Official Blurb
The Hour of the Dragon, also known as Conan the Conqueror, is a fantasy novel by American writer Robert E. Howard featuring his sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian. It was one of the last Conan stories published before Howard's suicide although not the last to be written. The novel was first published in serial form in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1935 through 1936.
My Review
A classic of pulp era fantasy story telling. Conan starts in this story as a king but is soon thrown down to the level of a wandering vagabond. But if you know Conan, like I know Conan, then you know that he won't take that lying down!
This is one of the best Conan stories from the master, it features a great story arc and the unrelenting tenacity of Conan's character comes right through. Yet at the same time, you find that Conan is no machine, he feels fear, and yes even runs from a foe now and then!
If your only experience with Conan is the first film, then you might recognise some the names and places mentioned in this story as the first film seems to have lifted many of the names it used from this story, although not the plot. This story is straight up heroic adventure from beginning to end, a good pace that never lets up.
As to the reading, well. Awesome. Another Mark Nelson classic.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Listen to the first chapter.
Download it from Librivox
The Hour of the Dragon, also known as Conan the Conqueror, is a fantasy novel by American writer Robert E. Howard featuring his sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian. It was one of the last Conan stories published before Howard's suicide although not the last to be written. The novel was first published in serial form in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1935 through 1936.
My Review
A classic of pulp era fantasy story telling. Conan starts in this story as a king but is soon thrown down to the level of a wandering vagabond. But if you know Conan, like I know Conan, then you know that he won't take that lying down!
This is one of the best Conan stories from the master, it features a great story arc and the unrelenting tenacity of Conan's character comes right through. Yet at the same time, you find that Conan is no machine, he feels fear, and yes even runs from a foe now and then!
If your only experience with Conan is the first film, then you might recognise some the names and places mentioned in this story as the first film seems to have lifted many of the names it used from this story, although not the plot. This story is straight up heroic adventure from beginning to end, a good pace that never lets up.
As to the reading, well. Awesome. Another Mark Nelson classic.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Listen to the first chapter.
Download it from Librivox
