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Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer #2
Lords of Destruction
Only Robin Lakehair's innocent touch can free Gath of Baal from the murderous power of the Death Dealer. When an evil queen summons demons to kill Robin, Gath must don the Horned Helmet again and confront primordial evil to ensure his own freedom. Based on Frazetta's most famous painting.
342 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 2, 2018
Loved this novel. If you're craving some good old Sword and Sorcery look no further. This series is a blast of fast-paced fun.
March 2, 2021
The Death Dealer was kind of a big part of my childhood. I did not know who Frank Frazetta was, but my brothers had these books that looked really cool, and Scott even bought a pewter figure of the Death Dealer from our local gaming store in Mesa, “The Roaming Panther”.
I was too young to read the books (for more than one reason), but my brother Matt would tell me stories from the books as though they were legends being passed down from one generation to the next. I eventually did read them in my teenage years (and wow, they really aren’t appropriate for a teenager either) and enjoyed them, and decided to revisit them recently to see if I could find something to get my reading mojo back.
ADVISORY WARNING: This book is definitely for adults. There’s violence, gore, and sex. The only thing there isn’t is harsh language, and that’s because it’s a bunch of fantasy characters saying things like “By Bled, I did not think you would return!”
SUMMARY
About a year after the first book, the barbarian known as Gath of Baal has set out on a quest to destroy the Master of Death (who is not a mortal to be fought, but a deity of evil). He hopes that by so doing, he can attain control over the cursed horned helmet that he possesses. Though the artifact grants him incredible strength and endurance, it also tries to control his actions and seduce him to the forces of darkness.
He soon learns that the Master of Death’s high priestess, Tiyy (also known as the Nymph Queen), is now seeking to capture Robin Lakehair, the innocent young woman who alone has the power to remove the helmet from Gath’s head. Gath, Robin, Cobra (Gath’s enemy from the previous book), and a young nobleman named Jakar are gathered together by Brown John, the master entertainer who also serves as king of the barbarian tribes during times of turmoil. Their quest is to travel to Tiyy’s fortress, Pyram, and steal the sacred jewels that give her power.
They are unaware that Tiyy has champions of her own- unholy “Lords of Destruction” powered by the greatest magic evil can supply- and set upon the task of destroying the party and delivering Robin to the Nymph Queen.
OVERALL: 3 out of 5
This book is satisfactory for what it does, but the real fault here is in the lost potential. I love the artwork of Frank Frazetta, and Silke has some truly original ideas in the world-building, even if most of the characters are stereotypes to be seen elsewhere in fantasy fiction.
I am certainly biased as well. Growing up, I knew of the battle between Gath of Baal and Lord Baskt long before I read the book, and his flying fight with Lord Menefret was the stuff of my dreams. The execution did not let me down much as a teenager, and most of the action is still well done, but my strongest sense in having finished the book again at the age of 41 is just... underwhelming.
It does not help that I learned something since my teenage years; James Silke has some movie writing credits to his name, and they aren’t great- “Revenge of the Ninja”, “The Barbarians”, and “American Ninja” are all on there. Sure these were all fodder for my childhood, but they’re also incredibly cheesy. It is now difficult not to see his writing through that lens; on one hand the books are an example of what he might have accomplished with a bigger budget. On the other hand, a lot of that cheese is still here, I just did not recognize it in my younger days because it wasn’t on a stage under bright lights.
I don’t mean to knock it too much; the book reads fast and has some great parts, but it just doesn’t do much for me anymore either. I’ll probably still read the third and fourth books soon, if only for the trip down memory lane.
RATINGS BY CATEGORY
CHARACTERS: 3 out of 5
I’ve been familiar with these characters for so long that it’s hard for me to think of them objectively, but I thought long and hard on this one.
Most of the players are one-dimensional for the most part, but a few do have something a little extra, it just doesn’t get much space on the page.
Gath, for example, is a brutish lout whether he is wearing the helmet or not. He seemingly lives for bloodshed, challenging himself constantly to survive and succeed in any given situation. He is remote to his friends, and brutal toward his enemies. However, a different view of the character can be seen in two specific scenes. The first is when he reunited with Robin Lakehair. It is not a romance they have, but more of a brother-sister relationship in which he is fiercely protective of her (at least when the helmet is not pushing him towards rape and violence). Despite this, he makes it clear that he wishes to be rid of his obligations toward her because his own pride rebels at the idea that he could ever be dependent on anyone. The second scene is near the end, concerning his dealing with Cobra, who had once been his enemy, and I won’t spoil that one for anyone.
