183 replies to this topic

[Hyborian Frog]

Hey HF! Basil Davidson's books on (sub-Saharan black) African history are considered standards in the field. Easy readin'. You should be able to get them through college/municipal interlibrary loan. Over the years, I've pretty much puzzled out Saunders' sources (easier than the Hyborian Age!). If ya wanna, post on the Imaro thread and we'll hash 'em out.

deuce, what do you believe to be Saunders sources for Imaro? I'm checking out "The Lost Cites of Africa" and "African Kingdoms" by Basil Davidson from the university library tomorrow.

Here is the cover-art for Imaro 2: The Quest for Cush...

Edited by Hyborian Frog, 23 January 2007 - 02:33 AM.

[Primeval]

Well, I am just about through the re-written part of the first book, and I have to say I preferred the original. I won't give any spoilers here, but I feel the character building is not the same or as intense now. Plus there are parts that haven't been edited very well - there is one instance where a character is said to be far away on a mission, then in the space of a few hours time another character is said to glance at him, then soon after we are back to that character being far away and never having returned yet. Parts were taken from the original here, and it seems like the rewrite is a bit sloppy as it is fit into the timeline. Still, this is some of the best heroic fantasy ever - those little nitpicks aside I highly recommend this series!

[deuce]

Well, I am just about through the re-written part of the first book, and I have to say I preferred the original. I won't give any spoilers here, but I feel the character building is not the same or as intense now. Plus there are parts that haven't been edited very well - there is one instance where a character is said to be far away on a mission, then in the space of a few hours time another character is said to glance at him, then soon after we are back to that character being far away and never having returned yet. Parts were taken from the original here, and it seems like the rewrite is a bit sloppy as it is fit into the timeline. Still, this is some of the best heroic fantasy ever - those little nitpicks aside I highly recommend this series!

I recommend it as well, Primeval. I've said before that I miss the "Giant-Kings" story. I've also said I find Saunders' decision to remove it because of subsequent events in Rwanda utterly ridiculous. Any editing snafus should be laid squarely at the feet of the indefatigable Ben Zoom. That said, I still recommend it.

HF, throw me out some names. Off the top of my head, I'll say the Ilyassai=the Masai, the Bornu=the Bornu and Zanj=Zanzibar.
DEUCE

[Hyborian Frog]

HF, throw me out some names. Off the top of my head, I'll say the Ilyassai=the Masai, the Bornu=the Bornu and Zanj=Zanzibar.
DEUCE

Here is a list of names and places from the Imaro series...

http://www.dodgenet....ossom/imaro.htm

[Pictish Scout]

I've been reading these posts and seeing the cover pictures... I'm curious. I've seen something about these stories before but still I am an ignorant on this subject
Can anyone explain what is Imaro about? Without revealing to much. or at least direct me to some internet site where I can know more? I've read here about short stories, novels from the 80's. that's all I know.

[Hyborian Frog]

I've been reading these posts and seeing the cover pictures... I'm curious. I've seen something about these stories before but still I am an ignorant on this subject
Can anyone explain what is Imaro about? Without revealing to much. or at least direct me to some internet site where I can know more? I've read here about short stories, novels from the 80's. that's all I know.

This site will tell you all about it...

http://www.dodgenet....ossom/imaro.htm

I checked out a related DVD from the public library tonight. It's called "Time Life's Lost Civilizations". One of the episodes was 50 minutes and titled "Africa: A History Denied" and was all about ancient Africa!

[Cimmerian Wanderer]

Hmm I'm going to get my own copy, too, since I can't seem to find my old Daw copy.
Nice covers!

CW

[Pictish Scout]

I've been reading these posts and seeing the cover pictures... I'm curious. I've seen something about these stories before but still I am an ignorant on this subject
Can anyone explain what is Imaro about? Without revealing to much. or at least direct me to some internet site where I can know more? I've read here about short stories, novels from the 80's. that's all I know.

This site will tell you all about it...

http://www.dodgenet....ossom/imaro.htm

I checked out a related DVD from the public library tonight. It's called "Time Life's Lost Civilizations". One of the episodes was 50 minutes and titled "Africa: A History Denied" and was all about ancient Africa!

