What do you think?
Rate this book
Solomon Kane
The Right Hand of Doom & Other Tales of Solomon Kane
The sixteenth-century Puritan Solomon Kane has a thirst for justice which surpasses common reason. Sombre of mood, clad in black and grey, he 'never sought to analyse his motives and he never wavered once his mind was made up. Though he always acted on impulse, he firmly believed that all his actions were governed by cold and logical reasonings...A hunger in his soul drove him on and on, an urge to right all wrongs, protect all weaker things, and avenge all crimes against right and justice'.
203 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2007
12 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Robert E. Howard
2,984 books2,650 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
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 3, 2023
It's my first time reading any Solomon Kane stories and it won't be the last. I have enjoyed some of these very much. It would make a great animated series.
December 29, 2020
This volume contains all the completed tales and poems of Howard's character Solomon Kane.
Solomon Kane is a puritanical, brooding, vengful and ferocious fighter who hunts down the scum of the earth in order to carry out God's work (as he sees it) and eliminate evil men from the world. He is motivated by nothing other than an overwhelming need to see wrongs righted and justice prevail. Armed with a musket or flintlock pistols, a sabre and dagger, woe betide anyone who Kane passes unfavourable judgement upon. Nowhere on earth is safe, there is no place to hide; Kane will find them and dispatch them to await God's judgement.
These stories are dark, brutal, often tragic and deeply violent. More often than not he finds himself faced with foes either involved with supernatural forces or themselves of supernatural origin. Kane never wavers in his path though or gives a thought for his own safety; if God wills it, he will prevail.
The collection is of a universally high standard and highly recommended for any fan of Howard's other work or action oriented fantasy generally.
~
After a re-visiting this around ten years after my first read of the collection, I have to say that I still enjoy the stories although I feel that some of them are a little on the short side and could have done with being developed into longer stories.
Solomon Kane is a puritanical, brooding, vengful and ferocious fighter who hunts down the scum of the earth in order to carry out God's work (as he sees it) and eliminate evil men from the world. He is motivated by nothing other than an overwhelming need to see wrongs righted and justice prevail. Armed with a musket or flintlock pistols, a sabre and dagger, woe betide anyone who Kane passes unfavourable judgement upon. Nowhere on earth is safe, there is no place to hide; Kane will find them and dispatch them to await God's judgement.
These stories are dark, brutal, often tragic and deeply violent. More often than not he finds himself faced with foes either involved with supernatural forces or themselves of supernatural origin. Kane never wavers in his path though or gives a thought for his own safety; if God wills it, he will prevail.
The collection is of a universally high standard and highly recommended for any fan of Howard's other work or action oriented fantasy generally.
~
After a re-visiting this around ten years after my first read of the collection, I have to say that I still enjoy the stories although I feel that some of them are a little on the short side and could have done with being developed into longer stories.
January 20, 2013
You don't read for the quality of writing, you read to live vicariously through someone smashing in a vampire's skull with the butt of a musket.
Solomon Kane isn't going to win any prizes for character development. He's portrayed by Howard as vengeance personified, apparently religous vengeance- though that doesn't come across so much apart from some grimly quoted bible passages. He's more po-faced than Conan, but more kindly and not driven by rapine. So...a superhero? I've never really been into superheroes. This, and the somewhat portentous and grave stlyistic touches (insane people are always yammering and gibbering, and corpses are often described as "something that had once been a man..." and so on) made me unsure if I'd get on with this at first but it's a real grower.
The author's enthusiasm for his character is totally infectious, and maybe it's just that I'd read Haggard's "She" before this, but his description of Africa- where around half the stories take place-as a forbidding, uncolonised fantasy land on the cusp of supernatural evil is really immersive. Hell, this is set in the 16th century, so maybe that's how it was perceived in Devon, if it was perceived at all.
