Conan the Defiant

Conan the Defiant is a Sword and Sorcery novel featuring Robert E. Howard's iconic character Conan the Barbarian. The book was published by Tor Books in 1987 as part of the ongoing series of Conan adventures. The story follows Conan as he becomes entangled in a quest involving a magical jewel called the Source of Light. After a priest carrying the jewel is murdered, Conan pursues the killer alongside two companions - a female warrior and an unusual undead ally. The plot centers on the conflict between Conan and a necromancer named Neg the Malefic, who seeks to use the jewel's power to create an army of the dead. The journey takes Conan through encounters with various supernatural threats and hostile forces. The novel combines traditional Conan elements of combat and sorcery with darker themes of necromancy and vengeance, fitting into the larger tapestry of the character's adventures between his early years and his eventual rise to kingship.

Readers rate this book as an average Conan tale, with reviews noting it maintains a steady pace but doesn't stand out among other entries in the series. Readers highlighted: - Vivid fight scenes and action sequences - Perry's straightforward writing style - Faithful portrayal of Conan's character - Clear plot progression Common criticisms: - Predictable storyline - Stock fantasy villains - Limited character development beyond Conan - Some scenes feel rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (84 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (12 ratings) One reader on Goodreads noted "Perry knows how to write action but plays it too safe with the plot." An Amazon reviewer said "The pacing keeps you reading even if the story itself isn't groundbreaking." The book ranks in the middle range of Conan pastiche novels according to fan site discussions and reader forums.

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🗡️ "Steve Perry," author of this Conan tale, is also known for writing numerous Star Wars expanded universe novels including "Shadows of the Empire." 🏺 The Hyborian Age, where this story takes place, was created by Robert E. Howard as a fictional period set roughly 10,000 years ago, between the sinking of Atlantis and the beginning of recorded history. 📚 This book is part of the official line of Conan novels published by Tor Books in the 1980s and 1990s, which expanded the original Howard canon with new adventures. ⚔️ Cimmerians, Conan's people, were inspired by the historical Cimmerians who were Indo-European nomads inhabiting parts of modern-day Ukraine and Russia in the 8th-7th centuries BCE. 🎬 While necromancy appears frequently in Conan stories, including this one, creator Robert E. Howard was known to say he preferred writing about "natural" horrors rather than supernatural ones.