Robert ​E. Howard összes Conan-története I.

The Conan Chronicles #1

by Robert E. Howard, Zsolt Kornya (Translator), István Nemes (Translator)

A ​történelem előtti idők képzeletbeli korszaka, egy rég feledésbe merült, ám ősi nevekben és eltorzult mítoszokban máig fennmaradt kor elevenedik meg kötetünk lapjain. A mágia és boszorkányság, az ősi fajok hanyatlásának és az emberiség felemelkedésének ideje ez, melyben egy hatalmas erejű, kimmériai barbár kalandjait követhetjük nyomon az északi jégmezők fagyos pusztaságaitól Aquilónia trónjáig. Robert E. Howard máig legnépszerűbb alakjáról közel 30 történetet írt, melyek most új kiadásban kerülnek az olvasó kezébe:
összegyűjtve, hiánytalanul, időrendi sorrendbe szedve, egy 2 könyvből álló sorozat formájában.
A művekkel most ismerkedők és a Conan-történetek kedvelői számára egyaránt meglepetés lehet kiadásunk következetes szerkesztése és lektorálása. A befejezett novellák mellett helyet kaptak a kötetben Howard félig kidolgozott írásai és egyetlen töredéke is, továbbá egy történeti esszé, melyben a szerző részletesen bemutatja a hybóriai világot és annak népeit. Az eligazodást térképmelléklet segíti és könyvünk igazi különlegességként tartalmazza az író Kimméria című versét is.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Sword and Sorcery, Short Stories, Classics, Pulp, Anthologies

456 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

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

[Mirnes Alispahić · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Crom, this was a long read. Not because Howard is a bad writer or Conan is not interesting; it's just that I decided to read this as a bedtime read on my Kindle, and most of the time, I would read one page and fall asleep, or I would read the same page a couple of nights in a row. My love for Conan goes back to my childhood when I watched Conan movies and devoured Marvel's "Conan the Barbarian" comics.
Whatever you may say about it, the fact is that Howard created near-perfect escapism literature. Set in the dark Hyborian age, it predates today's grimdark fantasy settings of many authors, and it's still as fun as it was when first published more than 80 years ago. Lost cities in the desert, ruined temples in the jungles, sea pirates, monsters and demons, damsels in distress and those capable of taking care of themselves, cutthroats and bandits, hills and steppes, evil sorcerers, and cults. You have it all and though it may seem that many of those stories look alike, which they are since Howard was writing as per template (I'm sure he isn't, but it does look that way).
This collection contains 20 stories in which Conan is usually the main character, but there are a few where he's a side character. Not all are great; some are just drafts (there is even one synopsis). However, they are fun and will take you places in a heartbeat.

[Damian Dubois · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Crom!



That was the easiest 5 stars I have ever given to a book. The best word to describe these works? Fun. This was pure, unadulterated joy from start to finish and has probably been the most enjoyable book I've read in a long time.

More, more, more please!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 stars. I have not read all of the stories in this collection so this review is for the stories listed below. These are the first Conan stories I have ever read and I did not go into them with really high expectations (despite the great reviews), thinking they would be dated and kind of cheesy. However, given the significant influence Robert E. Howard, in general, and Conan, in particular, has had on the fantasy genre, I thought it was time I read at least a few for historical purposes.

With the above in mind, I can honestly say I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THESE STORIES. They are inventive, combine great world-building with memorable characters and are a ton of fun. I plan to read them all (taking breaks to read other things so the stories do not run together). These stories below with the best works of the genre and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND them to anyone who, like me, thought they would not stand the test of time.

Specific stories read:

THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT (6.0 Stars): Often considered one of the "best" Conan stories given the unique insights into the Hyborian world of Conan and the unusual use of "science fiction" elements in the story. I loved it and thought it was suberb.

THE GOD IN THE BOWL (5.5 Stars): Not published in Howard's lifetime, this is a superb story (kind of a murder mystery) that creates great similarities between Conan's world and the world of H.P Lovecraft Cthulu mythos. It is that "connection" that I think makes the Conan "world building" so incredible.

THE FROST GIANT'S DAUGHTER: (4.5 stars) Argunably the earlist Conan story from a chronological standpoint. Expands on the Conan mythology by introducing Frost Giant's of the North and their leader, the God Ymir.

QUEEN OF THE BLACK COAST (read May 20, 2010) (4.5 stars): Conan takes to the seas as a pirate alongside "Belit" the Queen of the Black Coast. A great story and one in which Conan has a true love interest.

BLACK COLOSSUS (read May 20, 2010)(5.0 stars): Conan battles the demon-wizard Thugra Khotan in another superb Conan story.

SHADOWS IN THE MOONLIGHT (AKA IRON SHADOWS OF THE MOON) (read July 7, 2010)(4.0 stars): Conan finds himself on a dark island surrounded by cursed soldiers made of iron.

[Will Sargent · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10
Part way through in fairness, but I know what I'm getting here after a handful of stories and it's top quality stuff from beginning to end.

Some grumble that the collected works include dodgy patch ups by Sprague du Campe, but I like it all. I love the exotic settings and Jack Vance-like magicians who must be out-thought and often lay traps for our mighty, all-conquering warrior.

I don't agree that it is mysogynistic, as the women characters are strong and often toy with Conan's weaknesses.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I don't know why I waited so long to read Robert E. Howard's most epic stories, but I'm glad I finally got around to it.

Briefly, as it is important for the world we live in, I will say that the stories are rampant with sexism and, for lack of a better word, non-malicious racism. By this I mean that each race, which is always described by name and color, are portrayed as bad. Whether "ivory", "black", "yellow", or "olive", none of them are good moral individuals (maybe some old people). Conan is not a good guy. He has amazing physical prowess and a base code of ethics, which really is the best thing you could say about anyone in these stories. Anywho, I think it's important to mention that what they say is true. The language in these stories does not hold up well with today's sensibilities.

So, if you can get past that (or brace yourself and view it like you would an episode of Madmen), these stories are fun! High adventure, thieves and sorcery, snake gods and immortal princesses, warlords and pitched battles. Having only read a sampling of the "Sword and Sorcery" genre, it was really nice to start with one of the greats. It is easy to understand how he influenced an entire generation of fantasy. I think it's worth the time.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conan the Cimmerian presents humanity at its best.
If one looks deeper than the contextual and necessary savagery of prehistoric man, one finds independence, personal responsibility, individual freedom, and amorality (ethics from environment and perspective, not from edict).
Freedom from authority, freedom from civilization, and freedom from god. Even where gods may actually exist, Conan would sooner curse them than bow to them.
Conan lives with an unbridled passion and vigor that comes from true independence and a fearless understanding of what he is (human, animal, a creature whose only true obligation is to BE).
Far from being a dusty relic of the bygone age he inhabits, Conan represents a future that we are still reaching for (where humanity realizes itself, its potential, and its inherent freedom).

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun to re-read Howard after 31 years or so, and realize the Conan stories can reinvigorate, at least for a few hours, the 13 year-old-boy in all of us. Plus, where else are you going to find purple prose gems like "lizards of desolation"?

Of course, after such a long haul with the brutish Cimmerian, you do realize each story is essentially the same--Conan rescues a lithe mostly naked damsel in distress from a wizard or monster or both, usually in a lost city or on some mysterious island.

[Marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've seen the movie, Conan the Barbarian, you'll be in for a shock when you read this book. Strong and intense just like the movie; this story portrays Conan as intelligent, well versed in the art of war and espionage and out to build an empire. I really liked this one.

[Isca Silurum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing stuff.

A feminist standard I imagine, read once a year to fuel the fires. :-)

[Ian Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

At last - the Howard reread yields up some genuinely and consistently fabulous writing. Conan is probably Mr Howard's best character and the one he wrote most faithfully for: there are few generic stories here, almost all feel as though they were written for the panther-like, mightily-thewed Cimmerian. The only tales holding this back from 5 stars are the ones published after his death that hadn't benefitted from a rewrite or editorial opinions. These are great yarns and a barrel of fun to read.

