Aesir-tale by REH

[René]

Today I read Marchers of Valhalla by REH: this is a story about the adventures of several hundred Aesir Barbarians in the area called today Texas.

These Aesir are post-Hyborian: they are wandering all around the world doing the Barbarian-thing (killing people, molesting women, destroying cities).

For all who want an idea of REH's view of the Nordheimer this may be a valuable source to give them more depth beyond the cliche of heavy drinking guys.

P.S.: There is even a Vanir, descendants of a Lemurian slave race and an explanation of the Ishtar cult in later times.

 

[Faraer]

"Marchers of Valhalla", "The Valley of the Worm", "The Garden of Fear" and the Ghor fragment (published in Ghor, Kin-Slayer) are essential reads for anyone wanting to get their heads around the Æsir and Vanir. But why do you say post-Hyborian?

 

[René]

"Marchers of Valhalla", "The Valley of the Worm", "The Garden of Fear" and the Ghor fragment (published in Ghor, Kin-Slayer) are essential reads for anyone wanting to get their heads around the Æsir and Vanir. But why do you say post-Hyborian?

Because of the following passage: "It was before the great drifts of my race had peopled the world, yet lesser nameless drifts had already begun." p.81 of The Black Stranger by Bison Books.

IIRC the Nordheimer developed from a savage race driven north by the forebearers of the Hyborian people and began their drifts with the end of the Hyborian Age.

But maybe I don't remember REH's essay correctly :?:

 

[tarstarkas6]

Where's the best place to find these tales? I've never heard of them.

 

[Faraer]

There are three 'generations' of Robert E. Howard story collections:
the mass-market paperbacks published in the 1970s by Lancer, Ace, Berkley, Bantam and Zebra; out of print but used copies are available cheaply -- search at www.bookfinder.com ;
the Baen series published in the mid-1990s, also out of print but some of the volumes are now expensive because of low print runs;
and the current books from Wandering Star, Del Rey, Bison Books and Wildside Press.

Using semicolons to delineate the three sets of books, these stories are in...
"Marchers of Valhalla": Marchers of Valhalla; Eons of the Night; The Black Stranger and Other American Tales
"The Valley of the Worm": Wolfshead; --; The Ultimate Triumph
"The Garden of Fear": Pigeons from Hell; Eons of the Night; --

As well as actual Æsir and Vanir, the Vikings and Irish in Howard's Turlogh O'Brien, Cormac Mac Art, and Bran Mak Morn stories contain much inspiration for Hyborian Age Nordheimr and Cimmerians.

www.howardworks.com

 

[René]

Where's the best place to find these tales? I've never heard of them.

There are various new editions: I personally can recommend Black Stranger (American Tales) and Lord Of Samarcand (Crusader stories) - both from Bison Books.

http://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/books/bisonBooks.jsp


Another publishing house is:

http://www.wildsidepress.com


The Cormac stories were still available at amazon a few months ago.