The Conquering Sword of Conan by Robert E. Howard
The Servants of Bit-Yakin
– draft a, untitled, 32 pgs. (numbered 1–5, 7–33 in error)
– draft b, 48 pgs.
– draft c, (final Weird Tales version), survives as carbon, 56 pgs.
Beyond the Black River
– draft a, untitled, 56 pgs.
– draft b, (final Weird Tales version), survives as untitled carbon, 69 pgs.
The Black Stranger
– synopsis a, untitled, single-spaced, 2 pgs.
– draft a, untitled, dwindling to a synopsis, 64 pgs.
– draft b1, incomplete, pgs. 47–81 of 81 pgs.
– draft b2, incomplete, pgs. 47–93 of 93 pgs., (numbered 47–59, 59–93) (pages 79–81 are perhaps missing; they were not located in time for this edition)
– draft c, final version, 98 pgs., (plus discarded pg. 35) (also survives as a carbon)
– in addition to his final draft, Howard wrote a two-page synopsis of the first part of this story, conceived as a serial; undoubtedly this would have appeared in Weird Tales—had the story been accepted—at the beginning of the second installment.
The Man-Eaters of Zamboula
– synopsis, 1 pg.
– draft a, dwindling to a synopsis, 24 pgs.
– draft b, 33 pgs.
– draft c, (final Weird Tales version), survives as carbon, 40 pgs. (page 32 is perhaps lost; it was not located in time for this edition)
Red Nails
– draft a, untitled and incomplete, pgs 1–52 of 53?, dwindling to a synopsis, (probably lacking the final page only)
– draft b, incomplete, pgs. 27–91 of 91, dwindling to a synopsis
– draft c1, partial, pgs. 97–100, (draft for last few pgs. of c2)
– draft c2, (final Weird Tales version), survives as incomplete carbon, pgs. 17–102 of 102 (pages 44–45, 47–51, 53, 56–77 are perhaps lost; they were not located in time for this edition)
Untitled Notes (The Westermarck . . .)
– single-spaced page
Wolves Beyond the Border
– draft a, unfinished and dwindling to a synopsis, 15 pgs.
– draft b, unfinished, 25 pgs.
NOTES ON THE ORIGINAL HOWARD TEXTS
The texts for this edition of The Conquering Sword of Conan were prepared by Patrice Louinet, Rusty Burke, and Dave Gentzel, with assistance from Glenn Lord. The stories have been checked either against Howard’s original typescripts, copies of which were furnished by Glenn Lord and the Cross Plains Public Library, or the first published appearance if a typescript was unavailable. Drafts of Howard’s stories, when extant, have also been checked to ensure the greatest accuracy. Every effort has been made to present the work of Robert E. Howard as faithfully as possible. Deviations from the original sources are detailed in these textual notes. In the following, page, line, and word numbers are given as follows: 57.2.9, indicating page 57, second line, ninth word. Story titles, chapter numbers and titles, and breaks before and after chapter headings, titles, and illustrations are not counted. The page/line number will be followed by the reading in the original source, or a statement indicating the type of change made.
The Servants of Bit-Yakin
Text taken from Howard’s carbon, provided by Glenn Lord. (Page 53 of the carbon was in such bad shape that it had to be retyped by Glenn Lord, respecting Howard’s layout and eventual mistakes.)
