Product Description
L. Sprague de Camp was a master of the time travel and alternate history story. In many respects his novel Lest Darkness Fall founded alternate history, while "Aristotle and the Gun" is probably one of the best stories about tinkering with history ever written. In addition we include stories of time travel both backwards and forwards and de Camp's wonderful essay "Language for Time-Travelers".This is a collection of L. Sprague de Camp's SF best stories and essays dealing with time travel. It is the first volume of a projected series of stories and novels by L. Sprague de Camp. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Beautiful Edition for Posterity
L. Sprague de Camp should need no introduciton, as one of the most influential Sci Fi/Fantasy authors of the 20th century.Most of the material here is available elsewhere, but usually in poor quality mass market editions.I particularly appreciate the inclusion of that alternate history classic of classics, "Lest Darkness Fall".This is a very high quality edition that could well grace any bookshelf, and is worth every penny.

Collection that is among the best!
L. Sprague de Camp is one of the Grand Masters of Science Fiction.He was the second person to be named to a Grand Master by SFWA. His writing is very much like that of a Big Three, and he started writing before Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, or Arthur C. Clarke.If you read the work of the Big Three, then de Camp is something right up your alley.

Although de Camp did not invent the idea of the Alternate History story, he was most probably the best writer of that sub-genre of SF. This book contains some of his best stories ever in "The Wheels of If", "Aristotle and the Gun", "A Gun for Dinosaur" and "Lest Darkness Fall". Each are among the classics of SF.

As good as an athology gets
De Camp pretty much founded the Alternate History literary genre. These stories were groundbreaking in their time, and their wit and originality has not been surpassed.
De Camp was a learned man and his research is exhaustive. I recommend "Balsamo's Mirror" to anyone who attends Renaissance festivals, and "The Wheels of If" to anyone who worships their Celtic roots. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Humor, science, history and war (Spoilers in review.)
Synopsis: Lest Darkness Fall was written just before WWII. Martin Padway is visiting the Pantheon in Rome when he is struck by lightning. The shock is nothing compared to finding himself in post-imperial Rome, about 550 C.E.

Fortunately for him and the reader, he speaks some Latin. He's an archeologist, so he knows some about the period. He meets some interesting "Romans," most of whom are Goths or Lebanese or Jews or Moors. Since his survival is paramount, he does what an American would do: he goes into business.

Brandy is unheard of in Rome. Padway wants to build a still but first he has to invent the machines he needs to build the things he needs for the still. Each step earns him a little money. It also brings him to the attention of the corrupt Romans and the Church, who are convinced he's practicing witchcraft. Padway knows that the surest way to die in this time is to get involved with either the church or politics. He wants no part of either.

With is distilling business on solid footing, Padway "invents" the printing press. He wants to publish a newspaper, but there is no paper. He wipes out the city's supply of velum in his first edition then has to invent paper. He also has to invent an ink that will work in his press. More attention from church and state.

War is brewing. Padway knows it. He knows that Rome will be devastated, so he starts preparing to move his businesses out of Rome to Ravenna, which he knows will be safe during the wars. Neither the church nor the state likes his preparations. He must be practicing witchcraft of treason.

Padway has no choice but to get involved if he wants to save his businesses or his skin.

What I thought: Lest Darkness Fall is a science fiction version of Twain's immortal Connecticut Yankee. It has more story and less social commentary, but the history is accurate, the sociology well done and the technology fascinating.

De Camp does a great job of getting Padway into trouble. Padway is smart enough to get himself out of trouble. His solutions always manage to make him a little money and dig him a little deeper.

The story is interesting and hilarious.

Written in 1939!
I picked this up used, it has a late 70's cover, so I assumed it was it was written then it was actually written in 1939! I might have approached
it a little differently if I had know that. It is a little dated and throws a lot of Roman History at you. I have no idea how accurate it is.
I do enjoy books of this type like "Island in the Sea of Time" and "The
Radiant Knight" Series, this one just does did not work for me.

What to do when you travel back in time...
Lest Darkness Fall is a L. Sprague de Camp book dealing with a modern (1930's) man being transported from modern Rome to Rome circa 535 CE.As in The Compleat Enchanter (Millennium Fantasy Masterworks S.), the main character (Martin Padway) has to deal with the few things he has with him when he's transported and must "establish" himself.However unlike The Compleat Enchanter series, Martin doesn't have control of how long he in 535 CE Rome.

This book is a fast reader that captures your attention.The situation and environment are nicely described, not to much to distract the reader, but enough to bring you into the book and to let you become interested in Martin's situation.Some parts of the book are slightly dated (Mr. de Camp started work on this book in 1939) but it doesn't hinder the plot in the least.Characters are nicely described, but could have used a little more background for those not familiar with the era.Dialog is interesting because Mr. de Camp does attempt (and does a fair job) to show the different types of Latin being spoken by the different characters (Goths, Romans, Roman citizens from foreign countries, and Martin) and you get to see how Martin's linguistic skills improve with the native.As for the plot, the book opens with a with Martin trying to survive day-to-day and eventually recognizing the `historical' situation he's in and attempting to modify it for his betterment.A good 4 star book you can enjoy on a nice night or weekend.If Mr. de Camp didn't follow this one up, I believe there's an excellent opening for another writer to let us know the impacts Martin had on 'history'.

Classic Sci-Fi
Wonderful novel by L. Sprague DeCamp.It's a period piece, but so well written you don't care.Plus once you get back to ancient Rome you don't care anymore.My only complaint was that the book was as slender as it was, you are left wanting more.A must have for a true fan of classic science fiction.

Changing history shouldn't be this fun
What would you do if you were suddenly transported in time?This is the adventure thrust upon Martin Padway, an American archaeologist in 1938 Rome who is struck by a lightning bolt sends him over 1400 years in the past.Stuck in a city and an Italy that had seen better days and equipped with little more than his wits, he struggles at first to survive and then to prevent the onset of the "Dark Ages" by using his knowledge of history to change events.Before long he finds himself drawn into Italian politics and facing a war that threatens both Italy's future and his own.

Such is the scenario of L. Sprague de Camp's novel, a classic of science fiction and one of the seminal works of the alternate history genre.That it has attained this status is due to de Camp's skills as an author.Once he moves from the premise he constructs a plausible scenario with many believable characters.Unlike all too many other authors working within the genre, he does not overwhelm the reader with trivial details designed to show off how much research he has done.Instead he wears his knowledge lightly, using it to give the reader just enough to set the scene and move the plot but keeping the focus on the story and the characters.

Yet perhaps the greatest factor in the novel's success is de Camp's sense of fun.Rather than overwhelming his protagonist with a pretentious sense of responsibility to the past, he lets Padway run wild.Once he fixes upon his goal of remaking 6th century Rome into 20th century America, Padway has no qualms with trampling upon the past, using his foreknowledge and technical skills to change dramatically the course of history.Dramatic, even seismic shifts, are accomplished with the stroke of a pen, and he even goes so far as to initiate European contact with America solely for the purpose of acquiring tobacco.This light-hearted approach makes the book a pleasure to read, and one that continues to overshadow so many of the works that have followed in its path. ... Read more

Product Description
Imagine a world of gods and demons, where men are warriors, women are beautiful, life is a fantastic adventure, and the fate of kingdoms balances on the bloody blade of a fabulous hero: Conan of the iron thews, the blue-eyed barbarian giant who towers above the savage Hyborian world.

