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82nd out of 962 books
—
4,841 voters
The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian (Conan the Cimmerian #1)
“Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities . . . 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 . . . to tread
the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet.”
Conan is one of the gr...more
the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet.”
Conan is one of the gr...more
Hardcover, 496 pages
Published
November 22nd 2005
by Del Rey
(first published 1932)
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Dec 27, 2010
Keely
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
fantasy,
short-story,
american,
pulp,
horror,
reviewed,
supernatural-horror,
sword-and-sorcery,
favorites
What it is that makes Howard so much more compelling than his many imitators? To the untrained eye, it may be hard to see differences, since his faults are sometimes more readily apparent than his virtues, though he has plenty of both. Some might try to 'salvage him' from his pulp origins, but despite all his literary aspirations, I'm happy to call him a pulp author, and one of the best.
I have a great deal of praise for this edition in particular, volume one of a three-part series which collects...more
I have a great deal of praise for this edition in particular, volume one of a three-part series which collects...more
Conan is one of those great literary characters whose true nature has been swallowed up in the morass of media reinterpretation. Howard's Conan the Cimmerian is a giant of a man, yes, but he is not the lumbering bear he later became in the popular consciousness; Schwarzenegger is not to blame for that, as this understanding had become the common one long before his films were made (check out the earlier comic book versions), and he merely played the character as the script demanded. Howard's Con...more
May 02, 2011
Stephen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
audiobook,
pulpy,
kings-of-badassia,
sorcerous-swords,
short-fiction,
novellas,
1930-1953
*** NOTE: Lesson number 4 above was inspired by Ceridwen’s legendary review of Ulysses and the even more legendary comment section following it....The Guest Speaker doesn't know it but the real goal of lesson #4 is to help the instructors spot and weed out incurable ASSHATS.
5.0 stars. This was my first in depth experience with Robert E. Howard’s Conan and IT…….WAS…….PULPTASTICALLY ……DELICIOUS. However, not only was it more fun than a dungeon full of giant snakes, but it was also very instructiv...more
They've re-released a load of Howard's stuff after it's been out of print for ages, I used to pick it up at bookstalls and second hand bookshops. Great stuff, not very politically correct but hugely enjoyable fast paced stories, mainly all swordfights and heaving bosoms, dark sorcery and cavalry charges, betrayal and lusty gossamer clad dancing girls. He's most famous for these, his "Conan" stories. That was when I was about 14...probably explains a lot. Imprinted with idea that drinking heavily...more
I really enjoy Howard's starkly simple yet evocative writing style. I play around with writing myself and I consider his style an ideal example of the "keep it simple" principle, because simple though it is, it's fantastic and light.
Every now & then a book will have a passage in it that just speaks to me and barbaric though it may be there is one such passage in this book. Page 123...
After explaining his position to a judge of the court that he would not betray his friend, the Judge conti...more
Every now & then a book will have a passage in it that just speaks to me and barbaric though it may be there is one such passage in this book. Page 123...
After explaining his position to a judge of the court that he would not betray his friend, the Judge conti...more
Overall - I really enjoyed this first volume of the collected short stories of Robert E. Howard and his magnificent creation; Conan the Barbarian. There was not a story in the collection that I was bored with or disliked and I would heartily encourage those who enjoy the fantasy genre to delve into these stories and explore the roots of what started the genre that we enjoy today. The only faults that I have with Howard’s writing are the prevalent sexist and less prevalent racist attitudes that a...more
From one of the true masters of pulp fiction. Like many of us, my early introduction to Robert E. Howard's character Conan the Cimmerian came from the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. I believed Schwarzenegger's take on the character to be the only bearer of the name Conan, until I had the privilege of discovering this gem of a book. Mr. Howard's literary interpretation of the character (which he created) springs forth on paper and redefines the sorcery and fantasy genre. Written around the time of...more
Robert E. Howard wrote without using much other than his emotion and imagination. That is what these books are filled with and if you are up to a passionate and driven read, than look no further for Conan is here! These books are animal-like in their power, Howard takes you back to a time where humanity was far more savage and the rest of the world reflected that. There is an energy that drives each of these stories and it doesn't stop until the last words of the last story have stopped echoing...more
You know, I used to think I hated Conan stories. That was before I realized that what I had read were in fact imperfect pastiches written by other writers in the 60's and 70's who hoped to cash in on the iconic popularity of the character.
This volume presents the stories of Conan the Cimmerian as they were written by his creator, Robert E. Howard, and a better group of dashing, creepy, brooding sword & sorcery tales couldn't be wished for. The stories are presented in the order they were wri...more
This volume presents the stories of Conan the Cimmerian as they were written by his creator, Robert E. Howard, and a better group of dashing, creepy, brooding sword & sorcery tales couldn't be wished for. The stories are presented in the order they were wri...more
What needs to be said? It's Conan. If you've only seen the movie...do yourself a favor and take a look at these pulp greats.
Like many Conan is one of my first introductions into fantasy and Conan personifies the Sword and Sorcery sub-genre of fantasy. He was great to read when Howard came up with him and he's still a great read today.
