I’ve read many (but not all) of Robert E Howards characters and each time I do I’m always reaffirmed in my sentiments that this guy deserves all the praise he gets. Everything flows so smoothly and moves right along. There’s no lull in the action. And it is never corny or over the top, even when it is excessive. I feel he laid the framework for all the adventure stories that were to come. I just can’t say how much I absolutely enjoy reading his stories and how gifted the man was.
There are three short stories contained in this lil’ anthology of sorts. I guess all of his books are little anthologies come to think of it. The first two feature our cover pirate, Black Vulmea. A mighty muscle-bound pirate from Ireland who bests all situations with cunning, fight skill, and sword. He also has a moral code and can be thoughtful to the plight of his fellow men when the situation dictates it.
First story: The Painted Men
Cowering Count d’Chastillon has left his cushy position in France to hide out on a random island in hopes of hiding from a pissed off passed associate that he sold into slavery. Yeah, he’s got that one comin’! A pirate ship shows up. They battle. They are saved by another pirate ship who chases them off. Both want the supposed treasure on the island. The Count just wants everyone to leave. A shadowy black man shows up and is seen throughout the fort’s grounds. Count freaks out. The first pirates come back. Everyone decides to band together to find the treasure and leave the island. Black Vulmea shows up. He has been stranded on the island for a while. He’s in and takes charge. The natives (The Painted Men) attack. War. Double crossing. Triple crossing. Great battle scenes. Great sword fighting. Who will be left after all the shit goes down?
Beautiful. When they made Pirates of the Caribbean this is what they were going off of. Would be my guess anyway. So many colorful characters; the aristocratic, the pirate, the natives and though it’s kind of a spoiler: the revenge of the African sorcerer who comes at the Count is a one part supernatural and one part gladiator. Treasure. Lovely lady. Back and forth action like maniacs pulling on a tug of rope.
Second story: Black Vulmea’s Vengeance
The night after a drunken celebration on the ship, Black Vulmea’s crew are all passed out. He is the only one still standing. He spots one of the English King’s ship’s coming right for them ready for war. He tries to wake everyone up and even gets off a cannon shot but is overcome by the soldiers. His crew is slaughtered, and he is captured. The captain is from Vulmea’s past and a man he hates. Vulmea tells the captain that if he spares his life, he will tell him of a treasure on a forgotten island. Captain is all in but plans to kill Vulmea anyway afterward. Vulmea is no man’s fool. He leads them into a trap wherein the natives of the island kill off the landing party except for the captain and Vulmea who escapes easily. The captain is in panic mode and completely distraught. He’s trapped in a ravine. Vulmea arrives to kill him. But a script is flipped and now the two must escape the island, the natives and the giant snake that rules the island. Robert E Howard sure loves giant snakes.
Once again, another fast-paced adventure. You don’t know what’s going to happen until it happens. I mean, of course Vulmea is going to do his thing, but the question is how. There is a tenderness in this one. A humanity, if you will. There are also heads being decapitated, hand to hand combat, Indiana Jones type shit. But once again, this was the first. It’s so apparent reading this the influence it had on stories/movies later on.
Third story: The Isle of Pirates Doom
This one doesn’t have Vulmea. Instead, we get a marooned sailor named Steve, though not Howard’s brawling character, Sailor Steve Costigan. That would have been a great crossover. He watches as a black pirate ship sits off the shoreline. A longboat rows over with seven men in it. Six of the men are big ol’ gnarly pirates. The seventh is a dapper little dandy man. There is an argument, and the dandy man slashes at one of the big guys and takes off. Sailor Steve watches dandy man kill a pirate and leave. Sailor Steve grabs the weapons off the body. He hears a soft laugh behind him. It is the dandy man. But surprise! Dandy man is actually a smoking hot pirate babe named Helen. He has, of course, heard of her as most sailors have. She’s as rough and tumble as any male pirate and a force to be reckoned with. With hesitation they team up to survive the remaining pirates. She was sailing on the ship when the captain made inappropriate advances, so she cut him. The two hide and fight off the pirates one by one until only three remain. Helen tells Steve of a supposed treasure on the island. He’s like, nah, I’ve been all over there is nothing here except a nasty old swamp that is certain death. She’s like, let’s go! Is there treasure? Will they survive the remaining pirates? Wait a minute, is this a love story??
Another homerun for the Babe Ruth of adventure fiction. Helen is badass and though I’m no pulp adventure master I’d say there probably weren’t many tough female leads in the genre at this time. Ok, yeah, she does break down and cry once but other than that, solid as a rock and even saves the day. Also, I must mention, when they are in the ancient, ruined temple looking for the treasure it was sooo HP Lovecraft. I know they were friends so it could have just been a nod to his buddy but after I finished it, I had to look it up to see if HP actually co-wrote the story. But everything I found said it was all Howard.
Zebra 2nd printing 1977
Review by Nick Anderson
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