For the very first time in trade, this is the work that relaunched Conan in both the 1970s and 80s, back in print after more than a decade.

Come live the adventure again.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Better than the other Howard imitators
I don't know why the reviews of these books are so negative. L Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter did more to keep Conan alive that anyone else. I read these books many years ago, and although they aren't as good a Robert E. Howard (who is surely the best writer of action scenes ever) they are by far the Best of the Rest. As true to the spirit of Conan as they could be, and certainly better than Robert Jordan, whose tales are tame by comparison.

Fun Pulpy Read
To the other reviewers: Yes, the original Howard books were fantasic (we all know this), but some of the books written afterwards have been exciting too(mostly the Robert Jordan ones). I'm happy authors have kept this character alive after all these years, the books are just fun pulpy reads for me. How about reviewing some of this book though? The Spider God (actually one of the better books) and the Liberator (sokay) are both in this book and I have them as stand alone novels. If you can get the book for under $5 (with shipping) it should a fun read and that is all that matters.

Lin Carter, L. Sprague de Camp
This book reprints some of the Conan stories Lin Carter and L. Sprague de Camp wrote from the 1950s (de Camp) to the 1970s (Carter). None are great. De Camp has been revered as the man who kept Conan alive with the Gnome Press editions in the `50s. He has also been vilified as the man who changed Howard's original tales into something else. Carter came along when Lancer Books was reprinting the Conan stores, and added a few of his own, usually with more of a dark magic theme than de Camp.
De Camp always defended his actions, and at one science-fiction/fantasy convention he needed a bodyguard just to walk around.
Fans did not like his heavy-handed edits of the stories, and told him so in person while he was still alive.
But it's all over now, the original stories are back in print, and this book is a curiosity for the avid Conanfan.

Imitation isn't always flattering
Conan is one of the great characters from fantasy literature.Immensely powerful physically, keen witted, iron willed, and incredibly audacious... the barbarian from the bleak hills of Cimmeria is the star of many highly entertaining stories.

The bad news is that none of those stories appear in this book.Robert E. Howard was the creator of Conan and none of his stories appear in this volume.What is here is the work of enthusiatic but far less talented individuals who were such big fans of Conan that they were inspired to write their own tales.I have read all of their stories and find that they are immediately recognizable as pale imitations of the original.

In sum, Conan is well worth reading and all of the original Howard stories are now available in paperback.I would highly recommend trying one of these volumes such as The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian (Conan of Cimmeria, Book 1) and forget that this one exists.

conan the conqueror
I was 9yrs old when i read this book and it stayed in my mind when ibecame a Docter and recieved my 1st pay ibought all conan books icould find andstill am looking for fantacy books to add to my collaction 1980 to 2004. fantacy nut yes (yes)klang ... Read more

Product Description
Out-of-print classic! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Conan #1
I discovered Robert E. Howard and his hero Conan in Middle School. I am an avid fan of Conan and the fantasy genre. I am putting together a Conan Library to pass on to my Grand children one day.

Succeeds despite the contibutions of Howard's "helpers"
Robert E. Howard's famous barbarian hero journeys among the nations of the Hyborian Age in this anthology of stories, seeking his fortune and reveling in bloody adventure.I devoured several of these anthologies back when I was in junior high school and was pleasantly surprised to see how well they hold up now.His prose is muscular and direct, his characters brutal and equally direct, as befits the world in which they live.I was surprised that Conan is actually a secondary character in some of the original stories, such as "The God in the Bowl," a Sherlockian tale with the Cimmerian as one of the suspects.Although all of the tales written by Howard, either whole or in part, are strong, the pastiches produced by Lin Carter and L. Sprague de Camp are weak.The lengthy "City of Skulls" is particularly egregious for its careless dependance on wild coincidence--wandering through the darkness of the sewers, Conan and his companion chance upon a secret passage that leads directly to the chamber of an evil king just as he is about to sacrifice the heroine.How sloppy! Howard's "Rogues in the House" is the highlight of this collection.

i have the rest but not this one any more
i read this series back when i was like 10. im now 21 and i havent found many other authors that could write such a compelling stories that cause you to finish them one after the another, until youve read all 16. i cant say enough about them and i wish i could find this one to replace the one i lost so long ago. the idea of somone taking it upon themselves and reissuing them is outstanding, and has my support.

BOUND ANTHOLOGY NEEDED
Howard is a master story teller and his Conan series and extended series by Jordan, Lin, and others, are a testiment to Sword & Sorcery. He has few equals in this genre. I have been looking for years for a bound anthology of his early & mid-year Conan works but there are non to be found. Even most of the paper back versions are currently out of print. Possibly the PB's will not produce the revenue needed for a reprint, but I am willing to bet a comprehensive anthology would have a large following and would be a sure thing for the lucky publisher that took a chance on it.

Valiant Effort
What we have in this series of books (starting with Conan, and proceding through Conan The Cimmerian, Conan The Wanderer, etc.) is an attempt to put the stories in chronological sequence, filling in the gaps from the late Howard's notes.It's a valiant effort, both respectable and respectful though it's certain that whatever demons possessed Howard and allowed him to write as knowledgably (even "truthfully") about Conan as he did do not possess Carter and de Camp.

It's too easy (and fruitless) to criticize the effort for that. The series gives you a look at Conan as he grows and matures, and presents as cohesive a picture of him as any literary (or even actual) character ever documented. Aspiring fantasists would do well to read this for an idea of how to build a lasting character.

Beyond that, the stories are just plain fun. Violent, of course, with a smattering of non-graphic... (less here than in other books), and lots of good weird stuff. Because these are short stories, you don't get the kind of cliffhangers you get from a "Tarzan" book, but you do get non-stop action from one of the best. And that ain't bad. ... Read more

Product Description
Imagine a world of gods and demons, where men are warriors, women are beautiful, life is a fantastic adventure, and the fate of kingdoms balances on the bloody blade of a fabulous hero: Conan of the iron thews, the blue-eyed barbarian giant who towers above the savage Hyborian world.For the very first time in trade, this is the work that re-launched Conan in both the 1970s and 80s, back in print after more than a decade. Come live the adventure again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

terrific work
Many of the pastiche works are letdowns in comparison to Howard's immortal stories, though there are exceptions. What most of the books miss is faithful adherence to the established character of Conan, as opposed to some fellow who does X, Y, and Z and happens to be named Conan. This is not the case with these delightful tales by de Camp, Carter, and Nyberg. By sticking to a shorter length tale, they have succeeded in packing more emotional punch into the individual adventures. I was most struck by the entry called "Shadows in the Dark"--because it represented the real Conan, the one I know, better than any other non-Howard work. In the span of only a few short pages, Conan (in addition to the major plot elements) abuses an arrogant young king; knocks said king senseless because he blabbers and could thus disclose their position to the enemy; considers murdering him (but relents); steals his purse, minus a handful of coins; and, finally, leaves the king stranded on a ship to Lord-knows-where. Now, that's the Conan we all love!

