Conan (Book 1) in Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"

Jul 23, 2014 Greg rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This book is a copy I bought secondhand many years ago and only decided to start it (finally!) when I participated in a group Conan read in the Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" forum at Goodreads.

The book opens with L. Sprague de Camp’s introduction and a letter written in 1936 by Robert E. Howard to P. S. Miller, which explains his conception of Conan. This is followed by Howard’s ‘The Hyborian Age – part I’, an essay outlining the origins and broad historical sweep of Conan’s wor ...more

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Jan 02, 2009 Charles rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

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

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Dec 10, 2011 Vincent Darlage rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: conan-ace-lancer

“The Thing in the Crypt” by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter is a compact Conan pastiche that, while lacking Robert E. Howard’s thunderous prose and mythic sweep, stands out as one of their more effective contributions to the canon. The story’s straightforward structure—Conan, freshly escaped from slavery, braves a frozen wilderness, discovers a tomb, seizes a sword, and battles its undead guardian—captures the raw survivalist core of the character, even if it flattens his cunning and philosoph “The Thing in the Crypt” by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter is a compact Conan pastiche that, while lacking Robert E. Howard’s thunderous prose and mythic sweep, stands out as one of their more effective contributions to the canon. The story’s straightforward structure—Conan, freshly escaped from slavery, braves a frozen wilderness, discovers a tomb, seizes a sword, and battles its undead guardian—captures the raw survivalist core of the character, even if it flattens his cunning and philosophical depth into a simple action beat. The gothic imagery of the crypt feels more generic than Howard’s vivid Hyborian landscapes, but the tale succeeds as a primal vignette of rebirth: the sword as both weapon and symbol of Conan’s new freedom. Its greatest legacy may be in cinema, as John Milius’s Conan the Barbarian (1982) reimagined the crypt scene into a mythic rite of passage, transforming pulp horror into destiny-laden legend. Though not equal to Howard, the story resonates as a small but influential link in Conan’s larger saga.

Robert E. Howard’s The Tower of the Elephant (1933) is one of the finest Conan tales and a cornerstone of sword-and-sorcery, showcasing his ability to fuse raw adventure with cosmic horror and tragic melancholy. The story follows a young Conan, still in his thieving days, as he infiltrates the decadent Tower of the Elephant in search of treasure, only to encounter Yag-Kosha, an alien captive whose suffering transforms the heist into a meditation on cruelty, justice, and mercy. Howard’s lean, fast-paced prose immerses readers in a grim, lived-in world, while revealing Conan as not only a brutal warrior but a cunning, morally complex figure. Though its structure is simple and it bears some dated pulp-era tropes, its vivid atmosphere, Lovecraftian overtones, and emotional depth make it a dazzling, essential work whose influence still reverberates through modern fantasy.

Robert E. Howard’s fragmentary synopsis, "The Hall of the Dead," later completed by L. Sprague de Camp, yields a classic Conan adventure that blends fast-paced action with eerie atmosphere and Howard’s recurring themes of greed, decay, and the futility of worldly power. The tale begins with Conan fleeing Zamorian soldiers, forming a reluctant alliance with the Gunderman officer Nestor, and braving the haunted ruins of an ancient city where monstrous guardians, including de Camp’s memorable giant slug, and the restless dead punish intruders for their sacrilege. While Howard’s outline alone conveyed his signature contrasts of barbaric vitality against decadent ruin, de Camp’s completion fleshes out the setting as Larsha near Shadizar, adds vivid description, dialogue, and an ironic twist ending where treasure slips away, and introduces the character Semiramis. The result is an atmospheric, muscular sword-and-sorcery tale that captures both Howard’s fatalistic vision and de Camp’s flair for mood and structure.

“The God in the Bowl” is one of Robert E. Howard’s most unusual Conan tales, blending murder mystery, noir intrigue, and Lovecraftian horror into a moody, atmospheric story set in the marble halls of a museum-like temple in Numalia. Casting Conan not just as a thief but as a suspect entangled in suspicion and bureaucracy, the tale trades relentless action for tense dialogue, claustrophobic setting, and the slow unveiling of the ancient horror within a sarcophagus. Though its pacing can falter, the shocking climax delivers a burst of violence and uncanny dread, making the story one of Howard’s eeriest and most experimental works—a striking reminder of his versatility within the Hyborian Age.

“Rogues in the House” is a tightly focused Conan tale that blends sword-and-sorcery action with political intrigue, set in a claustrophobic urban environment where shifting alliances and betrayals drive the tension. Featuring Murilo, Nabonidus, and the semi-intelligent ape Thak, the story explores the fragility of power as the schemers’ manipulations collapse under the weight of primal, uncontrollable force. Thak emerges as both physical threat and symbolic usurper, while Conan’s brutal triumph underscores his role as a figure who thrives amid chaos. Compact yet thematically rich, the tale exemplifies Howard’s hallmarks—moral ambiguity, fleeting power, and visceral conflict—and its iconic imagery of Conan’s battle with Thak has become one of the most enduring touchstones of the sword-and-sorcery genre.

"The Hand of Nergal," completed by Lin Carter from Robert E. Howard’s fragment, is a moody Conan tale that fuses brutal sword-and-sorcery with supernatural horror, set in the besieged city of Yaralet where Conan battles a dark cult and their cursed talisman. Carter captures much of Howard’s gritty pace and atmosphere, showcasing Conan as a fierce, cunning survivor confronting both treachery and eldritch menace, though some unevenness and underdeveloped characters reveal its posthumous patchwork nature. Despite these flaws, the story enriches the Hyborian mythos with its blend of action, dread, and mythic stakes, making it a satisfying read for fans seeking classic barbarian heroics with a sinister edge.

“The City of Skulls” by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter is a brisk, action-driven Conan adventure that showcases the young barbarian’s strength, cunning, and resilience against captivity, treacherous captors, and a tyrannical ruler in a remote, exotic city. Set against the grimly evocative backdrop of a city lined with human skulls, the story delivers competent pulp thrills, from daring escapes to fierce combat, but it lacks the mythic resonance, moral complexity, and vivid world-building that mark Robert E. Howard’s original tales. While entertaining and tightly plotted, it reads more as a competent pastiche than a definitive Conan adventure, serving primarily to fill a chronological gap in the Hyborian saga rather than to expand its thematic depth. ...more

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