183 replies to this topic

[Hawkbrother]

Maybe I should re-read it. I thought it was pretty good, for a nonHoward Conan. But maybe I was predisposed to like it, because I am a fan of Turtledove's other work.
But really,what does it matter? For as someone said, the only person who can write a true Conan story is REH. Everything else is just an imitation, an attempt to write Howardian stories.
Actually, its not pastiche I have a problem with , its changing what Howard wrote, or rewriting his stories, like was done in the Lancer and Ace Howard. Thankfully,we now have the true versions,with the Del Rey books.

Edited by Hawkbrother, 21 December 2006 - 03:49 PM.

[Strom]

Maybe I should re-read it. I thought it was pretty good, for a nonHoward Conan. But maybe I was predisposed to like it, because I am a fan of Turtledove's other work.
But really,what does it matter? For as someone said, the only person who can write a true Conan story is REH. Everything else is just an imitation, an attempt to write Howardian stories.
Actually, its not pastiche I have a problem with , its changing what Howard wrote, or rewriting his stories, like was done in the Lancer and Ace Howard. Thankfully,we now have the true versions,with the Del Rey books.

I just don't think it was a well written ending - the book starts strong then meanders and finishes weak. Turtledove does contradict Howard - there's no Grandfather and he has Conan going all the way to Tarantia after the battle of Venarium, amongst other things.

[Ironhand]

For another version of the sack of Venarium, read my screenplays. (Links are in my signature below.)

[Cimmerian Wanderer]

This is one of Turtutledove's worst book's and I like a lot of his stuff. Others have already stated the problems with it, so won't rehash.

CW

[Sermon Bath]

I bought a Harry Turtledove Conan the other day that had a terrific hyborian map at the front......I dont know how good the story is gonna be but the map alone was worth the 99 cents i paid for the book.

[Rusty Burke]

I bought a Harry Turtledove Conan the other day that had a terrific hyborian map at the front......I dont know how good the story is gonna be but the map alone was worth the 99 cents i paid for the book.

DO NOT read the Turtledove book if you have high blood pressure.

Rusty

[Sermon Bath]

hmmmm, well I can always donate it to the local mission........most anything is a good read after you've worked hard all day panhandling to earn your dailey twelve pack of bud

[Axerules]

DO NOT read the Turtledove book if you have high blood pressure.

Rusty

Seconded.
It's not often that I don't finish a book and I simply couldn't read it 'till the end. Cimmerians living in medieval towns, Conan fighting mainly with a bow, a pale Brave-heart copy... Any good book, decent flick, ANYTHING ELSE could give you a more enjoyable time. At least you didn't pay a lot of money for it.

[Sermon Bath]

Ok, Ive read about sixty pages or so......absolutely a different feel from the Howard vision of Conan. The book seems to almost be aimed at a juvenile audience. Having said that I have been somewhat entertained......I will probably finish it.

Im guessing that Turtledove tried to inject some "freshness" into Conan. Im actually finding the Granth character a bit more interesting at this point. There are some crazy inconsistent parts though. Conan's mother makes this speech about killing all the invaders but sparing one to send back as a witness to the destruction....then just a few pages later she tells Conan's dad that hes doing the wrong thing marching off to war!!!!!!!!!!!! What THA HECK? I reread that part several times...did I miss something??

Taken as a stand alone tale its maybe not that bad.....nowhere near what Howard was doing with Conan though......I still like the map, I looked at it quite a bit....the book cover is pretty lame though

IM not sure Im comfortable with the thing about the villain being a pedophile......that's kind of creepy in an unnecessary way

But yeah, this is a completely different Conan than the one Howard wrote about, Turtledove made no effort to make his book kosher with Howard's tales.

I was kind of neat to read something about Conan's father though.....so far that's a somewhat decent portrayal.....Mordec is a bit to cool headed at times but there are a few tales out there where Conan thinks before hacking as well.......

Edited by xssurdinynexes, 28 August 2007 - 03:13 PM.

[Projectionist]

I am reading this book by Harry Turtledove. I was wondering what others thought of it?
I am not sure I am 100% happy with it, but it does provide some interesting material about Conan's life before the first REH story.
I am not sure Turtledove did all of his research well, though. For example, I thought I read somewhere that Conan's father was named Nial, not Mordec.

I would like to hear from others about this book.

--
Projectionist
35mm/24fps

[deuce]

Hey y'all! Several "Conan of Venarium" threads have been merged into this one for easy perusal. Everything you ever wanted to know about Turtledove's classic novel.

[deuce]

I am reading this book by Harry Turtledove. I was wondering what others thought of it?
I am not sure I am 100% happy with it, but it does provide some interesting material about Conan's life before the first REH story.
I am not sure Turtledove did all of his research well, though. For example, I thought I read somewhere that Conan's father was named Nial, not Mordec.

I would like to hear from others about this book.

