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croaker's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
motobart's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is the first book in a series of the collected Conan stories, and you get a wide mix of elements ranging from tedium to terrific. Have patience as you wade through the first couple stories as Howard was finding his footing with the character. The collection picks up the pace about halfway in and you really start getting a sense of the character, world, and chronology. Keep in mind if you're new to Conan that these stories are NOT chronological - they're told as if Conan were looking back on his life having reveries of his past and recounting his adventures.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
The Conquering Sword of Conan is the third and final volume in Wandering Star's Robert E. Howard collection of Conan stories. I'll be reviewing them as I read them. That's the plan, anyway.
The Servants of Bit-Yatkin: The Servants of Bit-Yatkin is a story about Conan scouring a ruined temple in the jungle for the Teeth of Gwahlur, a cache of priceless jewels. Complicating matters are the priests who have come to the temple to consult the oracle, as well as the deceased Bit-Yatkin's servants.
I always forget how flowery Howard's descriptions are compared to other pulp writers. The man can paint a picture with words. Servants is a pretty good story with a good amount of action and a twist or two. On a side note, are their any Conan stories that don't involve a giant snake and/or an ape man of some sort?
Beyond the Black River: Conan leads a foray into Pictish territory in order to defend a fort. Unfortunately, his raiding party runs afoul of a Pictish shaman who's unifying the local tribes in order to overrun the fort.
BBR reads like a story of white settlers against the Indians. I liked some of the ideas regarding the Pictish shaman and his speaking with the animals. The suspense around Balthus trying to warn the people at the fort was well done.
The Black Stranger: Two pirate factions come to a secluded island for lost treasure and a self-exiled noble is caught in the middle. Unfortunately for the pirates, a certain Cimmerian has already found the treasure...
The Black Stranger was well written but didn't grab me like the previous two stories. For a Conan story, there was a noticeable lack of Conan for a long stretch of it.
The Man-Eaters of Zamboula: Conan stays at an inn where the guests regularly disappear, only to find cannibals kidnap the occupants. Conan's on the trail of said cannibals when he rescues a woman from a gang of them. It seems she has a job for the Cimmerian to undertake for her...
The Man-Eaters of Zamboula is an action-packed tale of wizards, cannibals, and a damsel in distress. While I enjoyed it, never has it been more apparent that Conan is very much a product of the time it was written. There is an undercurrent of racism and sexism that might be hard for modern readers to get past.
Red Nails: Conan and Valeria fight a dinosaur-like monster, then take refuge from it inside a nearly deserted city where the inhabitants have been butchering one another for a century in a pointless war. Little do they know that the queen of one of the factions isn't what she seems...
Red Nails was easily the best story in the book with intrigue, violence, and plot twists a plenty.
Thus concludes my reading of the Wandering Star series of Robert E. Howard Conan stories. I recommend them to all fans of pulp fantasy with two caveats. First, Howard's prose isn't as breezy as people might speculate due to it's pulp origins. Secondly, they are very much a product of the time in which they were written, sexism and racism being what they were in the 30's. Still, Howard writes stories of adventure like no other.
The Servants of Bit-Yatkin: The Servants of Bit-Yatkin is a story about Conan scouring a ruined temple in the jungle for the Teeth of Gwahlur, a cache of priceless jewels. Complicating matters are the priests who have come to the temple to consult the oracle, as well as the deceased Bit-Yatkin's servants.
I always forget how flowery Howard's descriptions are compared to other pulp writers. The man can paint a picture with words. Servants is a pretty good story with a good amount of action and a twist or two. On a side note, are their any Conan stories that don't involve a giant snake and/or an ape man of some sort?
Beyond the Black River: Conan leads a foray into Pictish territory in order to defend a fort. Unfortunately, his raiding party runs afoul of a Pictish shaman who's unifying the local tribes in order to overrun the fort.
BBR reads like a story of white settlers against the Indians. I liked some of the ideas regarding the Pictish shaman and his speaking with the animals. The suspense around Balthus trying to warn the people at the fort was well done.
The Black Stranger: Two pirate factions come to a secluded island for lost treasure and a self-exiled noble is caught in the middle. Unfortunately for the pirates, a certain Cimmerian has already found the treasure...
The Black Stranger was well written but didn't grab me like the previous two stories. For a Conan story, there was a noticeable lack of Conan for a long stretch of it.
The Man-Eaters of Zamboula: Conan stays at an inn where the guests regularly disappear, only to find cannibals kidnap the occupants. Conan's on the trail of said cannibals when he rescues a woman from a gang of them. It seems she has a job for the Cimmerian to undertake for her...
The Man-Eaters of Zamboula is an action-packed tale of wizards, cannibals, and a damsel in distress. While I enjoyed it, never has it been more apparent that Conan is very much a product of the time it was written. There is an undercurrent of racism and sexism that might be hard for modern readers to get past.
Red Nails: Conan and Valeria fight a dinosaur-like monster, then take refuge from it inside a nearly deserted city where the inhabitants have been butchering one another for a century in a pointless war. Little do they know that the queen of one of the factions isn't what she seems...
Red Nails was easily the best story in the book with intrigue, violence, and plot twists a plenty.
Thus concludes my reading of the Wandering Star series of Robert E. Howard Conan stories. I recommend them to all fans of pulp fantasy with two caveats. First, Howard's prose isn't as breezy as people might speculate due to it's pulp origins. Secondly, they are very much a product of the time in which they were written, sexism and racism being what they were in the 30's. Still, Howard writes stories of adventure like no other.
lokinus's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
portlandcat's review against another edition
3.0
This series was considerably better than I thought it would be. Definitely a staple for fantasy readers.
shane's review against another edition
4.0
I've really enjoyed these 3 volumes of Conan stories. There have been the more average stories amongst them all, but on the whole all 3 volumes have been a delight. This 3rd volume had some great stories and I know I'm going to miss Robert E Howard's Conan. I'll look forward to re-reading a lot of the stories from these volumes at various points in the future. I've seen it said that this 3rd volume is the best, and maybe it is, but to be honest after having read all three I'd be hard put to choose between them.
A great read, just like all the rest.
A great read, just like all the rest.
cdipierro's review against another edition
Howard's obsession with skin color and disgusting racism (bad even for the time in which it was written) eventually becomes too much. My breaking point was in "Shadows in Zamboula" a place whose degeneracy was supposedly apparent because it was populated by mixed-race people.
Every story is another ivory-skinned white woman in peril of being ravaged by another brutish, monstrously-strong person of color. Pass.
Every story is another ivory-skinned white woman in peril of being ravaged by another brutish, monstrously-strong person of color. Pass.
parenthesis_enjoyer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Slavery