The Coming of Conan

The Coming of Conan is a 1953 collection of fantasy short stories by Robert E. Howard, featuring both his characters Conan the Barbarian and Kull. The book contains eight stories originally published in Weird Tales magazine during the 1930s, plus Howard's historical essay "The Hyborian Age." The collection presents some of the earliest Conan tales, establishing the character's world and adventures. Stories include classics like "The Tower of the Elephant" and "Queen of the Black Coast," which introduce readers to Howard's fictional Hyborian Age setting. The book combines sword-and-sorcery action with elements of horror and dark fantasy. Howard creates a primitive world where magic exists alongside human brutality and ancient mysteries. These stories laid the foundation for the sword-and-sorcery genre, exploring themes of civilization versus barbarism and humanity's relationship with the supernatural. Howard's vivid world-building and dynamic action sequences influenced decades of fantasy literature.

Readers note Howard's raw, intense writing style and his vivid world-building in these collected Conan stories. The fast-paced action and barbaric atmosphere appeal to sword-and-sorcery fans. Likes: - Visceral combat scenes that "make you feel every sword stroke" - Rich descriptions of the Hyborian world - Conan's complexity as an antihero - Howard's prose style described as "muscular" and "poetic" Dislikes: - Dated racial and gender attitudes from the 1930s - Repetitive plot structures in some stories - Uneven quality across the collection - Some find the violence excessive Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (8,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (1,200+ ratings) Multiple readers comment that the stories are best read in small doses rather than straight through. Several note that Howard's original unedited versions are superior to later adaptations. Common praise focuses on Howard's ability to pack action and atmosphere into shorter story formats.

Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock Chronicles an albino sorcerer-prince who wields a soul-drinking sword through a decadent empire of dark magic and elder races.

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks Follows a quest through ancient ruins and magical territories where the last heir of an ancient bloodline must defeat a warlock lord with a mystical sword.

Jirel of Joiry by C. L. Moore Presents a female warrior who battles through supernatural dimensions and faces otherworldly horrors in medieval France.

Kane: Darkness Weaves by Karl Edward Wagner Features an immortal warrior-sorcerer who travels through a world of dark magic, ancient ruins, and eldritch horrors.

Imaro by Charles R. Saunders Chronicles a warrior's journey across a fantasy version of Africa, combining sword-and-sorcery with African mythology and lost civilizations.

🗡️ Robert E. Howard wrote the first Conan story in 1932 and tragically took his own life in 1936 at just 30 years old, after learning his mother had fallen into a terminal coma. 🏰 The Hyborian Age, where Conan's adventures take place, is set approximately 12,000 years ago, between the sinking of Atlantis and the beginning of recorded history. 📚 Howard created Conan's world and stories without plotting them in advance, claiming the character simply "stood by his shoulder" and told him the tales as he typed. 🎨 Conan's iconic appearance was not defined by Howard but by artist Frank Frazetta, whose 1960s paperback cover paintings established the barbarian's now-familiar look. 💰 Howard earned approximately $1,700 (equivalent to about $34,000 today) for all the Conan stories he wrote during his lifetime, while the franchise has since generated billions in revenue.