I really enjoyed my first Conan, though it had a weird deja vu to it thanks to "By this Axe" , as if all the conspirators were reincarnated with the same names to make the same mistake! But Howard never thought that story would ever be published, and I think he rather improved on it, it's momentum, the little hints of world building, gods, it's dark mysticism Demon that ironically saves Conan from the weight of the other assassins. I laughed at how Dion isn't listening to the slave Thoth Amon and casually tells him he has his precious ring he'd been monologuing about, and dies a second later! 😅
I discovered Conan Paperbacks in the mid 80's at my local used book store. I was 16 and fascinated by both story and art. Many had Franks art inlays located in the center of books. I collected all the series over the next few years. Love Roberts style it match my teen imagination. Thanks Michael!
Thoth-Amon is not only one of Conan's greatest wizard foes, but probably one of the only Conan villains who achieved all of their goals, unless you count Zogar Sag.
Great review! After watching your discussion over at Mike’s Book Reviews about the historical importance of these to the origins of fantasy, I’m even more excited to get started on the Howard stuff!
Well I can even see some potential inspiration for Moorcock stories and so on. Howard is the real founding father of the Sword And Sorcery and Fantasy. Ofc maybe he didn't like completely invent the genre in terms of I am sure plenty of writings before him did deal with swords-magic etc combo, but he for sure made it popular, accessible and interesting for the vast reading crowds and helped popularize and make the genre completely his own.
Once more, you've done a man's job sir. That was the very first Conan story I ever read, when I was 11, in 1968. It made a big impression. When I first "met" Conan there, he was 40-something, already a king, and pretty educated -- fluent and literate in dozens of languages (including some dead ones), a skilled cartographer (map maker -- he could draw), a brilliant military tactician, and with some appreciation for poetry and the arts.
🎵It’s the Robert E Howard Show!🎵 Written in 1932? Why it seems like just yesterday… Wait, I wasn’t alive then! But it seems like such a nice time. The cars, the clothes, the movies, the Art Deco architecture, Max Raabe & Palast Orchester… oops, he’s not from the ‘30s! Or is he?
I'm so glad that you're doing these, because it's always fun to hear other peoples opinions on Howards work :) Just a side note, are you maybe planning on talking about other stuff like the Bran Mak Morn stories perhaps? Would be cool to see :) Back to Phoenix On the Sword.. this was the first Conan story I ever tried to read and I got stuck pretty quick, I couldn't finish. Not that it was bad but it was a bit hard to read for me who doesn't have english as my native language. Today I finally made it and it's a great one, but you can really tell that it's one of his earlier stories. Btw do I remember correctly that in Howards novel The Hour of the Dragon Aquilonia has the symbol of the lion, and Nemedia has the symbol of the dragon? In The Phoenix On the Sword it says the golden dragon is the symbol for Aquilonia? Or am I missing something here? :P
I just watched your collaboration with Mike. You are such a nice guy! And you know so much about all kinds of books! I'm so glad I found your channel!!
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 He certainly seemed to think so - lol. I think there were 5 commercial interruptions. I only stuck with it for you. You should loan him your new big cowboy hat - it would fit well.
I am also really excited you have got to Conan! I have seldom re-read any books but I am going through these at the moment and they're truly awesome tales 👌 The Phoenix on the Sword is really great and the Scarlet Citadel even better...looking forward to your review of that one..By Mitra!
I was certainly surprised when I started reading the Conan stories - again though, thanks to the Kull the Conqueror film - and from there I quickly understood the outrage REH fans like Al Harron felt about L. Sprague De Camp and John Milius and more recently Malmberg. It truly is a frustrating position knowing that Conan was so much more than any of the "adaptations" so far, mostly because those "adaptations" presented a lobotomized, bastardized take on REH's vision, and as if to reinforce their version and bury Robert E. Howard's contributions to fantasy literature underneath, went on to slander REH's good name by basically calling him crazy and an "idiot savant". And the damage is still felt today whenever someone even TRIES to get Conan right, it is the so-called Conan fans themselves that shamelessly disparage and lambast the effort, out of sheer ignorance since all they know from Conan is that "Crush your enemies" speech.
Love both versions of the story. Big Kull fan.
They were both good stories, that’s true.
I really enjoyed my first Conan, though it had a weird deja vu to it thanks to "By this Axe" , as if all the conspirators were reincarnated with the same names to make the same mistake! But Howard never thought that story would ever be published, and I think he rather improved on it, it's momentum, the little hints of world building, gods, it's dark mysticism Demon that ironically saves Conan from the weight of the other assassins. I laughed at how Dion isn't listening to the slave Thoth Amon and casually tells him he has his precious ring he'd been monologuing about, and dies a second later! 😅
I discovered Conan Paperbacks in the mid 80's at my local used book store. I was 16 and fascinated by both story and art. Many had Franks art inlays located in the center of books. I collected all the series over the next few years. Love Roberts style it match my teen imagination. Thanks Michael!