Supernatural menace and bands of unprincipled brigands face Kane in equal measure, and there's always either a) plenty of great pulp-serial-rushed backstory about just why Kane is here and trying to pierce this particular villain's brain with the point of his rapier or b) foreboding, crimson shadowed atmosphere in the build up to unspeakable horror. Howard could write action scenes (well, fight scenes) like none other in the American pulp crew, and there's something about the rapier/dirk/pistol/musket/juju staff fighting that really keeps you hanging on the description.
It's nice to have all of the Kane stories in one small volume, but I could probably have done with about double what we get. You can probably find this for under £5, and if you're at all into Lovecraft or Conan, R. L. Stevenson, Haggard, or adventure stories at all you won't regret it- unless you're some sort of gore averse wimp. Some of the stories are too short to really have a proper imact beyond a jolt of atmosphere, but read the whole collection in one go and you'll wish he'd written some more before deciding he couldn't live without his mum.
Solomon Kane isn't going to win any prizes for character development. He's portrayed by Howard as vengeance personified, apparently religous vengeance- though that doesn't come across so much apart from some grimly quoted bible passages. He's more po-faced than Conan, but more kindly and not driven by rapine. So...a superhero? I've never really been into superheroes. This, and the somewhat portentous and grave stlyistic touches (insane people are always yammering and gibbering, and corpses are often described as "something that had once been a man..." and so on) made me unsure if I'd get on with this at first but it's a real grower.
The author's enthusiasm for his character is totally infectious, and maybe it's just that I'd read Haggard's "She" before this, but his description of Africa- where around half the stories take place-as a forbidding, uncolonised fantasy land on the cusp of supernatural evil is really immersive. Hell, this is set in the 16th century, so maybe that's how it was perceived in Devon, if it was perceived at all.
Supernatural menace and bands of unprincipled brigands face Kane in equal measure, and there's always either a) plenty of great pulp-serial-rushed backstory about just why Kane is here and trying to pierce this particular villain's brain with the point of his rapier or b) foreboding, crimson shadowed atmosphere in the build up to unspeakable horror. Howard could write action scenes (well, fight scenes) like none other in the American pulp crew, and there's something about the rapier/dirk/pistol/musket/juju staff fighting that really keeps you hanging on the description.
It's nice to have all of the Kane stories in one small volume, but I could probably have done with about double what we get. You can probably find this for under £5, and if you're at all into Lovecraft or Conan, R. L. Stevenson, Haggard, or adventure stories at all you won't regret it- unless you're some sort of gore averse wimp. Some of the stories are too short to really have a proper imact beyond a jolt of atmosphere, but read the whole collection in one go and you'll wish he'd written some more before deciding he couldn't live without his mum.
November 4, 2022
In many respects, Solomon Kane, as a character, should not work. He's two dimensional, constantly brooding, has a black and white moral view of the world, and seems able to shrug off wounds that would fell an elephant. But it does work, and that is testament to the skill of Robert E. Howard.
Like the Conan stories, Solomon Kane has a verve and audacity that is unmatched by contemporaries in the genre - the plot and the pacing galloping along at breakneck speed, with not a word wasted.
Had they been longer than a short story, they probably would collapse under their own contradictions, rather than being epic tales of old-school, daring do. As a fan of Howard, and of this genre, it's a tragedy that Howard died young, and left many of the Solomon Kane tales unfinished.
Like the Conan stories, Solomon Kane has a verve and audacity that is unmatched by contemporaries in the genre - the plot and the pacing galloping along at breakneck speed, with not a word wasted.
Had they been longer than a short story, they probably would collapse under their own contradictions, rather than being epic tales of old-school, daring do. As a fan of Howard, and of this genre, it's a tragedy that Howard died young, and left many of the Solomon Kane tales unfinished.
August 2, 2018
Very much enjoyed the pulp tales of Solomon Kane. Always liked these trashy adventure stories. They know exactly what they are, they know that the high-brow literary world will never grace their presence, so are unbound by the formal shackles of having to impress anyone.
I like that.
Pacing's all good and there's just enough supernatural element in them to keep them interesting.
It's just a shame Howard didn't write more before the end.
I like that.
