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[grim cimmerian]

Grim Cimmerian's Cogitatings on Conan, a review of all of the tales in the Conan Saga
As a big Conan fan since my childhood I have always wanted to read every Conan story ever written so I purchased, purloined, or procured Conan books in any way that I could. I finally have done it! I completed my collection of all the Conan tales (that I know of.)
I know many Conan fans aren't as lucky as me so I decided why not share a synopsis and review of each story with you....so let us begin.

Conan the Cimmerian was introduced to the world in december of 1932 in Weird Tales Magazine in a short story called The Phoenix on the Sword written by a little published pulp writer Robert E. Howard. It was a rewrite of a King Kull tale that he had written earlier but this time the editor accepted the story and a sword swinging barbarian of the north was born.

In his lifetime, Robert E. Howard wrote 21 Tales about the mighty barbarian and had 5 other stories that were either synopses or fleshed out fragments of tales that were never completed. (all of these were later completed by others.) Most of these were in the short story format although he wrote one full length novel about Conan: The Hour of the Dragon. A good number of these tales first saw print and thus became available to the public in Weird Tales, one of the popular pulp magazines of the day. Tragically Robert took his own life. The Conan character, a brilliant Howard creation has continued to live on however, and has become a well known word in the popular lexicon.

Other writers have picked up the fallen torch and the unfinished tales by Howard were completed and new tales about Conan have come forth. These pastiche authors,
(Pastiche: a literary, artistic, musical, or architectural work that imitates the style of previous work; also : such stylistic imitation Merriam Webster dictionary)
have continued to spin tales about the adventures of Conan and the Hyborian world he inhabited. there are currently (as of 2006) 105 stories about Conan (not including comic books, screen plays, role playing gaming books, etc) and more than a dozen stories about other characters in his world. some have been very good pastiches; that is to say a good imitation of Robert E. Howard's style of writing and his character Conan; others have been a poor imitation indeed obscuring the character or his world so greatly that it scarcely resembles Howard's work at all.

I have collected these tales and would like to share my thoughts with you on them and give a brief synopsis of each tale so others who do not have the stories mentioned could at least know what they are about.
The 105 Conan tales are comprised as follows:

written by Robert E. Howard(21 tales, 5 unfinished tales)
The phoenix on the sword (first published Dec 1932 in Weird tales)
The scarlet citadel (first published Jan 1933 Weird Tales)
The tower of the elephant (first published mar 1933 weird tales)
Black colossus (first published June 1933 Weird tales)
Xuthal of the dusk, Howard's original title was published asThe slithering shadow (f.p. Sept 1933 Weird Tales)
The pool of the black one (f.p. Oct 1933 Weird Tales)
Rogues in the house (f.p. Jan 1934 Weird Tales)
Iron shadows in the moon Howard's original title was published as shadows in the moonlight (f.p. April 1934 Weird Tales)
Queen of the black coast (f.p. May 1934 Weird Tales)
The devil in iron (f.p. Aug 1934 Weird Tales)
The people of the black circle (f.p. Sept/Oct/Nov 1934 issues of Weird Tales)
A witch shall be born (f.p. Dec 1934 Weird Tales)
The servants of Bit-Yakin Howard's original title was published as Jewels of Gwahlur(f.p. Mar 1935 Weird Tales) and as Teeth of Gwahlur
Beyond the black river (f.p. may/June 1935 Weird Tales)
Maneaters of Zamboula howard's original title was published as Shadows in Zamboula (f.p. Nov 1935 Weird Tales)
The Hour of the Dragon the only full length novel written by Howard was first published as a serial (f.p. Dec 1935/Jan/Feb/Mar/April 1936 Weird tales) also published as Conan the Conqueror (1953 ACE)
Red Nails (f.p. July/Aug/sept weird Tales)
The Frost giant's daughter Howard's original title was first published as Gods of the North (f.p. Mar 1934 The Fantasy Fan magazine) and later under the original title in an edited and slightly changed version in Rogues in the house (1976 Donald M. Grant) it also was published as The frost king's daughter in a non-Conan Version which the main character was changed to Amra
The God in the Bowl (f.p. sept 1952 Space Science Fiction Magazine) and later in a edited version inThe Tower of the Elephant (1975 Donald M. Grant)
the vale of lost women (f.p. spring 1967 Magazine of Horror No.15)
The black stranger Howard's original title was first published as The Treasure of Tranicos in a heavily edited and rewritten version for the Gnome Press series but due to the completely rewritten portions that title is technically a pastiche. Howard's original tale was first published as The Black Stranger in Echoes of Valor (feb 1987 TOR)
The snout in the dark a story fragment, was never completed by Howard
Drums of tombalku a story fragment, was never completed by Howard
The hall of the dead story synopsis was never completed by Howard
The hand of Nergal a story fragment, was never completed by Howard
Wolves beyond the border a story fragment, was never completed by Howard

L. Sprague de Camp, Lin Carter, and Bjorn Nyberg (22 original tales, 6 rewritten tales, 5 completed Howard tales, 33 total)
The Treasure of Tranicos is a rewritten version of a Howard Conan tale: The Black Stranger it was first published as the black stranger (f.p. Mar 1953 Fantasy magazine) and later as The Treasure of Tranicos in King Conan (1953 Gnome Press)
The Bloodstained God is a rewritten Howard non-Conan story titled Trail of the Bloodstained God. the original Howard story was set in Modern (1930's) Afganistan and was adopted as a conan tale by De Camp. it was first published in Tales of Conan (1955 Gnome Press)
Hawks over Shem is a rewritten Howard non-Conan story titled Hawks over Egypt the original Howard story was set in 11th century Egypt. It was adopted as a Conan tale by De Camp. Hawks over shem (Oct 1955 Fantastic Universe Science Fiction magazine)and later in Tales of Conan (1955 gnome Press)
The Road of Eagles is a rewritten Howard non-Conan tale of the same name (the road of eagles) the original Howard story was set in the 16th century turkish empire. It was first published as Conan Man of Destiny(dec 1955 Fantastic Universe Science Fiction Magazine) and later as The Road of eagles in Tales of Conan (1955 gnome Press) also published as The Way of the Sword
The flame Knife is a rewritten Howard non-conan tale titled Three-Bladed Doom. it was adopted as a Conan tale by De Camp. first published in tales of Conan (1955 Gnome Press)
the people of the summit is a rewritten non-conan tale by Hans Stefan Stantesson. it was modified into a Conan tale by Nyberg and De Camp. it was first published in Conan the Swordsman (1978 Bantam)
The Hall of the Dead is a completed story by De Camp from a story synopsis by Howard. (f.p. feb 1967 the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction 1967)
The Hand of Nergal is a completed story by Carter from a story fragment by Howard. It was first published in Conan (f.p. 1967 Lancer)
the snout in the Dark is a completed story by de Camp and Carter from a story fragment by Howard. It was first published in Conan of Cimmeria (1969 Lancer)
Drums of Tombalku is a completed story by De Camp of a story fragment by Howard. It was first published in Conan the Adventurer (1966 Lancer)
Wolves beyond the Border is a completed story by De Camp from a story fragment by Howard. It is the only story in the Conan saga not to feature Conan himself rather it is about the political events leading up to his crowning as king. It was first published in Conan the Usurper (1967 Lancer)
The thing in the crypt by De Camp and Carter was first published in Conan (1967 Lancer)
The City of Skulls by De Camp and Carter was first published as Chains of Shamballah in Conan (1967 Lancer) later editions (1968 on) had the first title.
The Curse of the monolith by De Camp and Carter was first published as Conan and the Cenotaph in Worlds of fantasy magazine vol.1 no. 1 (1968 worlds of fantasy)
the lair of the Ice Worm by De Camp and Carter was first published in Conan of Cimmeria (1969 Lancer)
The Castle of terror by de Camp and Carter was first published in Conan of Cimmeria (1969 Lancer)
Black Tears by De Camp and Carter was first published in Conan the Wanderer (1968 Lancer)
Conan the Buccaneer by De Camp and carter (f.p. 1971 Lancer)
Conan the Avenger by Nyberg and de Camp was first published as Conan the Victorious (Sept 1957 Fantastic Universe) and later as Conan the Avenger (1968 Lancer) also published as The Return of Conan
The witch of the mists by De Camp and Carter was fist published in Conan of Aquilonia (1977 ACE)
The Black Sphinx of Nebthu by De Camp and Carter was fist published in Conan of Aquilonia (1977 ACE)
Red moon of Zembabwei by De Camp and Carter was fist published in Conan of Aquilonia (1977 ACE)
Shadows in the Skull by De Camp and Carter was fist published in Conan of Aquilonia (1977 ACE)
Conan of the Isles by De Camp and Carter (f.p. 1968 Lancer)
Legions of the Dead by de Camp and Carter was first published in Conan the Swordsman (1978 Bantam)
Shadows in the dark by de Camp and Carter was first published in Conan the Swordsman (1978 Bantam)
The Star of Khorala by de Camp and Carter was first published in Conan the Swordsman (1978 Bantam)
The Gem in the Tower by de Camp and Carter was first published in Conan the Swordsman (1978 Bantam)
The Ivory Goddess by de Camp and Carter was first published in Conan the Swordsman (1978 Bantam)
Moon of Blood by de Camp and Carter was first published in Conan the Swordsman (1978 Bantam)
Conan the Liberator by De Camp and Carter (f.p. feb 1979 Bantam)
Conan and the spider God by de Camp (dec 1980 Bantam)
Conan the Barbarian (May 1982 Bantam) by De Camp and Carter was based on a screenplay by John Milius and Oliver Stone.

Leonard carpenter (11 tales)
Conan the renegade (f.p. Apr 1986 TOR)
Conan the Raider (f.p. Oct 1986 TOR)
Conan the Warlord (f.p. Mar 1988 TOR)
Conan the Hero (f.p. Feb 1989 TOR)
Conan the great (f.p. Apr 1989 TOR)
Conan the Outcast (f.p. Apr 1991 TOR)
Conan the Savage (f.p. Nov 1992 TOR)
Conan of the Red Brotherhood (f.p. Feb 1993 TOR)
Conan Scourge of the Bloody Coast (f.p. Apr 1994 TOR)
Conan the Gladiator (f.p. Jan 1995 TOR)
Conan Lord of the Black River (f.p. Apr 1996 TOR)

John Maddox roberts (8 tales)
Conan the Valorous (f.p. Sept 1985 TOR)
Conan the Champion (f.p. Apr 1987 TOR)
Conan the Marauder (f.p. Jan 1988 TOR)
Conan the Bold (f.p. Apr 1989 TOR)
Conan the Rogue (f.p. Nov 1991 TOR)
Conan and the Treasure of Python (f.p. Nov 1993 TOR)
Conan and the Manhunters (f.p. Oct 1994 TOR)
Conan and the Amazon (f.p. Apr 1995 TOR)

Robert Jordan (7 tales)
Conan the Invincible (f.p. June 1982 TOR)
Conan the Defender (f.p. Dec 1982 TOR)
Conan the Unconquered (f.p. Apr 1983 TOR)
Conan the Triumphant (f.p. Oct 1983 TOR)
Conan the Magnificent (f.p. May 1984 TOR)
Conan the Destroyer (f.p. July 1984 TOR)
Conan the Victorious (f.p. Nov 1984TOR)

Roland Green (7 tales)
Conan the Valiant (f.p. Oct 1988 TOR)
Conan the Guardian (f.p. Jan 1991 TOR)
Conan the Relentless (f.p. Apr 1992 TOR)
Conan and the Gods of the Mountain (f.p. May 1993 TOR)
Conan and the Demon's Gate (f.p. Nov 1994 TOR)
Conan and the Mists of Doom (f.p. Aug 1995 TOR)
Conan and the Death Lord of Thanza (f.p. Jan 1997 TOR)

Steve Perry (5 tales)
Conan the Fearless (f.p. Feb 1986 TOR)
Conan the Defiant (f.p. Oct 1987 TOR)
Conan the Indomitable (f.p. Oct 1989 TOR)
Conan the Freelance (f.p. Feb 1990 TOR)
Conan the Formidable (f.p. Nove 1990 TOR)

Andrew Offutt (3 tales)
Conan and the Sorcerer (f.p. Oct 1978 ACE)
Conan the Sword of Skelos (f.p. May 1979 Bantam)
Conan the Mercenary (f.p. January 1981 ACE)

Sean A. Moore (3 tales)
Conan the Hunter (f.p. Jan 1994 TOR)
Conan and the Shaman's Curse (f.p. Jan 1996 TOR)
Conan and the Grim Grey God (f.p. Nov 1996 TOR)

Roger E. Moore (2 tales)
Conan and the Prophecy (f.p. June 1984 TSR)
Conan the Outlaw (f.p. dec 1984 TSR)

Karl Wagner (1 tale)
Conan the Road of Kings (f.p. Oct 1979 Bantam)

Poul Anderson (1 tale)
Conan the Rebel (f.p. July 1980 Bantam)

John C. Hocking (1 tale)
Conan and the Emerald Lotus (f.p. Nov 1995 TOR)

Harry Turtledove (1 tale)
Conan of Venarium (f.p. July 2003 TOR)

James M. Ward (1 tale)
Conan the Undaunted (f.p. June 1984 TSR)

Robert M. Price
Conan Against the Gods (synopsis unpublished TOR)
(approved by De Camp before cancellation)


Non-Conan Hyborian stories
Many non-Conan short stories have appeared in Amra fanzine and in books like Spell of Conan (f.p. July 1980 ACE) and Blade of Conan (f.p. May 1979 ACE), The Conan Reader (1968 Mirage Press), the Conan Swordbook, (Mirage Press 1969), and The Conan Grimore (1972 Mirage Press) all of which are collections of articles or short stories that first appeared in AMRA.
Only two Hyborian characters emerged in their own novels: Red Sonja and Arquel of Argos, until the Age of Conan series by ACE brought us new adventures of Hyborian heroes such as Kern, Anok, and Kral.

Age Of Conan

Loren L. Coleman (3 Kern Tales)
Legends of Kern, Volume 1, Blood Of Wolves (f.p. May 2005 ACE)
Legends of Kern Volume 2, Cimmerian Rage (f.p. June 2005 ACE)
Legends of Kern Volume 3, Songs Of Victory (f.p. July 2005 ACE)

J. Steven York (3 Anok Tales)
Anok, Heretic of Stygia, Volume 1, Scion Of The Serpent (f.p. Sept 2005 ACE)
Anok, Heretic of Stygia, Volume 2, Heretic Of Set (f.p. Oct 2005 ACE)
Anok, Heretic of Stygia, Volume 3, Venom Of Luxor (f.p. Nov 2005 ACE)

Jeff Mariotte (3 Kral Tales)
Marauders Volume 1, Ghost Of The Wall (f.p. Jan 2006 ACE)
Marauders Volume 2, Winds Of The Wild Sea (f.p. Mar 2006 ACE)
Marauders Volume 3, Dawn Of The Ice Bear ((f.p. May 2006 ACE)

Richard A. Knaak (3 Nermesa Tales)
A Soldiers Quest Volume 1, The God in the Moon (f.p. July 2006 ACE)
A Soldiers quest Volume 2, The Eye of Charon (Available end of September 2006)
A Soldiers Quest Volume 3,The Silent Enemy (Available end of November 2006)

David C. Smith and Richard L. Tierney (6 tales of Red Sonja)
The Ring of Ikribu (f.p. 1981 ACE)
Demon Night (f.p. 1982 ACE)
When Hell Laughs (f.p.1982 ACE)
Endithor's Daughter (f.p.1982 ACE)
Against the Prince of Hell (f.p. 1983 ACE)
Star of Doom (f.p. 1983 ACE)

Raul "Ray" Capella (tales of Arquel of Argos)
The Leopard of Poitain (also known as Arquel Of Argos) is a series of short stories about the character Arquel and was first published in AMRA fanzine over a period of several years. (1965-1970's AMRA) One such short story was published as Turutal in Warlocks and Warriors (1970 Berkley.) the short story Arquel of Argos was published in Fantasy Book v.2 #2 ( May 1983 Fantasy Book Enterprises) the whole series was collected and was published as two books The Leopard of Poitain vols. 1 & 2 (Celt Press 1985) story titles include:
Arquel of Argos, At the Rim, The Borderland, Caravan to Kuthchemes,The Crimson Bell, The Dark Land, Dark Seraglio, A Goddess Out of Hell, In the Citadel, The King's Mercenaries, The King's Messenger, The Leopard of Poitain, The Lion's Bridge, The Python Gate, A Shield from Acheron, Spawn of Acheron, Time Exile, Turutal, The Winds of Acheron, Witch Fires, Witch's Pebbles I, Witch's Pebbles II, Witch's Pebbles III, Witch's Pebbles IV, Witch's Way, and The Wrath of Kallayur

Edited by grim cimmerian, 08 August 2006 - 12:41 AM.

