F/SF

Fun, short book full of short stories of thr most iconic barbarian of all time. For someone who has never seen the movies I found it very easy to great a strong picture of this fearless menace in my mind. The stories written by Howard alone are the highlights. ( )

This drew me back to memories of childhood journeys through distant lands, spice-scented markets, colourful silks, dark sorcery... Mingled with my contemporaneous memories of the Sinbad movies; all of a type.

Adventure, battles to the death, treachery, evil wizards, ancient and forgotten gods who slither in the darkness, beautiful women, powerful men, and one honorable barbarian thief, just testing his own mettle.

Lots of fun, if scant of politically correct attitudes. ( )

Howard is great. Carter & de Camp's contributions suck. ( )

By Crom, I love me some Conan.

Here we have Conan, the real Conan, not the dumbed-down Arnold Schwarzenegger version that is all muscle and no brain (which I never understood considering he was supposed to be a master thief in both movies, or at least in the second one). Because here's the thing about Conan, yes he's a brutal barbarian, but who said barbarians are stupid? Conan is cunning, he can outsmart most, but because he is an outsider who does not follow "civilized" rules, he's seen as a mindless savage.

These stories are pure pulp, and a joy to read. Conan will have none of your political pandering. He doesn't go in for power, and really he doesn't care about wealth. When he does steal vast sums (and he doesn't lose it due to betrayal or black magic), he spends it on food, booze, and women. He's in it for the adventure, for the experience. In the time frame of these tales he's in his late teens, and he's having the time of of his life.

Robert E. Howard always said that the Conan stories were the easiest for him to write because he felt that Conan himself was standing over Howard's shoulder telling him the stories. And if a giant barbarian from a bygone age tells you to write, you write!

Also included in this collection are tales by Lin Carter and L. Sprague de Camp. ( )