Conan and the Emerald Lotus

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Conan by any standards
Review: For fans of Conan and Robert E. Howard who have been deeply disappointed with the recent "Conan" novels, or who don't even want to pick one up (and in most cases, I can't blame you), THIS is the one read. This is excellent Conan, as good as many of Robert Jordan's early work and easily the best Conan from Tor I've read in a long time. To put it simply, "Conan and the Emerald Lotus" is thrilling. After a slightly slow beginning, the narrative rockets into a real Howardian roller-coaster ride. It's clear the author had a fun time writing it, and the reader consequently feels his enthusiasm.

Mr. Hocking has solved one of the principle problems of the recent Conan books: he actually builds to a climax. Instead of hurling countless subplots and villains at the reader and then dropping them all before a boring conclusion, Hocking gives us one hell of an apocalyptic curtain closer. It more than satisfies the reader's expectations. In general, the gradual build of action is perfectly pitched. After page 85 or so, I guarantee you'll be reading compulsively. There are plenty of other treats, such as a true human heartbeat to the story when dealing with sorceress Zelandra's addiction to the lotus. Hocking shows a believable decline and desperation in the character (and, to a lesser extent, in villain Ethram-fal). It's rare to see a modern Conan author find an emotional core to the story, the same way the REH did in his best work, and I applaud Mr. Hocking for this bit of attractive gloss to his adventure story.

In many ways, "Conan and the Emerald Lotus" is less true Howard than it is an homage to all of the Weird Tales authors, especially Clark Ashton Smith, August Derleth, H. P. Lovecraft, and most clearly Robert Bloch. Mr. Hocking remembers that Conan originally appeared in a magazine of the weird, unusual, and often horrific, and appropriately ladens his story with creepy dark fantasy and terror. The Emerald Lotus, inspired from the sensational Clark Ashton Smtih story "The Seed from the Sepulcher", is a particularly gruesome nasty. The author has also given us a good vision of the wilderness of Stygia, where ancient temples lie in wait and long dead sorcerers can still stalk benighted halls in ghoul-form before the faceless sphinx of Nyarlathotep.

Conan himself is in fine form. He's in his thirties, a hardened veteran, and he uses his skills in tactics, stealth, and tracking at every point. He's still a softer character than REH's, but at least he's smart and wry and still tough as hell. His relationship with Neesa is a bit routine (you gotta love the way the girl hurls a dagger though!), but his bond with mute Heng Shih is one of the better male-buddy relationship I've read in a non-Howard work.

Altogether, this is fine adventure, and Howard fans should all read it, even if they claim to hate pastiches. I want to read more from Mr. Hocking, so I hope to see more people reading his novel.

Rating:
Summary: An awesome book!
Review: Great book with lots of action. Hocking is a great story teller. I've read all of the Conan books. This is one of my favorites.

Rating:
Summary: First Rate
Review: Hocking has written a masterful sword and sorcery story. Driving action, evil sorcerors, compelling plot that never lets-up, lovely damsels--and Conan besides, written as no one but REH has written of him. When it comes to pastiche Conan, this may well be the best I have EVER read. Conan is more complex in Hocking's hands, just as he was with REH.

Hocking has also mastered Robert E. Howard's compelling narrative, the brooding tension beneath... in short this is simply the best new sword and sorcery I've read in ages.

Bring us some more Conan by Hocking! Please!

Rating:
Summary: no loutus dream
Review: i lie howard's stories. ut his "successors"..... Well, this could actually have been good. good descriptions and suspenceful at times. but there are too many pages where nothing happens. and it is not necessary to use so much time to explain the intrigue through lengthy dialogue, we get it. and towards the end, it doesn't deliver. the ending should have been better and more a natural link to the story.

Rating:
Summary: no loutus dream
Review: i lie howard's stories. ut his "successors"..... Well, this could actually have been good. good descriptions and suspenceful at times. but there are too many pages where nothing happens. and it is not necessary to use so much time to explain the intrigue through lengthy dialogue, we get it. and towards the end, it doesn't deliver. the ending should have been better and more a natural link to the story.

Rating:
Summary: My book is a tribute to Conan & the old 'Weird Tales' pulp.
Review: I think fans of Conan and classic heroic fantasy will be pleased with my old-fashioned approach to the character. The novel is as fast, intense, colorful, and evocative of Robert E. Howard and 'Weird Tales' magazine as I could make it.

Rating:
Summary: Conan in the heart of Stygia
Review: In this unusual Conan novel, we are carried into the Hyborian world of Robert E. Howard. This author, unlike many other Conan writers, really knows his stuff. He obviously has a great respect for the old Weird Tales pulp adventures. This action packed saga features several sorcerors, including one attractive female, a stalking killer zombie, a band of Stygian outlaws, and ends up in a spectacular carven palace similar to Petra. Truly the heighth of adventure, Conan has to face a terrible Cthulhu monster and a giant grim idol of Nyarlathotep, all for the sake of the unthinkable emerald lotus, a plant and drug that came down from the stars in ages past that gives its user unlimited magic power and a inescapably deadly addiction. Hocking has crafted a tale of pulse-pounding excitement and fascinating narrative. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST non-Howard Conan books ever!!!
Review: This book is a thrill ride from beginning to end, with Conan very much the Barbarian as presented by Robert E. Howard. His motivations are true Conan, lust and a desire to rid himself of the influence of sorcery. He has a noble streak, a very wide violent streak, and a wry humor throughout. It's nice to see an author who doesn't treat Conan as a mindless killing machine, but someone who, while "uneducated", has more insight into human behavior than the characters around him. Plus, the plot moves along quickly with lots of swordplay and a welcome touch of weird, Lovecraftian horror that adds to the Howardesque atmosphere of the novel. A great read!

Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST non-Howard Conan books ever!!!
Review: This book is a thrill ride from beginning to end, with Conan very much the Barbarian as presented by Robert E. Howard. His motivations are true Conan, lust and a desire to rid himself of the influence of sorcery. He has a noble streak, a very wide violent streak, and a wry humor throughout. It's nice to see an author who doesn't treat Conan as a mindless killing machine, but someone who, while "uneducated", has more insight into human behavior than the characters around him. Plus, the plot moves along quickly with lots of swordplay and a welcome touch of weird, Lovecraftian horror that adds to the Howardesque atmosphere of the novel. A great read!

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Conan Pastiches!
Review: This is o­ne of the best pastiche Conan works that I have ever read. John Hocking proves right off the first page that he can capture some of that same visceral fire in his prose that Howard did.

Stygian sorcerer Ethram-fal has revived the carnivorous Emerald Lotus plant created by the ancient wizard Cetriss and uses the addictive, magic-increasing powder of the lotus to enslave other sorcerers. Conan becomes involved the machinations of two of these enslaved mages, the Keshian Shakar and the beautiful Zelandra, when Shakar forces the Cimmerian to steal Zelandra's supply of the lotus using an amulet that will kill Conan if he fails.

Overall, I think Hocking did a great job capturing the Howardian spirit and feel. There were a couple of times I nearly forgot I was reading a pastiche. I'd buy another of his Conan pastiches