Unfortunately I found Howard's stories tediously predictable (half naked women in every story just throwing themselves a Conan etc. YAWN!). Also I found the constant pandering to deeply racist stereotypes (lost count of how many times Black characters are described as primitive and stupid while the Asian races are all crafty and arrogant) off-putting and in places rather offensive.

This book may be useful for studying the social history and social attitudes of the 1930's but don't expect great, well written stories.

Robert Ervin Howard was the first person to truly link ancient mythology and history to Fantasy Fiction. It was this, foremostely though not exclusively, that Tolkien drew from his greatest inspiration. (Tolkien was a big fan of Howard's, and repeatedly lauded Howard's work for the brilliance of his words among other things.) In point of fact, the vast majority of Howard's writings were historical fiction, and he wrote an extensive catalogue of stories to do with the history of the conflicts in the Middle East during and after the Crusades. If you know your mythology and your ancient history, you will know what you are looking at when you immerse yourself in Howard's Hyborian Age.

There are few aspects of the entertainment industry that have not been affected in some way by what Fantasy Fiction became: a link to the mythos and ways of the past. Howard was a brilliant man, and in my opinion is one of the most overlooked poets of all time. For an example of some really excellent poetry I suggest you pick up a copy of Always Comes Evening (collected poems of REH). The Conan stories are by turns violent, seething, fun, and morosely philosophical. Common conceptions that they are in some way sexist are immediately smashed by the fact that Howard's work, including the Conan stories, are full of swashbuckling heriones; quite a noval idea in the 1930s. In my opinion, to this day there really is no better read. And if you are interested in literature, especially popular (and therefore socially important) literature, these stories will only broaden your horizon.

That said I would have preferred to read the stories NOT in chronilogical order, I feel that if I had of read the first couple of stories last it would have been more majestic. A bit like reading Conan the eary years I suppose.
This may sound very petty but one major gripe is that John Howes cover (and for Vol 2) is just not to the same 60's pulpy standard as Frank Frazetta.
If your after more Conan stories with a bit more of an upto date tone tryout Robert Jordan's stuff. They're grim, violent and at times downright filthy, so there's more fun they're as well! The covers for his stuff have that cliched fantasy look also though.

Favorite stories - The Slithering Shadow; The Tower of the Elephant.

Howard had a great pen and it shines with his depiction of his Conan, who must be one of the earliest anti-Heroes. The character fits perfectly in Howard's Hyborian world, a setting packed with murderers, thieves, deserters, back-stabbers, and cruel sorcerers. No Tolkien Hobbits here. No obscure Elvish languages to deal with. No old-English prose that you would find in Tolkien. Just high adventure, filled with beheadings, broken bones, lost cities and lust.

Finally, after 70 years, they have compiled Howard's Conan stories. Bravo!

I bought several copies of this book as a gift to friends and family.