The Return of Conan

The Return of Conan is a 1957 fantasy novel co-written by Björn Nyberg and L. Sprague de Camp, continuing the adventures of Robert E. Howard's iconic character Conan the Barbarian. The story takes place in the kingdom of Aquilonia, where Conan now rules as king alongside his queen Zenobia. The narrative centers on Conan's quest to rescue Queen Zenobia after her abduction by a demon under the control of an eastern sorcerer. The plot involves magic, combat, and a journey to distant lands, with the wizard Pelias of Koth serving as Conan's ally in the mission to confront the powerful Yah Chieng of Khitai. This novel fits chronologically between Howard's The Hour of the Dragon and the stories collected in Conan of Aquilonia. It was published by Gnome Press in hardcover and later appeared in various paperback editions, including as part of the collection Conan the Avenger. The Return of Conan maintains the core elements of sword and sorcery while exploring themes of loyalty, sovereignty, and the eternal conflict between civilization and barbarism. The story represents an attempt to expand the Conan mythos beyond Howard's original works while preserving the character's essential nature.

Readers consider this one of the weaker Conan pastiches. Many note that while Nyberg attempts to capture Howard's style, the writing lacks the original's intensity and pace. Liked: - Stays faithful to Howard's basic Conan characterization - Contains satisfying action sequences - Sprinkle of interesting supernatural elements Disliked: - Prose feels stiff and mechanical compared to Howard - Plot meanders with unnecessary side quests - Characters besides Conan lack depth - Several readers point out "clunky dialogue" and "forced exposition" One reviewer on Goodreads noted: "You can tell English wasn't Nyberg's first language - the writing has an awkward, translated feel." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.4/5 (127 ratings) Amazon: 3.2/5 (18 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.1/5 (22 ratings) The book maintains some collectible value among Conan completists but ranks low in reader polls of favorite Conan stories.

The Hour of the Dragon by Robert E. Howard The original Conan novel follows the barbarian king's fight to reclaim his throne from a resurrected sorcerer, featuring the same blend of politics, swordplay, and dark magic.

Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock The tale of an albino emperor-sorcerer who wields a soul-drinking sword draws parallels with Conan's kingship while incorporating similar elements of dark fantasy and sword-and-sorcery.

King Kull by Robert E. Howard Set in the pre-Cataclysmic age of Howard's universe, this collection chronicles another barbarian king's struggles against ancient sorcery and political intrigue.

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks A quest narrative set in a post-apocalyptic world features a hero who must combat dark magic and supernatural threats to save his realm.

Imaro by Charles R. Saunders This sword and sorcery tale follows an African warrior-king through adventures that mirror Conan's blend of combat, magic, and kingdom-level conflicts.

🗡️ The book was published in 1957 and was one of the first authorized Conan continuations after Robert E. Howard's death 🏰 Author Björn Nyberg was a Swedish military officer who wrote this novel while serving in the Swedish Army 🐉 The story marks one of the first major explorations of Khitai in the Conan series, a region inspired by ancient China and other Far Eastern cultures 👑 This novel is one of the few Conan stories that deals with his period as King of Aquilonia after claiming the throne, showing a different side to the character 📚 Fantasy author L. Sprague de Camp extensively revised and edited the manuscript, adding his own contributions to make it better align with Howard's original vision