Reception
Reviewer Ryan Harvey considers this, Jordan's second Conan story, "a lesser novel" than the first, Conan the Invincible, but "can recommend as a satisfying if flawed" entry in the series. He finds "much to enjoy in Conan the Defender, noting that "Jordan has the writing chops to pull off the story," which "makes for a good read" and "reads easily. The pages fly past, even away from the furious action." He praises the author's "action set-pieces some of the best and most clearly described from any pastiche author, and he comes up with clever combat ideas." Harvey finds the palace-storming finale "exciting" and "enjoyable" and notes that "Jordan even manages to toss in a snappy plot twist that genuinely surprises." He also considers the heroine Ariane "a refreshing change from the 'helpless wench' or 'tough warrior woman' cliché has realism to her found infrequently in this kind of tale."
On the down side, "he story bogs down in places where too many characters get involved in conspiracies ... a few of never amount to much," and "ome parts of the plot are never explained." Harvey feels "the novel's major flaw" is that "or more than half of the book, Conan has scan reason to get involved," and "not until late in the book does really find a place in the story." The author "provides no major 'turning point' or 'moment of realization' that seals Conan into the plot and gives him a strong direction." In regard to Jordan's style, Harvey criticizes "his occasional reliance on archaic English words that feel out of place."
Fan reviewer Lagomorph Rex writes "I enjoyed the book" and "f you want a good Conan story, you can't really go wrong with this one." He does perceive Jordan "still some what getting the hang of the character, and perhaps still unintentionally basing him more off the Conan of the John Milius film than on the Conan of Robert E. Howard." He also observes the presence of "ideas and scenes, both good and bad, littered through" it and Jordan's other Conan pastiches "which were either re-purposed, reused or simply rough drafts" for his later "Wheel of Time" series. More positively, the reviewer notes the book's "clear chronological connections to previous works" and the way it "goes to some effort to start setting up "Queen of the Black Coast." He also finds the book "a bit dense in terms of political machinations, and might require a few re-reads of certain pages in order to really follow whats going on" but feels "these scenes rarely slow down the story telling." "What's more, it begins hinting at how precariously balanced the power structure in Nemedia truly is, something which will pay off handsomely by the time The Hour of the Dragon."
Read more about this topic: Conan The Defender
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“But in the reception of metaphysical formula, all depends, as regards their actual and ulterior result, on the pre-existent qualities of that soil of human nature into which they fall—the company they find already present there, on their admission into the house of thought.”
—Walter Pater (1839–1894)
“To aim to convert a man by miracles is a profanation of the soul. A true conversion, a true Christ, is now, as always, to be made by the reception of beautiful sentiments.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Aesthetic emotion puts man in a state favorable to the reception of erotic emotion.... Art is the accomplice of love. Take love away and there is no longer art.”
—Rémy De Gourmont (1858–1915)