24. Tor Conan #17, Conan the Hero by Leonard Carpenter, Part 5

Crossing the mountains north of Venjipoor and then walking westwards. They then take a boat up the Ilbars river to Agraphur. After many days they finally arrive and are quickly whisked off to be cleaned up. It's only a matter of hours before they are supposed to meet King Yildiz. After being cleaned up and dressed in new uniforms they are set on horses and paraded through town towards the palace. On the steps outside they meet with Yildiz and Conan receives his medal, in appreciation for his service to the empire, he is now officially a Hero of Turan.

The following evening Conan is present at a feast hosted by Yildiz. The Monarch fawns over his new Hero, much to the displeasure of the nobles and hereditary officers. While the days of revelry follow, Conan sets out to uncover the people who have been plotting against him. After some detective work he feels he has a good idea of whats going on, and plans to reveal the plot during his medal ceremony. Feeling it his obligation to warn the King. During the the ceremony the king himself, along with many senior nobles and generals are attacked. It's a rapidly growing carnivorous vine, secreted in on one of the mercenaries cloaks. It's courtesy of Mojorna.

Conan and Juma fight and defeat the vine, This time directly saving King Yildiz's life. But not sparing any effort to save the lives of the men behind the plot. Afterwords he explains to Yildiz why he didn't save them, how they were causing scores of Turanian soldiers to be killed in Venjipoor due to their poor planning. Following this, the King offers to rectify this situation however Conan feels it should be done, and imparts the Captain to return to Venjipoor and take charge.

Weeks later, once Conan is back in Venjipoor. He comes to learn that Mojurna died when the plant beast was slain. And that the girl who he rescued is now the new high shaman. The two come to an understanding, but also realize they can never be friends anymore. Conan begins to shutdown the military machine in Venjipoor, Turan is big enough already not to be greedy. And with that the story ends.

Locations, Turan, Hyrkania, Venjipoor
Towns, Agraphur, Venjipoor
Characters: Conan, Juma, Yildiz, Mojurina the shaman. Sarimya
Languages Spoken: Cimmerian, Aesir, Hyperborean, Brythunian, Zamorian, Kothic, Turanian, Shemitish, Corinthian, Hyrkanian, Nemedian, Vhendyan, Kushite.

Review ~

Not a bad book at all, Out of the three Carpenter's I've read so far this is the best. It's a tad bit anachronistic at first since it really does feel like a Vietnam story. The other story it reminded me of a lot, is Sharpe's Regiment by Bernard Cornwell. In so far as Conan has performed a miraculous battlefield feat (Being the only survivor of Yaralet, but still managing to win out for Turan) and has become a semi-obsession with the totally out of touch monarch for whom he's fighting, and the story ends with Conan uncovering a military conspiracy and the Monarch giving him what he wants. Conan and Juma even have a relationship very similar to Sharpe and Harper. The Sharpe's book has exactly the same story, except Sharpe and Harper captured an Eagle at Talavara after having most of their men killed, and then Sharpe is doted over by Prince George III, Solves a military conspiracy and the Monarch gives him what he wants.

Conan's rank is the real factor that helps determine where this book should be placed, He starts the book out as a Sgt. and ends it as Captain. This causes some problems chronologically speaking, and means that though The people of the Summit is the next one in the list, it can't actually be the next story chronologically. But thats a discussion for next time.

It's also got a bit of tricky geography involved. In order for Conan to get back to Agraphur, he travels north through Venjipoor, westwards over the Colchian Mountains north of Iranistan and then takes a boat up the Ilbars river to Agraphur. That means Venjipoor has to be one of the "Golden Kingdoms".. An unfortunate name if there ever was one, considering Vietnam's place in the "Golden Triangle" of the Heroin Trade. Though they also mention Lotus farmers, and people besotted by Lotus. So even though Venjipoor doesn’t show up on many maps.. I think thats the best place for it.

24. Tor Conan #17, Conan the Hero by Leonard Carpenter, Part 4

Having escaped his would be assassins, Conan makes his way back to base. he feels he can trust Juma, and with him some measure of strength in numbers. While he is settling back into his routine he is summoned by a superior officer. Apparently the man has been given orders to bring Conan to Agraphur, so that the King may bestow upon the Barbarian a great honor. Conan though suspicious of this, agrees to go.

Due to recent events, Conan goes into it assuming it is another trap. He proceeds with caution and tells Juma of his concerns. Orders are orders however and the two set off. They will return to Agraphur in the most expedient manner, so that King Yildiz himself may pin the bauble to Conan's Turban. However when Conan approaches the Shariff to secure passage to Agraphur, he is informed that these new orders have not fully filtered through the system and therefore Conan cannot leave. Instead he is to lead a patrol out into an exceptionally dangerous part of the jungle hunting for rebels.

As ordered Conan marches his men out on this quixotic crusade. They are soon ambushed by a numerically superior force, easily outnumbering them by more than 10 to 1. After a very tough fight, Conan once more turns the battle in Turan's favour. Though in order to do so he once more misses the chance to kill Mojira.