Super Reader
This book includes these pastiche stories, de Camp, Carter and Nyberg in various combinations :

Legions of the Dead
The People of the Summit
Shadows in the Dark
The Star of Khorala
The Gem in the Tower
The Ivory Goddess
Moon of Blood

and also a piece by De Camp on the naming strategies that Howard used in his work, and also gives an dictionary style listing of them, and where they are used.

A young Conan is fighting in the North, and against the Witchmen. He rescues his jarl's daughter from captivity, but the Queen sends an undead band of their former warriors to stop them. He manages to get the girl to freedom before being taken captive.

3 out of 5


Conan and companions are attacked by weird apes with ropes, killing one of them. He fakes being strangled, and is drawn up to the remants of a strange people with no irises. He manages to save the girl, and kill the many legged monster.

2.5 out of 5


After Black Colossus, Conan is still serving Yasmela. Not servicing her enough is his problem, even though he has a general. She is too busy with the duties of a queen. If Conan can get her captive brother back, this may change.

After betrayal by a travelling companion and rescue of the king, who doesn't think much of a barbarian in the family, and offers Conan a lesser post. Conan takes money in payment, and starts to go back. He changes his mind, and decides to leave, and seek adventure elsewhere.

3 out of 5


After Shadows in Zamboula, Conan arrives in Ophir. He sees things are not right, and soon finds out why. The king and others plot against the queen, and problems abound. Conan rescues the female noble head, but ends up under siege.

No mean shot with an arbalest, the queen uses the Star of Khorala to summon aid, allowing Conan, the Guard Captain and herself freedom. She leaves for Aquilonia with her military man, and Conan goes on his way.

3.5 out of 5


Following Drums in Tombalku, Conan ends up serving under another Captain. One night, he dreams of a bat-man, only to awaken and find he is real, the product of a dead sorcerer.

3 out of 5


Conan is still travelling with the actress Muriela after Jewels in Gwahlur. He thinks that her skills could be put to use in a similar scam.

However, an actual goddess has a suse for her body in a lot more pragmatic a manner than impersonation.

She spares the Cimmerian and says she will look after the girl when she is finished.

3.5 out of 5


Conan is still beyond the Black River, fighting the Picts with the Aquilonians. Serpent sorcery and a traitorous General are causing lots of problems.

Conan's axework and fast thinking puts paid to this, and gets him a promotion.

In fact, he does so much damage with the aforementioned weapon that both Kull and Druss the Legend would be more than a little impressed.

4 out of 5

Howard Fans Will Enjoy This Homage To The Master
Though nothing compares to Robert E. Howard's original Conan stories, these additions to the canon by Carter and de Camp and Nyberg are welcome newcomers to the mythology.Those unfamiliar with Conan should begin by reading the originals-- several good editions now exist of Howard's seminal stories.Once competed, there are lots of these volumes of stories based on the originals, and this is among the best.de Camp and Carter have a real flair for mimicking Howard, and they clearly revel in the fun of creating new fixes for the barbarian to escape from.

The book also includes a nearly 70-page (!) addendum with all the names Howard made up in his stories, everything from Abdashtarth to Zyras, with notes from de Camp on their derivation.Fun stuff for fans!

strong anthology reprinting legendary 1970s-1980stales
CONAN THE SWORDSMAN, the latest reprint of the now legendary 1970s-1980s Conan revival, is a marvelous short story collection.Each story holds its own with the overall Conan mythos and most add depth to the celebrated character and his world.The delightful eight stories are well written with each tale co-authored by L. Sprague de Camp (had to be a Howard clone) with either Lin Carter or Bjorn Nyberg.Especially good is "Legions of the Dead" that Robert E. Howard would have believed he authored because it reads so much like his original works.Equally fascinating to readers is a seven-page essay that provides plenty of insight into Conan and his world as well as Robert E. Howard from the late L. Sprague de Camp's perspective.Fans of Conan will want to read this wonderful anthology that showcases one of fantasy's most endearing and enduring protagonists.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A hip pocket version of the movie
So, your enjoyment will depend on if you're a Howard fan or not...the book bears no more semblance to Howard's original short stories (other than the occasional scene taken from Hoawrd's works) than does the movie, but that's the point.

The book is actually very, very close to the movie...a few little differences thrown in here and there that literally could have been in the movie, for that matter.The plot, theme, characters, locations are the same.

Overall, an enjoyable book if you like the barbarian hack-n-slash.If you're looking for in-depth character and plot development, you'll be disappointed.

Super Reader
This is the novelisation of the first movie with Ah-Nuld, and stays pretty tightly within those confines, and as such, is reasonably short. Conan's parents are killed, he becomes slave, gladiator and thief, and once free, sets out to treck down Thulsa Doom, the leader that had his parents killed.

He gains and loses allies along the way.

Almost a 4 star rating
This book is a strong 3 star book.I am not giving it a 4 star rating because of the fact that de Camp and Carter swiped a key ingredient from Robert E. Howard's Queen of the Black Coast (as found in Conan of Cimmeria) and placed it at the end of this story.Readers that are unfamiliar with that work will enjoy this book more than I did.

It is not a bad book mind you.It traces Conan's life as a youth in Cimmeria, through his years of bondage, until the point that he gains his freedom and embarks on the book's adventures.The reader will appreciate a fairly authentic Conan.He broods, he berserks, he is reflective, he has wit and sensibility.He is not overly polite.He is not so indomitable that he is inhuman.An intriguing bit of his religious side is revealed as well.

He befriends a thief, Subotai, who provides a hint of comic relief throughout the book without becoming a buffoon.Conan also links up with another thief named Valeria.(A character named Valeria appears in Howard's Red Nails, but they are not the same individual.)She is a very alluring character that infuses the book with an appealing feminine presence.Overall, the characterization of this book is strong.Two of the best characters are Conan's parents, but their presence is brief.

Conan's inevitable clash with the forces of evil is somewhat satisfactory, but the first half of this book is more intriguing than the last half.De Camp and Carter create some moody settings along the way that absorb the reader to some degree.Conan fans who enjoy monstrous creatures will probably not be very satisfied as they are kept to a minimum.The presence of sorcery and sexuality is not overdone.This is actually a well-balanced blend of all of the elements that make Conan stories appealing to his fans.

My main gripe is with the inclusion of elements from other Conan stories that make this book seem like a rerun at times, but I never felt like pitching the book against a wall.This book is based on the screenplay that was used in the Schwarzenegger movie, but I have never seen the movie to know how close it was to this book.If you like other work by de Camp and Carter, you will probably like this. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Buccaneer
Typical of Sprague DeCamp novels, well written, and actually fairly well researched.Very enjoyable.

Super Reader
An interesting introduction about Sword and Sorcery here by Lin Carter.

"If you are one of those unfortunate few who have never before read a novel of Sword & Sorcery, you are in for a treat. A treat, that is, if you crave to escape for an hour or two from the above features of modern life into a gorgeous, impossible world. For Sword & Sorcery is sheer escapist reading, nothing more. It has no hidden meanings. It offers no handy, pre-packaged solution to any of the world's numerous ills. It has no "ism" or "ology" to sell, no message to put over. It is something remarkable and rare these days.

