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Robert Jordan's Conan Novels #4-6 omnibus
The Conan Chronicles 2
Before Robert Jordan conquered the bestseller lists with his phenomenally successful Wheel of Time series, he revived the legendary fantasy hero, Conan the Cimmerian. These widely acclaimed adventures introduced the world-famous barbarian to a new generation of readers. This volume contains three tales, CONAN THE DESTROYER, CONAN THE MAGNIFICENT and CONAN THE TRIUMPHANT, all of which feature the storytelling magic and epic splendour that have made Robert Jordan one of the best-loved fantasy authors of all time. This edition also contains CONAN THE a history of Conan and his times, by L. Sprague de Camp.
864 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Robert Jordan
679 books17.7k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the names Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.
Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He served two tours in Vietnam (from 1968 to 1970) with the United States Army as a helicopter gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with "V" and bronze oak leaf cluster, and two Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with palm. After returning from Vietnam he attended The Citadel where he received an undergraduate degree in physics. After graduating he was employed by the United States Navy as a nuclear engineer. He began writing in 1977. He was a history buff and enjoyed hunting, fishing, sailing, poker, chess, pool, and pipe collecting.
He described himself as a "High Church" Episcopalian and received communion more than once a week. He lived with his wife Harriet McDougal, who works as a book editor (currently with Tor Books; she was also Jordan's editor) in a house built in 1797.
Responding to queries on the similarity of some of the concepts in his Wheel of Time books with Freemasonry concepts, Jordan admitted that he was a Freemason. However, "like his father and grandfather," he preferred not to advertise, possibly because of the negative propaganda against Freemasonry. In his own words, "no man in this country should feel in danger because of his beliefs."
On March 23, 2006, Jordan disclosed in a statement that he had been diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, and that with treatment, his median life expectancy was four years, though he said he intended to beat the statistics. He later posted on his Dragonmount blog to encourage his fans not to worry about him and that he intended to have a long and fully creative life.
He began chemotherapy treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in early April 2006. Jordan was enrolled in a study using the drug Revlimid just approved for multiple myeloma but not yet tested on primary amyloidosis.
Jordan died at approximately 2:45 p.m. EDT on September 16, 2007, and a funeral service was held for him on Wednesday, September 19, 2007. Jordan was cremated and his ashes buried in the churchyard of St. James Church in Goose Creek, outside Charleston.
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the names Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.
Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He served two tours in Vietnam (from 1968 to 1970) with the United States Army as a helicopter gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with "V" and bronze oak leaf cluster, and two Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with palm. After returning from Vietnam he attended The Citadel where he received an undergraduate degree in physics. After graduating he was employed by the United States Navy as a nuclear engineer. He began writing in 1977. He was a history buff and enjoyed hunting, fishing, sailing, poker, chess, pool, and pipe collecting.
He described himself as a "High Church" Episcopalian and received communion more than once a week. He lived with his wife Harriet McDougal, who works as a book editor (currently with Tor Books; she was also Jordan's editor) in a house built in 1797.
Responding to queries on the similarity of some of the concepts in his Wheel of Time books with Freemasonry concepts, Jordan admitted that he was a Freemason. However, "like his father and grandfather," he preferred not to advertise, possibly because of the negative propaganda against Freemasonry. In his own words, "no man in this country should feel in danger because of his beliefs."
On March 23, 2006, Jordan disclosed in a statement that he had been diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, and that with treatment, his median life expectancy was four years, though he said he intended to beat the statistics. He later posted on his Dragonmount blog to encourage his fans not to worry about him and that he intended to have a long and fully creative life.
He began chemotherapy treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in early April 2006. Jordan was enrolled in a study using the drug Revlimid just approved for multiple myeloma but not yet tested on primary amyloidosis.
Jordan died at approximately 2:45 p.m. EDT on September 16, 2007, and a funeral service was held for him on Wednesday, September 19, 2007. Jordan was cremated and his ashes buried in the churchyard of St. James Church in Goose Creek, outside Charleston.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 24, 2017
By the power of pastiche - no wait, wrong scantily clad muscle man. That's the problem with pastiches sometimes; they can end up as a pastiche of a whole range of things, rather than the original subject matter. Jordan's Conan often reminds me a bit more of James Bond than actual Conan. Not that there is a huge difference mind; just this Conan seems a little more concerned with hedonism compared to survival sat next to Howard's Conan, who frequently interacted less than people. Or so my memory says.
