Conan the Barbarian (1982 novel)

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Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian novel.jpg
Cover
Authors L. Sprague de Camp
Lin Carter
Catherine Crook de Camp
Cover artist Renato Casaro
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Series Conan the Barbarian
Genre Sword and sorcery Fantasy novel
Publisher Bantam Books
Publication date
1982
Media typePrint (Paperback)
Pages181
ISBN 0-553-22544-8
OCLC 8449461
LC Class CPB Box no. 2618 vol. 4

Conan the Barbarian is a 1982 fantasy novel written by L. Sprague de Camp, Lin Carter and Catherine Crook de Camp featuring Robert E. Howard's seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian, a novelization of the feature film of the same name. It was first published in paperback by Bantam Books in May 1982. [1] [2] The first hardcover edition was issued by Robert Hale in 1983, and the first British edition by Sphere Books in April 1988. [2] A later novel with the same title by Michael A. Stackpole was issued by Berkley Books in 2011 as a tie-in with the 2011 remake of the 1982 film. [3]

Contents

While the authorial role of Catherine Crook de Camp is not credited in the book, it has been acknowledged that the novel was a three-way collaboration, with Lin Carter writing the first draft, L. Sprague de Camp the second, and Catherine Crook de Camp the third. [1] [4] [5] L. Sprague de Camp stated that "Credit for such virtues as this novel may possess should go to her." [4]

Plot summary

The book retells the story of the hero's youth, in a version quite different from the account established in previous tales by Howard, de Camp and Carter. Conan is the son of a blacksmith in barbaric Cimmeria, learning "the riddle of steel" from his father as the latter forges a sword. His village is massacred by the cultic followers of Thulsa Doom, an evil sorcerer, and Conan himself enslaved. Set with others to push a millstone, he develops prodigious strength over the years, ultimately pushing it all by himself. As an adult he wins his freedom and embarks on a life of adventure, ultimately wreaking his vengeance on the fiendish Doom with his father's sword.

Thulsa Doom in other media

Thulsa Doom, the villain of both the film and the book, was borrowed from Howard's "King Kull" series, in which he figured as an antagonist of Kull. He had never previously been depicted as a foe of Conan.

Reception

Reviewer Don D'Ammassa wrote that the novelization was "[n]ot bad, but it does not always feel like a Conan story." [5]

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Bibliography of science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction and nonfiction writer L. Sprague de Camp:

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"Shadows in the Dark" is a short story by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, featuring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard. It was first published by Bantam Books in the paperback collection Conan the Swordsman in August 1978. Later paperback editions of the collection were issued by Ace Books. The first hardcover edition was published by Tor Books in 2002. The book has also been translated into Italian. It was later gathered together with Conan the Liberator and Conan and the Spider God into the omnibus collection Sagas of Conan.

"The Ivory Goddess" is a short story by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, featuring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard. According to Morgan Holmes, citing de Camp friend Loay Hall, Carter did none of the writing, and the story was written by de Camp in collaboration with his wife Catherine Crook de Camp. The story was first published by Bantam Books in the paperback anthology Conan the Swordsman in August 1978. Later paperback editions of the collection were issued by Ace Books. The first hardcover edition was published by Tor Books in 2002. The book has also been translated into Italian. It was later gathered together with Conan the Liberator and Conan and the Spider God into the omnibus collection Sagas of Conan. The story has been translated into Italian.

<i>Conan the Barbarian</i> (2011 novel) 2011 novel by Michael A. Stackpole

Conan the Barbarian is a fantasy novel written by Michael A. Stackpole featuring Robert E. Howard's seminal sword and sorcery hero of the same name, a novelization of the feature film of the same name. It was first published in paperback by Berkley Books in 2011. An earlier novel of the same name by L. Sprague de Camp, Lin Carter and Catherine Crook de Camp, based on the original film of which the 2011 version was a remake, was published by Bantam Books in 1982.

References

  1. 1 2 Laughlin, Charlotte; Daniel J. H. Levack (1983). De Camp: An L. Sprague de Camp Bibliography. San Francisco: Underwood/Miller. p. 39.
  2. 1 2 Conan the Barbarian (1982) title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
  3. Conan the Barbarian (2011) title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
  4. 1 2 Canby, Vincent. "Film View: Questions Grown in the Dark." Article in the New York Times, June 6, 1982, pages H19-H20.
  5. 1 2 D'Ammassa, Don. "Conan the Barbarian" (review on Critical Mass). Sep. 9, 2017.
Preceded by Bantam Conan series
(publication order)
Succeeded by
none