It is entertainment."

He also goes on to detail how De Camp came late to Robert E. Howard and others, and how Fletcher Pratt got him hooked.

This is actually a fun novel they have come up with. Conan has his own privateer crew, complete with letters of marque.

He has a punchup in a tavern with Black Zarono, and hence misses the priest he was to buy a treasure map from.

Zarono gets the map, and in league with the Stygian sorceror Thoth-Amon sets out to get some artifacts from the temple of Tsathoggu, as well as kidnap a Zingaran princess.

Yep, Conan chased by big froggy Cthulhoid monster in this one.

Piratical shenanigans lead them to the Black Coast, and Conan's old friend Juma. Capture by the black amazon queen, as well.

Of course, a final confrontation with the wizard is to come. Good stuff. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The best book about the trial
As far as I can tell, this is the best work on Scopes Trial of 1925, even including Edward J. Larson's Pulitzer Prize winning book on the subject: Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion.Larson attempts to put the trial into a more complete historical setting, while de Camp focusses on the trial, while sketching the tenor of the times and a bit of the immediate aftermath. In terms of pages, de Camp devotes 493 pages to the trial, and Larson 107. Although Larson reviews a number of books that dealt with the trial, he missed this one.

De Camp is quite up front about his point of view: he believes in evolution and he is no Fundamentalist. Nevertheless, he tries very hard to be fair to the principals in the trial. Darrow and Bryan come across as two sides to the same self-aggrandizing coin.While reading this, I found myself humming "Mommas Don't Let You Babies Grow Up to be Lawyers", from Bob Noone's Wingtips Optional. The account includes long quotations from original source material, allowing the reader opportunities to reach their own conclusions. In addition, the book is illustrated with contemporary editorial cartoons.

All together an excellent book.

Interesting Look at Famous Trial
This is a readable, witty, informative look at the famous Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925. Author L. Sprague de Camp describes the trial, the prosecution led by ex-Presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925), and the defense headed by famed agnostic and Chicago attorney Clarence Darrow (1856-1938).Readers get a look at the competing legal strategies, and much actual testimony including when Bryan took the stand as an biblical authority.We also get a look at the carnival like atmosphere in which the town of Dayton, Tennessee attracted international journalists, fast-buck hawkers, preachers and fundamentalists - one of whom actually denounced Bryan for saying that the earth was round.The book reads quickly and does a nice job of outlining this battle of giants over ideas, faith, reason, science, and intellectual freedom. As expected, Bryan and the prosecution come off rather poorly, while the event's significance is well illustrated.

This book mentions some of the trial's many ironies.Defendant John Scopes (1900-1970) was a football coach and substitute teacher who was talked into challenging the law by local businessmen - and he'd once attended school in Bryan's birthplace of Salem, Illinios. Bryan died of a stroke days after the stressful trial ended, but Dayton rewarded him with a Christian school (Bryan College) that opened in 1930 on the site of the high school where Scopes apparently taught evolution.Overall, this is a very interesting and amusing read of a serious subject.

The best retelling of the Scopes "Monkey" Trial
"The Great Monkey Trial" was begun in 1957, abandoned when the author learned of the imminent publication of Ray Ginger's "Six Days or Forever?" only to be eventually revived and published in 1968.Consequently, de Camp has the advantage of access to not only John T. Scopes' published memoirs, but the archives of the ACLU, newspaper files and published accounts, as well as correspondence and interviews with participants.The volume contains a handful of the colorful editorial cartoons published on the trial as well."The Great Monkey Trial" remains the most detailed account of the Scopes Trial available (I say this as someone who did their dissertation on this particular event).

Not surprising, given his reputation as a writer of sword and sorcery novels, de Camp's writing style is the most distinctive aspect of his book. Guided by the recollections of those who had actually been in the Dayton courtroom in 1925, de Camp includes vocal inflections, facial expresions, gestures and movements, as well as various crowd comments and reactions.Consequently, de Camp breaths life into the trial transcript, a well as being able to add to the historical record such things as the comments lost in the commotion following the request by the defense to have William Jennings Bryan take the stand.

The chapter titles provide a decidedly military flavor to the story ("The Challenge," "The Crusade," "The Champion Falls," etc.).Although some of the chapter titles touch upon the religious nature of the conflict, overall they are fairly netural.However, de Camp's position is clearly revelaed in the choice of literary quotations at the start of each chapter.For "Single Combat," the chapter detailing the cross-examination of Bryan by Clarence Darrow, de Camp's quotation is from "Alice Through the Looking Glass," where the White Queen tells Alice, "Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."This certainly has significant rhetorical implications, coloring our reading of Bryan's answers to Darrow's questions.

Ultimately de Camp succeeds in both replicating the ridicule associated with the trial by detailing the circus atmosphere and to legitimate the legacy of ridicule.Although he does avoid taking "an extreme position," de Camp's subtle approach proved just as effective in its time and place as the barbs offered by Darrow and H.L. Mencken during the trial.Perhaps equally important, de Camp's literate retelling of the trial made another detailed examination, or critical assessment, superfluous.

Fascinating and Funny Encyclopedia of the Scopes Trial!
Aside from telling the facts of the famous trial, the author gives the reader a wonderful account of the reason the trial happened, its effects, the birth and decline of the Adamist movement, sketches of all major (and minor) players in the trial and plenty of humorous anecdotes!This is a book you can spend hours soaking up and dip into at almost any time.L. Sprague deCamp writes in an amused and witty style which is a joy to read.All the same, he never forgets that he is telling the story of the attempts of ignorance and fear to blot out knowledge and truth in this country.He treats all the players as human beings but never wavers in his stern condemnation of the prosecution.I urge all intelligent people who care about freedom to read this book! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Filled with Information and Critique
Sprague was a friend and correspondent of mine for some few years, during the time when I first became obsessed with H. P. Lovecraft and determined to become a modern Cthulhu Mythos writer.I supplied some corrections and information after this hardcover edition of his HPL biography was published, which is why he kindly listed me in the paperback edition.There were some few corrections made in the mass market pb published by Ballentine.Sprague worked extremely hard on this book, and he got most of the biographical facts correct, thus as a biography this is a good book.Most of the critique, if I remember rightly, comes from Sprague's interpretation of what he considered Lovecraft's eccentricities; he often sounds as if he could get HPL on the psychiatrist couch and so lecture him on how to improve his soul (Sprague told me, for example, that I could be "cured" of my homosexuality, which even then seemed like a very old fashioned and conservative idea).Sprague was a successful and completely professional writer, and as such he had no patience with Lovecraft's non-commercial stance -- something about which HPL and E. Hoffmann Price exchanged many heated letters, some few of which may be found in the SELECTED LETTERS editions published by Arkham House (it was a topic that so bugged Price that he continued his arguments long after HPL's death in the letter columns of the fanzine NYCTALOPS).Sprague seems to be constantly scolding Lovecraft in this book for not behaving as a professional writer "should" behave,It is an attitude that finds its most perverse manifestation in this passage from Lin Carter's A LOOK BEHIND THE CTHULHU MYTHOS:

"Lovecraft was such a bundle of contradictions that he will be the despair of his eventual biographer.How does one deal with a man so quirky and changeful and perverse that within a month after selling his first story to WEIRD TALES, he turns around and writes a piece of snobbish idiocy to Long such as the following?:
'I am well-nigh resolv'd to write no more tales, but merely to dream when I have a mind to, not stopping to do anything so vulgar as to set down the dream for a boarish Publick.I have concluded, that Literature is no proper pursuit for a gentleman; and that Writing ought never to be consider'dbut as an elegant Accomplishment, to be indulg'd in with Infrequency and Discrimination.'
In that passage you have much of what I would call the worst of Lovecraft, his weakness and his folly: the absurd pretensions to gentility on the part of a man who had lived barely above the level of utter poverty for three years; the ludicrous self-delusion of thinking himself an 'artist' -- the snobbishness of spelling 'literature' with a capital L -- and the silly affectation of 18th-century spelling and grammar.What an infuriating poseur he sounds in his letters!"

