The Slithering Shadow

by Robert E. Howard

1
The desert shimmered in the heat waves. Conan the Cimmerian stared out over the aching desolation and involuntarily drew the back of his powerful hand over his blackened lips. He stood like a bronze image in the sand, apparently impervious to the murderous sun, though his only garment was a silk loin-cloth, girdled by a wide gold-buckled belt from which hung a saber and a broad-bladed poniard. On his clean-cut limbs were evidences of scarcely healed wounds.
At his feet rested a girl, one white arm clasping his knee, against which her blond head drooped. Her white skin contrasted with his hard bronzed limbs; her short silken tunic, low-necked and sleeveless, girdled at the waist, emphasized rather than concealed her lithe figure.
Conan shook his head, blinking. The sun's glare half blinded him. He lifted a small canteen from his belt and shook it, scowling at the faint splashing within.
The girl moved wearily, whimpering.
"Oh, Conan, we shall die here! I am so thirsty!"
The Cimmerian growled wordlessly, glaring truculently at the surrounding waste, with outthrust jaw, and blue eyes smoldering savagely from under his black tousled mane, as if the desert were a tangible enemy.
He stooped and put the canteen to the girl's lips.
"Drink till I tell you to stop, Natala," he commanded.
She drank with little panting gasps, and he did not check her. Only when the canteen was empty did she realize that he had deliberately allowed her to drink all their water supply, little enough that it was.
Tears sprang to her eyes. "Oh, Conan," she wailed, wringing her hands, "why did you let me drink it all? I did not know--now there is none for you!"
"Hush," he growled. "Don't waste your strength in weeping."
Straightening, he threw the canteen from him.
"Why did you do that?" she whispered.


More
In The 'Conan' Stories Series by ADB Publishing
(The Original) The Phoenix on the Sword (1932)
(The Original) The Scarlet Citadel (1933)
(The Original) The Tower of the Elephant (1933)
(The Original) Black Colossus (1933)
(The Original) The Slithering Shadow (1933) (This Book)
(The Original) The Pool of the Black One (1933)
(The Original) Gods of the North (1934)
(The Original) Rogues in the House (1934)
(The Original) Shadows in the Moonlight (1934)
(The Original) Queen of the Black Coast (1934)
(The Original) The Devil in Iron (1934)
(The Original) The People of the Black Circle (1934)
(The Original) A Witch Shall be Born(1934)
(The Original) Jewels of Gwahlur (1935)
(The Original) Beyond the Black River (1935)
(The Original) Shadows in Zamboula (1935)
(The Original) Red Nails (1936)
(The Original) The Hour of the Dragon (novel) (1936)
(The Original) The Hyborian Age (1938)

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Fiction, Adventure, Horror, Sword and Sorcery, Pulp

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1933

About the author

Robert Ervin Howard was an American pulp writer of fantasy, horror, historical adventure, boxing, western, and detective fiction. Howard wrote "over three-hundred stories and seven-hundred poems of raw power and unbridled emotion" and is especially noted for his memorable depictions of "a sombre universe of swashbuckling adventure and darkling horror."

He is well known for having created—in the pages of the legendary Depression-era pulp magazine Weird Tales—the character Conan the Cimmerian, a.k.a. Conan the Barbarian, a literary icon whose pop-culture imprint can only be compared to such icons as Tarzan of the Apes, Count Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, and James Bond.

—Wikipedia

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you missed the previous episodes: my crappy non-review for The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian is imploding! I exhausted all my character allowance! So now I have to resort to crappily non-reviewing all the stories in the collection separately! Go me and stuff!

First things first: as was the case for Shadows In The Moonlight, the cover for this Most Delicious Conan Short (MDCS™) is a complete and total disgraceful disgrace. And should be outlawed. Why anyone would think that such a bland, uninspired piece of coma-inducing design is an acceptable alternative to Gloriously Yummy Creations (GYC™) such as the one that follows is undoubtedly one of the greatest mysteries of our times, if you ask me.



“The Slithering Shadow” being the original title for this story, just so you know.

