Reading the High Crusade by Anderson

francisca · Post by **francisca** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:22 pm

Another factor influencing the writers of yester-year: most were trying to sell to the pulps. When you are constrained to 5 to 20 pages of a magazine, you need a certain economy in your story telling, which is why REH is so FUCKING. TO. THE. POINT. You know?

As for the the High Crusade, it is simply one of the funnest quick reads available.

jgbrowning · Post by **jgbrowning** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 7:09 am

I picked up The High Crusade from the library yesterday under such recommendations.

joe b.

Cimmerian · Post by **Cimmerian** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:54 am

I would just like to throw Poul Anderson's "The Armies of Elfland" in the mix for a couple of excellent short stories in this book that are also good reads for a DnD player.

I agree with Palmer that Anderson is under-rated. He's fantastic.

I am re-reading REH stories and am more watchful from the gaming side of things and am impressed at how much can be gleened for your game.

A rope made of the hair from dead women that is light and strong? Curious item especially when the town guard notices it.

In "Beyond the Black River," Conan oils his chainmail for silence in pict territory.

List goes on....

rogatny · Post by **rogatny** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:50 am

Just started reading Anderson's "The Merman's Children."

T. Foster · Post by **T. Foster** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:54 am

rogatny wrote:Just started reading Anderson's "The Merman's Children."

Interesting book. Definitely flawed, but with some fascinating ideas floating around in there.

Post by **Falconer** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 1:11 pm

I loved, loved, loved all three Anderson books that Gygax lists in the Appendix. So I picked up Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, The Merman’s Children, Rogue Sword, and A Midsummer Tempest (basically whatever I found in used bookstores that looked fantasy or historical). I read one or two of them and found them dull. I guess Gygax knew what he was talking about.