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Achive > June 2013-Sword and Sorcery--Who's joining in?

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message 1: by carol. , Senor Crabbypants (last edited May 25, 2013 05:07PM) (new)

carol.  | 2616 comments The Complete Chronicles of Conan
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/82...

Was our winner. GR is being a bit of a bear about linking the book, so I posted the direct link.


message 2: by Keith (new)

Keith (kkidby) | 20 comments Might sit this one out. Nothing against Conan, but I just got Sweet Silver Blues today and it looks like it's my kind of book. Really liked this months Lovecraft, too. Two very good choices, thanks.


Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 5387 comments I have this book somewhere in my shelves...that doesn't however mean it will be easy to find. I read it/these years ago.


message 4: by jaw (new)

jaw | 85 comments I'm down. I love me some Conan. I still have all of my magazine style Conan comics. Plus a few books.


message 5: by jaw (new)

jaw | 85 comments Is this book only available in hard cover?


message 6: by Christopher (new)

Christopher Preiman | 50 comments I will probably join in


message 7: by carol. , Senor Crabbypants (new)

carol.  | 2616 comments jaw wrote: "Is this book only available in hard cover?"

No idea. I had a hard time linking to it with Goodreads. I'm not versed enough in the Conan universe to know the difference between all the stories and seriels.


message 8: by Bryan (new)

Bryan | 33 comments I'll join in, but probably not with this specific book. I have a different REH Conan anthology on my shelves(can't remember what it's called right now) which I'll be reading. There actually aren't that many original Conan stories, so it shouldn't make much difference. Even though it's quite racist and sexist, Conan always makes for a fun read.


message 9: by Chris (last edited May 26, 2013 07:20PM) (new)

Chris  Haught (haughtc) The original Conan stories by Robert E. Howard are free/public domain in epub form here: http://www.feedbooks.com/list/16/cona...

Here is where you can see the list of the stories Howard wrote, if you scroll down about halfway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_th...

For this read, I would suggest going through and reading them story by story, with a thread for each. I'd do that rather than try to pin down a compilation/collection all at once, since there are so many versions out there.


message 10: by carol. , Senor Crabbypants (new)

carol.  | 2616 comments Thanks for the links, Chris! Very helpful. If you want to start a couple threads under the Epic monthly read to better organize discussion, you are certainly welcome to do so :)


message 11: by Kevin (new)

Kevin | 284 comments Chris wrote: "The original Conan stories by Robert E. Howard are free/public domain in epub form here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1..."

Whoa ... infinite loop.

(Think you got the wrong link there ;) )


message 12: by carol. , Senor Crabbypants (new)

carol.  | 2616 comments KevinB wrote: "

Whoa ... infinite loop.

(Think you got the wron..."


Ha!


message 13: by Nancy (new)

Nancy I'm in! I love Conan.


message 14: by Chris (new)

Chris  Haught (haughtc) Fixed..Dunno how the hell that happened....


message 15: by Olga (new)

Olga Godim (olgagodim) | 308 comments I didn't find this book at our library, but I downloaded 10 stories from Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc...
I'll read what I've got, so I'm joining in.
BTW, they have it in any digital format you might wish.


message 16: by carol. , Senor Crabbypants (new)

carol.  | 2616 comments Thanks, Olga!


message 17: by MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma* (last edited May 29, 2013 05:14PM) (new)

MrsJoseph *grouchy* (mrsjoseph) | 7282 comments I can say that I will try. I have only been able to complete about 6 books so far this year, so... I'm going to give it a shot.


message 18: by MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma* (new)

MrsJoseph *grouchy* (mrsjoseph) | 7282 comments Wait. Who's leading this read? Evengy or Chris or both?


message 19: by Chris (new)

Chris  Haught (haughtc) I'll help out, and Carol had asked me to set up some threads for the individual stories.

Evengy was the nominator though, I believe.


message 20: by MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma* (new)

MrsJoseph *grouchy* (mrsjoseph) | 7282 comments Chris wrote: "I'll help out, and Carol had asked me to set up some threads for the individual stories.

Evengy was the nominator though, I believe."


Perfect.


message 21: by Chris (new)

Chris  Haught (haughtc) I think it's great that we're doing this category, in light of Jack Vance's passing (at the age of 96) this last weekend.

