Better than the movie (which isn't saying much). ( )

This is one of the only Conan stories that do not actually fit into a legitimate timeline of his adventures. If you take everything that has ever been published and trace it out on a map of Hyboria in sequence then Conan of Venarium would be the first Conan story to be read leading up to The Death Song of Conan in the 70s, which is his last words. Formatted in both comic and novel form it is a good enough story. ( )

I knew it was a novelization of a movie, but even if I didn't know that it felt like one. Highly predictable, of course, but still some good moments. ( )

This is the first Conan I've read, apart from a few comics over the years. Also the first Robert Jordan. Here Conan is bribed into protecting an innocent maiden as she guides them to retrieve a magical artifact. Of course the princess who sent them has a secret agenda. Will Conan's fondest wish be granted? Probably not, but at least he will get some along the way. It is a pretty typical fantasy plot but I haven't read this kind of story since I was much younger so I found it nostalgic in a way. Simpler time and all that. I enjoyed it enough to pick up the next book in the series (I don't think the order really matters much.) ( )