Conan the Renegade

Novel by Leonard Carpenter

0-8125-4250-9

Conan the Renegade is a fantasy novel by American writer Leonard Carpenter, featuring Robert E. Howard's sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. It was first published in paperback by Tor Books in April 1986. The first British edition was published by Sphere Books in August 1988.^[1]

Plot

The action takes place in Koth and the small neighboring realm of Khoraja. Conan joins Captain Hundulph's Free Company of mercenaries in the city of Tantusium, who is in the service of Prince Ivor in the latter's revolt against King Strabonus of Koth. Ivor is also aided by the amazon band of the warrior woman Drusandra and the sorcerer Agohoth. Conan proves an effective leader early on, and later, when taken captive, must face down a horror in a dungeon before the revolt builds to its climax.

Reception

According to reviewer Ryan Harvey, Conan the Renegade "can be summed up in two words: 'mercenary adventure.' Military action takes precedence over magic and wonder ... and Conan's adventuring mostly occurs within his role as a military leader and tactician. Carpenter does toss in a few horrific fantasy events, ... but readers who want a dark fantasy Conan should look elsewhere." Ryan feels "Carpenter's glaring problem is his failure to follow through with his action. The pastiches from Tor frequently have this problem, but Carpenter caught the 'anti-climacticus' virus the worst." He rates the book "only adequate" as a battle epic, comparing it unfavorably to Howard's "The Scarlet Citadel".^[2]

Reviewer Don D'Ammassa noted "Carpenter's first Conan novel had a pretty good plot. ... The narrative is okay and the story is exciting, but Carpenter employs an artificial style in his dialogue that is absolutely leaden. Fortunately he would drop this affectation in his next book and produce a much better piece of fiction."^[3]

Conan the Renegade was loosely adapted by Roy Thomas and Mike Docherty in Conan the Barbarian 266-269.

References

^ Conan the Renegade title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
^ Harvey, Ryan. "Pastiches 'R' Us: Conan the Renegade" (Review), Nov. 23, 2010.
^ D'Ammassa, Don. "Conan the Renegade" (review on Critical Mass). Jul. 17, 2017.

External links

Page at Fantastic Fiction

Preceded by Conan the Fearless	Tor Conan series (publication order)	Succeeded by Conan the Raider
Preceded by The Road of Kings	Complete Conan Saga (William Galen Gray chronology)	Succeeded by "Shadows in the Moonlight"

Conan the Barbarian

Stories, books

Books	Conan (books)
Original works by Robert E. Howard	"Beyond the Black River" "Black Colossus" "The Black Stranger" "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 "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 the Moonlight" "Shadows in Zamboula" "The Slithering Shadow" "The Snout in the Dark" "The Tower of the Elephant" "The Vale of Lost Women" "A Witch Shall be Born" "Wolves Beyond the Border"
Non-Howard works (some based on non- Conan Howard works)	"Black Sphinx of Nebthu" "Black Tears" The Blood-Stained God "The Castle of Terror" "The City of Skulls" Conan and the Amazon Conan and the Death Lord of Thanza Conan and the Emerald Lotus 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 (1982) Conan the Barbarian (2011) 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 Free Lance 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 Curse of the Monolith" "Death-Song of Conan the Cimmerian" The Flame Knife "The Gem in the Tower" "Hawks over Shem" "The Ivory Goddess" "The Lair of the Ice Worm" "Legions of the Dead" "Moon of Blood" "The People of the Summit" "Red Moon of Zembabwei" The Return of Conan The Road of Kings "The Road of the Eagles" "Shadows in the Dark" "Shadows in the Skull" "The Star of Khorala" The Sword of Skelos "The Thing in the Crypt" "The Witch of the Mists"
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 (Howard, et al) The Conan Chronicles (Jordan) The Conan Chronicles, 1 The Conan Chronicles 2 The Conan Chronicles, 2 The Conan Chronicles II Conan of Aquilonia Conan of Cimmeria Conan the Adventurer Conan the Avenger Conan the Barbarian (1954) Conan the Barbarian (2011) 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 The Further Chronicles of Conan Jewels of Gwahlur King Conan The People of the Black Circle The 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
Scholarship	The Blade of Conan The Conan Grimoire The Conan Reader The Conan Swordbook The Spell of Conan

Authors

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

Other media

Films

Conan the Barbarian (1982)
Conan the Destroyer (1984)
Conan the Barbarian (2011)

Related films	Red Sonja (1985) Kull the Conqueror (1997) Red Sonja (2024)

Television

Conan the Adventurer (1992)
Conan and the Young Warriors (1994)
Conan the Adventurer (1997)

Comics

Conan (comics)
Conan (Dark Horse Comics)
Conan (Marvel comics)
The Savage Sword of Conan

Games

Tabletop	Unchained! Against Darkness! Role-Playing Game (1985) GURPS The Roleplaying Game (2004) Collectible Card Game Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of
Video	Hall of Volta The Mysteries of Time The Cimmerian Conan (2004) Conan (2007) Age of Conan Rise of the Godslayer Exiles
Other	Hyborian War

Setting

Characters	Bêlit Conan the Barbarian Kulan Gath Red Sonja Serpent Men Thulsa Doom Valeria
Chronology	Hyborian Age
The Hyborian Age Conan chronologies