Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} The Slithering Shadow by Robert E. Howard The Slithering Shadow. All our eBooks are FREE to download! sign in or create a new account. EPUB 120 KB. Kindle 150 KB. $2.99. Support epubBooks by making a small PayPal donation purchase . This work is available for countries where copyright is Life+70 or less. Description. The Slithering Shadow (also known as Xuthal of the Dusk ) is one of the original short stories starring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian , written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in the Weird Tales magazine. It is set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan finding a lost city in a remote desert and encountering therein a Lovecraftian-esque demon known as Thog. 51 pages, with a reading time of. 1.0 hour (12,922 words) , and first published in 1933. This DRM-Free edition published by epubBooks , 2014 . Community Reviews. Your Review. Sign up or Log in to rate this book and submit a review. There are currently no other reviews for this book. Excerpt. The desert shimmered in the heat waves. Conan the Cimmerian stared out over the aching desolation and involuntarily drew the back of his powerful hand over his blackened lips. He stood like a bronze image in the sand, apparently impervious to the murderous sun, though his only garment was a silk loincloth, girdled by a wide gold-buckled belt from which hung a saber and a broad-bladed poniard. On his clean-cut limbs were evidences of scarcely healed wounds. At his feet rested a girl, one white arm clasping his knee, against which her blond head drooped. Her white skin contrasted with his hard bronzed limbs; her short silken tunic, low-necked and sleeveless, girdled at the waist, emphasized rather than concealed her lithe figure. Conan shook his head, blinking. The sun’s glare half blinded him. He lifted a small canteen from his belt and shook it, scowling at the faint splashing within. The girl moved wearily, whimpering. “Oh, Conan, we shall die here! I am so thirsty!” The Cimmerian growled wordlessly, glaring truculently at the surrounding waste, with outthrust jaw, and blue eyes smoldering savagely from under his black tousled mane, as if the desert were a tangible enemy. He stooped and put the canteen to the girl’s lips. “Drink till I tell you to stop, Natala,” he commanded. She drank with little panting gasps, and he did not check her. Only when the canteen was empty did she realize that he had deliberately allowed her to drink all their water supply, little enough that it was. Tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh, Conan,” she wailed, wringing her hands, “why did you let me drink it all? I did not know–now there is none for you!” “Hush,” he growled. “Don’t waste your strength in weeping.” Straightening, he threw the canteen from him. “Why did you do that?” she whispered. He did not reply, standing motionless and immobile, his fingers closing slowly about the hilt of his saber. He was not looking at the girl; his fierce eyes seemed to plumb the mysterious purple hazes of the distance. Endowed with all the barbarian’s ferocious love of life and instinct to live, Conan the Cimmerian yet knew that he had reached the end of his trail. He had not come to the limits of his endurance, but he knew another day under the merciless sun in those waterless wastes would bring him down. As for the girl, she had suffered enough. Better a quick painless sword-stroke than the lingering agony that faced him. Her thirst was temporarily quenched; it was a false mercy to let her suffer until delirium and death brought relief. Slowly he slid the saber from its sheath. He halted suddenly, stiffening. Far out on the desert to the south, something glimmered through the heat waves. At first he thought it was a phantom, one of the mirages which had mocked and maddened him in that accursed desert. Shading his sun- dazzled eyes, he made out spires and minarets, and gleaming walls. He watched it grimly, waiting for it to fade and vanish. Natala had ceased to sob; she struggled to her knees and followed his gaze. “Is it a city, Conan?” she whispered, too fearful to hope. “Or is it but a shadow?” The Cimmerian did not reply for a space. He closed and opened his eyes several times; he looked away, then back. The city remained where he had first seen it. “The devil knows,” he grunted. “It’s worth a try, though.” He thrust the saber back in its sheath. Stooping, he lifted Natala in his mighty arms as though she had been an