To which I would respond: but Lovecraft's family background and very early youth WAS a product of gentility; but Lovecraft WAS most definitely an artist, and his sincere attempts to create weird fiction that was Literary Art is why he has been published in Penguin Classics ans The Library of America; his spelling of 'literature' with an L was part of his quaint pose, which is one of the joys in his wonderful correspondence.

There is much of what I call "bad attitude" toward Lovecraft in the book, which comes about from the author's stress on the value of being a professional and commercial writer; but as HPL wrote in his famous letter to Edwin F, Baird, WEIRD TALES' first editor, "...I pay no attention to the demands of commercial writing.My object is such pleasure as I can obtain from the creation of certain bizarre pictures, situations, or atmospheric effects; and the only reader I hold in mind is myself."Here is an example of de Camp's critcism, in which he reprints Lin Carter's comments on "The Nameless City," a story included in the third Penguin edition of HPL's fiction:

"All such words denote, not physical facts, but the narrator's emotional reaction to facts.Not all adjectives are objectionable; a moderate use of them gives the story color.But adjectives like 'horrible' and 'ghastly,' which merely convey the mental state of the author or his fictional narrator, slow the story down without enhancing it.As my colleague Lin Carter, in criticizing Lovecraft's story 'The Nameless City' puts it:

The story is overwritten, over-dramatic, and the
mood of mounting horror is applied in a very artificial
manner.Rather than creating in the reader a mood of terror,
Lovecraft DESCRIBES a mood of terror; the emotion is applied in the
adjectives--the valley in which the city lies is 'terrible'; the
ruins themselves are of an 'unwholesome' antiquity; certain of the altars
and stones 'suggested forbidden rites of terrible, revolting, and
inexplicable nature.'Of course, if you stop to think about it,
such terms are meaningless.A stone is a stone, a valley is a valley,
and ruins are merely ruins.Decking them out with a variety of
shudderry adjectives does not make them intrinsically shuddersome.

This excess of modifiers is simply a beginner's bad writing.Poe did much of it, for in his day it was considered 'fine writing'; but standards have changed.To the young Lovecraft, however, Poe could do no wrong."

This is such a load of ichor -- and there is something quite pathetic about a writer as prosaic as Lin Carter condemning the imaginative prose of H. P. Lovecraft.In "The Nameless City," a valley IS MUCH MORE than a valley, and the antique ruins are so much more than "merely ruins."This is one of my favorite tales by HPL, and I have written my own sequel to it, "Immortal Remains."Yet even S. T. is highly critical of the tale:

"The absurdities and implausibilities in this tale, along with its wildly overheated prose, give it a very low place in the Lovecraft canon.Where, for example, did the creatures who built the nameless city come from?There is no indication that they came from another planet; but if they are simply early denizens of the earth, how did they come to possess their physical shape?Their curiously COMPOSITE nature seems to rule out any evolutionary pattern known to earth's creatures.How do they continue to exist in the depths of the earth?The narrator must also be very foolish not to realise at once that the entities were the ones who built the city.Lovecraft does not seem to have thought out the details of this story at all carefully."

Now to me such criticism is nonsense.The story is a tale of phantasy and horror -- it does not NEED to make any kind of "logical" sense or have its roots in mundane reality.Had Lovecraft stopped to add such details to the story about the history of the reptilian race, he would have dragged the narrative to dull slowness.His aim in writing the tale was to evoke a mood of mystery and terror, and in this he is superbly successful.This was one of Lovecraft's favorites among his own works, and I love this tale.

The hardcover first edition offered here of de Camp's biography is the best edition of this book, for it contains an index that was not included in the paperback.I return to this book now and again, just for the joy of reading the Life of H. P. Lovecraft, which has so shaped my own.I share with Lovecraft an inability to behave as a professional writer perhaps "should" -- I lack the discipline that is required to live as a full-time commercial writer.Some of us simply cannot exist like that, nor do we wish to.But this in no way minimizes our sincere work in the genre of weird fiction.

HPL, a man you could like.
Okay, de Camp has been catching hell for this biography for decades.Well, I've read the book, as well as texts by other biographers, and de Camp's work is readable--and entertaining.The structure of the book is well laid out.I like the bits of Lovecraft's poetry used to head the beginning of each chapter, and I do agree with de Camp that the bulk of HPL's poetry to terrible. BUT--the horror poetry-- such as the `Fungi from Yoggoth' is outstanding.

Way back, twenty, twenty-five years ago, I read and I learned a great deal about HPL from this biography.I must add, it was the first major work done on Lovecraft's life and that is no small achievement, considering that at the time the book was published, Lovecraft was still a little-known horror writer for the Pulps.

de Camp's effort gave HPL's reputation a good and very positive shot in the arm.Positive?How can there be a positive when HPL's racism is such a sticking point.Well, the simple fact is, if you read the book--all the way to the end--you learn how much HLP changed.HLP, the so-called recluse, was very much apart of the world.He married.He divorced.He lived in New York and travel in the South.He was just like anybody else, then as well as now.

De Camp treats his subject with care simply by being honest.de Camp showed me a man I could like.

For the most part, informative--yet annoying.
I could NOT read this all the way through due to the author's constant reminders of Lovecraft's racism. It got annoying after a while. On every other page it seemed he was nitpicking about some comments Lovecraft made about Jews or Blacks, which made me think "why include these in your book if all you're going to do is rag on him for it? We got the picture after your first criticism!"
Besides that, a book about Lovecraft can only be as exciting as its' subject, which is to say it isn't. HPL didn't do much. He just liked to stay home, and even when he was married he would much rather have done anything else than spend time with his wife. He didn't have any drama in his life and it sure doesn't make for good reading, except for the exploits of his creepy mother during his long drawn out youth.
There is good coverage of his pulp fiction "career" and the trials he had to go through to get published. It's funny reading about these magazine editor idiots who turned down his fiction for one reason or another. Had they but known what would happen to HPL posthumously....
HPL's attempts to get a "real" job are covered and are quite cringeworthy. He was certainly not cut out for a sales position.

