the "lost city" / "lost people" / "lost island" direction, with "The Gods of Bal-Sagoth", "King of the Forgotten People", "Nekht Semerkeht", and "Isle of the Eons".
Most of these prove the point that if you're a member of an insular, isolated people at the far edge of nowhere, then the appearance of a dynamic and possibly violent outsider--particularly a white-skinned outsider--should be your cue to start packing your bags.
March 15, 2012
This collection of short stories and fragments was hit-and-miss with me. My favorites were all to do with classic, campy horror. These included:
Casonetto's Last Song - cool idea that a devil-worshipping opera star can use a recorded song to curse his enemy after the star's death.
Usurp the Night - the best one in this collection, in my opinion. Spooky old guy in a house at the edge of town... pets and children disappearing... the hero's disbelief in the obvious. The idea of a monster kept upstairs comes straight out of Lovecraft, but I don't mind. Good tale. Entertaining.
The Shadow of the Beast - similar to 'Pigeons from Hell' in the abandoned mansion motif. A criminal flees into a haunted mansion and his good-guy pursuer goes in after him. Another monster upstairs with the hero barely making it out. I love it!
Casonetto's Last Song - cool idea that a devil-worshipping opera star can use a recorded song to curse his enemy after the star's death.
Usurp the Night - the best one in this collection, in my opinion. Spooky old guy in a house at the edge of town... pets and children disappearing... the hero's disbelief in the obvious. The idea of a monster kept upstairs comes straight out of Lovecraft, but I don't mind. Good tale. Entertaining.
The Shadow of the Beast - similar to 'Pigeons from Hell' in the abandoned mansion motif. A criminal flees into a haunted mansion and his good-guy pursuer goes in after him. Another monster upstairs with the hero barely making it out. I love it!
November 15, 2022
What a great short story! I love finding stories of Howard's that don't have Conan in them. As much as I absolutely love the Conan tales! Its fun to see his other works. If you haven't read this one I highly recommend it!
February 10, 2016
Maravillosas historias de Howard en las que se mezclan elementos fantásticos con acontecimientos históricos. Turlogh el Negro es un irlandés proscrito que no duda en luchar por su pueblo y en contra de los odiados vikingos. No es el protagonista de todos los relatos, pero sí de las obras maestras "El hombre Oscuro" y "Los dioses de Bal-Sagoth", el relato que da nombre al libro.
Sentimientos tan elementales como el odio, la tristeza, la melancolía y el honor se transmiten gracias a la maestría del autor y la pasión que destila todo lo que escribe. Abundan los combates épicos y las descripciones poéticas.
La edición es cuidada, con ilustraciones que aderezan ocasionalmente el texto y una buena traducción. Imprescindible. Una ganga por 10 euros.
Sentimientos tan elementales como el odio, la tristeza, la melancolía y el honor se transmiten gracias a la maestría del autor y la pasión que destila todo lo que escribe. Abundan los combates épicos y las descripciones poéticas.
La edición es cuidada, con ilustraciones que aderezan ocasionalmente el texto y una buena traducción. Imprescindible. Una ganga por 10 euros.
September 2, 2019
Ξαναβρήκα διάφορες παραφράσεις ονομάτων που τα έχουμε συνηθίσει στα ελληνικά αλλιώς, πχ, τη Ζουλίκα του Κρανιοπρόσωπου, εμείς την ξερουμε Ζουλέικα. Αλλά η πενα του θείου Μπομπ είναι δύνατο να αλλοιωθεί σε τέτοιο βαθμό που να μην την απολαμβάνεις. Ιδιαιτερα μου άρεσε το ότι οι επιμελητές της σειράς ξκίνησαν το δίτομο έργο με τον "Μαύρο Λίθο" όπου εισάγεται η περσόνα του τρελού ποιητή Τζάστιν Τζέφρυ και μαθαίνουμε τον τρόπο με τον οποίο (και τον λόγο για τον οποίο) πέθανε και κλείνει με το "Σπίτι με τις Βελανιδιές", στο οποίο μαθαίνουμε από που προήλθε ο ποιητής αυτος.
