Conan and the Emerald Lotus by John C. Hocking

Conan the Barbarian

by John C. Hocking

A sorcerer has cast a deadly spell on Conan, hoping to harness the mighty Cimmerian's skills for his own evil purposes. Conan's only resource is to ally himself with the sorceress Zelandra, who promises to help the warrior if he steals the wizard's cashe of Emerald Lotus.

Genres: Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Pulp, Fiction, Historical, Epic

Unknown Binding

First published November 1, 1995

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conan battles evil wizards hooked on drugs derived from a monstrous plant that is like something out of Little Shop of Horrors. So brilliant it deserves a haiku:

Conan's blade gleams bright,
Wizards' dark hearts crave strange highs—
Magic, steel collide.

[Jason Ray Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Robert E. Howard's original Conan stories. So much so, I went through a phase of looking down upon "pastiche," i.e. Conan that had been edited or written by non-REH authors. However, about a year ago, I read Karl Edward Wagner's, *Conan: The Road of Kings,* and I really enjoyed it. Now that I was more hospitable to the idea of pastiche, I asked some trusted friends "what is the best Conan pastiche?" Over and over John C. Hocking's *Conan and the Emerald Lotus* came up. The only problem was, it was out of print, collectible, and very expensive. I struck gold when I came across a copy at a used book store for really cheap. Speaking to the small world of sword and sorcery fandom: the "hype" is justified. The hype is real. This is a wonderful Conan novel that is distinct from Howard but nevertheless captures the spirit of Hyborian milieu, the unique character, and even the sword and sorcery themes of REH's Conan stories. As *Conan,* it's fun, highly entertaining, and pastiche, but as an example of *fantasy writing craftsmanship,* is it serious, thoughtful, and original. So glad to have finally read this!

[S.E. Lindberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

John C. Hocking's Conan Pastiche: Conan and the Emerald Lotus by John C. Hocking emerged from Tor in 1995 (Ciruelo Cabral cover artist) and reprinted in 1999 (Ken Kelly cover); paperbacks are insanely expensive now (i.e. >$500 on Amazon). Fast forward to 2019, and Hocking released a 12-part serialized novella "Black Starlight" that spanned the recent Conan the Barbarian comic (Jason Aaron)--a direct sequel to "Emerald Lotus" that tracks Conan's adventures as he returns from Stygia.


An indirect sequel novel by Hocking called Conan and the Living Plague was pulled from a 2019 publication at the last minute. Its future is unknown (by certain graces, the author did provide me a copy of the manuscript...and we plan to discuss/share some in an interview planned for 2022).

Setting the Stage with the cover blurb (BTW, an astute Goodreads S&S Group member pointed out that there are actually 3 wizards, and this official blurb blends the identity of "Shakar the Keshanian" and "Ethram-Fal")

One wizard is bad. Two are a disaster...And a deadly disaster, too. For Conan, after refusing to help the evil wizard Ethram-Fal, has been cursed with a spell that is slowly, inexorably squeezing the life from his mighty frame. The only person who can banish the spell--besides Ethram-Fal, of course--is the sorceress Zelandra: a raven-haired beauty who practices only white magic...or so she says.

Zelandra has offered to lift the spell from the Cimmerian, if only he will do her one small service: steal the deadly Emerald Lotus from the clutches of Ethram-Fal in his impregnable desert fortress. No good can come of this, Conan thinks to himself. Once sorcery gets mixed up in it, the whole job goes to hell Unfortunately, he's right.

The Prologue: This catalyzes the adventure, defines the conflict, and sets the expectation for substantial horror elements (which the reader gets!). In fact, the titular lotus is both (a) a resource for casting sorcery and (b) a living inhuman-floral creature. Drugs and sorcery are equated, and they are also connected to a vegetable-entity-demon, so the conflict(s) feel very rich, fun, & unique. Sorcerers are addicts!

A moist crackling filled the still air. The corpse jerked and trembled as though endowed with tormented life. Ethram-Fal caught his breath as fist-sized swellings erupted all but instantaneously from the dead flesh of his ap-prentice. The body was grotesquely distorted in a score of places, with such swift violence that the limbs convulsed and the yellow robes ripped open.

