Customer Reviews

Conan03 Conan a

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This book starts out with an introduction by coauthor de Camp and a letter written by Howard which aren't stories but provide some background on Howard and his style, etcetera.

Then there is "The Hyborian Age," by Howard, which isn't a story but a history of the world that Conan lives in. This doesn't read like a story but is nifty if you're a Conan lover.

Next come the stories.

Opening is "The Thing in the Crypt," (de Camp & Carter), which isn't an especially bad story, just completely pointless -- it spends thirty pages detailing how Conan acquires his sword. (They tried to incorporate this one into the movie)

This is followed by "The Tower of the Elephant," (Howard), which is an excellent story and a great example of Howard's writing in any genre. (They also incorporated this story into the movie)

"The Hall of the Dead," (de Camp and Howard) comes next, written by de Camp based on an outline by Howard. It's an ok story with some cool stuff, but Conan being attacked by a 50-foot acid spitting slug? Come on!

"The God in the Bowl" (Howard) is a whodunnit detective story which is pretty interesting, but has nothing really to contribute to the Conan saga.

"Rogues in the House" (Howard) is probably the best story in this volume, with political intrigue, sorcerors, dank warrens beneath trap-infested houses and everything.

"The Hand of Nergal" is said to be by de Camp and Howard, but it doesn't say how exactly Howard was connected to the story. It's pretty cool, and it helps to define and develop Conan's story.

"The City of Skulls" is the final story in this book, written by Carter & de Camp, and while it has some action, it really sucks.

Overall, this is a worthy book. The stories by Howard are really good, those by the others are at least readable, and it gives a pretty good look at Conan's early life.

What we have in this series of books (starting with Conan, and proceding through Conan The Cimmerian, Conan The Wanderer, etc.) is an attempt to put the stories in chronological sequence, filling in the gaps from the late Howard's notes. It's a valiant effort, both respectable and respectful though it's certain that whatever demons possessed Howard and allowed him to write as knowledgably (even "truthfully") about Conan as he did do not possess Carter and de Camp.

It's too easy (and fruitless) to criticize the effort for that. The series gives you a look at Conan as he grows and matures, and presents as cohesive a picture of him as any literary (or even actual) character ever documented. Aspiring fantasists would do well to read this for an idea of how to build a lasting character.

Beyond that, the stories are just plain fun. Violent, of course, with a smattering of non-graphic... (less here than in other books), and lots of good weird stuff. Because these are short stories, you don't get the kind of cliffhangers you get from a "Tarzan" book, but you do get non-stop action from one of the best. And that ain't bad.

Robert E. Howard's famous barbarian hero journeys among the nations of the Hyborian Age in this anthology of stories, seeking his fortune and reveling in bloody adventure. I devoured several of these anthologies back when I was in junior high school and was pleasantly surprised to see how well they hold up now. His prose is muscular and direct, his characters brutal and equally direct, as befits the world in which they live. I was surprised that Conan is actually a secondary character in some of the original stories, such as "The God in the Bowl," a Sherlockian tale with the Cimmerian as one of the suspects. Although all of the tales written by Howard, either whole or in part, are strong, the pastiches produced by Lin Carter and L. Sprague de Camp are weak. The lengthy "City of Skulls" is particularly egregious for its careless dependance on wild coincidence--wandering through the darkness of the sewers, Conan and his companion chance upon a secret passage that leads directly to the chamber of an evil king just as he is about to sacrifice the heroine. How sloppy! Howard's "Rogues in the House" is the highlight of this collection.

I have always loved Conan series. Robert E Howard is a true master of storytelling and adventure. He introduced me to sword and sorcery, and I have not found any better. I wish some publisher would rerelease these in a complete bound edition with the incredible Frazetta pictures as an insert. I don't have my dog eared editions from my youth anymore and I want to read them again.

i read this series back when i was like 10. im now 21 and i havent found many other authors that could write such a compelling stories that cause you to finish them one after the another, until youve read all 16. i cant say enough about them and i wish i could find this one to replace the one i lost so long ago. the idea of somone taking it upon themselves and reissuing them is outstanding, and has my support.

I discovered Robert E. Howard and his hero Conan in Middle School. I am an avid fan of Conan and the fantasy genre. I am putting together a Conan Library to pass on to my Grand children one day.

Howard is a master story teller and his Conan series and extended series by Jordan, Lin, and others, are a testiment to Sword & Sorcery. He has few equals in this genre. I have been looking for years for a bound anthology of his early & mid-year Conan works but there are non to be found. Even most of the paper back versions are currently out of print. Possibly the PB's will not produce the revenue needed for a reprint, but I am willing to bet a comprehensive anthology would have a large following and would be a sure thing for the lucky publisher that took a chance on it.

If you enjoy fast-paced, imaginative stories with skull after skull cloven like a ripe melon, then this series is for you.

This is one of the best early examples of Howards writing. There is a color to the descriptive words he uses that is totally unique. Love it every time I read it.