Anyway, I have to admit that the person who, err, “worked” on the cover for this edition at least got the desert thing right. (Thank our Lord Shrimp for small mercies and all that.) Because yes, as this story begins, my Cimmerian Paramour finds himself a teensy little bit lost in the middle of a desert, and kinda sorta dying of thirst and hunger. But hey, it’s not all bad: first, he’s gotten a loincloth upgrade, and is now wearing a silk one (my Barbarian Hunney Bunney is going up in the world!). Second:

“A barbarian of barbarians, the vitality and endurance of the wild were his, granting him survival where civilized men would have perished.”

(Loose translation: it’s bloody shrimping cool to be a barbarian.) And third: he’s got a new Squeeze of the Moment in the person of Natala, aka the Clinging Whining Sissy (more on that later). Things could be much worse, methinks.

So Conan and Natala are three quarters and a half dead, with practically almost nearly no water left, when lo and behold and stuff, they see a city! And off they go, Super Extra Happy (SEH™) at the thought of eating, drinking and getting completely hammered being moderately merry and stuff. (Well, Natala was probably too busy sobbing and weeping and wailing and wringing her hands to appreciate their luck at the time, but that’s Clinging Whining Sissies for you.) Anyway, so they enter the lovely, welcoming city of Xuthal, and Conan starts chopping little heads off. Because that’s how it’s done and stuff.

“The fellow's head thudded on the flags; the body staggered drunkenly, an arch of blood jetting from the severed jugular; then it fell heavily.”

My Cimmerian Babe slicing people to tiny little bits never get olds, if you ask me.

And thus begins the Natala Show of Deluxe Clinging and Whining (NSoDCaW™). (Conan should have sold tickets, he’d have made millions and the two of us would have sauntered off slaughtering in the sunset and stuff.) Natala is such a talented, versatile babe: she can scream, cry out, sob with terror, shriek, whimper, gurgle and/or beg hysterically, shake with fear, give choking cries, have her heart in her mouth (told you she was talented), be nauseated with horror, and have her blood curdling in her veins, too! Not to mention her natural ability for clasping Conan’s knees, clutching his arms and stepping on his heels! And he absolutely loves her for it, too:

“What's the matter?” he snarled. “If you ever grab my sword arm again, I'll skin you.”

Ah, such a warmhearted, compassionate guy, my Conan! He really knows how to treat a woman properly.

“Lir an mannanan mac lira,” he swore, grabbing her by the nape of her neck and thrusting her into a gilded chair at the end of the table with no great ceremony. “We starve and you make objections! Eat!”

Look at him, all concerned about Natala being malnourished and stuff. Sigh. How very touching indeed. What? You think Conan’s being a bit too hard on poor Natala? Well, considering what a pain in the exoskeleton she is, I personally think he’s most lenient and tolerant and indulgent and stuff.



You got that right, sista!

[End of Deluxe Clinging and Whining Interruption]

So, back to our most delightful story. Save for the guy whose little head my Barbarian Sweetheart so graciously cut off, Xuthal seems to be quite the empty city indeed. Only that it isn’t. It is actually inhabited by a bunch of zombie-like, lotus-smoking potheads who are pretty much out of it 24/7. And also by Thog , aka the Ancient Man-Eating Terror cutest, most endearing pet you could ever dream of adopting (more on him later). And also also by Thalis, a Slightly Very Cunning Chick (SVCC™) who is Slightly Very Hot (SVH™), shaped like a goddess, and has Conan going all…



And it just so happens that Thalis thinks my Cimmerian boyfriend is pretty damn sexey, too. “The blaze of his dynamic eyes” and “the touch of his iron-thewed arms” madden her, you see, and the poor thing has the hardest time controlling her baser instincts when the Barbaric One is around.

“Natala rose and jerked up her tunic, her eyes blazing, her lips pouting sulkily.”

See what I mean? A good thing my Barbarian is the most *cough* self-controlled *cough* dude ever.

“Conan swore under his breath. He was no more monogamous in his nature than the average soldier of fortune, but there was an innate decency about him that was Natala's best protection.”

Ha! Conan might be a homicidal maniac, but at least he is a respectful one. Besides, with so many chicks falling at his feet over the years, he has learned to prioritize and stuff. And to steer clear of Machiavellian, batshit crazy wenches.

