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The Heroic Legends Series
Conan: The Shadow of Vengeance
Capturing the electric short fiction energy that led Robert E. Howard to be one of the top fantasy writers of the century, with exclusive serialized eBook stories starring Conan, Solomon Kane, and more by many of today’s top writers in fantasy and sword-and-sorcery.
“ The Shadow of Vengeance” is an intended follow-up to “The Devil in Iron.” A classic sword and sorcery tale by Robert E. Howard himself.
In far eastern Turan, the regent of Khawarzim seeks bloody revenge. To achieve it, Ghaznavi is willing to strike a bargain with Karash Khan, the master of the Nine—acolytes of the god of Death, their powers and ruthlessness are spoken of only in whispers.The object of Ghaznavi's hatred rides at the head of a score of Zaporoskan kozaks, bandits formed from fleeing criminals, escaped slaves, and deserting soldiers. Men of many crimes and countries. Their leader is accompanied by Octavia, a statuesque royal from Nemedia whose devotion to him is without question. The object of Ghaznavi’s burning hatred is Conan of Cimmeria.
“ The Shadow of Vengeance” is an intended follow-up to “The Devil in Iron.” A classic sword and sorcery tale by Robert E. Howard himself.
In far eastern Turan, the regent of Khawarzim seeks bloody revenge. To achieve it, Ghaznavi is willing to strike a bargain with Karash Khan, the master of the Nine—acolytes of the god of Death, their powers and ruthlessness are spoken of only in whispers.The object of Ghaznavi's hatred rides at the head of a score of Zaporoskan kozaks, bandits formed from fleeing criminals, escaped slaves, and deserting soldiers. Men of many crimes and countries. Their leader is accompanied by Octavia, a statuesque royal from Nemedia whose devotion to him is without question. The object of Ghaznavi’s burning hatred is Conan of Cimmeria.
78 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2024
21 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Scott Oden
28 books391 followersScott Oden is a liar. He is a forger and a thief; a scoundrel and a spreader of gossip . . . which is all just a fancy way of saying Scott Oden is a writer. He is perhaps best known for his ability to mimic Robert E. Howard's style of prose -- though he does a passably good A.A. Milne, as well. His books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist, earned him recognition as an Amazon Editor's Pick, and garnered a Gemmell Award nomination. Or so he says. Who can believe him, really? For all we know, he's just a triumvirate of raccoons with a trench coat and access to Chat GPT.
His notable works include Men of Bronze, Memnon, The Lion of Cairo, and the Grimnir Saga. His less notable works include Claude Moreau's Garden: dozens of cozy short stories about a magical village of mice living in a Provencal garden at the turn of the last century, and long, incendiary posts on Discord about why Cimmerians and Picts should never "get together".
The author lives in rural North Alabama, where he sometimes talks to trees and tries to befriend all the neighborhood dogs. The neighborhood cats can piss right off . . .
His notable works include Men of Bronze, Memnon, The Lion of Cairo, and the Grimnir Saga. His less notable works include Claude Moreau's Garden: dozens of cozy short stories about a magical village of mice living in a Provencal garden at the turn of the last century, and long, incendiary posts on Discord about why Cimmerians and Picts should never "get together".
The author lives in rural North Alabama, where he sometimes talks to trees and tries to befriend all the neighborhood dogs. The neighborhood cats can piss right off . . .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 7, 2024
"Blood spewed and men howled like whip-stung curs as Death reaped its due."
This was exquisitely written, though if I had to find fault with something it did feel a bit dense and overloaded with names. It's a truly rousing tale with intrigue, dark sorcery, explosive action and blood and battles aplenty. Oden captures Conan's barbarian temperament and bouts of murderous fury flawlessly, as well as imbuing the settings with a gritty yet vibrant atmosphere that rings authentic with REH's own depictions.
This was exquisitely written, though if I had to find fault with something it did feel a bit dense and overloaded with names. It's a truly rousing tale with intrigue, dark sorcery, explosive action and blood and battles aplenty. Oden captures Conan's barbarian temperament and bouts of murderous fury flawlessly, as well as imbuing the settings with a gritty yet vibrant atmosphere that rings authentic with REH's own depictions.
August 15, 2024
Harkhebi’s eyes lit up. “So-ho! The rumors are true, then? You mean to take Khawarizm!” “The time is ripe,” Conan replied with a shrug of his massive shoulders. “But getting this pack of motherless dams to agree to anything is like trying to herd the fabled cats of Ulthar!”
Just best Conan pastiche ever made, in my opinion, and best tale in the Heroic Legends series I've read until now.
The Cimmerian hefted it, cut the air as he made a few test passes. All the while, he kept his gaze fixed upon the stern of the ship. “If you would avenge your captain,” he said to those men around him, “then fill your hands with steel and take back his ship, you dogs!” Blades rasped and whickered; howls of outrage rose from a score of throats, echoed by hundreds of men ashore.
A quick pulp , brutal and entertaining read., and that unexpected lovecraftian easter-egg totally made my day.
Here were two foes well-matched in height and in reach, equally skilled, divided only by the gulf that separates the barbarian from the civilized man—a gulf that no amount of skill, reach, or height could bridge. While Karash Khan paused to wring sweat from his eyes, Conan’s fierce vitality—the birth-gift of Crom—flooded his limbs with fresh vigor.