infant. She resisted weakly. “Don’t waste your strength carrying me, Conan,” she pleaded. “I can walk.” “The ground gets rockier here,” he answered. “You would soon wear your sandals to shreds,” glancing at her soft green footwear. “Besides, if we are to reach that city at all, we must do it quickly, and I can make better time this way.” The chance for life had lent fresh vigor and resilience to the Cimmerian’s steely thews. He strode out across the sandy waste as if he had just begun the journey. A barbarian of barbarians, the vitality and endurance of the wild were his, granting him survival where civilized men would have perished. He and the girl were, so far as he knew, the sole survivors of Prince Almuric’s army, that mad motley horde which, following the defeated rebel prince of Koth, swept through the Lands of Shem like a devastating sandstorm and drenched the outlands of Stygia with blood. With a Stygian host on its heels, it had cut its way through the black kingdom of Kush, only to be annihilated on the edge of the southern desert. Conan likened it in his mind to a great torrent, dwindling gradually as it rushed southward, to run dry at last in the sands of the naked desert. The bones of its members–mercenaries, outcasts, broken men, outlaws–lay strewn from the Kothic uplands to the dunes of the wilderness. Literature / Xuthal of the Dusk. "Xuthal of the Dusk " (a.k.a. "The Slithering Shadow") is a Conan the Barbarian story written by Robert E. Howard. First published in September, 1933. Conan and Natala, a woman he rescued from slavers, have become lost in the desert after Conan's forces are decimated in a surprise attack. Fearing either capture or death of dehydration, Conan prepares to Mercy Kill the two of them, until Conan spots what appears to be a city in the distance. The city has a violet glow about it and is surrounded by hundred foot walls. They are let in by Thalis, a former slave herself who came upon the city in much the same way Conan and Natala did. She instantly takes a liking to Conan, and invites the two of them to dinner. As they pass through the empty streets of the city, it becomes apparent that something is amiss. Thalis explains that the people of the city live in a constant state of dreaming, with their bodily needs taken care of by their technology. The only thing they have to worry about is Thog, the Eldritch Abomination who lives under the city and gives it its power, coming up every now and then looking for a meal. Natala begs Conan to leave, saying that such a city is cursed and unnatural, and Conan agrees, but Thalis won't have it: she wants Conan all to herself and plans to sacrifice Natala to Thog! It has been adapted by both Marvel Comics in their Savage Sword of Conan magazine and by Darkhorse Comics in their Conan the Avenger comic. Xuthal of the Dusk. " Xuthal of the Dusk " is a novelette by Robert E. Howard first published in the September, 1933, edition of Weird Tales as " The Slithering Shadow ". Contents. Plot Summary [ edit | edit source ] Conan and his companion Natala discover the nearly abandoned city Xuthal in the desert, occupied only by a Stygian witch and a shadowy demon. Detailed Synopsis [ edit | edit source ] 1. The last survivors of Prince Almuric’s army, Conan and his latest female companion, Natala, struggle through the desert. Just as their water runs out, they see a city in the distance. At first it seems the whole city is devoid of life, finding only an apparently dead, woundless body on the steps. However, a short while later, while Conan ponders how to get water from a nearby well, the "corpse" leaps up and chases them, to be promptly decaptitated by Conan. Searching for food and water, Conan and Natala find multiple signs of recent life, eventually come across a table richly laid out with food, which they hesitantly eat. Soon they come across another apparently dead man, lying on a dais. As they watch, the man seems to be consumed by a black shadow, terrifying Natala. Later, they come across a third man, but this time he is awake, and asks them where they are from. He thinks Conan is but a dream and is shocked to find that he is all too real. Conan tells him of the strange shadow, whereupon the other man runs away screaming, only to be consumed himself. As Conan and Natala consider escaping the city, they encounter Thalis the Stygian. She describes how the city of Xuthal is the last remnant of a once-great civilisation. They used to be incredible scientists, creating the light-producing radium and food manufactured “out of the primal elements”, but now spend most of their time in a drug-induced haze. Thalis also mentions a marvellous healing wine, which can restore vitality, cure wounds and prolong life. She tells Conan how the people of Xuthal live only for pleasure, their lust the only reason they rescued her from starvation. Thalis then urges Conan to stay with her and become king, as she has become infatuated with the barbarian. Conan declines, whereupon Thalis kidnaps her rival for his affections, Natala. 