Conan the Triumphant

Conan the Triumphant
cover of Conan the Triumphant
Author	Robert Jordan
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Conan the Barbarian
Genre	Sword and sorcery Fantasy
Publisher	Tor Books
Publication date	1983
Media type	Print (Paperback)
Pages	280 pp
ISBN	0-8125-4234-7

Conan the Triumphant is a fantasy novel written by Robert Jordan featuring Robert E. Howard's seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. It was first published in trade paperback by Tor Books in October 1983, and was reprinted in 1991; a regular paperback edition followed from the same publisher in April 1985, and was reprinted in January 1987, May 1991 and February 2011. The first British edition was published in paperback by Sphere Books in November 1985; a later British edition was published in paperback by Legend Books in April 1997. The novel was later gathered together with Conan the Magnificent and Conan the Destroyer into the hardcover omnibus collection The Conan Chronicles II (Legend, April 1997), and was later gathered together with Conan the Magnificent and Conan the Victorious into the hardcover omnibus collection The Further Chronicles of Conan (Tor Books, October 1999).^[1]

Plot

Conan takes his Free Company of mercenaries to Ianthe, capital of Ophir, where they become entangled in the chaos ensuing on the death of King Valdric. The factions of Antimides, Valentius and Lady Synelle Countess of Asmark all contest the throne. Synelle is secretly a sorceress and the high priestess of the nearly forgotten demon god Al’Kiir. Al’Kiir was sealed away in the depths of the mountain Tor Al’Kiir ages before by the power of the mage Avanrakash, but she hopes to raise him by providing him a “bride” through human sacrifice and enlist his power to attain the throne.

Conan comes to Synelle’s attention when he buys a statuette of Al’Kiir which she believes can be used to revive the god. She plots to attain it, sending various agents to try to steal it and bewitching the Cimmerian into enlisting in her service. This attachment is complicated by Conan’s interest in Julia, a young noblewoman reduced to trulldom, and his old antagonist, the female bandit Karella the Red Hawk, one of those Synelle has hired to steal the image. Various complications ensue.

Ultimately, Synelle’s true colors are revealed. In the bowels of the Tor Al’Kirr, she and her priestesses attempt to sacrifice Karela to raise the demon. Conan and his company attack her forces and the Cimmerian wins through—just too late. Al’Kiir is raised, but takes Synelle instead of the intended victim. When it next turns its attention to Karela, Conan seizes the Staff of Avanrakash and spears the creature. At its unearthly screams, Synelle’s defenders flee. The demon and the captive sorceress harden into stone and the mountain begins to rumble. Conan and his men flee, putting as much distance as they can between themselves and the Tor before it erupts in a pillar of flame resembling the staff.

In the aftermath, the victorious army of Valentius marches on Ianthe. The remnants of the Free Company, sidelined, break up, each going his separate way. Conan urges Karela to go to Argos with him, but she refuses, preferring her free life to being mastered by the Cimmerian. He proceeds south alone.

Reception

Reviewer Lagomorph Rex called the novel "a pretty good book all around," showing "hallmarks of Robert Jordan's writing style," which with "the political nature of the book, ... the magical items ... and especially Lady Synelle, ... reminded me of aspects of Jordan's "The Wheel of Time." He finds the reintroduction of Karela and Hordo, characters from other Jordan Conan novels, "a nice touch, something which other writers would have been well to do. It makes the Hyborian lands feel as if they are populated by a number of adventures, rather than Conan being the only one." Jordan he calls "a very inventive writer," "despite his propensity to wander and get caught up in minutiae."^[2]

Notes

References

Fantastic Fiction entry for Conan the Triumphant

Preceded by Conan the Unconquered	Tor Conan series (publication order)	Succeeded by Conan the Magnificent
Preceded by Conan the Defender	Complete Conan Saga (William Galen Gray chronology)	Succeeded by Conan the Guardian

Conan the Barbarian

Stories, books

Books	Conan (books)

Original works by Robert E. Howard	"Beyond the Black River" "Black Colossus" "The Black Stranger" "Cimmeria" "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

Television	Conan the Adventurer (animated series) Conan and the Young Warriors Conan the Adventurer (TV series)

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

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

Games	Age of Conan (Rise of the Godslayer) Conan (2004) Conan (2007) Conan: Hall of Volta Conan: The Mysteries of Time Conan Against Darkness! Conan Collectible Card Game Conan Role-Playing Game Conan: The Roleplaying Game Conan the Buccaneer Conan the Mercenary Conan Triumphant Conan Unchained!

Setting

Characters	Bêlit Conan the Barbarian Kulan Gath Queen Taramis Red Sonja Serpent Men Thoth-Amon Thulsa Doom Valeria Vammatar Xaltotun Zenobia

Deities	Crom Mitra Set

World	Hyborian Age Aquilonia Cimmeria Acheron Empire

Chronology	The Hyborian Age Conan Chronologies

Kull	Thurian Age

Red Sonja	"The Shadow of the Vulture"

References	Cohen the Barbarian Conan the Librarian

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