May 21, 2024
Recopilatorio de las aventuras de Turlogh el Negro. Al lector de la serie de Conan de Marvel le sonaran algunos de estos relatos porque en su momento Roy Thomas se ocupó de que fueran "conanizados" en la revista. En mi opinión son relatos muy representativos de la obra de Howard con escenas de acción muy bien narradas y ese ambiente siniestro en torno a lo sobrenatural que tan bien describía el autor. Esta edición, además, está bien traducida (El talón de Aquiles habitual de edición de la obra de Howard en España) y bien editada.
April 12, 2018
Buen recopilatorio de los relatos de Howard sobre la figura de Turlogh "el Negro" en una edición tan económica como bien realizada, e incluso acompañada con ilustraciones.
Respecto al contenido, hay que avisar al lector ocasional que los dos primeros relatos son realmente la misma historia narrada de dos modos distintos, pues se trata de una recopilación del legado, inconcluso a veces, que el autor nos legó.
Incluso hay un fragmento especialmente breve, pero oportuno para quien quiera conocer el trabajo que hizo REH sobre este personaje.
Estos dos primeros relatos (o el mismo relato en sus dos narraciones) es un tanto denso y pesado por la gran cantidad de localizaciones y personajes que se entrecruzan en la trama.
Esto es fruto del trabajo de documentación que realizó Howard, que quiso mantener un rigor histórico respecto a los hechos, a la vez que infiere batallas y acción. El resultado es un tanto apelmazado y carece del ritmo al que nos tiene acostumbrados en otras narraciones.
En cambio, con el personaje de Turlogh ya perfilado, pasamos a continuación a disfrutar con mayúsculas de los relatos siguientes: "El hombre oscuro", "Los Dioses de Bal-Sagoth", "La sombra del huno" y "El túmulo en el promontorio".
En estos últimos sí que podemos disfrutar de aventura, acción y misterio tal como el maestro nos ha acostumbrado en tantas ocasiones.
Por destacar uno preferido, en mi caso recomiendo y subrayo "El hombre oscuro".
Y para los amantes de Lovecraft, aconsejo la lectura de "El túmulo en el promontorio" por motivos que, una vez se haya leído la historia, son evidentes.
Respecto al contenido, hay que avisar al lector ocasional que los dos primeros relatos son realmente la misma historia narrada de dos modos distintos, pues se trata de una recopilación del legado, inconcluso a veces, que el autor nos legó.
Incluso hay un fragmento especialmente breve, pero oportuno para quien quiera conocer el trabajo que hizo REH sobre este personaje.
Estos dos primeros relatos (o el mismo relato en sus dos narraciones) es un tanto denso y pesado por la gran cantidad de localizaciones y personajes que se entrecruzan en la trama.
Esto es fruto del trabajo de documentación que realizó Howard, que quiso mantener un rigor histórico respecto a los hechos, a la vez que infiere batallas y acción. El resultado es un tanto apelmazado y carece del ritmo al que nos tiene acostumbrados en otras narraciones.
En cambio, con el personaje de Turlogh ya perfilado, pasamos a continuación a disfrutar con mayúsculas de los relatos siguientes: "El hombre oscuro", "Los Dioses de Bal-Sagoth", "La sombra del huno" y "El túmulo en el promontorio".
En estos últimos sí que podemos disfrutar de aventura, acción y misterio tal como el maestro nos ha acostumbrado en tantas ocasiones.
Por destacar uno preferido, en mi caso recomiendo y subrayo "El hombre oscuro".
Y para los amantes de Lovecraft, aconsejo la lectura de "El túmulo en el promontorio" por motivos que, una vez se haya leído la historia, son evidentes.
April 1, 2014
The cover might make you think sword-and-sorcery -- and, indeed, these short stories mostly employ the vividness and pacing of that genre -- but what we have here is a collection of horror stories. The settings and characters vary; there are pirates and Vikings, conquistadors and Lovecraftian horrors, ghost and lost races. A lot of fun stuff, sometimes rough around the literary edges, but no less fun for that. Ripping good stuff.
March 1, 2015
Terasest skrootumiga kangelased raiumas teed läbi põhjalaste ja teiste tõbraste. Viikingitest hakkas lõpus lausa kahju. Howard paneb ikka mõnuga otse, puhastverd võitmatud aarialased, alatud moslemid ja segased punased. Korduvad sõnad nagu kohutavalt suur, võimas, tohutu, vägev... Ei, vinge värk!
"Te ei kahetseks, kui sooviksite meiega ühineda, et anda hoop moslemitele kristliku maailma nimel."
"Te ei kahetseks, kui sooviksite meiega ühineda, et anda hoop moslemitele kristliku maailma nimel."
January 3, 2009
Has some great writing in it.
February 7, 2020
Otra gran obra de mi autor favorito. Tenía muchísimas ganas de leer algo como esto, poemas épicos, guerreros fuertes, héroes valientes y aventuras en lugares misteriosos.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2024
Another collection of Howard’s horror stories
‘The Gods of Bal-Sagoth’ Athelstane and Turlough O’Brien save a woman from death at the hands of a monster and get involved in her plan of vengeance.
‘Casonetto’s Last Song’ Stephen Gordon testifies against opera singer Giovanni Casonetto in court for unspeakable crimes. From the grave, Casonetto sends his vengeance in the form of a recording.
‘King of the Forgotten People’ Jim Brill goes looking for Gloria Barlow’s missing husband in Mongolia. Barlow has subjugated the people in a valley.
‘Usurp the Night’ (A Cthulu story) The narrator visits a newcomer, old Mr. Stark, and hears small sounds coming from an upstairs room. Meanwhile, small animals and pets go missing. Then his fiancé goes missing. He visits Stark again and hears the noise again, only, now it is much louder.
‘The Curse of the Golden Skull’ A short story about a long-lived curse.
‘Shadow of the Beast’ A shot in the dark! A posse is organized. Steve gets lost and comes upon a deserted house that would make a great hiding place for the culprit, or does it? (The culprit, Joe Cagle, is a black man in other editions. No mention here.)
‘Nekht Semerkeht’ (Finished by Andrew J Offutt) Hernando de Guzman is in search of gold. He meets a slave girl in an isolated village in northern Mexico. He decides to take the village but faces a millennia old Egyptian sorcerer.
‘Restless Waters’ Captain Starkey is a cruel man. He plans to marry off is niece to an old merchant. He has killed to keep his secret. Then he comes face to face with one of his victims.
‘The Isle of the Eons’ (One of Howard’s oldest stories.) Two men from opposite sides survive a naval battle and are marooned on an island. They work together and travel about the island, finding it filled with ancient ruins. The3y battle an octopus andlater apes who come out at night.
Not a great collection. Liked ‘The Gods of Bal-Sagoth’ and ‘King of the Forgotten People.’
‘The Gods of Bal-Sagoth’ Athelstane and Turlough O’Brien save a woman from death at the hands of a monster and get involved in her plan of vengeance.
‘Casonetto’s Last Song’ Stephen Gordon testifies against opera singer Giovanni Casonetto in court for unspeakable crimes. From the grave, Casonetto sends his vengeance in the form of a recording.
‘King of the Forgotten People’ Jim Brill goes looking for Gloria Barlow’s missing husband in Mongolia. Barlow has subjugated the people in a valley.
‘Usurp the Night’ (A Cthulu story) The narrator visits a newcomer, old Mr. Stark, and hears small sounds coming from an upstairs room. Meanwhile, small animals and pets go missing. Then his fiancé goes missing. He visits Stark again and hears the noise again, only, now it is much louder.
‘The Curse of the Golden Skull’ A short story about a long-lived curse.
‘Shadow of the Beast’ A shot in the dark! A posse is organized. Steve gets lost and comes upon a deserted house that would make a great hiding place for the culprit, or does it? (The culprit, Joe Cagle, is a black man in other editions. No mention here.)
‘Nekht Semerkeht’ (Finished by Andrew J Offutt) Hernando de Guzman is in search of gold. He meets a slave girl in an isolated village in northern Mexico. He decides to take the village but faces a millennia old Egyptian sorcerer.