But who cares. This is Red Blooded Entertainment TM and two of the three stories in this book satisfy greatly. Swords are clashed, skulls are cleaved, round-breasted ladies set to crying out, and great evil averted by Conan's steel like sinews and iron honour. The action is frequent and the prose more purple than Nero's wardrobe. Huzzah. Conan the Triumphant is a fun romp through the hills enlivened by watching our hero try to balance the company of having two lovelies seeking to bonk his brains out in close proximity. Conan the Magnificent is a good mix of intrigue and mad devil worshipping cults.
And there's Conan the Destroyer, the novelisation of a movie where people just wanted to be paid by an author that just wanted to be paid. I could be wrong there but it sure didn't feel so. Apparently the first two appear in a compendium with a different story - that's what I'd buy instead of this with my time again. And I would buy this again. These stories don't quite measure up to Howard's originals, but their human slant and up to date prose makes them worthwhile in their own right. If you like this sort of thing, that is.
But who cares. This is Red Blooded Entertainment TM and two of the three stories in this book satisfy greatly. Swords are clashed, skulls are cleaved, round-breasted ladies set to crying out, and great evil averted by Conan's steel like sinews and iron honour. The action is frequent and the prose more purple than Nero's wardrobe. Huzzah. Conan the Triumphant is a fun romp through the hills enlivened by watching our hero try to balance the company of having two lovelies seeking to bonk his brains out in close proximity. Conan the Magnificent is a good mix of intrigue and mad devil worshipping cults.
And there's Conan the Destroyer, the novelisation of a movie where people just wanted to be paid by an author that just wanted to be paid. I could be wrong there but it sure didn't feel so. Apparently the first two appear in a compendium with a different story - that's what I'd buy instead of this with my time again. And I would buy this again. These stories don't quite measure up to Howard's originals, but their human slant and up to date prose makes them worthwhile in their own right. If you like this sort of thing, that is.
January 28, 2021
I only read the first book in this omnibus and the first 70 pages or so of the second book before I decided not to continue. I haven't read the Wheel of Time but I'm guessing its a thousand times better than this. The writing is simplistic, which isn't the problem. The problem is everything else. Mainly the treatment of women. Clearly the older stories mistreated women because they're old, and I guess that's what Robert Jordan was going for here, which is fine, but if you're going to use an outdated trope in a more modern story, you need to criticise it.
If a Lovecraftian style horror story addressed Lovecraft's racism by being racist, it wouldn't really work, would it? You need to directly criticise the racism, otherwise you're just doing exactly what Lovecraft did 95 years ago.
Anyway, I've read plenty of books with outdated morals before, but this one grated me more than most, simply because the hero was such a prick. It wasn't just sexist, it had its protagonist sexually assault women and portrayed it as no more than a funny little comedic scene, which I couldn't stand.
Also all the villains in the first book wore turbans, had dark skin, and were monstrous savages, which kind of made me uncomfortable but that's okay.
Actually no it's not okay, don't read this book.
If a Lovecraftian style horror story addressed Lovecraft's racism by being racist, it wouldn't really work, would it? You need to directly criticise the racism, otherwise you're just doing exactly what Lovecraft did 95 years ago.
Anyway, I've read plenty of books with outdated morals before, but this one grated me more than most, simply because the hero was such a prick. It wasn't just sexist, it had its protagonist sexually assault women and portrayed it as no more than a funny little comedic scene, which I couldn't stand.
Also all the villains in the first book wore turbans, had dark skin, and were monstrous savages, which kind of made me uncomfortable but that's okay.
Actually no it's not okay, don't read this book.
August 29, 2026
This is the second volume of the Conan Chronicles by Robert Jordan. Not surprisingly it is astonishingly similar to the first.
The book basically consists of 3 150 - 200 page novels in which Conan is pitted against sages and wizards with only his sword and sandals (and a horse) but in well written, great fun and sometimes quite gory detail he manages to save the world from the evil of the sorcerers and save the girl as well!
Conan himself is developed as a character to some degree, although he is impossibly manly, and some of the characters are also quite well developed which actually makes for quite an interesting read. My only complaint was that after the first two stories there came an 'interlude' in which someone had written a history of Conan through the published novels. This was at best vaguely interesting but this was followed by the third story which I am certain was not written by Robert Jordan because it was much tamer and in consequence not quite to the standard of Jordan's work (assuming you like 'untamed' novels!!)
The best and easiest way to describe these books is that Conan is John Wayne in a sword and sandals era, beholden to no man and always riding off into the sunset after saving the now besotted girl.
The book basically consists of 3 150 - 200 page novels in which Conan is pitted against sages and wizards with only his sword and sandals (and a horse) but in well written, great fun and sometimes quite gory detail he manages to save the world from the evil of the sorcerers and save the girl as well!
Conan himself is developed as a character to some degree, although he is impossibly manly, and some of the characters are also quite well developed which actually makes for quite an interesting read. My only complaint was that after the first two stories there came an 'interlude' in which someone had written a history of Conan through the published novels. This was at best vaguely interesting but this was followed by the third story which I am certain was not written by Robert Jordan because it was much tamer and in consequence not quite to the standard of Jordan's work (assuming you like 'untamed' novels!!)
The best and easiest way to describe these books is that Conan is John Wayne in a sword and sandals era, beholden to no man and always riding off into the sunset after saving the now besotted girl.
April 24, 2026
Well classic sword & sorcery, with evil wizards, scantily clad princesses, horrible monsters, glittering treasuries.
Jordan can put the mood right, sometimes really make it suspensful. But also very messy, with blood, killings and human sacrifices to evil gods.
The last two stories, Conan the triumphant and Conan the destroyer (made on the movie) is really very alike in storyline structure.
Something to read in the Summer and in the hammock.
Jordan can put the mood right, sometimes really make it suspensful. But also very messy, with blood, killings and human sacrifices to evil gods.
The last two stories, Conan the triumphant and Conan the destroyer (made on the movie) is really very alike in storyline structure.
Something to read in the Summer and in the hammock.
May 11, 2026
A great read
This was a great read full of action and adventure.It's a must read from any fan of Conan. ALthough it's not going to win any literary prizes I loved it .It is nearly but not quite as good as Howard's work even though there were some mistakes in the kindle addition it didn't detract from the excellent storytelling. I found all the stories in these chronicles very enjoyable and would highly recommend them .
This was a great read full of action and adventure.It's a must read from any fan of Conan. ALthough it's not going to win any literary prizes I loved it .It is nearly but not quite as good as Howard's work even though there were some mistakes in the kindle addition it didn't detract from the excellent storytelling. I found all the stories in these chronicles very enjoyable and would highly recommend them .
May 10, 2023
I loved Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, but this book I found to be extremely dated, violent and sexist. I skimmed it really, and got all I wanted to know of the stories.
May 17, 2008
While not a fan of Pastiches, myself. I really enjoy how the Late Great Robert Jordan has retold REH's Cimmerian and with almost as much intensity. For any fan of Conan stories, especially if you have read the original tales too many times to count! Jordan's Conan, travels the roads in Hyboria with no less of a lust for bloodshed nor hunger for damsels in distress!! A must read.
May 30, 2010
I read this stuff because I like it, not because it is good by any of the standards that the literature police or the pc busybodies would apply.
If you would like an opinion on Robert Jordan's Conan books in general see my review of Conan the Destroyer. In fairness to Mr. Jordan, I have never read any of his non-Conan stuff so I am unqualified to opine about his general efforts as a writer.
If you would like an opinion on Robert Jordan's Conan books in general see my review of Conan the Destroyer. In fairness to Mr. Jordan, I have never read any of his non-Conan stuff so I am unqualified to opine about his general efforts as a writer.
Read
December 31, 2005Contains Conan The Magnificent, Conan The Triumphant and Conan The Destroyer. Original stories by Jordan.
April 10, 2013
Loved the Wheel of Time, Cheyenne Raiders and The Fallon Blood.
Didn't love Conan... I guess its just too much on the swords and sorcery side of the genre for me. Too many empty calories I guess.
Didn't love Conan... I guess its just too much on the swords and sorcery side of the genre for me. Too many empty calories I guess.
July 23, 2011
Pseudonym of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. Died after a battle with a rare blood disease in 2007.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews