Конан отмъстителя

by Robert E. Howard, Björn Nyberg, Димитър Добрев (translator)

Още съвсем млад Конан напуска дивата страна Кимерия, за да започне изпълнен с невероятни приключения живот. С годините се издига до командир на аквилонската армия и тъй като с измама е заточен от краля Нумедидес, му отмъщава, убива го и заема трона му, за да стане владетел на най-могъщото хиборейско кралство.
Конан скоро открива, че да бъдеш крал, не означава да лежиш в легло от рози. Клика недоволни благородници почти успява да го убие. Кралете на Кот и Офир с измама го залавят, но той успява да се измъкне на косъм. Други врагове изваждат древен магьосник от гроба му и с помощта на този жив мъртвец разбиват аквилонската армия…
Междувременно Конан успява да се сдобие с прекрасна съпруга. В продължение на около година управлението му е спокойно, но после друг враг събира силите си за удар…
И тук започва тази история.

Genres: Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Fiction, Pulp, Adventure, High Fantasy, Novels

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

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

[Rodrigo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pues mi primer lectura de este 2024 ha sido de mi "colega" Conan y es que llevo unos cuantos en compañía del cimmerio y por lo que parece este tomo es el último cronológicamente hablando.
Además en el final hay un epílogo del autor, que nos cuenta como evolucionaria la tierra desde la época de Conan hasta mas o menos el mundo actual, en cuanto a los países - continentes y razas, curioso ante todo.
Bueno al lio, este tomo es continuación directa del anterior y ha sido bastante completito, el final un poco "soso" para como iba la historia, pero bueno, no ha estado mal en líneas generales.
Sinopsis: Tras haber derrotado la insidiosa conjuración de Amalric de Tor y del hechicero resurrecto Xaltotum, parece que nada ni nadie podrán apartar ya a Conan del trono de Aquilonia. Sin embargo, un nuevo enemigo, procedente a su vez del lejano oriente, rapta a su amada reina Zenobia, y para rescatarla, Conan tendrá que viajar muy lejos de su reino, y pasar por todo tipo de pruebas. Para superarlas, el cimmerio se verá obligado, por primera vez en muchos años, a invocar a Crom, dios ancestral de su tribu.
En esta venganza en la que se embarca Conan se encontrará con viejos conocidos y enemigos encarnizados,, ante los cuales toma el toro por los cuernos y finalmente se involucra de manera definitiva, antes de rescatar a su mujer. Para ello atraviesa, prácticamente de oeste a este, todo el mundo conocido, desde Aquitania hasta Khitay.
Valoración: 7/10
# 1. Un libro que tengas empezado. Reto Literario lecturas pendientes 2024.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the tenth volume of Lancer's editions of the Conan saga. (The cover has a big "8" on it, because they very confusingly numbered them in order of publication rather than setting.) L. Sprague de Camp, with the help of Lin Carter and this novel by Bjorn Nyberg, expanded Howard's original Conan stories and outline and edited them into chronological sequence in a twelve-volume series in the late 1960's-early '70's, and the controversy has never quite died off completely. Many people believe that only Howard's original versions of the complete stories are acceptable, and many believe that the Lancer series with the original Frazetta covers are canon, and then there are those who accept or reject the Bantam titles, the Jordan series (and/or/or not the other Tor titles), the comics and film and television versions, and on and on and on... They're all right and all wrong.... This Lancer series is the one I read while growing up, so I'm all for it. I can accept comics hero stories by different writers, and pulp heroes frequently had different writers under a house name, so... This one is a reprinting of the Gnome Press novel The Return of Conan from their 1950's series. A Swedish fan decided to write his own Conan story (this was before fanfic was ubiquitous; in fact, it was practically unknown), and de Camp expanded and edited it into a novella, Conan the Victorius, that was published in Fantastic Universe magazine in 1957 and then as a novel by Gnome. It's not a bad story, and a fun romp for Conan fans. It's the first of the non-Howard Conan novels, which in years to come would number in the dozens. Howard was the consummate pulp adventure writer, and I think de Camp enhanced (or at least preserved) his legacy without tarnishing it with the original Lancer books, as well as the earlier Gnome series.

