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The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian
The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian
Author: Robert E. Howard
“Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities . . . there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars. . . . Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand . . . to tread — the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his ...  more »

Conan is one of the greatest fictional heroes ever created–a swordsman who cuts a swath across the lands of the Hyborian Age, facing powerful sorcerers, deadly creatures, and ruthless armies of thieves and reavers.

In a meteoric career that spanned a mere twelve years before his tragic suicide, Robert E. Howard single-handedly invented the genre that came to be called sword and sorcery. Collected in this volume, profusely illustrated by artist Mark Schultz, are Howard’s first thirteen Conan stories, appearing in their original versions–in some cases for the first time in more than seventy years–and in the order Howard wrote them. Along with classics of dark fantasy like “The Tower of the Elephant” and swashbuckling adventure like “Queen of the Black Coast,” The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian contains a wealth of material never before published in the United States, including the first submitted draft of Conan’s debut, “Phoenix on the Sword,” Howard’s synopses for “The Scarlet Citadel” and “Black Colossus,” and a map of Conan’s world drawn by the author himself.

Here are timeless tales featuring Conan the raw and dangerous youth, Conan the daring thief, Conan the swashbuckling pirate, and Conan the commander of armies. Here, too, is an unparalleled glimpse into the mind of a genius whose bold storytelling style has been imitated by many, yet equaled by none.

From the Trade Paperback edition.
ISBN-13: 9780345483850
ISBN-10: 0345483855
Publication Date: 11/22/2005
Pages: 496
Rating:
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 2

4.3 stars, based on 2 ratings
Publisher: Del Rey
Book Type: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 0
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The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian is the first volume in a comprehensive library of three books that focus entirely on Robert E. Howard's Conan works. And ONLY Robert E. Howard. There are no pastiches or "fragment continuations". This is Howard and only Howard. The book contains the first several years of Howard's Conan stories in chronological order, not based on any timeline of Conan's life, but in the order they were printed, mostly in Weird Tales magazine. And they are probably some of his best works. While the Kull stories had a brooding existentialism about them, Conan was more about a man who understands his place in the universe, even if it is hard at times. The short story Queen of the Black Coast is one of Howard's most poignant stories and that is just one. It has other classics such as Tower of the Elephant and many more. If you are a true Conan fan...or you're just getting into the genre of sword and sorcery, this is a must-own book. And, not only do we get these wonderful tales, but there are some rarely seen first drafts, numerous notes, and a few fragments that don't have touch-ups done by imitators. Conan fans rejoice!!!


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