Highly readable, unpretentious and astute
An excellent 'straight' biography of Lovecraft, warts and all.De Camp never met HPL, but spoke to or corresponded with many of his friends and fellow-writers, as well as drawing on Lovecraft's massive epistolary legacy, to create a lively portrait of the writer.De Camp explores Lovecraft's less attractive facets - his pathological racism and snobbery - as fully as his more appealing ones - his erudition, courtesy, personal kindness and gentlemanliness - and gives us a decently-rounded and thoroughly entertaining account of the life and work of the horror-writing Sage Of Providence. Written in the mid-70s, the book inevitably only follows the story of what happened to his work posthumously up till then, though it does cover the founding of Arkham House in some detail.The book's one defect is de Camp's overtly socially conservative outlook, which leads to him framing debates about issues as diverse as Lovecraft'ssexuality and the merits of free verse in a way that nowadays seems mildly reactionary and unrewarding.Otherwise excellent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Ian Myles Slater on L. Sprague de Camp's Antiquity
I have discussed this book in a review of the paperback edition, in which I addressed some of the issues raised by previous reviewers. In this review I will point out some other characteristics of interest to possible readers.

This is an adventure novel, set during the reign of Xerxes, Originally published in 1961, it was the third written, and earliest in chronological order, of five loosely-related historical novels. The others are: "An Elephant for Aristotle" (1958), in the reign of Alexander the Great, involving a trek across Asia with a rather large gift for the philosopher; "The Bronze God of Rhodes" (1960), in which the background is the struggle among Alexander's successors, with the construction of the Colossus of Rhodes only one of the incidents; "The Arrows of Hercules" (1965), a story of war and military inventions in the time of Plato; and, finally, "The Golden Wind" (1969), concerning sea-borne trade and exploration in Hellenistic times.

"Dragon" is probably closest in mood to de Camp's fantasy novels, while "Bronze God" and "Arrows" are closer to his science fiction, with their description of engineering problems, and personality clashes among researchers and engineers. "Dragon" also reflects de Camp's then-recent acquaintance with the Conan stories and other works of Robert E. Howard. Bessas, the huge Persian nobleman, is not only a close match for Conan in physique, but his mood swings, fixation on his mother, and tendency to toss of verses, seems a reflection of Howard himself. (Fortunately, his poems reflect de Camp's verbal dexterity and wit, not Howard's melancholy.)

Earlier editions include the original Doubleday hardcover, and a paperback edition from long-defunct Lancer Books (which also published most of de Camp's editions of the Conan stories). The illustrated edition is perhaps the most desirable, but readers who love high adventure, exotic locales, authentic detail, and more than a little humor, will enjoy it in any format.

{Please note that Amazon's after-the-fact decision to link editions has left me with two (non-duplicating) reviews for this title; I have decided to leave them in place for the time being, instead of merging them, or deleting both and creating a new version.}

Ian Myles Slater on History as Heroic Romance
I will try to keep this short and factual, despite my enthusiasm for a book I have admired for over thirty years.

This is one of a series of loosely-linked historical novels set mainly on the margins of the classical world (from India to the interior and coasts of Africa), and covering the period from the reign of Xerxes to late Hellenistic times. (Think in terms of the Battle of Salamis to the rise of Rome). They all share de Camp's meticulous detail, plausible characterization, and sense of the comic side of human nature. Readers familiar with de Camp as Robert E, Howard's posthumous editor and collaborator will find in them the same mix of exotic adventure and (to most of the participants) magic, but in de Camp's own urbane and quietly erudite voice. Those already familiar with his own fantasy and science fiction writing will not be surprised to see his characteristic virtues at work in a different genre.

This, my favorite, concerns a journey from the heart of the Persian Empire to the sources of the Nile, in pursuit of an imaginary beast. A giant Persian nobleman, in serious trouble as a result of innocent involvement in a (real) court scandal, is sent off on a quest with his Greek tutor as advisor. They take turns playing Sancho to the other's Don Quixote, as their personal traits prove helpful or dangerous in changing circumstance. Along the way they acquire and lose companions, stumble into and out of trouble, and provide the reader a tour of the ancient world from western Asia to central Africa.

The suggestions for the story came from the presence of a now-rare African animal on a Persian royal monument and an archaeologist's speculation on a possible priestly fraud in ancient Babylon. (The latter reflects the story of "Bel and the Dragon" in the Greek version of the Book of Daniel, found in the apocrypha of Protestant Bibles, and appended to Daniel in Catholic editions). Those interested in this background should seek out "Lands Beyond," by L. Sprague de Camp and Willy Ley (originally 1951). (It should be pointed out that the word "sirrush" in both books is now generally read as "mushhush"). Some of the Asian material is also covered in de Camp's "Great Cities of the Ancient World" (originally 1972).

The African scenes are based on a combination of de Camp's travels and the best information available when he was writing. Those readers familiar with early European accounts will not need de Camp's acknowledgment of sources to spot the origin of several scenes. Those who are familiar with current studies of ancient Africa should bear in mind that no author, no matter how careful, can be expected to be in advance of the state of knowledge. (The solution to the "what is the most dangerous beast in Africa?" will now be apparent to far more readers than when the expedition's pygmy guide tried to answer it.) De Camp returned to Africa in his 1969 historical novel "The Golden Wind," set in Hellenistic times, this time from the point of view of a Greek sea captain seeking a water route to India.

The Donning edition added illustrations to a book originally published by Doubleday in 1961, and reprinted by Lancer in 1968. The Lancer edition had a glorious but uncredited cover, which was apparently the work of Roy G. Krenkel, perhaps still best known for his covers for the early Ace edition of Tarzan, and the illustrator of "Great Cities".

surprisingly hilarious and fascinating
I read and loved L. Sprague de Camp's "Honorable Barbarian", so when I saw this book cheap at a flea market, I thought I'd buy it.It took me a while to get around to reading it because I enjoy mainly the setting of fantasy and medieval books, and don't like books as much which are set in other times, including the reign of Xerxes.I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the book - it had the same sort of honorable, getting-into-trouble main character I had grown to love in "Honorable Barbarian" and others, and the same great humor.This book is one of those ones that will have you laughing hysterically while everyone around you stares.It is also one of those ones that you start reading and cannot stop.This is a must-read for de Camp fans and those that just enjoy a good laugh.

This is also one of those books that I just happened to pick up at a flea market while others are searching frantically for a copy.I hope others find a copy - although hopefully not a tattered 60's edition!Happy reading.

An erudite/literate adventure tale: no longer an oxymoron!
When Xerxes, the Persian King of Kings, fearing the onset of decrepitude and old age, turns to his personal alchemist and sorcerer Ostanas, for a magical solution, the game (as Holmes used to say) is afoot. Reprieved from an untimely death (decreed for his unknowing complicity in the rape of a young noble woman), Bessas of Zariaspa (a big hulking, mother-loving, heroic lug, formerly of the King's own troops) is saved at the eleventh hour from an untimely seat on the royal stake and charged with two tasks: bring back to Xerxes the ear of a king; and find and capture a live dragon (said to dwell at the headwaters of the Nile, deep in unknown Africa). His companion on this mission is to be his former Greek tutor, Myron of Miletos, who just happens to also be the man who brought Bessas to the attention of the King, in time to save the big warrior's life.

