Today we announce the most obscure story in Renegade Swords IV: “The Land of Lur” by Earl Leaston Bell. Bell is certainly the least-known author to appear in RS, as his output as a pulp writer consisted only of four stories: two for Amazing Stories and two for Weird Tales. Despite that, he’s certainly not a lesser talent, as “The Land of Lur” (originally published in the May, 1930 issue of Weird Tales) proves. His use of alliteration, rhyming, and arcane verbiage makes it read more like a prose poem than a traditional tale, reminding me of some of Clark Ashton Smith’s works such as “The Abominations of Yondo.”

Renegade Swords IV will be released in early September. For those of you wishing to catch up on the RS series, Renegade Swords II is currently discounted as part of DMR Books’ summer sale, as is Renegade Swords III.