Red Sonja: When Hell Laughs by Smith, David C. (With Richard L. Tierney.) (Cover illustration by Boris Vallejo.)

Ace [0-441-71158-8] 1982, 1st edition. (Mass market paperback original) Very good. ... Previous owner's bookplate, reading crease. ... She lived in a savage world in an uncivilized age-a wovid ruled by man and governed by the sword. They called her Red Sonja - for her flame-red hair, for the smouldering fire of her pride which gave her sword arm a strength few men could match and none had ever defeated. In the very land where Conan the Cimmerian wields his powerful blade, this beautiful and deadly warrior-maid battles dark sorceries.. .and her owe dark soul. On the prison Isle of Os Harku, where the sweepings of Aquilonian society are thrown-traitors, murderers, thieves, and those whose crimes are too terrible to name-a dark force lies entrapped that feeds on the evil of the men around it An ancient demon, the life force of one of Hell's own, it snares Athu, a vena! Shemite sorcerer, and drives him to attempt escape from the Isle, and to quest for the entrance to Hell. With the aid of a sorcerous storm, the prisoners of Os Haiku take a ship, and make their escape. But on that ship is the flame-haired woman warrior, the only Aquilonian brave enough, or bitter enough, to try to stand between a demon and the gates of Hell. ... Cover illustration by Boris Vallejo. ... (Fantasy).