What neither of these adventurers knows, however, is that the King's sorcerer needs a third item as well: the heart of a hero, which presumably will be readily available -- once Bessas returns from his labors with the two items he has been sent to retrieve. Myron, a simple scholar with philosophical pretensions, sees their excursion as an opportunity to explore the world and create some grand theory out of the knowledge he garners, to make a name for himself among the Greek philosophers back home. Bessas, on the other hand, has other concerns since Xerxes has placed his mother in protective custody -- as a guarantor of the hero's ultimate return.

These two set out on a fascinating journey which takes them through many of the lands of the old Persian Empire. In the process, they pick up a tubby local boy whose chief claim to fame seems to be his voracious sexual appetite, a Syrian mystic of dubious talents and loyalties, and a Judean of Philistine ancestry with the skills of a metal smith. Fleeing numerous attacks on their persons by the minions of the raped girl's family (who begrudge the King's decision to free Bessas), this motley company finds its way to Egypt. There they become involved in a little grave robbing, before heading farther south to the barbarous country of Kush, where the local ruler adds a further task to their assignments as a fee for letting them pass deeper into the African interior.

Having linked up with a bandit Arab clan, headed by an old shaykh and his clever and beautiful daughter, the whole gang proceeds south along the Nile into "pestilential plains," the abode of unfamiliar and savage peoples. How the tale ends up is worth the read, as is the fascinating protrayal of this time and its inhabitants. Suffice it to say they have a number of rather close encounters, not least of which with a kingdom of local cannibals, and generally squeak by -- though not without a good deal of bloodshed and mayhem.

The tale is not the usual sword and sorcery fare (though its author was known for writing that stuff) since, while there is a great deal of talk about wizards and magic, there is no attempt to portray these as anything more than the grossest of superstitions. The heroes are also men of their time and do not scruple to kill an enemy in cold blood. In fact, this book is almost hardheaded in its realistic approach to human conflict. The dialogue's rather cleverly done, too.

Unfortunately, the tale was penned back in 1961 (although I read the Donning book, issued in 1982) and so it's not attentive to some of the politically correct niceties of our own era. Blacks are generally presented as savages and unattractive (which may actually have been how characters like our travellers would have seen them -- especially in the context of the encounters described -- but this will certainly offend some readers who are more attuned to contemporary sensitivities). Similarly, the Judean Shimri (really a Philistine and an idolator) is described as having a receding chin, spitting when he talks, stammering and as being generally annoying -- all for no very obvious reason. Perhaps de Camp based the character on someone he knew, but it does seem a trifle gratuitous. I suspect some would find him an offensively stereotypical character, as well.

Finally, the female characters have no individual vitality at all. The Arab princess is supposed to be the real leader of her band but at critical times she recedes unaccountably into the background. The other two females who join the expedition in Africa are slaves and get used as such. Probably not unrealistic, but again not attuned to our present, more enlightened age. And their main role (even that of the bold princess) seems to be to fawn over our hero, Bessas.

While the female characters have little life in them, the males, who are somewhat more interesting, are not more deeply drawn. Myron and Bessas do come to life, as does the sterotypical Syrian wizard, but none of them seems to have a substantial inner life. But this is a plot driven by events -- not motivation -- and, as such, it does its work. If you can bear with the extremely poor editing (typos on nearly every other page) and the mid-twentieth century sensibility, this is a book well worth the read -- both for its vivid and historically convincing depiction of the ancient world during the height of the Persian Empire (just before Alexander the Great Hellenized things) and for its fast-paced adventure in exotic lands.

Stuart W. Mirsky
author of The King of Vinland's Saga ... Read more

Product Description
The Mathematics of Magic was probably the greatest discovery of the ages - at least Professor Harold Shea thought so. With the proper equations, he could instantly transport himself back in time to all the wondrous lands of ancient legend. But slips in time were a hazard, and Shea's magic did not always work - at least, not quite as he expected . . .This omnibus volume of all of the Magical Misadventures of Harold Shea contains The Incomplete Enchanter, The Wall of Serpents and Castle of Iron ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Logic and Humor
This is a delightful compilation of work by 2 of the giants.De Camp and Pratt were at their best when working together.Both were masters of many disciplines and keyed off each other, creating tales of wild imagination, liberally sprinkled with humor. The beauty of these stories is in the variety of persons that are caught up in them and the sheer logical progression of the ideas. Harold Shea and his friends are pure delight, if a tad naive by today's standards.These characters do what we all do in our imaginations and insert themselves into the myths and stories of history.Sure, these are reprints -- the originals were serials in pulp magazines.I own several editions and reread them every few years.The important thing is not which printing or compilation you read, but that you do read them.While I do usually disapprove of the re printing and retitling of classic fiction, anything that keeps these stories being read by new generations has my approval.

Incompleat Enchanter was better
"The Compleat Enchanter" is, roughly, the same as "The Incompleat Enchanter" with an added story that I do not like as much as the other material.If you read one, there is little reason to read the other.Oh well, I read both.

Do you like to laugh...
Yes, magic works by specific laws, but not always as you expect it to, especially if you, like Harold Shea, are new to the art.Harold trying to hold his own among the Norse Gods... the prison guard with huge, huge nose... Harold's first time on a flying broom... the laughing until your sides ache and tears are running down your face.If I had a criticism of these wonderful novels, it would be that in my opinion, the second and third are not quite as good as the first.But that would be a splitting of hairs that are already quite fine to begin with.These books are simply splendid. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The Worst work on Howard Ever Done
Sprague de Camp -- and I knew this guy for many years -- was the ultimate opportunist.Oscar Friend -- the original agent for REH's works after his death -- made the mistake of letting him in on Conan and over the decades -- from the 1950's through the 1980's -- made a pretty good living off Howard's cold dead body.This "bio" makes his one on Lovecraft seem fair and accurate.Nope, not at all.De Camp had the really annoying habit of trying to psychioanalyize other -- always dead -- writers.With this one he brought in his wife and some child psychatrist.The result is a really bad look at Howard from a guy --who despite the fortune he made off of him -- who deep down didn't like Howard or perhaps resented the fact that dead, Howard was still more popular than he could ever be.There are better works out there.Try them first.

A valuable read
de Camp is always catching hell about something he wrote especially about REH and HPL.Dark Valley is highly readable.The text contains facts.de Camp does make judgments about his subject.This day in age we're trained not to judge anyone, so the book is refreshing.de Camp does succeed were many biographies fail and that is he makes the reader sympathetic about REH.REH is not just the subject about you can appreciate his life's difficulties.Any the book is highly readable.But I must add I'm biased toward de Camp . . . I've got an autographed copy.

The DEFINITIVE Bio on REH until a new one appears :)
L. Sprague de Camp's biography of REH is a very credible (if admittedly somewhat opinionated) account.Frankly, I don't understand the nonsense that some reviewers spout about this book.It is plainly evident that de Camp conducted a good deal of research, being especially diligent to seek out and interview virtually everyone that had known REH.All in all, de Camp based his research on oral and literary sources as well as visiting and studying the places where REH had lived.The value of such was recognized long ago.One need only read Herodotus, Thucydides, or the greatest historian of antiquity, Polybius, to appreciate this.Ultimately, de camp's bio reaches tenable conclusions based upon his research.

