Conan, the Marauder [Paperback]

John Maddox Roberts (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: New York: TOR, A Tom Doherty Associates Book, 1988; 1ST edition (1988)
• ISBN-10: 0812542665
• ISBN-13: 978-0812542660
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #782,263 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine read for Conan fans!, August 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Conan The Marauder (Mass Market Paperback)

Well written and fast paced, this book strongly captures the essence of Howard's original character even as it hints at a new, deeper characterization of the mighty Cimmerian. The plot is strong and engaging and goes down as one of my all time favorite Conan novels. An all around good read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Conan meet Ghengis Khan, June 23, 2007

By 

Chess Buddhist (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Conan The Marauder (Mass Market Paperback)

John Maddox Roberts writes my favorite Conan spinoffs and this is the best of his lot. Roberts has shown with his S.P.Q.R. series set in ancient Rome that he can write solid, character-driven historical fiction. It is no different in Marauder. Conan meets a steppe chieftan on his way to world domination and much of the technological and cultural references throughout the book are accurate to the Mongol empire under Temujin. Roberts obviously did his research before setting about writing this tale. A few other notable features of Marauder are the large-scale battle scenes, the unique environment of the steppes (I can't think of any other Conan adventure set entirely upon the grasslands south of Turan and west of Khitai), and the richly detailed city of Sogaria. You will find yourself rooting for Conan as he ascends from captured slave to the khan's second-in-command to outcast to freelancer. In all, an exciting story, a unique take on the Conan genre and a solid alternative history combine to make Marauder well worth the $1 it costs to buy a used copy.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A different kind of Conan, August 6, 2005

By 

Larry E "Lord of the Library" (Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conan The Marauder (Mass Market Paperback)

In this Conan pastiche, we see the Cimmerian go from slave to general and back to his barbarian roots. Captured by the Hyrkanian tribes, he battles his way to a spot in the army of Bartatua, would-be ruler of the world. Betrayed by Lakhme, one of the nastiest females in the Conan saga, he finds himself trying to rescue the city he has just laid siege to. He also finds himself helping an annoying poet rescue the city's princess. The book has some nice touches. One moment that struck me, and it was only one line, was when oil drenched corpses are used to light the work site for a siege ramp. Surprisingly for a Conan story, there is no girl for the barbarian and the sorcery (with monster)is compressed into just 3 pages. In addition, though I often find the secondary characters in a Conan pastiche to be forgettable, Roberts creates several characters who merit stories of their own. Lakhme, Manzur the poet, Bartatua, Conan's friend Rustuf are all characters I would like to see again. It's a different kind of Conan story but a superior pastiche.