Pacing's all good and there's just enough supernatural element in them to keep them interesting.
It's just a shame Howard didn't write more before the end.
July 31, 2019
Solomon Kane is a very interesting character - I can totally see him be adapted into a modern tv series or movie. Overall the book wasn’t bad or anything, the writing style just wasn’t my cup of tea.
June 24, 2022
This is the complete collection of Howard's stories and poems that feature Solomon Kane and while they are limited in terms of character development, there is plenty of action and adventure to make up for it, not to mention plenty of magic and mystery to boot. The story telling is gripping and flows at speed to keep you mildly breathless as well as intrigued and desperate to know what is behind the mysteries that Kane comes across.
November 24, 2025
Solomon Kane is growing on me, but hes still no Conan.
August 11, 2014
Is Solomon Kane Howard's best creation as some claim? I'd say no, but these few tales are not enough to judge either way. There are only nine completed tales about him and one (the right hand of doom) has little to do with the character. In this edition there are also the other 8 complete stories, one fragment, and 3 poems.
Solomon Kane sure had the potential to grow into an iconic figure, even as much as Conan. A 16th century fanatical Puritan, manically obsessed with hunting down all evil, does seem like a good frame for a heroic fiction character. Sadly Howard died before giving him more than the hint of a background, but more disturbingly, he doesn't seem very consistent with his description: Kane is a Christian - in fact, he is a zealot who hunts people down if it takes him years, just to do what he perceives is God's work. But he is way too open minded - not only does he collaborate and become friends with a voodoo witch doctor, but he actually entertains thoughts of evolution in the 16th century (!), and has no trouble believing in the powers of antedeluvian deities (some faint Lovecraftian hints can be seen at times). Kane is a vicious, unrelenting killer, who doesn't let emotion get the better of him, whose swordplay is infallible, who is certain in his moves. Yet, he seems to take ridiculous risks all too often, and ends up being saved thanks to his good luck more than a few times. It doesn't quite add up, at least while he is a half-developed character.
Still, there is something genuinely charming about him, a certain appeal to a sombre, (for a man almost as fond of adjectives as Lovecraft, Howard uses this one way too often) dark religious fanatic, a sort of a merciless, joyless, buzzkill knight in a white armor.
To the stories themselves, the ones in Africa (the moon of skulls, the hills of the dead, the foothills within, wings in the night) can be seen as sort of medieval Indiana Jones episodes. The Right Hand of Doom reads like a guy in a Lovecraft story relating a story he heard about his crazy grandpa. Rattle of Bones is also not explicitly about Kane. Blades of the Brotherhood is pure swashbucklery, while Skulls in the Stars is a little more in the 19th century gothic vein. Overall, no bad stories, no really great ones either though, with the Africa ones probably doing more for the character. As for the poems, Howard wasn't a half-bad poet, but the most interesting one is certainly Solomon Kane's Homecoming, for its nostalgic feeling, even if the final message is all too common - in the end he must always sail beyond the sunset and the baths of all the western stars until he dies. Before that, the simple line "Where is Bess? Woe that I caused her tears", probably gives more information about the Puritan than a whole story.
Solomon Kane sure had the potential to grow into an iconic figure, even as much as Conan. A 16th century fanatical Puritan, manically obsessed with hunting down all evil, does seem like a good frame for a heroic fiction character. Sadly Howard died before giving him more than the hint of a background, but more disturbingly, he doesn't seem very consistent with his description: Kane is a Christian - in fact, he is a zealot who hunts people down if it takes him years, just to do what he perceives is God's work. But he is way too open minded - not only does he collaborate and become friends with a voodoo witch doctor, but he actually entertains thoughts of evolution in the 16th century (!), and has no trouble believing in the powers of antedeluvian deities (some faint Lovecraftian hints can be seen at times). Kane is a vicious, unrelenting killer, who doesn't let emotion get the better of him, whose swordplay is infallible, who is certain in his moves. Yet, he seems to take ridiculous risks all too often, and ends up being saved thanks to his good luck more than a few times. It doesn't quite add up, at least while he is a half-developed character.