The character who really shines and goes through a number of different moods and emotions is that of Brown John. Though merely the leader of traveling entertainers, his commitment to the safety and welfare of all the barbarian people is apparent. He is typically devil-may-care and jovial despite his age, but at other times he is uncertain, scared, and angry. He never loses his strength of character though, and it’s for this reason that I think he’s really the main character of at least the first two books.
Incidentally, I have never liked Brown John until I began to imagine Anthony Hopkins in the role. He started to grow on me once that bit of imaginary casting was in place.
PACE: 4 out of 5
This isn’t a short book, but it moves fast. The chapters are typically short (some of them only lasting a page), and the viewpoint character usually (but not always) changes from scene to scene.
STORY: 3 out of 5
The quest, as it stands, is a bit generic. Good, helpless girl hunted by forces of evil; go on long journey; face many perils; break into fortress; save the day. There’s nothing special there, but there is some quality in the details.
Of first note is Lord Baskt, the first Lord of Destruction to appear (and is really the only Lord of Destruction for about half of the book). It’s not that his character is great, but that his design seems original (at least for the time). A great white shark transmuted into human form, he’s a worthy adversary of the Death Dealer. Other story bits that fill out the history, culture, and mythology of the fantasy world are given without much explanation. Tiyy’s forces are all apparently animals given human-like form (it’s implied Tiyy herself might originally be a feline of some kind), and the larger conflict occurring behind the scenes appears to be an age-old war between the White Veshta, the goddess of light who has been imprisoned, and her rival, the evil, libidinous Black Veshta. The characters of the story are the chess pieces of these two forces at play, though this is only apparent between the lines.
DIALOGUE: 3 out of 5
The dialogue is generally fine, though the women tend to get really corny, really fast. Robin is the ultimate in female innocence and beauty, while Cobra is the carnal, sensuous, and formerly evil woman who is redeemed only through the loss of her powers and dependence on others for help. Gath tends to communicate in single words, while Brown John is given to grandiose speeches. Jakar calls Robin “fluff” over and over again, which really started to grate my nerves.
STYLE/TECHNICAL: 2 out of 5
Silke uses several viewpoint characters and short chapters to great effect. This is undermined by some bizarre metaphors and similes, as well as the continued representation of the female characters. It’s not that I expect every woman to be a strong, fierce, axe-wielding symbol of feminine might, but that the narration tends to draw attention to their weakness, vulnerability, daintiness, and so forth. Maybe those ideals suit the kind of women Frank Frazetta liked to paint, but it gets a little old (and would probably be mighty insulting to some people by today’s standards, though I try to always judge a book by the period it was written in).
Other bits just made me groan, such as this gem: “-the sensual satisfaction on her face was that of the bitch cat who has mated with the lion.”
First off, a female cat is not a “bitch” by any definition, and yeah, there’s a lot of that sort of narration here that makes you squirm a bit when you read it.
I was too young to read the books (for more than one reason), but my brother Matt would tell me stories from the books as though they were legends being passed down from one generation to the next. I eventually did read them in my teenage years (and wow, they really aren’t appropriate for a teenager either) and enjoyed them, and decided to revisit them recently to see if I could find something to get my reading mojo back.
ADVISORY WARNING: This book is definitely for adults. There’s violence, gore, and sex. The only thing there isn’t is harsh language, and that’s because it’s a bunch of fantasy characters saying things like “By Bled, I did not think you would return!”
SUMMARY
About a year after the first book, the barbarian known as Gath of Baal has set out on a quest to destroy the Master of Death (who is not a mortal to be fought, but a deity of evil). He hopes that by so doing, he can attain control over the cursed horned helmet that he possesses. Though the artifact grants him incredible strength and endurance, it also tries to control his actions and seduce him to the forces of darkness.
He soon learns that the Master of Death’s high priestess, Tiyy (also known as the Nymph Queen), is now seeking to capture Robin Lakehair, the innocent young woman who alone has the power to remove the helmet from Gath’s head. Gath, Robin, Cobra (Gath’s enemy from the previous book), and a young nobleman named Jakar are gathered together by Brown John, the master entertainer who also serves as king of the barbarian tribes during times of turmoil. Their quest is to travel to Tiyy’s fortress, Pyram, and steal the sacred jewels that give her power.
They are unaware that Tiyy has champions of her own- unholy “Lords of Destruction” powered by the greatest magic evil can supply- and set upon the task of destroying the party and delivering Robin to the Nymph Queen.
OVERALL: 3 out of 5
This book is satisfactory for what it does, but the real fault here is in the lost potential. I love the artwork of Frank Frazetta, and Silke has some truly original ideas in the world-building, even if most of the characters are stereotypes to be seen elsewhere in fantasy fiction.
