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Conan (Conan the Barbarian)

by Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, Lin Carter

4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 · rating details · 907 ratings · 45 reviews

Seven of the most exciting and fantastic adventures ever created! The unforgettable tales of the mighty Conan.

Introduction / [L. Sprague] de Camp --
Letter from R.E. Howard to P.S. Miller --
The Hyborian age, part 1 / [Robert E.] Howard --
The thing in the crypt / [Lin] Carter & [L. Sprague] de Camp --
The tower of the elephant / [Robert E.] Howard --
The hall of the dead /...more

reprint, 221 pages

Published January 1st 1967 by Ace Books

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Mar 09, 2009 Brad rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, adventure, classic, short-story, faves

Aaaaah...Conan!

I struggled with my star rating for Conan because, despite any mitigating factors, I really love the character of Conan, particularly in the hands of his progenitor, Robert E. Howard.

Howard had a fiercely creative mind and a burning work ethic that enabled him to crank out some of the most amazing pulp heroes and anti-heroes, including Kull, El Borak, Solomon Kane, the humorous Breckinridge Ellis, and, of course, Conan before taking his own life at thirty years old.

It is an impres...more

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Sep 27, 2009 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is one of the Lancer Conans. Some of you will hate them because they are not only NOT the pure Howard stories, but they also include stories made from notes and pastiches by other authors. I enjoyed them, maybe not so much as the pure Howard stories, but they are good. I don't have all of them anymore and they are hard to find...if you can find them they are worth a try. Wish someone would reissue them.

Okay! This is the first one!

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Mar 19, 2012 Jose Vera rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hace mucho que quería leer la serie de Conan, por lo menos el primer libro. En más de una ocasión escuche críticas excepcionales a esta lectura, así que necesitaba saber de primera mano si eran ciertos los comentarios que oi.

Lo primero que me llamó la atención y que definitivamente me gusto fue el detalle del mundo que Howard crea (o recrea), esta edad Hiborea esta muy bien detallada en cuanto a razas, movimientos de nómades, reinos, etc. El nivel de detalle es lo suficientemente profundo como p...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Based on a recommendation from my dad, I first read this series when I was eleven. I was pretty much sold as soon as I saw the cover paintings by Frank Frazetta. So, I decided I would re-read all 12 books to see if my general impressions had changed at all since then. Here’s some observations about the 7 stories that appear in book 1.

The Thing in the Crypt

As a kid, I only had a vague notion about why three different authors were credited on the cover. Over the years, I think I tried to block out...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Joyce added it · review of another edition

Surprisingly fresh, entertaining, and even tender at moments. I guess having seen just clips from the Arnold movie, I expected a campy cheeseball -- but now I can understand why Conan has endured as a literary figure. With one exception the stories don't even contain objectionable racial epithets, which is pretty amazing considering they were largely written in the 1930s.

The best of these stories combine every genre of pulp fiction known at the time: Westerns, detective, science fiction, horror,...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Udolpho rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First time reading any of the Conan books. I liked it.

Maybe because they're short stories, or because they were written so long ago, I kept getting the feeling like I was sitting around a campfire listening to someone tell a story -- instead of being inserted into the story as if I were there. Something kind of auditory/oral about them.

Conan is described as having a thick alien accent. This made me wonder if the decision to not dub over Arnold Schwarzenegger's voice acting was a conscious decis...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Olethros rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

-Cronológicamente hablando, el origen de una leyenda en su género, efectivamente.-

Género. Narrativa fantástica.

Lo que nos cuenta. Recopilación de diferentes relatos sobre el protagonista, unos publicados en vida de Howard, otros no, incluso algunos escritos con algún otro autor o por otro autor, pero que cronológicamente se sitúan al comienzo de las andanzas de Conan en la Era Hybórea. Parte de una larga serie de relatos y novelas que pueden leerse de forma independiente.

¿Quiere saber más del li...more

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Jan 02, 2009 Charles rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Some relatively pure Howard Conan stories mixed with pastiches. 2 and a half stars.