[Greg Stillwagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I ever really read. I was 17 and all the reading I did before was skimming through school stuff that left be very bored and sleeping.
Then one day Johnny Treadway loans me this book ... oh my GOD!!!!!
It was like a light shined on me.. it was perfect for the 17 year old I was at the time.
When I grow up I wanna be this guy!!!
This started it all. The path to my reading and frankly my intellectualism. If it wasn't for this, I don't know who'd I be.
So rather than telling you about the plot and such, I will just say if you know a kid, or a man, or yourself, who could enjoy a HUGH dose of testosterone and a terrific adventure .... have them read this book.
Cool beans,,,,
Greg

[Петър Стойков · Rating 4 out of 5]

Какво повече може да иска човек от Конан, освен яки мъжаги, секси мацки, пиене, бой, кървища и слава?

Вече на години, с неизброими приключения зад гърба, Конан вече е станал крал - и кралството му е голямо и богато. Някакъв неприятник обаче решава да направи грешката на вечния си живот и да се ебава с непобедимия герой, пращайки демон, който отвлича жена му насред кралското празненство. Защо - не става много ясно.

Излишно е да ви казвам какво следва (то е ясно на всички), но въпреки това ще го направя, защото именно затова четем Конан: макар да ни е пределно ясно какво ще се случи, все пак държим да знаем как точно той ще разбие неизброимите врагове, как точно ще премине през различни изпитания и (в тази книга конкретно) ще срещне стари приятели, ще отмъсти на стари врагове, ще пие старо вино и за разнообразие от всичко старо, ще ебе млади булки.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conan is sitting atop his latest throne in Aquilonia, once again a king and once again with a stunningly beautiful queen by his side. Life is good, food is plentiful and times are peaceful. Until they aren't.

Within the first handful of pages, Conan's queen, Zenobia, is whisked away by a mysterious shadow which can only be the makings of a dark magician! A magician Conan must slay if he intends to bed his beauty once more!

Despite Conan's quest to save his queen from unthinkable horrors at the hands of said dark magician, he doesn't shy away from the wanton women all too willing to share their wares with him. Conan's not a one woman sort of guy - a point emphasized throughout the novel.

When he's not enjoying himself with members of the opposite sex, Conan is kicking ass and taking names on a sojourn which sees him shed blood in desert fortresses, pirate ships, ice-capped mountains, and secluded hide outs deep in the forest. He sure gets around in this one!

When all is said and done, THE RETURN OF CONAN is a stock sword and sorcery, pitched men's adventure style at pulp purists looking for an adventure dripping with blood thirsty battles and sex aplenty. While THE RETURN OF CONAN doesn't bring anything new to the table, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This review first appeared on my site: http://justaguywholikes2read.blogspot...

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a single story, set after Conan is king of Aquilonia. Zenobia, ex-slave girl & his queen, is kidnapped & he must go adventuring to save her. Lots of opportunities for him to hook up with old comrades & prove that he's not just a legend, but still has what it takes.

I didn't care for the cover art, especially his face, although the scene is actually a good one. The writing isn't as impressive as some of the other books, but all told it was a pretty good Conan story, especially for those who have read his other adventures, since they're oft referenced. There's a wonderful scene where he threatens a young gate guard to let him in or "I'll raise a horde & sack this town!" The older gate guard let's him through & cautions the younger one that just such a thing had once happened and, although he doesn't know it, by this very man!

It's a very fun read.

[Сибин Майналовски · Rating 3 out of 5]

Малко (всъщност, доста...) попретупано в края, но... на баце Конан не мога да дам по-малко :)

[Rick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of the better contributions to the early Conan, but it wasn't terrible. It's been years since I read Conan the Conqueror and it was fun to revisit the character, even if this wasn't that great of a contribution.