Crom!
Just best Conan pastiche ever made, in my opinion, and best tale in the Heroic Legends series I've read until now.
The Cimmerian hefted it, cut the air as he made a few test passes. All the while, he kept his gaze fixed upon the stern of the ship. “If you would avenge your captain,” he said to those men around him, “then fill your hands with steel and take back his ship, you dogs!” Blades rasped and whickered; howls of outrage rose from a score of throats, echoed by hundreds of men ashore.
A quick pulp , brutal and entertaining read., and that unexpected lovecraftian easter-egg totally made my day.
Here were two foes well-matched in height and in reach, equally skilled, divided only by the gulf that separates the barbarian from the civilized man—a gulf that no amount of skill, reach, or height could bridge. While Karash Khan paused to wring sweat from his eyes, Conan’s fierce vitality—the birth-gift of Crom—flooded his limbs with fresh vigor.
Crom!
February 4, 2024
I figured I would like Oden’s version of Conan, but wow! I really enjoyed John Maddox Roberts’ Tor pastiches, and The Swordsman by DeCamp and Carter was good, but this is probably the best Conan story since Howard’s last Conan story, Red Nails, appeared in Weird Tales in 1936.
Oden’s grasp of the character is complete. The dialogue was perfect! That’s usually a big hang up for me. Oden researched the timeline well, as several of the characters from The Devil in Iron and Iron Shadows in the Moon are either in the story or mentioned. The ferocity of the character is spot on. Oden’s descriptors of characters, scenery, etc. is fabulous for a short work. The short story has always worked best for S & S, and this is no exception. Fantastic work! 5 stars easy. Highly recommend!
Oden’s grasp of the character is complete. The dialogue was perfect! That’s usually a big hang up for me. Oden researched the timeline well, as several of the characters from The Devil in Iron and Iron Shadows in the Moon are either in the story or mentioned. The ferocity of the character is spot on. Oden’s descriptors of characters, scenery, etc. is fabulous for a short work. The short story has always worked best for S & S, and this is no exception. Fantastic work! 5 stars easy. Highly recommend!
April 17, 2024
Bob would be proud
Many authors have spun exciting tales of Conan since Robert E Howard’s passing. However, Scott Oden’s work seems to echo through the decades from the very pages of Pulp Era Weird Tales. He not only captures the characters perfectly, but tell the story in a way that makes the reader wonder if Bob himself wrote it. Anyone who enjoys the original tales of Conan will surely find this one more than worthy.
Many authors have spun exciting tales of Conan since Robert E Howard’s passing. However, Scott Oden’s work seems to echo through the decades from the very pages of Pulp Era Weird Tales. He not only captures the characters perfectly, but tell the story in a way that makes the reader wonder if Bob himself wrote it. Anyone who enjoys the original tales of Conan will surely find this one more than worthy.
February 13, 2024
Conan, in word & deed
Exciting action and machinations fill these pages with blood, battle, and brotherhood. Some excellent lines of description of the action and of Conan. Felt very much like reading Howard once again.
Exciting action and machinations fill these pages with blood, battle, and brotherhood. Some excellent lines of description of the action and of Conan. Felt very much like reading Howard once again.
February 7, 2024
Reminds me of how fun reading was when I was a kid.
Scott Oden has proven himself worthy of Crom's blessing.
I just finished The Shadow of Vengence, and in my opinion, Mr. Oden's go at Conan is as if Howard had just written a new and modern Conan tale. All the boxes are checked; there's total immersion into the Hyborian Age, the fierce and true rendition of Conan's character, two-fisted fights, evil and dark sorcery, and bizarre, over-the-top, monsters.
I'm a reader who loves descriptive writing, but it's tricky to pull off without going overboard. Oden does it perfectly. At times, I could picture a John Buscemi comic book panel. At another part, I see a scene from an old Sinbad movie or Jason and the Argonauts with Ray Harryhausen special effects.
This Heroic Legends Series that Titan Books is doing is getting better with each installment. These ebook novellas of Robert E Howard's characters reminds me of how fun reading was when I was a young teen and had newly discovered this kind of fiction.
Scott Oden has proven himself worthy of Crom's blessing.
I just finished The Shadow of Vengence, and in my opinion, Mr. Oden's go at Conan is as if Howard had just written a new and modern Conan tale. All the boxes are checked; there's total immersion into the Hyborian Age, the fierce and true rendition of Conan's character, two-fisted fights, evil and dark sorcery, and bizarre, over-the-top, monsters.
I'm a reader who loves descriptive writing, but it's tricky to pull off without going overboard. Oden does it perfectly. At times, I could picture a John Buscemi comic book panel. At another part, I see a scene from an old Sinbad movie or Jason and the Argonauts with Ray Harryhausen special effects.
This Heroic Legends Series that Titan Books is doing is getting better with each installment. These ebook novellas of Robert E Howard's characters reminds me of how fun reading was when I was a young teen and had newly discovered this kind of fiction.
February 29, 2024
Scott Oden channels Robert E. Howard while bringing in his own voice to this sequel to Howard’s short story “The Devil in Iron.” The set up hooked my interest, the escalation of events drew me in, and the finale had me reading with excitement. There were parts towards the end where I felt like I had been transported into a Ray Harryhausen film. Also loved the quick Lovecraft reference earlier in the story. What an entertaining read.
March 7, 2024
This was my third read of this. I read it initially when it was serialized monthly in the Marvel comics. I read it again when all the chapters were published in the comics. I read it, with anxious anticipation, in the Titan monthly short story version. Outstanding with each read.
Oden has studied REH’s style. He did his homework well. If by any chance someone from Titan is reading this review: give Scott Oden a book deal. Conan/REH fans will buy it, read it and beg for more.
Oden has studied REH’s style. He did his homework well. If by any chance someone from Titan is reading this review: give Scott Oden a book deal. Conan/REH fans will buy it, read it and beg for more.
September 7, 2025
A direct sequel to Robert E. Howard original "The Devil in Iron", Scott Oden's "The Shadow of Vengeance" will have you fooled like a shape-changing assassin that this might actually be a reprint of some long-lost weird tale from the 30s.
Oden goes hard on the Howard pastiche and by Mitra, he pulls it off beautifully. I was enraptured by the atmospheric description of fucking tent flaps. TENT FLAPS.
In retrospect, I kinda wished Olivia had been given more to do, but Oden kinda gets away with that cuz he's so good at emulating Howard's style your brain gets set to 1932 reading mode and you're just happy nothing too terrible happens to her.
Hits all the beats of a Conan story beautifully, so if you want a Classic Experience (tm), you're golden.
Oden goes hard on the Howard pastiche and by Mitra, he pulls it off beautifully. I was enraptured by the atmospheric description of fucking tent flaps. TENT FLAPS.
In retrospect, I kinda wished Olivia had been given more to do, but Oden kinda gets away with that cuz he's so good at emulating Howard's style your brain gets set to 1932 reading mode and you're just happy nothing too terrible happens to her.
Hits all the beats of a Conan story beautifully, so if you want a Classic Experience (tm), you're golden.
February 15, 2024
Pastiche is a tricky business to evaluate and review. Some hate the idea of pastiche, in which case, any review is pointless. On the other hand, pastiche--the continuation of an author's characters in new adventures is a long-established tradition that reaches back to the tales of the pre-Classical world and continues on the reams of unlicensed fan-fic. So let's leave that debate for elsewhere, and just assume that you are this far because you love Robert E. Howard, you love Conan, and you want that pulse-pounding, blood-and-thunder sense of adventure you experienced long ago.
Over the years, you've been exposed to a LOT of Conan pastiche. Most was initially by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, rewriting Howard's unfinished or unpublished non-Conan stories as Conan stories, to varied affect (come quite good) and then adding a few of their own, most less so (though Carter's "Thing in the Crypt," pulled right from the Sagas, is pretty seminal.) In the 80s, the pastiche switched to novel-length stories, mostly penned by Robert Jordan, who could tell a great tale but was better at depicting his collection of recurring characters than Conan, whose character he never quite got and John Maddox Roberts, who certainly did, but mostly used Conan as a vehicle as a way to write homages to other classic pulp tales, from "King Solomon's Mines" to "the Maltese Falcon", and then a collection of writers, all of varying degrees. Then, there was silence.
Over the last six months, Titan has brought Howard's characters back in new pastiches written by major, established writers, mostly focused on the short story/novelette, again to varying degrees of success. The writing ability of the authors is never in doubt, and in some cases (such as the most recent tales by John Hocking or Brian Anderson) the authors get that Conan is as a clever as he is brutal and also, while perhaps not virtuous, has a decided compass of what is tolerably right or wrong. But of these, only Hocking's tale really has felt both ABOUT Conan, and set IN Conan's world, albeit by a new hand.
Until SHADOW of VENGEANCE.
Very, very few pastiche writers can mimic the original author's voice, and most fail terribly when they do. Robert E. Howard is particularly tricky, both as his style is at once contemporary and yet also filled with flourishes and 1920s-30s stylings that seem archaic, even purple, to modern readers; a unique fusion that was unique in the 1930s and gives his fiction such long legs. It's a raw kind of writing, perfect for the subject matter, but most writers sound...well...cheesy...trying to mimic it.
But not Scott Oden. Oden, an accomplished writer of historical fiction (see MEN OF BRONZE and MEMNON) and fantasy (GATHERING OF RAVENS) has a powerful, unique voice of his own, that was clearly *inspired* by Howard, but somehow, when writing Conan, he takes up his author's voice in a way that no one else ever has in the nearly ninety years since Howard's death, and dozens upon dozens of pastiche that have ensued. Oden writes like Howard, he understands Howard's character, his motivations and his world. Simply put, this was one of the few times that I was reading a pastiche, and though I knew that, it didn't feel like I was reading a pastiche at all.
The story itself is a continuation to DEVIL in IRON, hardly one of my favorite of the original Conan stories, other than it introduces one of his more charming sidekicks, the escaped noble woman-turned-harem-slave Olivia. Conan and Olivia are back, some months have passed, and Conan is leader of a band of kozaki raiders. Ever ambitious, Conan has a complex plan that involves allying several bands of kozaki with the pirates of the Red Brotherhood to capture a Turanian frontier port, thereby establishing a free-city and safe haven for land-raider and sea-wolf alike. Unfortunately for Conan, Olivia's former master, the Agha, may be dead, but his vizier wants vengeance and has enlisted the cult of Nine Sicari to achieve it for him...
This sort of double plot: Conan has a scheme, and unfortunately there is a counter plot in his way--possibly because of something he's previously done--is classic Howard, and frankly, I'll just say it; this is a better story than DEVIL in IRON, while pulling a few threads from it, including a similar sort of magical threat at the end. The story is a long novelette, as Howard himself often wrote, which also allows for a richer plot, more characters and plot twists. (It also was a requirement: Oden originally wrote this as a serial for 12 issues of Marvel's rebooted SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, each chapter appearing in an issue, but the story never feels padded.) My only complaint is that, while drawn into a major plot hook, Olivia herself promptly disappears from the story and then pops in again at the end. While far from a Belit or Valeria, the strong warrior women Howard introduced, she's a fun character and it might have been nice if she'd had a bit more to do than run afoul of sorcery to advance the plot.
Nevertheless, this is hands down the best of the new fiction Titan has released to date, and one of the best pieces of Conan pastiche, ever. It feels like it fits in his chronology, has a story worth telling, and was written by the original author. What more can you ask?
Suggestion to Titan: If you are going to launch your novella/novel projects, tap Oden.
Over the years, you've been exposed to a LOT of Conan pastiche. Most was initially by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, rewriting Howard's unfinished or unpublished non-Conan stories as Conan stories, to varied affect (come quite good) and then adding a few of their own, most less so (though Carter's "Thing in the Crypt," pulled right from the Sagas, is pretty seminal.) In the 80s, the pastiche switched to novel-length stories, mostly penned by Robert Jordan, who could tell a great tale but was better at depicting his collection of recurring characters than Conan, whose character he never quite got and John Maddox Roberts, who certainly did, but mostly used Conan as a vehicle as a way to write homages to other classic pulp tales, from "King Solomon's Mines" to "the Maltese Falcon", and then a collection of writers, all of varying degrees. Then, there was silence.
Over the last six months, Titan has brought Howard's characters back in new pastiches written by major, established writers, mostly focused on the short story/novelette, again to varying degrees of success. The writing ability of the authors is never in doubt, and in some cases (such as the most recent tales by John Hocking or Brian Anderson) the authors get that Conan is as a clever as he is brutal and also, while perhaps not virtuous, has a decided compass of what is tolerably right or wrong. But of these, only Hocking's tale really has felt both ABOUT Conan, and set IN Conan's world, albeit by a new hand.
Until SHADOW of VENGEANCE.
Very, very few pastiche writers can mimic the original author's voice, and most fail terribly when they do. Robert E. Howard is particularly tricky, both as his style is at once contemporary and yet also filled with flourishes and 1920s-30s stylings that seem archaic, even purple, to modern readers; a unique fusion that was unique in the 1930s and gives his fiction such long legs. It's a raw kind of writing, perfect for the subject matter, but most writers sound...well...cheesy...trying to mimic it.
But not Scott Oden. Oden, an accomplished writer of historical fiction (see MEN OF BRONZE and MEMNON) and fantasy (GATHERING OF RAVENS) has a powerful, unique voice of his own, that was clearly *inspired* by Howard, but somehow, when writing Conan, he takes up his author's voice in a way that no one else ever has in the nearly ninety years since Howard's death, and dozens upon dozens of pastiche that have ensued. Oden writes like Howard, he understands Howard's character, his motivations and his world. Simply put, this was one of the few times that I was reading a pastiche, and though I knew that, it didn't feel like I was reading a pastiche at all.
The story itself is a continuation to DEVIL in IRON, hardly one of my favorite of the original Conan stories, other than it introduces one of his more charming sidekicks, the escaped noble woman-turned-harem-slave Olivia. Conan and Olivia are back, some months have passed, and Conan is leader of a band of kozaki raiders. Ever ambitious, Conan has a complex plan that involves allying several bands of kozaki with the pirates of the Red Brotherhood to capture a Turanian frontier port, thereby establishing a free-city and safe haven for land-raider and sea-wolf alike. Unfortunately for Conan, Olivia's former master, the Agha, may be dead, but his vizier wants vengeance and has enlisted the cult of Nine Sicari to achieve it for him...
This sort of double plot: Conan has a scheme, and unfortunately there is a counter plot in his way--possibly because of something he's previously done--is classic Howard, and frankly, I'll just say it; this is a better story than DEVIL in IRON, while pulling a few threads from it, including a similar sort of magical threat at the end. The story is a long novelette, as Howard himself often wrote, which also allows for a richer plot, more characters and plot twists. (It also was a requirement: Oden originally wrote this as a serial for 12 issues of Marvel's rebooted SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, each chapter appearing in an issue, but the story never feels padded.) My only complaint is that, while drawn into a major plot hook, Olivia herself promptly disappears from the story and then pops in again at the end. While far from a Belit or Valeria, the strong warrior women Howard introduced, she's a fun character and it might have been nice if she'd had a bit more to do than run afoul of sorcery to advance the plot.
Nevertheless, this is hands down the best of the new fiction Titan has released to date, and one of the best pieces of Conan pastiche, ever. It feels like it fits in his chronology, has a story worth telling, and was written by the original author. What more can you ask?
Suggestion to Titan: If you are going to launch your novella/novel projects, tap Oden.
February 2, 2024
"Conan: The Shadow of Vengeance" by Scott Oden is a remarkable addition to the Conan saga, originally serialized in Marvel Comics' Savage Sword of Conan V2, #1 – 12, in 2019. My first encounter with this story left such a profound impression that I felt compelled to reach out to Oden himself, praising his mastery in capturing the essence of Conan. This encounter also led me to delve into Oden's other works, including his excellent Grimnir trilogy, solidifying my respect for his storytelling prowess.
Now, Titan Books breathed new life into this epic tale, including it in The Heroic Legends e-book series, allowing me to experience Conan's adventure anew. The anticipation for a print collection grows, highlighting the story's lasting impact and its significance to the Conan lore.
Set three months after Robert E. Howard's "The Devil in Iron," "Conan: The Shadow of Vengeance" diverges from conventional narratives by spotlighting the antagonist, Ghaznavi, the regent of Khawarizm, from the onset. The story introduces "The Nine," acolytes of the god of death, embroiled in a deadly pact to assassinate Conan, now leading the Zaporoskan kozaks. This tale intricately weaves political intrigue, faithful alliances, and Conan's unmatched prowess, with characters like Octavia playing pivotal roles in the unfolding drama.
What sets Scott Oden apart in the realm of pastiches is his uncanny ability to channel Howard's spirit while injecting his unique voice, making "The Shadow of Vengeance" a standout among recent Conan e-books and physical publications from Titan. Oden's respect for Howard's creation is evident on every page, balancing homage with originality, ensuring that Conan's legacy is both honored and expanded.
As someone deeply entrenched in the lore and legacy of Robert E. Howard, I've encountered numerous interpretations of Conan. Yet, Scott Oden has unequivocally convinced me of the potential for Howard's torch to be carried forward with integrity. "Conan: The Shadow of Vengeance" is not just a testament to Oden's understanding of the Hyborian Age but a benchmark for future Conan stories, affirming that the legendary barbarian's adventures are in capable hands.
In conclusion, "Conan: The Shadow of Vengeance" is a must-read for enthusiasts of the genre, offering a fresh yet faithful take on the Cimmerian's indomitable spirit. Scott Oden's rendition is a masterclass in storytelling, ensuring that both new readers and hardcore fans of Howard's work will find something to cherish.
Now, Titan Books breathed new life into this epic tale, including it in The Heroic Legends e-book series, allowing me to experience Conan's adventure anew. The anticipation for a print collection grows, highlighting the story's lasting impact and its significance to the Conan lore.
Set three months after Robert E. Howard's "The Devil in Iron," "Conan: The Shadow of Vengeance" diverges from conventional narratives by spotlighting the antagonist, Ghaznavi, the regent of Khawarizm, from the onset. The story introduces "The Nine," acolytes of the god of death, embroiled in a deadly pact to assassinate Conan, now leading the Zaporoskan kozaks. This tale intricately weaves political intrigue, faithful alliances, and Conan's unmatched prowess, with characters like Octavia playing pivotal roles in the unfolding drama.
What sets Scott Oden apart in the realm of pastiches is his uncanny ability to channel Howard's spirit while injecting his unique voice, making "The Shadow of Vengeance" a standout among recent Conan e-books and physical publications from Titan. Oden's respect for Howard's creation is evident on every page, balancing homage with originality, ensuring that Conan's legacy is both honored and expanded.
As someone deeply entrenched in the lore and legacy of Robert E. Howard, I've encountered numerous interpretations of Conan. Yet, Scott Oden has unequivocally convinced me of the potential for Howard's torch to be carried forward with integrity. "Conan: The Shadow of Vengeance" is not just a testament to Oden's understanding of the Hyborian Age but a benchmark for future Conan stories, affirming that the legendary barbarian's adventures are in capable hands.
In conclusion, "Conan: The Shadow of Vengeance" is a must-read for enthusiasts of the genre, offering a fresh yet faithful take on the Cimmerian's indomitable spirit. Scott Oden's rendition is a masterclass in storytelling, ensuring that both new readers and hardcore fans of Howard's work will find something to cherish.
November 13, 2025
"Be overcome by justice."
Though Oden doesn't read like Howard (not a negative), Conan's character seems pretty much to be Conan. I could have used more action but the brutality of one death, the showdown between formidable factions, the horror of mimicry, and the blazing fury seen multiple times from the burning blue eyes of Conan definitely made it a page-turner. I also encourage reading, for free, Oden's rendition of a legend that involves the Golden Fleece of King Aeëtes, a quick tale of betrayal, vengeance, and rich mythology, where even if time moves on, the bones remember Love and Vengeance: The Bones Remember. Told well, it opens the door for more of the like.
Bèlit
Bone Whispers by Michael Stackpole 3/5
Shipwrecked by V. Castro 3/5
Bèlit & Conan
Terror from the Abyss by Henry Herz 3/5
Bran Mak Morn
Red Waves of Slaughter by Steven L. Shrewsbury 3/5
Conan
Black Starlight by John C. Hocking 5/5
The Child by Brian D. Anderson 4/5
Halls of Immortal Darkness by Laird Barron 3/5
Lethal Consignment by Shaun Hamill 3/5
Lord of the Mount by Stephen Graham Jones 4/5
Shadow of Vengeance by Scott Oden 4/5
El Borak
The Siege of Lamakan by James Lovegrove 4/5
Kull & Brule if you know what's good for you
The Talons of Deep Time by Francesco Dimitri 5/5
Solomon Kane
Banquet of Souls by Steven Savile 4/5
The Hound of God by Jonathan Maberry 5/5
Though Oden doesn't read like Howard (not a negative), Conan's character seems pretty much to be Conan. I could have used more action but the brutality of one death, the showdown between formidable factions, the horror of mimicry, and the blazing fury seen multiple times from the burning blue eyes of Conan definitely made it a page-turner. I also encourage reading, for free, Oden's rendition of a legend that involves the Golden Fleece of King Aeëtes, a quick tale of betrayal, vengeance, and rich mythology, where even if time moves on, the bones remember Love and Vengeance: The Bones Remember. Told well, it opens the door for more of the like.
Bèlit
Bone Whispers by Michael Stackpole 3/5
Shipwrecked by V. Castro 3/5
Bèlit & Conan
Terror from the Abyss by Henry Herz 3/5
Bran Mak Morn
Red Waves of Slaughter by Steven L. Shrewsbury 3/5
Conan
Black Starlight by John C. Hocking 5/5
The Child by Brian D. Anderson 4/5
Halls of Immortal Darkness by Laird Barron 3/5
Lethal Consignment by Shaun Hamill 3/5
Lord of the Mount by Stephen Graham Jones 4/5
Shadow of Vengeance by Scott Oden 4/5
El Borak
The Siege of Lamakan by James Lovegrove 4/5
Kull & Brule if you know what's good for you
The Talons of Deep Time by Francesco Dimitri 5/5
Solomon Kane
Banquet of Souls by Steven Savile 4/5
The Hound of God by Jonathan Maberry 5/5
February 11, 2024
Am I the only one who likes certain things so much that I almost keep myself from continuing just because I don't want it to end? I played the Witcher 3 and loved it so much that it took years for me to beat the expansions, just because I wanted to prolong my enjoyment as much as possible. I still haven't beaten the story of Skyrim for the same reason. And here we have yet another author continuing off from my favorite author of all time, Robert E. Howard, and he does such a great job. Scott Oden purposely studied and mastered Howard's style, but in his own unique way. He is Oden, not Howard, but the similarities are so meaningful that it makes me feel like a parched wanderer in the desert who has just found his oasis. And what a tropical paradise this oasis is! To continue the metaphor, I drink to be sated but am terrified of using up all the water. This doesn't come often, folks. This is a once in a lifetime kind of author. Yes there are other prose ports like Patrick Rothfuss, but he can't even finish his own trilogy. Scott Oden finished an entire fantasy trilogy about an orc viking, with all manner of swords and sorcery in it. It's a pagan nordic Conan. I can't speak highly enough of this and all of Scott's tales. I have no biases other than I appreciate great writing and especially fantasy with a historic bend.
Can't wait to see what else is on Scott's horizon, because I will be reading it!
Can't wait to see what else is on Scott's horizon, because I will be reading it!
February 3, 2024
Enjoyed this read very much. First off, Scott has a great vocabulary that he draws on. He uses a great variety of words that I had to look up (Kindle was a plus in this regards) but they were not used gratuitously to show off. They were right on the mark. Second, while I have not fixed in my mind how Conan really speaks in my mind ( have not read enough of them and the ones I remember reading early on, did not have a lot of speaking that I remember), I think the dialogue in the story is not how I imagine him sounding but it definitely was not bad and fit well into the story. But again. I am not sure what the Conan in my imagination should sound like. This was not quite it. Third, I liked seeing him negotiate with the other people and the interactions of the story are good. Finally, I have some of his books on the kindle and looking forward to getting into those just from what I have seen from this story.
February 1, 2024
Note-perfect Howardia
Scott Oden does a meticulous job of writing not just a Conan story, but a Robert E. Howard Conan story. Mimicking voice that closely, while still creating original visuals and trying new things, is tricky business.
Scott Oden does a meticulous job of writing not just a Conan story, but a Robert E. Howard Conan story. Mimicking voice that closely, while still creating original visuals and trying new things, is tricky business.
August 15, 2024
I'd read good things about this Conan pastiche story by Scott Oden. Comments have been made about the quality of the actual story and the prose being very similar in style to REH himself. Overall I concur, the story is really good and has some standout moments, I highly recommend it. Oden does a very good job of writing in Robert E.Howard 'style', but in fairness & its no criticism, it doesn't for me equal the best of Howard's prose style...but as stated, he does a great job. I hope Scott Oden has another Conan tale or two planned.
February 1, 2024
I wrote a fantastic review of this on Amazon when I finished the kindle, which it appears will take as much as "several days" to post.
To recapd: this is a perfect Conan pastiche. This is not superhero Conan, or action movie Conan, this is pulp Conan the way REH wrote him, by an author who has not just read Conan, but knows his roots. This is not the flimsy painted backdrop that the Hyborian Age so often ends up as, but the Hyborian Age rooted in history as the pulp writers knew it.
This is not 'monster of the week' Conan. The monster is cool and all, but you could edit that out and this plot and it's characters still work. It is, without doubt, the closest to REH you're going to get and one hopes that Oden gets a novel length crack at this character.