2. Thalis drags Natala along a dark corridor, where Natala tries to stab her attacker. She doesn’t manage to kill her, but does at least escape her grasp, if only briefly. Thalis finds a light and recaptures the Brythunian, binding and sadistically whipping her. However, Thalis is then consumed by the shadowy demon. The creature then turns it attention on the helpless Natala, apparently seeking to rape her. 3. Meanwhile, Conan finds himself beset upon by large numbers of male citizens, all of whom he dispatches systematically. These warriors are no match for Conan despite their numbers, but are at least brave, throwing themselves into battle despite their near-invincible opponent. He races through the corridors, but stops in surprise when he spies a yellow skinned woman who quickly triggers a pit trap that Conan falls through, landing in front of Thog just in time to halt the demon’s disturbing advances towards Natala. Thog proves a problematic enemy, but Conan does at last manage to knock the monster into a chasm. 4. Mortally wounded from the battle with Thog (this is the closest Conan ever comes to death), Conan is miraculously revived by Natala. She feeds him a glass of the “golden wine” Thalis mentioned earlier, which cures all of the barbarian’s wounds. Together they escape Xuthal and head for a nearby oasis. Natala humorously blames Conan for having aroused Thalis' lustful personality, Conan responds playfully about women's jealousy. Characters [ edit | edit source ] * - dies in this story. Locations [ edit | edit source ] , ruined city in the deserts of Kush. Continuity Notes [ edit | edit source ] When his plans for welding the hill tribes into a single army fail, Conan rides back through Hyrkania and Turan, avoiding King Yezdigerd's patrols and sharing the tents of his former kozak companions. Big wars rage in the West and, scenting greener pastures and larger loot, Conan returns to the Hyborian kingdoms. Almuric, prince of Koth, has rebelled against the hated King Strabonus. He has raised a formidable army from far and wide, and Conan signs up with him. Strabonus; neighbors, however, come to his aid. The rebel cause fails, and Almuric's motley army is driven south. They cut their way through the lands of Shem, the borders of Stygia, and into the grasslands of Kush. Here they are run down and wiped out by the combined black and Stygian forces at the edge of the sourthern desert. Conan is one of the few survivors. - Conan the Adventurer. The Slithering Shadow. Conan receives more attention than he needs in this wild adventure that nearly costs him his life. Who will win his love, and at what cost? About The Author. Product Details. Publisher: Start Publishing LLC (August 24, 2015) Length: 40 pages ISBN13: 9781681463957. Browse Related Books. Resources and Downloads. High Resolution Images. The Slithering Shadow. Get a FREE e-book by joining our mailing list today! Plus, receive recommendations and exclusive offers on all of your favorite books and authors from Simon & Schuster. By clicking 'Sign me up' I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the privacy policy and terms of use. Free eBook offer available to NEW US subscribers only. Offer redeemable at Simon & Schuster's ebook fulfillment partner. Must redeem within 90 days. See full terms and conditions and this month's choices. Chronology. The first chronology Conan the Cimmerian was written by two Robert E. Howard fans, P. Schuyler Miller and Dr. John D. Clark in 1936. This "Miller/Clark" chronology was regarded as canonical for many years and formed the basis of L. Sprague de Camp's timeline that framed the Lancer/Ace series. However, at least since 1983, when Joe Marek pointed out some inconsistencies, the chronology has become a matter of debate. One of the key issues that divides Conan and Howard fans is that a chronology focuses attention on the character rather than Howard's (or anyone else's) body of work. Contents. "A Probable Outline of Conan's Career" • P. Schuyler Miller and Dr. John D. Clark [ edit | edit