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Apr 13, 2013 Jacob J. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, giant-monsters, gore-galore, short-stories

I was a teenage barbarian. I grew up in a world of might and magic, sword and sorcery. I learned at an early age what violence could accomplish, and that nothing gets you out of danger as effectively as brute force. I lost my parents at a very young age and wandered the land, living off of whatever I could salvage and slaying those who stood in my way, be they man or beast. It was a time of uncertainty. It was a time of evil. It was a time of adventure.

  suarezart

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Dec 13, 2012 Mark Horejsi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ah, Conan the barbarian. Fantasy archetype! The noble Cimmerian! I've actually always enjoyed Conan in a variety of different forms, but apart from brushing with some of his books during the 7th grade, I'd never read any of Robert E. Howard's books. I set out to fix that not long ago, when I picked up the first compilation of Howard's Conan short stories.

I found a couple of things fascinating about this book. First of all, it is in chronological order, so we begin with Conan's story as he travel...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Heroic Fantasy

Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by: A Reader's Guide to Fantasy: Seven-League Shelf

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, novels, short-stories

Yes, it's that Conan--the one that inspired the Schwarzenegger film, Conan the Barbarian. The best way to give you a flavor of the stories and the character is to quote you a bit that appears above the first story published and familiar from the film:

Know, oh prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneat...more Yes, it's that Conan--the one that inspired the Schwarzenegger film, Conan the Barbarian. The best way to give you a flavor of the stories and the character is to quote you a bit that appears above the first story published and familiar from the film:

Know, oh prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars... Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet."--The Nemedian Chronicles.

As it turns out, the character wasn't established in a novel, but in 17 stories by Robert E. Howard published in Weird Tales from 1932 to 1936, most of novelette length, and only one was a novel. There were four other Conan stories published posthumously and three fragments and a synopsis. This particular book is part of a series that puts the tales in chronological story order, with the unfinished stories completed by others and pastiches--basically fan fiction by pros--used to fill in the gaps. So this isn't a novel, but a collection of shorts, and not all by Conan's creator. This book features seven stories, and only "The Tower of the Elephant," "The God in the Bowl" and "Rogues in the House" were completed by Howard. "The Hall of the Dead" was written from Howard's synopsis by L. Sprague de Camp and "The Hand of Nergal" was completed from a Howard fragment by Lin Carter. Two pastiches by Carter and de Camp bookend the Howard stories. That primarily is why I wouldn't recommend this particular book, especially since the Howard ones are much more striking. I'd seek out instead a collection only of the Howard stories. I saw one titled Conan the Barbarian in Barnes and Noble recently that purportedly included those Howard stories that inspired the film.

This is pulp fiction, sure, but although Howard's style is colorful, unlike say a recent read in the genre, A Merritt's The Ship of Ishtar, it wasn't so purple to be off-putting--just seemed to very much set the right atmosphere, which reminded me of nothing so much as a video game at times--one of those role playing ones where you get to play a sword-wielding barbarian fighting monsters and mages. Howard himself according to the introduction said he liked characters like Conan because they're "simpler... They are too stupid to do anything but cut, shoot, or slug themselves into the clear." Not admittedly ordinarily my sort of hero. None too bright in these stories, beyond a facility in languages, and no more dimensional than onion paper, although Conan does have some compassion and a sense of honor. It's a fun world with hints of our own historical times, but Conan is too much the loner for my tastes--no continuing love interest or close friend or family or loyalties. That might change in the later books, particularly since I've read he does later take on a leadership role. I liked this book just enough to at least go on and read the one other in this series on my bookshelf, the one Conan novel by Howard, Conan the Conqueror.(less)

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Mar 16, 2010 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I first read this book 20 years ago or more. I was really into sword and sorcery/fantasy books. I remember when I moved from my parent’s place trying to determine which of my books to keep and which to leave behind and donate. I kept Conan and the continuing series of books (I think they number to 12 and I had 6 of them). They sat on my shelf and recently I decided to see if Conan still holds up.