[grim cimmerian]

A word on chronologies
Many readers, fans, authors, and editors have at one time or another tried to place the Conan stories in a chronological order.
A few basic time periods become evident while reading the Conan tales: he was a thief, mercenary, pirate and king at various points in his life, but beyond that, it is difficult indeed to place the stories in any true order.
Robert Howard himself stated that,
"In writing these yarns I've always felt less as creating them than as if I were simply chronicling his adventures as he told them to me. That's why they skip about so much, without following a regular order. The average adventurer, telling tales of a wild life at random, seldom follows any ordered plan, but narrates episodes widely separated by space and years, as they occur to him."

No real attempt was ever made by Howard to sort his tales chronologically until two fans, P. Schuyler Miller and John D. Clark, worked out the order as they saw it, drew up a map of Hyboria and mailed it to Howard.
He responded back with a letter not long before his death written to P.S. miller. This letter has become the basis of any chronological attempts as it was the only time Howard ever discussed the subject. Howard, flattered that some fans would take the time to work out an elaborate chronology and map, said that, "Both are surprisingly accurate, considering the vagueness of the data you had to work with." He went over some geography points and made a few corrections to the ordering of the tales. His statements were vague however, and although a few points in Conan's life were definitely placed, he really didn't set down a chronological order at all.

After howard's untimely death, Miller and Clark published their chronology with Howard's corrections as A Probable Outline of Conan's Career (1938) in The Hyborian Age, which was a Howard fanzine. And thus set off the never ending debate over which order each tale comes in Conan's life. Miller and Clark were completely ignorant of several Conan tales that hadn't been published in Howard's lifetime, so their first published attempt didn't include all the known Howard conan stories today.

Fans argued over the placement of the stories for years. I believe there can never be an official chronology as Howard just didn't leave enough information about the subject. he never intended to. He even cannibalized some of his previous short Conan stories to write Hour of the dragon a full length novel intended for a British market. It was never published there however and first saw print back in Weird tales as a serial to further confuse the order of Conan's life.
However, despite all of the reasons it can't be done, many interesting reasons exist for trying to lay out Conan's career:
it is fun, people like to try to read them in order, editors try to place them in collections, writers try to squeeze in a pastiche tale or fan written story in a gap, etc.

Howard's work was not well distributed during the decades following his death with few titles seeing publication and editors trampling all over and changing his original tales. For a long while all the Conan material was out of print.
The era of Pastiche Conan began when L. Sprague De Camp came across some unfinished Howard story fragments in possession of Glen Lord. He decided to finish the tales and write a few of his own with help from his assistant Lin Carter. Soon Conan was back in print with more stories about him than ever before. The collective tales of Howard, De Camp, Carter and others were published in both hardback and paperback by various publishers. During the Late 60's and early 70's conan became hugely popular due to Frank Frazetta paintings on the Lancer and Ace paperbacks (not to mention they are great stories!)
More people had read Conan stories than ever before. Conan became a popular figure in the mainstream consciousness with several comicbook titles and a couple major movies. Pastiche stories were cranked out by the dozens to meet the craving of fans for Conan related material. Sadly Howard seems to have been lost in the shuffle seldom recieving the credit due and with his stories becoming more and more changed and diluted with every passing editor. The character Conan snowballed away from Howard's original version to become the furry underwear clad swordsmen that has become the icon of sword and sorcery and the fantasy genre in general. A recent development by the owners of the Conan properties Has brought Howard and his unchanged Conan tales back to the forefront.

Many, many publications and products have been made over the years about the Conan character. Any attempt to fit all the stories written about him is impossible as several stories contradict themselves or what Howard wrote and some are of such poor quality as look completely ridiculous next to masterworks of howard's. nevertheless several people just had to have an order so several different chronologies exist, both containing the pastiche tales and excluding them in favor of the pure Howard Conan.

In choosing to review all of the Conan tales including the pastiches, I have selected a few Chronologies to compare from prominent editors, authors, scholars, and fans.
Obviously any order must be taken lightly as howard himself never really gave us a definitive chronology. I think it is fun to read the stories in a supposed order based on Conan's age so I will hack out my own order as I see fit. It definitely shouldn't be taken seriously, the only serious study of Conan stories should be the order Howard wrote the original tales in so one can see how both Conan and Howard developed. That is how it was for readers during his lifetime and to Howard, I recommend readers (especially new ones) start there.

if you are interested in chronologies I suggest you look up these:
1. Letter from P.S. Miller and John Clark 1936
a letter submitted by fans to Howard himself. This chronology was the only one that Howard saw during his lifetime.

2. Letter from Robert Howard to P.S. miller march 10, 1936
a letter by Howard in reply to the letter above. For all intents and purposes this one is the only one with offical approval (Howard is the creator of Conan after all); however, Howard already had many Conan tales that weren't finished or had been rejected by the magazines that these two fans didn't know about. Howard refrained from mentioning these other titles because of that and it leaves a lot of speculation as to how he really felt the timeline of Conan's life should go. no sense in telling some fans something when you might go back and change your mind later, besides he was still probably hoping to publish these tales.http://www.barbarian.../millerlet.html

3. a Probable outline of Conan's career by P.S. miller and J.D. Clark 1938
the first published chronology. Appeared in The Hyborian Age. based on howard's revisions of miller and clark's draft outline
http://www.barbarian...com/career.html

4. Dark Storm Chronology by Dale Rippke 2003
an innovative reordering of all of the original Howard Conan stories based on logic deciphered from the tales themselves. Does not follow the miller/clark outline. obviously does not include pastiches as it only deals with what Howard wrote.
http://www.dodgenet..../Conancron.html

5. Conan the Indestructable by L.S. De Camp
A chronology by the main editor of Conan stories and a pastiche author himself. follows the miller/clark outline, plus it established a chronology of the pastiche tales in the widely distributed Lancer/Ace/Sphere paperbacks so it is the most well known. Has been labeled as the 'official chronology' by CPI in the past, mainly because De Camp was in charge then. includes a good deal of pastiches written by himself and others, many not included here were written after the Indestructable outline came out.
found in Conan the Victorious and in Conan the Valorous as well as other published books. check publishing dates some versions have a lot more added to them if they are newer.

6. a Conan chronology by Robert Jordan
a chronology by a prominent Conan pastiche author that includes more pastiches because it was published later. for the most part an updated version of Decamps order, he changed some placements
http://www.barbarian...m/chrono89.html

7. Gurps Conan by Curtis Scott 1989
another chronology trying to fit in the new pastiches that had been written up till 1989.
Has dates in Aquilonian Age including Conan's birth, supposedly 1248 A.A. (Aquilonian Age)
found in the Gurps Conan sourcebook.

8. Conan Timeline by William Gray
the only chronology so far to put every conan story both pastiche and original in one complete list. follows the miller/clark outline. This one contains all of the pastiche works but really has to stretch quite a bit to fit Conan's travels in because he has been written by so many authors. it even has a estimated age for the stories and a legends of Conan section where the stories that just conflict with the accepted timeline are as sort of a alternate Conan or myths about him. I like this one, it is a valiant attempt to make sense out of the many pastiches out there.
http://www.barbarian....com/galen.html

Edited by grim cimmerian, 07 August 2006 - 07:17 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Purism, Pastiches and fables of conan
Many Conan fans are purists in the sense that if Howard didn't write it, then it ain't Conan. While Howard is the creator of the character and it is his tales that form the backbone of the Conan saga, many interesting stories about Conan and the Hyborian world have been written after Howard's death. Unfortunately many shoddy pieces of work have also been written about the Conan character and it is these that generally have given all the pastiches a bad name. I say each to his own, if you want to be a purist and just read Howard's Conan that's fine, but as for myself, Howard's untimely death deprived us of more Conan stories (or perhaps his writing interests would have shifted away from Conan had he lived longer anyways) so why not let others take a crack at it? I have enjoyed several interesting tales about Conan from other authors. Some stayed pretty close to what Howard might have wrote, some took the character in a different direction (whether for good or bad) and some landed so far off the mark that its a shame the word Conan appears in their stories at all. It is all a matter of opinion up to the individual reader. Perhaps my opinions on the different stories in these reviews will amuse, inform or help others. Don't be afraid to share your opinions too.
Conan tales can be broken down into a couple of levels: Howard tales, the Lancer/ACE/Bantam tales, and the TOR series. The Howard tales were written for Weird Tales and tend to be short but intense. These are the basis for the Conan character. The lancer/ACE/Bantam bunch of books are either collections of short stories or full novels. They mostly are Pastiches but also contain the Howard tales. However, the Howard stories in these books are mostly edited and you should really seek some unedited Howard now that they are back in print if you haven't already. TOR Novels are one single Pastiche Conan story each.

Any Pastiche works that directly contradict what Howard said about Conan in his stories or elsewhere I choose to call fables. Some Fables include:
Conan the Barbarian. obviously this is a different Conan and start to his career than Howard's character, many Conan stories actually have little bits of them in this tale and the following one Conan the Destroyer, and many things are totally different.
Conan the Bold an interesting take on how Conan might have started his career differently.
Conan of venarium a more recent novel that totally disregards what Howard said about Conan early life.

Here is how I rate the stories: (I also have a few cover reviews but as all stories don't have an illustrated cover we won't worry about it.)
10. A fantastic story and in my opinion one of the best.
9. A excellent conan story
8. A great story
7. A good story
6. A worthy story that has many intriguing plot points but may be weak in areas
5. A mediocre story
4. A Story that may have a couple of interesting ideas
3. A story that isn't well written or a plot that sucks
2. A dismal story that in my opinion has many flaws
1. A complete turd. A worthless sham of a story that shouldn't even mention Conan's name. In my opinion should be avoided by all except fanatic completists (or the author's mother, good ol ma will like it.)
Here is a little chart of my review scores for each story that I will update as I get the reviews done.

My review scores

The scarlet citadel...........................The Treasure of Tranicos...............Conan the renegade
The tower of the elephant [10] .........The Bloodstained God....................Conan the Raider
Black colossus................................Hawks over Shem.........................Conan the Warlord
Xuthal of the dusk...........................The Road of Eagles.......................Conan the Hero
The pool of the black one.................The flame Knife............................Conan the great
Rogues in the house........................the people of the summit...............Conan the Outcast
Iron shadows in the moon................The Hall of the Dead ...................Conan the Savage
Queen of the black coast..................The Hand of Nergal....................Conan of the Red Brotherhood
The devil in iron...............................the snout in the Dark....................Scourge of the Bloody Coast
The people of the black circle............Drums of Tombalku......................Conan the Gladiator
A witch shall be born........................Wolves beyond the Border............Conan Lord of the Black River
The servants of Bit-Yakin..................The thing in the crypt [10] ..................Conan the Valorous
Beyond the black river......................The City of Skulls.........................Conan the Champion
Shadows in Zamboula.......................The Curse of the monolith.............Conan the Marauder
The Hour of the Dragon.....................the lair of the Ice Worm................Conan the Bold
Red Nails.........................................The Castle of terror .....................Conan the Rogue
The Frost giant's daughter [10] .................Black Tears.........................Conan and the Treasure of Python
The God in the Bowl [10] .......................Conan the Buccaneer...................Conan and the Manhunters
the vale of lost women............Conan the Avenger......................Conan and the Amazon
The black stranger......................The witch of the mists....................Conan the Invincible
Conan the Barbarian [7] ........................The Black Sphinx of Nebthu...........Conan the Defender
Red moon of Zembabwei...................Shadows in the Skull.....................Conan the Unconquered
Legions of the Dead [9] ........................Shadows in the dark......................Conan the Triumphant
The Star of Khorala..........................The Gem in the Tower....................Conan the Magnificent
The Ivory Goddess............................Moon of Blood...............................Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Liberator...........................Conan and the spider God..............Conan the Victorious
Conan and the Sorcerer [10] .....................Conan the Mercenary [7] ...................Conan the Sword of Skelos [8]
Conan the Valiant..........................Conan and the Mists of Doom.............Conan the Hunter
Conan the Guardian...........................Conan and the Shaman's Curse.....Conan and the Grim Grey God
Conan the Relentless.....................Conan the Road of Kings...........Conan and the Gods of the Mountain
Conan and the Demon's Gate.............Conan the Rebel..................Conan and the Death Lord of Thanza
Conan the Fearless............................Conan and the Emerald Lotus.........Conan the Indomitable [2]
Conan the Freelance [1] .......................Conan the Defiant [2] ........................Conan the Formidable [4]
Conan of Venarium
Conan and the Prophecy.....................Conan the Outlaw.........................Conan the Undaunted


Anok, Heretic of Stygia, Volume 1, Scion Of The Serpent
Anok, Heretic of Stygia, Volume 2, Heretic Of Set
Anok, Heretic of Stygia, Volume 3, Venom Of Luxor

Legends of Kern, Volume 1, Blood Of Wolves
Legends of Kern Volume 2, Cimmerian Rage
Legends of Kern Volume 3, Songs Of Victory

Marauders Volume 1, Ghost Of The Wall
Marauders Volume 2, Winds Of The Wild Sea
Marauders Volume 3, Dawn Of The Ice Bear

A Soldiers Quest Volume 1, The God in the Moon

The Ring of Ikribu
Demon Night
When Hell Laughs
Endithor's Daughter
Against the Prince of Hell
Star of Doom

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 10:29 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

The Conan saga for me begins with The Frost Giant's Daughter because Howard himself mentioned that Conan travelled North first out of Cimmeria and fought along side an Aesir war band harrying the Vanirs and the Hyperborians. This is the only story written by Howard about just that and it seems odd to me that other chronologists put this tale later in his life.

The Frost Giant's Daughter
Author: Robert E. Howard
According to The Coming of Conan of Cimmeria there are two drafts: draft A was 8 pages and Draft B (final version) was 9 pages. In CofCC it is 7 pages, in Lancer/ace Conan of Cimmeria it is 11 pages. It was also published as The Frost King's Daughter and as The Gods of the North. One version is a non-Conan rewrite that has Amira of Akkibitania as the lead character.
Where found: CofCC(Del Rey/Wandering Star), Conan of Cimmeria (lancer/Ace/Sphere) 109 editing changes were made by DeCamp (that I found) in the Lancer/Ace/Sphere paperback version. Mostly changed spelling, word order, and punctuation. But he did add a few words and remove some as well. He inserted a sentence where Conan resheaths his bloody sword to chase Atali but no mention is made of him redrawing it for combat with her brothers, and he adds some words to install a timeline (dusk and later night)
My Rating of this Story out of 10:10! it is definitely in my top five if not my favorite.
Where: Snowfield in Nordenheim
Conans Age:16 if this story follows closely behind Venarium as I believe it does, Conan was 23 around this time according to Decamp.
Conan's occupation:a reaver; member of an Aesir war party
Conan's weapons/Attire: Wearing a Corselet and mail, and a Horned Helmet. His feet and arms are also mailed. He has a fur lined tunic. It is mentioned that he had a shield but has lost that by the opening of the story. Sword.
Conan's Appearance mentioned: black hair, scarred face, beardless
Conan's use of Language:He understands and speaks Nordenheimer-the language of the Aesir and Vanir. Conan's known Languages: 2
Known Countries Conan has been to so far:Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard (3)
Chronology comparisons: This story was not included in the Probable outline of Conan's Career by P.S. Miller and J.D. Clark 1938, is #1 in the Dark Storm Chronology by Dale Rippke 2003, #25 in Conan Chronology by Robert Jordan 1989, #21 in Conan the Indestructable by Le Sprague DeCamp, #31 (also list as a possible #1) in Conan Timeline by William Gray 2000, #26 in Gurps Conan by Curtis Scott 1989

Synopsis:
Conan is the last survivor of a battle on the snow covered plains of Nordenheim, after defeating Heimdul the last Vanir Warrior. He is exhausted from battle and falls to the snows. He looks up to see a mysterious figure taunting him.....


