The How of the Dragon is a violent, gory book. Although it has few of the sexual overtones typical of much of Howard's work, the crunching of skulls and slicing of limbs may be a source of concern for readers. Indeed, the explicit violence may make the novel seem more appropriate for an adult audience. However, the novel's primary audience has always been young adults, who seem to seek it out. For most young readers, the bloody combats are unlikely to be viewed as anything more than conclusions to scenes that are primarily attractive for their eeriness and suspense. Even so, concerned adults may wish to make sure that impressionable young readers understand that the violence is a convention of the sword-and-sorcery genre of fantasy stories and is not to be emulated in the modern world.

Of greater concern should be the frightfulness of the novel...