Conan the Barbarian
The Official Motion Picture Adaptation
Two of the most famous contributors to the Conan legend write the official novel of Conan the Barbarian, the seminal fantasy film by John Milius.
The official adaptation of Conan the Barbarian, the seminal film written by John Milius and Oliver Stone, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones. In the novel by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, the Cimmerian youth Conan witnesses the death of his parents at the hands of Thulsa Doom, a priest of Set. Enslaved, he is trained as a gladiator. Gaining his freedom he allies with Subotai, a Hyrkanian archer, and a skilled swordswoman thief named Valeria. Together they raid the Tower of the Serpent, then Conan breaks away to seek the cult of Doom-and revenge on the sorcerer who leads it.
Beginning in 1937, L. Sprague De Camp was a major figure in SF and fantasy with novels that included the acclaimed Lest Darkness Fall. A member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers Guild of America, he championed the Conan adventures beginning with the Gnome Press hardcovers in the 1950s. The 1960s Lancer paperbacks paired him with author Lin Carter, who also was the editor for the influential Ballantine Adult Fantasy series.