Okay, where were we? Ah, yes. Thalis tries to charm the loincloth off Conan so that he will stay with her in Xuthal, and when he very politely declines, she gets a tiny little bit pissed off, and goes all psychotic bitch spoiler spoiler spoiler on Conan and Natala. And because the more the merrier and stuff, that’s when my fluffy pet Thog decides to make a most glorious entrance.

Ah, Thog. Such a cuddly little creature he is. Not sure what feature of his I find most charming. His handsome “blinking, toad-like face?” His “giant, misshapen head?” Or the “cosmic lust” reflected in the “great pool of light that might have been his eyes?” Hard to say, really. Although I must admit I have a special fondness for his “dark, tentacle-like members.” Because, um, you know, tentacles and stuff. But you know what really really really got to me the first time I met him, and decided me to adopt him? The fact that he is all obscenity, salacious infamy, and cosmic filth. That’s a pretty irresistible combination, if you ask me. And from what I’ve heard, Natala seems to agree with me on this one.



Then again maybe not.

But anyway, Thog shows up, and spoiler spoiler spoiler ensues. My Cimmerian Paramour goes a little (if deliciously) berserk, and from then on it’s all snarls of bloodthirsty gratification, frenzied furry, belly muscles getting slightly cut through, brains gushing from split skulls, severed throat veins, sabers dripping with blood, chopped off arms crimson stumps and all sorts of yummy stuff. Conan, being Conan, saves the day. But ends up being slightly a little, err, worse for wear as a result. He was kinda sorta beaten to a pulp, you see, and now looks as though he’d “gone through a meatgrinder.” His suffering is ghastly, poor thing.

“But with the stoicism of the wilds he made no complaint.”

Such a resilient, unflappable sexpot you are, Barbarian Mine. So of course Conan survives (he’s more or less the hero of this series, just so you know, and therefore cannot die deadly dead and stuff) and, with Natala clinging on in tow, decides to get the fish out of Xuthal and stuff.

“It was a hot welcome we got in that accursed city,” he snarled. Then his grim humor returned. “Well, they'll remember our visit long enough, I'll wager. There are brains and guts and blood to be cleaned off the marble tiles, and if their god still lives, he carries more wounds than I.”

Hahahahahahaha. There’s nothing quite like Cimmerian humor, methinks. (P.S. I hope Thog’s got a good cleaning crew.)

➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): this might possibly be my favorite Conan short story so far. Maybe. Perhaps. Which might possibly explain why this review might be slightly somewhat longer than the story itself. Maybe. Perhaps.

💌 A very private message to my Cimmerian Cutie Pie: Conan dear, it’s the second time in a row a Supposedly Wimpy Chick of the Girlish Power (SWCotGP™) saves your shapely derriere. That should tell you something. Not sure what exactly, but I’m pretty fairly certain there’s a message for you there and stuff.

· Introduction to the world: The Hyborian Age ★★★★
· Main review: The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian ★★★★
· Book 2: The Bloody Crown of Conan ★★★★
· Book 3: The Conquering Sword of Conan ★★★★



[Pre-review nonsense]

Ain’t nuthin’ like these Conan shorts, if you ask me.



➽ Full review to come.

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Slithering Shadow is a Conan the Barbarian story by Robert E. Howard that begins with Conan in the desert. He is, of course, with a gorgeous scantily dressed woman named Natala and they are lost. With an infinitesimal bit of water, they are near dying, but Conan gives her the last of his water, tosses her over his shoulder, and decides to set out quickly in one direction. Ultimately, he finds a town that is filled with lotus smokers that prefer living in dreams than in reality. It appears to be silly when there is a gorgeous woman, Thalis running around. She has a pet monster with a toad face and tentacles ready to grope and squeeze. She wants Conan to stay with her, which would make Natala expendable. I think most people would be able to guess Conan's response. This is a fun sword and sorcery story, typical of one of the creators of the genre. In its day, Howard's work was dismissively considered pulp, but I consider the sophistication of the language, the flourishes of the prose, and the lyrical quality of the verbiage the epitome of literature.

[Benji's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much better tale than the last Conan story I read, "Iron Shadows in the Moon", I believe it was called. Howard wrote a ton of Conan stories throughout his life, and I'm happy to say that this one was not a miss. I thoroughly enjoyed this entry.

Recommended!

- Benji

[Benjamin Uke · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Slithering Shadow.

