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Moorcock's Elric was actually a reaction to Conan and a subversion of the pulp/sword and sorcery tropes the character embodied.

My players are way more like Fafhrd and Gray Mouser... than Conan. Often too confident but mostly compotent scoundrels that always hatch plans that lead to over the top hijinks ensuing.

So it's been a minute since I read Imaro.... I'd say it avoids some problematic elements around race and pulp stereotypes of Africa/Africa-esque lands by showing differentiation in people's, biomes, etc. And staying confined to this land... That said there is some misogyny in the book. The...

Nope but someone did offer a less problematic alternative author... and even asked for less problematic stories by Howard.

where did I say other writers shouldn't be called out? Edit: However to be fair, as the thread title specifically references Howard's work.

Not sure if you're interested in non-western African-esque fantasy but 2 books I'd suggest are... Children of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter And for some old school pulp sword and sorcery (again basen in an African-esque fantasy world)... Imaro by Charles Saunders

Figures...smh.

If you tell me racism isn't problematic...You're someone with values I have no interest in understanding or excusing. It was problematic back then (just ask the majority of blaclk people living then) but accepted by the majority of those in power and its problematic now.There is no understanding...

No, hard disagree... there are objectively problematic things (which you can choose to be offended by or not though that doesnt make thrm non-problematic) and someone's inability to accept that often, at least for me, tells me what type of person they are.

See I find Lieber & Moorcock's stories (at least for Elric, Hawkmoon and Corum) better written with more imaginative and intriguing ideas also with the bonus of much less to no racism...I have read Conan and it jysy feels simplistic compared to Moorcock and Liieber... yet I feel there's this...

I'm assuming (and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here) you have the privilege to view it at a purely academic level and you relate to Conan vs say the Kushites or Stygiansm...but for someone who is on the other side of that equation... what does Conan offer that other, less racist sword...

And I'm saying it isn't discussed... it's shut down whenever its brought up. Case in point.

I think if you want to understand why later generations of fantasy fans aren't interested in works like Conan as inspiration for their games or even as literature to read (as well as it's wanning influence on the official game)... This is probably a key factor and could use some discussion...

Why? If I tell you will it change how you acknowledge the racism in his stories? EDIT: Hint: I can tell by how you typed the question out you aren't interested in engaging in a real dialogue about it.

If I had to answer in comparison to Howard... I'd say I found his Young Kingdoms (and his multiverse) to be a much more vibrant, imaginative and interesting place than Hyperborea. The characters of Elric, Corum ( but not necessarily Hawkmoon) and so on to be more interesting than Conan & Kull...

For beginners I'd rather have something clean and useable... The one above, IMO, looks to crowded and difficult to reference at a glance. Maybe if this was a more advanced adventure I could see it but this is something beginners and even kids are supposed to be able to easily run as an intro to...

Because??

Vance's Dying Earth has basically fallen into obscurity and isn't praised in the same way or anywhere near the frequency with which Howard is for Conan... funnily enough the Conan stories I have read left little to no lasting impression on me, unlike The stories of Elric, Corum and Fafhrd/Grey...

I find it interesting how non-chalantly Howard's racism is dismissed by some... Honestly I don't find Howard foundational to D&D, even in reading older editions I failed to see what exactly his stories contributed at a foundational level to the game or why they are held in such high regard by...

Polarizing is one way to put it...As a black man, I guess... this.