Green blossoms the size of a man's open hand burst from the corpse, leaping forth in such profusion that the body was almost hidden from view. Iridescent and six-petaled, the blooms pushed free of enclosing flesh, bobbing and shaking as if in a strong wind. In a moment they were still, and a sharp, musky odor, redolent of both nectar and corruption, rose slowly to fill the chamber.

The Style/Scope: Hocking certainly captured the spirit of REH's fast-paced adventure, and presented the Hyperborean canon/landscape well. Conan's remarkable travel and experiences set him apart from other mercenaries. As he gets embroiled in an adventure, he'll travel across Shem, the river Styx, and into Stygia. There are some greater conflicts teased with Shamtare and King Sumuabi that are introduced but not fleshed out (more on that later).

REH's Conan was essentially all short stories, but novels require longer relationships and here Conan finds himself allied with a team. Conan and the mute Khitan Heng Shih are the two men, and each is loosely paired with a strong-willed woman. The lady on the Ken Kelly cover seems a hybrid of Zelandra (the sorceress with raven hair) with her dagger-wielding attendant Neesa. Conan's warrior skills and knowledge of Stygia are needed to guide them to the ruins of Cetriss. Conan's scouting powers are great with preternatural, and predatorial, eyesight, sense of smell, and instincts:

S&S in Style:

….Where the stream of bubbles had emerged from the pool's floor, a thick shaft of shining green, like the trunk of a tree, now thrust itself into view. It shook, jerked, and stretched itself taller than a man, lashing the water to froth. A cluster of pale, bloated, petal-like growths covered the thing's crown. Its body was a densely wrinkled green cylinder, crisscrossed with pulsing veins. A pair of ridged tentacles burst from each side of its midsection, lashing the air. A thick mass of roiling roots formed its base, heaving at the pool's floor, lifting the grotesque thing up out of the water, moving it toward the shore and the stunned human intruders.

A whiplike tentacle whistled toward Conan, snapping itself around his right calf. It pulled forward with incredible strength, jerking his leg up, upending the barbarian's body, so that for a moment he was suspended head down. The Cimmerian's sword leapt into his hands, making a flashing arc that slashed through the hard, ridged arm and dropped him to the sand.

Heng Shih's hands caught Zelandra's waist and tossed her forcefully back. She stumbled out of range even as a tentacle curled around her bodyguard's torso. The emerald arm constricted, sinking sharply into Heng Shih's abdomen, drawing him in toward the hideous thing.

Conan sprang cat-like up off the ground, ducking beneath one flailing tentacle as another struck him across neck and chest like a slavemaster's whip. He twisted away, stumbling in the sand, a line of dripping crimson bright on his bronzed throat.

The unnatural plant proceeded to pull itself out of the pool on its tangled carpet of roots while bone-white thorns began sprouting from the net of wrinkles on its swaying trunk. Wicked, needle-sharp spikes pushed into view, jutting the length of a man's hand. The unladen tentacles lengthened, whipping wildly about- as the one gripping Heng Shih pulled steadily, tirelessly at him.

The Cimmerian lunged to his friend's aid. A questing tentacle writhed about the barbarian's left arm, biting into muscle and spoiling a stroke meant to free Heng Shih. The tentacle he had severed snaked clumsily between Conan's legs, seeking an ankle.

The Khitan's boots plowed twin furrows in the sandy soil as he was drawn irresistibly toward the thing….

Some of the initial setting begged to be addressed again (i.e., the fate of Conan's mercenary buddy Shamtare and King Sumuabi's need for raising armies), but these are minor threads and happen to be seeds developed in The Living Plague. Although the climax was consistent and action-packed, Conan could have played an even larger role in the resolution.

2019 Conan the Barbarian Comics




"Black Starlight" is the serialized extension of Emerald Lotus. The 12-part episodes published across the 2019 Conan the Barbarian comics picks up directly after the conflict; to clarify, the comics are separate, disconnected story penned by Jason Aaron. With precious little lotus surviving, Stygian lichs are desperately trying to steal what little Zelandra has procured. As the party makes its way back to Shem, a fight over it leads the party to an abandoned manor, and a demonic battle. Expect more Hocking pastiche, which always involves a bit of weird-horror:

"No matter." Nubar shrugged the white robes off his shoulders. The barbarian almost lunged, but the hooked blade was back at Zelandra's throat in an instant, and the thing that wore the form of Lord Nubar favored him with a slow and mocking smile. He let the robe fall to his belted waist. His upper body was pale, and the hair on his breast was shot with gray, but he stood straight and there was strength in his shoulders.

