Thoughts on Conan the Barbarian and short stories by Robert E Howard.

C

Cicero

Registered User
Joined
Jun 16, 2024
Messages
391
Born 1906 in Peaster Texas , an only child , his literaly career went from 1924 to 1936 . He is considered to be the founder of what we call heroic fantasy . He gave us King Kull of Atlantis. Conan the Barbarian of the Hyborian age , Bran Mac Morn king of the last of the Picts in Roman Britain , Cormac Art who is reaver and contemporary of Bran, Solomon Kane, the 17th century Puritan adventurer , El Borak and many more stories adventures But his most recognizable character is Conan who, has been the subject of numerous comic books. novel pastiches , two films, a less then successful live action tv series and two animated tv series and a computer game. Howard's two best friends were H P Lovecraft and Clark Aston Smith none of whom ever meet one anther face to face they corresponded back and forth via letters.


He was one of the writers that really got me into reading. :)
 
Last edited:
In his lifetime he wrote 21 Conan stories of which 17 were published in his lifetime This include his full light novel Conan The Hour of the Dragon, which is counted among the best fantasy novels ever written.
 
His short story Kings of the Night could be found I story collects of Both King Kull and Bran Mak Morn . In this story Bran needed help to stop the Romans so The immortal Wizard Goanar summons King Kull from Atlantis which has been beat the waves For 100,000 Years . In this story you have three of Howard's heroes in one story. You have King Kull, Bran man Morn and Cormac Art.

This story has been adapted to both Comic and Graphic novel form . It Would have made a great film too. :cool:You can find this story online.:)
 
Last edited:
Marchers of Valhalla Its not as well known as his Conan stories but it's among some the best stories . It contains three stories .
1. Marchers of Valhalla
2. The Grey God Passes
3. The Thunder Rider
 
I've only read the first few of his Conan stories, but I think they are surprisingly well-written. A little embarrassed to say, but they came off almost more "fine literature" than pulp.
 
tpetty said:
I've only read the first few of his Conan stories, but I think they are surprisingly well-written. A little embarrassed to say, but they came off almost more "fine literature" than pulp.
Click to expand...

Indeed . :)

The Phoenix on the Sword for example, both the preamble and story are marvelously written.:cool:
 
As an aside, having read other people's Conan stories, if you're looking for a modern writer in a similar style, I'm going to suggest that Howard Andrew Jones's Lord of a Shattered Land seems very Howard-like to me, although the book is dedicated to Harold Lamb (another writer of Howard's era.)

814ZGs0xg1L._SY522_.jpg
 
Hobbit said:
As an aside, having read other people's Conan stories, if you're looking for a modern writer in a similar style, I'm going to suggest that Howard Andrew Jones's Lord of a Shattered Land seems very Howard-like to me, although the book is dedicated to Harold Lamb (another writer of Howard's era.)

814ZGs0xg1L._SY522_.jpg
Click to expand...

Ive read one story by Lamb and it was pretty good. Ive also read some of Howards historical fiction The book Sowers of Thunder for example , most likely influenced by Lamb. Howard was very voracious reader of books. read Harold Lamb , Talbot Mundy , H, Rider Haggard ,. all of the more unfenced Howard

.
The Star Rover by Jack London about strait jacketed death Row inane who discovers he astral project himself into his past lives influences Howards James Allison's stories,


Ive not read Howard Andrew Jones, thanks. :cool:

Stories in the tradition of Howard several I can suggest :)

Elak of Atlantis by Henry Kuttner
Kothar Barbarian Swordsman by Francis Garner Fox
The Reign of Wizardry by Jack Williamson
Fritz Leiber's Fafhard and the Grey Mouser series
The Kane series by Karl Edward Wagner is top notch . also, hedid a very good Conan novel Conan The Road of Kings and an excellent patishe novel of anther Howrd Character Bran Mak Morn. titled Bran Mak Morn The Legion From the Shadow .
Conan The Rebel by Poul Anderson is excellent Its a prequel to Howard story Queen of the Black Cost


Andrew Ouffutt did several notable Conan novels and he did a pastiche seres of seven books with of Howard Heros Cormac Art
 
Last edited:
Agreed on the Kuttner, Williamson and Wagner. Think I've read Offutt and thought it was OK, but can't remember much about it, to be honest.

And in the last few hours I keep hearing of John Maddox Roberts, recently deceased, who wrote a lot of Conan. Don't think I've read any - or if I have, I've forgotten! Anybody read any?
 