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Synopsis Continued: Conan sees Atali, The frost giant Ymir's daughter. Conan Is enchanted by Atali's icy beauty and is maddened by sorcery to possess her and regains his feet to pursue her across the icy wastes. He eventually is led into a trap where two Frost giants (her brothers) rise up to slay him from the snows. Conan defeats both and continues his pursuit of Atali. He eventually captures her but she implores Ymir for protection and disappears. Conan crashes to the earth with exhaustion. He is awakened by a party of Aesir who rub the frostbite out of his limbs and listen to his strange story. Noone believes him but old Gorm until they notice the wisp of gossamer in Conan's grip that was the only article of clothing on Atali.

Names/Places mentioned: Ymir the Frost giant (God of the Nordenheimers), Wulfhere (an Aesir band leader that is slain), Heimdul (a Vanir warrior that Conan slays), Atali (daughter of Ymir), Bragi (a Vanir leader that is slain), Niord (an Aesir band leader), old Gorm (an Aesir warrior), Horsa (an Aesir warrior),Aesir(race),Vanir(race), Vanaheim (land of the vanir), Valhalla (Nordenheimer version of heaven in the afterlife), Poitain (country), field of Wolraven (battlesite) (wolfraven in DeCamp's version)
Cover ArtWork:The cover of Conan of Cimmeria by Frank Frazetta depicts his battle with the two frost giants. My art rating out of 10:9 It would be a ten as I love this painting but the picture doesn't follow the descriptions in the story (arms and clothing) and Conan decapitated the second giant after chopping the leg off the first (at the thigh in Howard's version, the knee in Decamp's)

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 07:08 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Legions of the Dead
Author:Le Sprague DeCamp and Lin Carter 1978
Where Found:Conan the Swordsman (Lancer) 23 pages
My Rating of this story out of 10: 9 I really like stories set in the north and it is well written.
Where: the border of Hyperboria and Asgard (a country of Nordenheim), a snowy forest.
Conan's age:16
Conan's occupation:a reaver; a member of a Aesir war party
Conan's weapons/attire mentioned:Woolen tunic, long handled axe, long knife, sword.
Conan's appearance mentioned: youth
Conan's Use of Language: Speaks NordenHeimer with a rough accent Conan's known languages:2 (Cimmerian and Nordenheimer)
Known Countries Conan has been to:Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria (4)
Chronology comparisons:This Story is not listed in the Probable outline of Conan's Career by P.S.Miller and J.D. Clark 1938, Nor in The Dark Storm Chronology by Dale Rippke 2003 because it is not written by Howard; a pastiche work. #1 in Conan Chronology by Robert Jordan 1989, #1 in Conan the Indestructable by L.S. DeCamp, #1 (2) in Conan Timeline by William Gray 2000, #1 in Gurps Conanby Curtis Scott 1989


Synopsis: Conan is mentioned as been driven from his homeland due to a blood feud (by DeCamp) and journeys north to fight alongside the Aesir (Howard.)
He is with Njal the Aesir chieftain on a hunting excursion during a mission to recover Njal's daughter from "witchmen" kidnappers. They are sucessful in their hunt and return to the group that are camped a short distance away from Haloga castle, from where a group of scouts that Njal sent have failed to return.....


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Synopsis Continued: The group is worried by the disappearance of their advance scouting party and fear that the element of surprise is gone and are debating what to do. In the morning screams are heard from Haloga castle and the party discovers that Hyperborian "witchmen" are torturing their comrades to death up on the battlements and that young Conan has stole away in the early morning presumably deserted. Conan scales into a tight fitting arrow notch in the wall with the help of a rope and grapnel and begins to creep around the castle looking for the Chieftain's daughter while the Hyperborians are preoccupied with killing the scouting party. He discovers her and they attempt to escape by the same route they came into but are diverted into a storage room by lurking hyperborians. Conan plans a diversion by lighting the straw and wooden floor ablaze and hurries back out the way they came. He safely returns her to Njal and the party hurries away in the confusion of the fire. The Queen of Haloga, Vammatar the Cruel sets out a pursuit. the Aesir retreat Westward back home but soon realize that the pursuers will overcome them. they hold their ground at a favorable spot and wait. The pursuers are discovered to be the undead with many of the Aesir's own fallen among them as well as Hyperborians that perished in Conan's fire and older corpses. They attack relentlessly and decimate the Aesir party. Conan fighting ruthlessly notices Vammatar astride a black steed commanding the undead and he snatches up the chieftain's daughter and attacks the queen pulling her from the mount. He places The daughter on it and prepares to mount himself but the horde of undead pull him back. He slaps the horse with the flat of his blade and tells her to run away. Conan and the surviving Aesir are captured by the Hyperborians and Conan is in chains for the first time in his life. I really like how Conan doesn't win at the end of this one although the chieftain's daughter escapes. Gorm the warrior provides a link between the Frost Giant and this tale. The Hyperborians are described as lanky having white skin, amber eyes, and colorless flax hair.

Names/places mentioned: Njal (Aesir chieftain), Gorm the bard (Aesir warrior), Egil the huntsmen (Aesir warrior slain in the scouting party), Rann Njalsdatter (daughter of the Aesir chieftain), Thror ironhand (Aesir warrior), Crom (God of the Cimmerian people), Vammatar the cruel (queen of Haloga), Witchmen (hyperborians, race), Aesir (race), Vanir (race), Gundermen (race), Aquilonians (race), Haloga castle (Hyperborian stronghold), Hyperboria (country)

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 07:12 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

The Thing in the Crypt
Author:Le Sprague DeCamp and Lin Carter
Where Found: Conan volume 1 (lancer/ace/sphere) 17 pages
My rating of this story out of 10: 10 this is definitely the best pastiche work of the older ones as it has a cool story and a creepy atmosphere.
Where:Fleeing southward toward Brythunia and the Turanian steppes from captivity in Hyperboria, the story resumes on the borders of Brythunia in a snowy forest and later a crypt.
Conan's age: 16
Conan's occupation:escaped slave
Conan's weapons/attire mentioned: A length of chain, a ratty wool tunic, loincloth and sandals, later a fur cloak from a chest. An atlantean sword.
Conan's appearance mentioned:Conan has grown since venarium and is now inches over six feet tall.
Conan's use of language: uses the word "Crom!" Conan's known languages:2

Known Countries Conan has been to: Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperborea, Brythunia (5)
Conan's appearance mentioned: He has grown since Venarium and now is inches over 6 feet.
Chronology Comparisons:This story is not included in the Probable Outline of Conan's Career by P.S. Miller and J.D. Clark 1938, nor in The Dark Storm Chronology by Dale Rippke 2003, It is a pastiche. #2 in Conan Chronology by Robert Jordan 1989, #2 in Conan the Indestructable by L.S. DeCamp, #2 in Conan Timeline by william Gray 2000, #2 in Gurps Conan by Curtis Scott 1989


Synopsis: Conan manages to snap his chain while working at night by grinding away at it on the floor. He flees captivity from the Hyperborians south. He is pursued by a pack of wolves across an icy river and through the forest. He notices a rocky outcrop and prepares to make a stand but dives into a crevice that he notices instead. The wolves do not follow and the crevice proves to be the antichamber to a larger chamber that he finds the entrance to.........


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Synposis continued: Conan stumbles against some wooden man made objects in the dark and breaks a chair. He find a hunk of Iron from a broken chariot wheel and through trial and error a rock that will spark from a handful of rocks and tinder from the antichamber. He manages to get a fire going and sees the crypt's interior for the first time. The remains of some great warrior sit on a throne at the far end of the chamber. Across his legs is a sword of blued iron over a yard in length. when Conan removes this sword, the thing stirs with undead life to retrieve its posession. Conan horrified by yet another undead hacks away at it with the sword. The mummy (or wight) proves difficult to stop and he chops its hand off and lodges his sword in its foul carcass. the Mummy rips his tunic off and presses its attack. finally Conan hacks it down back into the fire and it is consummed into unholy ashes. Rummaging for anything useful in the crypt he dons an old fur cloak from a chest. Not willing to spend the night in the eerie tomb he goes outside to take his chances with the wolves but they are gone.

Names/places mentioned:Crom (god of Cimmerians), Kull of Atlantis (king of Valusia), Aesir (race), Vanir (Race)Aquilonians (race), Venarium (aquilonian/gundermen fort in Cimmeria destroyed by Cimmerians in an epic battle), Zamora (country), Shadizar (the city of wickedness in Zamora), Arenjun (the thief city in Zamora), Yezud (city of the spider god in Zamora), Hyperboreans (race), Brythunia (country), Turanian steppes

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 07:14 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Conan the defiant
Author: Steve Perry 1987 (trade), 1988 (first mass market paperback)
232 pages (245 including A Conan Chronology by robert Jordan printed in the back of the book)
Where found: Tor novel
Cover art: #1 on the trade paperback: by ???? the art is uncredited. based on style I would say it is a Ken Kelly or Kirk Reinert. At the very edge of the cover a copyright "c" is discernable but the name following has been cut off. It shows Conan with two swords attacking undead with a sorcerer in the back and a girl in a red dress with a sword knocked down by him.
My art rating: 5 interesting picture but doesn't follow story. #2 mass market paperback: by Sean Joyce shows Conan with a sword and shield on stairs slaying two men. At the top of the stairs is a seated figure with magic glow around his hands and a crouching semi-nude chick. My Art Rating: 9 very cool picture but once again doesn't follow story discription.
My Rating of this story:2 I didn't read this story until last of the Steve Perrys because I didn't own it yet. It follows his predictable formula (used in the next three Perry stories.)
Steve Perry's Formula for hacking out Conan Pastiches:
Conan, in a fantasy D&D world chock full of magic users and monsters where he can speak to anybody regardless of language meets up with weird companions, has some sort of deviant sexual experience, and pisses off a wizard who paralyzes him in the final battle.

on the dedication page Perry thanks Webster's dictionary" for several words at least a few readers are going to have to look up." I find this truly hilarious. He tries to look smarter by tossing in some "big" words then he thanks the dictionary bragging that some people are going to have to look it up, when clearly these aren't in his vocabulary and he did precisely that. he uses effulgent, expectoration,then uses ersatz several times. Apparently he read the letter 'E' entries in the dictionary. good job Steve, here is your smiley sticker .
Where the story takes place:
Conan's Age:16
Conan's occupation:escaped slave
Conan's weapons/attire:blue iron broadsword with a stained leather handle, rough clothing made of stinking furs. later- underbreeks of some silken cloth (Conan wearing silk underwear!!!! can you imagine that? ) , short leathern breeches, thick cut sandals with long leg ties, supple leather tunic, belt, and purse. So lets see here: Perry has Conan wearing silk underwear with high strapped sandals, rocker short shorts, and carrying a purse. Sounds like a drag queen or something
Conan's appearance mentioned: recieves a deep dirk wound on hip. Conan cries in this story.
Conan's use of languages: In steve Perry's Conan books Conan can talk to everyone regardless of where he has been or what language they might be speaking. Conan's known languages:Should be 2 still (Cimmerian, Nordenheimer)
Known countries conan has visited so far: Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperborea, Brythunia (5)
Chronology comparisons:This story is not included in the Probable Outline of Conan's Career by P.S. Miller and J.D. Clark 1938, nor in The Dark Storm Chronology by Dale Rippke 2003, It is a pastiche. #3 in Conan Timeline by william Gray 2000, #3 in Gurps Conan by Curtis Scott 1989



Synopsis: *****to be continued*****
Spoiler warning
Synopsis continued:


Names/places mentioned:Neg the Malefic (necromancer), graylands (spiritual limbo), great wall of Koth, Koth (country), Khauranian (race), Kothian (race), Khalis (city in Koth), Gehanna (hell), Temple of Suddah oblates (monk retreat), Tuanne (good looking zombie woman ), Hyperborea (country), Brythunia (country), Cimmeria (country), Crom (cimmerian God), Zamora (country), Shadizar (city in Zamora), Cengh (priest of Suddah Oblates), Kenzankian range (mountains running from brythunia, Zamora to Khauran), Khauran (country), Oblate Kensash (head honcho monk), Atlantis (ancient country), Stith (lizard man race), Skeer (an assassin), Corinthia (country), Vendya (country), Malo (martial arts monk), Mitra (God), Elashi (desert woman disguised as priest), Lorven (chief of hill tribe, Elashi's dad), High Brythunian road, Stygian (race), Kushian (race), Keshanite (race), Bel (god), Opkothard (city of mystery), death mask (four mountains around Opkothard), Emreaves (high priest), Disquise master, Tarantula inn (in Opkothard), Yezud (city in Zamora), nameless spider god, turanian (race), Port (rogue), Starboard (rogue), Vilayet sea, Turan (country), Khoraf, Khorusun, Onagrul, Vanatta, the boiled pig inn, Smoking cat inn, Imelda (trull), Alleta (trull), Piper (store lackey), Asura (god), Biblionecrum, Book of the Damned, Black Folio,Bird men (race), inbetweenlands,Nemedia (country), ophir (country), Aquilonia (country), Zingara (country) Numalia (city in Nemedia), Shem (country),

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 11:21 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Conan the Indomitable
Author:Steve Perry 1989 273 pages
Where found: Tor Novel
Cover art: #1 (on trade paperback) by Kirk Reinert shows Conan facing a witch on a giant worm. My art rating out of 10: 3 the picture is interesting but doesn't follow the description in the book (can't really blame him for not reading Perry closely)
Cover #2 (on Mass market paperback) by Ken Kelly shows Conan facing a cyclops who is holding a chick. My art rating out of 10: 4 The artwork is a little better but again the description of events/individuals is very different in the story.
My rating of this story out of 10: 2 It is a sad fact that the word "Conan" appears in this book at all. Steve Perry's world seems much more like forgotten realms in the D&D universe than the Hyborian world that Howard descibed. I had no real interest to finish it after the third chapter, however I am doing these reviews for you people....
Where: Juncture of Corinthia, Brythunia, and Zamora in the Karpash Mountains, later a large cavern complex known as Grotterium Negrotus (the black caves)
Conan's Age: 16
Conan's occupation:Escaped slave
Conan's weapons/attire mentioned:Woolen shirt, Wool pants, winter's cloak (cape), heavy boots, sheath, blue iron sword, snowshoes.
Conan's use of language: I find Steve Perry exasperating in this regard as Conan is able to communicate with anyone or anything he meets regardless of the fact that this story according to him follows closely on the heels of Defiant and The thing in the Crypt and Conan has yet to see any major civilization. He even understands a worm "because the language was one he had heard in Hyperborea several years past." ugggh. Conan's known languages: Still 2 as far as I am concerned.
known countries Conan has visited so far:Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria, Brythunia, Corinthia (6)
Chronology comparisons:It is only listed in william gray's Conan timeline 2000, as #5


Synopsis:Conan fresh from whatever happened in Conan the defiant Conan is travelling with Elashi a Khauranian woman who criticizes every move he makes. they are on the way to Shadizar. On a mountain trail he is attacked by a hemaphrodite she-man named Harskeel of Lopan and its men. He defeats the men but the "it" vows to have him and his sword.

