I know you hate those Ace and lancer books, but I have fond memories of them. They were all over used books shops in the 90’s. As I got older tho, really started seeing the difference of Howard’s stories and the other stuff.
Always enjoy your videos, and especially those on REH. How about a video on the BEST of the Conan pastiches? Here's hoping you and Roger take up the "challenge"!
Roy Thomas adapted these pastiche stories in King Conan 1-8 before he left Marvel and his adaption of Conan of the Isles eventually became a Marvel Graphic Novel during his hiatus from Marvel. I doubt I will ever have time to read the novels, but the comic adaptions were enjoyable. Some of the CtB annuals were direct sequels to Hour of the Dragon and they were also good, but I am not sure if they were Roy's invention or more adaptations. Anyway, I don't like being too hard on DeCamp, Carter, or Nyborg, because even if they fell short of REH, it was either pastiche or nothing.
I became a Conan fan via Marvel and the original movie. It took me years to get my hands on Spanish editions of Howard's books, and even more time to get a hold of Conan. (I think the first Howard I read was The Black Stone or Valley of the Worm). The first Conan book I got (before any Howard) was Conan the Abomination (I mean Avenger). As a teenager I thought it read like Conan the Destroyer without Grace Jones. When it comes to editing Howard, my favorite is Javier Martín Lalanda. I have his Spanish edition of the Solomon Kane stories (my favorite Howard character). It includes all the stories, bilingual versions of the poems, and a publication history of when everything first saw print, and how it was changed (giving you sumaries if the "posthumous collabs" and what Glenn Lord did). Lalanda does finish the incomplete stories, but he clearly tells you where the original Howard ends, so you can't mix him up with Howard. He even adds maps at the end. You can clearly do a better job and avoid abominations. Thanks for suffering on our behalf. Maybe I'll sacrifice a goat to Mitra in your honor.
I threw a book at the wall once. It was Kevin J Andersons first Star Wars book. I hated it and I got to a point that I was just like “this isn’t Star Wars” and chucked it hard. So I know the feeling. I definitely won’t be reading the de Camp editions. Great video.
You read Conan the Avenger wrong. When you get discouraged all you need to do is pray to Crom to give you the strength to get through it, but where would you find a bull? Maybe he would be satisfied with a medium rare steak? Crom is a reasonable god. 🤣
I did actually throw my copy of Conan the Avenger against the wall. The book broke in half and the pages scattered everywhere. Yes, I ruined a rare, out-of-print paperback from the 60s. No, I don't care.
Wystarczy raz kupić wszystkie powieści Hovarda są dostępne w wielu wydawnictwach i ma się spokój do końca życia - poco tracić kasę na coraz nowsze wznowienia liczy się tekst zawarty w ksiązkach a nie kolorowe okładki ...logiczne tak ????👉mam wszystko co napisał Hovard i jego kontynuatorzy i czytam skonczę setny tom wracam i przypominam sobie wybiórczo jaki tytuł przeczytać 📚📚📚📚📚📚📖Regi pozdrowienia z Polski ....( u nas też non stop wznawiają wydawnictwa tytuły i kuszą co rusz efektownymi okładkami edytorsko wydanymi ) 👋👋👋👋
Well I liked them - when I was 14. Even though I could tell the REH ones were the real deal I enjoyed the surrounding stories as extra stuff - a bit like enjoying Tarzan books and also enjoying the Sunday comics version in its own way. Of course I was young and foolish; I doubt whether I could have distinguished vintage wine from Thunderbird either.
I tend to agree about the three pastiche stories you mention. They were trying to expand the canon and they didn't do a very good job. As someone said in a different context "This is both good and original, but the parts that are good are nor original, and he parts that ate original are not good". I look forward to your take on H. Beam Piper's Fuzzies..
I’m curious about what you’ll have to say about Little Fuzzy. I read Scalzi’s reimagining of it last year and throughly enjoyed it. But Scalzi is one of my favorite living SF writers, so that wasn’t a surprise!
See, I could have read that stuff, but instead I've been listening to every audiobook I can find by Robert E Howard whilst at work (I'm a leatherworker, currently on a film, there's been some brutal stitching), and it's been great, by Crom!