Still, there is something genuinely charming about him, a certain appeal to a sombre, (for a man almost as fond of adjectives as Lovecraft, Howard uses this one way too often) dark religious fanatic, a sort of a merciless, joyless, buzzkill knight in a white armor.
To the stories themselves, the ones in Africa (the moon of skulls, the hills of the dead, the foothills within, wings in the night) can be seen as sort of medieval Indiana Jones episodes. The Right Hand of Doom reads like a guy in a Lovecraft story relating a story he heard about his crazy grandpa. Rattle of Bones is also not explicitly about Kane. Blades of the Brotherhood is pure swashbucklery, while Skulls in the Stars is a little more in the 19th century gothic vein. Overall, no bad stories, no really great ones either though, with the Africa ones probably doing more for the character. As for the poems, Howard wasn't a half-bad poet, but the most interesting one is certainly Solomon Kane's Homecoming, for its nostalgic feeling, even if the final message is all too common - in the end he must always sail beyond the sunset and the baths of all the western stars until he dies. Before that, the simple line "Where is Bess? Woe that I caused her tears", probably gives more information about the Puritan than a whole story.
October 13, 2021
And if thy right hand attend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2019
Solomon Kane is a 1500s man of action. His description in one of this book's stories sums him up well:
He never sought to analyse his motives and he never wavered, once his mind was made up. Though he always acted on impulse, he firmly believed that all his actions were governed by cold and logical reasonings. He was a man born out of his time - a strange blending of Puritan and Cavalier, with a touch of the ancient philosopher, and more than a touch of the pagan, though the last assertion would have shocked him unspeakably. An atavist of the days of blind chivalry he was, a knight errant in the sombre clothes of a fanatic. A hunger in his soul drove him on and on, an urge to right all wrongs, protect all weaker things, avenge all crimes against right and justice. Wayward and restless as the wind, he was consistent in only one respect - he was true to his ideals of justice and right. Such was Solomon Kane. [pp. 79-80]
He pursues his righteous course across seas and continents, though most of his chronicled adventures happen in Africa. He fights both mystical and material opponents with an implacable drive that overwhelms his foes. The action is exciting whether he is fighting winged terrors, pirates, or ancient and cruel civilizations.
The stories are marred a bit by Howard's racism. He describes Africa as "the Dark Continent, land of shadows and horror, of bewitchment and sorcery, into which all evil things had been banished before the growing light of the western world!" [p. 155] Kane gains a black magic weapon from a shaman which he uses all the time despite his Puritanical sensibilities. It's a convenient way to give him some supernatural abilities to complement his hardened will, muscles, and steel (both blades and pistols). The stories also show prejudice against Germans and Russians, which is hardly a comfort to modern readers.
Howard does have a gift for vivid descriptions. The adventures are never boring and often strike the reader as ready material for a fun action movie series. Howard is famous for the Conan the Barbarian stories which have made it to the big screen more than once. In the right hands, these stories could be morphed into a successful franchise. Righteous fury is always popular.
Slightly recommended.
He never sought to analyse his motives and he never wavered, once his mind was made up. Though he always acted on impulse, he firmly believed that all his actions were governed by cold and logical reasonings. He was a man born out of his time - a strange blending of Puritan and Cavalier, with a touch of the ancient philosopher, and more than a touch of the pagan, though the last assertion would have shocked him unspeakably. An atavist of the days of blind chivalry he was, a knight errant in the sombre clothes of a fanatic. A hunger in his soul drove him on and on, an urge to right all wrongs, protect all weaker things, avenge all crimes against right and justice. Wayward and restless as the wind, he was consistent in only one respect - he was true to his ideals of justice and right. Such was Solomon Kane. [pp. 79-80]
He pursues his righteous course across seas and continents, though most of his chronicled adventures happen in Africa. He fights both mystical and material opponents with an implacable drive that overwhelms his foes. The action is exciting whether he is fighting winged terrors, pirates, or ancient and cruel civilizations.