He has a little money apparently from selling wolfskins and heads to the inn for room and board. while there he steps into a fight between the local toughs and Lalo, a man with a curse to always smile and insult everyone he meets. Lalo apparently is proficient in martial arts. quickly the fight is settled and Conan now has another annoying friend. Conan and Elashi set out in the morning on the short route that is normally avoided because of the dangerous watchbeast of the pass. they encounter the beast which is part rat, cat, dog as big as a horse. just then the Harskeel "it" returns to claim Conan after tracking him with a party of soldiers. Conan and Elashi hide from both the nearsighted watchbeast and the Soldiers which end up fighting each other. Conan and Elashi fall into a pit trap and land in a large cavern complex.

Meanwhile Chuntha, the witch of the caverns, who is somekind of sexual vampire that siphons mens' energy by "sleeping" with them has taken note of Conan and sends her minion to capture him for her bed. Also a wizard named Katamay Rey Who battles Chuntha for control of the caves has forseen a doom that is linked to the barbarian and dispatches his own minions.


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Synopsis continued: Chuntha sends deek, a giant white sentient worm (that studders when it talks by rubbing a body part against stone) to capture Conan. Rey sends blindwhites (apelike creatures of low intelligence) and Wikkell, a hunchbacked cyclops that is half again as big as Conan, to find them. Conan and Elashi landed in a deep puddle but are unhurt and quickly carve through the blindwhites surrounding them. Wikkell and Deek arrive late and pursue.

Conan arrives at a dead end at a waterfall but an old hermit named Tull who has lived in the cave for many years appears and leads them to his secret hideout. The harskeel and its remaining men left from the battle with the watchbeast construct a ladder and pursue Conan into the Hole as well. The worm Deek converses with bloodbats to find out where Conan went and sends the bat ahead as a scout. Wikkell eventually finds his way through the waterfall even though the blindwhites were decieved and also takes back up Conan's trail. They all meet up in the Bloodbats breeding chamber and a large fight between The Harskeel, bats, whites, cyclops, worm and Conan's party ensues. In the Confusion Conan, Elashi and Tull head down tunnel until they come to the shore of the Sunless sea, a large underground waterway.

They use Elashi as bait for a giant fish that Conan skewers and they use the house size floating carcass of the fish for a boat. they paddle out into the sunless sea looking for an escape route back to the surface. Deek and Wikkell both fearing destruction by their respective masters team up to capture the Humans. They bribe a boat made of webbing produced by intelligent carnivorous plants, called webspinners, that lure creatures to their doom with a potent siren song then ensnare them in their sticky webbing. In the web boat the worm and cyclops make good time chasing Conan.

Meanwhile both magic users have become irrate at the delay in Conan's capture and each sets out to capture them on their own. Chuntha (naked throughout the book) arrives riding a white worm followed by several others. The worms get stuck together with a magic glue to form a raft. Katamay Rey sets out with an entourage of Cyclops in his sedan chair and when he arrives at the sea he creates a magic dock that extends in front and dissapears behind letting his party run across the water. Conan gets lost in a looping cavern that takes them back where they were. the fish (that they have been eating by cooking it with the juice of a fungus) is starting to sink rapidly so they abandon it for the shore and head into a side tunnel. the Harskeel convinces the bloodbats to take it across the sea with a minor spell that produces a quantity of blood. They get a plank of wood and skimming the plank across the water, they fly with the Harskeel in tow.

The harskeel finds Conan first and the battle wipes out all its men and most of the bats with Conan again headed back to the sunless sea. The wizard arrives and captures Conan and friends and starts back with them on the magic dock. Just then Lalo the idiot with the curse falls from the ceiling through a hole and nearly lands on them creating just enough destraction for conan and friends to dive in the water and escape. The witch also attacks the wizard at this point with a magic fog hoping to capture Conan. Conan, elashi, lalo, and Tull make the shore and head away unseen. The wizard and witch head the wrong way on their "boats" sending out red or blue bees to check sidepassages for Conan. The Harskeel heads after Conan with what is left of the bloodbats. The worm deek and Wikkell the cyclops see their masters and decide that they will be destroyed if they return so they instead decide to revolt and head for each race (worms and cyclops) to convince them to rebel against their magical oppressors.

Conan and friends decide to loot the witches' lair while she is away and get in after diverting and killing a few worm guards. Lalo and Elashi go rob while Conan and tull keep em busy. They meet back up and Conan gets a jewel that lets him read minds. They encounter the harskeel that is really a man and a woman magically joined who needs conan's sword and blood to break the spell. Conan is captured by the witch who transformed herself into a pterydactyl. She takes him back to her lair where he satiates her (back in her naked witch form) into sleep and escapes. The others are captured by the wizard rey who has decided just to head home where he is safe. The wizard turns the Harskeel who has finally broke the spell with Conan's sword and blood and returned to two people into two piles of goo with a spell.

the worm and cyclops convince their races to revolt by stealing magical artifacts from each lair of the wizard and witch. Conan joins up with them and heads to get his friends from the wizard. They manage to get loose of the wizard's chains by digging around in his stuff while he is asleep. they set a fire which lets loose the black rot contained in a vial. the wizard wakes up and is pissed but just then the army of cave dwellers comprized of blindwhites, bloodbats, worms, and cyclops storm his stronghold and the witch's lair. the witch escapes turning back into the flying reptile and heads out but stops to watch the battle at the wizard's stronghold.

The wizard conjures a demon to fight the rebellion and causes a portion of the ceiling to collapse. The demon charges Conan who holds his ground but it is taken out by Deek and Wikkel who use the magic devices they stole. The demon is buried under large rocks and is trapped or slain. the wizard is overcome by the black rot that was let loose by conan's friends and struggles to release a spell that will destroy all. The witch dives at conan in rage but her spell ends transforming her and she slams to the ground dead. Conan is paralysed by the wizard but fights through it with taunting by Lalo. Conan puts the wizard down with his reclaimed sword and the worms and cyclops show him to the surface.

I really dislike this book on so many levels. some phrases that irked me were cliches like the worm version of crap or get off the pot, "Defecate or get out of the trench" (you got to be kidding) and stuff like Conan had been with more than a few women in his young life (who?), "a move he learned from the swordmaster" in some temple of suddah oblates (wtf!), "wine better than some he had tasted" (where?) etc.
Steve Perry is in my opinion the worst Conan Pasticher ever to take the helm. His books don't deserve a place in the Conan saga.

Names/places mentioned:Brythunia (country), Corinthia (country), Zamora (country), Khauran (country), Kitai (country),Hyperborea (country), Punt (country), Stygia (country),Shadizar (town in Zamora), Grey lands (afterlife), gehenna (hell), Neg the Malefic (some wizard Conan put down in the last story), Elashi (Khauranian woman), Lalo (cursed dude), Cengh (?), Crom (god of Cimmerians), Harskeel of Lopain (a hemaphrodite), Katamay Rey (wizard), Set (god of stygians), Chuntha (a nymphomanical witch), Worms: Deek, soriusu, Cyclops: Wikkell, Jalouri, Mamabay rey (wizard's brother), Tunk (demon of Set), Sensha (demon God), Mitra (god), Tull (hermit), "Red" (bloodbat), Jungles of Xuchotl in the black kingdoms

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 07:17 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Conan the Freelance
Author: Steve Perry 1990 279 pages
Where found:Tor novel
Cover art: Conanwith a girl holding his leg fighting a shark man by Kirk Reinart My art rating out of 10: 5 Conan is well done in a different direction than most artists take him but the story descriptions don't fit this picture.
My Rating of this Story out of 10: 1 this is the worst Conan Story I have ever read and I would have thrown it out the window except that I collect Conan books and will keep it for sake of completness of said collection and that I planned to do this review. the mist mage is an interesting character however, too bad he is in such a shoddy tale.
Where: In the Karpash mountains still on his way to Zamora
Conan's age:16
Conan's occupation: escaped slave
Conan's Weapons/attire: Wolf hide, short leathern breeches, Sandals, Blue Iron Sword.
Conan's use of language: Once again Steve Perry has Conan speaking to whomever or whatever creature he manages to run into. Conan's known languages: still should be only 2!
Known Countries Conan has visited so far: Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperborea, Brythunia, Corinthia, Zamora (7)
Chronology Comparisons: #6 in the Conan Timeline by William Gray 2000


Synopsis:Conan straight from Indomitable (how'd his clothes change?) Heads towards ever elusive Zamora. Still in the Karpash mountains he saves Cheen, a spearwoman of the Treepeople (snicker, giggle) from a group of dragon men called Korga. He accompanies her back to her village in the magically grown super trees. He meets her people including her brothers Tair and the boy Hok.

He partakes in their festival and drinks a potion that allows him to see his God Crom; Who is half again Conan's height, thickly muscled, fur, boots, wolfskin codpiece, barechest gleaming with oil, full beard, dark red hair, and has a Bronze helmet with long curved horns.He apparently isn't a grim God but rather has a sense of humor and delights in pranks and jokes. (doesn't sound like Crom AT ALL to me!) He calls Conan "Conan of fooleria" and Conan decides he wants to wrestle him and leaps at him to tackle him. He goes right through the laughing mirage and falls off the tree platform. He is caught by a rope tied around his ankle (so he wouldn't fall out of the tree while under the potions effect) and then mindblowingly uses the cliche "I shoulda looked before I leaped"............................at this point I had to set the book down for a good long while as I was extremely irritated and debated whether to continue.

Meanwhile the lizard men called Pili (who sent the korga dragon men) want the magic seed that grew the huge trees of the treepeople. A wizard named Abet Blas, Dimma of the Fogs, Mist mage (long winded innit?) also seeks this seed as the last portion of a spell that will turn him back from a wisp of smoke into human form. The wizard sends Selkies that are sorta like weresharks (I thought selkies were mammalian in nature more like human otters) to get the seed. They ride scrat which are four-legged beast of burden. Kleg, the selkie in charge (called the prime), Sends some selkies to distract the treepeople during their festival while he and a couple others climb the huge tree to steal the seed. they succeed and capture the boy Hok as well. Conan and a Treepeople party pursue them.

While headed back to the Wizard, they cross the land of the Pili and encounter a party of the lizard men. They trade their captive Hok for safe passage through the lizard men lands. The Selkies continue on and the Pili take the boy back to their king named Rayk and queen named Thayla. they plan to eat him. Conan scouting ahead of the treepeople interprets the meeting between the Selkies and Pili and leaves an indication that the seed went with the Selkies and he was headed after the pili hoping to rescue the boy....



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Synopsis Continued: The pili king learns of the selkies' possession of the magic seed something they also had been trying to get from the captive Hok and sets out in a large party to recover it. The queen Thayla who likes to dally while the king is away (especially with human men) wistfully thinks about her next infidelity. Conan sneeks into the Pili caves by night but is seen by Thayla. she captures him with help from her guard and inprisons him in the cage with the Boy Hok.

The lizard woman wants to pleasure herself with Conan before they eat him so she drugs Conan and lures him to her bed. He satiates her to sleep and escapes (sound familiar?, see last review of Indomitable) He and the boy flee and are pursued by the dragon men Korga. They find The Treepeople party and destroy the Korga. Then they head off to find their magic seed. The pili queen Thayla angry that her plaything has escaped and worried that her husband might find out despatches some lizard men to kill them. Thayla and her lizard men pass the Treepeople and set an ambush in the dunes. Conan discovers this and the treepeople route the lizard men with Thayla and one guard named Blad fleeing for their lives.

Meanwhile the other pili party over takes the Selkies at a river where they transform into sharks to better fight the lizard men. the selkies are defeated because the Pili use poison spears and the prime selkie Kleg flees still holding the magic seed. The remainder of the Pili chase him to a town called Karatas on the shore of the sargasso sea where the wizard has built his castle on a floating seaweed mat. He lays low while they search for him and goes to a tavern for a drink.

The wizard irrate at the delay in his plans (sound familiar?, see previous review of Indomitable) dispatches vampire mermaids called skreeches who call men to their doom with a siren song (sound familiar?) and a large wolf/bear like toad (how he actually describes it) to find the Prime selkie and return him to the wizard. the wizard who has brief moments where he is solid rushes to satiate himself with the pleasures of a witchwoman named Seg and food and drink. Conan and the Treepeople arrive at the town and scale the wall at night. Also seeking the selkie with the seed.

The Toad beast breaks into the inn where the selkie is having a drink and chews up some pili who also discovered him and the occupants of the inn flee. Kleg drops the seed while he is running away. A pig herder picks it up but later drops it in the pig sty. A fire erupts from the Toad Beast's destruction and the town mostly burns to the ground. Kleg recovers the seed and escapes in the water by turning into a shark with the toady chasing him. Most of the townspeople, Pili, and treemen die in the conflagration.

Conan and a handful of treepeople make it to a boat and row to the seaweed mat. Queen Thayla and Blad also get a boat and make it to the sea weed. There they discover Rayk her husband, king of the lizard people still in pursuit of the selkie Kleg with the seed. The queen plans to assassinate him with help from blad whom she consorted whith earlier to ensure his loyalty. They proceed to the floating castle. Electric eels and the vampire mermaids kill a portion of the remaining treefolk and Conan and the rest continue to the castle.

Klege finally makes it home and gives the insubstantial wizard the seed that will make him solid again. He Ushers everone out of the chamber and sets a guard while he performs the spell. The Toad beast still in pursuit of the Prime Kleg ripps his way into the castle and chases Kleg around disturbing the spell. Conan and crew follow the Toady in and reach the spell chamber and begin to battle the remaining guards. Rayk, Thayla, and Blad, the remaining pili lizardmen also follow in and attack.

Blad slays Rayk in the battle only to die moments later from Conan's sword. The Toady crashes in chasing Kleg who knocks Conan down. It chew up kleg and ripps his way into the spell chamber to present him like a dog with a thrown stick, further disrupting the wizard's spell. The wizard fries the Toady to a crisp and resumes his spell. Thayla falls on her own knife trying to attack Conan and dies. Conan and crew enter the spell chamber but are frozen by the wizard as he completes his spell to solidify. Conan fights the paralysis (sound familiar? see Indomitable)and manages to slay the wizard just as he become solid. Cheen the treewoman scoops up the magic seed and they bolt outside with the castle coming down around their ears. apparently it was built on a volcanic crater that the wizard kept in check. They are doomed to die by the boiling sea and volcano but Cheen chants a spell using the magic seed and they all return safe to the magical giant trees (including a monkey faced dog that was the wizard's that Hok felt sorry for).

I really hate this book. It definitely has no place in the Conan saga.

Some choice phrases that pissed me off: "Like an acrobat Conan had seen at a fair as a boy" (so they got tumblers at fairs in barbaric Cimmeria eh?), "they climbed like snow monkeys of Cimmeria"(I don't think so snow monkey are Asian in origin), thayla seeks human men to tryst with because they are more endowed than pili lizard men.
Steve Perry landed so far off the mark from Howard's Conan that I actually felt embarassed for him reading this book. Wow.

