This is a very accurate assessment.
However, given the overall lack of all the writers mentioned below (with the possible exception of KEW) to capture the true spirit, feeling, motivation, and character of Conan (not to mention the stylistic mastery of REH), I still say that all Conan pastiches are monumentally arrogant and presumptive pieces of shit.
--Mike
Miami, Florida
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Tue, 7 May 2002 08:43:53 EDT
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [rehfans] Writers like REH?!?
There really is no one that writes like REH in my view. The closest in vividness and seamless plot is David Gemmell, who is still alive. The closest in gritty realism is Karl Edward Wagner, who is also deceased. The ones who try to be most like REH, but fall short in my view, are Gardner Fox (better for his historical fiction), John Jakes (better for his American and Civil War series) and Andrew Offutt (a true fan, but sadly lacking).
The ones who are horrible copycats with no pretension of real talent are also deceased (some would say, thankfully): L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. There are others who show flashes of REH at times, like Richard Meade (Sword of Morningstar), Charles Saunders (Imaro series), the author who wrote the Simon of Ghitta series (don't recall his name right now) and EC Tubb (principally a sf writer, but wrote some good sword and sorcery). Fritz Leiber is good (Fafhard series), but in a different (humurous) vein altogether (he's the Jackie Chan of s & s). Michael Moorcock is also original (Elric series), but terrible in my view. There are others, but none come to mind right now.
Nino Lucio