The stories are marred a bit by Howard's racism. He describes Africa as "the Dark Continent, land of shadows and horror, of bewitchment and sorcery, into which all evil things had been banished before the growing light of the western world!" [p. 155] Kane gains a black magic weapon from a shaman which he uses all the time despite his Puritanical sensibilities. It's a convenient way to give him some supernatural abilities to complement his hardened will, muscles, and steel (both blades and pistols). The stories also show prejudice against Germans and Russians, which is hardly a comfort to modern readers.
Howard does have a gift for vivid descriptions. The adventures are never boring and often strike the reader as ready material for a fun action movie series. Howard is famous for the Conan the Barbarian stories which have made it to the big screen more than once. In the right hands, these stories could be morphed into a successful franchise. Righteous fury is always popular.
Slightly recommended.
September 30, 2010
The indispensible Solomon Kane in one super-cheap (pulpy!), comprehensive edition. I do so love these Wordsworth editions.
Solomon Kane is great adventuring fare, on the one hand we are told that Kane is a blazing-eyed Puritan exterminator of wrongdoers, on the other hand he is basically Conan in a hat, putting his trust in his guns, wiles and thews (and the occasional Voodoo curse), but pretty sparse on the Scripture. Yet for all his action-hero implausibility he (like Conan) has gravitas aplenty, and we are drawn to empathise with his gritty brand of world-weary righteousness. Recommended and not by any means superfluous.
Solomon Kane is great adventuring fare, on the one hand we are told that Kane is a blazing-eyed Puritan exterminator of wrongdoers, on the other hand he is basically Conan in a hat, putting his trust in his guns, wiles and thews (and the occasional Voodoo curse), but pretty sparse on the Scripture. Yet for all his action-hero implausibility he (like Conan) has gravitas aplenty, and we are drawn to empathise with his gritty brand of world-weary righteousness. Recommended and not by any means superfluous.
June 25, 2017
“The Right Hand of Doom” is an interesting collection of Howard shorts that revolve around Solomon Cane.
Cane is a great character, though some of the stories are somewhat lacklustre. The author is sublime at writing action & adventure, but as someone who truly admires Robert E. Howard, I must state that these types of tales, and horror in general, are my least favourite of his works.
Personally, I think his greatest stories are his comedies, and humour is an ingredient that’s absent from these dark tales.
So not Howard at his best, but definitely worth reading, as is anything by this great author.
Cane is a great character, though some of the stories are somewhat lacklustre. The author is sublime at writing action & adventure, but as someone who truly admires Robert E. Howard, I must state that these types of tales, and horror in general, are my least favourite of his works.
Personally, I think his greatest stories are his comedies, and humour is an ingredient that’s absent from these dark tales.
So not Howard at his best, but definitely worth reading, as is anything by this great author.
September 17, 2017
Dated, lacking development of character. Just didn’t like it. Howard has a tremendous number of people who claim he is a classic author of the supernatural. With so much great fantasy literature available, or mystery, or Stephen King like thrillers...I just don't see the need for this.
See my other reviews here!
See my other reviews here!
February 25, 2019
A good collection of stories
The reader can tell that Howard gets better at writing this character as he get further into the tales. I do wish that there was more to the development of Solomon Kane. He is an intriguing character who seems torn between pagan and Christian influences.
The reader can tell that Howard gets better at writing this character as he get further into the tales. I do wish that there was more to the development of Solomon Kane. He is an intriguing character who seems torn between pagan and Christian influences.
October 29, 2015
A few gems here but most stories could feature any of Howard's many great characters: only a couple really feel as though they inhabit a milieu beyond "generic dark fantasy." But they are fantastic when they do.
March 21, 2018
I really enjoyed these stories of Solomon Kane where the sinister, other worldliness of H.P. Lovecraft meets the heroic fantasy of David Gemmell. I'd recommend it to all fans of heroic fantasy. The book also contains an interesting forward about Howard's short life.
October 7, 2010
The shorter stories displayed a keener pacing than the longer ones. Some nice mood setting and good bloody bits, but it didn't wow me.
November 8, 2021
Solomon Kane is a wandering Puritan that delivers justice with blade and blunderbuss. He roams the grim wilderness of the 15th century where supernatural danger and haunted ruins lurk in every corner. Vengeful ghosts, bloodthirsty demons, dark sorcerers; the mad avenger Kane challenges them all armed with a fanatic’s faith and a warrior’s savage heart.
Dark, violent and adventurous stories. The atmosphere is chilling, the fast-paced bloody action is constantly exciting and the fiends are grotesque. Wings in the Night and Skulls in the Stars were my favorites of the bunch, they best showed how morally flawed Kane is as a character and the horrors of the world he lives in. They best revealed the grim antihero hiding beneath his facade of being a holy man. The dark fantasy prose and thunderous action scenes were on par with Conan, but the stories and world building weren't quite on the same level as the tales of the barbarian hero.
I didn’t like how heavily a lot of the “horror and mystery” in this series of tales relied on outdated racist themes. I understand this series was written during a different era and I expect there to be themes like that, but when the entire plot of some of the stories rely entirely on misinformed racial prejudice and cultural ignorance, it makes them hard to enjoy. Some Conan stories have similar issues, but not nearly as many or on the same level. There are some cringeworthy moments that anyone who's read Lovecraft will feel familiar with. If nothing else, it’s worth reading for the cool action scenes, awesome gothic scenery and gruesome monsters.
***
If you're looking for some dark ambient music for reading horror, dark fantasy and other books like this one, then be sure to check out my YouTube Channel called Nightmarish Compositions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...
Dark, violent and adventurous stories. The atmosphere is chilling, the fast-paced bloody action is constantly exciting and the fiends are grotesque. Wings in the Night and Skulls in the Stars were my favorites of the bunch, they best showed how morally flawed Kane is as a character and the horrors of the world he lives in. They best revealed the grim antihero hiding beneath his facade of being a holy man. The dark fantasy prose and thunderous action scenes were on par with Conan, but the stories and world building weren't quite on the same level as the tales of the barbarian hero.
I didn’t like how heavily a lot of the “horror and mystery” in this series of tales relied on outdated racist themes. I understand this series was written during a different era and I expect there to be themes like that, but when the entire plot of some of the stories rely entirely on misinformed racial prejudice and cultural ignorance, it makes them hard to enjoy. Some Conan stories have similar issues, but not nearly as many or on the same level. There are some cringeworthy moments that anyone who's read Lovecraft will feel familiar with. If nothing else, it’s worth reading for the cool action scenes, awesome gothic scenery and gruesome monsters.
***
If you're looking for some dark ambient music for reading horror, dark fantasy and other books like this one, then be sure to check out my YouTube Channel called Nightmarish Compositions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...
May 10, 2025
An adventurous collection of stories about a vengeful Puritan named Solomon Kane, led by the hand of God to slay all evil. Works contained in this book brought some kind of peace to me. Although there were times when the stories were easily predictable, maybe even cliché, the prose and the nature of this character just makes you enjoy the story till its very end. I would definitely recommend reading this if you're into epic adventure and/or old English literature.
May 29, 2024
«Десница судьбы» История напрямую с Кейном не связанная. История о предательстве, один человек предал властям колдуна. За что и поплатился в последствии жизнью, страшным образом. Колдун попросил палача отрубить ему руку, а затем с помощью чар направил эту руку убить предателя. Кейн выступал во всем этом невольным свидетелем.
July 24, 2022
Racist doggerel, combined with the sort of trite adventure fiction of which there was no shortage in Howard's time, and of which there is no shortage today. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/200...
May 14, 2024
A short book filled with swashbuckling swordplay. Unfortunately I couldn't help but find each short adventure story entertaining enough to keep from being boring.
November 15, 2024
Kind of silly in my opinion but cool nonetheless. As a man is hanged his dismembered hand finds its vengeance. Cool title, reminds me of Hellboy.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews