Conan the Conqueror (a novel)

by Robert E. Howard, edited by L. Sprague de Camp


From the Introduction
by L. Sprague de Camp

"The present novel was originally published as a serial in Weird Tales - a magazine that carried, mixed with a lot of ephemeral trash, many stories of notably high literary quality. The present Conan story appeared under the title, The Hour of the Dragon. When it was reprinted as a book, the name was changed to Conan the Conqueror (Gnome Press, 1950). I have kept the latter title because, while The Hour of the Dragon is intriguing, it has practically nothing to do with the narrative. I have made a few very small editorial changes in the story to eliminate inconsistencies in the original version."

Freely adapted as six installments in the comic publications Giant-Size Conan #1, Giant-Size Conan #2, Giant-Size Conan #3, Giant-Size Conan #4, Savage Sword of Conan #8, and Savage Sword of Conan #10, by Marvel Comics, NY (1974-1976)

Current source: Conan the Conqueror, by Robert E. Howard, edited by L. Sprague de Camp, Ace Books, Inc. NY (19??)




 For nearly two years after the events of The Scarlet Citadel, Aquilonia flourishes under Conan's firm but tolerant rule. The lawless, hard-bitten adventurer of former years has through force of circumstance gradually matured into an able and responsible statesman. But a plot is brewing in the neighboring kingdom of Nemedia, and the plotters plan to bring down the king of Aquilonia by means of the sinister sorcery of an elder day. At this time, Conan is about forty-six years old, showing few signs of age save the countless scars that crisscross his mighty frame and a somewhat more cautious, deliberate approach to wine, women, and bloodshed than was the case in his uproarious youth. Although he keeps a harem of luscious concubines, he has never taken an wife - a queen - and hence has no legitinwte son to inherit the throne. His secret enemies mean to take full advantage of this fact.


Chapters:
  1. O Sleeper Awake
  2. A Black Wind Blows
  3. The Cliffs Reel
  4. "From What Hell Have You Crawled"
  5. The Haunter of the Pits
  6. The Thrust of a Knife
  7. The Rending of the Veil
  8. Dying Embers
  9. "It Is the King, or His Ghost!"
  10. A Coin from Acheron
  11. Swords of the South
  12. The Fang of the Dragon
  13. "A Ghost Out of the Past"
  14. The Black Hand of Set
  15. The Return of the Corsair
  16. Black-Walled Khemi
  17. "He Has Slain the Sacred Son of Set!"
  18. "I Am the Women Who Never Died"
  19. In the Hall of the Dead
  20. Out of the Dust Shall Acheron Arise
  21. Drums of Peril
  22. The Road to Acheron


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Last Update: 2/4/99