Adapted from the screenplay by Oliver Stone and John Milius, De Camp and Carter score high marks with this well thought out novelization. While they could have been complete hacks and provided the bare bones minimum, the two go out of their way to weave an origin story for Conan that succeeds by appearing to be written by Robert E. Howard at his best. (Die-hard fans argue that many of his Conan stories are actually poorly written, despite the genius behind Conan, Cimmeria, Hyborea, et. al.)Although it is well established that the world of Conan is not complete, or even properly organized in any way – a result, no doubt, of Howard’s untimely death, as well as health issues during his life that prevented him from created a cohesive fantasy world (like Tolkien or Martin) – there is no doubt that American fantasy would be the poorer without him. When it comes to dark sword and sorcery, look no further than Howard and his greatest fictional creation, Conan, for inspiration. He, like Tolkien, sets the bar high.
This was a really quick read, which is what I want out of a Conan story. There's nothing like a good sword and sorcery novel in the imagination of the right author. L. Sprague De Camp does great justice to Robert Howard's Conan character, but few can match the energy that Howard imbues in every scene.Conan is a beastly man who thrives on blood lust, sexual lust, and just all around lust. He embodies pure passion and inhabits a world that calls for pure passionate responses.In this tale, he meets up with a thief and a sexy lady named Valeria and they help him find and kill Thulsa Doom, a powerful evil wizard who murdered Conan's family and stole his father's prized possession. The setting is vast and uncharted. Evil sorcerers and witches scatter the land and perform evil rites to their own wicked avail. Warriors of every shape and make traverse distances to fulfill destinies with brute strength and honorable codes of ethics. If you're interested in wild, passionate dreamscapes then look no further than Conan.
What do You think about Conan The Barbarian (1982)?
This is a book based on a film that was based on a series of books. The original Conan tales by Robert E. Howard will never be equaled in my view, though I enjoyed both the 1982 "Conan the Barbarian" film and this novel by L. Sprague de Camp.Like the film, this book borrows several elements and characters from various tales by Mr Howard, while adding new themes. Several authors have endeavoured to fill in the gaps of Conan's history, of which L. Sprague de Camp has proven to be the most dedicated. Whether he's produced the best new writings is arguable, but no one can deny his desire to be faithful to the original Howard approach. I read "Conan the Barbarian" first when in my early teens and again in my mid-twenties. I can state that I enjoyed this tome as a boy and as an adult.
—Phil Syphe