[Nik Morton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This edition published in 2000 is edited with an afterword by Stephen Jones. The collection is in chronological order ‘exactly as Robert E Howard wrote them, as fresh, atmospheric and vibrant today as when they were first published in the pulp magazines more than sixty years ago.’

Fourteen stories are contained in the collection, plus a 2-page synopsis, a 3-page fragment and two draft texts, ‘The Snout in the Dark’ and ‘Drums of Tombalku’.

The book begins with a 24-page history, ‘The Hyborian Age’.

Virtually every tale still grips the reader with Howard’s colourful and dynamic descriptions of mystical characters, awful creatures and exotic places culled from his imagination. Conan stories published as early as 1933 figure in this volume.

Conan encounters ghouls, enormous snakes, wizards, and despots aplenty, and manages to rescue a fair number of women who are invariably scantily clad. His scimitar has tasted more blood than can fill a small lake. Although a barbarian, he is a staunch ally and protector.

Howard displays powerful description. ‘It was as if a black titan stood straddle-legged in the bright pits of hell, his lifted hands full of stars.’ From ‘The Queen of the Black Coast’ (p131)

Here’s a snippet from ‘The Black Colossus’: ‘It was a clot of darkness, a blur in the sight, a monstrous night-born incubus that might have been deemed a figment of a sleep-drugged brain, but for the points of blazing yellow fire that glimmered like two eyes from the blackness. Moreover, a voice issued from it – a low subtle inhuman sibilance that was more like the soft abominable hissing of a serpent than anything else, and apparently could not emanate from anything with human lips.’ (p180)

‘Conan, I have seen kings who wore their harness less regally than you!’ Conan was silent. A vague shadow crossed his mind like a prophecy. In years to come he was to remember Amalric’s words, when the dream became the reality. (p192)

‘But no sleep came to Olivia, and she lay watching the distant ruins and the wooded rim until the stars paled, the east whitened, and dawn in rose and gold struck fire from the dew on the grass-blades. (p231)

They rustled in a faint wind, and their noise was like the whispering of witches, causing the hair to stir next his scalp. (p492)

Editor Jones provides a brief but very interesting overview of Howard’s early life and his association with the pulp magazine editors.

Most fans of fantasy books should be acquainted with these tales of Conan the Cimmerian. Howard’s creation, as well as others, have inspired many writers, screen-writers and comic writers and artists over the years.

In 1966 I first encountered his adventures in a new paperback Conan the Adventurer with a splendid Frank Frazetta cover when boarding a coach in Rosyth, Scotland. This was an ideal read for the two-hour journey to Newcastle upon Tyne – and I was hooked.

***
Unfortunately, this edition is rife with typographical errors, none of which spoiled the enjoyment of the tales. Without recourse to the original, it’s not possible to determine if the errors were made in old typographical days in the actual pulps or crept in during many transitions from page to book.

I certainly haven’t marked all, but here are a few:

At Murilo’s shoulder Nabonidus was laughing like a friend (p95) – for ‘friend’ read ‘fiend’.

… with the blood that cushed from his half-severed neck. (p109) – for ‘cushed’ read ‘gushed’.

A description of Conan: his features, set off by his smoldering blue eyes. A low broad forehead was topped by a square-cut tousled man as black as a raven’s wing. (p188) – for ‘man’ read ‘mane’.

… the mercenaries are restless to now why we dally.’ (p190) – for ‘now’ read ‘know’.

With a flast of white tusks. (p240) – for ‘flast’ read ‘flash’.

… was a duplicate of the quen’s night-garment (p247) – for ‘quen’s’ read ‘queen’s’.

… he clamped is jaws against the desire to retch. (p263) – for ‘is’ read ‘his’. There were far too many instances of ‘is’ instead of ‘his’ and yet plenty of correct versions of ‘his’ as well!