Names/places mentioned: Karpash mountains, Corinthia (country), Zamora (country), Stygia (country), Siptah's Isle, black Kingdoms, Mount Turio (volcano), Set (god of Stygians), Dakkar (God), Shadizar (city in Zamora), Vanaheim (country), Cimmeria (country), Kush (country), Darfar (country), Keshan (country), Punt (country), Asgard (country), Aquilonia (country),Tyborg river (in Aquilonia), Shamar (city in Aquilonia), Graylands (afterlife), Wizard of Koth, Yellow seers of Turan, Spellsingers of Zembabwei, Gehenna (hell), Karatas (village), Elashi (woman in Indomitable), Tuanne (Zombie woman in Defiant), Chuntha (witch in Indomitable), Treefolk:Cheen, Stead, Jube, jaywo, Jind, Jares (old woman) Tair, Hok. Korga (dragon men), Pili (lizardmen): Rayk, thayla, Blad,Stak, Stali, Rawl. Reg (witch woman), Seihman (villager), Old Tallow (villager), Abet Blasa (dimma of the fogs, mist mage), Kleg (selkie)

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 07:20 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Conan the Formidable
Author:Steve Perry 1990 274 pages
Where Found: Tor novel
Cover art: #1 (on trade paperback) shows Conan facing a wolfman by Kirk Reinart My art rating out of 10: 5 This confrontation never happened in the story and the foreshortening on the wolfman's hands looks goofy to me. #2 (on the mass market paperback) shows Conan facing the four armed man with some girl lounging at his feet. by Ken Kelly My art rating out of 10: 7 this didn't happen either in the book and who is that girl? there isn't even remotely anyone who fits that description in the book. Just a mandatory cover chick I guess. Cool picture though.
My rating of this story out of 10: 4 This is above par for Perry's work but it still reads more like Forgotten realms than the Hyborean world Howard created. Conan acts well...more Conannish.
Where: Coming down from the Karpash mountains onto the Zamoran plateau
Conan's age: 16
Conan's Occupation:escaped slave. Ths is the last of four Steve Perry books that supposedly occur between The thing in the Crypt and Conan arriving in Zamora.
Conan's weapons/attire: leather water sack, leather underbreeks, wide belt, purse, sandals, blue iron sword.
Conan's use of language: once again Conan has no trouble speaking with everybody in Perry's world. example: "whispered admonition for silence, this last was in a heavily accented version of the zamoran commontongue." How'd he understand that when Conan hasn't been to Zamora yet to learn it? at least he can't understand the native language of some giants he meets in this one. Conan's known languages: STILL 2
Known countries Conan has visited so far:Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria, Brythunia, Corinthia, Zamora (7)
Chronology comparisons: # 7 in William Gray's The Conan timeline2000.


Synopsis: Conan is attacked by six brigands intent on stealing anything he has even if it is just his sword. Conan quickly set the situation right by slaying 5 of 6 and the last is skewered by a spear the width of his forearm thrown by a female giant named Teyle (one of three giants, called Jattes.) Conan gives thanks and is invited back to their village for hospitality.

Meanwhile a strange race of Green frogskinned dwarfs called Vargs with filed sharpened teeth with a taste for giant flesh live nearby the Jatte giant village and prepare a raid for meat. A third party comprized of a hedge wizard named Dake the Freakmaster and his collection of oddities (Tro the catwoman, Penz the wolfman, Sab the man with four arms, and Kreg his blonde lackey) have heard about the giants and are also on route so Dake can capture another specimen for his show.

Teyle introduces Conan to her younger twin siblings Oren (boy) and Morja (girl) and her father Raseri, chief of the Jatte village. No sooner than introductions are made Teyle sucker punches Conan with her huge fist and captures him for her father's experiments on the 'small men' enemies. Conan is secured in a cage that is unusally well constructed and proves resistant to Raseri's tortures....

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Synopsis Continued: Conan manages to escape with ingenuity and sets fire to raseri's hut leaving in the confusion caused. Dake and his freaks arrive at night during the blaze and use the distraction to capture teleri, Oren and Morja with a geas control spell that Dake uses on all his freaks. they march against their will under the obedience spell to his large wagon using Tro's cateyes to navigate the treacherous swamp.

The Vargs come upon the freaks but are scattered by a demon illusion that Dake conjures. Dake manages to capture Vilken the son of Fosull the leader of the vargs with his geas spell. Conan also encounters the Vargs and cuts his way through them and escapes farther into the swamp.

Fosull and the party of 15 remaining vargs goes after Conan believing that all of the "outswamp' men are in league and Conan will lead them to the captured Vilken. Raseri heads out with a party of four Jattes and releases his Hellhounds on Conan's trail when he realizes he is escaped and his children are missing.
The Hellhounds rush past the vargs and frighten them but Fosull realizes they are after Conan and continues pursuit. Conan realizing that he is being followed stops and slays all six hellhounds in a vicious battle. Fosull and the vargs find the slain hell hounds and are frightened of a man who could conjure a demon and his warrior who can slay six hellhounds. they want to return to their village. Fosull continues alone. Raseri also finds his dead hounds and continues alone in pursuit of Conan who must have something to do with the disappearance of his kin.

Conan catches up with the freak show wagon and has just enough time to take in the strange occupants when Dake captures him under the obedience spell. Conan meets the various captives including Teyle who betrayed him earlier. They proceed to a tiny hamlet named Elika and the Freakmaster draws a crowd and collects coins with a degrading nude dance by the females Tro and Teyle, and touts Conan as a great undefeated champion who takes on all challengers. As soon as the wagers are placed Conan is pitted against the village brute named Deri who is a formidable fighter. Conan barely over comes him but is bruised and battered. A downpour chases the villagers away before Dake could pimp out his female freaks to willing patrons. Teyle overcomes Conan's grudge against her by healing his contusions with her hands and simple magic.

Fosull leader of the vargs disguised in a cloak and mud on his green skin is happened upon by Balor a drunken wine merchant in a wagon who offers him a ride. Sodden with drink he doesn't notice the strange dwarfs true nature and shares his stories and his wine with Fosull. Raseri also follows the freakmasters wagon in hopes of recovering his children.

Conan and the freaks band together to break the spell on them and through their experiment with resistance Conan realizes that anger can weaken the spell. The freaks encounter the read guard of a caravan after leaving the town and the soldiers undeterred by Dake seek to ravish the women he spoke of within the wagon. Conan still under the influence of the spell smashes the first soldier to open the door and the remaining freaks quickly capture all six soldiers. Whith the soliders trussed up in tow they approach the main body of the caravan.

Fosull leaves the town behind while Balor is in a drunken stupor. soon notices the giant following him and deciding Balor is of no further use for him he lies in ambush for Raseri. He jumps up spear waving and strikes an uneasy truce with his lifelong enemy to rescue their mutually captured kin.

The Caravan master Capeya is also an evil rogue not above gain and he and Dake soon strike a bargain and plan their future gain in Shadizar when they get there. Dake pleased with his new patron gives him the giant girl for his pleasure. This is the final straw needed by the captives to well up enough rage to break the spell at Conan's suggestion. They bust loose just as Raseri and Fosull arrive and witness Morja being led away. they rescue her together and flee the caravan.

Capeya sends soldiers to help Dake recover his valuable freaks. Conan sets a boobytrap to cover their trail and kills half a dozen soldiers in a rockfall. They hurry up a rocky hill with Dake, Kreg, Capeya and his soldiers still in pursuit. The freaks attack them from above by throwing rocks and wipe out most of the guards and kill Capeya. Dake uses his obedience spell on the remaining soldiers and sends them up the hill after the freaks as a distraction. He uses a levitation spell on Kreg and floats up the hill piggyback on him hoping to get close enough to the freaks for his control spell. Conan sees him and leaps aside but the rest of the group are frozen into immobility. A stone thrown by Oren the boy giant just before the spell took hold mashes Dakes mouth and makes further spellcasting impossible.

Conan alone engages the wizard while the others watch helplessly. The wizard tries to stab Conan but Conan throws him off the ledge to his death. the spell is broken and the soldiers flee and the freaks return to their own control. Kreg still weightless is lassoed by Penz the wolfman who wants to extract vengence for his rough treatment by him and Dake. Conan and Teleri help reel him in but the levitation spell gives way and he falls to his death breaking his neck at the end of the rope.

The Varg leader and the Giant are again wary of each other after they had rescued their children but Raseri convinces the group to drink an amnesia potion that he brews so the location of the vargs and Jattes will be safe from outsiders.
However he would just as soon see the outsiders dead. It is really poison. He is outwitted by his own daughter who makes Conan suspicious of the brew. Penz somewhat skilled in the spells of his former master coverts the poison into water and Raseri having swallowed a countermeasure drinks his poison to reassure them. Not to be out done by a giant Fosull also drinks some. Conan and the freaks drink their water and are unharmed but Fosull who realizes he has been poisoned by the Jatte when he begins to gloat throws his poison tipped spear and kills Raseri. Conan parts the company, with the freaks heading off to find somewhere friendly for their kind. Teyle and the Jatte children head home with Vilken under the friendly truce they developed in captivity.


All in all Conan acted more to character in this tale and it was more readable but still steeped in Perry's high fantasy world. I actually liked certain parts of it but with the last sentence that arrogant Perry made me hate him again with,"Conan wondered about Shadizar, after his adventures of the past few months and years, being a thief was going to be altogether...well; altogether dull."
Can you believe that! he just shot down Howard stories like God in the Bowl and the Tower of the Elephant in favor of his ridiculous stories in one sentence. Man I hate that guy.

Names/places mentioned: Karpash Mountains, Shadizar (city in Zamora), Zamoran plateau, Crom (god of Cimmerians), Jattes (giants): Teyle, Raseri, Oren, Morja, Lawi, Kouri, Hmuo. Vargs (dwarves): Fosull, Vilken, Olir, Brack. High Corinthian road, Penz (wolfman), Tro (catwoman), Sab (four armed man), Kreg (dake's henchman), Dake (freakmaster), Capeya (caravan master), Deri (village brute), Elika (village in Zamora), Corinthia (country), Zamora (country), Koth (country), city of opkothard, Set (god of stygians), Graylands (afterlife), Gehanna (hell), Balor (wine merchant), Feki (town trull), Illitese River in Zamora, Zembabwei (country), Khitai (country), Argos (country), Aquilonian (race), Ophir (country), Mitra (god), Arenjun (city in Zamora), Khauran (country), Zingara (country)

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 07:22 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

the God in the bowl
Author: Robert E. Howard. original drafts: A 16 pages, B 22 pages, C 22 pages.
Where found: Coming of Conan the Cimmerian 17 pages, highly altered version in Conan (Lancer/Ace) 24 pages.
I found 132 punctuation changes (there are many more but I only counted the ones where the sentence remained basically the same), 1092 word alteration/deletion/substitution/or additions, and 92 sentence modification/deletions/or additions made by De Camp in the Lancer/ Ace publication of this story in Conan. I find this disturbing since many people (including myself,) read that widely available version first and believed it was essentially Howard with perhaps a few editing changes. Howard only is listed under the credits for the tale de camp never puts his name there athough he essentially rewrote the whole thing.
Le Sprague De Camp really modified this version from the original Howard alot. the story is so greatly altered that I scarcely could find a sentence Howard wrote that was unchanged. If the editing changes by De Camp were printed in red it would be obvious just how much of Howard's story has been "bled".
Why De Camp felt the need to substitute nearly every word (did he just purchase a thesaurus?) and rearrange or delete sentences is beyond me. He even replaces one character's dialog for another. He didn't improve the story at all, just drastically changed the language used to suit himself. Merely justifying his editorial paycheck? It is like adding chocolate syrup to a glass of milk; the original flavor is completely and irrevocably changed. Howard's flavor of this story is totally gone in De Camp's version. Chocolate is too kind of an analogy for De Camp's unnecessary changes, perhaps piss would better suit De Camp's editing flavor. Here is an example:

Howard: He knew, if the others were too stupid to know, the steel-trap muscles and blinding quickness of men raised beyond civilization's frontiers where life was a continual battle for existence, and he had no desire to loose the barbaric frenzy of the Cimerian if it could be avoided. Besides, there was a doubt in his mind.

De Camp's editing of paragraph above: Arus glanced from one to the other, wondering what was going on in the keen brain behind Demetrio's hawk face. perhaps the magistrate feared to arouse the barbaric frenzy of the Cimmerian, or perhaps there was an honest doubt in his mind.

Rating of this story: 10 I loved it, it is in my opinion one of the very best Howard crafted tales. I find it hard to believe the Wierd tales editor rejected this one. It is written like a "who done it" type detective story and Howard blends the two genres seamlessly. the reader is presented with evidence and testimony only, as if they were there and knew no more than the characters present had revealed. there is no back story for explanation.

Where the story takes place: in a museum in the city of Numalia, in Nemedia.
Conan's age: That all depends..... the placement of this story has been continually in debate since it finally came to light. Although originally not in his chronology, Dr. Clark eventually placed this story after Tower Of the Elephant and gives the approximate age as 17-20 years old. De Camp places it after Hall of the Dead and before Rogues in the House having Conan older than 17 but younger than 23. Gray and Jordan place it after Conan the Fearless and before Rogues at about age 18. Dale Rippke puts it after Frost Giant's daughter as the first thief tale before tower of the elephant with Conan 16 or 17. I discussed Dale's placement at length with him in this thread:
http://www.conan.com...?showtopic=2894
I found his arguements interesting but far from decisive.
I think that a placement before or after Tower makes the most sense, but Howard never mentioned the tale in his letter only stating Tower was Conan's introduction to the public (and implying to some including me that it is the first thief tale.)
So, we can only speculate when it occurs, but obviously he is very young, placing it early in Conan's thieving career. If you are only including the Howard tales- either before or after Tower, or even after the Hall of the dead synopsis makes some sense, but clearly Conan is older in Rogues in the House. Once the Pastiches are included, Conan has developed too much to place this story after so many tales as De Camp and most others do in their timelines. that only leaves one alternative: it must be placed first before tower because the other pastiches are written in such a way as to be almost a continual story line with no reasonable breaks to place this story until much later (which they did.) I understand Dark Horse comics has recently decided to put it first in Dark Storm chronology fashion as well...but like I said there isn't enough evidence to place it without question because Howard never mentioned the tale; ultimately leaving its placement completely up to conjecture. It is interesting to note that Howard wrote this tale first before Tower. Coming south from Hyperborea and his captors he would have ended up in Brythunia and who is to say wether he went west to Numalia or South to Zamora from there.
Conan's occupation: thief (he is hired by a patron in this tale)
Conan's weapons/ attire/ appearance: He is wearing a loincloth and sandals strapped high to his ankles. He has a long sword in a leather scabbard. He has a mop of unruly black hair.
Conan's use of Languages: Conan is speaking Nemedian with a barbaric accent. Conan's known languages: 3 (Cimmerian, Nordheimer, Nemedian)
Known countries Conan has visited so far: Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria, Brythunia, Nemedia) (6) if one discounts the poorly written Steve Perry tales that precede it which has him moving directly into Zamora from Brythunia.
chronology comparisons: this story is not in The Probable Outline of Conan's Career by P.S.Miller and J.D. Clark 1938, #2 in the Dark Storm Chronology by Dale Rippke 2003, #13 in Conan Chronology by Robert Jordan 1989, #8 in Conan the Indestructable by L.S. DeCamp, #17 in Conan Timeline by William Gray 2000, #13 in Gurps Conan by Curtis Scott 1989

Synopsis: Arus the watchman is making his rounds in the great temple, museum and antique house owned by Kallian Publico. He notices something amiss: a door is only bolted when it should be bolted and locked. he enters the great hall and discovers a body on the floor, none other than Kallian Publico himself. He has been strangled with his neck crushed. His face is blackened and his tongue lolls from his mouth. Strangely he still wears his valuable rings on his chubby fingers. A figure appears in a doorway. A barbarian, bare except a loincloth and sandals with a long sword sheathed at his side who approaches Arus.


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Synopsis continued: Arus accuses Conan of the murder and backs away, Conan assumes he is another thief (it was dark when he first saw him outside as he made his rounds, so Conan doesn't identify this as the same man. De Camp completely edited that part out. making Conan look foolish) He engages in conversation and denies the charge. Arus has backed far enough away to grasp and pull a velvet rope which rings the alarm bells to summon the watch. Conan not realizing he is facing the watchman is alarmed. Arus then reveals himself as a member of the watch and levels his crossbow at Conan's chest. Conan shows no fear even with the crossbow bolt pointed at him. 5 numalian Police with stabbing swords and bills (a polearm) enter into the hall with Demetrio, who in civilian clothes, is the chief of the inquisitorial council of the city. Arus relates how he came upon the unlocked door and the corpse and the appearance of the murder suspect Conan. He states that he tries all doors on his rounds and it was locked up earlier. Publico with the only key had apparently gone home and he didn't hear his chariot return. Interestingly, Conan when accused states his real name. Demetrio asks him to state, "why you are here, and if you are not the murderer prove it."

