A few months ago, I wrote a post about Conan the Barbarian as part of WeblogPomo. I’ve spent the past three months engulfing myself in a variety of Conan the Barbarian stories, and I feel like I’ve learned a ton. I’m still by no means an expert, but I wanted to share a few thoughts on how to get started reading Conan the Barbarian stories.
I recommend reading my first post about Conan for a little perspective. In a nutshell, I’m not a fantasy guy nor a sword and sorcery guy. In fact, the genre of fantasy has always been one of my least favorites. When I think of Conan the Barbarian I think of the Schwarzenegger movies, which in all honesty, are not my cup of tea. I also think of the grandiose painted scenery of half-naked men and women, and in the past, I’d usually think to myself, who actually reads this crap? Well… apparently, I do, now.
Getting into any sort of fandom/character can be daunting. In a world of reboots, reimaginings, spin-offs, and almost one-hundred years of stories, it can seem incredibly cumbersome. Luckily, Conan was a lot easier to get into than I ever imagined.
So, where do you start with Conan the Barbarian? With the original stories, written by Robert E. Howard beginning in the 1930’s. These stories were first published in pulp magazines and have been republished in various formats over the years. However, the recommended method of reading these stories, in their original written condition is by purchasing either:
-The three-volume set published by Del Rey (which is what I own)
1. The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian
2. The Bloody Crown of Conan
3. The Conquering Sword of Conan
-The Book Club Associate’s The Complete Chronicles of Conan.
There are twenty-one original stories written, and most can be read in one sitting.
What is nice about the Conan stories are they are all independent. They take place throughout Conan’s life from when he was just a young cocky thief to a pirate then finally to a king. The stories are beautifully written, exciting, and are just the perfect escapist fiction (at least in my eyes). Many nights, before bed, I need something to wipe my brain free of the frustrating day, and a quick adventure with Conan has been a wonderful way to do that.
Robert E. Howard mentioned that he wrote the stories as if he was being told them over a campfire. I feel like you can see that in the writing, as each story is simple, yet exciting, and generally a good time.
Something else I’ve done to enhance my reading experience is I’ve been listening alongside The CromCast. CromCast began in the summer of 2013, and was founded by a group of friends who were pretty new to Conan the Barbarian. They all seem to have about the same exposure that I had, and through the course of the podcast they learn more and more about Conan, Robert E. Howard, and why these stories are so much fun. It’s a great podcast to accompany your reading.
Another great place to get a bit more perspective on the Conan stories is a recently launch blog called The Conan Chronology. The author of this blog is reviewing and analyzing each Conan story in chronological order. He’s including stories outside the original works of prose that Robert E. Howard wrote, so I have to bounce around a little bit, but I find the authors take on the stories to be solid.
My final fun reading tip is be sure to check out YouTube for fun little Conan the Barbarian ambient music/sounds. It can help set the mood as you follow along with Conan’s adventures.
That’s it. Getting into Conan the Barbarian is that simple. There is no need for flowcharts or Wikipedia articles, which is more than I can say for my beloved superheroes or Star Trek novels.
If you need quick sales pitch on who Conan is:
Conan is a wandering warrior in pre-historic time of swords, sorcery, danger, and mystery. Wherever he goes, adventure and excitement is sure to follow.
This post is part of a series of posts for Cimmerian September, a small movement for bloggers and vloggers to share their love for our favorite barbarian.
