Title: Bad on many levels
Product review: This is a re-issue of one of Howard's earliest paperback books, and should have been clearly indicated as such before readers pay the very high hardback price. A cheat on that level, and a really bad book besides. While I vastly prefer Howard's older style of writing, she hadn't yet put together her signature elements of alpha male/woman who softens him in any believable or even enjoyable way. These characters are cringe-worthy: the "hero" is arrogant, obnoxious, mean and dated in style, verging on sadistic. The heroine is just too cutesy and wide-eyed innocent to be either engaging or even likeable. The two together strain credulity and the outdated plot makes it worse.This is a book that should have been left decently buried as a weak effort in Howard's evolution, not put before the current buying public in hopes that they won't notice it's old and shell out a price that is 4 or 5 times what the book originally cost. Don't be fooled.
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