Here we are given an insight into how the laws of Nemedia work; Conan is guilty until proven innocent. The prefect threatens to beat a confession out of him. "I'll get a confession if i have to smash his bones to pulp." Conan isn't rattled at the appearance of the police and endures their questioning. Conan is "not affraid but slightly bewildered as a barbarian always is when confronted by the evidence of civilized networks and systems, the workings of which are so baffling and mysterious to him."
Conan defiantly states "that any man who touches me will quickly be greeting his ancestors in hell."
Conan tells them he came to steal food (his first lie under their questioning)
As Conan is getting more belicose under threats, Demetrio changes tactics to avoid combat "I have not accused you of killing Kallian...but you must admit the appearances are against you, how did you enter the temple?"

Conan says he climbed the wall when the guard passed by around the corner. Arus thinks he is lying because he can't believe anyone could climb the wall, but is checked by Demetrio who asks if he has ever seen a Cimmerian scale a sheer cliff. Conan continues stating that he proceeded across the roof to a trap door that was locked with a bolt. He is forced to hew the bolt in twain with his sword and he worries about the noise it would make waking someone (another thing de Camp edited out again making Conan look foolish) but decides to risk it. he dropped into the upper chambers and proceeded down the stairs until he arrived in the great hall with Arus. After some further questioning Dionus says to grab him. Conan whips out his sword and says: "because you dare to torture shop-keepers and strip and beat harlots to make them talk, don't think you can lay your fat paws on a hillman! I'll take some of you to hell with me! fumble with your bow, watchman-I'll bust your guts with my heel before this night's work is over!"

Demtrio makes the observation that the corpse has been strangled while Conan is armed with a sword. Why didn't he use this easier and quicker method of killing if he is the killer? He examines the corpse and determines that the evidence suggests a pliant cable thicker than a man's arm as the murder weapon. There is evidence of a struggle in the hall. Conan's story seems accurate because he wouldn't have had time. They discern that Kallian was attacked in an ajoining room and perhaps broke free or dragged his assailant into the hall.

A chariot is heard approaching and Demetrio dispatches two guards to retrieve the driver. Arus who is familiar with the sounds of the street at night suggests it has stopped at Promero's house who is Kallian's chief accounting clerk. Demetrio orders this man brought as well. The driver Enaro who is in Kallian Publico's employ and Kallian's accountant Promero are brought to the scene. Demetrio questions Enaro's cavalier attitude when confronted with his employer's death. He states that someone has done what he had only wished of and shows the mark of the debtor slave on his flesh under his tunic. He states that he was driving Publico home when he was ordered to turn around and go to Promero's house and to return at midnight. He was merely obeying those orders. Promero becomes nearly hysterical when questioned. Posthumo a cruel police guardsman threatens the two. He grabs the clerk and slaps him a couple of times then throws him down and kicks him.

The police looking to see if Conan is properly impressed are greeted with the statment: "let one of you touch me and I'll spill his guts on the floor."
the clerk corroborated Conan's timeline of entry of 1/2 hour before and reveals Kallian's motive for returning: a Copperlike bowl that came from a caravan from the south who got it from a caravan from Stygia. The caravan master didn't know what was in it just that it was a priceless relic given " because of the love the sender bore for the priest of Ibis." they were supposed to take it directly to Kalanthes of Hanumar, Priest of Ibis, but deposited it with Kallian because Hanumar isn't along their intended route to Aquilonia and Kallian promised to send a runner to inform the owner Kalanthes of his property in Kallian's storehouse. Kallian never gives the order but instead plans to steal whatever valuables may be inside before sending it away.

It appears to be a sarcophagus despite its odd shape black (cylinder 4 feet tall and 3 feet at the widest) and Kallian had showed Promero a hieroglyph design on the lid which he belived to be a diadem that the monster-kings of stygia wore in ages past set with strange gems each worth more that could be believed. Kallian planned to enter the temple unseen by Arus the watchman, whom he planned to have crucified as the thieves' accomplice, steal the diadem and secrete it in his storehouse and then cry out that he had been robbed and the bowl had been plundered in the morning. Arus blanches as his employer's scheme is revealed.

All entered the chamber where the bowl was to discover the bands had been chiselled off and the bowl was open and empty. a hammer and chisel lay nearby. Demetrio postulates that Kallian came in, opened the bowl and was then attacked by the murderer or that the murderer attacked him then opened the bowl himself. Having seemingly exonerated Conan at this point he assumes the murderer couldn't have passed his guards outside so must still be within. He sends three guards to search for the hidden murderer.
Conan is reminded that if noone is found he will be burned at the stake; you go to the mines for killing a commoner, you hang for a tradesman, and you burn for a richman. he is due 10 years in the mines for house breaking at least anyways. here we again see some of the laws of Nemedia.

Conan relates how he was given a map of the temple and was sent to steal a Zamorian diamond goblet and reveals its hiding place under a shemitish statue. Promero verifies this; as the location of the goblet was a guarded secret that only a few knew. the guards return having not turned up anyone. One says he thinks he saw the murder weapon, a black cable tied high around a column in another room. When the group goes to investigate the cable is gone and the guard accused of being drunk, but he swears he saw it there. Promero discovers a mark inside the bowl that is the mark of Thoth-Amon, a Stygian sorcerer, follower of Set. He is sure that the bowl was an assassination attempt on Kalanthes, priest of Ibis because those two cults have no love for each other. He pieces together that Kallian Publico bent on stealing the contents of the bowl opened up the deady trap and was killed by whatever lurking horror now is loose in the temple. Dionus is getting impatient with all this talk as they have a suspect guilty or not in custody right now. Just then Conan sees something move in another room he describes it as a long shadow. they dismiss his claim. Promero is hysterical and demands that the room be searched again. Posthumo fed up with the man's hysterics, grabs the clerk and tosses him into it sprawling to search it himself.

A guard from outside brings a nobleman prisoner whom he found slinking around the back of the temple up to the group. they demand that the fool release the prisoner who is none other than Aztrias Petanius, nephew of the city's governor. Aztrias gives an alibi that he was returning from a late revel and was on a walk to clear the wine fumes. upon seeing the crime scene and corpse he states that Conan must of done it and says he has never seen such a vicious looking brute. Conan betrayed by his employer, until now had kept quiet. He no longer conceals the details of his employment with Aztrias saying that he was waiting behind the temple for the Cimmerian to deliver the goblet. "I would have not revealed your name, if you had given me fair words."

The corrupt inquisitor demetrio quickly says all can be hushed up for the noble lord and it can be arranged for Conan to escape with none but them knowing about the attempted theft, but Aztrias again denies knowing Conan and says he is fit for the mines. Conan snarls and the guards tense but relax when Conan drops his head, apparently in resignation. He watches from under his dark brow however and his strike takes off Aztrias head without warning. He becomes a blur, never stopping and cuts for demetrio's groin but that man makes a timely turn and the blade plows through his thigh to the bone instead. He crashes to the floor fountaining blood from the ghastly wound. Conan never pauses and cuts at Dionus' head but the stroke is intercepted by the man's bill. The keen blade cuts straight through the shaft however and the stroke slightly deflected takes off Dionus' ear instead. The guards have all been paralyzed by Conan's speed and brutal unexpected attack (De Camp would have you believe that Demetrio reacted quickly and drew a dagger for a thrust at Conan,) but up until this point none had managed to counter. Burly Posthumo threw his arms around Conan and managed to pin Conan's sword arm to his side, but his eye is gouged out by Conan's free hand for his troubles (poetic justice for blinding a girl who wouldn't give up her lover earlier in his career.) Conan faces Arus the watchman who is fumbling with his crossbow, and kicks him hard in the stomach (again proving Conan is as good as his word) and stomps on Arus' mouth with his heel while he is down, shattering the man's teeth.

a blood curdling scream freezes the combantants in place and all turn to see promero emerge from the room crying like a babe and babbling that the God has a long neck. He slumps to the floor. Convulsions grip him until he twitches in death. Demetrio completely forgeting Conan with his bloodied blade standing nearby that gave him his terrible wound bends to examine Promero. He discovers no wounds, and questions what kind of horror could be lurking in that room. Panic seizes the Guards and all flee towards the door even the gravely wounded Demetrio who had the courage to stay and face the unknown but is out of commision due to Conan's thrust. Half blind Posthumo scrabbles after the group and is trampled by them. the guards left outside to guard the building see the fleeing group and join the flight not asking any questions.

Conan is left alone in the great hall with the corpses of Kallian, Aztrias, and Promero. He strides into the chamber gripping his sword, and sees over a heavy gilded screen a face of cold classic beauty such as might have been on a statue. But an alien life stirs behind those eyes and it opens its mouth to speak a single word is some language long forgotten. the voice is like the chimes of distant Khitai. Conan not knowing the word but understanding its meaning comes. Conan, with a leaping slash takes off the head with a fountain of black blood. He listens in horror to the sounds behind the screen, "Conan had seen and heard men die by the scores, and never had he heard a human being make such sounds in the death-throes." It sounds like a giant thrashing cable. When the noise stopped Conan peered cautiously behind the screen. Terrified he flees, not stopping until the spires of Numalia faded into the dawn behind him. Behind the gilded screen was the headless body of an enormous serpent. (Dale Rippke says he fled west all the way to Aquilonia. Perhaps he did. Perhaps he stopped in belverus instead. Either way he soon leaves Nemedia.)

Good Conan Quotes: "that any man who touches me will quickly be greeting his ancestors in hell."
"because you dare to torture shop-keepers and strip and beat harlots to make them talk, don't think you can lay your fat paws on a hillman! I'll take some of you to hell with me!"
"let one of you touch me and I'll spill his guts on the floor."
"save your bullying for the fools who fear you," he growled, blue eyes smoldering in his eyes. "I'm no city-bred Nemedian to cringe before your hired doges. I've killed better men than you for less than this."

Names/Places mentioned:Arus (the temple watchman), Kallian Publico (the murdered owner of the Temple-museum, slain by the God-snake), Palian Way (road in Numalia), Nemedian (race), Numalian police (city authorities), Demetrio (Chief of inquisitorial council in Numalia), Dionus (Prefect of police), Mitra (God), Hyperborean (race), Bossonian (race), Promero (Publico's accounting clerk slain by the god-snake), Enaro (Publico's chariot driver), Posthumo (viscious cop), Kalanthes of Hanumar (priest of Ibis), Ibis (god), Aquilonia (country), Stygia (country), Stygian (race), Zamorean (race), thoth-Amon (stygian sorcerer), Shemitish (of the country shem), Aztrias Petanius (noble nephew of the governor who hired Conan; beheaded by conan), Khitai (country), Numalia (city in Nemedia), Nemedia (country)

Edited by grim cimmerian, 18 August 2006 - 10:49 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Tower of the Elephant
Author:Robert E. Howard
Where found:CofCC(Del Rey/Wandering Star), Conan Vol.1 (Lancer/Ace/Sphere)20 pages CofCC, 31 pages Lancer/Ace. Le Sprague DeCamp made only 8 editing changes that I could find in the Lancer/Ace version. Mosty he eliminated hyphenated words but did change one phrase. Altogether the differences are minor.
My Rating of this story out of 10: 10! One of Howard's best and the favorite image of Conan as a adventurous thief that many fans have.
Where: Arenjun in Zamora
Conan's age: around 17 according to Howard in the letter to P.S. Miller
Conan's Occupation: Thief
Conan's weapons/attire mentioned: tunic, girdle, leather scabbard, loin cloth, high strapped sandals. later the tunic is torn and discarded. Sword.
Conan's use of language: He speaks zamorian. Conan's known languages:4 (Cimmerian, Nordenheimer, Nemedian, Zamoran)
Known countries Conan has visited sor far: Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria, Brythunia, Nemedia, Corinthia, Zamora (8)
Chronology comparisons: this story is #1 in The Probable Outline of Conan's Career by P.S.Miller and J.D. Clark 1938, #3 in the Dark Storm Chronology by Dale Rippke 2003, #3 in Conan Chronology by Robert Jordan 1989, #3 in Conan the Indestructable by L.S. DeCamp, #8 in Conan Timeline by William Gray 2000, #4 in Gurps Conan by Curtis Scott 1989

Synopsis: Conan overhears a rambling fat women stealer mention the Tower of the Elephant and he questions him. The thief mocks Conan's outlandish appearance and ignorance and finally provokes Conan into shoving him. The man draws steel against him and the lighted candle is accidently extinguished in the commotion. Conan slays the man in the dark and flees. He heads to the Tower of the Elephant to steal the Heart of the Elephant jewel........

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************ Spoiler warning don't read below if you haven't read it

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Synopsis Continued:Conan finds a dead guard over the wall in the gardens. He soon locates the killer, Taurus of Nemedia an infamous thief. They decide to do the job together and advance into the garden. Taurus kills the lions that guard the gardens with dust made from the poison of the black lotus. They miss one however and it leaps at Conan. Conan barely swings in time and brings the beast down. They scale the Tower with a knotted rope that Taurus brought and Conan marvels at the jeweled rim. Taurus enters the tower first and is slain by something unknown. Conan enters the room and begins combat with a giant spider that seeks to ensnare him in its sticky web strands. he crushes the beast by heaving a treasure chest at it. He proceeds in the tower and meets Yag-Kosha an extraterrestrial being that Yara the evil priest that owns the tower has captured. Yag tells Conan to slay him to free him from captivity and tells him how to work a spell. Conan takes the clear jewel and soaks it from Yags still beating heart and seeks out the evil priest. He finds him in another chamber in a lotus drug induced trance and says the words that Yag told him. The evil Priest shrinks and is trapped in the jem where Yag chases after him in a restored state. Conan leaves immediately out through the tower which collapses after he gets out.


Names/places mentioned: Bel (God of Thieves), Yara (the evil priest), Yogah of Yag or Yag-Kosha (an elephant headed alien being), Taurus of Nemedia (prince of thieves), Crom (Chief of the Cimmerian Gods), Zamorians (race), Hyperborean (race), Shemitish (race), Shem (country), Brythunian (race), Gundermen (race), Koth (country), Ophir (country), Cimmeria (country), Hyrkanians (race), Nemedians (race) Aquilonians (race), Khitai (country), Green Planet of Yag (alien planet), Priests of Yun (from Khitai), Black Lotus (effect: death), Yellow Lotus (effect: trance), Ancient cities of Valusia, Commoria, Kamelia, Atlanteans (ancient race), picts (race), Lemurians (ancient race), The maul (less reputable portion of Arejun where thieves dwell, Arejun (city of thieves in Zamora)

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 07:25 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Conan and the Sorcerer
Author:Andrew J. Offutt 1978 186 pages
Where Found:Ace novel
Cover art: #1 (on trade paperback) -??, #2 on mass market Pb shows Conan's back; he is facing a female on a camel with a sword and shield, other camel riders are in the background. by Sanjulian My art rating out of 10: 9 Excellent picture although it doesn't match descriptions in the book. (I wonder if any of them ever will. )
My rating of this story out of 10: 10 I loved it. its is well written and definitely similar to Howard's work.
Where: the Maul in Arenjun; the city of thieves in Zamora, later in the desert of Turan (dragon hills) on the way to Zamboula, returns to Arenjun
Conan's age:17 this novel occurs shortly after the events of Tower of the Elephant
Conan's occupation: Rogue thief (one job was for commission at this point)
Conan's weapons/attire mentioned: cloak worked sparsely with gold thread, blue silken tunic with cloth of gold bands at neck and sleeve, old iron sword w/ancient looking hilt, shagreen worn nubby leather sheath, Dagger a foot and a half in length with a garnet mounted sheath, sandals. Later he tears his tunic's hem, lost his cloak, tore his tunic further and discards it selling the cloth of gold bands from it, has worn red cloak faded by age to rust color, loose short sleeveless tunic, laced up front, big sword belt, long dagger sheath on a thong tied to belt, pouch of coins, pouch of thieves tools at his belt with wrapped tools wedged with pieces of sponge for stealth,the excellent rope woven of women's hair that belonged to taurus of Nemedia (tower of the elephant), later still he breaks two inches off of his blue iron sword from the thing in the crypt, has an ilbarsi swordknife 3 feet in length, an Iranistani weapon belt with a sheath for his dagger which he later sells, a horse named Water Hog and a second horse named Horse, a vest of tooled leather, a better cloak, a kafiyeh made of black horsehair with chrysoberyl woven into it, boots, curved eastern sword, two daggers, a false duplicate amulet: the Eye of Erlik, later replaced by the true Eye of Erlik (tiny golden dagger with two yellow precious stones on the hilt ends), Isparana's sword belt and dagger sheath, his curved eastern sword from Uskuda is given to Arsil, treasure bundle from oasis, later still he has a huge pack, two swords, several daggers, an excellent cloak
Conan's Use of Language: Conan speaks Zamoran well. "The word for excrement streamed from the Cimmerian's lips in three languages." Conan's known languages:4 (Cimmerian, Nordheimer, Nemedian, Zamoran)
Known countries Conan has visited so far: Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria, Brythunia, Nemedia, Corinthia, Zamora, Khauran, Turan (10)
Chronology comparisons: this story is #3 in Conan Chronology by Robert Jordan 1989, #10 in Conan the Indestructable by L.S. DeCamp, #9 in Conan Timeline by William Gray 2000, #5 in Gurps Conan by Curtis Scott 1989

Synopsis:After a few thieving jobs Conan buys fancy duds and heads uptown out of the Maul to the Shadiz inn. He is looking for any opportunity for employment or stealing from the upperclass for a change. he wines a scantily dressed girl named Kiliya (19) who happens to be Kagul, the sergeant of the watch's girlfriend.