[Redsteve · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not written by Robert E Howard, the novella "The Return of Conan" (written by L. Sprague de Camp and Bjorn Nyberg) is a worthy addition to the Conan saga, with plenty of combat, narrow escapes, evil sorcery, and exotic locales. In some ways, the plot is similar to that of CONAN THE CONQUEROR, where Conan's quest takes him across great swaths of the Hyborian world, encountering old friends and enemies - although in this book, he's searching for his sorcerously-kidnapped wife rather than a magical McGuffin. This quest takes him back to the "Fantasy Middle East" parts of the world and eventually to Khitai (Fantasy China). In some ways, the story is a series of short stories (including encounters with the wizard Pelias - from "The Scarlet Citadel" -, King Yezdigred of Turan, the Devi Yasmina of Vendhya, and the Red Brotherhood of the Vilayet Sea) strung together by an overarching quest, but it works. My only objection is that de Camp and Nyberg seem to have forgotten everything that Howard ever wrote about Crom, the god of the Cimmerians. They have Conan praying to him and even Crom intervening in mortal matters; Howard always stated that Crom gives mankind strength to survive and does nothing else - except occasionally sending dooms, which doesn't sound like prayer granting - unless you're a masochist. Solid There is a small section written by Howard at the end of this book, "The Hyborian Age, Part 2" which describes the history of his world AFTER Conan's death, up to the beginning of recorded history. i give this book 3.5 stars.

[Athanasius · Rating 3 out of 5]

The limitations of the Goodreads rating system are highlighted by this book, which is closer to 2.5 than 3 stars.

The story begins well and hews closely to Howard's original tone, but after the mid-point mark the novel flounders, as the succession of set-piece random encounters begins to get rather dull. There is gratuitous use of Deus Ex Machina, which can be forgiven in a short story, but in a novel length work becomes extremely conspicuous, particularly when it happens in every chapter.

I think that Conan stories are solely the domain of the short story, and attempts to spin them out to novel length struggle. Whilst Conan has some depth, he is sufficiently linear to make novel length work problematic. There is also what I call the 'Voltron Syndrome' (for the eponymous children's cartoon) where no matter what foe comes along, you know that ultimately Voltron will be formed and the enemy cut into a giant V with Voltron's sword. Similarly, no matter how nefarious the enemy nor how strong or powerful they seem, you know they are no match for Conan's mighty thews and his primal instincts. It gets boring after awhile to see yet another 'big, strong, scary, tough bastard' get his ass handed to him by the barbarian without breaking a sweat. In a novel where it happens chapter after chapter it gets boring quick.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conan the Avenger is one of the best Conan pastiches I have read--and while I haven't read them all, I have read many of them, and this is certainly one of the two or three finest. The story picks up where Robert E. Howard's only full-length Conan novel (The Hour of the Dragon) breaks off, and Conan has just married the beautiful Zenobia. But Conan's newlywedded bliss is shattered when a demonic creature carries Zenobia off into the night, and Conan leaves the throne of Aquilonia to track his bride down and bring her back. But Conan has many enemies, and as word spreads that he has left his army behind on his way through one hostile territory after another, the vultures begin to circle all about him. And behind it all lurks perhaps the most diabolical sorcerer Conan has ever faced. Filled with colorful characters, exotic landscapes, and one bloody battle after another, Conan the Avenger is a incredibly exciting adventure that will hold you spellbound to the last page. Highly recommended to any and all Conan fans!

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

Most of the 'add-ins' in this series by Lin Carter and L. Sprague de Camp at least try to match Howard's style. This, to me does not, nor does the next, Conan of Aquilonia. Of course, it's really a tale by Björn Nyberg, so I suppose that explains it. I rather wish it hadn't been included in this series, but published as a stand-alone.

[Vämpiriüs · Rating 3 out of 5]

V této knize je již Conan králem byť ne úplně nejšťastnějším. Stále mu něco chybí a v tom začíná aktuální příběh. Conanovu ženu unáší totiž zlý čaroděj a tak se cimmerský barbar vydává na záchranou cestou. Opět se stává pirátem, kde svádí námořní bitvy a tak pokračuje přes dobrodružství v horách dále. Jelikož si svým způsobem v rámci spanilé jízdy připomíná krásný průřez celou svojí kariérou, dočkáte se i džungle stejně jako "ojetí" nějakého děvčete. Prostě klasický Conan šikovně lemovaný atmosférou jenž se velmi sympaticky snaží přiblížit originálním Howardovým příběhům. Za hodně šikovné bych vyzvedl množství postav a událostí, které na každém rohu odkazují na původní Conanovské příběhy.