The carbon has no title for the first chapter; it was either added by Howard directly on the typescript or added by the Weird Tales editor. 4.6.17: reach; 4.10.4: crossed-legged; 4.17.2: invistigation; 4.25.13: ampiteater; 4.30.3: exaled; 6.2.8: sacret; 6.28.9: indiscretly; 6.33.8: “stood” absent from original and taken from Weird Tales text; 6.35.8: “with within” in original; 8.9.3: lapus-lazuli; 8.17.8: “be” absent from original; 8.33.9: freizes; 9.3.2: preversed; 9.3.8: effected; 9.40.5: established; 10.12.8: Pains-takingingly (hyphenated); 10.28.9: period after “characters”; 10.36.10: this page of the carbon is damaged and the following words or phrases up to and including 10.39.5 are taken from Weird Tales text: 10.36.10: “script”; 10.37.2: “familiar,”; 10.37.9: “been modified”; 10.38.1: “nomad”; 10.38.6: “baffled him. He”; 10.38.13: “recurrent”; 10.39.5: “as a proper name. Bit-Yakin. He gathered”; 11.2.4: mauscript; 11.32.11: posssessed; 14.7.15: carefull; 14.32.9: the last three letters of “immemorial” are unreadable on the carbon; 16.6.10: contemptously; 16.14.11: “forget” absent from original and taken from Weird Tales text; 16.33.6: space before “watching”; 17.5.15: caves; 17.21.17: of; 17.23.2: no period and quotation mark after “immediately” (typed to right edge of paper); 17.24.9: Zembawans; 18.10.5: explict; 18.35.12: “if” absent from original; 18.38.1: squaked; 18.39.6: freizes; 19.17.13: Conan’s; 19.36.2: tense; 20.4.6: straining; 20.11.2: holloweed; 21.6.3: “not” absent from original; 21.7.5: Obvious; 22.38.1: Gawlur; 23.23.11: “cry” absent from original and taken from Weird Tales text; 24.32.11: “not” repeated; 25.2.4: “this” repeated (This this); 25.22.14: “the” absent from original; 27.1.9: instantly; 27.9.1: through; 28.14.7: difficukty; 29.3.14: where; 29.11.2: the that; 30.2.10: phosphorous; 31.3.8: prophesy; 31.6.11: descrated; 31.37.9: yards; 32.3.7: “a” absent from original; 32.9.11: escounced; 32.14.10: phosphorous; 32.25.15: the first three letters of “cavern” are unreadable on the carbon; 32.29.2: set; 34.20.16: the; 34.21.5: chainting; 34.38.15: phosphorous; 35.2.5: is; 36.1.8: grassped; 36.24.3: “glow” absent from original and taken from Weird Tales text; 39.15.10: hyphen instead of comma after “grey”; 40.3.5: blood; 40.14.5: down downward; 40.14.13: nervelss; 41.9.4: jems; 41.16.11: the line: “like you. There’s no use going back to Keshia. There’s nothing in Keshan” didn’t register on the carbon. The text is taken from the Weird Tales text.
Beyond the Black River
Text taken from Howard’s carbon, provided by Glenn Lord. (Pages 1 and 65 of the carbon were in such bad shape that they had to be retyped by Glenn Lord, respecting Howard’s layout and eventual mistakes.) The chapters are untitled in the carbon, except for the first one. A blank line in the ts. below each new chapter suggests Howard intended to add titles; these may have been present on the ts. sent to Weird Tales. It is also possible that these were added by the Weird Tales editor. 45.7.6: “a” before “soft” in original; 45.13.9: cabin; 46.37.14: “been” absent from original; 48.7.1: “and” absent from original; 50.10.13: quotation mark before “Conan”; 52.14.4: the words “straying” and “strayed” appear on the carbon, one typed over the other, though it is not clear which was Howard’s final choice; 52.21.1: accomodate; 52.25.12: “of” absent from original; 52.35.8: blunder; 56.22.6: pythong; 56.39.14: no space between “know” and em-dash; 59.13.2: breek; 59.14.1: sword; 60.40.13: touched; 64.10.3: coifures; 65.22.1: “four of” in original; 65.31.12: accomodated; 65.37.2: of; 67.15.13: shoudders; 67.17.9: that; 67.26.1: beast; 67.40.9: thew; 68.20.2: futiley; 68.29.13: “in” unreadable due to a crease on the carbon; 68.39.7: ancient; 74.17.2: avoiding; 74.22.13: cubs; 74.25.6: “and” absent from original; 76.5.6: carnivora; 76.21.3ff: “looking for us” unreadable due to a crease on the carbon and taken from Weird Tales text; 76.23.12: “to” absent from original; 76.33.13: doesn’ (typed to right edge of paper); 77.26.7: villave; 78.15.9: “with” after “trade” in original; 79.8.12: laying; 79.20.4: “the” absent from original; 80.13.7: “a” absent from original; 83.14.12: “yards” absent from original and taken from Weird Tales text; 84.4.3: furious; 84.7.6: no comma after “Cimmerian”; 84.31.6: accrosst; 84.36.12: broast; 86.1.4: glancing; 88.7.13: “and” unreadable due to a crease on the carbon; 88.29.13: hideous; 88.29.14: slashdd; 88.38.12: “was” instead of “no”; 88.40.14: growl; 91.28.10: pleasur (typed to right edge of paper); 93.1.6: “shoulders” absent from original and taken from Weird Tales text; 93.28.12: “blood” instead of “wound” in original; 93.34.2: boths; 96.7.7: slepp; 96.11.10: comma after “blazed”; 98.2.16: settlers’; 100.1.1ff: the carbon is torn here and the first two words (“No; Conajohara) are unreadable; text
