Howard created more than the greatest action hero of the twentieth century—he also launched a genre that came to be known as sword and sorcery. But Conan wasn’t the first archetypal adventurer to spring from Howard’s fertile imagination. “He was . . . a strange blending of Puritan and Cavalier, with a touch of the ancient philosopher, and more than a touch of the pagan. . . . A hunger in his soul drove him on and on, an urge to right all wrongs, protect all weaker things. . . . 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.”Collected in this volume, lavishly illustrated by award-winning artist Gary Gianni, are all of the stories and poems that make up the thrilling saga of the dour and deadly Puritan, Solomon Kane. Together they constitute a sprawling epic of weird fantasy adventure that stretches from sixteenth-century England to remote African jungles where no white man has set foot. Here are shudder-inducing tales of vengeful ghosts and bloodthirsty demons, of dark sorceries wielded by evil men and women, all opposed by a grim avenger armed with a fanatic’s faith and a warrior’s savage heart. This edition also features exclusive story fragments, a biography of Howard by scholar Rusty Burke, and “In Memoriam,” H. P. Lovecraft’s moving tribute to his friend and fellow literary genius. Skulls in the stars --The right hand of doom --Red shadows --Rattle of bones --The castle of the devil --Death's black riders --The moon of skulls --The one black stain --The blue flame of vengance --The hills of the dead --Hawk of Basti --The return of Sir Richard Grenville --Wings in the night --The footfalls within --The children of Asshur --Solomon Kane's homecoming --Solomon Kane's homecoming (variant).

    Having written adventure science fiction for almost thirty years, she turned to something new, science-fantasy, with Witch World. This unique world of sorceresses and the many others who fight such adversaries as the Kolder, the Hounds of Alizon and other threats, has proven to be Miss Norton's most beloved and popular creation. Three Against the Witch World, Warlock of the Witch World , and Sorceress of the Witch World, the fourth, fifth, and sixth novels in the series, have long been recognized as novels that comprise the core of the series, along with the first three novels.Today, four decades after their first publication, these novels of adventure, excitement, and daring remain as fresh and original as when they first appeared. For the first time they are now available in a single volume for new readers of all ages to discover, and for fans to rediscover in an attractive, durable new format.Includes a long introduction by Mercedes Lackey.

    Originally assigned to guard an ambassador in a foreign land, it is through a twist of fate that Vaiden finds himself charged to help a colleague, Alix, track down and destroy the headquarters of the Drimlith Cabal-those responsible for the recent assassination of a prominent politician. Their course leads them through the borderlands of civility into Bludland, a country where both the customs and the people are wrought of extreme cruelty.Indeed, as much can be expected by a nation which reveres Bakkal, God of the Undead, above all others. Against this backdrop the two knights (escorted by a small troop of Bludland soldiers) travel across the land, through strange cities and even stranger circumstances. Vaiden is haunted by word that one of his own, a defected Malkan Knight and old acquaintance, has taken up the Drimlith's cause. To further agitate matters, rumors spread that Bakkal has been slain, provoking social and religious unrest. Meanwhile the Drimlith discover they are being sought and retaliate with their own ruthless countermeasures. The journey culminates in an all-out bloodbath, where not only do Vaiden and Alix stab into the heart of the cabal, but they discover a guarded secret tied to Azieran's mysterious past.Against the Drimlith is the first novel set in the richly detailed Azieran fantasy world, filled with innumerable dangers, political consequences, and magical intrigue. It is a grim world where civilization is on the wane, savage wastelands meet crumbling keeps, and men of virtue are a rarity. Within this context, dark fantasy takes on new meaning, epic in scope and elegant in design.