source ] "The Tower of the Elephant" "Rogues in the House" "Queen of the Black Coast" "Black Colossus" "Shadows in the Moonlight" "A Witch Shall Be Born" "Shadows in Zamboula" "The Devil in Iron" The People of the Black Circle "The Slithering Shadow" "The Pool of the Black One" Red Nails "Jewels of Gwahlur" Beyond the Black River "The Phoenix on the Sword" "The Scarlet Citadel" The Hour of the Dragon. The chronology of the Lancer/Ace series [ edit | edit source ] "The Thing in the Crypt" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. "The Hall of the Dead" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp. "The God in the Bowl" • Robert E. Howard "Rogues in the House" • Robert E. Howard. "The Hand of Nergal" • Robert E. Howard and Lin Carter. "The City of Skulls" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. Conan of Cimmeria. "The Curse of the Monolith" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter "The Blood-Stained God" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp. "The Frost Giant's Daughter" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp. "The Lair of the Ice Worm" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. "Queen of the Black Coast" • Robert E. Howard "The Vale of Lost Women" • Robert E. Howard. "The Castle of Terror" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. "The Snout in the Dark" • Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. Conan the Freebooter. "Hawks Over Shem" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp. "Black Colossus" • Robert E. Howard "Shadows in the Moonlight" • Robert E. Howard. "The Road of the Eagles" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp. Conan the Wanderer. "Black Tears" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. "Shadows in Zamboula" • Robert E. Howard "The Devil in Iron" • Robert E. Howard. The Flame Knife • Robert E. Howard & L. Sprague de Camp. Conan the Adventurer. The People of the Black Circle • Robert E. Howard "The Slithering Shadow" • Robert E. Howard. "Drums of Tombalku" • Robert E. Howard & L. Sprague de Camp. Conan the Buccaneer. Conan the Buccaneer • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. Conan the Warrior. Red Nails • Robert E. Howard "Jewels of Gwahlur" • Robert E. Howard Beyond the Black River • Robert E. Howard. Conan the Usurper. The Treasure of Tranicos • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp. "Wolves Beyond the Border" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp. "The Phoenix on the Sword" • Robert E. Howard "The Scarlet Citadel" • Robert E. Howard. Conan the Conqueror. Conan the Conqueror • Robert E. Howard. Conan the Avenger. Conan the Avenger • Björn Nyberg and L. Sprague de Camp. Conan of Aquilonia. "The Witch of the Mists" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter "Black Sphinx of Nebthu" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter "Red Moon of Zembabwei" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter "Shadows in the Skull" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. Conan of the Isles. Conan of the Isles • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. Miller/Clark/de Camp chronology [ edit | edit source ] Building on his timeline of Conan's life, established in the Lancer/Ace chronology (above), L. Sprague de Camp continued to arrange subsequent novels into the timeline up to, and including, the 7th TOR novel, Conan the Victorious . After that, new series editor Robert Jordan took over the responsibility of ordering the continuing saga (Jordan's timeline is next). The final version of de Camp's timeline is "Conan the Indestructible" (1984): "Legions of the Dead" Conan the Barbarian (as an alternate account of Conan's early years) "The Thing in the Crypt" "The Tower of the Elephant" Conan the Destroyer Conan the Magnificent Conan the Invincible "The Hall of the Dead" "The God in the Bowl" "Rogues in the House" Conan and the Sorcerer Conan the Mercenary The Sword of Skelos Conan the Victorious Conan the Unconquered "The Hand of Nergal" "The City of Skulls" "The People of the Summit" "The Curse of the Monolith" Conan and the Spider God "The Blood-Stained God" "The Frost Giant's Daughter" "The Lair of the Ice Worm" Conan the Defender Conan the Triumphant "Queen of the Black Coast" (Part 1) Conan the Rebel (between chapters 1 and 2 of "Queen of the Black Coast") "Queen of the Black Coast" (Part 2) "The Vale of Lost Women" "The Castle of Terror" "The Snout in the Dark" "Hawks Over Shem" The Road of Kings "Black Colossus" "Shadows