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE CONAN CHRONICLES: VOLUME 1 is the first of two extensive anthologies, edited by Stephen Jones, which bring together all of Howard's Conan stories, including his unfinished fragments. The collected stories are bookended by a great little map, an examination of Conan's world by the author himself, and an afterword by Jones which ably sets the scene.

THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT is a great way to start, giving Conan a strong villain to fight, an ally almost as interesting as the hero, and a solid setting in the form of the creepy old tower. A shame that THE HALL OF THE DEAD exists only as a synopsis, because it's highly promising and still worth reading through for fans. THE GOD IN THE BOWL is the author at his imaginative best, a locked room murder mystery with Conan cast as the detective solving the case. A wonderfully gruesome climax finishes things off nicely.

ROGUES IN THE HOUSE is similar to the last, with more thievery in a boobytrapped house and an interesting foe to battle. THE HAND OF NERGAL is a mere fragment but the image of Conan striding through a corpse-laden battlefield is a typically strong one. THE FROST-GIANT'S DAUGHTER is a slight story without much in the way of narrative structure, but the snowbound location is well described and there are some memorable bits. QUEEN OF THE BLACK COAST offers one of the strongest female characters in Conan's world, and the piratical adventure marks a refreshing change from what's come previously. The traditional climax offers all the gory action you could wish for.

THE VALE OF LOST WOMEN is perhaps the most blatantly racist of all the Conan stories, as our hero intrudes upon a black tribe and openly slaughters of them. It's straightforward and to the point. THE SNOUT IN THE DARK is another mere fragment, but the titular apparition is well-described, reminding me of one of the Carnacki adventures. BLACK COLOSSUS shifts the action to the desert; there's no horror in this one but plenty of solid action to see it through, even if it is a lesser piece. SHADOWS IN THE MOONLIGHT shifts to a creepy jungle island with some good foes for our hero to battle, and is packed full of the appropriate creepy atmosphere.

A WITCH SHALL BE BORN is a change of pace, more about plot than action for a change. There's an epic feel in the story of a regal usurper and a desert tribe uprising. Different and fresh are the keywords I'd choose. SHADOWS IN ZAMBOULA is pure pulp action/horror with all of the ingredients you could hope for, and perhaps the ultimate damsel-in-distress story; there are even some cannibals added to the mix. Great fun, and the same can be said for THE DEVIL IN IRON, with yet another creepy jungle island inhabited by metal-men bent on death and destruction. Nothing to dislike about this one.

THE PEOPLE OF THE BLACK CIRCLE is the longest Conan story in the collection, a novella exploring mountaintop wizardry and political intrigue, with a setting seemingly inspired by Afghanistan. The gory magical action is deftly described here, and the pacing never slows down for a second over the 80-odd pages. THE SLITHERING SHADOW goes back to the desert for a creepy abandoned kingdom and some nefarious baddies for our hero to tackle, while DRUMS OF TOMBALKU is unfortunately another fragment. I say unfortunately because it's a real cracker, with a different protagonist for once – the great Amalric – and plenty of interest going on. The final story in the collection is THE POOL OF THE BLACK ONE, which goes back to the pirate and island setting and closes off with the usual sinister foes and action spectacle.

[Mark Reece · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Conan Chronicles is a book that is often enjoyable to read despite being poorly written. Admittedly, the stories were not intended to form part of a collection; nevertheless, it is striking how repetitive the descriptive language is. Conan has smoldering blue eyes, and moves like a panther or wolf; this is repeated every few pages. Much of the characterization is also very weak. Every woman in this world, regardless of their circumstances, is waiting for Conan to arrive, where they clutch his strong arms and he 'carries them as easily as a child'. There was often a Mills and Boon feel to the romances.

There is also a strain of race science thinking that permeates the stories in a way that is striking now that that way of thinking is no longer prevalent. The author often refers to the fantasy peoples in the story as 'ape like', and gives florid descriptions of racial degeneration in a way that often becomes intrusive.

