Starting with Robert E. Howard.

[AE35Unit]

I'm curious about this author and would like to read some of his conan stories,but where to start! There's quite a few books out there but some are written or compiled by other authors-Howard died terribly young and I imagine he left a lot of stuff undone!
I've looked on Bookmooch and Bookhopper but there's none available yet!

 

[Ursa major]

Your local library may have a copy of The Complete Chronicles of Conan (centenary edition) - mine does (or did) - which has Howard's Conan stories, plus an introduction in which he puts the Hyborian Age in context. The stories are presented in the order in which they were written.

 

[AE35Unit]

Your local library may have a copy of The Complete Chronicles of Conan (centenary edition) - mine does (or did) - which has Howard's Conan stories, plus an introduction in which he puts the Hyborian Age in context. The stories are presented in the order in which they were written.

Will have to look next week,tho I won't hold my breath!

 

[Ursa major]

Well you never know.

My local authority (a unitary authorty with a population of about 140,000) has three copies of the book, I'm pleased to say.

(I've just checked this online: perhaps your library system also provides this facility.)

 

[Lobolover]

I can prety much predíct with 99% acuracy the chances of 99% of the aclaimed books you speak of being present in my country .

Just try and guess .

 

[j d worthington]

Depends on whether you want to read the stories in the order of publication, in the order written (as far as that can be determined, which I believe is fairly accurate), or as they take place in Conan's career.

If the latter, then you've got varying chronologies to consider, depending on varying levels of research (internal evidence and the like). The "standard" set would begin with "The Tower of the Elephant", though there is much to argue that "The Frost Giant's Daughter" actually takes place earlier in Conan's career, possibly followed by "The God in the Bowl" (though I have some doubts about that one, myself).

At any rate, you can find the varying chronologies here:

Conan the Barbarian - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and make up your own mind....

 

[Fried Egg]

You can normally pick up his Conan stories in second hand book stores (edited by Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter), just be aware that some of the stories included in those editions are slightly changed or even finished/written by the editors. "Conan The Warrior" is a good book to start with which includes three good quality Conan tales including the classic "Red Nails".

Also, there are a couple of Howard collections in the Wordsworth Tales of Mystery & the Supernatural available in new book stores that are only £3 each so well worth a try. Those are his darker/horror type stories though (one of the collections is of Solomon Kane).

 

[Ursa major]

I can prety much predíct with 99% acuracy the chances of 99% of the aclaimed books you speak of being present in my country .

Just try and guess .

Is there a prize for a correct answer?


As for other editions: I think I'd want to stick to the least adulterated Howard first: to see what he actually wrote and later, if I were to read the stories completed/altered by others, to see where Howard stopped and the new author began.

 

[AE35Unit]

Depends on whether you want to read the stories in the order of publication, in the order written ....

Well i'm not sure about order,I just want to read some Conan stories,see if I like em.

 

[Connavar]

My first taste of Conan was the complete collection by Gollanz that's 900 pages long and it presented in the order they were released. Thats a perfect way of reading him but it cost a bit and i know you like your books as second hand,cheap.

Stay away from De Camp,LC edited books, look for second hand of paperbacks that clearly show its REH written only. I was disgusted when i read De Camp and co did with REH stories. They have no place today when you can get REH works in many collections and Conan is printed so many times.

Howard Works you can find old second hand book by publishers,year etc

Wordworths books are so cheap like a second hand store. I think you should go there. You wont find him in Bookmooch i tried when i was a newbie.

Look for his other characters like i said in DG thread. If you like him then you can buy the new paperbacks,they arent so expensive. Since he is a pulp era writer, its easier finding him in new collections than in library books. He isnt mainstream classic yet, it isnt like new books of any genre that makes to the library.

Its messed up our own library has Howard Lamb books but not Robert.E Howard sick...

 

[AE35Unit]

You wont find him in Bookmooch i tried when i was a newbie.

...

I know. Its like Lovecraft. Never found on Bookmooch or Bookhopper

 

[Fried Egg]

Well i'm not sure about order,I just want to read some Conan stories,see if I like em.

I wouldn't even concern your self with reading in chronological order, it really doesn't matter, each story stands alone.

Stay away from De Camp,LC edited books, look for second hand of paperbacks that clearly show its REH written only. I was disgusted when i read De Camp and co did with REH stories. They have no place today when you can get REH works in many collections and Conan is printed so many times.