With a faint sigh he lifted his arms for a moment, giving Conan a glimpse of long, crimson openings high along his ribs on either side, as open as wounds but not bleeding. Conan saw two horizontal slashes like wide, red-lipped mouths, and each was full of fitfully moving slugs, tiny facsimiles of the winged leeches he and his comrades had faced again and again this hellish night.

Living Plague: Expect coverage on this in an upcoming interview. In short, having read the manuscript, it was designed as an indirect sequel to Emerald. As per the title and blurb, there is a new creature/villain to battle, but Conan's compatriot Shamtare and the location of Akkharia are explored in very satisfying ways.

The long-awaited follow-up to 'Conan And The Emerald Lotus', Hocking once again proves to be amongst the best of the Conan pastiche writers.

Sent to recover treasure from a plague-wracked city, not only must Conan avoid its deranged survivors, but battle a deadly disease given humanoid shape. To save himself - and perhaps the world - he allies with a scheming sorcerer to traverse a demon-haunted abyss in a desperate bid to destroy the Living Plague.

More Hocking BTW, Hocking has been cranking out "King's Blade" stories featuring his hero Benhus; these appear in Tales from the Magician's Skull. Highly recommended.

He also had a series of short stories on Brand the Viking. The first “Vali’s Wound” in Daniel Blackston’s anthology Lords of Swords (Pitch-Black, 2004), the second “The Face in the Sea” appeared in Black Gate (2009), and the third “The Bonestealer’s Mirror” in Black Gate (2010).

[Greg (adds 2 TBR list daily) Hersom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so tempted to just drop 5 stars on this book just because of how fun it is, but I guess its a little too much of a guilty pleasure read to warrant that. It's just one of many Conan pastiche, although one of the best of them, and it was just so refreshing for me to read. It reminded me of why I started reading in the first place. No complex plot. World building that in it's simplicity, does better than many of the most detailed of fantasy worlds. Straight-up macho action.
But what made it so appealing to me is just the descriptive writing. When the action takes place in seedy tavern, the reader is there; he/she can smell it, hear it, and feel it. When big badass walks-in, the reader can see he's bad-ass. We know exactly what monstrous creature looks like so we know why its so freakin scary. We feel the fury of Conan's indomitable will through the verbiage.
Why don't they write em like this anymore? Authors, please take note; don't trade sophistication for descriptive writing. As a reader, I miss being transported into the world of the story.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does this pastiche hold a candle to the original cannon by Howard? Hell if I know, I'm certainly not the expert. What Emerald Lotus does give you is a rollicking adventure!

What I enjoy most about heroic fantasy books like this one are the monsters. The hack and slash action comes second. And third the iron will of the protagonist to over come every obstacle whether it be natural or supernatural.

I recommend this as a fun light read. Not to be taken too seriously.

[Mark Tallen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is to date, the best Conan pastiche story that I've read. Admittedly, I've not read many and have no desire to seek lots of them out. There are a few on my radar, including one by Karl Edward Wagner, and two further stories by John C. Hocking, one of those being a novel. There are a couple of others too by other authors. Conan And The Emerald Lotus captures perfectly the 'spirit' of Robert E.Howard's world of Conan The Cimmerian. Of course, no one could ever truly capture REH's voice and style completely, but John C. Hocking does an excellent job. I'd say that he and Scott Oden, have thus far scratched that itch the best with their Conan yarns. Emerald Lotus has that Weird Tales vibe, the horror, the mystery, the magic, the action, the world building. All done succinctly and adequately, and not taking huge amounts of sometimes laborious plodding (in some books) to get through. Each chapter of Emerald Lotus seems to fly by, as it does in those masterful tales told by Robert E.Howard. I'd obviously always recommend the original Robert E.Howard Conan stories first to new readers, and then try some pastiche afterwards. If you do try some pastiche then Conan and the Emerald Lotus may just be the novel you need to satisfy your desire.

* I recommend obtaining the book released in hardcover (and ebook) in 2024 and will be published in paperback in 2025 by Titan Books, called 'Conan and The City Of The Dead'. It contains both novels by Hocking, 'The Emerald Lotus' and 'Living Plague'. The book contains black and white illustrations which don't feature in the original pressing of 'Emerald Lotus'. The hardcover is really nice with foil embossing on the front board as well.

[Teo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pastiches are really not my thing, especially not pastiches of one of the best literary pieces ever created, Robert E. Howard’s Conan yarns. I just wasn’t interested in ruining REH’s perfection that is Conan with some half-assed hack scribbling. However, amongst the many Conan pastiche novel, one stood out from the rest – John C. Hocking’s “Conan and the Emerald Lotus”. It also came as a recommendation on vermintime.com, C. L. Werner’s personal website, from the man himself. Knowing that Mr. Werner is not only a writer extraordinaire and certainly a connoisseur of good literature, it was enough to prompt me to actually check out Hocking’s novel.

And I’m glad I did. Now, if you're browsing through a bookstore and book gets in your hand, you’ll probably turn the back cover and read the plot synopsis. Just to inform you in advance: it’s a lie. Really, it is. The real plot is such: Conan finds himself caught in a war between wizards. Two are pretenders to for the position of King Samuabi’s court sorcerer – the shady Keshanian Shakar, and the other is the voluptuous raven-haired beauty Lady Zelandra. Both of them are being played by Ethram-Fal, a mysterious Stygian mage who had uncovered the ancient Palace of Cetriss and the Emerald Lotus within. The Lotus is a powerful drug which greatly augments a wizard’s power, but it also comes at a deadly price. Both Shakar and Zelandra are duped into tasting it, but they soon realize their mistake. Seeking to free herself from the Lotus’ fatal curse, Zelandra hires Conan to help her and her party travel to the deserts of Stygia and locate Ethram-Fal. And, of course, make him pay.

John C. Hocking is no REH (no one is), but he comes very close, indeed. Hocking captures a very good portion of REH’s atmosphere; the only thing it lacks is that certain philosophical elements REH put into his work. There is no message and no higher point in “CatEL” – it’s just pure, simple sword & sorcery fun. As does REH, so does Hocking describe all of his characters adequately, and none remains a “blank face”, the same goes for the locales. One deviation from REH’s works is the inclusion of perhaps too many characters. You have the story told from three different point of views – Ethram-Fal’s, Zelandra (and her party, including Conan) and Shakar the Keshanian, plus occasionally from the point of a totally random character, like a river boatman, or a band of Stygian thieves. All this distractions can have a negative effect on the pacing. But, although these chapters are essentially fillers, every one of the side-characters is extremely well-developed, often even more than other novels’ protagonists, which I think speaks volumes of Mr. Hocking’s talent.

My biggest objection would be, and this is partly the fault of so many characters, that Conan almost feels like a side-kick (which he in fact is, working for Zelandra), rather than the “man in charge”. But don’t worry, the brawny Cimmerian still kicks lots of ass. Regarding this, I’ve seen complaints that Hocking’s Conan is out of character, because he gets bested twice in the novel’s beginning. That may be true, but... the first time was through foul magic, and as you know: “What good is a sword against magic?”; the second time, the barbarian was suffering from injuries in addition to being seriously drugged and outnumbered by skillful opponents. After all, Conan is only human.

If you were having any doubts about “CatEL”, don’t. Pick it up. It’s an extremely enjoyable read, and it is a shame Mr. Hocking did not write more of Conan’s adventures. Actually, it’s a shame he didn’t write more of anything, this being his only credited novel.

Rating: 8.5/10

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

FEED ME SEYMOUR! What a fun read. I can see why many call this the best of the Tornan pastiche. Is it? I dunno, it’s the best Tornan I’ve read so far, and I’ve probably read a fat half of them to include the Robert Jordan’s.

Is it a good Conan story? There are weaknesses. Conan is “had” perhaps a bit too easily and there is a larger cast of characters than REH would have concentrated on, so who can say? Opinions will very.

My opinion is, I enjoyed this Tornan and now I am extra sad about Perilous Worlds backing out of publishing JHC’s next Conan book.

There are things I didn’t like: the undead hunter was built up to little pay off and there seemed more story to tell with the Gollum like character. The second was built up to very little pay off. Either some fat should have been trimmed or more story built. I think the restrictions placed by Tor would not allow the second option.

I really wish JHC could do a re-write of this. I can easily see it being a fun, 5 star read. As it is, I call it a fun 4 star read worth seeking out. It took me three years to find a copy at a non-bloated price.

EDIT: I don’t want to give spoilers, but there is a reason I opened this review with a line from Little Shop of Horrors. JHC gives a hint of an extraterrestrial explanation for the Emerald Lotus. It was a slight hint, but it was there. I noticed and I liked. It fit well with the true REH stories of old.

[Sotiris Karaiskos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is highly regarded by fans of the genre and I can see why. It is of course a classic Conan story but it seems particularly well thought out in terms of characters and plot but also very exciting from start to finish, with the author having enough ideas to keep the reader interested. Within these ideas is the reference to addictions to psychotropic substances, something I did not expect in such a book. If you are in the mood to explore more of the Conan stories you should definitely include this book in that exploration.

Αυτό το βιβλίο απολαμβάνει ιδιαίτερη εκτίμηση στους θαυμαστές του είδους και μπορώ να καταλάβω το γιατί. Είναι βέβαια μία κλασική ιστορία του Κόναν αλλά φαίνεται ιδιαίτερα προσεγμένη σε θέματα χαρακτήρων και πλοκής αλλά και πολύ συναρπαστική από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος, με τον συγγραφέα να έχει αρκετές ιδέες ικανές να κρατήσουν το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη. Μέσα σε αυτές τις ιδέες βρίσκεται και η αναφορά στις εξαρτήσεις από ψυχοτρόπες ουσίες, κάτι που δεν περίμενα σε ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο. Άμα έχετε τη διάθεση να εξερευνήσετε περισσότερο τις ιστορίες του Κόναν σίγουρα θα πρέπει να συμπεριλάβετε αυτό το βιβλίο σε αυτή την εξερεύνηση.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good solid Conan romp this. Well written set pieces and the lotus plant added a nice macabre touch.

[Gregory Mele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pastiches are usually not my thing, although there have been exceptions. However, since I decided 2018 would be a year to revisit my love of pulps -- both their 30s antecedents and their 70s/80s revivals, I decided to include a few of the Robert E. Howard’s Conan pastiches. I remembered there were a bazillion of them, most usually not that great, however, most readers usually ascribed high marks to John Maddox Roberts, and far away away felt that of the many Conan pastiche novel, one stood out from the rest – John C. Hocking’s “Conan and the Emerald Lotus”.

OK, so now I've read it.

Well, it's good, in that Conan fits Howard's depiction in dialogue and behavior more closely than he does in many pastiches, and the use of multiple, overlapped villains who are busy screwing each other as quickly as they are our hero also fits his style. The plot here actually deals with drug addiction -- a Stygian sorcerer seeking to make addicts of his rivals for a drug that only he can supply -- which was a clever twist.

But...

Honestly, I don't get the raves. This was fun, it was certainly Howardian, but even at only 270 pages it felt like it was either a bloated novella (there is an entire sub-plot with an undead huntsman that serves no purpose besides filling pages IMO) or a too-short novel where certain ideas never really get developed (like a desert ghoul with a secret past), and would have been better either expanded or cut. The sorceress whose addiction is at the center of our story is an interesting character-sketch that never really gets fleshed out.

So, it was fun -- which really, is pastiche's only purpose -- and the style was spot on, but I am not sure why people love the work as much as they do. Certainly, had the Tor series not ended, Hocking looks like he might have been the man to do the writing, but this first and only effort is good, but far from great.

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was undoubtedly the BEST non-Howard Conan that I have come across. The story is sufficiently rich in details, and yet comfortably linear. Action and horror, wit and world-building— all have been mixed in ideal proportions, all served through a robust and very well-paced narrative.
And Conan! By Crom, Hocking has portrayed Conan perfectly. The Cimmerian felt even better realised after I had to go through all those over-hyped stuff penned by Jordan and to some extent by de Camp.
This is absilutely essential read, to be followed by 'The Black Starlight'.
Highly Recommended.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hocking has hit on the fact that crazy wizards are the Batman villains of the Conan stories: they are frequently more interesting than the hero. Howard was more interested in painting a contrast between his Idealized Manly Man Hero and the weirdo deviants he faces.