At this point in time, a more definitive bio seems somewhat questionable.There are probably very (if any) acquaintances of REH still living. This of course doesn't mean that future bios cannot be written, only that they will find it incredibly difficult to obtain any new material.Very few can ever approach an understanding of REH as de Camp did.After all, he spent a large part of his career as a fiction writer in editing and expanding the Conan series.Instead, future biographers will be sifting among the stones that de Camp has already quarried for them.

Finally, while de Camp was not a professional pyschologist, that in itself does not necessarily disqualify him in analyzing REH's state of mind.The fallacy of expert opinion comes to mind here.Most biographers hold an area of expertise in only one or two fields, and often their subjects will carry them into sundry fields of exploration.That's one reason why professionals published their work, so that others can benefit from the fruits of their research. Geez, excuse my getting off track here a bit, but some people have the lamest, sorriest reasons for not enjoying de Camp's work and appreciating it for the fine work of scholarship that it is. (Accusing de Camp of writing articulate prose with the intention to deceive, as one reviewer suggested, only demonstrates that they are unfamiliar with his prose style.)

Is D.V.D. perfect and without the occassional error found in most bios?By no means, but de Camp isn't trying to hoodwink anyone, and anyone with any critical faculties can disagree with some of his conclusions.That in itself is a sign of scholarship as de Camp has provided enough material to allow the reader to independently verify whether or not s/he agrees.

NOT the �definitive� biography� merely opinion
To say it politely, approximately 90% of Dark Valley Destiny is pure, subjective opinion. In fact, this book is not a biography at all (regardless of the author's claims), but is a pseudo-Freudian interpretation of Robert E. Howard's psychological state or mental "life" based on assorted, incomplete, and (in some cases) erroneous facts. De Camp's credentials as a psychologist, or even an amateur psychologist, are not only in question, but non-existent. Dr. Jane Whittington Griffin, whose name is presented as co-author and whose association seems to lend the book an air of respectability and authority, in fact had little to do with the writing of this book due to her untimely death while the book was in the process of being researched and written. Further, Dr. Griffin's credentials as a legitimately licensed psychologist have recently come into question as well.

In his own autobiography, de Camp refers to this book as a "psycho biography," and elsewhere de Camp admits that he had tried to sell the idea of writing a biography on Robert E. Howard to the publisher who considered the subject too dry and suggested that instead de Camp should spice it up a bit by writing a psychological examination and evaluation of Howard's work and life. This de Camp did, and the result is the eminently sensationalistic and yellow-journalistic commentary known as Dark Valley Destiny.

To top it all off, we find that de Camp is not remotely sympathetic toward his subject matter, and he takes pains to use his own moral and intellectual values and positions to criticize and condemn Howard at every step, while at the same time offering appeasing praise. The reader ought to be warned that de Camp's writing style is quite skilled and is meant to be persuasive. Meaning, de Camp will pull the wool over your eyes with statements of "opinion as fact" and unsupported leaps of logic unless you carefully read the book with a detached, critical eye. As a book that presents itself as a factual and authoritative biography, it is a farce and all but worthless. If you read this book, read it with a HUGE grain of salt, and be skeptical.

Although Dark Valley Destiny is not a definitive biography (or even a good one), it is unfortunately the only book yet published which claims to be a biography of Robert E. Howard. The memoir ONE WHO WALKED ALONE, by one of Howard's girlfriends, Novalyne Price-Ellis, is far more reliable and informative, but even this must be read with the understanding that the writer is drawing conclusions based on her own views and biases, which were sometimes made without complete information. Mrs. Ellis, however, had the good fortune of actually knowing Robert E. Howard and the information in her book is first hand knowledge, unlike that in Dark Valley Destiny. It therefore carries much more weight.

The suggestion below that all is opinion and the truth shall never be known is, in part, true. As de Camp mentioned, but quickly ignored, posthumous biography is a somewhat foolish endeavor. There are many points about Howard's life which will simply never be known. Yet, to state that all is opinion and therefore equal is specious and misleading. There are conclusions and opinions which hold up to and are supported by the known facts, and then there are conclusions and opinions which are not. There are conclusions which adhere to standards of validity, and there are conclusions that do not. The task of scholars, and a definitive biography, is to achieve the highest level of factual reliability possible - not to present one's own views or opinions. Where a conclusion is uncertain, its uncertainty must be noted and alternatives offered and explored. In all this, Dark Valley Destiny fails miserably.

If you're interested in reading one author's distorted and biased OPINION of another author, then this book is for you. If, on the other hand, you want to read about the life of Robert E. Howard, look elsewhere. To start, I'd recommend the "Short Biography" of Howard on the REHupa web site, ... and then I'd recommend reading Howard's "Selected Letters" (which are unfortunately out of print but can be found in used book stores). For additional biographical sources on Howard, try The Barbarian Keep web page. ...

The Truth About REH is Unknown
DeCamp describes Howard in his "Dark Valley Destiny" book, and Novalyne Price describes him in her "One Who Walked Alone" book.

Both are probably right and probably wrong. Read both.

If you want to understand REH, read his writings (and those of his biographers) and make up your own mind.

His was a tortured soul.

I could defend or criticize Howard on many different levels. The truth is (and I hope you agree)is that we've all lost something because his potential had never been fully realized. ... Read more

Product Description
AN EPIC FANTASY, AN OMNIBUS VOLUME FROM A TRILOGY: "THE INCOMPLETE ENCHANTER", "THE CASTLE OF IRON" AND "THE ENCHANTER COMPLETED". PROFESSOR HAROLD SHEA HAS MASTERED TIME TRAVEL AND HE AND HIS FRIEND REED CHALMERS HAVE ADVENTURES, BOTH IN THE PAST AND PRESENT. 5/10/87- 608PP: B: 10000 @ $3.99: UC=73P: MAX. 3 X INDIVID A FMT EDITIONS TO B FMT OMNIBUS. ... Read more

Product Description
To rise from commoner to king would seem a remarkable stroke of luck. But King Jorian of Xylar had reason to dispute that. For in Xylar a new king was chosen every five years - by decapitating the old one and throwing his head to a waiting crowd. Jorian had reached the end of his reign, yet he faced death with courage and rather unseemly good humor. He neither broke down at the weeping of his favorite wife, nor begged for help from spectators. Because, clearly, the only help for King Jorian now lay with his spiritual adviser. Of course, things would have been different if the crowd had realized that Jorian's spiritual adviser was, in truth, a wizard. . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Maybe not as good as the Pratt books, but very good
The author is a truly rounded man, a poet, an historian, a classical scholar
and a scientist. He is also a humorist. This book is three novels in one
and has also the stories of Jorian that are short pseudo-historial
tales about kings of the past in his home with morals.
The action is rich in almost killing the hero and the love affairs
are more true to life than romantic.
You get the feeling that nothing in Jorian's life ever goes as planed.
I really enjoyed this:
I think the trilogy here is a classic of humor fantasy. ... Read more