In continuing conversation, it was pointed out to me that at heart Conan, as written by REH, is historical adventure with a patina of sorcery or a monster. It's fantasy, but that's not it's heart. Unfortunately that bit gets lost by most who write Conan. Not sure what the TOR editors were going for back in the heyday of the Conan pastiche, but it wasn't historical adventure.
To recapd: this is a perfect Conan pastiche. This is not superhero Conan, or action movie Conan, this is pulp Conan the way REH wrote him, by an author who has not just read Conan, but knows his roots. This is not the flimsy painted backdrop that the Hyborian Age so often ends up as, but the Hyborian Age rooted in history as the pulp writers knew it.
This is not 'monster of the week' Conan. The monster is cool and all, but you could edit that out and this plot and it's characters still work. It is, without doubt, the closest to REH you're going to get and one hopes that Oden gets a novel length crack at this character.
In continuing conversation, it was pointed out to me that at heart Conan, as written by REH, is historical adventure with a patina of sorcery or a monster. It's fantasy, but that's not it's heart. Unfortunately that bit gets lost by most who write Conan. Not sure what the TOR editors were going for back in the heyday of the Conan pastiche, but it wasn't historical adventure.
February 3, 2024
One of the best Conan pastiche stories
Oden’s “The Shadow of Vengeance” is one of the best Conan pastiche stories ever written. The story takes place just after “The Devil in Iron.” Diabolical schemes from an old enemy challenge Conan’s plans for conquest. The story is filled with intrigue, action, fell sorcery, and a very memorable foe. Oden matches Robert E. Howard’s penchant for explosive action and paints vivid scenes with an extensive vocabulary (tatterdemalion or gravid silence, for instance). A fantasy of mine would be for Oden’s “The Shadow of Vengeance” be paired with John C. Hocking’s “Black Starlight” in a pocket paperback flipped like an Ace Double. Add some cover art by Rob De La Torre and it would be perfect. An alternative almost as good would be a pocket paperback of REH’s “The Devil in Iron” paired with Oden’s “The Shadow of Vengeance.”
Oden’s “The Shadow of Vengeance” is one of the best Conan pastiche stories ever written. The story takes place just after “The Devil in Iron.” Diabolical schemes from an old enemy challenge Conan’s plans for conquest. The story is filled with intrigue, action, fell sorcery, and a very memorable foe. Oden matches Robert E. Howard’s penchant for explosive action and paints vivid scenes with an extensive vocabulary (tatterdemalion or gravid silence, for instance). A fantasy of mine would be for Oden’s “The Shadow of Vengeance” be paired with John C. Hocking’s “Black Starlight” in a pocket paperback flipped like an Ace Double. Add some cover art by Rob De La Torre and it would be perfect. An alternative almost as good would be a pocket paperback of REH’s “The Devil in Iron” paired with Oden’s “The Shadow of Vengeance.”
March 17, 2024
Reads Like a Lost REH story
Scott Oden's The Shadow of Vengeance is as close as you'll get to a Conan tale written by Howard. Odean's prose and style immerse the reader in the struggle. Your muscles will bunch, your jaw will clench, feeling each sword thrust and cut.
The characterization is spot-on, the plot is tight, and the conclusion *chef's kiss*.
Highly recommended to those who enjoy S&S.
Scott Oden's The Shadow of Vengeance is as close as you'll get to a Conan tale written by Howard. Odean's prose and style immerse the reader in the struggle. Your muscles will bunch, your jaw will clench, feeling each sword thrust and cut.
The characterization is spot-on, the plot is tight, and the conclusion *chef's kiss*.
Highly recommended to those who enjoy S&S.
February 5, 2024
Captures the Howardian spirit
Oden’s prose captures the verve and thunder of Howard’s prose in a way that few pastiches do. It helps that he picks up the threads of an original Howard tale. I am hoping for more Conan tales by Oden!
Oden’s prose captures the verve and thunder of Howard’s prose in a way that few pastiches do. It helps that he picks up the threads of an original Howard tale. I am hoping for more Conan tales by Oden!
January 31, 2024
As far as non Howard Conan stories go this is really good. Picks up a lot towards the end
February 9, 2024
An excellent pastiche. Oden really captures the voice Conan, who sounds exactly like himself (a quality that is often missing from post-REH stories).
February 11, 2024
This is the 5th Heroic Legend series novella from Titan. Best of the stories so far.
February 19, 2024
loved it
Scott Oden channeled Robert E Howard better than I thought imaginable.
I look for more pastiches of Conan and his other characters in the future.
Scott Oden channeled Robert E Howard better than I thought imaginable.
I look for more pastiches of Conan and his other characters in the future.
June 12, 2024
Vengeance goes both ways
Ghaznavi wants vengeance against Conan, so he hires a master of the black arts to complete the task, but even the best laid plans don't always go correctly.
A well written short story and a definite read for not only Conan fans, but also those that enjoy sword and sorcery.
So, sit back, relax, and enjoy.
Ghaznavi wants vengeance against Conan, so he hires a master of the black arts to complete the task, but even the best laid plans don't always go correctly.
A well written short story and a definite read for not only Conan fans, but also those that enjoy sword and sorcery.
So, sit back, relax, and enjoy.
February 14, 2024
Great Conan!
Scott Oden really seems to appreciate R. E. Howards Conan. This book almost feels like it could have been written by Howard himself. The author's individual abilities do shine through though. This is no attempt to blindly mimic Howard's style. Highly recommended.
Scott Oden really seems to appreciate R. E. Howards Conan. This book almost feels like it could have been written by Howard himself. The author's individual abilities do shine through though. This is no attempt to blindly mimic Howard's style. Highly recommended.
February 21, 2024
The Shadow of Vengeance is a fantastic homage to Robert E. Howard and at the same time, manages to carve out an identity of its own. Oden prose and Howard's share the same color - purple. There are "cur", "dogs", and reivers and dromons aplenty, but Oden's Conan is very much his own, and not a blind imitation of Howard's. Oden makes his Conan a master strategist, foreshadowing his eventual ascension to the throne of Aquilonia. Oden's villains, a cabal of sorcerer-assassins, are downright psycopathic; their modus operandi reminded me of The Changeling.
Oden excels at pacing. The novella proceeds at breakneck speed, with nary a moment for the reader to catch their breath. The 12 chapters are packed with action, skullduggery, sorcery, and betrayal. And worldbuilding.
Oden stakes his claim to his own tiny corner of the Hyborian world and develops the hell out it. In these 12 chapters we see the decadence of Khwarizm, the frontier-town lawless-ness of Djerda, the team dynamics of the Zaporoskan kozaks, and the hierarchy and strategy-sessions of the Red Brotherhood pirates.
A fantastic addition to the Conan mythos. Highly recommended. Hope Titan commissions Oden to write more Conan stories.
Oden excels at pacing. The novella proceeds at breakneck speed, with nary a moment for the reader to catch their breath. The 12 chapters are packed with action, skullduggery, sorcery, and betrayal. And worldbuilding.
Oden stakes his claim to his own tiny corner of the Hyborian world and develops the hell out it. In these 12 chapters we see the decadence of Khwarizm, the frontier-town lawless-ness of Djerda, the team dynamics of the Zaporoskan kozaks, and the hierarchy and strategy-sessions of the Red Brotherhood pirates.
A fantastic addition to the Conan mythos. Highly recommended. Hope Titan commissions Oden to write more Conan stories.
January 20, 2025
Scott Oden's grasp on Conan's character is perfect. For the first time when reading an REH pastiche, I could see the character as Frazetta painted him, and hear Conan's voice in my head as I hear it when I read Robert E. Howard's writing.
The story was bold, with multiple forms of vengeance unfolding throughout. Scott Oden made Octavia come to life as well, a likeable companion in the story who helped move the plot along.
The sorcery was dark and horrifying and the scenes of violence were gripping.
Titan Books would do well to hire Scott Oden to carry on REH's legacy for them, instead of the current practice of farming it out all over the place. I think consistency would be better, and Scott Oden is consistent, and could credibly write all of REH's characters. When Robert Jordan died, his heirs hired Brandon Sanderson to carry on - they didn't farm each new book out to someone different. When VC Andrews passed, they hired Andrew Neiderman to carry on, instead of farming it out to a variety of genre writers. I think the Conan brand would do well to ask Scott Oden to be the guy who carries on where REH left off, and stop the practice of multiple authors (of varying quality) writing the books.
The story was bold, with multiple forms of vengeance unfolding throughout. Scott Oden made Octavia come to life as well, a likeable companion in the story who helped move the plot along.
The sorcery was dark and horrifying and the scenes of violence were gripping.
Titan Books would do well to hire Scott Oden to carry on REH's legacy for them, instead of the current practice of farming it out all over the place. I think consistency would be better, and Scott Oden is consistent, and could credibly write all of REH's characters. When Robert Jordan died, his heirs hired Brandon Sanderson to carry on - they didn't farm each new book out to someone different. When VC Andrews passed, they hired Andrew Neiderman to carry on, instead of farming it out to a variety of genre writers. I think the Conan brand would do well to ask Scott Oden to be the guy who carries on where REH left off, and stop the practice of multiple authors (of varying quality) writing the books.
May 7, 2025
This is my third read of the new short fiction Conan tales by various authors. While the previous stories by Laird Barron and Stephan Graham Jones were entertaining, I unfortunately found this story lacking the essential grim grit, feverish action and gripping plot of REH stories as well as the previous two. Not a bad Conan tale by any means and it dovetails nicely into the storylines established by REH; yet it lacked that irresistible gravity to pull me into the story. Still, if you're a Conan you may find it a good read.
More at my blog: https://bookworminthedark.blogspot.com.
More at my blog: https://bookworminthedark.blogspot.com.
January 23, 2025
Pretty good Conan
The first third or so drags with clunky, overstuffed exposition, but once everything finds its way together, it's a fun ride with clever intrigue (that actually managed to catch me off guard a couple times), some solid swashbuckling, and one of the more vividly imaginative climactic supernatural monster-battles I've seen in quite a while. The author captures Conan's personality pretty well, and has a bit of fun with fan-service in-jokes without overdoing it.
The first third or so drags with clunky, overstuffed exposition, but once everything finds its way together, it's a fun ride with clever intrigue (that actually managed to catch me off guard a couple times), some solid swashbuckling, and one of the more vividly imaginative climactic supernatural monster-battles I've seen in quite a while. The author captures Conan's personality pretty well, and has a bit of fun with fan-service in-jokes without overdoing it.
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