The Devil in Iron

Originally appeared in Weird Tales, August 1934. No changes have been made for this edition.

The Phoenix on the Sword (first submitted draft)

420.

Howard completed three drafts of The Phoenix on the Sword before he was satisfied with it.

This third version ran 28 pages and was submitted to Weird Tales in early March 1932. A few days later, the editor, Farnsworth Wright, asked for some rewriting before accepting the tale: "I hope you will see your way clear to touch it up and resubmit it. It is the first two chapters that do not click. The story opens rather uninterestingly, it seems to me, and the reader has difficulty in orienting himself. The first chapter ends well, and the second chapter begins superbly; but after King Conan's personality is well established, the chapter sags from too much writing. I think the very last page of the whole story might be re-written with advantage; because it seems a little weak after the stupendous events that precede it." Howard followed Wright's suggestions to the word, rewriting only the first two chapters and the beginning of the third, totaling 13 pages, and the last two pages of his story. Since Wright had no objection to pages 14 to 26, Howard simply resent them with the new ones. The 15 rejected pages most of which have Wright's editorial markings on them were relegated to Howard's archives. The text presented in this edition is thus comprised of Howard's first thirteen rejected pages (ending with the word "only," page 362, line 37), followed by the Weird Tales text up to page 372, line

31. Line 32 onward are taken from Howard's draft. Weird Tales' "Thoth-Amon" has been replaced with Howard's "Thoth-amon" and Howard's "AEsir" with "aesir." 353.4.15: no comma after "fat"; 353.5.7: petulent; 353.10.5: unconciously; 353.14.16: petulently; 353.37.1: no comma after "I"; 353.37.13: covenented; 354.4.1: no period after "giant" (typed to right edge of paper); 354.8.2: fade; 354.14.5: Seneschal; 354.36.5: "pala ce"; 354.40.13: string (typed to right edge of paper); 355.17.13: every; 356.7.1: stubborness; 356.16.7: villian;

356.18.5: no punctuation after "him" (typed to right edge of paper); 356.32.4: your's; 357.1.6: "an swered"; 357.19.17: procede; 357.20.14: Dont; 359.12.14: its; 360.12.2: Its; 360.30.7: vainess; 361.3.5: meaninglesness; 361.13.5: concious; 361.14.7: sylus; 372.35.8: it; 373.24.15: knee (typed to right edge of paper); 373.29.10: "sword" followed by a period instead of a question mark.

Notes on Various Peoples of the Hyborian Age.

Text taken from Howard's original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

The Hyborian Age

Originally appeared in The Hyborian Age, Lany Corp, 1938. The booklet's "AEsir" has been rendered as "aesir" throughout. 382.25.1: ThePicts; 384.26.8: impetous; 384.39.7: impetuous;

385.4.4: this; 385.26.3: Thr; 386.13.4: nothern; 386.36.3: "inter-married" hyphenated at line- break; 388.18.3: subjuction; 389.32.7: an; 390.19.6: "war-path" hyphenated at line break;

391.1.5: agression; 392.14.9: seem; 392.16.6: auxilaries; 393.8.4: mutined; 393.14.1: inexhaustable; 394.34.2. in; 397.13.5: "or" not in original; 397.26.2: primitives; 398.04.1: "pure blooded."

421.

Unt.i.tled synopsis (A squad of Zamorian soldiers...)

Text taken from Howard's original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

Unt.i.tled synopsis (The Scarlet Citadel)

Text taken from Howard's original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

Unt.i.tled synopsis (Black Colossus)

Text taken from Howard's original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

Unt.i.tled fragment (The battlefield stretched silent...)

Text taken from Howard's original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

Unt.i.tled synopsis (The setting: The city of Shumballa...)

Text taken from Howard's original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

Unt.i.tled fragment (Amboola awakened slowly...

Text taken from Howard's original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been422.

made for this edition.

List of Hyborian Names and Countries

Doc.u.ment provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

423.

For encouragement and material support, my thanks to Jim Keegan, David Burton, Valentyna Shemchuk, Jack and Barbara Baum, Steve Kammer, Al Williamson, Judith Hope Hansen, and my father, Joseph H. Schultz. Thanks to Gary Gianni for setting the bar high.Thanks as always to Denise for keeping the home fires burning; I love you. Special thanks to Marcelo Anciano and Michael and Paul Berrow for the opportunity, and for their patience.

Mark Schultz

I would like to thank Rusty Burke for offering me the opportunity to realize a dream and Marcelo Anciano for making it come true; Glenn Lord, for fifteen years of understanding and cooperation, and for being the gentleman he is; Stuart Williams for his technical wizardry and efficiency above and beyond the call of duty; David Gentzel for his help and dedication; Francois Truchaud, who started it all for me; and especially Valerie, for understanding what this project meant to me and for her very un-Cimmerian patience during all those months.

Patrice Louinet

Thanks to Charlie Williams for introducing me to Conan, all those years ago; to Jim Myers for getting my collection off to a good start; to the members of the Robert E. Howard United Press a.s.sociation who have encouraged, inspired and enlightened me; to Glenn Lord, for his many years of championing REH and specifically for his support of this project; to Patrice Louinet, for his labors on this book and for his friendship; to Marcelo, Paul, Michael, Stuart, David, Jim and the rest of the Wandering Star crew for making things happen; and as always, to Sh.e.l.ly, with love.

Rusty Burke

I would like to thank Marcelo, Patrice and Rusty for being a pleasure to work with and Mark for making Conan and his world look real and believable. Thanks also to Mandy for trying not to glaze over when I talk about REH, Fishburn Hedges for kindly allowing me to use their design studio after hours and at weekends and, finally, to my old mate and fellow Howard enthusiast, Mike Rollins: Hey, Mike! Look! Your name's in a Conan book!

Stuart Williams

424.

I would like to dedicate the creation of this book to Glenn Lord. Thank you.

Marcelo Anciano

425.

PRAISE FOR ROBERT E. HOWARD.

"I adore these books. Howard had a gritty, vibrant style-broadsword writing that cut its way to the heart, with heroes who are truly larger than life. I heartily recommend them to anyone who loves fantasy."

-DAVID GEMMELL.

Author of Legend and White Wolf

"The voice of Robert E. Howard still resonates after decades with readers-equal parts ringing steel, thunderous horse hooves, and spattered blood. Far from being a stereotype, his creation of Conan is the high heroic adventurer. His raw muscle and sinews, boiling temper, and l.u.s.ty laughs are the gauge by which all modern heroes must be measured."

-ERIC NYLUND.

Author of Halo: The Fall of Reach and Signal to Noise

"That teller of marvelous tales, Robert Howard, did indeed create a giant [Conan] in whose shadow other 'hero tales' must stand."

-JOHN JAKES.