The Shariff is unmistakeably displeased that yet again the Barbarian has survived. He still harbours a grudge against him for escaping punishment weeks back. Regardless though, he now has no choice but to allow Conan and Juma to go west to Agraphur. So the two men set off on the multi-week journey.

24. Tor Conan #17, Conan the Hero by Leonard Carpenter, Part 3

This feeling of goodwill which Yildiz exhibits for the Barbarian, rankles his high ranking military men. They feel this, Conan, is an interloper and beneath the gaze of the monarch. He is paid to fight and die for Yildiz, not to be noticed or held as an example by him. But how to get rid of him? He's a doughty fighter no doubt. A canny man all around, very difficult to kill. Perhaps the best course of action to get their people in Venjipoor deal with it.

After some time of recuperation, Conan is finally beginning to feel himself again. The Poison had finally worked its way out of his system, thanks in part to the medications of the Khitan seers that Yildiz kept in Venjipoor. With his strength returned, though still limping on his wounded leg, Conan and Juma decide to take their Leave and go out on the town.

It is with this goal in mind that the wounded Conan finds himself in the presence of Pheng Loon. Drugged and Dragged to the royal palace in Venjipoor City, which sits on the gulf of Tharqueba. He awakes after some time, groggy from the drug, and tied up. He notices a slight man in front of him. He soon introduces himself as Pheng Loon, the leader of Venjipoor and erstwhile ally to Yildiz. He explains his family was from Khitai, until they built a colony in Venjipoor to grow lotus flowers. But their strength waned and the rebels grew more bold. That is when Pheng Loon sought help from the west.

Wounded, drugged and tied up or not. Conan is not a man to be taken lightly. As soon as he begins to feel the vapors of the lotus loosening their hold on him he is ready to fight. He manages to free himself, and is soon on his feet, though stumbling slightly. Against this cushion sitting Khitans, it takes very little time for Conan to escape.

News of Conan's recovery reaches King Yildiz, who is ecstatic to hear it. First though he intends to have him brought to Agraphur and bestow on him a national honor. Officially making the Barbarian a Hero of Turan. All the sooner he can get back to inspiring men and fighting the enemies of Turan. The King is cautioned against this course of action, and that it would likely complicate matters far more than the King realizes.

24. Tor Conan #17, Conan the Hero by Leonard Carpenter, Part 2

Back in country, Conan is getting chewed out by a superior. It seems one of the Turanian hereditary officers took a liking to Sariya and tried to make a move on her. Conan split his skull for him in return, and now a Turanian Sharif is calling for his head. However his Captain intercedes and decides to send him on a patrol to keep him out of the way for a while. He's only doing this because Conan is the Hero of Yaralet, and it would be unseemly to have such a man court-marshaled.

Its not an easy patrol though, its pretty deep into enemy territory, but they aren't supposed to run into anything. This doesn’t work out though as on their second day out they get ambushed by a force considerably larger than their own. Conan, being the ranking officer of the patrol sends a runner to Sikkander requesting more men, but upon the runners arrival is met by the same Sharif who was to be in charge of his court martial. The idea of more men is promptly over ruled and Conan and his troops are left to fend for themselves.

Though most of the other mercenary officers want to go and relieve the embattled patrol, the nobles balk. But after the fullness of Dark, Juma struggles into the camp carrying a wounded Conan. Stabbed by a poisoned spear. The leaches at the base say its impossible to know if he will survive, and only the gods know for sure.

In Turan, Yildiz listens to his court wizard read this patrol report to him, the information coming nearly instantaneously via a two way mirror. Juma's report to the captain says that were it not for Conan the whole force would have been routed. Yildiz slams his hand down on the arm of the chair, If only he had an entire army of Conans! Truly then he would be master of the world.

24. Tor Conan #17, Conan the Hero by Leonard Carpenter, Part 1

After their escape from Meru, and their successful mission to deliver the princess to her betrothed. Conan and Juma have been put in charge of groups of soldiers in the jungle choked battlefields of far off Venjipoor. They are fighting the Hwong, a rebellious tribe who are aiming to dethrone the Khitai descended royal house of Venjipoor. The Hwong are lead by their Shaman Mojara, who at the moment Conan catches up to him, is just about to sacrifice a girl for some nefarious purpose. The Shaman escapes, but Conan rescues the girl, who is named Sariya.

Meanwhile in Agraphur, The Self important wizard Azhar is hurrying on his way to bring news from Venjipoor, recently scryed by the court seer, using a magic mirror (not kidding) to King Yildiz. It's important enough to interrupt the king's merrymaking. Progress has been made in the southern campaign and it's new standout soldier, a northern barbarian by the name of Conan.

Back in Venjipoor, Conan and Juma have returned to their encampment. As with most soldiers, they are bored and tired of waiting for the promised easy advancement. The hawknosed nobles who make up the bulk of the Turanian officers are so cowardly, they never get killed.. so how are there supposed to be any vacancies? Both men are somewhat depressed by their chances of promotion.

In Agraphur The King is informed of the latest happenings. This time they are not so positive. Certain inconsistencies have arisen with Turan's allies on who's behalf this war is being fought. It seems they are in league with members of Yildiz's court who wish to weaken his power both at home and abroad.