All of that being said, the stories are fast paced and have a folksy charm. The world is mysterious enough for Conan's adventures to hold an interest, despite his limitations as a character. In fact, I thought the best stories were those where he had a marginal presence. For example, in 'The God in the bowl', Conan is a murder suspect and does little other than grunt while the investigation is taking place. That story worked well because Conan has little inner life and little in the way of interesting motivation. However, as a plot device, he is often entertaining, particularly where powerful people try to use him to their advantage, only to become unstuck when he fights his way out of the traps set for him.

Although there was no obvious chronology within the stories, they were themed around his earlier life as an adventurer. I'm interested to see whether there is any development of the character in the latter stories, where, it is heavily hinted, he becomes a king.

[Andrew McAuley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard tome to review. At first I was impressed with the writing and enjoyed the tales, but they soon became reparative as did the language used. I tired of conan 'smouldering blue eyes' and the constant descriptions of 'lithe' and 'supple' bodies, however it has to be accounted for that these are collected short stories not intended to be read together, yet I felt there was little diversity in story formula or description.

The other problem was that for modern readers the language is borderline racist. Most of the stories were written in the 30's but the language wouldn't be tolerated in a modern writer. It also felt a bit of a cheat that half the stories in the tome were not written by Howard but by later writers - this is fine, but it doesn't say that on the cover. There is no introduction to explain the choices in this collection or the chronology which seems random, none of the stories follow on from each other. I had thought this was a collected works of Howard's Conan, but it's a mix of short stories, novellas and drafts. It's not a bad book, but it seems like it's been put together without any thought as a quick moneyspinner.

All that said, the individual stories are rather good, if samey and allowing for the period in which they were written.

[Isen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The trouble with serial publications like the original Conan is that tracking down a definitive collection can be difficult. The previous "Complete adventures" of Conan I read turned out to be not very, so I decided to take a gander at the Conan Chronicles two-parter. These seem to include all the stories listed on Wikipedia, so that's good enough for me.

The editor here made the questionable choice of arranging the stories not in order of publication, but their presumed place in Conan's timeline. In a sense this is an interesting approach, because you can almost pretend you're reading a consistent Conan saga, but it is a bit jarring because the character of Conan underwent some development over Howard's career, and here you're jumping between the different stages of Conan from story to story. This is easiest to see in Conan's attitude to the supernatural -- sometimes it makes his hair bristle and fills him with fear, other times he shrugs and says, yeah, we have a bunch of these elder beings flying around the Earth. Mostly harmless really.

But taken individually the stories are a great read, and this collection includes the fantastic Frost Giant's Daughter and Drums of Tombalku, so it is worth picking up.

[Branimir · Rating 1 out of 5]

Conan seckati.
Takav nekakav dojam ostavlja ova zbirka pripovjedaka o razvikanom, nenadjebivom, najsnažnijem mizogoničnom (ne)štovatelju Kroma kojeg krasi mač, mišići i inteligencija sobne temperature u Celzijima. Conana, ne Kroma. Kroma boli neka stvar.
Stil u pričama je toliko zastario da je previše star za arheologe. Likovi su karikature. Radnja je uglavnom dizastr. Jednostavno, ova djela nisu dobro ostarila. Pregazio ih vlak vremena i trebala bi ostati u bespućima povijesne zbiljnosti. Najbolje da se Conana sjećamo iz Schwartzijevih filmova, jer čitanje ovog je čisti gubitak vremena.
Jedina pozitivna strana čitanja ove knjige je da spoznamo koliko su bili umješni scenaristi Conanovih filmova koji su iz ovog smeća uspjeli izvući filmove koji su na kraju proslavili gospodina bivšeg guvernera Californije.

