I'm always looking for new S&S fiction to read even though the quality tends to be mediocre at best.  Still, some of these knock-offs, like Thongor and Brak, have their own charms.  So give me your recommendations for summer brain candy S&S fiction.  As noted in the title, don't bother with Conan, I've read it all.

And skip Fritz Leiber as well.  I find his writing boring as Hell.  It's U&U fiction--Underwhelming & Unengaging.

But others are welcome.

How about Jirel of Joiry? That ought to fit the bill.

Although I'm a fan of Leiber's, so our taste may not be the same.

Thundar!  I'm afraid you won't find too many books about him though.

I assume if you've read Conan, you've also read the Cormac Mac Art and Bran Mak Morn series' by Robert E Howard?

My favourite berserker is Logan Ninefingers from the First Law books by Joe Abercrombie. The first trilogy is excellent.

The next six books are good (Including the "Half a..." trilogy which is technically YA), though personally I found the latest trilogy (Age of Madness) to have moved too far away from what I enjoyed in the original books.

I've been reading Savage Realms, a monthly S&S rag. Some of the stories are excellent, with authors and characters recurring regularly a la the original pulps.

Quote from: Simon W on May 01, 2023, 05:20:00 AM
I assume if you've read Conan, you've also read the Cormac Mac Art and Bran Mak Morn series' by Robert E Howard?

Yeah; they didn't do much for me.  I do like Kull, however.

Quote from: dbm on May 01, 2023, 08:09:22 AM
My favourite berserker is Logan Ninefingers from the First Law books by Joe Abercrombie. The first trilogy is excellent.

The next six books are good (Including the "Half a..." trilogy which is technically YA), though personally I found the latest trilogy (Age of Madness) to have moved too far away from what I enjoyed in the original books.

As I noted in another thread, I loathe Joe Abercrombie's writing, so that's a no go, but appreciate the suggestion.

Quote from: Baron on May 01, 2023, 12:36:03 AM
How about Jirel of Joiry? That ought to fit the bill.

Although I'm a fan of Leiber's, so our taste may not be the same.

I've read some C.L. Moore in anthologies, but I don't recall this character.  Will check her out.  Thanks!

Quote from: Zalman on May 01, 2023, 08:40:09 AM
I've been reading Savage Realms, a monthly S&S rag. Some of the stories are excellent, with authors and characters recurring regularly a la the original pulps.

I know this journal, as some of the anthologies I've read include stuff from this, or at least people who contribute to it.

Not specifically all barbarians, but check out Swords of the Four Winds https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GXDJYAU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Anything but Conan... . um how about Jirel of Joiry, Ghenghiz Cohen and Tarl Cabot some to mind....

Jirel is one of, maybe even the first, sword wielding, head chopping off, throwing magic jewels into hell mouths, demon slaying character in fiction. The original "girl boss". Back before Morcock wrote his famous letter demanding the community come up with a name for the new sub-gener created by Robert E. Howard, which we now know as Sword and Sorcery, a term coined by Fritz Leiber.

Cabot of the infamous Gor books. Which are "Sword and Planet" stories like the Barsoom stuff from Edgar Rice Burroughs or Morcock's Sojan stuff. Tarl Cabot, like John Carter or Flash Gordon, is a human from our Earth transported to a savage planet. Gor is infamous as it has very explicit sexual content about domination and ritual humiliation of women. Gor is sort of like humanity without any social controls. The men are violent, sexual slavery is the norm and (this is the controversial part) females want to be dominated and protected. The relationship of Khal Drogo and his blond hair slave girl is basically copied from Gor. Tarl Cabot is an earthling, and so a Barbarian to Gor, but he also acts in a way that would make Conan sick and Red Sonya blush.

Cohen Terry Pratchett's parody of Conan, but like all his stuff the author's innate imagination and inventiveness makes this guy his own thing. This is a joke entry I guess.. but I still dig him. One of my fav Discworld dudes.

Quote from: Baron on May 01, 2023, 12:36:03 AMHow about Jirel of Joiry?

cool... just posted and then read the thread... cool to see Jirel get some love. Underrated as fuck, imo.

Quote from: dbm on May 01, 2023, 08:09:22 AMMy favourite berserker is Logan Ninefingers from the First Law books by Joe Abercrombie. The first trilogy is excellent.

I hear a lot of good things about this.. I really should put it higher on my backlog list.

I'm staying away from all the obvious Howard-era alt-Conans

Bloody Nine - Logen Ninefingers of Joe Abercrombie's First Law series. Survivor, realist, haunted by his alter-ego and his reputation, "The Bloody Nine" When the Blood Nine shows up... it's a bloodbath, bring a lot of towels. By far one of the coolest characters to show up in fantasy, the fact that's he's a barbarian is only icing on a very bloody cake.

Cnaiur Urs-Skiotha, Breaker of Men - One of the most complex, troubled, dark, characters I've ever read. Going into his history is pointless. But if you want to see "Chaotic Evil" in a real literary sense, a barbarian so contradictory to civilization in all its forms, including his own tribe - this is one dark motherfucking road to walk with this guy. He's from the "Prince of Nothing" series by R. Scott Bakker, one of the darkest, most well conceived modern fantasy series in the last twenty-years. Cnaiur is a barbarian other barbarian fear.

Honorable Mention

Baru Serpentslayer - From Ray Feists Magician trilogy. Though he's only in the books for a brief while, I loved his character, and his arc was awesome. Plus who doesn't like a pet dog that's almost the size of a tiger?

Quote from: tenbones on May 01, 2023, 09:52:51 AMCnaiur Urs-Skiotha, Breaker of Men - One of the most complex, troubled, dark, characters I've ever read. Going into his history is pointless. But if you want to see "Chaotic Evil" in a real literary sense, a barbarian so contradictory to civilization in all its forms, including his own tribe - this is one dark motherfucking road to walk with this guy. He's from the "Prince of Nothing" series by R. Scott Bakker, one of the darkest, most well conceived modern fantasy series in the last twenty-years. Cnaiur is a barbarian other barbarian fear.

Prince of Nothing is the Dark Fantasy, grim-dark mic drop that sets a bar that very little even gets close to. It is brutal. The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrence is another great series like this. Is Jorg Ancrath a barbarian? He is certainly barbaric.

My favorite would have to be Cohen the Barbarian and his Silver Horde.