Customer Reviews

Conan the Conquerer (Conan #9)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Lancer Books started reissuing the Conan saga back in the mid-60's, they enlisted L. Sprage DeCamp and Lin Carter to spruce up Howard's grammar and soften some of the more "politically incorrect" views he voiced. They chose well. Although 9th in the series, "Conan the Conqueror" was the first book issued because of copyright problems. It was a good start. I read the book and was hooked. I haunted the bookstores waiting for each new Conan book to come out. Later I had the opportunity to read "Hour of the Dragon," Howard's book as originally written. Not quite as polished as "Conan the Conqueror," but entertaining nonetheless. Anyone who enjoyed the movie "Conan the Barbarian" should like "Conan the Conqueror."

When I was ten years old I stumbled across the Lancer edition of this book,their edition of Howard's "The Hour of the Dragon," which actually ran as a serial in "Weird Tales" in the 1930s (none of REH's work was actually published as a novel during his lifetime, with the possible exception of "Almuric," which I can't remember for certain but it may have been). At that age I probably had no business reading it, but I made my first purchase ever of a book when I bought it. Amazingly, even though that was over thirty-five years ago, I still own the book.

The book is fast-paced, action packed, and carries the eerie atmopshere that so many Howard stories do (what is it about authors who shoot themselves that seems to tie them so closely to great story-telling?). Conna faces insurmountable odds in losing his kingdom, and naturally, he eventually overcomes them. The fun of the tale is in following his adventures as he travels the world to find the means to defeat his enemies.

Obviously, Howard isn't everyone's cup of tea. There is an air of fatality and finality looming over all of his best works, including this one. Despite Conan's ultimate victory, you almost sense that Howard knew, and by extension Conan knew, that all victories are short lived and would soon pass.

Regardless, if you have an interest in sword and sorcery, this is must reading and probably a good starting point for people new to the genre. Howard is essentially the father of the genre and is still the best in that area in my opinion.

Just looking at a lot of the deriviative junk that has grown around the whole Conan mythos, you really have to wish that Howard had lived longer and continued to write more about Conan, although at the time of his death, Howard was moving away from the genre to what he considered better paying markets.

I give it five stars because it is in many ways the peak of Howard's writing. And thirty-five years later, I still occassionally pick it up and re-read it, which may say a lot about how well-written it is, since I long ago left fantasy reading behind me.

A prosperous Aquilonia flourishes under Conan's firm rule, but Conan is deposed by an evil plot that originates with his neighbors in Nemedia. Black arts are engaged to defeat the great barbarian, but Conan makes a journey to find a way to save Aquilonia from usurpation.

L. Sprague de Camp does an admirable job as editor. The Conan books are not precisely my cuppa tea, but are an essential read for people interested in the history of the fantasy genre.

The four tales in "Conan the Conqueror" cover most of the main aspects of the career of Robert E. Howard's character: raider, thief, pirate, and mercenary. (1) "Black Tears" by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter is one of several pastiches written by the duo based upon hints in Howard's note and letters to fill up gaps in the saga. It takes place after the classic story "A Witch Shall Be Born" (in "Conan the Freebooter") as Conan leads his band of Zuagirs eastward to raid the cities and caravans of the Turanians. King Yezdigerd reacts by sending out a strong force to entrap Conan. (2) Shadows in Zamboula" by Robert E. Howard has Conan destitute after a week of guzzling, gorging, roistering, whoring and gambling. This is an above average Conan the Thief story. (3) "The Devil in Iron" by Howard has Conan returning the seas as a pirate, putting together a crew from among his old friends the kozaki and the Red Fellowship of Vilayet Sea. Conan and his crew stumbled upon an inhuman creature and mayhem ensues. (4) The longest story in this collection, "The Flame Knife" was one of four uncompleted manuscripts by Howard completed by de Camp. This novella was originally an adventure in modern Afghanistan entitled "Three-Bladed Doom" staring Francis X. Gordon, Howard's brawny, brawling Irish adventurer. De Camp transformed the story into a Conan tale. After King Yezdigerd crushes the Kozak host, Conan retreats southward with a sizeable band and joins the army of Kobad Shah, king of Iranistan and one of Yezdigred's strongest rivals. These stories are rather standard fare, evidencing in part the problems de Camp and Carter had in filling all the gaps in the Conan saga. Certainly these are stories you would read out of a sense of completeness rather than because there are any real gems to be found within.

Depths of darkness, heights of adventure, war, love, treachery, rebellion, this book has it all. All you can expect from a Conan book and more. Dense with action and intense throughout; a sword-and-sorcery masterpiece.

While this is not a best-of-breed Howard yarn, I still give it a whole-hearted recommendation. If you are a Howard fan, you must own this book. What's so great about this book? It's novel length, for one thing. You can settle into this story without worrying that within 50 or so pages you will get pulled out again.

In this adventure, Conan takes on a diabolical sorcerer named Xaltotun, who threatens to take over the barbarian's newly won kingdom of Aquilonia. Howard is masterful in the crafting of this story. I do not intend to slight L. Sprague de Camp as editor, either. But stylistically, this is all Howard. It also bears the stamp of Howard's intelligence, something he transferred to his character, Conan. Much of what happens in this story is a chess match between Conan and the evil wizard, a psychological battle that culminates in a massive physical battle full of twists and turns.

That final, climactic battle spans the last 50 or so pages of the novel. Howard has forces moving in a realistic manner to the final assemblage point, but woven into the maneuvers of both force are a series of exciting developments and twists. The actual final battle is no let down either. Massive numbers of men clash and the death toll litters the battle field with bodies. Meanwhile, a magical battle is also roiling, with Conan at its center. Exciting stuff indeed!

From Picts to Khitain assassins, this story has it all. I really recommend it to Conan fans. It will not disappoint.

A must read for Conan fans. Full of violence, adventure, heroics and Howard's gorgeous and masterful use of language. This story is gripping from beginning to end and its length leaves the reader fully satiated. I read from vols. I-IX with IX capping the series off in a crescendo of blood-letting for Conan's ultimate victory.

This L. Sprague De Camp edited book is basically The Hour of the Dragon, with an intro, and a shot at putting together a map based on the work of a few people :-

The novel length Conan work. An aging Conan is now in a position of responsibility, being King of Aquilonia.

His reign is threatened by a very powerful sorcerer, whom Conan is unable to stop by mundane means, and must take himself off hunting for a mystic artifact.

Having done this, there is some wizard smiting to be done.

Top notch work.

Something's rotten in Nemedia. Once again, con- spirators are plotting against King Conan. These seven men use the Heart of Ahriman to revive the Archeronian wizard Xaltotun of Python, who died three thousand years earlier, in Stygia. By the time King Tarascus and his six other henchmen, including Orastes, realize what's happening, it's too late. Conan's freed by the harem girl Zenobia and heads west to Aquilonia. He meets the witch Zelata and she tells him to find the heart of his king- dom. The Countess of Albia, formerly Queen Marala of Ophir, is ordered to be put to death by the usurper Valerius. Conan, disguised as her executioner, rescues her from the Iron Tower. They're rescued by the priests of Asura. Their leader tells Conan about Archeron and shows him a coin with Xaltotun's image on it. They help Conan and the Countess of Albia escape. Conan returns to Aquilonia and is met by a follower of Asura. Conan asks to see Count Trocero. Conan asks his friend if Poitain's in revolt. Conan sends a message to Xaltotun telling him he's coming after him. By the time Xaltotun lays his ambush for Conan and his army, it's too late. Xaltotun's defeated and sent back to Archeron. Tarascus agrees to send Zenobia to Aquilonia.