Any Robert E. Howard Fans?


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trang
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Any Robert E. Howard Fans?

Post by trang »

I have been looking for a good collection of his Conan stories for long time, and finally came across one in the used book store the other day, "the coming of Conan the Cimmerian", 13 of his stories in original form, plus illustration and some other original notes and things from author.

I also picked up one of his Bran Mak books, was lucky day.

The only Conan I had ever read was from Sprague, Jordon and others. It will be fun to read the original stories.

He also had a character named Kull, there was a movie maded in 90's called Kull the Conquerer, Kevin Sorbo, wonder if its based on character.

Anyway just tossing it out, see if any other's fan's.
http://www.rehoward.com/

Fairday,
Trang
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orald
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Post by orald »

I haven't read any of the Conan books(aren't they, like, pulp-fiction? maybe a well made pulp, but still...or is it just a wrong impression I got from Wiki'?) but I LOVE the 1982 movie! :D

Yea, yea, I know it's only based on the world, but it still is closer to it than the 1984 Dune one. :P
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Post by trang »

sure I guess you can call it pulp fiction, I would say the various incarnations of the conan stories fall into a few catagorie's: adventure, sword and sorcery, etc.

And Yes I LUV the 1982 Film also, Especially the music score, it awesome.

What I found interesting about Howard was it mentioned he was the "father of Modern Sword and Sorcery" arguable I guess. If you dont read that type of story thats cool.

Thanks for response,
Trang
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Illogical Banana
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Post by Illogical Banana »

I picked up a collection of Kull stories at the book store a while ago. I only read the first one, but I liked it. Just need to find the motivation to read some more.
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Post by Robspierre »

I have the following Wandering Star Editions

Conan Volumes 1 &2
Ultimate Triumph
Bran Mak Morn

And The Science Fiction Book Club Hardcover editions of:

Conan Volume 3
Soloman Kane

All of these are as Howard wrote them originally

The three Conan volumes, Soloman Kane, and Bran Mak Morn are available from Del Rey in affordable trade paperback editions. They also have two other collections of some of Howards other fiction in trade format as well. Not sure but there may be a trade of Kull as well, I'm waiting for Subterranean Press' limited hardcover to come out to add to my collection.

Rob
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Post by orald »

trang wrote:And Yes I LUV the 1982 Film also, Especially the music score, it awesome.
Yea, I've downloaded it and I usually whistle or hum parts while at work.

The composer passed away though, so we won't hear something like it again, even though I hear a new Conan film is being discussed. :cry:
In memory of Perach, who suffered and died needlessly.

I wish I could have been with you that one last time.
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Post by waff »

I love the Conan score, one of the best of the 80s.

I've read only some of the Howard Conan stories, and they are not bad. They definitely are pulp fiction, but better than most.
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Post by GamePlayer »

Love Conan. I sadly haven't read anything Conan in years, but I loved the old Marvel black and white comic magazines growing up. The first movie with Schwarzenegger was also really good and I just recently rewatched it. Fantastic stuff. Conan's a timeless character. Plus the books always had lots of half-naked women :)
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Post by trang »

thanks for info on other story collections, neat to find some other fans out there, Ill look at del ray and see what I can aquire.

And ya cant beat half naked ladies!!

I luved the movie score for the Movie, beyond just the classical sound. Its timing and pace with the movie is almost perfect as the scenes change.

My favorite is when Conan, Subotai and Valeria are all camo'd up and sneak into the main chamber of the mountain. All the followers are going at each other in one big orgy/cannibal party, the music is that suttle crystals tingling together, giving the feeling of innocents, to whats about to explode. Those 4 men at arms bring in the giant cauldron and set it down at top of stairs. The soft innoncent music continues.

Conan and company signal, move into place, then Conan singly grabs tha cauldron and topples it. At that same moment the music switchs to those awesome deep horns rising in tempo (french horns I think) and it just sets th stage for the battle, Just completely excellent.

Conan, what is best in life?

Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of the women!

does it get any better than that?
may crom watchover you, if not to hell wit him!
Trang
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Post by TheDukester »

Interesting.

You know this simmering hatred that OHers feel for the Hiking Hack and the Guy With the Correct Last Name?

REH purists have been practicing this sort of hatred since the FIFTIES. And, believe me, they are pretty good at it ...

