Bran Mak Morn: The Last King

Amazing. The 7 stories of this collection create an epic history of the Picts (a race I'd never heard of before this book). Only a few actually feature Bran Mak Morn, but he is usually mentioned. Reaching the final pages of the Children of the Night was chilling, as you see how far the influence of him and his race had gone, despite having finally fallen.

"The Worms of the Earth" is one of Howard's best stories, and is rightly the centerpiece of this volume. The rest of the Bran stories don't really live up to it, but they're mostly interesting enough both as historical context to Howard's creative process and as stories themselves. Unlike the Conan collections or the Horror Stories collection, this isn't one I really feel the need to pick up again after reading once.

Having never read Conan stories I decided to take a look at the works of a man considered to be a master storyteller and a writer that has triggered entire heroic-epic-fantasy concept (exaggeration perhaps but after reading this book I can say that he is very very good storyteller and writer). I took this book because everyone said that Howard was obsessed with Picts and that his stories about them were the best.[return][return]This one is a story of an ancient race, one that has ruled entire Europe during the stone age but after being driven away by more advanced (and aggressive) races is now left in state of complete savagery - they have even degraded both mentally and physically. Bran is the last king of these people, man whose show more ancestors have kept their bloodline pure [as author would say] (meaning they haven't mixed with other races) - he is truly the last of his/their kind. He tries to civilize his people and unite them again - but at the end when he falls in battle they return to their savage ways.[return][return]Sad story about the man giving his best to save his nation although he knows he will not succeed in that endeavor.[return][return]Great book, read it. I am aiming now to read other Howard's books :) show less

Having never read Conan stories I decided to take a look at the works of a man considered to be a master storyteller and a writer that has triggered entire heroic-epic-fantasy concept (exaggeration perhaps but after reading this book I can say that he is very very good storyteller and writer). I took this book because everyone said that Howard was obsessed with Picts and that his stories about them were the best.

This one is a story of an ancient race, one that has ruled entire Europe during the stone age but after being driven away by more advanced (and aggressive) races is now left in state of complete savagery - they have even degraded both mentally and physically. Bran is the last king of these people, man whose ancestors have kept show more their bloodline pure [as author would say] (meaning they haven't mixed with other races) - he is truly the last of his/their kind. He tries to civilize his people and unite them again - but at the end when he falls in battle they return to their savage ways.

Sad story about the man giving his best to save his nation although he knows he will not succeed in that endeavor.

Great book, read it. I am aiming now to read other Howard's books :) show less

This collection contains some of REH's best work, including "Kings of the Night," "The Dark Man," and "Worms of the Earth" (and includes an early draft of the latter tale). I like the overall themes of the Bran Mak Morn tales, especially the intention of a man to hold back the tide of time from crushing his people, knowing the futility of the task but bending to it regardless.

“Bran Mak Morn” is a collection of stories that pretty much repeat one another. Many ramble on about fictitious histories and have little actual *story* to offer.

I’m a big fan of Robert E. Howard, but was only mildly impressed by this bunch of short tales.

The imagery and battle scenes are of the highest calibre, but the lengthy recounting of histories about various races doesn’t make for entertaining reading.

Having never read Conan stories I decided to take a look at the works of a man considered to be a master storyteller and a writer that has triggered entire heroic-epic-fantasy concept (exaggeration perhaps but after reading this book I can say that he is very very good storyteller and writer). I took this book because everyone said that Howard was obsessed with Picts and that his stories about them were the best.

This one is a story of an ancient race, one that has ruled entire Europe during the stone age but after being driven away by more advanced (and aggressive) races is now left in state of complete savagery - they have even degraded both mentally and physically. Bran is the last king of these people, man whose ancestors have kept show more their bloodline pure [as author would say] (meaning they haven't mixed with other races) - he is truly the last of his/their kind. He tries to civilize his people and unite them again - but at the end when he falls in battle they return to their savage ways.

Sad story about the man giving his best to save his nation although he knows he will not succeed in that endeavor.

Great book, read it. I am aiming now to read other Howard's books :) show less