in the Dark" "Shadows in the Moonlight" "The Road of the Eagles" "A Witch Shall Be Born" "Black Tears" "Shadows in Zamboula" "The Star of Khorala" "The Devil in Iron" "The Flame Knife" "The People of the Black Circle" "The Slithering Shadow" "Drums of Tombalku" "The Gem in the Tower" "The Pool of the Black One" Conan the Buccaneer "Red Nails" "Jewels of Gwahlur" "The Ivory Goddess" "Beyond the Black River" "Moon of Blood" "The Treasure of Tranicos" "Wolves Beyond the Border" Conan the Liberator "The Phoenix on the Sword" "The Scarlet Citadel" Conan the Conqueror Conan the Avenger "The Witch of the Mists" "Black Sphinx of Nebthu" "Red Moon of Zembabwei" "Shadows in the Skull" Conan of the Isles. "The Conan Chronology" • Robert Jordan [ edit | edit source ] "Legions of the Dead" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1263 A.A. • Conan the Swordsman "The Thing in the Crypt" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1264 A.A. • Conan Conan the Defiant • Steve Perry • 1264 A.A. "The Tower of the Elephant" • Robert E. Howard • 1265 A.A. • Conan Conan and the Sorcerer • Andrew J. Offutt • 1265 A.A. Conan the Mercenary • Andrew J. Offutt • 1265 A.A. Conan: The Sword of Skelos • Andrew J. Offutt • 1265 A.A. Conan the Destroyer • Robert Jordan • 1266 A.A. Conan the Magnificent • Robert Jordan • 1267 A.A. Conan the Invincible • Robert Jordan • 1267 A.A. "The Hall of the Dead" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp • 1267 A.A. • Conan Conan the Fearless • Steve Perry • 1267 A.A. "The God in the Bowl" • Robert E. Howard • 1267 A.A. • Conan Conan the Warlord • Leonard Carpenter • 1267 A.A. "Rogues in the House" • Robert E. Howard • 1267 A.A. • Conan Conan the Victorious • Robert Jordan • 1267 A.A. Conan the Champion • John Maddox Roberts • 1267-1268 A.A. Conan the Unconquered • Robert Jordan • 1268 A.A. "The Hand of Nergal" • Robert E. Howard and Lin Carter • 1268 A.A. • Conan "The City of Skulls" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1268 A.A. • Conan "The People of the Summit" • L. Sprague de Camp and Björn Nyberg • 1269 A.A. • Conan the Swordsman "The Curse of the Monolith" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1269 A.A. • Conan of Cimmeria Conan the Valiant • Roland Green • 1270 A.A. Conan and the Spider God • L. Sprague de Camp • 1270 A.A. "The Bloodstained God" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp • 1270 A.A. • Conan of Cimmeria Conan the Valorous • John Maddox Roberts • 1271 A.A. "The Frost Giant's Daughter" • Robert E. Howard • 1271 A.A. • Conan of Cimmeria "The Lair of the Ice Worm" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1271 A.A. • Conan of Cimmeria Conan the Defender • Robert Jordan • 1271 A.A. Conan: The Road of Kings • Karl Edward Wagner • 1272 A.A. Conan the Triumphant • Robert Jordan • 1273 A.A. "Queen of the Black Coast" • Robert E. Howard • 1274-1275 A.A. • Conan of Cimmeria Conan the Rebel • Poul Anderson • 1274 A.A. (This story takes place in the middle of "Queen of the Black Coast" "The Vale of Lost Women," • Robert E. Howard • 1275 A.A. • Conan of Cimmeria "The Castle of Terror" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1276 A.A. • Conan of Cimmeria "The Snout in the Dark" • Howard, de Camp, and Carter • 1276 A.A. • Conan of Cimmeria "Hawks Over Shem" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp • 1277 A.A. • Conan the Freebooter "Black Colossus" • Robert E. Howard • 1278 A.A. • Conan the Freebooter "Shadows in the Dark" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1278 A.A. • Conan the Swordsman Conan the Renegade • Leonard Carpenter • 1278-1279 A.A. "Shadows in the Moonlight" • Robert E. Howard • 1279 A.A. • Conan the Freebooter "The Road of the Eagles" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp • 1279 A.A. • Conan the Freebooter "A Witch Shall be Born" • Robert E. Howard • 1279 A.A. • Conan the Freebooter "Black Tears" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1279 A.A. • Conan the Wanderer "Shadows in Zamboula" • Robert E. Howard • 1279 A.A. • Conan the Wanderer Conan the Raider • Leonard Carpenter • 1280 A.A. "The Star of Khorala" • L. Sprague de Camp and Björn Nyberg • 1280 A.A. • Conan the Swordsman "The Devil in Iron" • Robert E. Howard • 1280 A.A. • Conan the Wanderer "The Flame Knife" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp • 1281 A.A. • Conan the Wanderer "The People of the Black Circle" • Robert E. Howard • 1281 A.A. • Conan the Adventurer Conan the Marauder • John Maddox Roberts • 1282 A.A. "The Slithering