Robert E. Howard Readers discussion

For our first Conan Group Read there was a tie in voting so we are reading two stories. Discussions for The Tower of the Elephant can start here!

You can find the story in many Robert E. Howard collections, including Conan and The Complete Chronicles of Conan: Centenary Edition. You can also read it for free on the internet here.

OK, I've read and finished The Tower of the Elephant for the umpteenth time. It's still one of my favourite Conan stories - scratch "Conan": it's simply one of my favourite stories, full stop.

What's to like? Howard weaves quite a lot of his pseudo-history into the story, which gives it depth and a feeling of richness and tradition. There are hints of exotic lands which are vague even to the characters within the story. There's adventure, mystery and supernatural terror. There's an unexpected, if savage, empathy from Conan and a vengeance delivered in eldritch fashion.

What's not to like?

There's a great horror element to this story, almost Lovecraftian, too. That's what the alien's dream reminds me of.

Definitely, Jim. Even the names, Yag-kosha, Yogah and Yag have Cthulian overtones, a la Yog-Sothoth and Yuggoth. It all adds to the atmosphere; it's like a shared world between REH, HPL, Clark Ashton Smith et al.

Even inconsistencies between the stories (which weren't really meant to be hung together so closely) can act towards building sense of unknowable mystery and horror. Why should us paltry humans with our limited understanding be able to fathom the truth of these cosmic horrors?

This is one of favorite Conan tales, although it always makes me sad that Yag-Kosha has to die. But give me early Conan stuff any time--it's by far the best!

Brian January

Did Yag-Kosha die, or was his astral form released from physical imprisonment?

I agree, Brian: The Tower of the Elephant is one of my favourite stories, which I have a lot of affection for. I used to read it to my brother when he was little and he was always enthralled.

My impression was it wasn't death, but release from imprisonment of his body.

It was, of course. Still, it made me sad that he had to die. I remember first reading it at a very young age and being profoundly affected.

Brian January

Just today i re-read for the first time Tower of the elephant which is much better than i thought after first read. More weird, exotic, stylish prose than i remember.

The weird cosmic element of the story reminded me of CAS stories i have read(no HPL fan). REH story usually has more vivid stark horror feel and not weird cosmic feel that isnt as vivid, in your face.

This story has so many evocative elements: Yag Kosha is cool, I agree. The lion garden and black lotus powder is good, too; Taurus the Nemedian's rope made of the hair of deep women, steeped in deadly upas juice... just loads of nice little touches that quietly add depth to what seems like a straight action story.

The lotus was one wild form of vegetation in REH's worlds.
;-)

Yes, I seem to remember that there are several different kinds of lotus dust with different properties, unless I'm thinking of the Marvel comics I read as a kid.

Did Howard ever use "man-eating" plants in the Conan stories? I can't think of any offhand, but they're a popular fantasy trope.

Not that I recall in the regular stories, but it could have showed up in the comics.

Michael wrote: "This story has so many evocative elements: Yag Kosha is cool, I agree. The lion garden and black lotus powder is good, too; Taurus the Nemedian's rope made of the hair of deep women, steeped in dea..."

Evocative was the word im looking for. I think i almost got high on all the weird,fantasical imagination in that garden.

Definitely my favorite Conan story so far. I really appreciate the shades of Lovecraft in Yag Kosha's story, which to me is the element that puts this story over the top from good S&S to an excellent story that hints at a larger and darker history of Conan's fictional world.

Michael wrote: "Did Howard ever use "man-eating" plants in the Conan stories? I can't think of any offhand, but they're a popular fantasy trope."

Yes, in "The Scarlet Citadel" there is the Yothga plant that Conan saved Pelias from.