I'm not sure I like the idea that they appear relatively common in this interpretation--a subplot is the competition to become court wizard--but giving each the room to be individually strange and troubled is a fun development.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

One of the better Conan pastiches that I've read. You can tell that Hocking is familiar with Howard's Conan stories, unlike many of the other authors that would later use his creations. A good, fun adventure tale.

[Michael Harrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good rollicking pastiche! Well worth the read!

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Conan book I would call "competent." It has the markings of a Conan book: beautiful women introduced early, action and fights, an antagonist with diabolical plans, more action and violence, and a nice, crisp pace. To be fair, the bar for a Conan book isn't a terribly high one to clear, and the formula has been worn well after decades of usage. Yet I have read titles that somehow get it wrong (like those ones from John Maddox Roberts. Good lord, how do you have so many examples of doing it right and get it so abysmally wrong? But I digress) and this title isn't one of them.

So why the average score? Because while it checks off the boxes, it does so in the most pedestrian and bland way possible. The prose is typical of a book published in the 90s, namely drab, direct, and uninspired. Conan doesn't need to be arthouse literature, but some writers (like the late Robert Jordan) make the prose positively sing. When you can get three paragraphs' worth of meaning and content into just one paragraph, and make it sound like something you've never read before? That's a craft.

But that craft isn't here. Chapters are the length of scenes, so expect a new chapter whenever someone else needs screen time. Sure, it moves along at a good clip, but where the discipline of the pulps was in saying a lot with very little, this feels like saying exactly what it needs to and using the expected way to do it. You won't find any surprises, any neat twists or artful turns of phrase or plot developments that keep you flipping pages. Some plot points and even the ending feel cut for time, which is odd considering how short it is. In the end, this just is what it is.

All that said, what it is is a story with a unique premise, a small, tight cast of central characters that all have something to do, all have distinct personalities and roles to play in the group, and an above-average amount of Conan's trademark badassery. Several mechanisms are in place to keep the tension rising and the reader invested, and the writer uses those mechanisms fairly well. Not too much, not too little, and present to keep you invested. And finally, Conan's girl was the right mix of engaging, capable and feisty, and different in her role. A good character choice overall, and, let's face it, isn't the girl the real reason we read these books?

[Jean-Sébastien Goulet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm amazed to discover such good Conan books after all this time. I had read what I call "the original 8" which were mostly written by Howard, Lin Carter and L. Sprague de Camp and loved them first in French and then in English a couple of times.

Lately I moved and got all my old books out and found a bunch of Conan books I had forgotten about in my library and started reading them. I read all the ones from Robert Jordan (I had just finished the wheel of time and wanted more) and then I kept going and started reading for other authors like Poul Anderson, Hocking and Maddox Roberts. So far, I have not been disappointed.

This one was an excellent tale and it's just too bad Hocking didn't write more Conan books like this.

He really captured well the hatred Conan has of sorcerers and still forced him to work with one of them, it was a lot of fun. His writing feels more modern (and less brutal) than Howard but it's still very good writing.

I recommend it!

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been working my way through the Conan pastiche in publication order, and Conan and the Emerald Lotus is probably my favorite so far. Hocking really captures the character and the world. The book reads like an extended short story—simple plot, strong villain, and great action. Conan is brutal and savage here. What more could I ask for?

[doowopapocalypse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Conan helps a witch score some magic coke.

[Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT THIS ONE? I KNOW THERE ARE HOWARD PURISTS OUT THERE, BUT TRUST ME, THIS ONE IS WORTH YOUR TIME. BRILLIANT!

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great pulpy fun, compelling and well-written and as fast paced as you want it to be. For a Conan adventure easily the top rating.

[Georgette Kaplan · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Robert E. Howard only having written so many Conan stories, it's natural fans would want more. There've been over fifty pastiches released by various publishers, some of them by some pretty big names, but most aren't held in high regard. Emerald Lotus is one that gets a good deal of hype, possibly owing to its rarity--a copy can fetch upwards of a hundred dollars on eBay. Fortunately, there's a decently read audiobook on Audible, paired with a sequel by the same author. It's much more reasonably priced.

