Back in the 1960s, I became a fan of Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian. I’ve read some of Howard’s other stories in various genres, but I hadn’t had the pleasure of reading about the humorous adventures of Breckinridge Elkins and Cousin Bearfield Buckner until I found this ACE omnibus from 1983: HEROES OF BEARK CREEK. Funny, silly, and entertaining. Other editions are available on-line for affordable prices. Give these stories a try and you won’t be sorry! GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
A GENT FROM BEAR CREEK:
Striped Shirts & Busted Hearts; –3
Mountain Main; — 13
Meet Cap’n Kidd; –27
Guns of the Mountains; — 42
The Feud Buster; — 75
The Road to Bear Creek; — 89
The Scalp Hunter;– 106
Cupid from Bear Creek; –123
The Haunted Mountain; 136
Educate or Bust; 150
War on Bear Creek; 160
When Bear Creek Came to Chawed Ear; –178
THE PRIDE OF BEAR CREEK
The Riot at Cougar Paw; — 207
Pilgrims to the Pecos; — 222
High Horse Rampage; —240
The Apache Mountain War; 237
Pistol Politics; 274
The Conquerin’ Hero of the Humbolts; — 289
A Ringtailed Tornado. 304
MAYHEM ON BEAR CREEK:
No Cowherders Wanted; — 321
Mayhem and Taxes; — 338
Evil Deeds at Red Cougar; –346
Sharp’s Gun Seranade; — 364
The Peaceful Pilgrim; — 379
While Smoke Rolled;– 394
A Elkins Never Surrenders, 409
For some reason, my first thought was, so these are perhaps Howard’s counterpart to Wylie’s Crunch and Des stories…lighthearted and not the kind of thing one might think of first when recalling their author.
Todd, you might be right. These silly, fun stories have Tall Tale written all over them.
Never heard of these before.
Jeff, Robert E. Howard gained fame with Conan, but wrote hundreds of other stories in many genres. The Bear Creek stories are marginally Westerns, but are more slapstick than anything else.
Howard never was famous in his life most likely why he committed suicide these tall tales are just more fantasy from Howard he is one of my favorite writers Breckenridge Elkins is by far my all time favorite character I wish he would of received the accolades he really deserved
Rob, I’m very fond of Breckenridge Elkins, too! Robert E. Howard was a great writer in my book.
These might be too humorous and silly for me, but I will give them a try if I run into a copy. I will look out for this at the next book sale. You never know what you will find there.
Tracy, I’m a fan of Robert E. Howard’s work in all its various forms and genres. Howard died tragically young.
I have read this author but not these stories. Will search for them.
Neeru, prepare to laugh while you’re reading the Bear Creek stories!