Thank you for the help.
It seams really interesting, but how GOOD is it? Will a Conan ( and Robert Howard)fan like it?I've read the intreview and the change in one of the stories that, according to the Writer is very close to the Ruanda genocide. Is there any place where I can read the original unchanged version?

[Xaltotun]

I've been thinking about getting either the old, used stories or the recently re-released books for a year and a half now. Does anyone have any preference for the old or new version?

Edited by Xaltotun, 25 January 2007 - 03:18 AM.

[deuce]

Hey PS! The Imaro tales ARE good. Saunders is one of the true giants of S&S, with a style very close to Howard's. Imaro is comparable to Conan, but definitely his own character. Imaro is driven and pi$$ed-off, but for very understandable reasons.
Saunders' "Slaves of the Giant-Kings" tale is not very close at all to what actually happened in Rwanda. It is definitely worth a read. The only place to find it is in the original Imaro from DAW. Hope that helps.

Edited by deuce, 07 April 2009 - 08:18 PM.

[Primeval]

There is a list of all the Imaro stories, including those not in the original 3 novels, on Dale Rippke's site. All but one happen after the three novels, but I had hoped they would include these stories in these new books. There is one story that occurs before the first story in the first book; I would have liked to have read that. Anyone know anything about these other stories and why (at least this first one) they aren't being reprinted?

Here is the link to the Imaro page I mentioned:

http://www.dodgenet....om/Isources.htm

[deuce]

Hey Primeval! Don't hold me to it, but I believe the extraneous tales will be in the fifth Night Shade volume. If you're talking about "Mzee", it appeared in an issue of Dragon™ magazine. A good buddy (an Imaro fan) loaned it to me.

[Primeval]

Hey Primeval! Don't hold me to it, but I believe the extraneous tales will be in the fifth Night Shade volume. If you're talking about "Mzee", it appeared in an issue of Dragon™ magazine. A good buddy (an Imaro fan) loaned it to me.

Thanks Deuce - I will have to try and track that down.

[PaulMc]

If you like sword&sorcery and want someone other than Robert E. Howard to read, Saunders' Imaro is an excellent place to start.

But the reprints might be going out-of-print!

http://bg-editor.livejournal.com/

I want them to at least do the third book, as that covers the original out-of-print DAW books. But it would be best if Saunders could write *new* Imaro tales, too.

http://www.nightshad...spx?authorid=60

http://www.nightshadebooks.com

[deuce]

Damn! A good buddy has the first two, so I've been putting off buying them (I own the DAWs). Guess I'll have to get on it.

[Mikey_C]

Thanks for the tip; I've been meaning to buy these for a long time. I've put the order in.

[Almuric]

Already ordered them months ago.

[Strom]

I just put in my order for both books. I've been wanting to read Saunders' Imaro stories but kept putting it off and buying other books/stuff instead. Thanks for the heads up Paul. Hopefully, other s&s fans will head you call! I'm excited to finally read some Imaro.

[deuce]

C'mon y'all! The Imaro series can still be saved. I've purchased the first two (despite having the originals). Saunders is a DAMN good writer and Imaro is a KICK-A$$ Sword and Sorcery hero. How is our favorite fantasy genre supposed to survive if we don't support the good stuff? BUY the TPBs. EMAIL Night Shade Books. I don't want to wait twenty more years (or forever) to read the rest of the saga.

[VoragoExcarnator]

C'mon y'all! The Imaro series can still be saved. I've purchased the first two (despite having the originals). Saunders is a DAMN good writer and Imaro is a KICK-A$$ Sword and Sorcery hero. How is our favorite fantasy genre supposed to survive if we don't support the good stuff? BUY the TPBs. EMAIL Night Shade Books. I don't want to wait twenty more years (or forever) to read the rest of the saga.

I've bought new versions of the first two reprints as well as owning original copies of 1 and 3. Anyone know the status of these reprints? I was all set for 3 to come out and the saga to be completed in new books.