This is volume one of a three volume set released with Howard's original texts. It contains:
"The Phoenix on the Sword"
"The Frost Giant's Daughter"
"The God in the...more
Like many Conan is one of my first introductions into fantasy and Conan personifies the Sword and Sorcery sub-genre of fantasy. He was great to read when Howard came up with him and he's still a great read today.
This is volume one of a three volume set released with Howard's original texts. It contains:
"The Phoenix on the Sword"
"The Frost Giant's Daughter"
"The God in the...more
This goes for all of Howard's other works as well:
Fabulous reads for fellow enthusiasts of high adventure. Not all of Howard's works are genius by any means (he was writing during the Depression, when his next meal depended on sales). Admittedly, there are racist and sexist elements in many of his works (it was the 30's). But for sheer, lurid descriptions no one else compares. Like Tolkien, Howard crafted an entire world, a mythologcial ancient earth "between the time when the oceans drank Atlan...more
Fabulous reads for fellow enthusiasts of high adventure. Not all of Howard's works are genius by any means (he was writing during the Depression, when his next meal depended on sales). Admittedly, there are racist and sexist elements in many of his works (it was the 30's). But for sheer, lurid descriptions no one else compares. Like Tolkien, Howard crafted an entire world, a mythologcial ancient earth "between the time when the oceans drank Atlan...more
Long years ago, I picked up an old collection of Conan stories. It was from the series that L. Sprague deCamp did, and was number one in the series. I was unimpressed. I figured I had simply waited too long to get around to Conan and outgrown the time period when I might have enjoyed the stories. I was so, so wrong.
This collection blew me away. Robert E. Howard was an amazing writer, especially when it comes to action scenes. These stories move, man. I went from unimpressed to fangirl in 2 stori...more
This collection blew me away. Robert E. Howard was an amazing writer, especially when it comes to action scenes. These stories move, man. I went from unimpressed to fangirl in 2 stori...more
Apr 28, 2013
Mary Overton
added it
Conan, the ultimate Barbarian, gleefully fights civilized Man. (And yes, it is Man he fights. Conan is remarkably chivalrous with all women, even those who betray him. He gleefully fucks the young "supple" ones, but only when they consent.)
A corrupt court official describes the difference between civilized politicians and barbarian outlaws:
"'You exploit a whole kingdom for your personal greed, and under the guise of disinterested statesmanship, you swindle the king, beggar the rich, oppress the...more
A corrupt court official describes the difference between civilized politicians and barbarian outlaws:
"'You exploit a whole kingdom for your personal greed, and under the guise of disinterested statesmanship, you swindle the king, beggar the rich, oppress the...more
Great collection of the Original Conan adventures by Robert E Howard. This is not something you'll read in English class, but ironically I think Howard's prose style is amazing and he is one of my favorite writers. His writing is like fire at times. The way he describes things is not cumbersome or dry. Howard mastered economy of prose and does not take five pages to describe a shoe, but he still manages to paint with words and use rich adjectives to create an image in the reader's head. The stor...more
This is huge, terrific, blood-and-thunder stuff of the highest order. The real Conan, not the sanitised version of De Camp or the movies, even though I enjoy the 1982 film for what it is. While at times unbelievable deeds of heroes in stories can be irritating because of a lack of realism, it was these tales that made me decide the difference is all in the quality of writing rather than the likelihood of the acts themselves. After a while you just get so used to rolling with the style of Howard'...more
In the 1930s an unknown self taught writer named Robert E Howard penned and published in the popular pulp magazine Weird Tales -a series of adventure stories around a barbarian hero named Conan in a mythical place and time called the Hyborian Age. His writing style brought to vivid life the brawling, unbeatable character of Conan.
Howard put every ounce of his creative energy into the fantasy world that Conan inhabits and we read in this early volume, tales that have him in a vast variety of e...more
Howard put every ounce of his creative energy into the fantasy world that Conan inhabits and we read in this early volume, tales that have him in a vast variety of e...more
The Conan stories of Robert E. Howard probably aren't for everyone, and that's a damn shame.
Today, Howard's contribution to fantasy has been obscured or tainted by three things (I would argue):
a) when people look back at early-20th century adventure fantasy, Burroughs is the writer they see. This is certainly the case in academia--I've seen papers on Tarzan and John Carter of Mars, but hardly any on Conan and none on Solomon Kane. In fandom, there is an Edgar Rice Burroughs club, but I'm not a...more
Today, Howard's contribution to fantasy has been obscured or tainted by three things (I would argue):
a) when people look back at early-20th century adventure fantasy, Burroughs is the writer they see. This is certainly the case in academia--I've seen papers on Tarzan and John Carter of Mars, but hardly any on Conan and none on Solomon Kane. In fandom, there is an Edgar Rice Burroughs club, but I'm not a...more
The back cover explains that this is where the "Sword and Sorcery" genera was born. The book contains the first stories of the character, Conan, in order of Howard's submissions to "Weird Tales" in the 1920s. It also tells a lot into the history of Howard himself.
If you said:
"Conan is a seemingly unstoppable killing machine who trips over half naked women and hates wizards more than anything!"
It would be close to the truth, but not fair...
