Conan: Cult of the Obsidian Moon

What makes a good Conan novel? It seems like a simple calculation, a brawny barbarian, a massive sword, wine, woman, and violence. Mix the lot into a pot and you have a Conan adventure to be proud of, except it is not that easy. Conan lives in a vibrant and complex world that can be stodgy to read if written badly and hard for new fans to engage with. It takes a deft hand to produce a new outing for the Cimmerian that pays homage to the Robert E. Howard’s originals whilst working for a modern audience and respecting the wider world building. Thankfully, James Lovegrove is the author in charge of Conan: Cult of the Obsidian Moon, one of the most enjoyable Conan books I have read. 

We find Conan in a typical situation – being attacked by a mythical creature who is guarding the house that the barbarian just broke into. It seems like it may be time to move on again when Conan meets Hunwulf, Gudrun and their son, Bjørn, three Northerners ousted from their clan. Conan decides to work for them and even becomes their friend. Therefore, when a giant winged reptile snatches Bjørn, Conan sets out with his new allies to save the boy and unknowingly start an adventure that could span worlds. 

You can read the book as just a great Conan story. There is everything there, a little less sex than usual as Conan is getting over a tragic loss, but the action and violence is present. This is the Conan fans will know, but he feels more modern in his sensibilities. The edges are still rough, but I detected a slight modern polish in the attitudes that Conan had. This does not detract from the story but makes it more accessible to new fans. 

There are some impressive set pieces in the book. I enjoyed the section set in the city as Conan stumbles from bar to illegal act and back again. His relationship with Hunwulf and his family builds nicely and adds to the tension later in the book during a most enjoyable action scene against the type of cult leader that Conan seems to have to mow down regularly.  

Conan has always been a series that had one foot in history, the other in Harryhausen. It has a gritty feel to it, claims to be historic, but is fantasy all the way. It only takes one winged lizard to imagine that Hyborian is not the Antient history as we understand it. Obsidian takes matters one step further by introducing hints of Cthulhu, as an even older God dwells in a realm between worlds. Lovegrove already has form in this area in the excellent The Cthulhu Casebooks series of books. 

There is a balance between staying true to Conan’s fantastical, but grounded, adventures and the concept of a being that breaks the minds of men. In the case of Obsidian, it is only a concept that is tickled around the edges, but it is a tickle that I enjoyed. Something that adds that little more depth and mystery to the story. 

Obsidian is a book that took me on an old-fashioned fantasy quest, and I loved it. The world of Conan is still ripe for storytelling and the character itself is evolving to remain relevant to a modern audience but also stay true to source. Lovegrove is an author who is able to handle IPs wonderfully and does so again here, even adding some extra Lovecraftian spice into the mix. Fans of Conan, or any action fantasy series, will love this book.