Makes me wish someone had nominated him here.


message 22: by jaw (new)

jaw | 85 comments Just to be clear, we're going to read only Howard's stories about Conan? From the Wikipedia page there seem to be 21 finished stories by Howard - 17 published in his lifetime, 4 after his death. I haven't compared the feedbooks list to the list on Wikipedia but I know there are 20 stories from Feedbooks.

Personally, I think we should try to read all of the same source material if we're going to be discussing it. But that maybe a holdover from my days discussing translated materials where translations can vary wildly. That probably won't be a problem here.


message 23: by MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma* (new)

MrsJoseph *grouchy* (mrsjoseph) | 7282 comments Chris wrote: "I think it's great that we're doing this category, in light of Jack Vance's passing (at the age of 96) this last weekend.

Makes me wish someone had nominated him here."



I don't think I've read him...


message 24: by [deleted user] (new)

Chris wrote: "I'll help out, and Carol had asked me to set up some threads for the individual stories.

Evengy was the nominator though, I believe."


As a person who has no experience leading the discussion, I REALLY appreciate the help. I would really prefer the secondary role this time :)


message 25: by carol. , Senor Crabbypants (new)

carol.  | 2616 comments Well, to be honest, I'm not intending to read it. Busy month, vacation, and not my type of book, so it's up to you. It's why we have nominators agree to lead.


message 26: by MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma* (new)

MrsJoseph *grouchy* (mrsjoseph) | 7282 comments Carol wrote: "Well, to be honest, I'm not intending to read it. Busy month, vacation, and not my type of book, so it's up to you. It's why we have nominators agree to lead."

I'm going to try to read it. But Chris is great. *nods* He'll be a great person to assist you in your group read. :D


message 27: by Robin (last edited May 31, 2013 06:15PM) (new)

Robin (robinpickell) I will see what I can read. I really want to get involved in a good fantasy discussion sometime. This month I have about 15 books already lined up, but if I can squeeze this in, I will give it a try. Do we have a time we need to read it by or is it just when you have read it, post your thoughts?


message 28: by carol. , Senor Crabbypants (new)

carol.  | 2616 comments Robin--group read try to be during the month for the most interaction. That said, there's nothing against opening older threads, and I've noticed some of our threads do carry over into the next month. Join in when you can :) Its always nice to have more contributors to the discussion.


message 29: by Kimberly (new)

Kimberly Read | 156 comments I haven't read any of these. My only experience has been a movie, which I found blah. However, I've been assured the books are much better so I've downloaded the first ... Into the world of Conan.


message 30: by Mike (the Paladin) (last edited Jun 02, 2013 01:30PM) (new)

Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 5387 comments Oh...ouch...pain, hurt, agony * Grabs heart and staggers around crying out he's coming home*

wait, wait, wait...give me a second...I need just a minute....

Oh, okay, wow. Please, please, please don't confuse the movies with the writings of Robert E. Howard.

Really, really, really....try the stories and the one Conan novel he completed. Then, if you'd like try the Lancer Conan books as they're pretty good. But with all due respect to Gov. Arnold, the movies ain't Conan.


I think I need to go sit down now...


message 31: by Kimberly (new)

Kimberly Read | 156 comments LOL ...oh the drama, Mike. Aren't you glad I have an open mind? I have just started the first, The Phoenix on the Sword. I am so encouraged to hear again that the wretched movie does not compare.


message 32: by MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma* (new)

MrsJoseph *grouchy* (mrsjoseph) | 7282 comments lol!


Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 5387 comments I trust you will enjoy....really. :)


message 34: by Chris (new)

Chris  Haught (haughtc) If you think the Arnold movies were wretched, try the recent remake.

Ugh.


Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 5387 comments I saw that....

I think they should just change the titles to something like "Generic Sword Movie" and re-release these movies. Just take Conan off them. If drive-in movies were still around they'd have a venue.


message 36: by Sybil (new)

Sybil (sybilh) | 7 comments MrsJoseph wrote: "Chris wrote: "I think it's great that we're doing this category, in light of Jack Vance's passing (at the age of 96) this last weekend.

Makes me wish someone had nominated him here."

I don't think I've read him"


Jack Vance was very good author, I'm sad to hear of his passing. I'm trying to think which books would qualify as swords and sorcery. Lyonesse? Marune?


Mike (the Paladin) (thepaladin) | 5387 comments Vance wrote a lot of things that sort of defy easy pigeonholing. He wrote books that straddle science fiction/fantasy all the time.


message 38: by jaw (new)

jaw | 85 comments The more I hear about Vance the more I want to read him.


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