Hither Came Conan: The Best Conan Story Is…

by Jason M. Waltz (Editor), Didier Normand (Illustrator), Bob Byrne (Editor)

A look into the nature of Texas author Robert E. Howard's greatest creation, Conan the Cimmerian. An examination through essays and discussions of what is the best Conan tale and why Conan is the Best REH Character. THE book to shelve beside your Wandering Star/DelRey Conan trilogy!

CONTENTS
Who is Best, Conan? by S.M. Stirling
Conan is the Best by Dierk Günther
The Best Conan Story by R.E.H. was... by Bob Byrne
The Conan Re-Read by Howard Andrew Jones & Bill Ward
*The HAJ/BW Re-Read also follows each of the 22 stories*

“The Phoenix on the Sword”
The Bird on a Blade by Bobby Derie
Extra! Ruminations by Bob Byrne
“The Frost-Giant’s Daughter”
The Let’s Get Frosty by Fletcher A. Vredenburgh
Extra! The Frost King, the Frost-Giant, and Their Daughters by Keith West
“The God in the Bowl”
The The God Has a Long Neck by Mark Finn
Extra! That Time R.E.H. Wrote a Police Procedural by Bob Byrne
“The Tower of the Elephant”
The Gimmie a T! by Jason M Waltz
Extra! Progression of the Unspoiled Savage by Bill Ward
“The Scarlet Citadel”
The On The Scarlet Citadel by John C. Hocking
“Queen of the Black Coast”
The Queen for a Night by Patrice Louinet
Extra! Howardian Masterpiece by G. W. Thomas
“Black Colossus”
The One Wild and Bloody Ride by Deuce Richardson
“Iron Shadows in the Moon”
The The Statues by Morgan Holmes
“Xuthal of the Dusk”
The On 25 Lunas a Day by Jason Durall
“The Pool of the Black One”
The Maybe R-rated? At least PG-13 by David C. Smith
“Rogues in the House”
The Feeling Lucky, Punk? by Bob Byrne
Extra! Honor among Hyborian Age Morality by Brian Murphy
“The Vale of Lost Women”
The Pain Crystallized and Manifested in Flesh by David Hardy
“The Devil in Iron”
The Of Green Stone and Living Iron by Scott Oden
Extra! Four Stories, One Master Plot Plan by John Bullard
“The People of the Black Circle”
The The Elemental Man and Woman by Gabe Dybing
Extra! More than a Muscular Arm by James Reasoner
The Hour of the Dragon
The A Novel Idea by Ryan Harvey
Extra! The Greatest S&S Novel Ever Written by Vincent N. Darlage, PhD
“A Witch Shall Be Born”
The Which One is Conan? by Jeffrey Shanks
“The Servants of Bit-Yakin”
The A Bit of Yacking Serves None by James C. McGlothlin
“Beyond the Black River”
The Going Deep into the Black River by Keith West
Extra! Across a Blood-Darkened Borderland by Bill Ward
“The Black Stranger”
The Conan as Picaro by Fred Adams, Jr.
Extra! The Black Strangers by C.L. Werner
“The Man-Eaters of Zamboula”
The It Really Is the Best of All Time by Steven H Silver
Extra! A Reappraisal by John Bullard
“Red Nails”
The Roses are Red, Nails are for the Dead by Keith J. Taylor
Extra! Dehumanizing Violence and Compassion by Jason Ray Carney
“Wolves Beyond the Border”
The Howl at the Moon by Woelf Dietrich

Epilogue by Howard Andrew Jones & Bill Ward
The Epilogue by Bob Byrne
Conan, I Like Your Grit by Matthew John

Appendices
The Worldbuilding of REH by Jeffrey Shanks
Hyborian Age World Building by Bill Ward
REH, Two Fans, and the Birth of Conan Scholarship by Bob Byrne
Weird Tales Memoriam of Conan & R.E.H.

Genres: Literary Criticism

536 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2023

About the author

I edited and published numerous heroic titles under Rogue Blades as both RBE, a micro publisher of heroic adventure fiction, and RBF, a nonprofit literary publisher of explorations of the heroic. If you enjoy hard-hitting, fast-paced tales of ringing steel and dark magics found in the battles of lore and myth, updated and written for the modern reader, you should check them out.

Personally, I also write heroic tales. Jason M (with and without that pesky period) are one and the same. Jason M Waltz enjoys sharing tales of heroes who are willing to step into the gap...sometimes to fill it, sometimes to make it wider.

Reviews

[Clint · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Hither came Conan”, those words strike nostalgic heartstrings for me. They are up there with “in a galaxy far, far away”. I read, or hear the Nemedian Chronicles opening lines “Know O Prince…” and I am 10 years old again discovering Conan the Cimmerian through Marvel Comics “Conan the Barbarian” and “The Savage Sword of Conan”. A few months later, I am watching the 1982 John Milius movie staring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

That was the beginning of my fandom for the character created by Robert E. Howard. I would quickly move into the Lancer/Ace books with those groovy Frazetta covers and into the Tor books; however, this book is not about pastiche. No, this book is about the original 21 tales written by Robert E. Howard, plus one fragment. The Best Stuff.

I have read each of REH’s 21 Conan stories multiple times; at least two readings each. Some, “The Tower of the Elephant”, “Queen of the Black Coast”, “Red Nails”, I have read numerous times, nearly once a year each since the publication of the Del Rey books in the early 2000’s: “Conan the Cimmerian”, “The Bloody Crown of Conan” and “The Conquering Sword of Conan”. I can say, without a doubt, my favorite is “The Tower of the Elephant”. If I had to list them in order of preference from that point, I would be hard pressed to do so. Even stating “Tower of the Elephant” is my favorite, if I were given the assignment to prove it is the best Conan story, I would be disarrayed from the word “go”.

Yet, that was the assignment given to 22 different folks. 2015-2016, at BlackGate.com, 22 Conan and REH enthusiasts, experts and scholars were randomly assigned an REH Conan tale (the 21 originals plus one fragment) with the goal of “prove this is the best Conan story”. Those are rough waters to navigate. This book is those essays collected, plus a reprinting of Howard Andrew Jones and Bill Ward’s weekly re-read of the stories; also included are extra essays, some of which are new to this book. How is it?

It’s outstanding. For myself, this is an easy five star read. It should be noted who this book is for. This book is for fans of the original stories penned by Robert E. Howard. I hate to classify fans, but “casual fans of Conan the Barbarian” are typically fans of the 1982 movie, the comics, the pastiche: one, some or all three. It’s not a hard line. Myself, I started as a casual fan, then with the publication of the Del Reys, I meandered more towards a fan of the original REH stories and REH himself; however, I still enjoy both sides of the fandom “line in the sand”. I revel with a re-read of the originals, enjoy the comics and always hope for some entertaining pastiche staring my favorite Cimmerian.

If you have not read the original REH tales, please, don’t walk, run to where ever you get your books from and buy the three books mentioned above (or click quickly if you buy your books online). That is the best advice I can give you. You will thank me.

Spoilers abound in this book. It assumes you have read each and every story. If you have not, or have not in a great while, then take your time. Read the stories, then read each chapter of this book dealing with said story. Savor it. Chew slowly. It will make for a fantastic meal. If you’re in the position to have someone in your life that enjoys Conan as much as you, have them join you. That would make for awesome conversation! Consequently, if you’re able to pull off this last bit of advice, I envy you.

Reading this book, I felt as if I were listening to knowledgeable friends having a fantastic conversation about something I am passionate about, a passion that only those in fandom understand.

If you’re worried that this is a boring, academic, stuffy read; I assure you, it is not. It does dip its toes into academia, but a degree in English Literature is not required to enjoy this. Conversely, if you are one of those deep thinking, navel gazing types, then know that it wets its toes enough that you will get your money’s worth as well.

For those of us that enjoy reading essays about Robert E. Howard and his creations, the roll call will excite you: Howard Andrew Jones, Bill Ward, Bobby Derie, Bob Byrne, Mark Finn, Patrice Louinet, G.W. Thomas, Deuce Richardson, Morgan Holmes, David C. Smith. That list is not exhaustive, there are more; but that is a list of folks that when they write something about REH, I read it, and I enjoy it. There are more people to add to that list. Authors, that while I have not read much of their RHE criticism, I enjoy their work: Scott Oden, John C. Hocking, Brian Murphy. And I’m still not done! I discovered new to me authors, limited to my leisure arm-chair studies: John Bullard, David Hardy, Gabe Dybing, Vincent N. Darlage provided essays in this book I enjoyed. I will give a special shout-out to Fred Adams Jr. His “Conan as Picaro” was an especially stand out read for me.

However, this is a book chuck full of standout reads. If you are at all on the fence about this one, get off the damn fence! Buy this book. Read it. Enjoy it.

As for me, I plan on re-reading all 21 tales, plus the fragment and taking my own advice: read each story, then read the chapter from this book that pertains to the story. Maybe, just maybe I will be lucky enough to find a friend to jump into the water with me.

[Ben Duerksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and reflective collection of essays, each arguing which of Robert E Howard's Conan stories is, "best." Some of the essays take the assignment more seriously than others, but most at least offer some insight into the various literary elements at play in each of the Conan stories, and are followed up with a back-and-forth commentary from two of the editors that often provide additional context and tease out additional elements for each story. That's not to say all the essays are hits; there was more than one that, frankly, amounted to nothing more than synopsis, and left me wondering whether the person didn't understand what they were supposed to do, or were just lazy or poor writers. Luckily, those are the exceptions to what is otherwise a fine collection of more critical essays, albeit largely positive critiques (they are arguing which is "best," after all), that will likely be enjoyed by anyone who is looking for both an entertaining yet academic approach to Howard's writing.

