Now, most folks who know me, know that I love me some Conan. I always have, and have devoured everything Robert E. Howard, Lin Carter, and L.Sprague De Camp put out. I even read through more than a few stories in the universe that Poul Anderson, Roland Gree, and Robert Jordan had written, but to my knowledge, I had not read any Conan novels written by S.M. Stirling.
I was in no way disappointed.
Here’s the blurb:
The pulse-pounding return of Conan, the most iconic fantasy hero in popular culture
Conan the Barbarian, the world’s most famous fantasy hero, returns in an all-new novel tied directly to the famous works by his legendary creator, Robert E. Howard.
In this story, set early in his life, Conan has left his northern homeland to cut a bloody swath across the legendary Hyborian Age. A mercenary, a soldier, a thief, and a pirate, he faces conquering armies, malicious sorcerers, and monstrous creatures—against which he wields only the sword held in his powerful grasp.
Blood of the Serpent is a great tale set in the lands of Stygia, following Conan as part of the Red Brotherhood, where he leaves in search of Valeria, finding her on the edge of a great desert, threatened by a Dragon God that feeds right into the classic Robert E. Howard story, Red Nails and is included at the end of Blood of the Serpent.
Stirling does an amazing job, bringing the world of Conan to life while giving the storytelling an updated feel.
Audio quality, narration, and story, all were great, but being a fan of all things Conan, I may be a bit biased.
Rating wise, 5 of 5, hands down. If you love sword and sorcery, you’ll want this story by Stirling added to your list.
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