[Izzy Corbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up with the comics, movies and even television cartoons of Conan but never read the original source material. This book is a chronological (of conan's life) compilation of Howard's stories from the pulp fiction era. This book does not disappoint for Conan fans! It starts with an epic poem to set the fantasy realm of the era, has about 17 short stories and novellas and a very cool afterword on Howard's life that is not a Wikipedia cut and paste job. The Conan stories are very entertaining, but if reading them back to back it becomes a bit formulaic and samey. If reading them in short spurts, I would probably bump it to a 5 star!

[Arthur B · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you absolutely must read Robert E. Howard's Conan stories - perhaps as research into the history of the fantasy genre - then this edition of them at least undoes the unfortunate editorial tampering postmortem and delivers the Howard-penned canon. However, said canon is such a farrago of misogynistic and racist drivel that this is scarcely worth it. Fundamentally, Howard wasn't writing anything deeper than high-octane adventure fiction, and there's no shortage of stuff which doesn't have the same baggage as this. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/201...

[Bill Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can never go wrong with Robert E. Howard's Conan stories. I have read these stories numerous times and every time I get completely lost in them. These stories have blood and guts fights and grand battles, damsels in distress, pirates, thieves, assasins, sorcerers with dark magic and supernatural beasts..... what more could you want! Highly recommended!!

[Xavier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah that was fun - breakneck-paced action, mighty warriors, powerful wizards and damsels in distress. But it shows its age: the prose is purple, the tropes long-worn and the hero a tad too macho for my taste. I know hindsight is 20/20 but I struggled a bit to get through. I found that among pioneers of SF and fantasy, E. R. Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars was much more enjoyable.

[Sebastian · Rating 3 out of 5]

An exciting and interesting read. Magnificent imagination and vibrant writing. A few of the tales were thoroughly amazing, although the stories become a bit repetitive towards the end and I find it hard to look past the insistent racist and sexist undertones.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun, a lot of the stories are similar but the writing style is punchy and the worldbuilding is excellent.
Little does Crom care if people live or die, but at birth he breathes the power to strive and slay into a person's soul - what else shall we ask of the gods?

[Andrew Corsini · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a teenager, I loved this stuff, but reading it back, I was really disappointed. The pulpy language, and lack of depth, and predictable plots, it all used to thrill me, but now it feels like junk food.

[Bjørn Sørlien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casual racism, gender stereotypes, blood and mayhem. Still fun though

[Pasquale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty cool to see Conan in print. Decent for what it is; 1930s pulp.

[F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of supple and lithe women, barbarians with strong thews, cold blue fire in their eyes, loincloths and girdles.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is ok if you like abusive male characters like Heathcliff, damsels in distress, and the word “supple”.

[Jesse Callaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A product of its times but damn what a read. Strangely compelling and highly original at times.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The details on magic spells face some insight on how twisted and 'evil' magic can be.

I listened to the Librivox version of this read by Mark Nelson. Highly recommend.

[Hugo Barbosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I read any swords & sorcery fantasy, I was unconditional fan of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It was, to me, the be all and end all of fantasy. Those were my youth days. Later on, I discovered Robert E. Howard by accident and became an instant fan of Conan (other REH favorites are El Borak and Solomon Kane). Forget Tolkien with it's long-winded prose and silly hobbits. This is what fantasy should be.

Howard's writing is powerful and vigorous with a Conan that is light-years away from Schwarzenegger's characterization. This is no mindless, silent hulk, but an intelligent, and at times philosophical, man, who follows no standards but his own, carving his way with sword and guts. It's all very intense thanks to the visual and energetic prose. REH writes with as much artistry as with some sort of innate and intuitive instinct that sets him apart from later pastiches.

The book collects most of the Conan's short stories in chronological order so that in The Tower of the Elephant (the first story) we find a young Conan, not yet fully acquainted with the world. As each story progresses, Conan changes little. He is an unmovable force against which all things he encounters break. All the stories are short to medium length and self-contained. Some, such is the case with Rogues in the House, are excellent tales of fantasy. The best weave the complex background (as written by REH himself in his essay The Hyborian Age) into the stories such that there are political motivations to many of the characters involved (not that Conan cares about any of that).