''The Sword of Conan'' is a collection of four

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 ...

short stories by American writer Robert E. Howard featuring his

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'') ...

, first published in hardcover by

Gnome Press Gnome Press was an American small-press publishing company primarily known for publishing many science fiction classics. Gnome was one of the most eminent of the fan publishers of SF, producing 86 titles in its lifespan — many considered classi ...

in 1952. The stories originally appeared in the 1930s in the fantasy magazine ''

Weird Tales ''Weird Tales'' is an American fantasy and horror fiction pulp magazine founded by J. C. Henneberger and J. M. Lansinger in late 1922. The first issue, dated March 1923, appeared on newsstands February 18. The first editor, Edwin Baird, prin ...

''. The collection never saw publication in paperback; instead, its component stories were divided and distributed among other "Conan" collections. Chronologically, the four short stories collected as ''The Sword of Conan'' are the third in Gnome's Conan series; the stories collected as ''

King Conan ''King Conan'' is a collection of five fantasy short stories by American writer Robert E. Howard featuring his sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. It is also the name of two separate comic book series featuring the character. The book ...

'' follow.

The People of the Black Circle "The People of the Black Circle" is one of the original novellas about Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in ''Weird Tales'' magazine in three parts over the September, October and November 19 ...

" *"

The Slithering Shadow "The Slithering Shadow" 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 the September 1933 issue of ''Weird Tales'' magaz ...

" *"

The Pool of the Black One "The Pool of the Black One" is one of the original short story, short stories starring the sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard. It's set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian ...

" *"

Red Nails "Red Nails" is the last of the stories featuring Conan the Cimmerian written by American author Robert E. Howard. A novella, it was originally serialized in ''Weird Tales'' magazine from July to October 1936, the months after Howard's suicide. ...

Reception

Groff Conklin Edward Groff Conklin (September 6, 1904 – July 19, 1968) was an American science fiction anthologist. He edited 40 anthologies of science fiction, one of mystery stories (co-edited with physician Noah Fabricant), wrote books on home improvemen ...

described the collection as "just another demijohn of corn ... full of blood, sex, sadism, violence ... all the garish trappings of escape into the Greater Past of the Natural Man".

P. Schuyler Miller Peter Schuyler Miller (February 21, 1912 – October 13, 1974) was an American science fiction writer and critic. Life Miller was raised in New York's Mohawk Valley, which led to a lifelong interest in the Iroquois Indians. He pursued this as ...

described the stories as "pure entertainment of the most outrageously blood-and-thunderish sort.""The Reference Library", ''

Astounding Science Fiction ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...

'', January 1953, p.159

References

1952 short story collections Conan the Barbarian books by Robert E. Howard Works originally published in Weird Tales Gnome Press books {{1950s-fantasy-story-collection-stub

Contents

Reception

References