I am well aware that my liking this book again could just be nostalgia, but I think as action/advent...more I first read this book 20 years ago or more. I was really into sword and sorcery/fantasy books. I remember when I moved from my parent’s place trying to determine which of my books to keep and which to leave behind and donate. I kept Conan and the continuing series of books (I think they number to 12 and I had 6 of them). They sat on my shelf and recently I decided to see if Conan still holds up.

I am well aware that my liking this book again could just be nostalgia, but I think as action/adventure stories and solid writing with fun stories, it still holds up. While the stories may have some commonalties that make them too similar, I think the approach to each makes them interesting. Clearly there is a pattern to the stories: Conan is involved with some thievery, he has hopes of making money, he is skilled and savage and smites his enemies, and then he must face the supernatural, something he is loathe to do (as is every other character who faces the supernatural). While there is this formula, I think the different perspectives that they are approached from keep it fresh.

In “The Thing in the Crypt” we have a straightforward Conan battles the natural and supernatural story. In “The Tower of the Elephant,” the story does a good job of setting up a sense of mystery and has a nice payoff with the supernatural (extraterrestrial?) twist. “The Hall of the Dead” also provides a great sense of suspense and shifts the focus of the story to the army patrol leader for a significant part of the time; a nice change in point-of-view. In he latter two stories, they establish the theme that Conan is a canny, capable fighter and survivor but a terrible thief: he never ultimately gets what he wants. This continues in “The God in the Bowl,” which again, approaches the story not quite from Conan’s angle, but from the perspective of other characters (and again, Conan’s thievery is for naught). However, through it all, a great sense of the supernatural is established and it is made to feel natural that it infuses these lands and the world of Conan.

The version I have includes stories that Robert Howard is solely credited with writing, while others have mixed credits with L. Sparague de Camp and Lin Carter. I think those where Howard is not credited are a more a mixed bag. “The Thing in the Crypt” (Carter and DeCamp) is pretty good, but their “The City of Skulls” seems forced and not as good. It also ends in a way that Howard didn’t approach the other stories. Most of the pure Howard stories seem the strongest – different perspectives than Conan’s, better writing, maybe a little less purple prose.

I’m tempted to return to the rest of the Conan books I own but I’m a bit concerned that in concentration, the stories will be too similar. I certainly would recommend this book, but know that I’m also approaching this potentially from the eyes of a teenager updated to today. Or maybe they are just fun adventure stories that hold up well over time(less)

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Jun 11, 2010 Rodolfo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this when I was very young and i loved it. Although I think the stories are a little simplistic now. But sometimes you need a break and a good barbarian with basic needs, is what the doctor ordered. Conan see, Conan kill, Conan love woman and leave. good stuff. The battles were epic and you knew it was going to be bloody. While reading it you get the feeling that Conan is mortal, yet somehow knows he is going to get out of it, maybe because he doesn't see failure as an option. Conan was p...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Ed Wyrd rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reh

Rereading these for the first time since I read them as a teen. These were my first introduction to Conan, Robert E Howard, and heroic fantasy (better known as sword and sorcery).

The original Howard stories, "The Tower of the Elephant," "The God in the Bowl," and "Rogues in the House," are literally classics and show why Howard was the master of the genre.

The other stories, written by Howard and either Lin Carter or L Sprague de Camp are entertaining as well. Many purists consider the Lancer ed...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Nicholas Hunter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: short-stories, weird-fiction

Contains seven short stories, "The Tower of the Elephant, "The God in the Bowl", and "Rogues in the House", by REH, the rest posthumous "collaborations"; part one of REH's essay "The Hyperborian Age"; an introduction by de Camp and the text of a letter from REH to P. S. Miller. Cover art by Frank Frazetta

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Jul 31, 2012 Asoeur rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Un incontournable pour tous les adeptes d'Heroic Fantasy, sans doute moins pour la littérature. Une succession de nouvelles dont l'écriture est à l'image du héros : énergique, sans fioriture et simpliste. Ca se lit facilement. Très bon pour se détendre sans trop réfléchir.

