Rattle of Bones & Other Terrifying Tales. Robert E. Howard (Writer). Gabriel Rodriguez (Art). Ted Adams, Elizabeth Nee (Editors). Clover Press (2020)

 

A beautifully made collection of top notch stories by Robert E. Howard. The book itself in a very handsome physical item, the illustration on the front cover and the stamp on the back cover are lovely. The paper is a pleasure to touch and the whole presentation declares the time and attention to detail that Clover Press have given to the project.The illustrations by Gabriel Rodriguez  are astonishing, they are beautiful to look at ans capture the elements from the stories with vivid detail.

In the Forest of Villefere. A man is making a journey through a forest from one town to the next, the forest is menacing, and he finds himself glad for the company of a stranger. The stranger has an interesting story to tell as he guides the man through the forest. A dangerous encounter follows.

Wolfshead.  There is an annual celebration at the plantation of a slave trade in Africa, his guests are there to enjoy themselves and have a good time. There is something nasty going on and guests are attacked in their bedrooms and killed in a very brutal fashion. Suspicions run wild and trouble arrives from another direction before the final showdown.

Sea Curse. Two rowdy sailors return to their village between voyages and bring the whiff of far away places and danger with them. One seduces a local girl, and both find themselves in trouble with her mother. Revenge is delivered in the most forceful way.

Rattle of Bones. Solomon Kane and a fellow traveller arrive at an inn with a very curious name late at night. Secrets are revealed in a bloody confrontation that brings long foretold vengeance it its wake.

The Touch of Death. A night vigil beside the body of a recently dead man becomes a trial of terror for the watcher.

Dig Me No Grave. Fulfilling the last wishes of a dying man proves to be very much more complicated and dangerous than expected. The dead man had lived a strange life and his debts were going to be collected.

People of The Dark. An enraged suitor follows his rival to local haunted caves to kill him and finds that both have been there before. The enemy they found there the first time has not vanished.

The House of Arabu. A barbarian general leading the armies of a city state finds himself haunted by a curse for killing a priest in a temple. He must act swiftly to save himself against a supernatural enemy.

All the stories are beautifully crafted, the creeping dread in The Touch of Night is gripping and the return of the sailor in the Sea Curse is powerful and menacing. My favourites are Rattle of Bones as I am a Solomon Kane fan and the proto Conan The Barbarian People of the Dark which uses a plan that Robert E. Howard used in other stories. The writing is lean and wonderfully melodramatic, the stories move fast and grip the reader tightly. The collection beautifully showcases the huge talent of Robert E. Howard, a treasure box for readers.