Conan and the Manhunters
 cover of Conan and the Manhunters | |
| Author | John Maddox Roberts |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Ken Kelly |
| Language | English |
| Series | Conan the Barbarian |
| Genre | Sword and sorcery Fantasy |
| Publisher | Tor Books |
Publication date | 1994 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 276 pp |
| ISBN | 0-8125-2489-6 |
Conan and the Manhunters is a fantasy novel written by 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]
Plot
Conan, imprisoned by satrap Torgat Khan, escapes and returns to his band of rogues he leads in the deserts southwest of Turan. Subsequently they plot to loot Khan's treasury, held in the temple of the sinister cult of Ahriman. Persuaded that sorcerous aid will be needed to ensure success, Conan agrees to accept the help of the wizard Volvolicus and his daughter Layla. After stealing the treasure the band is pursued by the Manhunters, a band of bounty hunters with specialized skills led by a captain even more powerful than Conan himself.
Reception
Don 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]
Writing of some other Tor Conan novels, reviewer Ryan Harvey called Roberts "the most consistently successful of its stable of authors,"[3] 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."[4]
Notes
- ^ 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.
- ^ Harvey, Ryan. "Pastiches 'R' Us: Conan and the Treasure of Python" (Review), Mar. 24, 2009.
- ^ Harvey, Ryan. "Pastiches 'R' Us: Conan and the Amazon" (Review), Sep. 21, 2010.