by Gary Romeo
Brian D. Anderson’s short story “Comrades” is a grim action filled adventure that entertains enough to justify the low price of $1.99 (plus sales tax). I can’t say it broke new ground but it strived for a grim poignancy in the conclusion. It deserves some bonus points for that.
The writing is clear and concise, it flows well. Action is prevalent. The violence is exciting. Conan and Conan’s world is brutal. Anderson doesn’t pull any punches. Swords pierce “bone, brains, and tissue.” Blood is seriously spilt.
There are the standard clichés: perfumed weak civilized leaders and Conan’s distain for civilization. I don’t particularly like these things anymore. It was fun when Robert E. Howard did it. But face it, the Hyborian Age probably stunk to high heaven. Being near a perfumed person was probably a blessing at times. And there is always that contradiction that Conan preferred to be in civilized countries earning a living as thief, mercenary, etc. You can only bitch about the places you choose to be for so long. It gets tedious and hypocritical eventually.
Conan develops some empathy for the lower classes in this story. This might be too early in his career for that kind of thinking though. This story may take place before “Queen of the Black Coast.” I surmise that because he is, in de Camp’s words, a “condottiere” (a mercenary) at this point in his career. In the “The Snout in the Dark” which takes place later in his life, Conan ruthlessly puts down a rebellion by lower castes “with an iron hand” since it benefits his career at that time. This story’s view of Kush seems less stereotypical African than REH’s interpretation. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing though.
The supernatural menace is a bunch of sewer dwelling ape-like creatures. The story ends with Conan victorious (no surprize) but jaded with the mercenary life. There is an ironic twist that gives the story some emotional weight. All in all, Brian D. Anderson did a decent job. I’m still waiting for one of these “Heroic Legends” e-books to blow me away though. I’m not sure the “slush pile” is being given a proper read (I haven’t submitted anything 🙂 so I’m not personally mad!). But I think the folks who publish these stories are too reliant on authors with some prior successes who don’t vary from past Conan formulas. I don’t feel that they are really looking for fresh takes on our favorite barbarian. They seem to be playing it too safe in my opinion.
