Recommend Lankhmar and Conan books...

[Klaus]

IIRC, there are new compilations of Conan stories out now, and I've been meaning to start reading Conan. Ditto for Leiber's Lankhmar.

So anyone can point me to good books on these two lines. Links to Amazon.com will be much appreciated!

 

[Wombat]

IIRC, there are new compilations of Conan stories out now, and I've been meaning to start reading Conan. Ditto for Leiber's Lankhmar.

So anyone can point me to good books on these two lines. Links to Amazon.com will be much appreciated!

I'm only so-so on Conan, so I'll leave someone else to leave the recommendations in that line

As to Fritz Leiber, there are six books in the series, but I would only recommend the first five. In order they are...

Swords & Deviltry (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...8/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-2773905-9644650)
Swords Against Death
Swords in the Mist
Swords Against Wizardry
Swords of Lankhmar

The sixth, Swords & Ice Magic, simply isn't as good as the others.

Start at the beginning. In Swords & Deviltry you are introduced to Our Heroes, Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser, first in individual stories and then in combined form. After that, read the other books in pretty much whatever order you so desire (although I suggest leaving Swords of Lankhmar until the end) -- there isn't a lot of overlap.

Shake, stir, and have fun!

 

[Turhan]

Ballantine Books started a new issue of compiled stories a year or so back. They are covering all of RE Howard's stories. The Coming of Conan is first of the two for Conan. It is a trade paperback and has lots of notes and some story fragments at the end. A second book of Conan is forthcoming, it will be called The Bloody Sword of Conan and will contain the only full conan novel by Howard.

Other writers have done Conan, and some are pretty good. None are the same as the original.
I've read some by L Sprague De camp and another guy, but I always come back to Howard's tales.
Here is an url to some REH links: http://www.barbariankeep.com/links.html.
I lost my one very cool link to a page about All things Conan. sorry.

I am also reading the Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, by Howard. It is a series of stories written about the Puritan swordsman who travels the world fighting evil and seeking his destiny. Quite good.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

The Coming of Conan is first of the two for Conan. It is a trade paperback and has lots of notes and some story fragments at the end. A second book of Conan is forthcoming, it will be called The Bloody Sword of Conan and will contain the only full conan novel by Howard.

Actually, the second volume is out (The Bloody Crown of Conan), and a third is forthcoming in late November(The Conquering Sword of Conan).

Coming of Conan The Cimmerian
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...0/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-9507657-2762203

Bloody Crown of Conan
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...0/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-9507657-2762203

Conquering Sword of Conan
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_2/103-9507657-2762203?v=glance&s=books

 

[Gentlegamer]

Actually, the second volume is out (The Bloody Crown of Conan), and a third is forthcoming in late November(The Conquering Sword of Conan).

Coming of Conan The Cimmerian
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...0/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-9507657-2762203

Bloody Crown of Conan
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...0/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-9507657-2762203

Conquering Sword of Conan
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_2/103-9507657-2762203?v=glance&s=books

I have the first two that are out. They are excellent chronological compilations of the Conan stories (by date published). Unlike the Ace paperbacks, this compilation is pure R. E. Howard, with no pastiches or editiorial changes, they are presented exactly as published in the 1930s for the first time since that era. Great reading!

 

[nikolai]

As to Fritz Leiber, there are six books in the series, but I would only recommend the first five. In order they are...

There are seven books in the series - though I wish there were only six - the last is the Knight and Knave of Swords, which is the worst of the bunch. I wouldn't suggest reading in chronological order. They were only sorted into this format very late in the series, so reading it this way isn't neccessary. Read the best stuff first and keep going if you like it:

(1) Death; which is exceptional - the best Sword & Sorcery ever written.
(2) Mist and Lankhmar; (joint 2nd) which are very, very good.
(3) Deviltry and Wizardry; (joint 3nd) which are mediocre.
(4) Ice Magic; which is bad.
(5) Knight and Knave; which is terrible.

 

[nikolai]

While writing the last message, I forgot to write what I wanted to say.

The complete Conan and Lankhmar stories are released in the UK in the Fantasy Masterworks series. In The First Book of Lankhmar & The Second Book of Lankhmar, and The Conan Chronicles: People of the Black Circle Vol 1 & The Conan Chronicles: Hour of the Dragon Vol 2.

These may (or may not) be a cheaper or more convinient way to get your hands on these stories than the US editions.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1857983270/qid=1118234349/202-6696469-2495014
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...34574/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3_3/202-6696469-2495014