Book Review 244 // Beyond the Black River by Robert E. Howard

I think I have to say this aloud. This is possibly my favourite Conan to date. There it is out there for the world to see, judge me as you see fit!

Title: Beyond the Black River

Author: Robert E. Howard

Blurb: Conan the Barbarian is employed by one of the civilized countries to help in its push to claim lands from the primitive Picts. The Picts are not excited about the idea, however. Old gods and mythical creatures are called up by the Pict witches to contest the invading army, and Conan finds himself battling for his life amid the blood-thirsty hordes that include sabre-toothed tigers, 40-foot-long venomous snakes and a demon from another dimension who is intent on crushing him. The huge dog Slasher appears here and distinguishes himself so well in a doomed battle to delay their forces that Conan openly praises his courage and pledges that 7 Pict heads will roll in his honour. 

E-book via my affiliate store.

Review

By now you know I have read a lot of Conan back-to-back. And I stand by my announcement that this is my favourite so far (still time for a surprise winner). I found Beyond the Black River to be fast-paced and truly intriguing. The story is captivating and it held me the entire time. Spoilers are coming like all my reviews so be warned.

Conan as mentioned in the blurb is hired by the Aquilonian army as a soldier and a scout in their war against the Picts. Unfortunately for Conan, he is part of an undermanned garrison that is about to be besieged by the forces of Zogar Sag. A Pict Wizard, who through the strength of arms and magic has amassed an army of huge proportions. To make it even more challenging Zogar has also used his magic to control wild beasts and we see the animal kingdom rising up against the Aquilonians as well. As the adventure unfolds, Conan is tasked with killing the wizard, saving his friends and ultimately hating the Aquilonian nobility just a little bit more.

In a surprise twist, there was no damsel in distress and I feel this helped the title. Yes, it is a simple straightforward Sword and Sorcery. But it is excellently crafted and reads like Howard has found his voice and style. I can't help but notice the similarities between this and Westerns, which I assume Howard was inspired by, but I feel it may even go deeper than that. This story has a true "colonizer" feel to it that sadly hits home no matter how you read it.

Let me know your thoughts and thanks for reading.