Iron Shadows in the Moon

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This article is about a short story. For the protagonist and principal character, see Conan the Cimmerian.
An interior panel of the Iron Shadows in the Moon comic adapation by Roy Thomas, featuring the art of John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala. The original short story was written by Robert E. Howard and first appeared in a 1934 issue of Weird Tales magazine.
An interior panel of the Iron Shadows in the Moon comic adapation by Roy Thomas, featuring the art of John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala.

The original short story was written by Robert E. Howard and first appeared in a 1934 issue of Weird Tales magazine.

"Iron Shadows in the Moon" is one of the original stories by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian, first published in Weird Tales in 1934 under the title "Shadows in the Moonlight." The story was republished in the collections Conan the Barbarian (Gnome Press, 1954) and Conan the Freebooter (Lancer Books, 1968). It has more recently been published in the collections The Conan Chronicles Volume 1: The People of the Black Circle (Gollancz, 2000) and Conan of Cimmeria: Volume One (1932-1933) (Del Rey, 2003).

[edit] Plot Overview

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

"Shadows in the Moonlight" (Howard's original title was "Iron Shadows in the Moon") is a moody little tale, and one of the better Conan yarns. It begins a little unusually though as a female lovely named Olivia, having fled captivity from the city of Akif, is chased down and cornered in a marsh, on the edge of the Vilayet Sea. Her pursuer and former master is a sadistic rogue named Shah Amurath. But before he can lay loathsome hands on our hapless heroine, a figure rises from the reeds. Apparently, the newcomer has his own bone to pick with Shah Amurath, having seen all his friends betrayed and treacherously cut down to a man, before escaping into the marshes where he has hidden out for so long he is nearly mad. The newcomer quickly dispatches Shah Amurath, then he and Olivia hop in a boat and decide to lie low for the next little while. Only then does the newcomer identify himself: Conan the Cimmerian.

The two fugitives, Conan and Olivia, find their way to a dark and apparently deserted island, where they spend the night sleeping in ancient ruins decorated with remarkably life-like statues. Olivia has a dream in which she sees a band of men turned into those statues and wakes convinced they will come to life in the moonlight. Conan is less than convinced of Olivia's fears and is more concerned by whatever it is is lurking in the jungle, lobbing giant boulders at the two fugitives.

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Conan the Barbarian

Original stories by Robert E. Howard: Beyond the Black River • Black Colossus • The Black Stranger • Cimmeria • The Devil in Iron • Drums of Tombalku • The Frost Giant's Daughter • The God in the Bowl • The Hall of the Dead • The Hand of Nergal • The Hour of the Dragon • Iron Shadows in the Moon • Jewels of Gwahlur • The People of the Black Circle • The Phoenix on the Sword • The Pool of the Black One • Queen of the Black Coast • Red Nails • Rogues in the House • The Scarlet Citadel • Shadows in Zamboula • The Snout in the Dark • The Tower of the Elephant • The Vale of Lost Women • A Witch Shall be Born • Wolves Beyond the Border • Xuthal of the Dusk

Collections: Black Colossus • The Bloody Crown of Conan • The Coming of Conan • The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian • The Complete Chronicles of Conan • Conan • The Conan Chronicles • The Conan Chronicles, 1 • The Conan Chronicles 2 • The Conan Chronicles, 2 • Conan of Aquilonia • Conan of Cimmeria • Conan the Adventurer • Conan the Avenger • Conan the Barbarian • Conan the Freebooter • Conan the Swordsman • Conan the Usurper • Conan the Wanderer • Conan the Warrior • The Conquering Sword of Conan • The Devil in Iron • The Essential Conan • Jewels of Gwahlur • King Conan • The People of the Black Circle • Pool of the Black One • Queen of the Black Coast • Red Nails • Rogues in the House • Sagas of Conan • The Sword of Conan • Tales of Conan • The Tower of the Elephant • The Treasure of Tranicos

Novels: Conan and the Amazon • Conan and the Emerald Lotus • Conan and the Death Lord of Thanza • Conan and the Gods of the Mountain • Conan and The Grim Grey God • Conan and the Manhunters • Conan and the Mists of Doom • Conan and the Shaman's Curse • Conan and the Sorcerer • Conan and the Spider God • Conan and the Treasure of Python • Conan at the Demon's Gate • Conan, Lord of the Black River • Conan of the Isles • Conan of the Red Brotherhood • Conan of Venarium • Conan, Scourge of the Bloody Coast • Conan the Barbarian • Conan the Bold • Conan the Buccaneer • Conan the Champion • Conan the Defender • Conan the Defiant • Conan the Destroyer • Conan the Fearless • Conan the Formidable • Conan the Freelance • Conan the Gladiator • Conan the Great • Conan the Guardian • Conan the Hero • Conan the Hunter • Conan the Indomitable • Conan the Invincible • Conan the Liberator • Conan the Magnificent • Conan the Marauder • Conan the Mercenary • Conan the Outcast • Conan the Raider • Conan the Rebel • Conan the Relentless • Conan the Renegade • Conan the Rogue • Conan the Savage • Conan the Triumphant • Conan the Unconquered • Conan the Valiant • Conan the Valorous • Conan the Victorious • Conan the Warlord • The Hour of the Dragon • The Return of Conan • The Road of Kings • The Sword of Skelos

Scholarship: The Blade of Conan • The Conan Grimoire • The Conan Reader • The Conan Swordbook • The Spell of Conan •

Authors: Poul Anderson • Leonard Carpenter • Lin Carter • L. Sprague de Camp • Roland J. Green • John C. Hocking • Robert E. Howard • Robert Jordan • Sean A. Moore • Björn Nyberg • Andrew J. Offutt • Steve Perry • John Maddox Roberts • Roy Thomas • Harry Turtledove • Karl Edward Wagner

Other media: Conan and the Young Warriors • Conan the Adventurer • Conan (comics) • Conan (Dark Horse comic) • Conan the Barbarian (film) • Conan the Destroyer • Red Sonja (film)

Characters: Bêlit • Conan the Barbarian • Crom • Kulan Gath • Red Sonja • Serpent Men • Serpent people • Set • Thoth-Amon • Thulsa Doom • Valeria • Vammatar • Xaltotun

Other: Conan (books) • Conan Chronologies • Hyborian Age • The Hyborian Age • The Shadow of the Vulture • Aquilonia • Cimmeria • Stygia
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