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Sep 17, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Conan and Tarzan were my dad's childhood favorites, so I thought I'd read his books. I'm sure if I were a preteen boy, they'd be fantastic. As it is, the stories are mildly entertaining and will hopefully give me a good picture of Conan before I watch the new movie with Jason Momoa.

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Mar 09, 2013 Jimmy Parker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you've only seen the movies, do yourself a favor and check out the earlier volumes in this series. The original Howard stories are fantasy/horror done extremely well (some would say done right).

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Oct 23, 2012 Carles Muñoz Miralles rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sin duda me esperaba otra cosa de la lectura de Conan. Sí, son cuentos pulp. Sí, no es alta literatura. Sí, llevan escritos casi cien años... Y aun teniendo todo esto en cuenta, he encontrado que les faltaba algo de chispa, algo (quizás un poco de humanidad) que me permitiese comprender el juego de la fantasía que propone Howard. Bueno, tal vez lea el segundo volumen, para ver si ése algo aparece...

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Aug 10, 2010 Thom Foolery rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, classic-sf, anthology, tantra, religion

I liked this a good deal more than I anticipated. Our DM wanted us to read "The Tower of the Elephant," because he said it contained all the essential elements of a good fantasy story. Well I liked that story so much that I read the whole collection and will probably read more from this series in the future. Each story in this collection is a rollicking adolescent power fantasy leavened with a healthy dose of the eldritch and the uncanny. The influence between contemporaries like H.P. Lovecraft...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Fraterno Dracon Saccis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Se nota cuando Sprague de Camp pone su mano, porque ahí baja la calidad, a excepción del primer relato donde hay más naturalidad en la narración y no un intento-de-ser-Rober-Howard.

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Nov 09, 2012 Robert Day rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The books I'd take to a desert island.
The books I'd save from a house on fire.
The books I read over and over.
The best of the best.

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Jul 25, 2008 Adam Burton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

Howard's Conan stories were perhaps my earliest literary obsession. I'm not sure that I would rate these Ace paperbacks five stars were I reading them now for the first time, especially since better editions are out there, but I loved them so much when I read them as a child that I cannot give them any less of a rating now. It must be said,though, that Lin Carter and L. Sprague deCamp should have been shot for brutalizing Howard's original stories in this series, not to mention putting their own...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Nicolas Ronvel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, pocket, utopiales, anthology, dark

Une lecture en deux temps, facilitée par le découpage en multiples nouvelles. Et une bonne lecture, qui me donne envie de plus me plonger dans les écrits d'Howard.

Ce recueil de nouvelles présente bien des aspects de Conan, personnage que l'on croit connaître, mais en fait non. Cambrioleur, leader de rebellion, simple soldat, aventurier, ou pirate, on découvre nombre des rôles qu'il a endossé, et on vit ses aventures.

Le monde est vivant, terrifiant, plein de faux semblant, et Conan semble souven...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Harold rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Read this decades ago! These stories were well written with a grand protagonist!

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Jul 08, 2012 Michal added it · review of another edition

Will have to pick up a book that features more stories written by Howard.

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May 06, 2012 Peter rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

the Conan books were the first and the best big barbarian type books

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Jan 16, 2013 Alan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed Robert E Howard

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Feb 09, 2013 Dan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction-fantasy

CONAN CHOP

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Apr 21, 2013 Cvymy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi

Surprisingly dated. The stories are very repetitive, the characters are very flat and there is a rather irritiating thread of racialism.

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About Robert E. Howard

Robert Ervin Howard was an American pulp writer of fantasy, horror, historical adventure, boxing, western, and detective fiction. Howard wrote "over three-hundred stories and seven-hundred poems of raw power and unbridled emotion" and is especially noted for his memorable depictions of "a sombre universe of swashbuckling adventure and darkling horror."

He is well known for having created — in the p...more

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Conan (Conan the Barbarian)

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