From Publishers Weekly
Master alternative historian Turtledove (American Empire) attempts to inject some life into the well-trod Conan sequel subgenre, but this coming-of-age story of Robert E. Howard's barbarian hero is, alas, just as commonplace as all the other imitations by the late Lin Carter and company. Expansion-minded Aquilonians have invaded and occupied Fort Venarium in southern Cimmeria. Their lecherous commander, Count Stercus, seizes a pretty local girl at whom Conan has often gazed silently, like any tongue-tied teenage boy. You can bet the shy, untried Conan will take on the dastardly count, but will he get the girl? Later, Conan fights with the northern Cimmerians, who have gathered to drive out the Aquilonians. Eventually finding himself alone on the cusp of manhood, he realizes that his life will always be that of a wanderer and a thief. The fantasy elements are disappointingly few-a demonic bird, a huge venomous snake, a seer who foretells the boy's incredible future, a vision of a ruined temple that disappears as suddenly as it appears. Only Conan diehards and Turtledove completists will be likely to pick up this sword-with-little-sorcery novel.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Conan isn't quite 15 when the Aquilonian count, Stercus, exiled for chasing underage girls, leads an army into Cimmeria. Stercus defeats Cimmeria's ferocious but divided warriors, and then adds insult to injury by setting his sights on Conan's crush, Tarla. In this tense situation, Conan rapidly grows to manhood, losing his blacksmith father, Mordec, but learning prowess and honor. In the end, he has no home left in Cimmeria. He departs with a prophecy hanging over him, and that prophecy depicts the golden-lion banner of Aquilonia floating over Conan. He thinks this means the curse of having to live under the Aquilonians. Among Conan's many limners, Turtledove distinguishes himself with an unmatched portrait of Cimmerian society and a fine, intelligent characterization of the young barbarian. The best-selling alternate historian explores the Hyborian Age of Robert E. Howard's durable battler as successfully as he reinvents modern wars. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
A new Conan adventure--from one of today's most popular writers of fantasy and SF!

For decades, millions of readers have thrilled to the adventures of Conan, the barbarian adventurer invented by Robert E. Howard and further chronicled by other fantasy greats, including such notables as L. Sprague de Camp, Poul Anderson, and Robert Jordan.

Now Harry Turtledove, one of today's most popular writers of fantasy and SF, contributes a novel to the Conan saga--a tale of Conan in his youth, in the year or so before he becomes the wandering adventurer we know from the tales of Howard and others.

On the verge of adulthood, he lives in a Cimmerian hamlet, caring for his ailing mother, working in his father's smithy, and casting his eye on the weaver's daughter next door.
Then war comes: an invasion by the Aquilonian Empire. Conan burns to join the fight, but he's deemed too young. Then, from the border country, comes an unbelievable report: The Aquilonians have smashed the Cimmerian defending forces, and can rule as they please. Soon their heavily garrisoned forts dot the countryside. Their settlers follow after, carving homesteads out of other men's land.

Every Cimmerian longs to drive the intruders out with fire and sword, but they must stay their hands, for the Aquilonians have promised savage reprisals. Then, intolerably, the Aquilonian commander takes a wholly dishonorable interest in the weaver's daughter -- and he's not a man to wait, or even ask permission.

It's not a recipe for a peaceable outcome.



About the Author
Harry Turtledove is the Hugo-winning author of many SF and fantasy novels. His alternate-history novels include the bestselling The Guns of the South, How Few Remain, the Worldwar series, and the recent Ruled Britannia. He lives with his wife and daughters in Los Angeles.



Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
YOUNG CONAN

A sudden, horrid certainty blazed in Conan, fueling fury fierce as his father's forge. "Tarla!" he burst out.

"It seems so, yes," said Mordec unhappily. "He sniffs around her, sniffs around Balarg's house like a hungry hound after meat."

"I'll kill him!" raged Conan. "I'll cut his heart out and feed it to swine. I'll drape his guts over the roofpole. I'll-"

His father shook him, hard. Conan's teeth clicked together on his tongue. Pain lanced through him. He tasted blood in his mouth. When he spat, he spat red. He said no more. "Good," said his father. "Maybe I've shaked some sense into you. Can you imagine what would happen to Duthil if you were mad enough to murder the Aquilonian commander? Can you?"

