Conan Chronologies

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Conan Chronologies have been prepared by a variety of people from the 1930s onward to provide a timeline into which to fit the numerous Conan the Barbarian stories by Robert E. Howard and later writers.

No completely consistent timeline that would accommodate every existing Conan story is possible. This is so for several reasons, including (a) errors that crept into the earliest chronologies, (b) the later disregard by the early chronologists of material by Howard that did not fit the existing schemes, (c) the writing of much post-Howard Conan material to conform to these demonstrably erroneous chronologies, and (d) the writing of other post-Howard material that ignored both existing chronologies and chronological information established in previous stories by Howard and others.

The following are the major schemes that have been advanced over the years, together with their strengths and weaknesses.

[edit] Miller/Clark chronology

A Probable Outline of Conan's Career (1936), completed during Howard's lifetime by P. Schuyler Miller and John D. Clark, was said by Howard to follow his vision "pretty closely." The strongest point in favor of this chronology is the affirmation by Howard. The major weaknesses are that it misses a few chronological points in the stories that point to a slightly different arrangement, and it does not cover all Conan stories by Howard, having been compiled before the entire corpus was published. It naturally omits all post-Howard writings. All of these weaknesses but the first were subsequently rectified, as the Miller/Clark chronology was revised on numerous occasions over the years to take into account newly discovered and newly written material.

Notable among subsequent versions was An Informal Biography of Conan the Cimmerian (1952), a revision by Clark and L. Sprague de Camp used to bridge stories in the first hardcover edition of the Conan stories, published by Gnome Press. With further revisions by de Camp, the chronology performed the same service in the first paperback edition, the publication of which was begun by Lancer Books and completed by Ace Books. These versions included additional Howard stories that became known since 1936, though their placement of these stories could not be vetted by the now-deceased Howard. De Camp's successive revisions included all non-Howard material published through the time of the revision, as well as versions of Howard stories rewritten by de Camp to fit his view of the chronology. His final version of the chronology, Conan the Indestructible (1986), incorporated the first seven volumes of the series of Conan pastiches published by Tor Books.

As the long-time "official" chronology, most of the post-Howard stories were written to fit into de Camp's chronology. Its major weakness were its perpetuation of the inaccuracies of the 1936 version, erroneous placements of Howard stories that had come to light after that version, and the shoe-horning in of Howard tales that either did not fit the scheme or had no obvious placement through rewriting or completion (in the instance of fragments) by de Camp and/or his collaborator Lin Carter.

[edit] Order (earliest and latest forms)

All stories added after the earliest version are indented.

• "Legions of the Dead"
• Conan the Barbarian (as an alternate account of Conan's early years)
• "The Thing in the Crypt"

• "The Tower of the Elephant"

• Conan the Destroyer
• Conan the Magnificent
• Conan the Invincible
• "The Hall of the Dead"
• "The God in the Bowl"

• "Rogues in the House"

• Conan and the Sorcerer
• Conan the Mercenary
• The Sword of Skelos
• Conan the Victorious
• Conan the Unconquered
• "The Hand of Nergal"
• "The City of Skulls"
• "The People of the Summit"
• "The Curse of the Monolith"
• Conan and the Spider God
• "The Blood-Stained God"
• "The Frost Giant's Daughter"
• "The Lair the Ice Worm"
• Conan the Defender
• Conan the Triumphant

• "Queen of the Black Coast" (Part 1)

• Conan the Rebel (between chapters 1 and 2 of "Queen of the Black Coast")

• "Queen of the Black Coast" (Part 2)

• "The Vale of Lost Women"
• "The Castle of Terror"
• "The Snout in the Dark"
• "Hawks Over Shem"
• The Road of Kings

• "Black Colossus"

• "Shadows in the Dark"

• "Shadows in the Moonlight"

• "The Road of the Eagles"

• "A Witch Shall Be Born"

• "The Black Tears"

• "Shadows of Zamboula"

• "The Star of Khorala"

• "The Devil in Iron"

• "The Flame Knife"

• "The People of the Black Circle"
• "The Slithering Shadow"

• "Drums of Tombalku"
• "The Gem in the Tower"

• "The Pool of the Black One"

• Conan the Buccaneer

• "Red Nails"
• "Jewels of Gwahlur"

• "The Ivory Goddess"

• "Beyond the Black River"

• "Moon of Blood"
• "The Treasure of Tranicos"
• "Wolves Beyond the Border"
• Conan the Liberator

• "The Phoenix on the Sword"
• "The Scarlet Citadel"
• Conan the Conqueror

• Conan the Avenger
• "The Witch of the Mists"
• "Black Sphinx of Nebthu"
• "Red Moon of Zembabwei"
• "Shadows in the Skull"
• Conan of the Isles

[edit] Robert Jordan Chronology

A Conan Chronology by Robert Jordan (1987) was the attempt of Conan writer Robert Jordan to create a new Chronology including all Conan material written up to that point, including the first sixteen volumes of the series of Conan pastiches published by Tor Books (although inexplicably omitting the eighth, Conan the Valorous). It was heavily influenced by the Miller/Clark/de Camp chronologies, although deviating from them in some respects. Its major strength was its inclusion of almost all existing works published at the time of its compilation. Its weaknesses are the perpetuation of those from previous chronologies, as well as its often idiosyncratic departures from them, for which Jordan's arguments are poorly supported.

[edit] Order

1. "Legions of the Dead"
2. "The Thing in the Crypt"
3. Conan the Defiant
4. "The Tower of the Elephant"
5. Conan and the Sorcerer
6. Conan the Mercenary
7. Conan: The Sword of Skelos
8. Conan the Destroyer
9. Conan the Magnificent
10. Conan the Invincible
11. "The Hall of the Dead"
12. Conan the Fearless
13. "The God in the Bowl"
14. Conan the Warlord
15. Conan the Champion
16. "Rogues in the House"
17. Conan the Victorious
18. Conan the Unconquered
19. "The Hand of Nergal"
20. "The City of Skulls"
21. "The People of the Summit"
22. "The Curse of the Monolith"
23. Conan the Valiant
24. "The Blood-Stained God"
25. "The Frost Giant's Daughter"
26. "The Lair of the Ice Worm"
27. Conan and the Spider God
28. Conan the Defender
29. Conan: The Road of Kings
30. Conan the Triumphant
31. "Queen of the Black Coast" (Part 1)
32. Conan the Rebel
33. "Queen of the Black Coast" (Part 2)
34. "The Vale of Lost Women"
35. "The Castle of Terror"
36. "The Snout in the Dark"
37. "Hawks Over Shem"
38. "Black Colossus"
39. "Shadows in the Dark"
40. Conan the Renegade
41. "Shadows in the Moonlight"
42. "The Road of the Eagles"
43. "A Witch Shall be Born"
44. "The Black Tears"
45. "Shadows in Zamboula"
46. Conan the Raider
47. "The Star of Khorala"
48. "The Devil in Iron"
49. "The Flame Knife"
50. "The People of the Black Circle"
51. Conan the Marauder
52. "The Slithering Shadow"
53. "Drums of Tombalku"
54. "The Gem in the Tower"
55. "The Pool of the Black One"
56. Conan the Buccaneer
57. "Red Nails"
58. "Jewels of Gwahlur"
59. "The Ivory Goddess"
60. "Beyond the Black River"
61. "Moon of Blood"
62. "The Treasure of Tranicos"
63. "Wolves Beyond the Border"
64. Conan the Liberator
65. "The Phoenix on the Sword"
66. "The Scarlet Citadel"
67. The Hour of the Dragon
68. The Return of Conan
69. "The Witch of the Mists"
70. "Black Sphinx of Nebthu"
71. "Red Moon of Zembabwei"
72. "Shadows in the Skull"
73. Conan of the Isles

[edit] William Galen Gray chronology

Timeline of Conan's Journeys (1997, rev. 2004), was fan William Galen Gray's attempt to create "a chronology of all the stories, both Howard and pastiche." Based on a close reading of all the stories and drawing on the earlier Miller/Clark and Jordan chronologies, it represents the ultimate expression of their tradition to date. In his placement Gray follows sometimes one of its predecessors and sometimes the other, with his occasional departures from both being well-reasoned. The weaknesses of the Gray chronology are those inherent in its tradition, as it can only incorporate the complete corpus of pastiches by perpetuating the chronological scheme according to which they were written. Its major strength is its inclusion of all existing works published to date, including all the Tor pastiches. Three pastiches (the movie adaptations Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer and the John M. Roberts novel Conan the Bold) are rejected by Gray as apocryphal "legends," as their portrayals of Conan's early life contradict those established both by Howard and the Miller/Clark chronological tradition.

[edit] Order

1. Conan of Venarium
2. "Legions of the Dead"
3. "The Thing in the Crypt"
4. Conan the Defiant
5. Conan the Hunter
6. Conan the Indomitable
7. Conan the Free Lance
8. Conan the Formidable
9. "The Tower of the Elephant"
10. Conan and the Sorcerer
11. Conan the Mercenary
12. Conan: The Sword of Skelos
13. Conan the Outcast
14. Conan the Magnificent
15. Conan the Invincible
16. "The Hall of the Dead"
17. Conan the Fearless
18. "The God in the Bowl"
19. Conan the Warlord
20. "Rogues in the House"
21. Conan the Victorious
22. Conan the Unconquered
23. "The Hand of Nergal"
24. "The City of Skulls"
25. Conan the Hero
26. "The People of the Summit"
27. "The Curse of the Monolith"
28. Conan the Valiant
29. Conan and the Spider God
30. "The Blood-Stained God"
31. Conan the Valorous
32. "The Frost Giant's Daughter"
33. "The Lair of the Ice Worm"
34. Conan the Relentless
35. Conan the Savage
36. Conan the Defender
37. Conan the Triumphant
38. Conan the Guardian
39. "Queen of the Black Coast" (part 1)
40. Conan the Rebel
41. "Queen of the Black Coast" (part 2)
42. Conan at the Demon's Gate
43. "The Vale of Lost Women"
44. "The Castle of Terror"
45. "The Snout in the Dark"
46. Conan the Gladiator
47. Conan and the Emerald Lotus
48. "Hawks Over Shem"
49. "Black Colossus"
50. "Shadows in the Dark"
51. Conan: The Road of Kings
52. Conan the Renegade
53. "Shadows in the Moonlight"
54. Conan of the Red Brotherhood
55. Conan: Scourge of the Bloody Coast
56. Conan the Champion
57. "The Road of the Eagles"
58. "A Witch Shall be Born"
59. "Black Tears"
60. Conan and the Manhunters
61. "Shadows in Zamboula"
62. Conan the Raider
63. "The Star of Khorala"
64. Conan and the Death Lord of Thanza
65. Conan and the Amazon
66. "The Devil in Iron"
67. "The Flame Knife"
68. Conan and the Shaman's Curse
69. "The People of the Black Circle"
70. Conan the Marauder
71. Conan and the Mists of Doom
72. "The Slithering Shadow"
73. "Drums of Tombalku"
74. "The Gem in the Tower"
75. Conan and the Grim Grey God
76. "The Pool of the Black One"
77. Conan the Buccaneer
78. "Red Nails"
79. Conan and the Gods of the Mountain
80. "Jewels of Gwahlur"
81. "The Ivory Goddess"
82. Conan and the Treasure of Python
83. Conan: Lord of the Black River
84. Conan the Rogue
85. "Beyond the Black River"
86. "Moon of Blood"
87. "The Treasure of Tranicos"
88. "Wolves Beyond the Border"
89. Conan the Liberator
90. "The Phoenix on the Sword"
91. "The Scarlet Citadel"
92. The Hour of the Dragon
93. The Return of Conan
94. Conan the Great
95. "The Witch of the Mists"
96. "Black Sphinx of Nebthu"
97. "Red Moon of Zembabwei"
98. "Shadows in the Skull"
99. Conan of the Isles

Apocryphal:

• Conan the Barbarian
• Conan the Bold
• Conan the Destroyer

[edit] Dale Rippke Chronology

The Darkstorm Conan Chronology (2003) is a completely revised and heavily researched chronology, including only those stories written (or devised) by Howard. The Dark Horse comic series follows this chronology. Its major strength is its well-documented support for its various arguments for story placement, based on the texts as Howard wrote them. While works completed or revised by other hands and post-Howard works find no place in this chronology they were not intended to, the often erroneous assumptions under which they were written precluding their inclusion. A minor weakness is the seemingly arbitrary disappearance and reappearance of Conan's horned helm from story to story.

[edit] Order

1. "The Frost Giant's Daughter
2. "The God in the Bowl
3. "The Tower of the Elephant"
4. "The Hall of the Dead"
5. "Rogues in the House"
6. "The Hand of Nergal"
7. "Shadows in the Moonlight"
8. "Black Colossus"
9. "Queen of the Black Coast"
10. "The Snout in the Dark"
11. "The Slithering Shadow"
12. "A Witch Shall Be Born"
13. "The Devil in Iron"
14. "The People of the Black Circle"
15. "Shadows in Zamboula"
16. "Drums of Tombalku"
17. "The Vale of Lost Women"
18. "The Pool of the Black One"
19. "Beyond the Black River"
20. "The Black Stranger"
21. "Red Nails"
22. "The Teeth of Gwahlur"
23. "Wolves Beyond the Border"
24. "The Phoenix on the Sword"
25. "The Scarlet Citadel"
26. The Hour of the Dragon

[edit] Joe Marek Chronology

Joe Marek's Chronology is also limited to stories written (or devised) by Howard. He is somewhat more charitable toward the Miller/Clark tradition than Rippke, noting its general approval by Howard, and tends to follow it when it does not contradict the internal evidence of the stories or force Conan into what he perceives as a "mad dash" around the Hyborian world within timeframes too rapid to be credible. Like Rippke, his strength is in his well-reasoned arguments for story placement, which lead him to some of the same conclusions. Most of his significant differences with Rippke come in the middle of their respective efforts. The major weakness of Marek's chronology is his noting of the evidence for a chronologically wide gap between "Beyond the Black River" and "Wolves Beyond the Border" but failure to incorporate it in his scheme.

[edit] Order

1. The Hyborian Age, Part One
2. Cimmeria (poem)
3. "The Frost Giant's Daughter"
4. "The Tower of the Elephant"
5. "The Hall of the Dead"
6. "Rogues in the House"
7. "The God in the Bowl"
8. "The Hand of Nergal"
9. "Black Colossus"
10. "Queen of the Black Coast"
11. "The Snout in the Dark"
12. "Shadows in the Moonlight"
13. "A Witch Shall Be Born"
14. "Shadows in Zamboula"
15. "The Slithering Shadow"
16. "The Devil in Iron"
17. "The People of the Black Circle"
18. "Drums of Tombalku"
19. "The Vale of Lost Women"
20. "The Pool of the Black One"
21. "Red Nails"
22. "The Teeth of Gwahlur"
23. "Beyond the Black River"
24. "The Black Stranger"
25. "Wolves Beyond the Border"
26. "The Phoenix on the Sword"
27. "The Scarlet Citadel"
28. "The Hour of the Dragon"
29. The Hyborian Age, Part Two
30. Notes On Various Peoples Of The Hyborian Age
31. Letters

[edit] Compared order

[edit] References

• "A Probable Outline of Conan's Career," by P. Schuyler Miller and John D. Clark - a transciption of the original 1938 version
• "Conan the Indestructible," by L. Sprague de Camp - the final 1984 version
• "Conan the Indestructible," by L. Sprague de Camp - another transcription of the final 1984 version
• "The Conan Stories in Chronological Order as of 1989," by Curtis M. Scott (based on Robert Jordan's "A Conan Chronology"), from The GURPS Conan sourcebook, Steve Jackson Games, pp. 111-114
• "The Conan Timeline," by William Galen Gray - a transcription of the 1997 version
• "The Conan Timeline," by William Galen Gray - a transcription of the 2004 version
• "The Dark Storm Conan Chronology," by Dale Rippke - a transcription of Rippke's chronology