So, does it live up to the hype? Yes and no. Emerald Lotus is a fun throwback, reaching back more to the ol' Weird Tales ambiance than modern LOTR-inspired high fantasy. There's Lovecraftian horror, weird drugs, willing women, treks, thefts, monsters, the city guard... all the right ingredients for a Conan-y time. And the plot is pleasingly woolly, with little to no reliance on plot coupons or prophecies. Even the requisite dark lord is more scummy and human than a simple BBEG.

The plot goes through some twists and turns, so I'll try not to give too much away, but it starts off with Conan getting drawn into a feud between competing wizards that hinges on an addictive drug than can increase magical power (the titular Emerald Lotus). Everyone Conan meets seems out to use the drug, control the drug, get more of the drug.

Eventually things settle into a conventional quest narrative motivated by the Lotus, with Conan part of an adventuring party that has to get through whatever the bad guys throw at them to get to the final bossfight.

And therein lies the problem. The unconventional opening act, with Conan thrown into a conflict aggravated by this strange drug, is the most promising, but it's hampered by Conan being a pinball protagonist who is trounced and led around by whoever the narrative needs him to be. I know Conan can't win every fight, but he takes so many Ls, you wonder why so many people are deadset on recruiting him.

Things get better in the second half, even if the quest stuff is the usual Conanning, but there's still a strain of AD&D in there. He feels a bit like a supporting character in his own story, as there are so many other characters who are fighters themselves or can cast spells. Your mileage may vary here: maybe you like that Conan isn't the only badass there. But me, I think I'd like it better if there were a few characters who were just guys (or gals) that couldn't fuck someone up with a dagger if it came right down to it. I know the Hyborean Age was rough, but surely not everyone knew how to swordfight... especially soft city-dwellers, am I right?

Also, at one point Conan lets out an 'ululating barbarian war cry'. That just bugs me. I'm not taking off the one star for that, but Cimmerians were intended as Celts. Over time, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, they were given some Nordic and/or Germanic notes (after all, they're generally considered to be right next door to the Aesir and Vanir). It's hard to imagine a Cimmeria that doesn't have a lot of tall, snowy trees. So where are we getting ululations from? Is he yodeling? Is that it?

Anyway, four stars, maybe being a little generous because Conan's role could do with some beefing up, but for a two-for-one deal, not bad.

[Lewis Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is John C. Hocking's only Conan pastiche published in the Tor run during the 80s and 90s, and it's a very good one. Conan is portrayed accurately, as is the Hyborian Age, and the secondary characters are quite enjoyable and well-written with solid motivations too. I especially liked the use of the Emerald Lotus and the various sorcerers' addictions to it. This felt like a fresh and unique way of presenting the classic sword and sorcery trope of sorcerers meddling with powers beyond their control or understanding, which eventually proves to be their own undoing. There were plenty of other elements that felt like classic Conan at play here too, from a focus on his exceptional climbing skills, to the use of Lovecraftian references, and so on. Oh, and Hocking also dedicated this book to good ol' Lin Carter and the great Mr Howard himself, which immediately brought a smile to my face!

I have no major complaints with this one either - just a few minor gripes. At times, there was a lack of focus on Conan, with multiple stretches of 3 or 4 chapters without him appearing. Luckily this wasn't too much of an issue, as the chapters were mostly short and choppy anyway... but this leads me to my other small complaint that the short, choppy chapters sometimes prevented things from having room to breathe, which slightly took away from the atmosphere. However, this also meant the story kept moving at a solid pace without ever dragging, so there's a positive to the chapter style as well as a negative.

Overall, I had a blast reading this. It's definitely one of the best in the Tor run, and it's clearly written by someone who knows and loves Howard's Conan. And so Conan and the Emerald Lotus gets a solid 4 stars from me, and joins the list of Conan pastiches I'll happily read again someday!

