Conan: Cult of the Obsidian Moon by James Lovegrove

Book Review

Sarah Deeming

Still grieving for Bêlit, his pirate queen lover, Conan drinks to numbness. On one such occasion, he meets Gudrun, Hunwolf, and their young son Bjørn. The small family is in hiding from their old tribe, who want revenge after the couple killed Gudrun’s betrothed and eloped together ten years ago. After learning that their old tribe’s pursuers are closing in on them, Gundrun and Hunwolf decide enough is enough, and they will face their attackers head-on. They leave Bjørn with Conan, trusting the barbarian will protect what they hold most dear. But Conan is betrayed by a one-time comrade and imprisoned, leaving Bjørn unprotected, and he is kidnapped. When Conan is freed, he vows to find Bjørn and punish those who took him. But he wasn’t taken by the vengeful tribe. Strange, winged monsters are stealing children, and it’s up to Conan to travel to the Rotlands to save Bjørn.

When you pick up a Conan story, you expect sword fights, magic, adventure, and monsters, and we get all these things in Cult of the Obsidian Moon. We first meet Conan fighting a sabre-toothed tiger in a house he was robbing, and the action continues from there. We have bar fights, ambushes on the road, perilous attacks from oversized monsters and battles against an overwhelming number of foes. Due to the succession of fights and escapes and the short chapters, this book is an easy read that draws you from the beginning.

There is more to Conan than just a muscular barbarian hitting things in Cult of the Obsidian Moon, as well. As this book is part of the Black Stone series, there is a carry-over from the previous books, such as Bêlit, Conan’s lover, in the series. Her death has made Conan aimless. This gives him time for reflection and revelation during this book’s most poignant scenes and helps him grow. These moments of introspection make for a welcomed relief during all the fighting. And although there are some references to earlier stories, you don’t have to read them to understand what’s happening. There is enough explanation without any cumbersome info-dumping for a newcomer to jump in.

We are also introduced to The Rotlands, a place where everything is warped and could kill you. Plant pollen burns like acid, many-tentacled monsters hide in trees and snag unsuspecting passersby and a disgusting smell that can’t be escaped. The location’s description was vivid and mixed with local folklore about a lion cub, which brought the whole area to life. I thought it was very clever and a good touch.

I enjoyed reading this book from start to finish. It was well-written, easy to access, and the characters were relatable, carrying the reader with them on their quest to find a missing child, with a healthy dose of magic and muscle. What isn’t there to love? Highly recommended.