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Post by Von K on Sept 21, 2018 19:18:33 GMT -5
Finished reading Part II and thought it was pretty good. The city is basically a palace-city with two warring factions and plenty of sorcery and supernatural elements abound. It was good to see both Valeria and Conan in action. I'm interested in seeing more of this strange city in future installments. I'm taking my time with this one, as it's all I have left. I'll hold off on my next post 'till you've finished Jason (due to spoilers). |
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Post by keith on Sept 28, 2018 5:55:08 GMT -5
I can scarcely believe it's taken me this long to put in my two cents' worth about "Red Nails." Of the Conan stories that approximate this length, "Red Nails" is an equal favourite with "People of the Black Circle" and "The Treasure of Tranicos." (I call the last one by that title instead of Howard's original title, "The Black Stranger" because "Treasure of Tranicos" is the one and only alteration by de Camp that worked well and even slightly improved the original, for my money. For God's sake don't stone me. But I really enjoy the way the story is tied in with Trocero and Publius at the end, and leads to the treasure being used to finance the subsequent revolution in Aquilonia.
"People of the Black Circle" is more sophisticated, just as fast-moving, and has better characters, but "Red Nails" definitely has its own virtues. The characters Olmec and Tascela have a bizarre, evil power. Prince Olmec is almost a Minotaur-like figure in his massive, brutish power and cruelty, but he's also crafty and treacherous. Tascela, the quasi-immortal witch, is much subtler than Olmec, with a perverse streak, though she's callous and indifferent in her cruelty, rather than sadistic.
All three stories have factions pitted against each other in a pattern of shifting alliances and double-crosses. I've always liked that and it's always kept me reading. The grotesque, unnatural city of Xuchotl, with its terrible, bloody history and the possibility, at least, that originally it was built by a race only partly human, makes a superb backdrop for the events. It's almost a character in its own right. The opening chapter, set in the vast primeval forest and having a magnificently written dragon as a menace, makes a great contrast to the claustrophobic madness that permeates Xuchotl.
Yes, I'm always ready for another read of "Red Nails."
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Post by Jason Aiken on Oct 21, 2018 20:13:53 GMT -5
Finished this up today and I remain highly impressed with this yarn. REH crammed a lot into this novelette, but the story works very well overall.
I thought he handled the history behind the factions well and this set up the perfect opportunity for conflict in the present. I wasn't expecting the Crawler to be a serpent-like creature, I thought for sure it was going to be Tolkemec himself (but REH had grander plans for him). Tascela and Olmec made very interesting antagonists themselves. I thought Tascela was handled quite well, but would have liked to have seen Olmec and Conan tangle with each other properly. Tolkemec served well as the supernatural/elemental-wielding force they had to overcome at the end.
I also liked the concept of the corpses of the more powerful sorcerers being confined to the eastern catacombs and the Xotalancans having access to them and their secrets.
Everyone pretty much had their moment, with Techotl sacrificing himself for the greater good, Conan strangling Olmec then slaying Tolkemec, and Valeria slaying Tascela. Conan and Valeria make a grand team, I'm not much for the Conan pastiche, but someone had to continue their story I would think. They seemed destined to wreak red havoc on the seas.
While I'm sad that I've run out of REH Conan yarns to read, I also feel a sense of accomplishment for getting this under my literary belt.
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fernando
Thief
I'm purist and proud! I hate insistent people! And I only give opinions when I'm ASKED!!
Posts: 141 
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Post by fernando on Oct 23, 2018 13:53:15 GMT -5
Everyone pretty much had their moment, with Techotl sacrificing himself for the greater good, Conan strangling Olmec then slaying Tolkemec, and Valeria slaying Tascela. Conan and Valeria make a grand team, I'm not much for the Conan pastiche, but someone had to continue their story I would think. They seemed destined to wreak red havoc on the seas. A sequel was written by Roland Green, and the pastiche's name is Conan and the Gods of the Mountain. Its begin (I readed it in the site Amazon) is a bit racist, but I liked its Marvel's adaptation. |
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Post by charleshelm on Feb 18, 2019 21:47:54 GMT -5
This story to me is classic REH taking something he knows about (Aztec civilization) and putting it into a different context with great effect. The idea of people being confined to a space after the reason for it has gone, but being unable to leave becasue they cant conceive it is safe, shows up a number of places. REH uses it here to great effect. And once again, COnan defeats the obstacles in his path but leaves without the booty...err loot.
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fernando
Thief
I'm purist and proud! I hate insistent people! And I only give opinions when I'm ASKED!!
Posts: 141
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Post by fernando on Feb 19, 2019 13:26:03 GMT -5
This story to me is classic REH taking something he knows about (Aztec civilization) and putting it into a different context with great effect. The idea of people being confined to a space after the reason for it has gone, but being unable to leave becasue they cant conceive it is safe, shows up a number of places. REH uses it here to great effect. And once again, COnan defeats the obstacles in his path but leaves without the booty...err loot. At least Conan gained a gorgeous woman.  |
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Post by charleshelm on Feb 20, 2019 1:48:20 GMT -5
At least Conan gained a gorgeous woman. Wrong booty....well I mean he could have had both.... |
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Post by Sangria Sword on Feb 22, 2019 17:45:17 GMT -5
My first reading of the story, "Red Nails" was the Marvel comics adaptation drawn by "Barry Windsor Smith" and written by "Roy Thomas". The artwork and story revved up my imagination! In fact, my first introduction to Conan was from the magazine "Savage Tales" where as a kid I first read the story, "The Frost's Giants daughter." I was hooked on Conan and had to find more stories about the character. I found an ad for the Lancer paperbacks, and after mowing a few lawns to get the money, I ordered the whole set and discovered the genius of Robert E. Howard! Nuff Said.
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Post by themirrorthief on Oct 13, 2019 0:13:06 GMT -5
the Thomas Smith version was pretty darn amazing for sure...easily one of the very best comics ever produced IMO anyhow
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Post by kobeck on Aug 9, 2020 12:09:26 GMT -5
We should start this again... Aug20... with the first one..
Phoenix On the Sword
just sayin'
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Post by Von K on Sept 7, 2020 18:41:14 GMT -5
Wonder if the climactic battle against Tolkemec is where Gary Gygax got the idea for saves vs rods wands and staves for D+D?
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Post by karasuthecrow on Jun 16, 2022 20:51:39 GMT -5
I was soo depressed that Dark Horse never mamage to adapt it on his comics but they released a Valeria bust.
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Post by danieljames495 on Jun 17, 2022 0:26:45 GMT -5
I was soo depressed that Dark Horse never mamage to adapt it on his comics but they released a Valeria bust. This one and Beyond the black river! Would've loved to see DH do adaptations of those. |
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