The man returns off duty with a handful of guards to find the big Cimmerian's hand defiantly placed on her smooth thigh. Naturally a fight breaks out and Conan wounds two in the fracas but a third is slain by a fellow thief from Iranistan. Conan ducks out in the confusion as a retired general named Stahir barks orders and gets in the way of Kagul and the men of the watch. reinforcements arrive and scower the streets for Conan who has taken to the rooftops to escape.

While moving across a small window high up in another tavern Conan overhears voices. Eavesdropping on the two thieves, a man named Karamek and a women named Isparana, he learns of their plans to steal the Eye of Erlik, a magical amulet for which the Khan of Zamboula seeks because it controls his soul, and others will pay handsomely for as well. He hears their plans to steal the Eye from a wizard named Hisarr Zul in two days hence. Quickly he formulates a plan to steal the amulet for himself on the morrow and sell it to the highest bidder. He departs before hearing that Karamek and Isparana have changed their minds and also plan the heist for tomorrow night.......


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**************************************** Spoiler Warning ****** ************************* *********************************************************** ********************************************* *************
Synopsis continued: Conan heads for the wizard's manse and quickly scales the wall to the gardens. He dashes to the house and climbs up to the balcony where he finds an unlocked door. While sneaking around he spies another man the Iranistani thief who helped him previously back at the tavern. the man has alerted three guards who silently pursue the unsuspecting thief. they close on him and attack. Conan returning the favor and wishing to silence the guards before any more noise errupts, joins the combat and helps the Iranistani named Ajhindar slay the strange silent men.

he learns that Ajhindar is on the same mission to steal the Eye and his employer Kobad, Shah king of Iranistan will pay well for it. Ajhindar learning of Conan's interest in the Eye, treacherously attempts to slay him even after he just saved him from the guards. during the exchange, a trap door is opened and two venomous asps strike him on the face and he is slain. Conan loots the man for his valuables including his weapons. Conan having learned the description and whereabouts of the Eye from Ajhindar continues on to appropriate it. He comes upon Karamek and Isparana already successful in stealing the Eye in another chamber.

Karamek attacks conan and keeps him busy while Isparana escapes with the Eye. Karamek is slain and Conan takes his weapons also and attempts to move out a window to follow Isparana but is caught in a clever trap and immobilized. He breaks his sword (Atlantean blue iron sword from the thing in the Crypt) losing two inches from the point in an attempt to escape. The wizard returns and finds the hapless would be thief bound by his legs in a steel floor trap by the window. Conan negotiates fruitlessly for his life but the wizard has plans of his own.

He steals Conan's very soul and imprisons it in a mirror. Now the strange silent guards are explained; they have no souls! Conan is informed that the mage will break the mirror and reduce Conan to such a state if he doesn't return with the Eye of Erlik within a month. Conan, his soul as hostage, is forced to pursue Isparana to recover the Eye. The wizard gives him an exact duplicate of the Eye that he was preparing for thieves to be fooled by (too late.) He gets his horse Water Hog and heads out across the desert on her trail.

At the Breath of Arenjun oasis, also known as Sight of Kherpur, he encounters two men with some camels and another horse. He beds down at the far side of the oasis from them and rests. the men assume he is asleep and attempt to slay him with a dagger. Conan having heard the approach of the dagger bearer quickly rises and slays him and his partner.Conan now takes posession of their property which includes some treasure that they must have stolen. Conan divides up their stuff and buries a portion of it 300 paces away from the oasis. He attempts to get the camels to move but being no drover gets frustrated (Conan's first fight with camels! ) and settles for taking their good horse by itself. He unimaginitively names this horse: Horse and continues after Isparana with Water Hog and a portion of the thieves' treasure in tow. he crosses the Road of Kings.

He meets a group of turanian soldiers led by Kambur coming across the Dragon hills. they inform him of Isparana's position across the hills and their mission to recover the stolen property from the thieves he killed. Conan reluctantly parts with the treasure he has, to be returned to its rightful owner. He wisely pays them a gold soverign each in addition, making the soldiers his friends. they tell him of a short cut through the Dragon Hills called the Gorge of the Sand Lich which is said to be haunted because only the mounts of whoever goes in returns. Conan hoping to catch Isparana who has a good lead across the Dragon Hills opts to tempt whatever demon lurks in the gorge instead of following her across the time consuming hills.

He enters the eerie gorge and soon notices a wailing sound that seems to come from the sands themselves. He is confronted by the sand lich a spirit that forms out of the sand and attempts to smother him. His horses (and much of his equipment) flee back the way he had come. It learns however of Conan's involvement with the wizard Hisarr Zul who killed the sandlich, who happens to be the shade of Hisarr's brother, Tosya Zul. Tosya seeking revenge tells Conan of Hisarr Zul's weaknesses and the means to defeat him and return his stolen soul. He tricks the ghost into believing he is chasing Zul at this very moment instead of Isparana. The Sand spirit wisks Conan through the air to the Oasis of the Shanki on the other side of the Dragon Hills, depositing him thither long before Isparana herself arrives.

Conan sees a father and daughter approach on camels and trades a dagger for food. Soon Isparana arrives completely exhausted from riding hard to escape pursuit on her camels, and fails to notice the hidden Conan at the oasis. She strips naked and bathes the desert dust off. Conan watches with interest and notes the Eye of Erlik on a leather thong about her neck.

She reclothes and falls into a slumber. He stalks close and gently cuts the thong holding the Eye in place and replaces the amulet with the duplicate. He leaves her unmolested as "he was neither a rapist nor a murderer," and heads away. He steals her camels by cutting the noisy bells off and by using techniques learned observing the handling by the father and daughter who had some of the strange beasts previously at the oasis. He leaves her some of her belongings and food in a pack. He is leaving with the camels but the reluctant beasts protest and give him away. Isparana awakes and prepares to attack the thief. the camels get away and Isparana and Conan are stranded at the oasis with no transportation.

Furious Isparana seeks to kill Conan but Conan alerts her to the slave trader caravan that he was told of that approaches. She sulks away to keep a untrusting eye on Conan from across the Oasis for the night. Conan falls asleep and wakes to see her sword at his throat. Just then the advance guard of the slavers arrive and Conan attempts to fool them into believing him and his "love" have been robbed and her cousin Kambur and his soldiers pursue them at this very moment and will return with their belongings. the slavers attempt to capture them anyways and some are slain by Conan and Isparana. they are captured however and chained to the slave caravan.

Kambur and his soldiers do eventually return with Conan's runaway horses in tow and he cries out to them. after a heated exchange with the slavers the soldiers force them to free Conan and Isparana. Conan regains his goods and horses and seeks to return to Arenjun with the Eye. He sends Isparana to Zamboula with the friendly soldiers she is still carrying the duplicate. He recovers the treasure at the oasis on his return to Arenjun.

Conan arrives at the wizard's stronghold and produces his side of the agreement; the Eye of Erlik in exchange for his soul returned. the wizard doublecrosses him however and attempts to slay him with a powder tube filled with deadly dust of the black lotus. Conan remembering the ghost's advice to use the socerer's means against him blows hard on the other end of the tube and slays Hisarr Zul instead. He wraps his precious soul mirror up and after looting the wizard's home, sets fire to it ridding Arenjun of a second evil wizard.

Names/ places mentioned:The Maul (thieves quarters in Arenjun), Arenjun (city of thieves in Zamora), Nemedian (race), kothian (race), Atlantis (ancient civilization), Shadiz Inn (located uptown in Arenjun), Aquilonia (country), Venarium (sacked fort), tower of the Elephant (crumbled wizard's keep), Kagul (watch sergeant), Kiliya (merchant's consort), Hybori (several races), Hyperborian (race), Crom (God lord of the mound), Cimmerian (race), Corinthian (race), mitra (god), Zamoran (race), vanir (race), Bel (god of thieves), Iranistani (race), Stahir (retired zamoran general), Hisarr Zul (wizard), Erlik (god, turanian yellow god of death), Zamboula (city in turan), Karamek (thief, slain), Isparana (thief), Khan of Zamboula (ruler of the city), jungir Khan's son balad, Yog (god, lord of the empty abodes), Ishtar (god), Derketo (stygian female god), Yara the priest (deceased sorcerer from the Tower of the Elephant), taurus of Nemedia (deceased master thief), Ajhindar (iranistani thief, slain), Turanian (race), Iranistan (country), Ilbars mountains, Kobad Shah (king of Iranistan), Morrigan (cimmerian god), Hanuman (god), Black lotus-effect: death, Ymir (god), turan (country), Ilbarsi (comes from Ilbars mts.) Horse, Water Hog (horse), Breath of Arenjun (desert oasis also known as Sight of Kherdpur depending on travel direction), Hyrkanian (race), Samara (location town? Country?), Misty mountains, Uskuda (assassin), Colchicans (?), Samaratan (from samara), road of Kings, Lir, badb, Nemain the venomous, macha, mannan (gods of Cimmeria), Tarim (turanian soldier), Kambur (Iranistani soldier of turan), Arsil of samara (turanian soldier), Sarid (turanian soldier), Tosya Zul (ghost known as the sand lich), Book of Skelos, Dragon hills (in turan), Zarkheba river (in Kush), Stygia (country), Khawarizm (port of turan on Vilayet sea), Khauran (country), Picts (race), Fars (slaver), Iskul (slave caravan master)

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 07:27 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Conan the Mercenary
Author: Andrew J. Offutt 1979 185 pages
Where Found: Ace novel
Cover art: by Sanjulian shows Conan in furry undies lifting some horned helmeted guy above him in a body press. The chick in her litter in the backgound doesn't have the right hair do (a well described elaborate Coiffure) and the fight is described different and so is Conan's attire. What else is new? the art doesn't follow the story descriptions. My art rating out of 10: 6
My rating of this story out of 10:7 I really like Offutt's writing style but this story wasn't as exciting as the last one.
Where: Shadizar; the city of the wicked in Zamora, the Desert- a seedy district in shadizar much like Arenjun's Maul, Upper city and Lower city in shadizar, the Road of Kings, Khauran (country) and its capital city Khauran, at the end of the story Conan is headed back to Shadizar.
Conan's age: 17 the events here occur two months after Conan and the Sorcerer
Conan's occupation: rogue thief, hired bodyguard
Conan's weapons/attire mentioned: Sword in his worn shagreen leather sheath and bone handled dagger, a desert colored tunic, breechclout, two horses, later a Turanian peaked helmet that is mail arrased, a huge white cloak, crotch protector of woven chain over a leather cover over cloth, a sleevless mail vest that weighs 30lbs., a padded undercoat, a moonstone ring on left finger (that he briefly gives back), a "tribal amulet" on a leather thong that is really the Eye of Erlik diguised in a lump of clay and some cheap gemstones, tunic haqueton.
Conan's use of language:Conan says "the only language he can write [Turanian]and that not excellently." Apparently Conan has learned to read, speak and write Turanian (first mention of Conan's literacy I know of) in his two months preparations to sell the Eye of Erlik in Turan. Conan's known languages: 5 (Cimmerian, Nordheimer, Nemedian, Zamoran, Turanian*) [* can read and Write]
Known countries Conan has visited so far: Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria, Brythunia, Nemedia, Corinthia, Zamora, Khauran, Turan (10)
Chronology comparisons: this story is #6 in Conan Chronology by Robert Jordan 1989, #11 in Conan the Indestructable by L.S. DeCamp, #10 in Conan Timeline by William Gray 2000, #6 in Gurps Conan by Curtis Scott 1989

Synopsis: Conan has travelled to Shadizar to get away from the city watchmen who are looking for him in Arenjun due to his fight with them and escape. His soul is still a prisoner in a mirror from the events of the Sorcerer. He is in the Desert in Shadizar, the cutthroat district of the capital city. He runs into a girl at the corner of Baazar way (which is the culmination of the Road of Kings in Shadizar), and the street Erik Enthroned. the girl tells him to head back as there is trouble ahead and runs away. Conan approaches and sees a lone man fighting off several. Naturally he comes to his aid and slays the men involved. The man Shubal is a loyal Shemite guard for lady Khashtris of Khauran, a noblewomen who foolishly allowed her litter to be carried by her guards into a rough part of town. She rewards Conan with jewelry and gold. Conan also bargains a reward for Shubal, further earning this man's friendship. With all slain or run off by thieves except Shubal, she offers Conan employment as a body guard to ensure her safe return to the courts of Khauran and her cousin the queen. Conan immediately agrees as he needs a crowned ruler to smash the mirror containing his soul to break the spell and hopes lady Khashtris can get an audience with her for him. Forced to walk because her litter bearers are gone Conan scoops up the ltter on one brawny shoulder and escorts Khashtris on foot to a better part of town in the upper city.

Conan purchases armor, fine clothing, and the services of a woman with his rewards. He hires two replacements for litter bearer/guards for Khashtris and rejoins her and Shubal as well as two others hired by her. they ride south out of Zamora into the rich farmlands of Khauran. Conan awakened in the night slays the hired guards who are in league with the previous guards and robbers who tried to rob khashtris and were slain or run away. Conan cuts them down in Khashtris' ruined tent and finds her frightened body in his arms under the collapsed tent material. She doesn't protest as he lays her back....
Again without litterbearers Khashtris is forced to ride Conan's spare horse which she considers unladylike but is much to Conan's satisfaction. they finally make it to the capital city of Khauran.....


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Synopsis Continued: After safely returning Khashtris to her home and the queen ending his curse of the trapped soul, Conan soon becomes bored of guard duty and longs to return to shadizar. However Conan is intrigued by the queen's new suitor, a Duke's son of Tor in Nemedia, named Sergianus, who at the moment of Conan's curse being broken appeared much older to Conan, his image transformed. Conan figuring that the magic aura involved in breaking his spell had revealed other magic surrounding the duke wants to investigate because he is grateful to the queen and fears some evil to do with her new suitor.

