Non-Howard Conan Novels

[VincentDarlage]

If you look on page 1 of this thread, the Tor books are listed in order of publication date. I started reading them in 1984, with "Conan the Magnificent." As far as I can tell, "Conan the Invincible" by Robert Jordan is the first Tor Conan pastiche.

"Conan the Valorous" was an okay book. It technically has two stories in it (one is sandwiched between two parts of the other) that aren't really related to each other, and really weakens the effect of the novel.

 

[Strom]

If you look on page 1 of this thread, the Tor books are listed in order of publication date. I started reading them in 1984, with "Conan the Magnificent." As far as I can tell, "Conan the Invincible" by Robert Jordan is the first Tor Conan pastiche.

"Conan the Valorous" was an okay book. It technically has two stories in it (one is sandwiched between two parts of the other) that aren't really related to each other, and really weakens the effect of the novel.

I was just commenting that JMR appears to say he launched the series - which is why I suggested you watch the video.

Obviously I was wrong - and misunderstood JMR. I did ask him about it and I'm waiting to hear from him.

 

[VincentDarlage]

I was just commenting that JMR appears to say he launched the series - which is why I suggested you watch the video.

I'm at work (my students are taking a test) and can't watch the video yet. I'll check it out when I get home.

 

[Supplement Four]

The deal is that Jordan wasn't the first Tor editor.

 

[Strom]

JMR posted this in response to my question at the Conan.com forum:

Yes, Sprague asked me to write the first of the Tor pastiches and "Valorous" was the first book I wrote for them.

I asked a followup - hopefully we will get some more info.


SP4 - Robert Jordan wasn't using the name Robert Jordan. It's all in the interview. I can't remember the name he was using - it's in the interview.

 

[Supplement Four]

"Conan the Valorous" was an okay book. It technically has two stories in it (one is sandwiched between two parts of the other) that aren't really related to each other, and really weakens the effect of the novel.

It's not JMR's best Conan book, but I thought it was a very good read.

I'm playing the Conan MMO right now, Age of Conan, and it's interesting: Besides Howard, the game takes from JMR's stories more than any other author--especially from Conan The Valorous, since much of it is set in Cimmeria.

When I first ventured into Cimmeria in the game, I remembered JMR's book and said to myself, "So this is what it really looks like."

The game is truly amazing looking if you can set it at a high graphics level.

Which JMR Conan books is it that has the spear stuck into the post at the raided Cimmerian villiage? I think that was Conan The Bold by JMR.

Imagine my chagrin when I saw that very spear stuck into a burned out hut in the game...with a quest attached to it to find vengeance for the dead.

 

[flatscan]

They like making the choices - and I leave them cliffhanging before they go to bed.

Best kind of storytelling.

Have they run into dead ends yet?

I enjoyed mapping out Conan and the Prophecy. Slaying sorcerers in Zamora is always good times. :twisted:

 

[kirisute]

i think my favourite pastiche has to be Conan and the Shamans Curse~ the whole were-beast and Conan going native thing just worked well for me! LOL
similar to Conan the Savage a little, but Ninga just seemed such a pathtic attempt at a foe in that book that every chapter that tells her story section was just boredom...as i recall the end of that novel is summed up in about 3 pages as well!

 

[Jacek]

Have they run into dead ends yet?

I myself only read Conan the Outlaw and haven't found any. Are there some in other two books?

 

[flatscan]

I myself only read Conan the Outlaw and haven't found any. Are there some in other two books?

Most definitely. In Conan and the Prophecy you can completely circumvent the main "adventure" and get to "The End" pretty quick. Of course you can make poor choices that lead to a giant centipede killing you and the like as well.

 

[VincentDarlage]

Have they run into dead ends yet?

Not yet!

 

[zozotroll]

Good luck with that. My middle girl was all into RPG and gaming stuffuntil she hit eleven, then from one week to the next it went from pretty cool, to "Nerd convention". Now she wont have anything to do with it.

 

[Jacek]

Most definitely. In Conan and the Prophecy you can completely circumvent the main "adventure" and get to "The End" pretty quick. Of course you can make poor choices that lead to a giant centipede killing you and the like as well.

That's good for the CtO was a bit of disappointment for me. It was like a fairy tale - whatever you did you were just fine in the end. Now I want to get my hands on the other two books.

Good luck with that. My middle girl was all into RPG and gaming stuffuntil she hit eleven, then from one week to the next it went from pretty cool, to "Nerd convention". Now she wont have anything to do with it.

Currently not but I think she'll remember it with fondness when she grows up. Childhood memories are just the best of them all. Usually, that is.

Have they run into dead ends yet?

Not yet!

Keep us informed

 

[Strom]

Just to finish off the John Maddox Roberts issue from earlier in the thread. My confusion has been revealed by JMR himself:

I should have clarified. Jim Rigney (Robert Jordan) had been Tor's exclusive author of Conan books for a few years. Around '84 it was decided to start a line of Conan pastiches using different authors. Sprague was hired to sign on authors and I was the first he signed. Jim's books were not part of that line, being under a completely different contract.

That is that - years ago I read Invincible so I've already read the first Tor. Think I'll go ahead and read Valorous since I like JMR.

 

[Sir Hackalot]

Road of kings by Karl Edward Wagner is pretty good.