Say what you will about the Lancer/Ace set of 12 Conan books, but if it wasn't for those 12 books by DeCamp & Carter, people wouldn't even know who Robert e, Howard was today. These books did help bring to attention the character of Conan and got people to deep dive into Robert E Howards true works. Thank god we finally got the Berkley editions that followed shortly after.
When you said "Oh, father Crom" I thought you were doing a mocking parody of the scene, not actually reading it verbatim! I don't believe I ever got all the way through this one in my youthful reading of this set 😅
I broke the rules, I haven't been reading pasteesh (apart from Conan The Road of Kings - Karl EW). I read The Sowers of the Thunder. I think that was sent to me by a crazy booktuber. Oh father Crom....🤣🤣
I read the Bjorn Nyberg novel when I was a teenager. I don't remember anything about it (fortunately, apparently). Seems like Nyberg liked Conan but didn't really know a lot about him. I'm not much of a Conan-pastiche reader. I can think of only 1 I've read, and I wasn't impressed. I do have Karl Edward Wagner's THE ROAD OF KINGS on the shelf. I certainly enjoy KEW's Kane stories, so I have high hopes for this pastiche.
Out of idle curiosity, and as it is still September, what did you think of the Marvel adaptations of the pastiche stories? Were they any better stripped of the Carter/DeCamp prose?
Going away on a mystery? I hope Roger hasn't embroiled you in another questionable antiquities deal, take care. I'm currently reading and enjoying Conan : City of the Dead by John C Hocking. Also read two collections of late bronze age comics from the Hachette fortnighty hardback line DC Heroes and Villains Collection, The Untold Legend of The Batman which was weird and made Year Two look great, and .. Batman - Nocturna and the Night-Thief, fantastic tangled web of pre-Crisis goodness at its best.. superb Gene Colan & Don Newton art.
And yet 2,000 goodreads users say Avenger and Aquilonia average 4 stars! Who to trust? I wonder if the writing is good, if your only a casual Conan reader? Bjorn didn't publish much beyond a little more Conan fan fiction, so that's not a good sign.
They are fine s&s (well… good enough) but just don’t get Conan/the Hyborian age as created by REH, so… if you don’t mind that they are fine (eg I did enjoy the Avenger, I didn’t mind about the inconsistencies…though it did puzzle me that Conan would cross the whole world to save his wife and in the process cheat on her? Different times!😂)
I finally read Conan of the Isles, having first bought it in 1973. Found it an acceptable 1960s s&s novel, as long as you think of it as a Thongor novel. Then I picked up Conan the Avenger. Worst book I ever read. Any lingering respect for de Camp went out the window. You have, however, got me on a Lin Carter kick. (Shakes fist in air.) He's like the Emily in Paris of the fantasy world--you kind of hate yourself for reading but for some reason you pick up the next book in the series. And I really should be reading something else.
You gave me pause, again. SInce you usually post these on Sunday, you always make me feel like I lost a day. I mean, it IS the 'weekend' report so I should not let you shake me so much. It's all Roger's fault...in some way.
Avenger vs Aquilonia...I think I actually have to give Avenger a slight edge there. Thank you for suffering for us Michael!
I know you hate those Ace and lancer books, but I have fond memories of them. They were all over used books shops in the 90’s. As I got older tho, really started seeing the difference of Howard’s stories and the other stuff.
Whatever is up, I wish you al the best and will be looking forward to seeing you again.
Always enjoy your videos, and especially those on REH. How about a video on the BEST of the Conan pastiches? Here's hoping you and Roger take up the "challenge"!
Roy Thomas adapted these pastiche stories in King Conan 1-8 before he left Marvel and his adaption of Conan of the Isles eventually became a Marvel Graphic Novel during his hiatus from Marvel. I doubt I will ever have time to read the novels, but the comic adaptions were enjoyable. Some of the CtB annuals were direct sequels to Hour of the Dragon and they were also good, but I am not sure if they were Roy's invention or more adaptations. Anyway, I don't like being too hard on DeCamp, Carter, or Nyborg, because even if they fell short of REH, it was either pastiche or nothing.
Thanks for taking one for the team.
Best of luck in the coming weeks Michael!!
Ha ha ha! Poor "Conan The Avenger". Absolutely SAVAGED! I love it! 🤣
I feel I've heard more about Conan in the past month than in all the previous 62 years. Looking forward to Little Fuzzy!
187 books. Incredible discipline Michael!
