The Savage World of Robert E. Howard Quiz

Answer: Robert the Bruce

Robert Ervin Howard was the only child of Isaac Mordecai and Hester Jane (Ervin) Howard. The Ervins were a Scottish Highland clan who dated back to the time of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Because his ancesters were granted favors by the Bruce, it became a tradition in the family that a male child in every generation be named Robert.

Answer: Texas

Although born in Peaster, TX, the acknowledged hometown is in Cross Plains.

Answer: All of these

A black cook, Mary Bohannon, delighted Robert with numerous stories of her race, but he was terrified by the Gaelic tales told by his Irish grandmother. He also wrote of his experience with long, narrative dreams in which he was never civilized, but always a barbarian.

Answer: Howard Payne

Howard Payne University is located in Brownwood, TX, where Howard is buried. Howard's father studied medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Answer: 1925

'Weird Tales', established in 1923, bought three stories from Howard while he was in college...'Spear and Fang', 'The Hyena' and 'The Lost Race'.

Answer: Cimmeria

Conan of Cimmeria was actually a literary descendant of the Conan (or Conaire) from the Fenian (Ossianic) Irish stories as told to him by his grandmother. There was also a rumor that Howard was, in fact, descended from this semi-mythical hero. Regardless, popularity in this series prompted Howard to eventually drop his other series characters.

Answer: Weird Tales

The pulp magazine 'Weird Tales' published most of the Conan stories, from 'The Tower of the Elephant' (Dec. 1932) to the five-part series 'The Hour of the Dragon' (Dec. 1935).

Answer: Hyborean

Howard described the Hyborean Age in his 'Nemedian Cronicles', 'between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis...there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars'.

Answer: Red Sonja

Chronologically, Conan first became the paramour of pirate leader Belit (chronicled in 'The Queen of the Black Coast'). After her death, he trekked south with Valeria to the lost city of Xuchotl ('Red Nails'). Conan eventually marries Zenobia after he became king ('The Hour of the Dragon'). Conan had no contact with Red Sonja until the Marvel comic series, long after Howard's death.

Answer: 1

Howard's only complete novel was 'The Hour Of The Dragon', retitled as 'Conan the Conquerer' when it was released in 1950 by Gnome Press. The remainder of the works were novellas and short stories earmarked for the pulp magazines of the day.

Answer: Fu Manchu

Fu Manchu was a creation of Sax Rohmer. Besides the like-minded 'barbarian' characters Kull, Brak Mak Morn, Red Sonja, the Celtic renegade Cormac Mac Art and the Puritan mercenary Kane, other Howard characters include a seaman named Sailor Steve Costigan and a Pecos Bill-like character named Breckenridge Elkins.

Answer: Suicide

Howard had a uniquely close relationship with his mother. The year before, she had undergone a serious operation from which she never recovered. After being advised by a nurse that his mother would never recognize him again, he shot himself. She died the next day and both were buried together.

Answer: L. Sprague de Camp

First name Lyon, de Camp, born November 6, 1907, also wrote a biography of Howard and worked with Lin Carter in reviving the 'Conan' series. deCamp died on November 6, 2000 in Plano, TX.

Answer: Marvel

Marvel publisher Stan Lee made arrangements in 1970 to begin the 'Conan' series with Roy Thomas as writer and editor and fantasy artist Barry Winsor-Smith as artist. The popularity of the comics were instrumental in bringing about two 'Conan' movies with Arnold Schwartznegger, 'Red Sonja' with Brigitte Nielsen in 1985 and 'Kull the Conquerer' with Kevin Sorbo in 1997.

Answer: The Whole Wide World

Based on the book by Novalyne Price Ellis, this romantic film depicts her relationship with Howard up until his death. The film starred Vincent D'Onofrio as Robert and Renee Zellweger as Novalyne.