Dylan’s Reviews > The Complete Chronicles of Conan > Status Update

Drums of Tombalku - usually the beginning the strongest aspect and the ending one of the weaker, but here it's quite the reverse. This story wasn't quite finished, but had some edits and touch up by another writer. Like the main difference of Gollancz one I read vs Del Rey which is more accurate is mainly the very racist aspect in the beginning. The rest is pretty much the same, love the horror elements.

Frost Giant's Daughter - very fun tale, more akin to Mythology with the overt Norse and Viking Imagery. One aspect i could have done without... but such a really fun and short tale.

The Black Stranger - Sorta what you expect... it was published 20 years after Howard's death. The plot is relatively weak, while the series never disguised its racists connotations. The Piets as Native Americans is so obvious that you removing the name Piets and that will be your only conclusion. Howard is a good writer, but a very unmemorable tale.

God in the Bowl - it’s fun this is a murder mystery compared to the usual tales, but why this story was not published equally makes sense. As I say for most of these Conan tales, very intriguing beginning, but the ending feel lacking in comparison.

Red Nails - the last story that Robert E Howard published in his life time before his tragic passing. I won't say it's the best one, but this has much more to offer compared to the last couple stories in this collection. The city feels very well realised with its horror elements, the heroine felt like a response to certain critcism and wasn't bad. Overall pretty good and excited to read the novel next.

Shadows in Zamboula - It's was a decent Conan story for what it's worth. Though the racists connotations have aged very poorly. Where Conan is dropped into a mixed society with all sorts of ethincities, but only the black folks are considered slaves and later revealed are cannibals. With a pronouced white supremacist worldview. There is some very good moments, but sometimes it is immersion breaking.

Man Jewel of the Gwahlur or The Servants of Bit-Yakin is really boring, I’ve been stuck in this short story that I really had to struggle to get through it. Finally can read other Conan stories

Enjoyed Witch Shall be Born more I expected, considering this is one of the less received short story he has written. In a modern setting, I could see this story of a witch being more of a tragedy than what we got. That said the plight of the people were well communicated and Conan nailed to a cross is iconic as hell.