‘Restless Waters’ Captain Starkey is a cruel man. He plans to marry off is niece to an old merchant. He has killed to keep his secret. Then he comes face to face with one of his victims.
‘The Isle of the Eons’ (One of Howard’s oldest stories.) Two men from opposite sides survive a naval battle and are marooned on an island. They work together and travel about the island, finding it filled with ancient ruins. The3y battle an octopus andlater apes who come out at night.
Not a great collection. Liked ‘The Gods of Bal-Sagoth’ and ‘King of the Forgotten People.’
April 17, 2020
I read this and other Robert E. Howard books of short stories about 40 years ago and thought I'd dig them out and re-read them.
This is Howard in all of his pulpy, purple-tinged glory, and though his writing can become somewhat turgid at times, it's still great fun.
Much like his contemporary, H.P. Lovecraft, Howard submitted most of his work to the many pulp magazines of the 1920s and 30s, magazines that weren't particularly interested in high literature, but rather stories that would shock or titillate the reader and Howard doesn't disappoint.
The eponymous story is close to the Conan mold; Gaelic and Saxon Warriors are shipwrecked on a mysterious isle when they encounter a nearly naked woman, deposed Goddess of an ancient civilization. Carnage and gore soon follow...
Other standouts are "Usurp the Night" and "Nekht Semerkeht".
True, some of these become ridiculous at times, but they're still entertaining.
This is Howard in all of his pulpy, purple-tinged glory, and though his writing can become somewhat turgid at times, it's still great fun.
Much like his contemporary, H.P. Lovecraft, Howard submitted most of his work to the many pulp magazines of the 1920s and 30s, magazines that weren't particularly interested in high literature, but rather stories that would shock or titillate the reader and Howard doesn't disappoint.
The eponymous story is close to the Conan mold; Gaelic and Saxon Warriors are shipwrecked on a mysterious isle when they encounter a nearly naked woman, deposed Goddess of an ancient civilization. Carnage and gore soon follow...
Other standouts are "Usurp the Night" and "Nekht Semerkeht".
True, some of these become ridiculous at times, but they're still entertaining.
July 14, 2018
Excelente obra, es la primera que leo de este autor y la verdad he quedado muy satisfecho. Los dos primeros relatos funcionan de forma genial, pueden leerse de manera individual o en conjunto y se complementan de forma magistral. Y en general todos los relatos están muy bien logrados, pero especialmente el que da título a la obra es el más ambicioso. Sólo tengo problemas con los dos últimos: "La sombra del huno" me molesta por dejarme con ganas de más. Por su parte "El túmulo en el promontorio" no está mal, pero no me agrada tanto como último relato, pienso que, por lo que cuenta, debería colocarse junto con los dos primeros. Por eso, sólo por eso, siento que leer ese relato al final fue un poco bajón. Pero de resto es excelente esta obra, altamente recomendado y para potenciar la experiencia en la lectura se recomienda leerlo escuchando la discografía de Amon Amarth.
July 5, 2020
An assortment of REH yarns including ghost stories, demons summoned from beyond, ancient civilizations, and the title story with Black Turlough. Mostly stories unpublished in REH's lifetime, some completed by another author and one left in its unfinished state. Tales of the distant past and some placed more recent, still most find a way for the hero to use either sword or iron fist to solve his problems. Some owing homage to Sax Rohmer and H.P. Lovecraft, others pure Howard, all entertaining.
December 1, 2022
Velmi dobře čtivá část jejímž zajímavým aspektem jakožto série Turlogh O'Brien jsou filozofické nebo mystické linie opony, kterými příběh končí. Bohové Bal-Sagoth a nástin pádu starověkého království je velmi poutavý pro četbu. Poslední zbytky nejstarší říše světa klesly do plamenů a propasti zapomnění a nastoupili barbarství. Stejně dobře byl popsán i nejvzácnější drahokam s emblémem královského majestátu Bal-Sagoth. Celkově království mrtvých, říše duchů a kouře zde R.E.Howard popisuje naprosto bravurně. Osobně mohu doporučit k přečtení.