"He deserves death," Conan said sullenly.

"Yes, no doubt," said his father.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
"Gore and guts and grief and glory! War and woe and fire and flame! Death and doom and dire deeds!" Harry Turtledove, king of the alternate history, tries his hand at heroic fantasy with Conan of Venarium, a tribute of sorts to Robert E. Howard's legendary barbarian king.

While other famous authors like Poul Anderson, L. Sprague de Camp, and Robert Jordan have penned memorable Conan tales, Turtledove's adventure chronicles Conan at his youngest -- still a prepubescent boy living with his hulking blacksmith father and sickly mother in a small village in Cimmeria. When an army from neighboring Aquilonia invades and occupies Conan's village, the 12-year-old boy yearns to slaughter the enemy, but his father deems him too young. But when a foreign leader seduces -- then kidnaps -- a young girl from Conan's village, no one (not even his giant of a father) can hold Conan back from bloody vengeance.

Besides Edgar Rice Burroughs's John Carter of Mars and Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibon￯﾿ﾽ, Howard's Conan is arguably the best-known hero in the history of the fantasy genre. (And to the best of my knowledge, there are still no John Carter or Elric motion pictures￯﾿ﾽ) Turtledove does the legendary blue-eyed, muscle-laden warrior justice, while adding his own unique touch to the saga. Like so many of his shelf-bending fantasy epics, this story is seen from the eyes of several different characters, making for more fully realized, intimate plot lines -- a must-read for Conan fans of all ages. Paul Goat Allen

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"On the verge of adulthood, Conan lives in a Cimmerian hamlet, caring for his ailing mother, working in his father's smithy, and yearning after the weaver's daughter next door." "Then war comes: an invasion by the Aquilonian Empire. Conan burns to join the fight, but he's deemed too young. Then, from the border country, comes an unbelievable report: The Aquilonians have smashed the Cimmerian defending forces, and can rule as they please. Soon their heavily garrisoned forts dot the countryside. Their settlers follow after, carving homesteads out of other men's land." Every Cimmerian longs to drive the intruders out with fire and sword, but they must stay their hands, for the Aquilonians have promised savage reprisals. Then, intolerably, the Aquilonian commander takes a wholly dishonorable interest in the weaver's daughter - and he's not a man to wait, or even ask permission.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Master alternative historian Turtledove (American Empire) attempts to inject some life into the well-trod Conan sequel subgenre, but this coming-of-age story of Robert E. Howard's barbarian hero is, alas, just as commonplace as all the other imitations by the late Lin Carter and company. Expansion-minded Aquilonians have invaded and occupied Fort Venarium in southern Cimmeria. Their lecherous commander, Count Stercus, seizes a pretty local girl at whom Conan has often gazed silently, like any tongue-tied teenage boy. You can bet the shy, untried Conan will take on the dastardly count, but will he get the girl? Later, Conan fights with the northern Cimmerians, who have gathered to drive out the Aquilonians. Eventually finding himself alone on the cusp of manhood, he realizes that his life will always be that of a wanderer and a thief. The fantasy elements are disappointingly few-a demonic bird, a huge venomous snake, a seer who foretells the boy's incredible future, a vision of a ruined temple that disappears as suddenly as it appears. Only Conan diehards and Turtledove completists will be likely to pick up this sword-with-little-sorcery novel. (Aug. 5) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Before he became a warrior of legend, Conan lived a simple life as the son of a blacksmith in Cimmeria. Then the Aquilonians came with their invading armies and their lust-driven soldiers. Choosing to live not as a slave but as a warrior, Conan takes up the sword and goes to war on his own terms. The popular author of alternate histories now adds his storytelling expertise to the opus of Conan the Barbarian novels that include works by Conan creator Robert E. Howard, Poul Anderson, Robert Jordan, and other genre authors. A good addition to libraries' Conan novels. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews