Arthur Conan Doyle: Classic Author Admired by REH

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Many only think of Arthur Conan Doyle as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, which is very far from the truth. He, along with Verne, created the archetype of the scientist-adventurer. His tales of Professor Challenger went on to influence the creation of, directly or indirectly, Doc Savage, the Fantastic Four and Dirk Pitt. His novel, The Lost World, was an obvious and admitted influence on Edgar Rice Burroughs as well as Crichton's Jurassic Park. ACD's The Maracot Deep provided the basic template for numerous Clive Cussler novels. Doyle also wrote well-regarded historical and horror tales, but everything was overshadowed by his great detective.

Robert E. Howard was a Doyle fan: 

web.archive.org/web/20060102063028/http://www.rehupa.com/bookshelf_d.htm#Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan (1859-1930).

As we can see, REH read a very wide variety of Doyle's work, from Holmes to Challenger to supernatural tales like The Voyage of the 'Pole Star'. Several people (including Patrice Louinet, Al Harron and myself) have pointed out possible ACD influences on Howard. Author Charles Rutledge thinks he's spotted another story that possibly had an effect on REH when he wrote The Phoenix on the Sword.


singular--points.blogspot.com/2011/04/ring-of-thoth-amon.html

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REH was a big fan of Doyle's The White Company. He especially liked the character, Samkin Aylward. Here's an NC Wyeth painting of Samkin getting reading to drop the hammer on some poor lout.







"Like Samkin Aylward, I warm to a man with the bitter drop in him." -- Robert E. Howard, 1932

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An excellent write-up on Doyle's Professor Challenger:


www.kirkusreviews.com/features/exploring-lost-worlds-arthur-conan-doyles-professo/

The good professor and his adventures would go on to inspire authors like Lester Dent and Michael Crichton, along with characters such as Reed Richards and Indiana Jones.

Doyle as Challenger:

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The BBC did an excellent job in this abridged audio presentation of The Lost World:

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Movie tie-in cover from 1960:

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An excellent overview of Doyle's horror, fantasy and scifi:


andrewdarlington.blogspot.com/2014/11/arthur-conan-doyle-his-science-fiction.html

[KiramidHead]

I love Holmes, but I'll admit I never finished the complete set of stories. I got partway into Casebook and lost interest. I remember loving The Lost World, even if it's been over 15 years since I read it.

I had the Puffin Classics edition. I loved that set of books when I was younger, but I don't have many of them anymore:

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Doyle would be 158 years old today. A good biography by the BBC:

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It was hard to choose where to post this, but the article made me immediately think of Doyle's mysterious "Giant Rat of Sumatra";

newsdesk.si.edu/releases/new-species-giant-rat-discovered-volcano-crater


A good article on the giant rats of Indonesia and pastiches based on Doyle's cryptic reference:


karlshuker.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-giant-rat-of-sumatra-zoological.html

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Steranko from 1975...

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"The Captain of the Pole Star" is an excellent weird tale from Doyle.  IMO, it may have influenced REH. We know Howard owned the tale in an ACD story collection.
Arthur Conan Doyle.com has a thorough entry here:

www.arthur-conan-doyle.com/index.php?title=The_Captain_of_the_%22Pole-Star%22

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Great collections of ACD's non-Sherlockian tales from Alma Classics and Leonaur:


www.blackgate.com/2017/10/21/ghosts-strange-science-and-trains-that-vanish-the-tales-of-arthur-conan-doyle/ 

[emerald]

Oct 23, 2017 23:56:27 GMT -5 deuce said:

Great collections of ACD's non-Sherlockian tales from Alma Classics and Leonaur:


www.blackgate.com/2017/10/21/ghosts-strange-science-and-trains-that-vanish-the-tales-of-arthur-conan-doyle/ 

Doyle's macabre stories are surprisingly strong even by modern standards.  Check a couple out for Halloween!

Michael Dirda's blurb on the cover of Tales of Long Ago is mighty, and True.
Gotta appreciate Dirda, a Pulitzer-winner who'll stand up and write fiery endorsements of REH and CAS, among many others.    

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How the Sons of Doyle clashed with "Ellery Queen":

www.blackgate.com/2014/10/20/the-public-life-of-sherlock-holmes-ellery-queens-misadventures-of-sh/

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Awesome Robert McGinnis poster...