June 2, 2021
I 4-star this more in the context of the Howard writing I have been in than against all of literature, as this is the best Howard I have encountered yet.
Lost world pulp by way of historical fantasy. Want any more genres thrown in?
Lost world pulp by way of historical fantasy. Want any more genres thrown in?
November 8, 2024
Kiedyś czytałem Konana i nie spodobał mi się, widocznie Howard może nie być dla mnie. Mówi się że do trzech razy sztuka, także może jeszcze coś wybiorę, ale póki co nie czuję w jego prozie „tego czegoś”. Istotnie jest krolem pulpu, ale nie wiem czy to wystarczający powód do dumy.
August 15, 2019
Isle of the Aeons is a great story, almost on par with Lovecraft's the Nameless City.
January 1, 2020
A mix of mostly either adventure and occult stories that with most being average to good across the board.
Read
July 18, 2023Typically well written horror tales by Howard. My only caveat is that the final piece in the book is a fragment that leaves the reader in the middle of an adventure.
November 17, 2023
Palate cleanser, no more or less.
November 21, 2023
stumbled from eldritch into conan the barbarian. too male gaze-y for me
January 20, 2025
"The Gods of Bal-Sagoth" is a fun story. The primary engagements are the action scenes, Howard's vivid descriptions, and the pair of protagonists: Turlogh and Athelstane. The protagonist-pair have a wonderful chemistry about them and, whilst I am not one to frequently ship characters, they follow my favourite trope of close comradery which is so easy to imagine budding into a quite-wholesome romantic relationship. (A trope I also greatly appreciated in Burroughs' Martian tales) It is a real shame, then, that Gael-Saxon is not even hinted at in "The Dark Man" (the weird tale preceding this one) which is, to my knowledge, the only other story in which both Turlogh and Athelstane appear.
If one reads the “The Gods of Bal-Sagoth” for the premise instead of the Howardian story-flavours they will be majorly disappointed. Bal-Sagoth and her gods are the weakest part of the story. Events are mentioned, but only elaborated upon just enough to make the world feel full and the not-so-detailed world possesses magic portrayed in Howard's typical fashion: unknowable, inconsistent, simple, and vague. The simplicity of the storytelling also lent itself to a trope I (for my fondness of Burroughs' tales) quite enjoy: luck getting the characters into and out of trouble. For that reason, I quite like the story's climactic ending.
After reading this simple story for a third time I thought I would not read it again and yet, today, when I wanted to listen to something non-musical at work which would not fully engage my attention this tale made itself known. It is odd that this is a piece of comfort media but I accept it as the first of that sort I believe I have encountered. (Now I really need to get a paperback edition for my library.)
October 12, 2019
Küll vanal ajal oli ikka raske ellu jääda ja veel raskem kõrgesse ikka jõuda, eriti kui olid meessoost... Siit raamatust leiab lõpetatud ja lõpetamata lookesi, kus enam-vähem läbivaks on oma klanni poolt hüljatud Iirimaa osavaim kirvesõdalane Turlogh Dubh O'Brien.
Ohvreid neis lugudes ei loeta, mehi langeb loogu vasakule ja paremale, kuid kõige selle juurde kuuluvad veel ka mäesügavuse labürintides surematu jumalasulase poolt loodud loom-monstrumid, manipuleerivad naised, müstiliste omadustega kujukesed ning ka suur Odin ise, kes asjade kulgu jälgib. No midagi igale maitsele ;)
Siin aga stiilinäide, kuidas võitluses end keegi tagasi ei hoia, Robert ise veel kõige vähem...