Hobbit said:
Agreed on the Kuttner, Williamson and Wagner. Think I've read Offutt and thought it was OK, but can't remember much about it, to be honest.

And in the last few hours I keep hearing of John Maddox Roberts, recently deceased, who wrote a lot of Conan. Don't think I've read any - or if I have, I've forgotten! Anybody read any?
Click to expand...


I read one Conan book by John Maddox Roberts Conan the Rogue. and I liked it . Conan and the Grim Grey God by Sean Moore was a pretty good and he wrote several other novels which ive not read he also did the novelization Kull The Conqueror with Kevin Sorbo sadly , Sean Moore too has passed away.:( I recently bought Conan Blood of the Serpent by S M Stirling Im curious to see how does a Conan novel. What I do know about it is that it is a prequel to the Conan story Red Nails which is also included in this book.:)
 
Last edited:
Cicero said:
I recently bought Conan Blood of the Serpent by S M Stirling Im curious to see how does a Conan novel. What I do know about it is that it is a prequel to the Conan story Red Nails which is also included in this book.
Click to expand...
Tried it, but wasn't too impressed. It was a good attempt to bring Conan to a more contemporary audience, but paled against Red Nails, which as you say is in the same book. Hope that doesn't put you off - you might like it!
 
Hobbit said:
Tried it, but wasn't too impressed. It was a good attempt to bring Conan to a more contemporary audience, but paled against Red Nails, which as you say is in the same book. Hope that doesn't put you off - you might like it!
Click to expand...

I do like S M Stirling as writer for that reason I will read it .:)

Have you ever. hears of the sole The Challenge From Beyond ? It was collaborative story written 1935 Robert E Howard, H P Lovecraft , C L Moore and Frank Belknap Long .:)
 
Last edited:
That'll be The Challenge From Beyond?

Got it in this book.

1719997171777.png

Don't remember a lot about it, though. I guess that means that it was OK. :)
 
Cicero said:
I looked the book up , some interesting stories inside .:cool:
Click to expand...
Remember the book being good overall, but it's been over 20 years, so don't remember too much about it.
 
Cicero said:
His short story Kings of the Night could be found I story collects of Both King Kull and Bran Mak Morn . In this story Bran needed help to stop the Romans so The immortal Wizard Goanar summons King Kull from Atlantis which has been beat the waves For 100,000 Years . In this story you have three of Howard's heroes in one story. You have King Kull, Bran man Morn and Cormac Art.

This story has been adapted to both Comic and Graphic novel form . It Would have made a great film too. :cool:You can find this story online.:)
Click to expand...

The Bran Mak Morn stories are my favourites. When it comes to Robert Howard, most people think of Conan the Barbarian, but I like the Bran Mak Morn stories better. And I agree, a very interesting film could be made about him.
Unfortunately, I can't say that it was Robert Howard's books that got me into reading. But they did get me into something else. I liked his Bran Mak Morn stories so much that I became interested in the real Picts. I mean, an ancient people of the same name. So I now know quite a lot about both the Picts and the pre-Indo-European people of Europe.
 
Raya said:
The Bran Mak Morn stories are my favourites. When it comes to Robert Howard, most people think of Conan the Barbarian, but I like the Bran Mak Morn stories better. And I agree, a very interesting film could be made about him.
Unfortunately, I can't say that it was Robert Howard's books that got me into reading. But they did get me into something else. I liked his Bran Mak Morn stories so much that I became interested in the real Picts. I mean, an ancient people of the same name. So I now know quite a lot about both the Picts and the pre-Indo-European people of Europe.
Click to expand...

If you like Bran Mac Morn you might also likes Karl Edward Wagner's Pastiche Novel Bran Mak Morn : The Legion From the Shadow. It's a very good read . :cool:
 
Last edited:
Read most of Conan when I was stuck at my grandparents in Vista CA during Jr. Hi. more than 60 years ago.
Clearly the library had not weeded their collection in years, as Howard and Edgar Rice Burroughs were still on the shelves in beat up but acceptable condition. I had already been initiated on SF by my dad and older brother, so I cannot say that they started me on speculative fiction, but they and a neighbor down the road who had first eds from Fantasy Press kept the habit going. Remember him (both the neighbor and Conan) fondly.
 
Last edited:
Conan always came across as more intelligent than Gandalf. That seems funny considering their roles.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Sponsors


We try to keep the forum as free of ads as possible, please consider supporting SFFWorld on Patreon


Your ad here.

Latest posts

Back
Top