I still don't consider it one of the better stories.. The story starts cinematically.. A powerful bronze figure amid shimmering waves of heat. The camera fades back to reveal that Conan is not alone. Conan and generic love interest of the story, Natala, are the last survivors of an obliterated army, stuck in the middle of the desert and in danger of dying. He considers killing her, as a mercy.
Just as he is about to kill her he sees, mirage-like in the distant heat-shimmers, the spires, minarets, and glassy emerald walls windows of a silent city...

This is what people who don't like Robert E Howard think of when he comes to mind, dismissing it as being formulaic. It is a rather cliche adventure short story, but has an excellent setup with ancient super-science lovecraftian monsters.
It was fun. Bit dated.

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 2 out of 5]

As far as Robert E. Howard's writing goes, there's not a whole lot to be had here. A quick adventure in a weird city. Little of actual plot or point or arc - but the prose's still good.

[Jayakrishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"By Crom, a woman will stop to consider her beauty, if the devil himself were on her heels."

Conan and his concubine Natala escape into the desert after a fierce battle with enemies. They are close to death due to hunger and thirst when they spot a beautiful city in the barren desert. The city is populated by dreamy men addicted to pleasure and rest. Conan is not impressed by these pussies until they run into Thalis, an ivory colored Stygian woman (her limbs were like alabaster) to whom Conan is attracted.

Sexual jealousy between the women over Conan soon leads to them battling it out in Howard's favorite thrill - yes, an underground corridor where otherworldly beings lurk. An interesting, entertaining tale. Not the best. But these stories are told with such passion and energy. Even the lesser ones have a lot to savor.

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conan and a woman stumble into a remote lost city in a desert, haunted by a demon. A very strong start that immediately grabs your attention and effortlessly transitions into an enjoyable and rather bizarre sword and sorcery story.

[Baal Of · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit more of a straightforward offering, enjoyable in a pulpy way. Howard is a step above what I think of as standard pulp writing, and he does a good job of describing the world and the action.

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

AKA The Slithering Shadow

Feels like a warmup for Red Nails... it's kind of shocking how many Conan stories get rehased in Hour of the Dragon or other later stories. Also a Damsel in Distress tale - which Red Nails rectifies by having a more fleshed out female lead with Valeria. Has the classic Conan trope of him walking into an ancient seemingly dead city but full of mysteries (and of course a Lovecraftian monster lurking in the shadows).

Comics:
Savage Sword 20
Darkhorse Conan the Avenger 13-15 (Conan, Vol. 19: Xuthal of the Dusk)

[Johnny Bahama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chip Gaines: This entire palace is a kinky introvert’s safe haven. Part opium den and part sex dungeon. You’ll never have to worry about the neighbors cause your hundreds of miles from the nearest form
of life. The only downgrade is that occasionally a glob-like yet tentacled deity will casually ooze it’s way around the palace and devour anyone it comes across.
Conan: Duly noted dork.

[Antonis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 / 5

This one started quite well but it lacked read substance after the middle. Initially we have this ominous and scary setting with such a frightening atmosphere but then Howard has Conan acting all boyishly and immaturely while at the same time having a rather sexist female-pov part with a simply weak protagonist and totally arrogant and foolish antagonist. But then, later on, Conan comes "all-guns-blazing" and just does what he does best, which is killing. That fast and furious action packed part would be better if not for the repetitious action descriptions. Also... while I hve said in the past that Howard can be an impressive writer at times, some of his expressions in this one almost had me laughing. They almost reminded me of "The Eye of Argon" and those who have read it just smiled right now and understood what I mean!
This is not the first or earliest Conan stories published but it felt that way, it was as if Howard was still trying to find his style and target. So in a way, I'm not sure if it's characteristic or indicative of the rest of Conan stories, but to my view it felt weaker and not better than the previous stories I've read (which seemingly were published before this one).
In summary, this is exactly what I would have expected of a Conan story if I hadn't read any before and tried to guess but the drawings and pictures I've seen on the internet and what I had heard. It is not what I expected to read after having read a few already, which admittedly raised the bar quite some!
So, in short, read this story but don't read it first. Howard's Conan stories have been a welcome surprise until now and this one is just a deviation while not being an exception!

3 / 5

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Driven by the intense heat of the desert, Conan and his lovely companion seek water and food in a nearby city. Conan and his companion Natala discover the nearly-abandoned city of Xuthal in the desert, occupied only by a Stygian witch and a shadowy demon. The city of Xuthal is full of haunting imagery, as all of its inhabitants are frozen in a state of constant dreaming. Anyone that dares to wake them will be shown no mercy. It's a chilling premise with a strong Lovecraftian horror vibe. Despite how nightmarish the story is, the ending is surprisingly humorous and it left me with a smile on my face after finishing the tale.

[Brent Ecenbarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another decent story about Conan. Here he's dying of dehydration in the desert with an attractive slave girl who he rescued before the story begins. The rest of the story is like a Star Trek show where they find a city where everybody appears dead but they're actually high on some substance that makes them sleep like that. There's also a slithering shadow god that occasionally eats the people, and a sexy lady who wants to marry Conan and ends up doing some BDSM to Conan's slave girlfriend. The beginning of this story was much more fleshed out while the ending felt rushed through.

[Aksel Erzinclioglu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has now overtaken Tower of the Elephant as my favourite Conan story. It was short, exciting and surreal enough to keep the mystery of Conan alive. A phantom ghost-like God chasing Conan and his female companion through a city where a the citizens spend the majority of their time in a dream-like state. It was very strange and haunting but wildly entertaining!

[Luana · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mans REH dips into "dusky girl whips blonde girl" again and it's pretty hot.

Laughed out loud at Conan and his Girl Du Jour having a little sitcom fadeout after visiting a ghost city of eternal slumberers and banishing an eldritch terror back to the abyss.

"Harumph she was so into you!"

"Ha-ha, she was only human!"

*heart wipe on Conan, Conan winks into camera*

[Mark Tallen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, it features all the good stuff that I like about Howard's Conan tales. Horror, action, Cosmic horror, adventure. Classic tales, 3.5 stars for this one. I enjoyed being back in Conan's world, I'll be revisiting it again in the future.

[Dartharagorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how this story had a little touch of horror in it! I found this an everything I've read of Howard's to be a joy and entertaining to say the least!

[Анатолій Волков · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Ползущая тень» Вот опять после любовных описаний предыдущего рассказа, казалось, что Конан и принцесса Ясмела уедут в закат и будут жить долго и счастливо. А нет, уже вскоре Конан изнывая от голода и жажды пробивается по пустыне уже с другой дамой сердца, прекрасной Наталой (Наташей, наверное). Уже будучи практически бездыханными, они видят впереди город среди песков.
Город оказывается практически не обитаемым, вернее все его жители спят, каждый раз одурманивая себя нектаром все того же черного лотоса, который как писал автор был очень редким, но в последствии оказалось, что не таким уж и редким, ибо выступает как злодейское растение не в одном рассказе Говарда и зачастую служит гибелью целым народам.
Народ этого города не простой, он научился добывать еду и напитки из воздуха, изобрел вино которые излечивает от всех ран, научился изготавливать из ядовитого черного лотоса наркотик позволяющий впадать в длительные сны. Вот так целый город и стал наркоманом, а не будь этого цветка чего бы еще могли добиться эти люди.
Еще этот народ периодически терроризует выползающий из недр земли бог в виде сгустка тени, по имени Тэг. Бог с жабьей мордой, хвостом скорпиона и вообще химерообразный. Спящие люди постепенно становятся его жертвами и что самое удивительное ничего не хотят по этому поводу.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conan and his current paramour are busy dying in the desert when they come across a sinister Lovecraftian city. That description nails about 90% of the plot which unfortunately does not get much more interesting. This story is well-written, but Howard seems to be trying to tell a horror story. Conan is a terrible character to star in a horror story because he feels no fear and will murder the monster. Howard attempts to fix this by following a considerable chunk of the narrative through Conan's much less able lover, Natala, who has a personality best described as "supple" and "lithe."

Aside from the eponymous shadow, the only other major character is another woman the pair meet. The plot then devolves into two beautiful women fighting over the hunky barbarian's attention while a monster slithers in the background. Not only are they two-dimensional, these two female characters are boring which is a shame because while the Conan books so far haven't had many female characters, those characters from prior stories like Black Colossus were more compelling than what you find here.