I listened to this story on audiobook yesterday. Wow, great story in every way. I think this is an underrated Robert E. Howard Conan story.
Yeah, this was a great start to the series!
1932. Wow... it predates 'The Hobbit' by 5 years!
The Hyborian Age was also published before the Hobbit.
Yes, Howard did fantasy first.
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 In terms of publication yes. And Howard has a very different approach to it.
Thoth-Amon is not only one of Conan's greatest wizard foes, but probably one of the only Conan villains who achieved all of their goals, unless you count Zogar Sag.
Great review! After watching your discussion over at Mike’s Book Reviews about the historical importance of these to the origins of fantasy, I’m even more excited to get started on the Howard stuff!
I think you will really enjoy Conan.
Me too!!
Well I can even see some potential inspiration for Moorcock stories and so on. Howard is the real founding father of the Sword And Sorcery and Fantasy. Ofc maybe he didn't like completely invent the genre in terms of I am sure plenty of writings before him did deal with swords-magic etc combo, but he for sure made it popular, accessible and interesting for the vast reading crowds and helped popularize and make the genre completely his own.
I agree completely.
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 ^^
"Conan..What is best in life?"
Books! Obviously.
Once more, you've done a man's job sir. That was the very first Conan story I ever read, when I was 11, in 1968. It made a big impression. When I first "met" Conan there, he was 40-something, already a king, and pretty educated -- fluent and literate in dozens of languages (including some dead ones), a skilled cartographer (map maker -- he could draw), a brilliant military tactician, and with some appreciation for poetry and the arts.
Yes, Conan is quite different from how most people picture him.
I’m reading this one thanks
It's a great opening story to this volume, hooks you immediately. Didnt know there was a tv show ! 🤔
It was so bad.
Thank you, Michael. Great start to your review of the Conan tales!
Thank you!
Great stuff!
Any story with a Fee-nix is usually wonderful. I also love the illustrations in The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian.
Ha! The Jeremy Fee-nix on the Sword 🗡 would be a great story!
I also liked Robert Jordan's Conan, and actually Would not have read Wheel of time series if it was not for his Conan book.
🎵It’s the Robert E Howard Show!🎵 Written in 1932? Why it seems like just yesterday… Wait, I wasn’t alive then! But it seems like such a nice time. The cars, the clothes, the movies, the Art Deco architecture, Max Raabe & Palast Orchester… oops, he’s not from the ‘30s! Or is he?
Awesome!
Thanks James!
I'm so glad that you're doing these, because it's always fun to hear other peoples opinions on Howards work :)
Just a side note, are you maybe planning on talking about other stuff like the Bran Mak Morn stories perhaps? Would be cool to see :)
Back to Phoenix On the Sword.. this was the first Conan story I ever tried to read and I got stuck pretty quick, I couldn't finish. Not that it was bad but it was a bit hard to read for me who doesn't have english as my native language.
Today I finally made it and it's a great one, but you can really tell that it's one of his earlier stories.
Btw do I remember correctly that in Howards novel The Hour of the Dragon Aquilonia has the symbol of the lion, and Nemedia has the symbol of the dragon?
In The Phoenix On the Sword it says the golden dragon is the symbol for Aquilonia? Or am I missing something here? :P
I just watched your collaboration with Mike. You are such a nice guy! And you know so much about all kinds of books! I'm so glad I found your channel!!
I’m so glad you found it too! It was very kind of Mike to have me on.
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 He certainly seemed to think so - lol. I think there were 5 commercial interruptions. I only stuck with it for you. You should loan him your new big cowboy hat - it would fit well.
I am also really excited you have got to Conan! I have seldom re-read any books but I am going through these at the moment and they're truly awesome tales 👌 The Phoenix on the Sword is really great and the Scarlet Citadel even better...looking forward to your review of that one..By Mitra!
The Scarlet Citadel is great! That video will be fun to do.
Riveting!
Thanks!
Once you review all the Conan stories, are you going to do a ranking of them?
I doubt it. That would be tough.
Read the story, I liked it.....Finn bio has arrived.
Excellent. I hope you enjoy it.
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 I should.
I was certainly surprised when I started reading the Conan stories - again though, thanks to the Kull the Conqueror film - and from there I quickly understood the outrage REH fans like Al Harron felt about L. Sprague De Camp and John Milius and more recently Malmberg. It truly is a frustrating position knowing that Conan was so much more than any of the "adaptations" so far, mostly because those "adaptations" presented a lobotomized, bastardized take on REH's vision, and as if to reinforce their version and bury Robert E. Howard's contributions to fantasy literature underneath, went on to slander REH's good name by basically calling him crazy and an "idiot savant".
And the damage is still felt today whenever someone even TRIES to get Conan right, it is the so-called Conan fans themselves that shamelessly disparage and lambast the effort, out of sheer ignorance since all they know from Conan is that "Crush your enemies" speech.