"Võitluse torm raputas tohutut saali. Maja oli muutunud lahinguväljaks, kus mehed vereloikudes libastusid ning libastudes surid. Irvitavad pead lendasid keereldes longuvajunud õlgadelt. Kidalised odad rebisid alles pekslevaid südameid verisest rinnast. Ajud pritsisid ja kleepusid pudruna meeletult vehklevate kirveste külge. Pistodad sukeldusid alt üles, käristades vatsasid ja lastes soolikatel põrandale voolata. Metalli kõlin ja kolksumine muutus kõrvulukustavaks. Armu ei palutud ega antud." (lk 24)
Ohvreid neis lugudes ei loeta, mehi langeb loogu vasakule ja paremale, kuid kõige selle juurde kuuluvad veel ka mäesügavuse labürintides surematu jumalasulase poolt loodud loom-monstrumid, manipuleerivad naised, müstiliste omadustega kujukesed ning ka suur Odin ise, kes asjade kulgu jälgib. No midagi igale maitsele ;)
Siin aga stiilinäide, kuidas võitluses end keegi tagasi ei hoia, Robert ise veel kõige vähem...
"Võitluse torm raputas tohutut saali. Maja oli muutunud lahinguväljaks, kus mehed vereloikudes libastusid ning libastudes surid. Irvitavad pead lendasid keereldes longuvajunud õlgadelt. Kidalised odad rebisid alles pekslevaid südameid verisest rinnast. Ajud pritsisid ja kleepusid pudruna meeletult vehklevate kirveste külge. Pistodad sukeldusid alt üles, käristades vatsasid ja lastes soolikatel põrandale voolata. Metalli kõlin ja kolksumine muutus kõrvulukustavaks. Armu ei palutud ega antud." (lk 24)
January 23, 2015
Note: this review is for the title story alone.
Turlogh Dubh O'Brien is an Irish Gael who ends up shipwrecked on an island with a Saxon-turned-Viking. I’m guessing this is set in the 900s, though it may be the early 1000s. It’s definitely after Alfred the Great but before William the Conqueror’s time. Whenever it is, this reads as a supernatural historical work of fiction.
The gods of Bal-Sagoth are not necessarily gods, but are only thought to be so. The Gael and Saxon discover a beautiful blonde wearing nothing but a silk covering around her loins (thank you, Mr Howard!), who is originally from the Orkneys, but because she too was shipwrecked on this island inhabited by superstitious dark-skinned people, they think she’s a goddess come from the sea.
In this strange place sorcery and demons are to be found. Thus, with two battle-hard warriors and an almost-naked blonde beauty, we have the makings of another entertaining tale spun by the genius of Robert E. Howard.
Turlogh Dubh O'Brien is an Irish Gael who ends up shipwrecked on an island with a Saxon-turned-Viking. I’m guessing this is set in the 900s, though it may be the early 1000s. It’s definitely after Alfred the Great but before William the Conqueror’s time. Whenever it is, this reads as a supernatural historical work of fiction.
The gods of Bal-Sagoth are not necessarily gods, but are only thought to be so. The Gael and Saxon discover a beautiful blonde wearing nothing but a silk covering around her loins (thank you, Mr Howard!), who is originally from the Orkneys, but because she too was shipwrecked on this island inhabited by superstitious dark-skinned people, they think she’s a goddess come from the sea.
In this strange place sorcery and demons are to be found. Thus, with two battle-hard warriors and an almost-naked blonde beauty, we have the makings of another entertaining tale spun by the genius of Robert E. Howard.
May 5, 2015
The trouble with picking up an anthology of REH stories is that I've read most of the stories in them and that's true of this anthology published in 1979. But it is good to revisit some of REH's stories to see how an adventure story should be done. The title story, "The Gods of Bal-Sagoth," is one of Howard's best ones and this may be the fourth time I read it.
I had read "The Shadow of the Beast" before but I didn't remember it very well. It's a great haunted house story and my favorite in this collection.
The main story which I hadn't read before- "The Isle of the Eons"- is unfinished! Two sailors shipwrecked on a mysterious island discover traces of a strange lost civilization...a lot of the best elements of REH are here but you have to make up your own ending...
I had read "The Shadow of the Beast" before but I didn't remember it very well. It's a great haunted house story and my favorite in this collection.
The main story which I hadn't read before- "The Isle of the Eons"- is unfinished! Two sailors shipwrecked on a mysterious island discover traces of a strange lost civilization...a lot of the best elements of REH are here but you have to make up your own ending...
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