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Sean A. Moore – Conan and the Shaman’s Curse (book review)

You know what really angers me? Nothing less than the fact there are so many things I want to accomplish – and so little time to do that! And it seems the older I am even less time is there.

Enough bitchin’, I was finally able to return to some good ole sword-and-sorcery literature, because, truth to be told, I was so buried in serious non-fiction that I have needed some escape ..and what’s better than hack’n’slash, kill ‘em all – Conan style?

Yeah, I’d say I prefer Howard’s Solomon Kane stories (and I am definitely re-visiting them later), but I think from all his creations Conan of Cimmeria is the most iconic. Damn, I just ignited the desire to re-watch those Arnie’s classics again.

Anyway, this adventure comes from Sean A. Moore, who is among a few authors picking up the torch of keeping Conan stories alive, and, unfortunately, because of his untimely death at the age of 34, he wrote only three Conan stories, namely Conan the Hunter, Conan and the Shaman’s Curse and Conan and the Grim Grey God and they were published by Tor Books.

I have to admit I don’t know if they are meant to be read in the order of them being written, but because I’ve picked up the second mentioned title first, so be it.

Now, I have to say I really liked the book. Sean A. Moore has succeeded in getting REH’s spirit of storytelling right, so the book basically reads itself. And that’s always good thing.

As for the story, it’s nothing difficult, you know, almost all classic sword-n-sorcery stories read as the stories of old. Our hero came, saw and killed everything which deserved to be killed, got some loot and a woman (but that’s a optional).

And it’s not different here neither. We see Conan joining Zariris, the enemies of Kaklanis, in their campaign against the latter and – after the battle, which our barbarian – you’ve guessed it – has survived, he was cursed by a shaman, one of the remaining enemies. What a nice bonus, right? So, what’s gonna happen to Conan? During the fullmoon he transforms into a ferocious beast without knowing his whereabouts.

Obviously, not too happy about that condition, Conan encounters allies of Kaklanis, the Bajkaris, who try to capture him, but our hero luckily escapes via sea to a ship which passed by.

And that’s not even half of the story! There’s more! Be ready for a race of giants, big vultures, long forgotten and lost city…and the end, which, although expected, was not really the greatest one. I’m not gonna spoil it, as – I’m gonna repeat myself – I liked it, so I would recommend it to any and all sword-and-sorcery fans.

Yes, it’s quite straightforward and you know how the story ends (yes, exactly like that), but that’s exactly how I want to read my stories!

Simply put – you can keep your Game of Thrones stuff, I want my Conan. Who’s with me?

I can’t find it on sale as a new one, as it was published in 1996, but Abebooks and other second-hand books sale outlets might be your choice to use.

Rudolf Schütz

Kreatívny mozog skrývajúci sa za webmi Indokult.com a RubberAxeZine.com, horlivý connoisseur kultúrnych pokladov, s neochvejnou vášňou pre grindhouse filmografiu, filmové poklady z minulosti a ázijské filmy a hudbu.

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