''Conan and the Treasure of Python'' is a fantasy novel by American writer John Maddox Roberts, featuring

Robert E. Howard Robert Ervin Howard (January 22, 1906June 11, 1936) was an American writer. He wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. He is well known for his character Conan the Barbarian and is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subge ...

sword and sorcery Sword and sorcery (S&S) is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of romance, magic, and the supernatural are also often present. Unlike works of high fantasy, the tale ...

hero Conan the Barbarian. It was first published in trade paperback by Tor Books in November 1993; a regular paperback edition followed from the same publisher in August 1994.

Plot

In Asgalun, Conan is hired to lead a scouting party into Kush by a man whose brother has vanished while in search of a legendary treasure. Conan agrees with the proposal, though their project is almost derailed from the beginning in an attack by corsairs. In Kush, the expedition is joined by Goma, a mysterious native who serves as their guide. Various perils in their quest for the fabled treasure ensue, including a journey across an arid desert. Finally, Conan's party discover a secret kingdom and are imprisoned within the dungeon of an evil warlord. Soon, their guide reveals himself as the kingdom's rightful monarch. Goma explains how he was overthrown by a tyrant with the aid of a witch doctor. A battle must be won and a fearsome lake monster faced before all can be resolved.

Reception

Don D'Ammassa, writing of Roberts' Conan novels, noted that " though Roberts did not recreate Howard's character exactly, making him more intellectual and less inclined to solve every problem by hitting it with a sword, his evocation of the barbaric setting is superior to that of most of the other writers contributing to the series." This novel, he writes, "is a rewrite of

Haggard Haggard may refer to an adjective reflecting exhaustion or poverty. Haggard may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Haggard (band), a German symphonic metal group * ''Haggard'' (TV series), a British comedy television series * '' Ha ...

's '' King Solomon's Mines'' with the characters shuffled around a bit but with essentially the same plot. ... It's an effective adaptation of a classic story although Conan seems considerably more laid back than usual – not surprising since he's Allan Quatermain."D'Ammassa, Don
"Conan and the Treasure of Python" (review). Nov. 26, 2017.
/ref> Reviewer Ryan Harvey considered the book "one of the most interesting of the Tor novels," and the writer "the most consistently successful of its stable of authors," while also noting that "this novel is literally ''King Solomon's Mines'' ... Roberts copies the exact plot of the classic H. Rider Haggard 1885 adventure novel and recasts it as a Conan story, with the legendary barbarian starring in the Allan Quatermain role."

References

External links

{{Conan 1993 American novels 1993 fantasy novels Conan the Barbarian novels American fantasy novels Tor Books books