Customer Reviews

Conan and the Emerald Lotus (Conan (Tor))

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

 

 

For fans of Conan and Robert E. Howard who have been deeply disappointed with the recent "Conan" novels, or who don't even want to pick one up (and in most cases, I can't blame you), THIS is the one read. This is excellent Conan, as good as many of Robert Jordan's early work and easily the best Conan from Tor I've read in a long time. To put it simply, "Conan and the Emerald Lotus" is thrilling. After a slightly slow beginning, the narrative rockets into a real Howardian roller-coaster ride. It's clear the author had a fun time writing it, and the reader consequently feels his enthusiasm.

Mr. Hocking has solved one of the principle problems of the recent Conan books: he actually builds to a climax. Instead of hurling countless subplots and villains at the reader and then dropping them all before a boring conclusion, Hocking gives us one hell of an apocalyptic curtain closer. It more than satisfies the reader's expectations. In general, the gradual build of action is perfectly pitched. After page 85 or so, I guarantee you'll be reading compulsively. There are plenty of other treats, such as a true human heartbeat to the story when dealing with sorceress Zelandra's addiction to the lotus. Hocking shows a believable decline and desperation in the character (and, to a lesser extent, in villain Ethram-fal). It's rare to see a modern Conan author find an emotional core to the story, the same way the REH did in his best work, and I applaud Mr. Hocking for this bit of attractive gloss to his adventure story.

In many ways, "Conan and the Emerald Lotus" is less true Howard than it is an homage to all of the Weird Tales authors, especially Clark Ashton Smith, August Derleth, H. P. Lovecraft, and most clearly Robert Bloch. Mr. Hocking remembers that Conan originally appeared in a magazine of the weird, unusual, and often horrific, and appropriately ladens his story with creepy dark fantasy and terror. The Emerald Lotus, inspired from the sensational Clark Ashton Smtih story "The Seed from the Sepulcher", is a particularly gruesome nasty. The author has also given us a good vision of the wilderness of Stygia, where ancient temples lie in wait and long dead sorcerers can still stalk benighted halls in ghoul-form before the faceless sphinx of Nyarlathotep.

Conan himself is in fine form. He's in his thirties, a hardened veteran, and he uses his skills in tactics, stealth, and tracking at every point. He's still a softer character than REH's, but at least he's smart and wry and still tough as hell. His relationship with Neesa is a bit routine (you gotta love the way the girl hurls a dagger though!), but his bond with mute Heng Shih is one of the better male-buddy relationship I've read in a non-Howard work.

Altogether, this is fine adventure, and Howard fans should all read it, even if they claim to hate pastiches. I want to read more from Mr. Hocking, so I hope to see more people reading his novel.

In this unusual Conan novel, we are carried into the Hyborian world of Robert E. Howard. This author, unlike many other Conan writers, really knows his stuff. He obviously has a great respect for the old Weird Tales pulp adventures. This action packed saga features several sorcerors, including one attractive female, a stalking killer zombie, a band of Stygian outlaws, and ends up in a spectacular carven palace similar to Petra. Truly the heighth of adventure, Conan has to face a terrible Cthulhu monster and a giant grim idol of Nyarlathotep, all for the sake of the unthinkable emerald lotus, a plant and drug that came down from the stars in ages past that gives its user unlimited magic power and a inescapably deadly addiction. Hocking has crafted a tale of pulse-pounding excitement and fascinating narrative. Highly recommended.

Hocking has written a masterful sword and sorcery story. Driving action, evil sorcerors, compelling plot that never lets-up, lovely damsels--and Conan besides, written as no one but REH has written of him. When it comes to pastiche Conan, this may well be the best I have EVER read. Conan is more complex in Hocking's hands, just as he was with REH.

Hocking has also mastered Robert E. Howard's compelling narrative, the brooding tension beneath... in short this is simply the best new sword and sorcery I've read in ages.

Bring us some more Conan by Hocking! Please!

It's been a while since I read a good Conan yarn that wasn't mere jock-barbarian nonsense, and didn't expect much from another Conan book, so I was pleased-to-be-surprised with Hocking's work. A fantastic Conan yarn with a great evil villain and wonderful set-scenes, great characters (both big and small), with action that just keeps coming and coming. I didn't want to put this one down once I'd started it.

The only issues I had were one or two places in the book where things slowed down for a few pages (though the payoff was worth the wait) and a few moments where certain characters seemed cliched (though, again, showed themselves much more complex as the book progressed).

I had not read John C. Hoking's Conan tales before this one. If he has any others, I would read them. Emerald Lotus was pretty good, I would recommend it as better than most of the Conan spinoffs published by Tor or Ace. The carnivorous plant featured as antagonist in this tale is not terribly original, but it's wizardly gardener seeking to harvest the plant's magic is a well crafted and compelling enemy for Conan to encounter. Conan's travel mates in this story are not as annoying as some of the other's he has been saddled with. If you are looking for a Conan read that is a little more involved and rich in character development then I would recommend Emerald Lotus. Hocking keeps the action coming at a good pace and also does a good job of bringing Conan's world to life.

With the notable exception of Karl Edward Wagner's The Road Of Kings, there is no finer Conan pastiche than this. This novel is flawlessly executed fantasy fun from start to finish. You'll never want it to end; it's a compulsive page-turner that puts lesser Conan pastiche writers to shame. Other reviewers have gone into their reviews in far more depth than I have time for at the moment, so I'll just say they are right! Buy this novel now. You won't regret it!

Great book with lots of action. Hocking is a great story teller. I've read all of the Conan books. This is one of my favorites.

I absolutely love the conan character and have read a large portion of the conan books. This is an average book, has suspense at times and some classic conan. However Conan gets his butt handed to him twice as a previous review points out and not to mention the main protagonist is a sorceror who is like a drug addict. Oh and i almost forgot, the evil monster conan fights at the end of the book is a friggin plant!!!

I really liked "Conan and the Little Shop of Horrors," and I think they ought to make it into a musical.

No, just kidding -- I enjoyed this book, it was a good, solid swords & sorcery yarn. Conan seemed a bit subdued, but not stupid. I was in the mood for a quick read, and it was a well spent six dollars.

Another ho-hum entry into the non-Howard Conan genre. Unlike John Maddox Roberts or Robert Jordan, two of the better Conan writers, Hocking writes a very middle of the road fantasy novel that just happens to have Conan in it. He makes the mistake of spending way too much time with villains and other characters and not enough time with Conan. And he doesn't really know the character that well, so Conan seems fairly indispensable here. As a rule, other than Karl Edward Wagner's "Road of Kings," stick with John Maddox Roberts or Robert Jordan when ranging in the non-Howard Conan field.