[Jerimy Stoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a page turner if you're into a giant barbarian who cleaves heads from foes like a child cleaves heads from dandelions. I happen to be into that kind of thing, so I loved it. The action starts quickly, and there is plenty of it captured in the pages waiting for a reader to release it. This type of fiction was referred to as "Sword and Sorcery," and it lives up to its name as there is plenty of swordplay, and of course evil magi who will try their craft to thwart the nearly invincible giant.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun sword and sorcery romp. Though mainly a pastiche, the character is recognizably Conan. I highly enjoy the size of these old paperback “novels.” Readable in a day, though broken up into episodic chapters for the more aesthetically temperate. Nyberg and de Camp are no Robert E. Howard (the creator and original writer of Conan), but the story is worth reading and delivers the thrills often associated with heroic fantasy. My favorite line in the book: in a jungle with a nearby ‘dragon,’ Conan says, “Meseems this is no healthy neighborhood” (!) (p. 145).

[Gabriel Wallis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conan the Avenger (book 10) was an excellent read. After Queen Zenobia of Aquilonia gets kidnapped, King Conan does everything in his power to retrieve his bride and wage war on her captors. The book was very suspenseful and kept you wrapped up in the story. Looking forward to reading the next two Conan books, just to finish off the original series... and because I enjoy them.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the original Conan's are great reads. Always different plots.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to beat the original Conan. The character never dies... he just wanders off into unknown lands. Conan is forever.

[Stuart Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bjorn Nyberg was such a huge Conan fan that he decided to write his own Conan story despite not being a native English speaker. So he wrote a version of the Three Dog Night "Joy To The World" album, featuring Conan's greatest hits. Conan sits as king of Aquilonia when his queen is kidnapped right in front of him. This sends him on a quest to get her back which covers most of the world, and along the way Conan relives much of his previous life. He meets up with old allies like the necromancer and the cossacks; he fights old enemies like the king of Turan; he beds the Queen he once saved and again refuses her offer of marriage. Nyberg revisits most of Conan's earlier haunts north of Shem and settles some unresolved grievances, like a sort of fan fiction filled with Easter eggs. Conan stays true to character for the whole trip, and the result is one of the best Conan stories written, almost certainly the best one not written by REH that I have read. Also, Conan slays a dragon and wrestles the Abominable Snowman.

Included is the completion of the History of the Hyborean Age by Robert E. Howard. It's like a highly condensed Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, covering the post-Conan period right up to the start of the present age. Entertaining in itself, it shows how much effort REH put into his work, writing an entire world history in which to place his characters. Also it allows us to trace our ancestry back some 12000 years. Now you can brag that your people come from Cimmerian stock, or perhaps you are one of the Aesir, or Koth, or Kitaen. Or you might be a Pict, but if you don't mention it maybe no one will notice.

[Lewis Carnelian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The very first Conan pastiche, The Return of Conan, which is 90% of this book, came out in 1957, the product of one Bjorn Nyberg, a Swedish...airplane pilot? And amateur Conan historian. L. Sprague de Camp helped smooth it out. It reads like fan fiction: Conan, later in life, now ruling a kingdom, has his queen captured, and he must traverse the precedents, in Howard's Hyborean Age, of the steppes of Russia, over the Himalayas, and into China to fight an evil wizard. These are mostly episodic adventures that provide little in terms of innovation other than the attempt to incorporate these lands into the distant Conan universe.

What is interesting is the impetus of that wizard: Conan represents the coming of a New Age, and his maturation and very being constitute a threat to the World of Magic. As a result, Conan's quest represents the death of this Age, because, of course, spoiler alert: he succeeds. It is actually rather a happy ending: Conan has friends! But is interesting that this very first non-Robert E. Howard Conan story represents not some miscellany in his ever-expanding biography, but a kind of epilogue to the whole mythos. It is appropriate, therefore, to end this book with Howard's own essay "The Hyperborean Age" which details its eventual descent and destruction into the world of the Ancients we know.

Conan the Avenger is a fun, but not particularly revelatory read, but it stands as a curiosity to the realms of Sword & Sorcery: both the beginning of the pastiche and beholden formats yet to come, and an ending to that Golden Age that came both in fiction and in the real world before it. I am not ashamed to have read it.

[James T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m philosophically opposed to Pastiches. This is a decent adventure novel but the authors don’t exactly get Howard or Conan. Conan isn’t quite Conan, the magic is more DnD, and less horror/Lovecraft, they totally miss the subtext of Howard’s world. Also the constant references to the actual Howard stories are kind of annoying. It’s just like “hey that thing that is legit and you like, I’m totally that too.”