I became a Conan fan via Marvel and the original movie. It took me years to get my hands on Spanish editions of Howard's books, and even more time to get a hold of Conan. (I think the first Howard I read was The Black Stone or Valley of the Worm).
The first Conan book I got (before any Howard) was Conan the Abomination (I mean Avenger). As a teenager I thought it read like Conan the Destroyer without Grace Jones.
When it comes to editing Howard, my favorite is Javier Martín Lalanda. I have his Spanish edition of the Solomon Kane stories (my favorite Howard character). It includes all the stories, bilingual versions of the poems, and a publication history of when everything first saw print, and how it was changed (giving you sumaries if the "posthumous collabs" and what Glenn Lord did). Lalanda does finish the incomplete stories, but he clearly tells you where the original Howard ends, so you can't mix him up with Howard. He even adds maps at the end. You can clearly do a better job and avoid abominations.
Thanks for suffering on our behalf. Maybe I'll sacrifice a goat to Mitra in your honor.
"Oh, Father Crom"! That is terrible... although I may well adopt that as a sarcasm.
Wow, you got through those fast! There’s like a week still to go 😎
I threw a book at the wall once. It was Kevin J Andersons first Star Wars book. I hated it and I got to a point that I was just like “this isn’t Star Wars” and chucked it hard. So I know the feeling. I definitely won’t be reading the de Camp editions. Great video.
The sense of deja vu is strong with this one :)
Regardless, they're always a fun watch, appreciate you posting them. See you on the next one.
Good luck for the next few weeks, Michael.
You read Conan the Avenger wrong. When you get discouraged all you need to do is pray to Crom to give you the strength to get through it, but where would you find a bull? Maybe he would be satisfied with a medium rare steak? Crom is a reasonable god. 🤣
I did actually throw my copy of Conan the Avenger against the wall. The book broke in half and the pages scattered everywhere. Yes, I ruined a rare, out-of-print paperback from the 60s. No, I don't care.
Wystarczy raz kupić wszystkie powieści Hovarda są dostępne w wielu wydawnictwach i ma się spokój do końca życia - poco tracić kasę na coraz nowsze wznowienia liczy się tekst zawarty w ksiązkach a nie kolorowe okładki ...logiczne tak ????👉mam wszystko co napisał Hovard i jego kontynuatorzy i czytam skonczę setny tom wracam i przypominam sobie wybiórczo jaki tytuł przeczytać 📚📚📚📚📚📚📖Regi pozdrowienia z Polski ....( u nas też non stop wznawiają wydawnictwa tytuły i kuszą co rusz efektownymi okładkami edytorsko wydanymi ) 👋👋👋👋
Well I liked them - when I was 14. Even though I could tell the REH ones were the real deal I enjoyed the surrounding stories as extra stuff - a bit like enjoying Tarzan books and also enjoying the Sunday comics version in its own way. Of course I was young and foolish; I doubt whether I could have distinguished vintage wine from Thunderbird either.
Yeah, love the way you sit on the fence here. 😂 I agree, terrible stuff. 😮
I tend to agree about the three pastiche stories you mention. They were trying to expand the canon and they didn't do a very good job. As someone said in a different context "This is both good and original, but the parts that are good are nor original, and he parts that ate original are not good".
I look forward to your take on H. Beam Piper's Fuzzies..
I’m curious about what you’ll have to say about Little Fuzzy. I read Scalzi’s reimagining of it last year and throughly enjoyed it. But Scalzi is one of my favorite living SF writers, so that wasn’t a surprise!
Little Fuzzies and Fuzzy Sapiens were fun reads
Wow -- sacrificing a bull to Crom, followed by a prayer... You are right. How did de Camp not get it?
I have really been struggling with the pastiche novels.
I'm spending the rest of the month reading Conan comics.
Good idea.
See, I could have read that stuff, but instead I've been listening to every audiobook I can find by Robert E Howard whilst at work (I'm a leatherworker, currently on a film, there's been some brutal stitching), and it's been great, by Crom!
I’m told the REH audiobooks are well done.
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 there's a few versions of fan reads here on RUclips too
Say what you will about the Lancer/Ace set of 12 Conan books, but if it wasn't for those 12 books by DeCamp & Carter, people wouldn't even know who Robert e, Howard was today. These books did help bring to attention the character of Conan and got people to deep dive into Robert E Howards true works. Thank god we finally got the Berkley editions that followed shortly after.
when you read berserk manga. its modern conan with much deeper.
