Conan the Avenger

Conan the Avenger is a 1968 fantasy collection featuring two works about the legendary warrior Conan the Barbarian. The book combines writings from Björn Nyberg, Robert E. Howard, and L. Sprague de Camp, presenting both narrative and historical content about the Hyborian Age setting. The main story follows King Conan of Aquilonia as he embarks on a quest to rescue his kidnapped queen Zenobia from a powerful eastern sorcerer. The journey takes Conan from his kingdom into distant lands, where he must confront both supernatural and mortal threats to save his wife and protect his realm. The collection includes Howard's "The Hyborian Age, Part 2," which expands the rich backdrop of the fictional prehistoric era. This essay provides context about the world's development from Conan's time through the end of the Hyborian period. The book continues key themes of heroic fantasy, including the tension between civilization and barbarism, and the eternal struggle between human strength and supernatural powers. Its placement between other major Conan works helps bridge important periods in the character's journey from warrior to king.

Readers view this as one of the weaker Conan books, noting it lacks Howard's original voice since it was completed by Nyberg after Howard's death. The action scenes receive compliments for maintaining Conan's brutal fighting style, but many find the overall narrative slow-paced compared to Howard's solo works. Liked: - Combat sequences stay true to classic Conan style - Continues existing plot threads from earlier books - Strong antagonist character development Disliked: - Writing style differs noticeably from Howard's - Plot moves slower than typical Conan stories - Some character decisions feel inconsistent - Too much focus on political intrigue vs action Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (328 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (26 ratings) "The seams between Howard and Nyberg's writing are obvious," notes one Goodreads reviewer. "It has moments that capture the original Conan spirit, but often feels like fan fiction," states another Amazon review.

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks A young man discovers his heritage as the last heir of an ancient bloodline and must wield a magical sword to defeat a dark force threatening his homeland.

The First Book of Swords by Fred Saberhagen In a world where twelve magical swords forged by gods hold immense power, warriors and kings battle to claim these weapons for themselves.

The Black Company by Glen Cook A mercenary company serves dark lords and faces supernatural threats while navigating a gritty world of sorcery and warfare.

Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock An albino emperor wields a cursed sword and battles gods while struggling with his destiny as both savior and destroyer of his world.

The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson A changeling raised by humans becomes entangled in a war between elves and trolls while wielding an ancient cursed weapon.

🗡️ The book was actually ghostwritten by Björn Nyberg and L. Sprague de Camp, though marketed under Robert E. Howard's name to maintain brand continuity. 🏰 Published in 1968, this was one of the first major Conan novels released after Howard's death in 1936, helping revive interest in the character. ⚔️ Conan's kingdom of Aquilonia is based loosely on medieval France, part of Howard's fictional Hyborian Age which he placed between the sinking of Atlantis and the beginning of recorded history. 👑 The story marked a significant departure from earlier Conan tales by focusing on his life as a settled monarch rather than a wandering adventurer. 🐉 L. Sprague de Camp, who helped complete the novel, was instrumental in keeping Howard's work in print and popularizing sword & sorcery as a distinct fantasy subgenre through his editorial work on the Conan series.