Yeah, this book is a lot of fun, but there's also a mes...more
If you said:
"Conan is a seemingly unstoppable killing machine who trips over half naked women and hates wizards more than anything!"
It would be close to the truth, but not fair...
Yeah, this book is a lot of fun, but there's also a mes...more
I read the old 1-12 Tor/Ace Conan paperbacks religiously when I was a teenager and still love the Howard written Conan stories just as much, if not more, than I did then. Because of so many bad movies, comics and free reign given to authors undeserving to write stories involving this character (some of the written by other than Howard Conan stuff is very good, most is not) many people do not understand the true nature, depth, and greatness of this character and Robert E Howards work. These stori...more
Ah, Conan! The very name conjures up images of a loincloth-wearing badass who takes what he wants when he wants and destroys anyone who gets in his way! Seriously though, how could Conan NOT be destined to be the very pinnicle of pulp fiction? Admittedly, I have a very special spot in my heart for this very famous Barbarian and, consequently, a soft spot for its brilliant and, quite honestly, underrated creator, Robert E. Howard.
I will try and refrain from my own personal connection with Conan a...more
I will try and refrain from my own personal connection with Conan a...more
I find most of the really productive pulp writers to be very inconsistent in their output (see also Philip K. Dick) and Robert E. Howard is no exception. The better stories in this anthology are among some of the best ultra-manly adventure stories I've ever read, the writing managing to be ornate and bombastic without ever feeling bloated or "purple". The setting, which draws mostly upon Greco-Roman antiquity as viewed from the outsider perspective of a Celtic tribesman (or the fantasy equivalen...more
Reading Conan, it's really, REALLY important to keep in the back of your mind that these stories were written in the early twentieth century, which was a vastly different period than our own. By keeping that in mind, I was able to read through the majority of this book without taking the blatant racism and sexism too much to heart. I see the stories contained it The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian much in the same way I see exploitation film; it is a relic of its time, and thus it is populated wit...more
"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." If that doesn't grab you, then I guess this short story collection may not be for you. For anyone even remotely interested in fantasy, though, this book is a treasure trove.
Containing the first 13 or so Conan stories written by Howard, this collection varies a bit in quality, b...more
Containing the first 13 or so Conan stories written by Howard, this collection varies a bit in quality, b...more
Chock full of pulpy adventure-- this really shows why Howard is the founder of sword and sorcery the way Tolkien is for high fantasy. There was a little too much overlap, even considering the natural similarities that Conan stories have to each other. The book's best trait is its variety as it goes from stories about Conan the pirate to Conan the brash young thief, to Conan the old warrior-king, to Conan the mercenary in no particular order. Also, this is pretty darn pulpy, so if you're looking...more
Okay, so Conan the Barbarian has become cliche, but when Howard was writing him back in the 30s it was a different story. You have to be very careful what edition you get, as most of the Howard stories are in omnibus format now. It is important to get one that is in order of publication, instead of chronological order. Howard himself said that the stories weren't meant to flow together, or to create a chronology, as they are written as if a drunken barbarian is retelling his adventures as he rem...more
I decided to read this collection of the original Conan stories for something mindless/escapist, and that is pretty much what I got. However, in some of the stories (mostly the ones that didn't have a juvenile fixation on swooning scantily clad women in distress) the author actually seemed to be trying to express his philosophy of life and opinion of civilization.
Robert E. Howard's hero reflects a hopeless worldview that appears to be a variation on the Epicureans: something like "pillage, slay,...more
Robert E. Howard's hero reflects a hopeless worldview that appears to be a variation on the Epicureans: something like "pillage, slay,...more
Re-reading. This a more current republishing of Howard's original stories unmolested by editors hands as he wrote them. Deep themes about the individual vs society are explored in a fantasy world of his own making. Not at all the commercial, and watered down, character the media has produced over the many years for profit.
The first reprint in the Del Rey series introduced me to a full background of not only the stories themselves, but the evolution of Howard's writting abilities. These editions (three in the set) also explained how they represent the original versions of the stories, and not those that were edited in the 1970-80's. These versions are not politically correct and do in some ways reflect the racial attitudes of the 1920's (Texas) where Howard grew up and did all of his writting. Although not rising...more
I wanted to explore the roots of the 20th century "sword and sandals" fixation, similar to my exploration of early sci fi, rooted in the pulp tradition. Howard's writing does not disappoint! His language is really dynamic, brimming with energy, and an absence of ironic detachment. The action is very vivid and arresting, without any of the steriod clutter of later action efforts. Howard seemed hungry to write, hungry to succeed, and each of his stories communicate that energy in strong and direct...more
I find Howard's storytelling to be quite compelling for he paints vivid and easy to imagine pictures rich with swashbuckling and adventure. His language is simple and easy to parse even while listening to someone read it; his writing style is simple, clear, and consistent, and his descriptions are to-the-point and allow me to craft clear and indelible images and scenes of battle.
I love this original conception of the Conan character, not the watered down, bloodthirsty, and somewhat stupid oaf t...more
I love this original conception of the Conan character, not the watered down, bloodthirsty, and somewhat stupid oaf t...more
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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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He is well known for having created — in the p...more
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