Swords of the Steppes

Harold Lamb's stories just do not get old. After reading the first three Cossack collections in a row, I thought I'd leave the fourth one for a little later... but somehow I just had to start reading at least the first story. And then the second. And then the third... all the way to the end. I don't know how he did it. Lamb had a great gift for setting up a scene and defining characters in a few words (something that is probably easier since his Cossack heroes are pretty much all cut from the same cloth), and then proceeding with a fast-paced adventure. He also seems never to repeat himself overmuch even though the basics of his tales usually differ very little. No need to fear Cossack fatigue... If you loved the first three books, this final volume will be just as enjoyable.

Well worth getting even though Khlit only appears in one story in this final collection of Lamb's remaining Cossack stories. They might not be among Lamb's prime material but he still manages to write an exciting tale that not only entertains the reader but educates him as well. It's no wonder that Lamb was Robert E. Howard's favorite writer.