“Hey James. I hope all is well. I was wondering if I should start with Conan or Solomon Kane in Howard's books? Any advice?”

-Banjo, by Text, September 30 2021

…

I texted Banjo back immediately: “Kane.”

One reason for the proposed reading order I will give below is to help the modern reader get into some 90-year-old literature. There is a standard set of Howard collections that I will recommend reading in the following order. These are all put out by the same company. I think it is a wandering star imprint that was put out between 2000 and 2009. These are big books that give all of Howard's relevant fragments and stories, sold and unsold, including poetry. I once had all of these books, now gone and will try and remember them as best I can do.

Recommended Reading Order for the Robert E. Howard Curious:

-1. The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane is the easiest to get into as it is set in a historical time essentially between the Age of Piracy

-2. The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian

-3. Tigers of the Sea, 1970s paperback

-4. Almuric, 1970s paperback

-5. Kull of Atlantis

-6. The Conquering Sword of Conan

-7. Bran Mak Morn, the Last King

-8. The Blood-Stained Crown of Conan

-9. Sword Woman and other Medieval Adventures, the best story being Lord of Samarkand

-10. The Horror of Robert E. Howard

-11. Black Vulmea's Vengeance, a 1970s paperback

-12. El Borak and Other Desert Adventures

-13. Boxing Stories, a University of Nebraska Press collection featuring the tales of Steve Costigan