ANHOW Review of Books: "Conan the Rebel" by Poul Anderson -- Adilbrand Noblesword's Hall of Warriors

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Date Posted: 09:21:24 05/23/02 Thu
Author: mt. healthy mountaineer
Subject:

ANHOW Review of Books: "Conan the Rebel" by Poul Anderson

Published: 1980
Genre: Fantasy

I was feeling the need to read soemthing different, so as I walked past the new books section at the library I saw a Conan book. I've never read Conan, but one esteemed member of this forum quotes him liberally, so I picked it up.

The plot was pretty simple (hero gets even with sworn enemies who have wronged him in many ways, along the way he gets to use a magical weapon and fulfill some prophecy), but it was entertaining enough, especially in the middle. The ending was way too abrupt (he completes all of the above parenthetical accomplishements in 35 pages) and the language was too clunky. I realize its a style thing, but its like Mr. Anderson sat in front of his typewriter with a thesarous and looked for the more macho version of each verb used to describe Conan's behavior. He never throws anything, he heaves it. He always cleaves skulls, rather than splits them. I got tired of it rather quickly.

I give this book a "C".

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Replies:

If you read Conan, please read only Robert E. Howard -- Adilbrand, 10:43:39 05/23/02 Thu
- ANHOW Review of Books: "The People of the Black Circle" by Robert E. Howard -- Mt. Healthy Mountaineer, 17:22:51 09/10/02 Tue
Conan Recommendations -- Adilbrand, 10:56:04 05/23/02 Thu
- BTW -- Adilbrand, 10:58:44 05/23/02 Thu
  - I have seen it now (NT) -- mt. healthy mountaineer, 13:44:06 05/23/02 Thu
  - Re: BTW -- theefool, 14:01:54 05/23/02 Thu
- RE: Conan -- mt. healthy mountaineer, 14:18:08 05/23/02 Thu
  - Conan not Superman in Howard's Stories -- Adilbrand, 18:23:52 05/23/02 Thu
  - Unoriginality in Conan -- Adilbrand, 19:59:00 05/23/02 Thu
    - I checked in my branch library and they did not have a Howard Conan, but I'll keep an eye out (NT) -- mt. healthy mountaineer, 08:49:04 05/24/02 Fri
    - Re: Unoriginality in Conan -- Omega, 10:05:22 05/24/02 Fri
      - I completely agree (NT) -- Adilbrand, 14:55:39 05/24/02 Fri
    - Re: Unoriginality in Conan -- mt. healthy mountaineer, 11:25:28 05/25/02 Sat
      - I've seen that documentary -- Adilbrand, 22:53:38 05/25/02 Sat
    - Howard's Cthulhu stories -- Omega, 10:53:04 05/26/02 Sun
      - Clark Ashton Smith and Others -- Adilbrand, 13:04:05 05/26/02 Sun
        Re: Clark Ashton Smith and Others -- Omega, 13:09:20 05/26/02 Sun

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