Skull-face

Name: Skull-face
Author: Robert E. Howard

By Robert E. Howard

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About This Book

The narrative follows a once-respectable American reduced to a hashish slave in a Limehouse opium den who experiences a recurring vision of a living, yellowed skull-faced entity and, behind it, a strikingly beautiful woman. The dreams intersect with waking memory when the woman secretly supplies him with drugs and spares him from a brutal bouncer, drawing him back into the temple of dreams. As lucidity returns, he recognizes the skull-faced presence as a malign intelligence that has noticed him and intends to exploit him, leaving him torn between longing for the woman, horror at the apparition, and resignation to his degraded existence.

About the Author

Robert E. Howard

Robert E. Howard was an American author best known for his influential contributions to the sword and sorcery genre. He created the iconic character Conan the Barbarian, who first appeared in the story "The Phoenix on the Sword." Howard's work is characterized by its vivid imagery, fast-paced action, and a blend of fantasy and horror elements. His stories often explore themes of heroism, civilization versus barbarism, and the supernatural. Notable works include "A Witch Shall Be Born," "Queen of the Black Coast," and "Red Nails." Despite his brief career, Howard's legacy endures, inspiring countless writers and filmmakers in the fantasy genre.