[Stuart Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

A trader from South of the border gets a couple of upper class people hooked on Hyborean cocaine and they hire Conan to help them get their fix. One of them threatens to kill him and the other is a sexy wench so it's not hard to guess who Conan decides to help. Conan takes the lady and some of her friends across the River Styx to get her drugs direct from the source and kill the trader. The trader produces his drugs from a single plant which must be fed with blood and he lives in an ancient citadel far in the desert which used to belong to one of the minions of the Dread Cthulhu. Conan is also being tracked by a zombie that wants to kill him for personal reasons, and along the way he must wrestle a volcano.

Good action and several converging story lines make this a good read. Conan exhibits all his best skills, including tracking, climbing, thieving, and especially killing. He even gets a little wenching done on the side, but not as much as usual. It's all good except for one thing: Conan of Cimmeria speaks like Conan of Chicago. While everyone else has the stilted patterns of ancient Hyborea Conan sounds like any common American. If this were written today would he be saying things like "WTF, bro, you got swole!"? That irritated me enough that I docked this one a star, otherwise it's a four star Conan novel.

[Truls Ljungström · Rating 4 out of 5]

Denna Conan är väl värd att läsa, om man gillar genren. Det finns ett antal skäl till detta; först och främst kommer man ihåg att inte göra barbaren övermänsklig (även om det finns en scen i slutet som tangerar detta); vidare kommer man ihåg att låta naturen vara lika mycket en fiende som skurkarna; slutligen kommer man ihåg Robert Howards civilisationskritik, och låter stadens och teknologins (och drogernas och magins) löften hålla mindre än de lovat, utan att för den skull vara obehagliga eller ovälkomna.

Intrigmässigt är den enkel; endast två parallella historier, där den senare bara hanteras med vänsterhanden. Detta sagt, är båda två faktiskt hantverksmässigt ok, vilket är en förbättring.

Jag tvekade mellan tre och fyra stjärnor, men eftersom jag faktiskt skulle rekommendera denna till de flesta genreläsare blev det fyra.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

A evil sorcerer discovers a long lost plant that grants unimaginable magical power hidden in a palace deserted for thirty centuries and watched over by a forgotten and evil god. Of course, our hapless hero Conan is drawn into the web of treachery between this sorcerer and two other power-hungry mages who partake of the plant and vie with one another for control of it. All roads of adventure lead out into the deep Stygian desert to seek the ancient palace and confront the power held within.

Another great Conan book that hits all the notes while introducing even more loveable (and hateable) characters into the Hyborian Age setting. If you like sword and sorcery and have read Conan books before, you'll recognize the beats here right away, but there are still some new wrinkles that help round out this enjoyable read.

[Amrit J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though written in the 90s I came across this lately. I am a huge fan of Sword and Sorcery sub-genre, and in that Conan of all is my favorite. In my opinion, writing a well established character like Conan, or Bond or Sherlock Holmes is highly difficult. Writers tend to get carried away with the superficiality rather than focusing on telling a story.

This is why this book in my opinion is a 4-star. Yes it has all Conan cliches, and ofcourse we all know the hero will always win, but the way he has swen the tale is praiseworthy. The "side-quests" are not just page-fillers, and the story reads and paces well.

[Jason Bergman · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Read as one half of Conan: City of the Dead)

This is my first post-Robert E. Howard Conan novel, and it's surprisingly great. From what I've been told, this is the best of them, which is a shame, because I'd love to read a dozen more that get the character and world as well as Hocking does here.

Fortunately I have Conan and the Living Plague (the other novel included in City of the Dead) to read, by Crom!

[The Geeky Viking · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author John C. Hocking delivers a rousing tribute to Robert E. Howard with Conan and the Emerald Lotus. This tale has it all; dueling wizards, giant plant monsters, zombie assassins, beautiful women, and lots of limb severing, head chopping action. Hocking knows pulp and he knows it well, keeping the pace churning over the two-hundred and fifty odd pages. If you're a Conan fan, or just of sword and sorcery in general, than this is a must-read. Tremendously fun read.

[midnightbookreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read from Conan: City of the Dead

A strong Conan the Barbarian story lives and dies by its supporting characters. This one shines with its villainous mages, offering their perspectives throughout and enriching the narrative. However, Conan's own companions fall short. A lotus-addicted mage and a mute fighter are a lackluster pair, and it's surprisingly the silent warrior who does more to enhance Conan's character.
2.5/5