Almuric

Almuric

Cover of the first edition
Author	Robert E. Howard
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Science fiction novel
Publisher	Ace Books
Publication date	1964
Media type	Print (Paperback)
Pages	157
OCLC	5821930

Almuric is a science fiction novel by Robert E. Howard. It was originally serialized in three parts in the magazine Weird Tales beginning in May 1939. The novel was first published in book form in 1964 by Ace Books.

The novel features a muscular hero known on earth as Esau Cairn, a complete misfit in modern America who "belongs in a simpler age". Exploited by a corrupt political boss which he finally kills with his bare hands, Cairn must flee. A sympathetic scientist helps him get through space to a world known as Almuric, by unspecified scientific methods. There he finds a life to which he is more fitted, battles with frightening monsters and beautiful women. Cairn becomes known as the Iron Hand due to his powerful punches and boxing skills. The novel shares similar elements with the John Carter of Mars series by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

The novel is a planetary romance which stars Esau Cairn, an Earth-man of great physical strength and prowess. The novel begins narrated by scientist Professor Hildebrand, who describes Cairn's life on Earth prior to traveling to Almuric. Cairn is described as an honorable man who was "born out of his time" in terms of his temperament and physical abilities. He attempted brief careers in college football and boxing, but had to abandon both due to severely injuring opponents due to his incredible strength. From then, he became a wanderer, seeking his place in the world but unable to find one.

After an altercation with a corrupt political official that left the official dead, Cairn became a wanted fugitive of the law. In an effort to hide Cairn from a confrontation with the law, Professor Hildebrand used an experimental teleporter to send Cairn to the planet Almuric.

Upon arriving on Almuric, Cairn battles a Gura, ape-like humanoids that inhabit the planet. Despite the Gura possessing greater physical strength, Cairn was able to defeat him using his boxing skills. After taking the Gura's sword, he then lives off the land for a long period of time, taking his already incredible physical abilities to new heights and learning to hunt and fend off the wild beasts of Almuric.

After attempting to save another Gura from an attack by a "sabretooth leopard", Cairn decides he needs human companionship and decides to seek civilization. He comes to the city of Koth and is taken prisoner by the inhabitants. There, he learns that despite the males being very hairy and ape-like, the women are have hairless bodies and are beautiful by human standards. The explanation for this is that the male Guras endure all hardships and evolved to be powerful and animalistic, while female Guras are shielded from hardship and evolved to be soft and beautiful.