Conan and the Spider God

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Title Conan and the Spider God

Conan and the Spider God by L. Sprague de Camp, Bantam Books, 1980
Author L. Sprague de Camp
Illustrator Tim Kirk
Country United States
Language English
Series Conan the Barbarian
Genre(s) Sword and sorcery Fantasy novel
Publisher Bantam Books
Released 1980
Media type Print (Paperback)
Pages 175 pp
ISBN ISBN 0553138375

Conan and the Spider God is a 1980 fantasy novel written by L. Sprague de Camp featuring Robert E. Howard's seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. It was first published in paperback by Bantam Books. It was later gathered together with Conan the Swordsman and Conan the Liberator into the omnibus collection Sagas of Conan (Tor Books, 2004).

Conan and the Spider God is unique among de Camp's contributions to the saga in that it is the only fictional Conan work he wrote without collaborators. Most of his Conan stories were written with Howard (posthumously}, Lin Carter, and Björn Nyberg. De Camp also wrote numerous non-fiction pieces about Conan and Howard, both alone and with others.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Conan finds himself in the kingdom of Zamora, a fugitive under suspicion of kidnapping Jamilah, the wife of the king of Turan. Discovering she has actually been taken by devotees of the Zamoran spider god, he sets out for the city of Yezud to rescue the captive, and incidentally steal the opals set as eyes in the god's temple image.

Characteristically, de Camp's Conan is a more credible if less elemental figue than Howard's, carefully assessing the situation in Yezud and taking the time and effort to lay the groundwork for his foray rather than just barreling in swinging his sword.

Chronologically, Conan and the Spider God comes between the short stories "The Curse of the Monolith" and "The Blood-Stained God".

[edit] References

  • Laughlin, Charlotte; Daniel J. H. Levack (1983). De Camp: An L. Sprague de Camp Bibliography. San Francisco: Underwood/Miller, 36. 
Conan the Barbarian

Original stories by Robert E. Howard: Beyond the Black RiverBlack ColossusThe Black StrangerCimmeriaThe Devil in IronDrums of TombalkuThe Frost Giant's DaughterThe God in the BowlThe Hall of the DeadThe Hand of NergalThe Hour of the DragonIron Shadows in the MoonJewels of GwahlurThe People of the Black CircleThe Phoenix on the SwordThe Pool of the Black OneQueen of the Black CoastRed NailsRogues in the HouseThe Scarlet CitadelShadows in ZamboulaThe Snout in the DarkThe Tower of the ElephantThe Vale of Lost WomenA Witch Shall be BornWolves Beyond the BorderXuthal of the Dusk

Collections: Black ColossusThe Bloody Crown of ConanThe Coming of ConanThe Coming of Conan the CimmerianThe Complete Chronicles of ConanConanThe Conan ChroniclesThe Conan Chronicles, 1The Conan Chronicles 2The Conan Chronicles, 2Conan of AquiloniaConan of CimmeriaConan the AdventurerConan the AvengerConan the BarbarianConan the FreebooterConan the SwordsmanConan the UsurperConan the WandererConan the WarriorThe Conquering Sword of ConanThe Devil in IronThe Essential ConanJewels of GwahlurKing ConanThe People of the Black CirclePool of the Black OneQueen of the Black CoastRed NailsRogues in the HouseSagas of ConanThe Sword of ConanTales of ConanThe Tower of the ElephantThe Treasure of Tranicos

Novels: Conan and the AmazonConan and the Emerald LotusConan and the Death Lord of ThanzaConan and the Gods of the MountainConan and The Grim Grey GodConan and the ManhuntersConan and the Mists of DoomConan and the Shaman's CurseConan and the SorcererConan and the Spider GodConan and the Treasure of PythonConan at the Demon's GateConan, Lord of the Black RiverConan of the IslesConan of the Red BrotherhoodConan of VenariumConan, Scourge of the Bloody CoastConan the BarbarianConan the BoldConan the BuccaneerConan the ChampionConan the DefenderConan the DefiantConan the DestroyerConan the FearlessConan the FormidableConan the FreelanceConan the GladiatorConan the GreatConan the GuardianConan the HeroConan the HunterConan the IndomitableConan the InvincibleConan the LiberatorConan the MagnificentConan the MarauderConan the MercenaryConan the OutcastConan the RaiderConan the RebelConan the RelentlessConan the RenegadeConan the RogueConan the SavageConan the TriumphantConan the UnconqueredConan the ValiantConan the ValorousConan the VictoriousConan the WarlordThe Hour of the DragonThe Return of ConanThe Road of KingsThe Sword of Skelos

Scholarship: The Blade of ConanThe Conan GrimoireThe Conan ReaderThe Conan SwordbookThe Spell of Conan

Authors: Poul AndersonLeonard CarpenterLin CarterL. Sprague de CampRoland J. GreenJohn C. HockingRobert E. HowardRobert JordanSean A. MooreBjörn NybergAndrew J. OffuttSteve PerryJohn Maddox RobertsRoy ThomasHarry TurtledoveKarl Edward Wagner

Other media: Conan and the Young WarriorsConan the AdventurerConan (comics)Conan (Dark Horse comic)Conan the Barbarian (film)Conan the DestroyerRed Sonja (film)

Characters: BêlitConan the BarbarianCromKulan GathRed SonjaSerpent MenSerpent peopleSetThoth-AmonThulsa DoomValeriaVammatarXaltotun

Other: Conan (books)Conan ChronologiesHyborian AgeThe Hyborian AgeThe Shadow of the VultureAquiloniaCimmeriaStygia