[Balazs Badics · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conan and a mysterious companion, Natala, the blonde princess, stumble upon a lost city in the desert, where ancient secrets and eerie forces lurk beneath its crumbling grandeur. The city appears deserted, but its silence hides a lurking menace that defies explanation. As Conan explores its haunting corridors, he uncovers remnants of a forgotten civilization and faces a threat unlike any he has encountered. The story blends eerie atmosphere with fast-paced adventure, set in a world where sorcery and decay intertwine. Howard crafts a tale that is both mysterious and action-packed, with a strong sense of dread and discovery.

The Slithering Shadow is a moody and imaginative tale that leans heavily into the weird and supernatural side of Howard’s storytelling. The setting is richly atmospheric, evoking a sense of ancient mystery and creeping horror that lingers throughout. While the plot is more straightforward than some of Conan’s other adventures, it delivers satisfying action and a memorable antagonist. The pacing is brisk, and Howard’s prose remains vivid and evocative. Though not the deepest of the Conan stories, it’s an enjoyable and eerie ride through a forgotten world.

[Duffy Pratt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conan and a gorgeous half naked lady (what else?) are dying of thirst in the desert. Conan tricks the woman into drinking the rest of the water, then carries her away until they find a seemingly abandoned walled city.

But it's not. They are attacked. Conan wins. Abandoned lady is kidnapped so that she can be given as a sacrifice (fully naked, of course) to the big bad creepy thing that dwells under the city and is the god of the residents. It is the slithering shadow of the title.

Conan searched through the city and runs into the shadow that slithers. They fight.

Writing is very good, but standard for Howard. There's not much else going on here, but the descriptions are good and the pacing is fine. The outcome is a foregone conclusion, but the story is basically fun.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most nakedly sexist things I’ve ever read but an awful lot of fun. Conan stories are shameless in their indulgences, especially Howard’s originals, and that lack of self consciousness can make for very liberating reading. The juxtaposition between swashbuckling heroism and shudder inducing cosmic horror is still remarkable and distinctive even now so many years after publication. It’s a good, if problematic, adventure story.

[Conrad Bukoski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hidden lost desert palace? Check. Sleeping guard inhabitants? Check. Hidden deadly traps? Check. Guards who fall like flies if the hero looks their way? Check. Mystery of the unknown? Check. Death cult? Check. Hidden booby traps? Check. Female villian causes her own death unwittingly? Check. Dinnerware set up on arrival? Check. Bickering heroes as they ride off into the sunset? Check.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade's script writers were obviously Conan fans.

[Nerd_Rage_Dad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Conan short story has possibly the best line in all the Conan books ‘did I tell her to fall in love with me? After all, she is only human!’ Didn’t expect the subtile humour hidden in the violent pages of these books.

While this story is a little different from the others it very much fits the mould of a Conan story and adds to the world building I didn’t expect when I started reading these short stories.

[Andrés Iglesias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otra aventura muy rápida y divertida. De nuevo, como me está pareciendo en así todas las historias de Conan, las descripciones de las criaturas me recuerdan a las de Lovecraft. La influencia es clara, y le sienta bien. La representación femenina... bueno, hay que tener en cuenta la época en la que se escribió. En conclusión, divertido e interesante, puede convertirse una buena partida de rol.

[Wombat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sexist as all get out... But still a fun(ish) read.

Conan and random blond #27 are out in the desert.. stave off dehydration by finding ancient lost city - encounter weirdness inside (weird inhabitants & monsters) and then get the flock out of there.

Fun, simple.

[Sarah Ehinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of the most riveting Conan tales. I can envision a director loving the palace with never-ending rooms and a dream like quality, but I think this particular story would have more appeal on screen.

[Per · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://archive.org/details/WeirdTale...
https://freeread.com.au/@RGLibrary/Ro...

http://www.howardandrewjones.com/swor...

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conan and random femme fatale #13 are wandering the desert, dying from thirst when they spot a city. The city is occupied by lotus addicts and a shadowy "god" who takes his own sacrifices.
A typical Conan story, by pulp fiction royalty

[Rodrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quintessential Conan story for me - the strong focus on women's sensuality, the fast and furious action, and that healthy dose of Lovecraftian horror.
The ending might not be the most satisfying but the meat of this story sates any Conan fan.