As an REH purist myself, I can't emphasize this enough: read Howard with the purist text you can find. Ignore all alleged "Howard-esque" offerings from L. Sprague de Camp, Robert Jordan, Karl Edward Wagner, or any other of the many, many hacks who either wrote pastiches or "completed" half-written REH stories or whatever. They are shit, each and every single one of them.

For North American readers, a great place to start is the ongoing series of new editions from Del Rey, which are being compiled by Howard experts using Howard's text. These are an inexpensive way to dive right into REH's writings without having to find items on the collector's market. I'll link to a random Del Rey offering here:

http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Conan-Cimm ... 975&sr=1-1

Be consistent in your Hack-Hatred! Don't be an OHer on one site but a deCamp-lover on another ... all hacks should be treated with scorn.
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Post by Robspierre »

Game Player, Dark Horse is reprinting all those old Conan Black and White magazine tales in collected form, around 500 pages for 18$ in publication order, I have the first volume and am loving it!

Rob
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Post by DuneFishUK »

I recently watched through the whole of the animated Conan the Adventurer series. I was a bit too old to enjoy it when it used to be on TV... but now I'm just the right age :)

Following that and on a recommendation I bought this book a few weeks ago (bloody hell it's more than doubled in price now :shock:).. but had pretty much zero reading time since then :(

Working on that - Liking REH so far though...
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Post by orald »

trang wrote:And ya cant beat half naked ladies!!
Oh yea? Mostly naked Arnie. :wink:
My favorite is when Conan, Subotai and Valeria are all camo'd up and sneak into the main chamber of the mountain. All the followers are going at each other in one big orgy/cannibal party, the music is that suttle crystals tingling together, giving the feeling of innocents, to whats about to explode. Those 4 men at arms bring in the giant cauldron and set it down at top of stairs. The soft innoncent music continues.

Conan and company signal, move into place, then Conan singly grabs tha cauldron and topples it. At that same moment the music switchs to those awesome deep horns rising in tempo (french horns I think) and it just sets th stage for the battle, Just completely excellent.
Widely known as the orgy scene.

But I have to disagree with you on the music description, as it's my favorite bit and the mostly quiet music only comes when they enter the great hall, sneaking about, and ends with Subotai touching and then slashing the cauldron-mixer.
does it get any better than that?
may crom watchover you, if not to hell wit him!
Trang
Hmm, is that refering to the bit just before th final battle of the mounds?
That goes more like(starting 1:44:13 into the movie):
"Crom, I have never prayed to you before, I have no tongue for it.
No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad.
Why we fought or why we died.
No. All that matters is that two stood against many, that's what's important.
Valor pleases you, Crom.
So grant me one request, grant me revenge!
And if you do not listen, then to hell with you!"

Unless you mean some other bit from some book. :P
Meh, I love his speech.

Oh, and don't worry, Dukester, I thought already that if I ever read Conan stories it'll be Howard-only. I already got the picture of what and why those other authors made their "contributions".
In memory of Perach, who suffered and died needlessly.

I wish I could have been with you that one last time.
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Post by Robspierre »

This is the only Wandering Star volume I do not own:


http://cgi.ebay.com/THE-SAVAGE-TALES-OF ... 18Q2el1247


Yes I want it and it is worth the price.

Rob
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Post by GamePlayer »

Trang
All this talk of the movie has me itching to watch it again :) Love that film.

Robspierre
That is great! I'm going to have to check on those collected editions. That's a real bargain!
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Post by Robspierre »

Volume 1

http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Sword-Cona ... 059&sr=8-9

They are up to volume 4 om pre-order as I recall.

Rob
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Post by SpacemanSpiff »

And ya cant beat half naked ladies!!
Actually that depends on the lady :D

I love REH! especially Conan. I ordered the three volume hardback set of Conan stories in their original form from the bookclub. I have also read Some of his Cormac Mac Art stories. Vikings in a more historical setting but still with touches of fantasy.

Dukester, I'm not sure what an OHer is and While I don't think of myself as a Howard purist in the really hardcore sense I AM a Howard fan and I agree that the original Conan stories are better than the rewriten ones.

But I am also a De Camp fan. I have read some of his original work and enjoyed it and I figure that if it weren't for De Camp and Carter doing what they did with Howards stories in the fifties then Conan might never have been made avalable to such a wide audience and become the phenomenon it has and Howards other tales might have been lost as well.
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