--
Projectionist
35mm/24fps

Hey Pro! Robert E. Howard never provided names for Conan's mother, father, grandfather, etc... In a list that Howard made called "Hyborian Names and Countries", several Cimmerian names are listed. Neither "Nial" nor "Mordec" are therein. However, "Nial" is a Gaelic name and "Mordec" does have a Gaelic "look" to it. Turtledove was trying to be clever by giving Conan's father a name similar to that of REH's father, who was named Mordecai. Since HT is such a fan of de Camp, I'm baffled that he chose to ignore "Nial", which is the name LSdC came up with. Oh well, Turtledove ignored a lot of things far more fundamental to Conan and the world he lived in than THAT.
Hope that helps.

[Sermon Bath]

Harry is a good writer but he whiffed on Conan......he tried to re-invent Conan without all the mysticism and it didnt work

[Projectionist]

Some of the other problems I had involved Conan's ability with a bow. HT basically portrays him as Robin Hood incarnate, and it is stated elsewhere, in other works, that Conan was "indifferent" at best with a bow. I have not finished the book yet, and I am not overly impressed, but, it is a Conan work, so I am staying with it.

Harry is a good writer but he whiffed on Conan......he tried to re-invent Conan without all the mysticism and it didnt work

[Sermon Bath]

well, it has a character named Conan but it takes absolutely nothing from Howard so I cant honestly call it a true pastiche

[deuce]

Hardly call myself an expert, but, this didn't feel like Conan to me. 'VENARIUM just didn't figure into the whole mystery of the character. Basically, it's not what I'm reading Conan for.

And there is a dangerous trend here.

When long-established characters are treated to meticulous origin/bg stories it is a sign of impending serial implosion. When this happens, the publishers of the character have decided there are no new stories to tell and start to explore suggested themes in already existing stories. Batman, Superman and presently Wolverine have all been victims of this sort of storytelling bankruptcy.

If you care anything about Conan's future, and spanky adventures of Boy Conan riding around on bat-demons and eating too much ice cream isn't your cup of tea, you should probably let Tor know that, before the next similar novel is published.

Deh crushing of deh enemy ball team! Deh lamenting of deh cheeh-leadehs and deh eating all deh candy and deh soda pop! Deese ah deh dings Boy Conan live fo-eh. Arrgh!

Frikkin' hilarious. Prokrustus needs to start posting again.

[billy beach ball]

Hardly call myself an expert, but, this didn't feel like Conan to me. 'VENARIUM just didn't figure into the whole mystery of the character. Basically, it's not what I'm reading Conan for.

And there is a dangerous trend here.

When long-established characters are treated to meticulous origin/bg stories it is a sign of impending serial implosion. When this happens, the publishers of the character have decided there are no new stories to tell and start to explore suggested themes in already existing stories. Batman, Superman and presently Wolverine have all been victims of this sort of storytelling bankruptcy.

If you care anything about Conan's future, and spanky adventures of Boy Conan riding around on bat-demons and eating too much ice cream isn't your cup of tea, you should probably let Tor know that, before the next similar novel is published.

Deh crushing of deh enemy ball team! Deh lamenting of deh cheeh-leadehs and deh eating all deh candy and deh soda pop! Deese ah deh dings Boy Conan live fo-eh. Arrgh!

Frikkin' hilarious. Prokrustus needs to start posting again.

Tosh!! I thought Wolverine Origin was the nuts and a totally suprising change of pace to what I was expecting.

[deuce]

Hardly call myself an expert, but, this didn't feel like Conan to me. 'VENARIUM just didn't figure into the whole mystery of the character. Basically, it's not what I'm reading Conan for.

And there is a dangerous trend here.

When long-established characters are treated to meticulous origin/bg stories it is a sign of impending serial implosion. When this happens, the publishers of the character have decided there are no new stories to tell and start to explore suggested themes in already existing stories. Batman, Superman and presently Wolverine have all been victims of this sort of storytelling bankruptcy.

If you care anything about Conan's future, and spanky adventures of Boy Conan riding around on bat-demons and eating too much ice cream isn't your cup of tea, you should probably let Tor know that, before the next similar novel is published.

Deh crushing of deh enemy ball team! Deh lamenting of deh cheeh-leadehs and deh eating all deh candy and deh soda pop! Deese ah deh dings Boy Conan live fo-eh. Arrgh!

Frikkin' hilarious. Prokrustus needs to start posting again.

Tosh!! I thought Wolverine Origin was the nuts and a totally suprising change of pace to what I was expecting.

Hey BBB! I guess I should've deleted everything but the last 5-6 lines. THAT was the "hilarious" part for me (NOT the "Wolverine" stuff). That said, I would still say that Turtledove seems to have dropped the ball.
Besides, Prokrustus was right: the series DID "implode" after HT's pile hit the stands.

[billy beach ball]

Deh crushing of deh enemy ball team! Deh lamenting of deh cheeh-leadehs and deh eating all deh candy and deh soda pop! Deese ah deh dings Boy Conan live fo-eh. Arrgh!

fair enough. Missed that bit due to my outrage about Wolverine Origins.