Customer Reviews

Conan: The Road of Kings

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

 

 

Written in the late 1970s, "Conan: The Road of Kings" is a good novel, the best of all the many Conan "pastiches" or, continuing stories by another writer other than the creator, that came out between the 1950s and 1990s. Although Karl Edward Wagner was an outstanding writer of fantasy and horror - his "Kane" novels are quite entertaining - his Conan is not quite the same as Robert E. Howard's. He seems less intense, less grim (in fact, Wagner's Kane character reminds me more of Conan than Wagner's Conan). In Conan of Cimmeria, Howard not only created a much imitated, rarely equalled literary type by the time he was 25, he was also a fine poet. If you can't get Howard, or know his stories too well, read Karl Edward Wagner. You won't be disappointed. Wagner was a pretty great writer considering that he seems to have had serious substance abuse problems in his latter years.

The late and lamented Karl Edward Wagner, who wrote this pastiche, was the first to say that nobody could write like Robert E Howard but Howard Himself. Paradoxically enough, this came from the man who was best qualified to imitate the first and Greatest master of Sword and Sorcery.

This homage has some very good points, the compact, efficient prose with the right word where it is needed, and the often grim atmosphere, the violent and graphic action, natural and not so natural horrors and monsters, horror from indescribable gulf of space and antiquity... these are all elements found in the original stories, and very well rendered by Wagner.

However, Wagner, perhaps trying to outdo the Master, has committed a series of bad mistakes that detract from the book's value as a Conan yarn : First, and to my point of view worst, is getting Conan to a very high post and so close to getting a throne : if such an episode were to be added to his biography, then some of the stories set by Howard after he seizes the throne of Aquilonia would have turned differently, because he would have known of the price of power. Then, there is a problem with atmosphere: Howard's tales are characterized as very grim, this one has far too much humor, even verging on the comic... last, but not least is the fact that in this book, women are treated in a way that could never have happened in a Howard yarn: yes, he was a male chauvinist, (though beware such of his characters as Valeria, Bêlit or Red Sonya), yes his tales are written by the conventions of his times, which no longer apply, still I believe that pastiches should respect some of the original's specifications...

All being said, No, this is not quite the equal of the dark page turners Howard extracted from his tormented mind, but Yes Wagner has still produced a decent story that will please fans of the genre (or of the character) more than the general public, but for those who like a solid adventure yarn, this is your stuff, get it while you can.

Karl Edward Wagner has done a masterful job at creating another fantastic adventure for Conan and the reader. He is a welcome addition to the ranks of Conan authors. There is no shortage of action and intrigue in this Conan novel. For any Conan fan this one is a must and for any who have never read a Conan novel this is a good one to start with. I look forward to more from Wagner...

a good book, the greatest by howard's "successors". great opening. good battle descriptions. but there were also moments where nothimg much happened, and some things didn't feel so natural. but a good book, mind you.

Things are happening in The Road of Kings that no other Conan spinoff has yet to achieve. Among them are political intrigues that other writers have yet to capture so deftly in a Conan saga. The Road of Kings is marked by strong character development, a riveting plot with unexpected twists and turns, and vivid sorcery. Wagner's writing style is more literary than the other spinoff authors, so The Road of Kings doesn't come off as so much of an adventure tale for the pulp market. Maybe that's why some reviewers call it "not a real Conan" story. But good writing is always worth reading, so I would definitely recommend this book. Enjoy!

This is easily the best non-Howard Conan book. It doesn't fully capture Howard's style and characterization but comes much closer than any other book. If Wagner were still around, he might be able to write other novels in this vein. He was far better than the vile L Sprague de Camp certainly.

4 AND 1/2 STARS

Within some circles, author Karl Edward Wagner is considered not just an amazing fantasy and horror author, but one of the best of all time. His short life left us with a small but powerful body of work, most notably the creation of his character, Kane, in the book, "Darkness Weaves", among others. Here, with Conan, Wagner writes with incredible prose, moving the action along quickly. I was extremely impressed with his vivid descriptions and epic storytelling abilities. It is not easy to write such a sweeping epic in barely 200 pages.

The consistency of his characters and the thrill of adventure is present on every page of the story. The setup for the ending reveals quite a clever mystery that Wagner sets up early on without the reader even knowing. Swordplay and magic are both used carefully, and to propel the story, not just thrown around randomly for effect. Perhaps the only negative aspect of the book is the fact that Wagner had to keep true to Conan and the landscape that Robert E. Howard started. Some readers might feel that Wagner was too constrained, and that is a legitimate criticism. But having read most of the Conan books as a youth, this is without a doubt, the best version of Conan that has ever been written since Howard. If there is one Conan book to read, besides the Howard entries, this is the one.

Plucked from the gallows by the daring rebels of the White Rose, the mighty Conan joins his rescuers in their blood-soaked struggle to rid Zingara of its hated despot. Soon Conan himself will draw steel against a new, still crueler tyrant and his terrifying Final Guard - the indestructible warriors of stone from the age of legends.

Necromancers and barbarians don't mix. That's what I have figured out in Karl Edward Wagner's Conan - The Road Of Kings.

This novel was a nice light read. I have only read a couple of Conan novels not by Robert E. Howard, and so far this one has been one of the best.

Conan is about to get executed at the beginning of the story where he is rescued by a band of rogues. The rogues turn out to be a secret rebellion against the kingdom they are in. Conan gets caught up in all the battles and politics. There is no lacking in action in this novel.

This is the very best Conan the barbarian Book. Too bad it is out of print.