Conan and the Manhunters is a fantasy novel by American writer John Maddox Roberts, featuring Robert E. Howard's sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. It was first published in paperback by Tor Books in October 1994 and reprinted in April and June 1999.[1]
Cover of first edition | |
| Author | John Maddox Roberts |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Ken Kelly |
| Language | English |
| Series | Conan the Barbarian |
| Genre | Sword and sorcery |
| Publisher | Tor Books |
Publication date | 1994 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 276 |
| ISBN | 0-8125-2489-6 |
Plot
editConan, imprisoned by a satrap named Torgat Khan, escapes and is reunited with a band of thieves he had been leading in the deserts southwest of Turan. Subsequently, the thieves plan on looting the Khan's treasury, held in a vault beneath the newly built temple of the sinister cult of Ahriman, the priests of which hope to revive their ancient god.
Persuaded that mystical aid will be needed to ensure success, Conan agrees on accepting the aid of a kind wizard named Volvolicus and his daughter, Layla. After stealing the Khan's treasure, Conan is pursued by the Manhunters, a band of bounty hunters with specialized skills led by a captain even more powerful than Conan himself. Through his own skills, and those of his new allies, Conan thwarts his pursuers while preventing the resurrection of Ahriman.
Reception
editDon D'Ammassa, writing of Roberts' Conan novels, noted that "[a]lthough Roberts did not recreate Howard's character exactly, making him more intellectual and less inclined to solve every problem by hitting it with a sword, his evocation of the barbaric setting is superior to that of most of the other writers contributing to the series."[2] This novel, D'Ammassa writes, "was an excellent pastiche with some well drawn characters and exciting situations" in which "Conan wins ... through brains as much as brawn."[3]
Writing of some other Tor Conan novels, reviewer Ryan Harvey called Roberts "the most consistently successful of its stable of authors,"[4] and "the most consistently entertaining" of them, showing "deft ability with storytelling and action scenes, and a thankful tendency not to overplay his hand and try to ape Robert E. Howard’s style."[5]
References
edit- ^ Conan and the Manhunters title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- ^ D'Ammassa, Don (February 2006). Encyclopedia of fantasy and horror fiction. Infobase Publishing. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-8160-6192-1. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ D'Ammassa, Don. "Conan and the Manhunters" (review). Nov. 26, 2017.
- ^ "Black Gate » Articles » Pastiches 'R' Us: Conan and the Treasure of Python". Retrieved Apr 29, 2020.
- ^ "Black Gate » Articles » Pastiches 'R' Us: Conan and the Amazon". Retrieved Apr 29, 2020.