Blasphemy! Everyone knows we don't speak of the pastiches!! 😂
Always need to be wary of those posthumous collaborations. The third Fuzzy book (Fuzzy Bones) is by William Tuning.
No, the third Fuzzy book by Piper was discovered and printed after Turning's book was published.
@@The_Crime_Machine no kidding?! Thanks for the info!
@@BookBlather Yup, it's great. Better than Fuzzy Bones.
When you said "Oh, father Crom" I thought you were doing a mocking parody of the scene, not actually reading it verbatim! I don't believe I ever got all the way through this one in my youthful reading of this set 😅
I broke the rules, I haven't been reading pasteesh (apart from Conan The Road of Kings - Karl EW). I read The Sowers of the Thunder. I think that was sent to me by a crazy booktuber. Oh father Crom....🤣🤣
I read the Bjorn Nyberg novel when I was a teenager. I don't remember anything about it (fortunately, apparently). Seems like Nyberg liked Conan but didn't really know a lot about him.
I'm not much of a Conan-pastiche reader. I can think of only 1 I've read, and I wasn't impressed. I do have Karl Edward Wagner's THE ROAD OF KINGS on the shelf. I certainly enjoy KEW's Kane stories, so I have high hopes for this pastiche.
Out of idle curiosity, and as it is still September, what did you think of the Marvel adaptations of the pastiche stories? Were they any better stripped of the Carter/DeCamp prose?
Heh. Was waiting for you to get to the Nyberg and drop a rant or two. If it doesn’t say Howard it ain’t good.
Praying to Crom?! Have they not read Conan before writing this…that’s craziness.
It is.
We can do all things through Crom who gave us strength....but we don't want his attention. Crom attention = bad.
Going away on a mystery? I hope Roger hasn't embroiled you in another questionable antiquities deal, take care.
I'm currently reading and enjoying Conan : City of the Dead by John C Hocking. Also read two collections of late bronze age comics from the Hachette fortnighty hardback line DC Heroes and Villains Collection, The Untold Legend of The Batman which was weird and made Year Two look great, and .. Batman - Nocturna and the Night-Thief, fantastic tangled web of pre-Crisis goodness at its best.. superb Gene Colan & Don Newton art.
Have you read any Red Sonja comics?
And yet 2,000 goodreads users say Avenger and Aquilonia average 4 stars! Who to trust? I wonder if the writing is good, if your only a casual Conan reader? Bjorn didn't publish much beyond a little more Conan fan fiction, so that's not a good sign.
They are fine s&s (well… good enough) but just don’t get Conan/the Hyborian age as created by REH, so… if you don’t mind that they are fine (eg I did enjoy the Avenger, I didn’t mind about the inconsistencies…though it did puzzle me that Conan would cross the whole world to save his wife and in the process cheat on her? Different times!😂)
Yeah, that shows how much you can trust Goodreads.
This is the second time I've heard a "Crom Praying" other than the 82 film; and yeah just hearing that. I think the movie did it better.
What are your thoughts on the Conan Broadsword Legacy Collection?
It’s incomplete. Wouldn’t be my choice.
I finally read Conan of the Isles, having first bought it in 1973. Found it an acceptable 1960s s&s novel, as long as you think of it as a Thongor novel. Then I picked up Conan the Avenger. Worst book I ever read. Any lingering respect for de Camp went out the window.
You have, however, got me on a Lin Carter kick. (Shakes fist in air.) He's like the Emily in Paris of the fantasy world--you kind of hate yourself for reading but for some reason you pick up the next book in the series. And I really should be reading something else.
I get a definite Tarzan-and-Boy vibe from Conan of Aquilonia. Movie Tarzan & Boy, not book Tarzan and Korak.
Crom sounds like a bad Dad.
It sounds like you're questioning the wisdom of reading so much Conan pastiche.
You gave me pause, again. SInce you usually post these on Sunday, you always make me feel like I lost a day. I mean, it IS the 'weekend' report so I should not let you shake me so much. It's all Roger's fault...in some way.
Conan praying is so cringe
How can it be fanfiction if it gets everything about Conan wrong. Shouldn't a fan under stand what makes Conan, Conan.
You would think.