When off guard duty, Conan and Shubal go to the tavern of Hilides the pot-bellied tavern keeper. Conan voices his suspicions to his friends and is told of the queen Ialamis' curse of unhappiness that her husband died and her daughter Princess Taramis (6 years old) was a twin. the other child was the witch Salome who is a child of a demon and the queen but was banished to the desert. Conan learns that Sergianus can't be a dukes son from Tor in Nemedia because there is no duke there. The man's identity is a fraud. The queen is actually happy for the first time in years and actually seems in love with Sergianus. Conan is left alone when Shubal goes off to visit his lady and Conan takes a stroll to take his mind off of things. Back at his quarters the fat chamber maid makes Conan swear by all the Cimmerian gods not to touch her ugly daughter which Conan does because he has no such intentions despite his lack of a girl at the moment now that Khastris is back at court and seems to have forgotten the tryst with Conan.

Conan inquires of Acrallidus the city governor about Sergianus. He is told the story of how He was a nobleman from Nemedia who showed up at the gate bloodied from a robbery. And was given fresh clothing and lodging by the queen. Soon they were courting. Shubal tells the advisor of the medallion he had seen in Koth that was just like the one Sergianus wears. the Medallion is owned by the Baron of Korveka in Koth, lord Sabanius. Conan asks Shubal to write down what he remembers of that man's appearance and Conan does the same of the vision he had while looking at Sergianus (in the only language he has some learning of letters in: Turanian). the descriptions match and the men are sure that the old baron has somehow become young in a plot to deliver Khauran to Koth. The three men plan to discover what the disguised baron is up to.

Conan and Shubal are back at Hilides tavern when a young girl looking pursued bursts in and glancing around races right to Conan's lap. She pleads for protection and soon a angry man enters but upon seeing Conan with the girl retreats. Rosela (15) turns out to be just what Conan was looking for some female company. Shubal having become the third wheel leaves. Soon a commotion is heard outside and Conan and the girl investigate. three men attacked Shubal and one of these was dead by his hand. Conan an shubal slay the men but Shubal recieves a nasty wound to his left arm. the guards arrive and question Conan and Shubal who tell them of their employment by Khashtris. Conan takes the wounded Shubal to his girlfriend's and Rosela and Conan spend the evening in the garden together.

Rosela gains employment in the palace and the queen leaves for buisness elsehere so Conan and Shubal are assigned to guard young Princess taramis and lady Khashtris who is looking after her. this suits Conan fine as he gets to steal moments with Rosela. Khastris leaves for a moment now that Taramis is asleep (really she is drugged) Shubal also leaves seeking a glass of wine and conan is left alone guarding the door for a few moments. Rosela arrives and gives the Cimmerian a drink which proves to also be drugged and he is rendered unconscious by the trusted Rosela.

Conan awakens bewildered to find Khastris and Shubal trying to revive him. nearby lays a dead man slain with Conan's own sword. Shubal moments before came back and saw the man entering the princesses chamber with Conan's sword. He was apparently trying to frame Conan for the girl's death. Shubal saves the princess and wrestles the sword away and slays the man. the very same man who chased Rosela in the tavern earlier. He turns out to be her brother when Conan discovers Rosela dying have been betrayed by her employer the queen's own advisor Arkhaurus. Having learned of Conan's suspicions he tried to frame him for the princesses murder leaving Sergianus or his heir the ruler of Khauran once the queen is wed and disposed of.

Conan and Shubal tell the queen of the plot on her return but she refuses to believe any evil of her new love. Conan and Shubal are dismissed from the palace by the angry queen. They confide in Acrallidus the governor ans Khashtris who provide a way to sneek into the palace. Conan disguises as the seer Crispis (who really is tied up in a closet) a magician that the queen has hired for Sergianus and her entertainment at a dinner party that includes lady khashtris and the governor and his wife as guests. Conan reveals what he knows about Sergianus and the traitor Arkhaurus in fortune telling,and fools Sergianus to believe that his spell is revealed and everyone can see him as the old baron lord Sabanius. Bewildered the queen rising demands the meaning of this, speaking to the disguised Conan. Sabanius assumes she is speaking to him however believing his cover is blown and rushes at Conan with his blade. Shubal appears in the side door and moves to intervene but Arkhaurus stabs him in the leg with a dagger. Conan comes out of his disguise and the queen infuriated calls for her guards. conan slays Arkhaurus for slaying Rosela and betraying her despite the fact that she used him, Conan and Sergianus have a sword battle and Arkhaurus's destrought wife begins to babble about how she knew he shouldn't ally himself with a korvekian imposter. Conan stabs Sergianus in the belly with his dagger. Shubal removes the dagger from his leg and throws it stabbing sergianus in the chest. the weeping queen reaches the falling man just in time to witness his transformation back into the old baron. She rushes away and Khashtris moves after to console her.

Later Acrallidus wants Conan to stay and protect the queen but just then they are interrupted by a shriek and learn that the queen has stabbed herself. Khashtris wants Conan to stay but realizes she is older and he is too young to be her consort. She gives conan a half piece of silver and says she will put the other half around Taramis's neck as a necklace and will tell her how Conan saved her throne when she is old enough to understand. Conan lies and says he has a terrible debt at his friend Hilides tavern of fifty qeensheads. Khashtris promises to pay it. With that Conan takes his two horses and heads back to shadizar.

It is mentioned that the road of kings connects Arenjun and Shadizar and culminates there at the Bazaar.

Good Conan Quote:"you think I'm wearing this sword to pare my toenails?" I laughed when I read that.

Names/places mentioned: "sergianus" Lord Sabaninus (Baron of Korveka in Koth), Koth (country), Khitai (country), Khi Zang (khitan wizard who transfoms the baron), Khoshemish (city in Koth), Hyrkania (country), Vilayet Sea, Zamboula (turanian satrap city), Kothian (race), Korvekan (of that city), Khauran (country and its capital), Corithia (country), Zamora (country), Ishtar (god), Queen Ialamis (of Khauran), Nateela of Ophir (18 yr old slave sacrificed by Khi Zang), Vanirius (son of the steward of Korveka), Bazaar way and Erlik Enthroned (streets in Shadizar), Desert (cutthroat district of shadizar), Arenjun (city of thieves in Zamora), Shadizar (city of the wicked in Zamora), Road of kings, foaming jack tavern (also known as the leering jackal in Shadizar), Temple of Set-Istar (in Shadizar), Temple of Dereta Cloaca (in Shadizar), Nemedian (race), Maul (cutthroat district of Arenjun), Eye of Erlik (magical amulet), Hisarr Zul (dead wizard from Sorcerer), samaratan (someone from the city Samara), tower of Yara (TOT Elephant), Lady Khashtris (noble of Khauran), Shubal (shemite guard of Lady Khashtris), Aquilonia (country), Border Kingdom (country), Khoraja (city),Thirsty lion inn (nice tavern uptown in Shadizar), Turanian (race), Asshuri (Shemite warrior clan), Salome (witch child of demon and queen Ialamis; twin of Princess taramis), Princess Taramis (of Khauran), Ashtoreth (god), Set (god of stygians), Ishtar (God), baranthes (?), Acrallides (governor of Khuaran), Krallides (14 yr old son of Governor), Arkhaurus (queen's advisor; a traitor later killed), Nemedia (country), verenus Cling-coin(ale seller; Perte's son), Khaurani (race), Hilides (tavern owner), Merkes (tavern lout), Stygia (country), Mitra (god), Bel (god of thieves), pelishtians (shem group), Asgalun (city), Habiru (desert tribesmen), Serketo (stygian female god), Crom (god grim lord of the mound), Yezud (ruler of Turan), Nebinjo (nemedian), Baron Amalric and son also Amalric, Zingaran (race), Sfalana (daughter of the market fruit peddler; Shubal's gal), Korveka (city in Koth), Leath, Mishellisa, Merket, Eviriga (seamstress), Badb (Cimmerian God), Lir (cimmerian God), Macha (cimmerian God), Manannon (cimmerian god), Morrigan (cimmerian God), Nemain (cimmerian god), Yog (god), Spartus (steward head of household for Khashtris), Kothic (race), rosela (15 yrs old Conan's girlfriend who betrays him and is killed), Nardius (rosella's brother), Venarium (battle), Yara (dead wizard TOTE), Crispis (Illusionist from Kandala), Iranistan (country)

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 07:28 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Conan and the Sword of Skelos

Author: Andrew Offutt 1979 246 pages
Where found: Ace Novel
Cover Art: Conan holding a flaming censor, a cloaked man with a sword, naked chick chained to column, large lizard. by ? (cover art given a copyright date in the notes but no name, perhaps by Tim Kirk? who did the interior illus.) My art rating out of 10: 2 The pic is not accurate to the story and I think Conan looks lame, he looks much more like the very early illustrations of Conan.
My Rating of this story out of 10: 8. I really like Offutt's style.
Where: Shadizar; the city of the wicked in Zamora, the Desert- a seedy district in shadizar much like Arenjun's Maul, later the steppes then deserts of Turan, and the city of Zamboula
Conan's Age: 17 Less than a fortnight after Mercenary and two months after Sorcerer
Conan's Occupation: Thief
Conan's weapons/ attire mentioned:Dagger and sword in old worn shagreen leather sheath, V-cut green tunic, Cloak, Old worn leather belt, Tribal amulet (disguised Eye of Erlik), Gold and emerald ring on little finger of left hand, 4 horses [chestnut (renamed dunestrider,) Water Hog, Horse, Ironhead.] later -Yavuz's Ilbarsi knife, Gemmed dagger and sergent's sword, several swords and daggers in a barrel. dirty headband. later still-Yellow cotton heaadband, white burnoose, loose desert man's dun colored leggings drawn up high on his thighs, boots, The Ilbarsi knife (again), corselet vest of mail, padded vest, tunic, balooning crimson leggings. even later- fine scarlet cloak , pure white khitan silk tunic with red borders, broad lightwieght belt of red felt, sandals all given by Khan. , ragged strip of cloth on head in makeshift kaffia, False mustache, dirty cloak. Rope, buskins, mail vest, tunic that is too tight, tunic of plain russet, Helmet that torturer uses on him, sword of skelos, helmet, corselet,leathern tunic of Thorns guards, Two swords and two daggers. finally leaves with 5 pack animals, white kaffia, white robe over red leggings.
Conan's appearance mentioned: his nose peels as he crosses the desert. He is cut on the cheek by a sword tip.
Conan's use of language:Conan speaks Turanian. Conan's known languages: 5
(Cimmerian, Nordheimer, Nemedian, Zamoran, Turanian*) [* can read and Write]
Known countries Conan has visited so far: Cimmeria, Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria, Brythunia, Nemedia, Corinthia, Zamora, Khauran, Turan (10)
Chronology comparisons: this story is # 7 in Conan Chronology by Robert Jordan 1989, #12 in Conan the Indestructable by L.S. DeCamp, #11 in Conan Timeline by William Gray 2000, #7 in Gurps Conan by Curtis Scott 1989

Synopsis: Conan back in Shadizar is attacked by two men who attempt to kidnap him by bludgeoning him. Conan slays one and forces the other Yavuz to take him to his employer. They go to a tavern the red Lion Inn and Conan lets Yavuz go and confronts Khassek the man he pointed out as his employer. He lays Yavuz's Ilbarsi knife on the table and says he has seen one before in Arenjun in the hands of Ajhindar the thief. He sits at his table and learns that this Iranistani is also on the same mission as Ajhindar to get the Eye of Erlik and return it to the Shah of Iranistan. Conan tells him he buried it out in the desert (when he really has it around his neck disguised) and they agree to go and "get it" and return to Iranistan for a handsome reward. Five City Watch guards led by a Zamoran Royal Dragoner, Fehad come in and confront Conan accusing him of the fight with the city guards in Arenjun. Khassek acts shocked and says he doesn't know him but then jumps up and places a dagger to Ferhad's throat and forces the guards to disarm. The tavern clears out of patrons in the commotion and Conan and Khassek force the guards into a trapdoor cellar and force a large barrel over top with the aid of the tavern keeper Imraz, who they hold hostage for a short time as the flee down the back alleyway.

Later, a woman and her son approach the Gate of the Black Throne of Erlik to leave Shadizar bearing packs and 4 horses. they get by the guards alert for a man of Conan's description and meet Conan and Khassek who slip over the wall undetected. the woman Hafiza is Conan's friend and brought him his horses and gear for a price of course. the two men set out avoiding the road of kings through Arenjun and Khauran, and instead strike west across the hills to the turanian steppes and then South to the Dragon Hills in the Turanian Desert.

Isparana on her way back to Zamboula with the false Eye of Erlik accompanied by the Turanian soldiers of Samara that Conan placed her with, is burned badly on the hip as the fake amulet in a pouch is burned to slag when the wizard is slain in Conan and the Sorcerer
She vows revenge on Conan and sneeks away from the soldiers with one Sarid who has taken a fancy to her, in pursuit of Conan whom she realizes must have the true Eye of Erlik. Their paths reintersect somewhere in the desert dunes after the Gorge of the Sand Lich. Coming together close between the dunes, Khassek is slain by Sarid as they surprise him in close quarters. Ironhead, Conan's horse that Khassek is on blocks between the very angry Conan and Sarid and they can't get at each other. Conan charges his horse straight through and gets his sword stuck in Sarid's arm half severing it and dragging him from the saddle. His horse steps on the wounded man and crushes his chest.

Conan grabs Isparana's Horses' tail and the Horse rears and she falls. Conan wrestles her down and amid her curses which turn to moans he "takes" her. they remount and Conan desides now to give the Eye of Erlik back to the Khan of Zamboula with Isparana for the reward there as he has no loyalties to far distant Iranistan.
They begin south but are attacked by six green robed desert men on horses and their mounts and pack horses scatter in the fight. Conan blinds one with a sword stroke across the eyes. The blinded man is trampled by the stampeding pack animals. Isparana flees on her horse with Conan and the desert men in pursuit followed by the string of confused pack horses spread out in a line a league long.....

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Synopsis continued: Conan races up a dune in pursuit of Isparana but turns around when on the other side and charges at the surprised men coming up the other side. Conan takes a nasty rake across his cheek by a sword tip but manages to kill four of the five and seriously wounds the fifth. Unfortunately seven green robed reinforcement raiders are racing towards Isparana and the pack animals who have stopped at the crest of the next dune to watch. Conan desperately closes with them but suddenly the dune where Isparana stands is swarmed with half a score of camel riders in white robes who ride down the green robed desert men. the fifth man conan wounded bleeds to death trying to flee the new comers.

These are the Shanki a tribe of desert dwellers who hate the green robed nomads called Jazikhim or Yoggites after their God Yog. they take Conan and Isparana to their camp at an oasis. Conan and the Shanki divide up the desert men's horses according to who slain their riders but Conan haggles generous gifts of them with the chief and earns his respect. The Shanki agree to send an escort of Camel riders and the chief's son to get Conan and Isparana safely to Zamboula.

Meanwhile, Akter Khan in the torture chambers of his palace is witnessing his wizard ensorcell a sword with the ancient spells of skelos so that it flies through the air and slays slaves at a command. He demands the blade of the wizard who agrees to make another for the Khan. The Khan brings forth a young girl who is the daughter of the shanki chief who was a gift to him but she refused to "entertain him" and growing wroth he uses her to complete the required blood portion of the sword spell. The Khan using his wizard to scry the location of the Eye of Erlik learns of its movements over the last weeks and of Isparana and her unknown companion. He sends out a contingient of soldiers to bring them back alive if willing or dead at all costs.


****** to be continued ******
sorry folks, I started this review before I moved and my notes and books were boxed up for a while. After rereading my notes, they are somewhat confusing so I am going to have to reread this story to finish where I left off.

Edited by grim cimmerian, 25 August 2006 - 10:03 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Conan the Magnificent

Edited by grim cimmerian, 26 July 2006 - 09:57 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Conan the Invincible

Edited by grim cimmerian, 26 July 2006 - 09:58 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

the hall of the Dead

[grim cimmerian]

conan the fearless

[grim cimmerian]

conan the Warlord