I am certainly biased as well. Growing up, I knew of the battle between Gath of Baal and Lord Baskt long before I read the book, and his flying fight with Lord Menefret was the stuff of my dreams. The execution did not let me down much as a teenager, and most of the action is still well done, but my strongest sense in having finished the book again at the age of 41 is just... underwhelming.
It does not help that I learned something since my teenage years; James Silke has some movie writing credits to his name, and they aren’t great- “Revenge of the Ninja”, “The Barbarians”, and “American Ninja” are all on there. Sure these were all fodder for my childhood, but they’re also incredibly cheesy. It is now difficult not to see his writing through that lens; on one hand the books are an example of what he might have accomplished with a bigger budget. On the other hand, a lot of that cheese is still here, I just did not recognize it in my younger days because it wasn’t on a stage under bright lights.
I don’t mean to knock it too much; the book reads fast and has some great parts, but it just doesn’t do much for me anymore either. I’ll probably still read the third and fourth books soon, if only for the trip down memory lane.
RATINGS BY CATEGORY
CHARACTERS: 3 out of 5
I’ve been familiar with these characters for so long that it’s hard for me to think of them objectively, but I thought long and hard on this one.
Most of the players are one-dimensional for the most part, but a few do have something a little extra, it just doesn’t get much space on the page.
Gath, for example, is a brutish lout whether he is wearing the helmet or not. He seemingly lives for bloodshed, challenging himself constantly to survive and succeed in any given situation. He is remote to his friends, and brutal toward his enemies. However, a different view of the character can be seen in two specific scenes. The first is when he reunited with Robin Lakehair. It is not a romance they have, but more of a brother-sister relationship in which he is fiercely protective of her (at least when the helmet is not pushing him towards rape and violence). Despite this, he makes it clear that he wishes to be rid of his obligations toward her because his own pride rebels at the idea that he could ever be dependent on anyone. The second scene is near the end, concerning his dealing with Cobra, who had once been his enemy, and I won’t spoil that one for anyone.
The character who really shines and goes through a number of different moods and emotions is that of Brown John. Though merely the leader of traveling entertainers, his commitment to the safety and welfare of all the barbarian people is apparent. He is typically devil-may-care and jovial despite his age, but at other times he is uncertain, scared, and angry. He never loses his strength of character though, and it’s for this reason that I think he’s really the main character of at least the first two books.
Incidentally, I have never liked Brown John until I began to imagine Anthony Hopkins in the role. He started to grow on me once that bit of imaginary casting was in place.
PACE: 4 out of 5
This isn’t a short book, but it moves fast. The chapters are typically short (some of them only lasting a page), and the viewpoint character usually (but not always) changes from scene to scene.
STORY: 3 out of 5
The quest, as it stands, is a bit generic. Good, helpless girl hunted by forces of evil; go on long journey; face many perils; break into fortress; save the day. There’s nothing special there, but there is some quality in the details.
Of first note is Lord Baskt, the first Lord of Destruction to appear (and is really the only Lord of Destruction for about half of the book). It’s not that his character is great, but that his design seems original (at least for the time). A great white shark transmuted into human form, he’s a worthy adversary of the Death Dealer. Other story bits that fill out the history, culture, and mythology of the fantasy world are given without much explanation. Tiyy’s forces are all apparently animals given human-like form (it’s implied Tiyy herself might originally be a feline of some kind), and the larger conflict occurring behind the scenes appears to be an age-old war between the White Veshta, the goddess of light who has been imprisoned, and her rival, the evil, libidinous Black Veshta. The characters of the story are the chess pieces of these two forces at play, though this is only apparent between the lines.
DIALOGUE: 3 out of 5
The dialogue is generally fine, though the women tend to get really corny, really fast. Robin is the ultimate in female innocence and beauty, while Cobra is the carnal, sensuous, and formerly evil woman who is redeemed only through the loss of her powers and dependence on others for help. Gath tends to communicate in single words, while Brown John is given to grandiose speeches. Jakar calls Robin “fluff” over and over again, which really started to grate my nerves.
STYLE/TECHNICAL: 2 out of 5
Silke uses several viewpoint characters and short chapters to great effect. This is undermined by some bizarre metaphors and similes, as well as the continued representation of the female characters. It’s not that I expect every woman to be a strong, fierce, axe-wielding symbol of feminine might, but that the narration tends to draw attention to their weakness, vulnerability, daintiness, and so forth. Maybe those ideals suit the kind of women Frank Frazetta liked to paint, but it gets a little old (and would probably be mighty insulting to some people by today’s standards, though I try to always judge a book by the period it was written in).
