''The Conan Chronicles'' is a 1989 omnibus collection of three
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
collections by American writers
Robert E. Howard,
L. Sprague de Camp
Lyon Sprague de Camp (; November 27, 1907 – November 6, 2000) was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction. In a career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and works of non-fiction, including biog ...
and
Lin Carter
Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 – February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft (for an H. P. L ...
, featuring Howard's seminal
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
Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, films (including '' Conan the Barbarian'' and '' Conan the Destroyer'') ...
, published by
Sphere Books
Sphere Books is the name of two British paperback publishers.
History
The original Sphere Books was launched in 1966 by Thomson Corporation. Sphere was sold to Pearson PLC in 1985 and became part of Penguin. The name was retired in 1990.
In 19 ...
. The component collections had originally been published by
Lancer Books
Lancer Books was a publisher of paperback books founded by Irwin Stein and Walter Zacharius that operated from 1961 through 1973. While it published stories of a number of genres, it was noted most for its science fiction and fantasy, particularl ...
in 1967, 1968 and 1969, and later reissued by
Ace Books
Ace Books is a publisher of science fiction (SF) and fantasy books founded in New York City in 1952 by Aaron A. Wyn. It began as a genre publisher of mysteries and westerns, and soon branched out into other genres, publishing its first scienc ...
.
The omnibus collection was followed by ''
The Conan Chronicles 2
''The Conan Chronicles 2'' is a 1990 omnibus collection of two previous fantasy collections and one fantasy novel by American writers Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, featuring Howard's sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barba ...
''.
Contents
*''
Conan'' (Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter)
:*"Introduction" (L. Sprague de Camp)
:*"Letter from Robert E. Howard to P. Schuyler Miller" (Robert E. Howard)
:*"
The Hyborian Age
"The Hyborian Age" is an essay by Robert E. Howard pertaining to the Hyborian Age, the fictional setting of his stories about Conan the Cimmerian. It was written in the 1930s but not published during Howard's lifetime. Its purpose was to maint ...
, Part 1" (Robert E. Howard)
:*"
The Thing in the Crypt
"The Thing in the Crypt" is a short story by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, featuring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian created by Robert E. Howard. It was based on a draft of a story by Carter, ...
" (L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter)
:*"
The Tower of the Elephant
"The Tower of the Elephant" is one of the original short stories starring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard. Set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age, it concerns Conan in ...
" (Robert E. Howard)
:*"
The Hall of the Dead
"The Hall of the Dead" is a fantasy short story by American Robert E. Howard, one of his tales featuring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian. A fragment begun in the 1930s but not finished or published in Howard's lifetime, ...
" (Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp)
:*"
The God in the Bowl
"The God in the Bowl" is one of the original short stories featuring the sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard but not published during his lifetime. Set during the fictional Hyborian Age, the ...
" (Robert E. Howard)
:*"
Rogues in the House
"Rogues in the House" is one of the original short stories starring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in ''Weird Tales'' magazine in January 1934. It is s ...
" (Robert E. Howard)
:*"
The Hand of Nergal
"The Hand of Nergal" is one of the original short stories by American author Robert E. Howard starring the sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian, an untitled fragment begun in the 1930s but not finished or published in Howard's lifetime. It ...
" (Robert E. Howard and Lin Carter)
:*"
The City of Skulls
''The City of Skulls'' is an adventure module for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game, set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting.
Plot summary
The adventure takes place in the Kingdom of Furyondy and the Empire of ...
" (L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter)
*''
Conan of Cimmeria
''Conan of Cimmeria'' is a collection of eight fantasy short stories written by Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, and Lin Carter and featuring Howard's sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. Most of the stories were originally publis ...
'' (Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter)
:*"Introduction" (L. Sprague de Camp)
:*"
The Curse of the Monolith
"The Curse of the Monolith" is a short story by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, featuring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan of Cimmeria created by Robert E. Howard. It was first published in the magazine ''Worlds of ...
" (L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter)
:*"
The Blood-Stained God
''The Blood-Stained God'' is a 1955 fantasy novella by American writer Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp, featuring Howard's sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. It was revised by de Camp from Howard's original story, an unpublis ...
" (Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp)
:*"
The Frost Giant's Daughter
"The Frost-Giant's Daughter" is one of the original fantasy short stories about Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard.
The story is set in the fictional history of the Hyborian Age and details Conan pursuing a spec ...
" (Robert E. Howard, edited by L. Sprague de Camp)
:*"
The Lair of the Ice Worm
"The Lair of the Ice Worm" is a fantasy short story by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, featuring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard. It was first published by Lancer Books in ...
" (L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter)
:*"
Queen of the Black Coast
"Queen of the Black Coast" is one of the original short stories about Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in ''Weird Tales'' magazine c. May 1934. During the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age, Con ...
" (Robert E. Howard)
:*"
The Vale of Lost Women
"The Vale of Lost Women" is a fantasy short story by American author Robert E. Howard. It is one of his original short stories about Conan the Cimmerian that was not published during his lifetime. ''The Magazine of Horror'' first published th ...
" (Robert E. Howard)
:*"
The Castle of Terror
"The Castle of Terror" is a fantasy short story by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, featuring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard. It was first published by Lancer Books in the ...
" (L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter)
:*"
The Snout in the Dark
"The Snout in the Dark" is one of the original short stories by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian, an untitled fragment begun in the 1930s but not finished or published in Howard's lifetime. It was completed and titled by L. Sprague d ...
" (Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter)
*''
Conan the Freebooter
''Conan the Freebooter'' is a 1968 collection of five fantasy short stories by American writers Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp, featuring Howard's sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. Most of the stories originally appeared in th ...
'' (Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp)
:*"Introduction" (L. Sprague de Camp)
:*"
Hawks over Shem" (Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp)
:*"
Black Colossus
"Black Colossus" is one of the original short stories starring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in ''Weird Tales'' magazine, June 1933.[Shadows in the Moonlight
"Shadows in the Moonlight" is a song written by Charlie Black and Rory Bourke, and recorded by Canadian country pop music singer Anne Murray. It was released in May 1979 as the second single from the album ''New Kind of Feeling''. The song reac ...]
" (Robert E. Howard)
:*"
The Road of the Eagles
"The Road of the Eagles" (also known as "Conan, Man of Destiny") is a 1955 fantasy novelette by American writer L. Sprague de Camp, based on a story by Robert E. Howard by the same name. Usually credited to Howard and de Camp, it features Conan ...
" (Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp)
:*"
A Witch Shall be Born" (Robert E. Howard)
Notes
1989 short story collections
1989 anthologies
Fantasy anthologies
Fantasy short story collections by L. Sprague de Camp
Conan the Barbarian books
Sphere Books books
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