The Black Stranger
Text taken from Howard’s typescript, in the holdings of the Cross Plains Public Library. The original has a number of annotations in pencil, some of which are from Howard’s hand. We have ignored these since they correspond to the changes Howard introduced when he rewrote the story as a Terence Vulmea tale: as was customary, Howard’s corrections for the Conan version of the typescript were typed rather than penciled. Interested readers are invited to consult the facsimile edition of “The Black Stranger,” published in 2002 by Wandering Star. 104.19.13: statue; 106.23.7: agily; 107.27.7: nitched; 109.6.1: repellant; 109.14.12: cerulian; 112.22.10: neice; 112.23.1: protege; 116.3.5: Storm’s; 120.15.8: roasing; 120.22.11: silene; 120.36.12: It’s; 121.6.8: neice; 122.27.3: fixidly; 122.38.10: no period after “intentions”; 125.33.11: “in” absent from original; 126.17.4: neice; 126.35.15: curtisied; 128.12.3: comma after “Curse”; 128.26.12: “a” repeated; 129.10.11: neice; 133.21.14: randy; 133.22.1: “the” absent from original; 136.32.2: “the” repeated (the The Red Hand); 136.34.12: adaptibility; 138.11.8: surveilance; 140.35.3: every; 140.35.5: eaves dropping; 143.27.8: appeares; 145.11.14: no quotation mark after “years!” in original; 146.26.2: “is” absent from original; 147.6.7: neice; 147.10.16: “w ill” (extra space); 147.35.5: “of” absent from original; 148.22.6: rogue’s; 148.26.10: potents; 149.18.15: venmous; 149.24.5: “on” absent from original; 149.39.1: seem; 150.11.13: crew; 152.1.2: paroxism; 153.23.10: “it” absent from original; 153.40.4: dirction; 154.26.13: quotation mark before “he” rather than after “Eagle-Picts,”; 156.7.11: “the” absent from original; 156.40.13: nitched; 158.38.1: jamb; 159.19.5: “for” absent from original; 160.40.7: clapsed; 161.35.8: “cloak-wrapped” not hyphenated (“cloak wrapped”); 162.9.6: resplendant; 163.1.9: no comma after “strand”; 164.40.1: question mark rather than period after “help”; 165.34.5: when; 168.35.6: And; 170.10.1: no comma after “glare”; 171.3.8: headlong; 172.15.11: irrelevency; 172.21.5: consumated; 172.32.6: no space between the quotation mark and “she.”
The Man-Eaters of Zamboula
Text taken from Howard’s carbon, provided by Glenn Lord. (Page 32 of the carbon is supposedly extant but was not located in time for the preparation of this volume; the text for this page [from 200.35.14: when, to 201.19.3: another] was taken from the Weird Tales appearance). 177.9.2: flambouyant; 179.17.7: heterogenous; 179.38.3: carving; 180.2.14: wounded; 180.5.7: by; 180.28.8: “a” absent from original; 180.28.14: no comma after “suk”; 180.36.6: no quotation mark after “thieves” (typed to right edge of paper); 183.20.14: “there” repeated; 184.4.3: “a” absent from original; 184.17.5: visullized; 184.35.11: a; 185.19.3: “the” absent from original; 185.29.6: “eastern-most” hyphenated at line break; 185.36.5: unsatieted; 185.40.5: no period after “escaped” (typed to right edge of paper); 186.32.12: no period after “streets” (typed to right edge of paper); 186.33.2: “me” absent from original; 189.8.2: black; 189.8.4: no comma after “past”; 189.8.8: scruffing; 189.11.4: “the” inserted in original (“the Aram’s death-house”); 189.20.6: unforseen; 189.39.2: quotation mark before “she” rather than after em-dash; 190.1.11: no quotation mark after “name” (typed to right edge of paper); 191.5.5: comma rather than period after “him”; 192.19.10: “A” absent from original (probably didn’t register on the carbon); 193.23.12: she; 194.5.10: one; 194.17.9: “help” absent from original; 195.3.6: “under” repeated; 195.10.14: of; 195.13.2: “the” absent from original; 195.36.2: filiaments; 195.40.11: no comma after “tugging” (typed to right edge of paper); 196.17.13: “a” absent from original; 196.27.10: “and” absent from original; 196.29.8: deafeningl (typed to right edge of paper); 198.10.4: breasts; 198.20.13: no period after “corridor” (typed to right edge of paper); 199.15.4: discernable; 200.14.12: no period after “dissemble” (typed to right edge of paper); 201.24.11: monster; 201.30.5: rythm; 201.32.8: tarrantella; 203.1.13: “mad-dog” in original; 203.21.9: plotte (typed to right edge of paper); 203.35.14: quarte (typed to right edge of paper); 207.5.12: grasping; 207.29.5: saw.