Overall its pretty average schlock with occasionally good written atmosphere.

However, there were two chapters I thought were excellent. The Turanian palace sequence had amazing atmosphere and great action. The subsequent chapter where Conan is back to being a pirate captain is just all the pirate motifs in all the right ways. These two chapters almost redeem the book from it’s mediocrity but ultimately this book just fall’s short of Howard’s vision and character.

[Nicholas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whatever the reader thinks this book is going to be like before reading it, they are probably right. It shows its age, and your enjoyment will hinge at least a little on how much you can look past that. But if you’re just looking for a quick, pulpy adventure, it’s all there.

In the end, the fans will stay fans and the disinterested will likely not be swayed. I admit my own bias as leaning more towards the disinterested camp.

Not a terrible book, but I assume that there are better Conan stories out there.

The most surprising thing about this book is the number of times Conan, the Mighty Warrior, becomes momentarily incapacitated in a fight by slipping on his enemies blood. Perhaps he should invest in grippier shoes.

[B.W. Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the whole Conan mythos, and this book was well worth the read, if only to complete the life story of the great barbarian hero.
My singular criticism is that the book is not by Rober E. Howard, even though his name is writ large on the face of the tome. In fact most of the work in this one story novel was authored by Bjorn Nyberg and Lin Sprague de Camp. Now, to be fair, they have done a decent job in producing a readable and entertaining work. I accept that. However, the book was n0ot written by Robert E. Howard and I feel that can be detected in the style.
Nevertheless, I am glad to have it in my collection, a 1976 copy, which I bought for just 10 pence in a second hand book market during my student days!

[Wes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, but not great either. This story seems mostly to serve as a way to drag Conan across the lands, and have him encounter some old adversaries and friends alike. Chock full of nothing, the only significant thing here is that Conan is King Conan of Aquilonia at this point.

This was another one of my airplane books and these are really good for that. Not too long, nothing too involved or even thought provoking. It's basically the equivalent of throwing on an action movie you've seen a thousand times while cleaning the house.

If you're new to Conan, this won't hurt, but at the same time you certainly shouldn't start here. Thanks again for the books, Cliff, and we all continue to miss you, big guy.

[Robert Fenske · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pastiche work that amounts to nothing more than fan fiction rife with Deus ex machina storytelling.
I find L. Sprague de Camp's attempts at Conan usually hit or miss but truly believe Björn Nyberg doesn't fundamentally understand Conan or Robert E. Howard.

It's a shame that this story gets bogged down by so much "fan service" - every 20 to 30 pages having tan old ally of Conan appear to help in his time of need. While the war between good and evil is nothing new to Conan Nyberg adds a level akin to the Force that feels out of place when compared to how Howard handled magic in his tales.

[Juan Cals · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un librito que leí con sumo gusto. Aventuras en estado puro, sin complicaciones, en el mundo de Conan, donde todos los hombres son fuertes y todas las mujeres bellas. Enemigos formidables, magia y monstruos. Lo releo de vez en cuando. Me relaja su sencillez. Y las descripciones de Conan me hacen mucha gracia: es un superhombre que puede con todo. A su lado te sientes un trozo de mantequilla.

[Калоян Захариев · Rating 3 out of 5]

Поредната история за Конан, но за съжаление далеч от най-добрите. По-скоро е сборник с разкази за отделни приключения на Варварина, разказани малко като приказка. Не е нещо, което бих запомнил, въпреки че Конан ми е любимец.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, but parts of it felt too referential in a way that REH rarely was, and other parts of it didn’t feel true to Conan’s character. Still, taking the character to Khitai, the China-equivalent in the Hyborian Age was kinda cool.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't by Howard but is still quite good - a sequel to Conan the Conqueror, which was written by Howard. And with this book, I have read all the Conan I have which I have not read before and my Cimmerian September ends.

[Joe Artz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my teens I devoured every book in the Lancer edition of the exploits of Conan the Barbarian. All ten or so paperbacks still occupy a place of honor on my desk. I gave the book 5 stars but in my youth I'd have given it 10 or 12 or.....