Other bits just made me groan, such as this gem: “-the sensual satisfaction on her face was that of the bitch cat who has mated with the lion.”
First off, a female cat is not a “bitch” by any definition, and yeah, there’s a lot of that sort of narration here that makes you squirm a bit when you read it.
July 9, 2015
There isn't usually a lot of originality or innovation in the barbarian genre, so I was pleasantly surprised by this. The helmet gives Gath an interesting dimension, and none of the other characters seem flat, even if they are the usual type of characters you see in these stories. The writing was quite nice, and I really enjoyed the fights. The lead up to the fight between Baskt and Gath was well done, though I would have liked more building up to the fight between Gath and the Lord of Night. I particularly enjoyed the character of Brown John, whose age and stage background made him fun to read. The only major complaint I have is the swiftness of Menefret's introduction and fight, and the constant descriptions of Robin and Cobra's beauty and voluptuousness. I get it, they're gorgeous and all, but I doubt that's changed much in the last ten pages. Still, my complaints are small ones, and I found myself liking this one.
Read
September 24, 2024This second book in the series offers more of the same sword and sorcery adventure as the first, but focuses more on the supporting cast than the main character of Gath the Barbarian. For a novel about a loner warrior wearing a demonic helmet that makes him an unstoppable killing machine, this story does take its time fleshing out the other characters and giving them at least some emotional depth.
January 19, 2022
Sequel to The Prisoner of the Horned Helmet. 4 book series based on Frank Frazetta’s painting of the Death Dealer. Gath put on the cursed Horned Helmet and only Robin can remove it. Tivvy, the Nymph Queen seeks godlike powers by killing Robin and only Gath stands between them. Great sword and sorcery series I think rivals that of Conan stories.
August 16, 2017
Once again a solid outing.
The Lords of Destruction, interesting opponents.
Not what you may expect. Not normal human rivals.
Will not spoil after that.
Blood, battle, magic, and mayhem.
Again fans of Conan should check this series out.
The Lords of Destruction, interesting opponents.
Not what you may expect. Not normal human rivals.
Will not spoil after that.
Blood, battle, magic, and mayhem.
Again fans of Conan should check this series out.
February 16, 2021
Very much of its time, and not particularly great. Not terrible, though. Not the worst DnD campaign ever played: Human Barbarian, Fighter, Bard, Cleric and Sorceress fight a few BBEGs with the help of some magical items, and true love and friendship is found along the way
January 31, 2022
Very fun and worth the final star.
Read
January 22, 20244/5 Stars
January 28, 2025
كوميكس جيد كعالم فانتازي لكن رسوم بعض الشخصيات لم يعجبني.
الثلاثاء / ٢٨ / يناير / 2025 /
طلال ص الصايل ⚔️🦾
الثلاثاء / ٢٨ / يناير / 2025 /
طلال ص الصايل ⚔️🦾
October 31, 2016
Okay, this book is either one star, or five stars. I've averaged it out to four because I enjoyed it, but you gotta be looking for this kind of book. This is number two of a series of books based on the Death Dealer painting by Frank Frazetta, which is an iconic painting of a big guy with an axe that was embraced by both the heavy metal and role-playing communities. And no one else. What I'm saying is, Silke is writing for a very specific audience here.
If you fast forward through the boring parts of Conan the Barbarian (even the good one with Ah-nuld) where they're talking and developing things like character and plot (except for the prayer to Crom of course, because that is awesome), and want a 1980s era fantasy book that's a big guy hitting other people with an axe, this is for you.
If you want anything else, this is not for you.
This is a story of a guy who hits people with an axe, and gets a helmet that makes him hit more people with an axe so much that his friends actually stage a magical intervention. That's the plot. Imagine if Joey from Friends picked up a cursed helmet and had to defend Central Perk from the forces of evil but went crazy doing it, and the rest of the gang had to help him get rid of the helmet before he killed everybody.
There are lines like "Inside the cage was a throne large enough to seat a pair of well endowed elephants." (page 248). There is a lot of describing of breasts: "Her dark cheeks had turned hot under their orchid rouge, and her erect breasts looked suddenly untamed, as if a man would be smart to find a whip and stick before getting in bed with them." (also page 248, just a few sentences later, see http://shitbookssay.tumblr.com/tagged... for more). It would not be unfair to say that the characterization of most women in this book is mostly done through description of their breasts.
There is also a lot of people getting hit with an axe. Occasionally someone gets shot with a crossbow. That's pretty much it. I love it, but if you're not part of this target demographic, best to let this one go.
4/5 for axes and breasts.
If you fast forward through the boring parts of Conan the Barbarian (even the good one with Ah-nuld) where they're talking and developing things like character and plot (except for the prayer to Crom of course, because that is awesome), and want a 1980s era fantasy book that's a big guy hitting other people with an axe, this is for you.
If you want anything else, this is not for you.
This is a story of a guy who hits people with an axe, and gets a helmet that makes him hit more people with an axe so much that his friends actually stage a magical intervention. That's the plot. Imagine if Joey from Friends picked up a cursed helmet and had to defend Central Perk from the forces of evil but went crazy doing it, and the rest of the gang had to help him get rid of the helmet before he killed everybody.
There are lines like "Inside the cage was a throne large enough to seat a pair of well endowed elephants." (page 248). There is a lot of describing of breasts: "Her dark cheeks had turned hot under their orchid rouge, and her erect breasts looked suddenly untamed, as if a man would be smart to find a whip and stick before getting in bed with them." (also page 248, just a few sentences later, see http://shitbookssay.tumblr.com/tagged... for more). It would not be unfair to say that the characterization of most women in this book is mostly done through description of their breasts.
There is also a lot of people getting hit with an axe. Occasionally someone gets shot with a crossbow. That's pretty much it. I love it, but if you're not part of this target demographic, best to let this one go.
4/5 for axes and breasts.
November 29, 2012
In this second book in the Death Dealer Series, Gath of Baal is once more enslaved by the power of the Horned Helmet. Only Robin Lakehair can set him free, but can she do it before the evil Nymph Queen takes control and forces Gath to kill her?
I enjoyed this book as much as the first one. Gath is an unstoppable force whether facing ordinary men or demonic shark-men and gigantic bats. The fight scenes in this book are very cool and well written. There is a little more romance in this one then there was in the first one, which was okay with me. Cobra comes off much more interesting and complex this time around, while Robin remains kind of clueless but sweet. I really like Robin's new love interest, Jakar, though Brown John remains my favorite character. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
I enjoyed this book as much as the first one. Gath is an unstoppable force whether facing ordinary men or demonic shark-men and gigantic bats. The fight scenes in this book are very cool and well written. There is a little more romance in this one then there was in the first one, which was okay with me. Cobra comes off much more interesting and complex this time around, while Robin remains kind of clueless but sweet. I really like Robin's new love interest, Jakar, though Brown John remains my favorite character. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
February 19, 2014
Dobrodružstvo pokračuje. Temná vília královná sa snaží zničiť Gatha a Červenku, aby obnovila silu stojho pána, Temného boha. Posiela proti nim rôzne monštrá - bohov skazy, avšak Gath sa ako obvykle s problémami vysporiada. Samozrejme len vďaka rohatej helme. Výprava Hnedého Jendy, Jakara, Červenky, Kobry a samozrejme Gatha putuje do centra zla - Pyramu. Pokračovanie mi už neprišlo až také chytľavé ako prvý diel. Zase tu máme barbara, ktorého nič nezastaví. Knižka je pekne ukončená a tak som zvedavý, na aké problémy narazia hrdinovia v pokračovaní.
July 28, 2010
This was second in a series of books based on Frank Frazetta's painting of Death Dealer. There are 4 in the series and all have covers featuring the Death Dealer character.
I had very high hopes for these and they didn't quite live up to what I hoped for, but that's not the author's fault. They were in general pretty good, with an intersting character and a lot of bloody good fighting.
I had very high hopes for these and they didn't quite live up to what I hoped for, but that's not the author's fault. They were in general pretty good, with an intersting character and a lot of bloody good fighting.
September 2, 2015
First clue I shouldn't have read this: bookstore guy says, "I don't think there is a book two, we've never had one in this store." I ask him to order it. It takes him twenty minutes to locate it and order it. I can't remember why I was so disgusted once I read it, but my standards were pretty low at that time. Book #1 wasn't genius, but it was fine entertainment.
June 30, 2009
Good old fashioned balls out Barbarian!!!!! AGAIN anger and the fortitude to WIN!!!!
December 14, 2012
Very good follow up from "Prisoner of the Horned Helmet". Those books are a tribute to Robert E. Howard Sword and Sorcery style of writing, as far as I am concerned.
July 9, 2014
I had hope the second book got better as the writer got into the series, but alas it did not. Still just recommended.
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October 29, 2014Not terribly exciting, but good enough that I want to read the others now!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews