Robert Ervin Howard (1906–1936) was an American author, hailed as one of the pioneers of the sword and sorcery genre, which he helped define with his creation of the character Conan the Barbarian. Born in Peaster, Texas, Howard spent most of his life in the town of Cross Plains, driven by a prolific compulsion to write. His work is characterized by a visceral energy, often delving into the mythical and fantastic, with themes of heroism, destiny, and the eternal struggle against the dark aspects of human nature and the supernatural. His writing style was marked by a poetic and oftentimes archaic prose, which imbued his stories with a timeless and atmospheric quality. Howard's life was one of fervent creativity, producing a vast quantity of stories for pulp magazines of the 1920s and 1930s, such as 'Weird Tales.' Notable among these is 'Red Shadows,' featuring Solomon Kane, a somber and driven Puritan adventurer, which is a testament to his ability to craft memorable characters imbued with depth and intensity. Tragically, Howard's life came to an early end by his own hand at the age of 30. However, his influence endures, with his work sparking the imaginations of countless readers and writers, and laying the groundwork for much of modern fantasy literature. His literary legacy continues to be celebrated by fans and scholars alike.