In my experience, in the UK, the only second hand Conan paperbacks you are likely to stumble upon are the ones edited by De Camp and Carter but that's not necessarilly a bad thing, many of the stories were not tampered with attall, and those that were were only to help tie them together (or to complete uncompleted stories). Yeah, not the sort of thing you want to read when you're a dedicated Conan fan but when you're just sampling his works they're perfectly fine.

 

[Lobolover]

Is there a prize for a correct answer?

My unfaltering admiration .

 

[dask]

AE, may I suggest THE HOUR OF THE DRAGON, the Berkley Medallion mass market paperback (August, 1977, though there may be later editions), the so-called "authorized edition edited by Karl Edward Wagner"? All various chronolgies aside, the flyleaf states this book is "Robert E. Howard's only full-length Conan novel." The editorial changes de Camp and Carter were responsible for were to my knowledge corrected. As Wagner assures us: "This in your hands is Howard's original version of THE HOUR OF THE DRAGON --- as you have never read the novel before unless you read it in the pages of WEIRD TALES." Can't think of a better place to start myself. As was pointed out above, check your local used bookstores, it's still floating around (though the cool full color fold-out poster will probably be missing).

 

[j d worthington]

FE is right; if you're not bothering about chronology, then any of the major stories (at least) will do. (I make the distinction because some of the minor pieces ("The Frost Giant's Daughter", "The Vale of Lost Women", "The God in the Bowl", etc.) are by no means Howard at his best, and should be read after you've already acquainted yourself with both the character and Howard's (better) writing.

I'm not sure I'd agree, though, that Hour of the Dragon is the best place to start... despite my liking for that novel, I don't think it is Howard's strongest Conan piece, and it does tend to repeat various things he used in the other tales. However, if you do choose to start with that story, I'd go with that edition (or its later counterpart) because it also incorporates the previously-missing epigraph for the tale, a short bit of verse which is quite evocative and sets the mood for the piece very nicely....

 

[Lobolover]

FE is right; if you're not bothering about chronology, then any of the major stories (at least) will do. (I make the distinction because some of the minor pieces ("The Frost Giant's Daughter", "The Vale of Lost Women", "The God in the Bowl", etc.) are by no means Howard at his best, and should be read after you've already acquainted yourself with both the character and Howard's (better) writing.

I'm not sure I'd agree, though, that Hour of the Dragon is the best place to start... despite my liking for that novel, I don't think it is Howard's strongest Conan piece, and it does tend to repeat various things he used in the other tales. However, if you do choose to start with that story, I'd go with that edition (or its later counterpart) because it also incorporates the previously-missing epigraph for the tale, a short bit of verse which is quite evocative and sets the mood for the piece very nicely....

A litle note . No closing ")" after the first "(" .

 

[GOLLUM]

I'm curious about this author and would like to read some of his conan stories,but where to start! There's quite a few books out there but some are written or compiled by other authors-Howard died terribly young and I imagine he left a lot of stuff undone!
I've looked on Bookmooch and Bookhopper but there's none available yet!

You asked for Conan so you could try Wandering Star's ongoing publication of Conan if you are an absolute aficionado of Howard and have a wheelbarrow full of cash. Otherwise the VG edn. of his stories is actually quite good.

For Other material by Howard I think the easiest solution would be to go for the IMO excellent Del Rey edns of his work including Kull, Solomon Kane, Bran Mak Morn and collections of Horror stories and Best Of. They also have a Conan release but I've not got those due to other publications, so I can't give a definitive answer either way in terms of quality or inlcusiveness. The only issue with these is that some members ( not mentioning names... ) are not great fans of the "intrusive: art work that does manage to find itself in many of the pages of the book. I happen to like what they've done but not all do. They are also beautiful looking productions but at the same time not that expensive.

I realise you mentioned Conan specifically but being a Howard tragic I couldn't help myself and because I think a lot of his other work also deserves attention....

Happy reading.

 

[Connavar]

His horror,historical stories is atleast as strong as his S&S/heroic fantasy.

Conan is far from the only great work by REH.

 

[AE35Unit]

His horror,historical stories is atleast as strong as his S&S/heroic fantasy.

Conan is far from the only great work by REH.

Con did you get my visitor message? Your Inbox is full and I can't reply to your last PM

 

[GOLLUM]

Heh, was wondering how long it would take for you to poke your head up....

Hi again and I agree, Howard's other work deserves equal if not in some cases greater praise.

Cheers...