Shadow" • Robert E. Howard • 1282 A.A. • Conan the Adventurer "Drums of Tombalku" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp • 1282 A.A. • Conan the Adventurer "The Gem in the Tower" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1283 A.A. • Conan the Swordsman "The Pool of the Black One" • Robert E. Howard • 1283 A.A. • Conan the Adventurer Conan the Buccaneer • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1283 A.A. "Red Nails" • Robert E. Howard • 1284 A.A. • Conan the Warrior "Jewels of Gwahlur" • Robert E. Howard • 1284 A.A. • Conan the Warrior "The Ivory Goddess" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1284 A.A. • Conan the Swordsman "Beyond the Black River" • Robert E. Howard • 1286 A.A. • Conan the Warrior "The Black Stranger" • Robert E. Howard • 1286 A.A. • Echoes of Valor edited • Karl Edward Wagner "Moon of Blood" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1286 A.A. • Conan the Swordsman "The Treasure of Tranicos" • Robert E. Howard • 1287 A.A. • Conan the Usurper "Wolves Beyond the Border" • Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp • 1288 A.A. • Conan the Usurper Conan the Liberator • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1287-1288 A.A. "The Phoenix on the Sword" • Robert E. Howard • 1289 A.A. • Conan the Usurper "The Scarlet Citadel" • Robert E. Howard • 1290-91 A.A. • Conan the Usurper Conan the Conqueror • Robert E. Howard • 1293-1294 A.A. "The Return of Conan" • L. Sprague de Camp and Björn Nyberg • 1295 A.A. • Conan the Avenger "The Witch of the Mists" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1306 A.A. • Conan of Aquilonia "Black Sphinx of Nebthu" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1306 A.A. • Conan of Aquilonia "Red Moon of Zembabwei" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1307 A.A. • Conan of Aquilonia "Shadows in the Skull" • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1307 A.A. • Conan of Aquilonia Conan of the Isles • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter • 1310 A.A. "The Conan Timeline" • William Galen Gray [ edit | edit source ] WGG's timeline was an attempt to incorporate all the extant pastiche and Howard tales into a timeline, informed by the arguments of purist timeline authors. Annotated to explain his placements, it was intended as both a reading-guide to all the stories and a framework for writing future pastiches. The annotated version can be found here. The following is a title-only summary. Legends of Conan. Joe Marek chronology [ edit | edit source ] Joe Marek's chronology is limited to stories written (or devised) by Howard, though within that context it is essentially a revision of the Miller/Clark/de Camp tradition. Noting the Miller/Clark/de Camp chronology's general approval by Howard, he tends to follow it when it does not contradict the internal evidence of the stories or force Conan into what he perceives as a "mad dash" around the Hyborian world within time- frames too rapid to be credible. Marek's strength is in his well-reasoned arguments for story placement. The major weakness of his chronology is his failure to incorporate into his scheme the chronologically wide gap between "Beyond the Black River" and "Wolves Beyond the Border" he admits to be indicated by Howard's version of "The Black Stranger." Order [ edit | edit source ] "The Hyborian Age, Part One" "Cimmeria" (poem) "The Frost Giant's Daughter" "The Tower of the Elephant" "The Hall of the Dead" (fragment) "Rogues in the House" "The God in the Bowl" "The Hand of Nergal" (fragment) "Black Colossus" "Queen of the Black Coast" "The Snout in the Dark" (fragment) "Shadows in the Moonlight" "A Witch Shall Be Born" "Shadows in Zamboula" "The Slithering Shadow" "The Devil in Iron" "The People of the Black Circle" "Drums of Tombalku" (fragment) "The Vale of Lost Women" "The Pool of the Black One" "Red Nails" "The Teeth of Gwahlur" "Beyond the Black River" "The Black Stranger" "Wolves Beyond the Border" (fragment) "The Phoenix on the Sword" "The Scarlet Citadel" "The Hour of the Dragon" "The Hyborian Age, Part Two" "Notes On Various Peoples of The Hyborian Age" "The Dark Storm Conan Chronology" • Dale Rippke [ edit | edit source ] Ripke spent hours piecing together hints and evidence from Howard's stories, story-fragments and letters as well as integrating the arguments of other Howard scholars; he credits Joe Marek, Steve Tompkins, and Ed Waterman at the beginning of the his annotated essay, which can be found here. The following is a title-only summary.