I'm currently reading some Conan stories, having got them off my Mum recently. And to be honest Conan is getting on my nerves somewhat. He's just too good. Too far ahead of everyone around him. He rarely seems in danger. And as an adult that sort of "hero" is less interesting to me than it was when I was a teen and read them the first time.
Are these Howard stories? Or pastiches? I definitely have that complaint about some of the non-Howard stories.
Probably more-so with the non-Howard ones but even the Howard ones suffer from it a little I think. Actually there is one non-Howard one (can't remember which one but it's one of the better ones) where Conan goes back to Cimmeria and in the process defeats a bull barehanded. But...he gets so badly beaten up he has to go to bed for a few days. Obviously he recovers fairly quickly from something that would have killed a lesser man but he still got damaged and paid the price. Whereas in the one I'm reading at the moment (the Conquerer) he fights a giant ghost ape in a dungeon, is described has having his tendons wrenched and being crushed, but then just carries on like he'd just stubbed his toe. Stuff like that.
Yeah, that's true. I know the story you're talking about, though I can't remember the title. But yeah, he's definitely a superhero in many ways. That's one of the things I like about "Beyond the Black River." There's another character who's also heroic and certainly not Conan's caliber, but still manages to carry much of the story.
Thats always been a thing for Conan, I went on a Conan reading spree when I was incapacitated and I must admit I got annoyed at the amount of times when we are told about how he moves with the ferocity of a jungle cat, or that "savages" were greater than civilized people, or the blood mad haze he underwent etc. They are fun books but I need to take them in small doses now.
It's Conan the valourous. After "Conan the Warrior" (because it contains the best Conan story - Beyond the black river) it's one of my favourite Conan books. I love the Cimmerian tribes (the Gwalla (I think?) with their knotted clubs) and the way that Conan is considered soft compared to other Cimmerians because he scoops up some snow to make a pillow.