My only only real complaint, other than those couple of throwaway inclusions, is how the various authors engage with some of the more problematic areas of Howard's writing. These essays, as mentioned, generally eschew the genius of Howard's stories, and don't end up engaging with those problematic themes in very meaningful ways, even to the point of being dismissive. With no intent to engage critically with those aspects of Howard's writing, I'd have preferred they just not mention them at all rather than mention them, gloss them over, and then move on as though the topic has been given its due.

[Aaron Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hither Came Conan" is a story-by-story overview of Robert E Howard's twenty-one Conan the Cimmerian stories. Each story receives a synopsis with dramatis personae; a selection of fan reviews when the story first appeared; an essay explaining why this particular story is the best Conan yarn; and an examination of the story by a pair of professional authors. Also included are 13 "extra! extra!" essays that share history, criticism, and a discussion of Howard's writing process.

This book is a must-have for fans of the mighty-thewed barbarian in all his various media incarnations. It's also great for Howard enthusiasts, or of pulp fiction in general.

Aspiring fantasy and action writers will also find much to learn from the discussion of what does--and doesn't--work in Howard's stories.

[Joel Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

insightful

I read the Conan tales and followed them up by reading the commentary and essays in this book. A variety of opinions are offered so you are likely to find some you will strongly agree with and others you will vehemently disagree with.

[Little Nemo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and well edited fun trip down memory lane.

This book works under the challenge for over 20 Robert E. Howard scholars and fans to convince the reader that each one of the Conan stories is the best one. Some of the writers succeed admirably and some point out sentences and paragraphs from their assigned story that is written so well by REH that each of the stories has the best of something in it that sets it apart from the others (in a very good way).

Overall, each essayist succeeds and each of the essays will really make you want to read or re-read the story that is covered.

I love to read REH's Conan stories every few years anyway (especially "The Tower of the Elephant" whether these authors agree or not)!

I think I will re-read this book every few Conan-athons in the future! If you are a Conan or just a REH fan, I think you will enjoy this book too.

Highly recommended!

[Carl Cardozo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed. A collection of essays about different Conan stories and the Sword and Sorcery Genre’s history. It inspired me to go back and reread some of the Conan stories I have overlooked or haven’t read in awhile. What story is best, as the title prompts? I’m torn between Red Nails, Scarlet Citadel, or Tower of the Elephant.

[S.wagenaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently had the opportunity to read this book before it's general release, so I jumped at the chance. I have been reading Conan stories since about 1976 or so, starting with the comic and then the Ace paperbacks by about 1978. I really didn't pay too much attention to who wrote what back then, but I was certainly aware that Robert E Howard was the creator of Conan and he had written most of the stories. Not until I came across the Berkley series was I truly aware of the difference between edited Howard material and the original tales as printed in Weird Tales (thanks Mr. Wagner!).

Now comes this interesting "guide" to the original Howard penned Conan yarns, with reviews, essays and general enthusiasm provided by Bob Byrne, Bill Ward, Howard Andrew Jones and Jason M Waltz. Also, every one of Howard's stories was assigned a reviewer(s) who was tasked with the job of telling us why their assigned tale was the "best". Folks like Mark Finn, John C Hocking, Patrice Louinet, Deuce Richardson and many more do their utmost to convince the reader just how good their assigned Conan story really is.

Of course I decided to read this book out of order, cherry picking my favourite stories first, starting with my all-time favourite - The People of the Black Circle. Between contributors Gabe Dybing and James Reasoner, I got two reviews that are pretty much in line with my own opinion of this great yarn. And then it's topped off with a double-team re-read essay provided by Bill Ward and Howard Andrew Jones, highlighting what they thought was important or outstanding about this story. All of which only made my want to go back and re-read the story myself.

From there I then jumped to The Hour of the Dragon (actually the next story covered anyway) as this is also a great favourite of mine. For years my buddies would go on about how great the latest door-stopper fantasy epic was, and I would smile and hold up a battered and worn copy of The Hour of the Dragon and shake my head; this was the finest S&S/fantasy novel of all time. Vincent N. Darlage and Ryan Harvey proceed to tell me that I am indeed right, and Jones & Ward confirm it.

And so it goes for each and every one of REH's incredible Conan yarns, all 22 of them (including wolves Beyond The Border). Anyone with any interest in Conan absolutely must add this book to their library; it's essential. And it's an excellent guide for someone new to the stories that might want to find out a little more about them should they want to try REH for the first time. Each essay collection has short introduction the the story, a list of major characters involved, setting, timeline and publishing history. All fantastic stuff for newbie and crusty old veteran alike.

All in all, a fantastic book that earns a rare five-star rating from me. Highly recommended!