Red Nails
Text taken from Weird Tales, July, August–September, and October 1936 (three-part serial). The incomplete surviving carbon has been consulted for the preparation of this edition: variations within the printed text are minimal, mostly corrections of typographical errors. 224.21.1: Sailor’s; 227.17.9: period rather than comma after “girl”; 228.34.1: “plowshare” hyphenated at line break; 231.17.1: “love-making” hyphenated at line break; 234.18.5: has; 235.1.7: Science (Howard’s carbon has “Silence”; cf. 239.7.11); 238.5.3: Xotalancs; 239.23.4: “sword-thrust” hyphenated at line break; 243.34.3: Xotalancs; 248.2.1: “battle-ground” hyphenated at line break; 250.3.5: restorted; 254.13.6: “nearby” hyphenated at line break; 258.38.11: “sword-play” hyphenated at line break; 259.13.7: “throne-room” hyphenated at line break; 260.39.13: “witch-light” hyphenated at line break; 267.24.15: “wrestling-match” hyphenated at line break; 273.17.8: Techultli.
Untitled Notes
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
Wolves Beyond the Border, Draft A
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
Wolves Beyond the Border, Draft B
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
The Black Stranger, Synopsis A
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
The Black Stranger, Synopsis B
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
The Man-Eaters of Zamboula, Synopsis
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
Red Nails, Draft
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. 322.7.9: in the double-spaced typescript, the phrase “a skeleton on a shelf” is inserted between the line ending with “neither able to” and the next beginning with “see above or below her.” This was evidently added at a later moment and intended to be fleshed out in later drafts; 327.19.6: the phrase “Branches too light for spear handles and vines no thicker than cords.” is inserted between lines of the double-spaced typescript with no indication of the intended insertion point.
Letter to P. Schuyler Miller
Text taken from The Coming of Conan, Gnome Press, 1950. 360.3.1: “battlefield” hyphenated at line break.
Thanks so much to Jim Keegan and especially Marcelo Anciano for believing in my work and suggesting oil paint rather than black and white. Many thanks to Irene Gallo for her support and wickedly exacting vision! And thanks to Greg and Miko at Gamma One, New York, for such great transparencies of the paintings.
Gregory Manchess
I would like to thank Rusty, Dave, Stuart, and Marcelo for making it happen once again; you are the greatest guys to work with. Without Glenn, these Conan books would never have been what they are; I can never repay you for your help and patience with my never-ending and sometimes weird requests. A thought for Peluche, who was always there to prevent me from working, I miss you. And last, but definitely not least, all my love to Sheila, who accepted the presence of the Cimmerian for so long.
Patrice Louinet
Many thanks to Marcelo, Patrice, Stuart, David, Jim, and Ed – it is an honor and a pleasure to work with such a doughty band of literary warriors. To Glenn Lord, friend and mentor, and Robert E. Howard’s mightiest champion. To Greg, Gary, and Mark, for their outstanding depictions of the Cimmerian and his world. To Bill Cavalier, staunchest of Howard purists and most steadfast of friends, even if he is wrong about The Black Stranger. To the members of the Robert E. Howard United Press Asso
Rusty Burke
Thanks to Marcelo, Patrice, and Rusty for being so good at what they do and making my job a lot easier, and to Greg for his breathtaking paintings, all of which are fantastic. Thanks also to Mandy, who keeps the home fires burning when I’m doing these; Emma, who gets a kick out of seeing her name in print; Fishburn Hedges Design for the extracurricular use of their studio; and, finally, to Simon Thorpe, magician with pen, pencil, brush, and Wacom tablet – an inspiration and a great friend – even though I find your almost total recall somewhat unnerving!
Stuart Williams
I would like to thank Jack and Barbara Baum and Steve Saffel for their belief in a united Robert E. Howard library. Thanks also to Jim and Ruth Keegan, Stuart, Ed Waterman, and Rusty for their support and special thanks to Nancy Delia for her sterling work on the book. And to Graziana, just because…
Marcelo Anciano
PRAISE FOR ROBERT E. HOWARD
“I adore these books. Howard had a gritty, vibrant style—broadsword writing that cut its way to the heart, with heroes who are truly larger than life. I heartily recommend them to anyone who loves fantasy.”
—DAVID GEMMELL
Author of Legend and White Wolf
“The voice of Robert E. Howard still resonates after decades with readers—equal parts ringing steel, thunderous horse hooves, and spattered blood. Far from being a stereotype, his creation of Conan is the high heroic adventurer. His raw muscle and sinews, boiling temper, and lusty laughs are the gauge by which all modern heroes must be measured.”