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Loren L. Coleman
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Blood of Wolves (Age of Conan- Hyborian Adventures: Legends of Kern, Vol. 1) Mass Market Paperback – May 31, 2005

by Loren Coleman (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 33 ratings
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In the bleak northlands, Grimnir, the living god of the plundering Vanir, is leading his hordes across Cimmeria. Tales of Grimnir's fury spread as refugees scatter throughout the land to escape his wrath.

In the village of Gaud, the young warrior Kern, the "Wolf-Eye," has been exiled, an outcast from clan and kin. It is he who is fated to confront the dreaded Grimnir. But as loyal friends and desperate fighters rally to his side, even Kern does not know whether he leads his people to deliverance, or certain death.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Ace
  4. Publication date
    May 31, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    4.25 x 1 x 6.9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0441012922
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0441012923
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Loren Coleman is the writer of many science fiction novels including Into the Maelstrom, Bloodlines, and Blinding Force. A retired member of the U.S. Navy, Coleman lives in Washington with his family.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ace (May 31, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0441012922
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0441012923
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.25 x 1 x 6.9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 33 ratings

About the author

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Loren L. Coleman

Loren L. Coleman

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
33 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

KB2187
5.0 out of 5 stars A Hyborian "Must Read"
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2011
Verified Purchase
I had low hopes of enjoying this book given that it's what I call a sh&t book--a genre adventure tale having been written for an online video game. I'm a huge Conan fan, though, and a friend of mine, who shares my taste, read it and told me how amazed he was at just how good this book really is.

So, I waited...and finally got around to trying this thing. Then, I found myself hooked from the very first chapter.

Folks, this book is AMAZING! It's very well written. The story is quite engaging. And even though Conan isn't in this book (it takes place while Conan is king of Aquilonia), it's a must read addition to the 80+ Conan novels and anthologies out there.

If you want to spend some time with Cimmerians and live through what their lives are like, get this book.

I just want to keep saying "FANTASTIC!" over and over again. For me, it was like going to see a movie that you think will be crap and come out of the theater having seen one of your new favorite films.

I highly recommend it for those who like to read Hyborian Age tales.
3 people found this helpful
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Mark A. Desjardins
5.0 out of 5 stars product was very late
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2021
Verified Purchase
5 Star service as product was very late
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Senal Weerasooriya
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2015
Verified Purchase
Excellent
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Cal
5.0 out of 5 stars Suprisingly Good
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2010
I went into this as a fan of Howard's novels and the Conan mythos, but had low hopes for the quality of storytelling. Pulp sword and sorcery is usually cringe-worthy fluff that at best one hopes will yield a few guilty pleasures.

In fact I thought the author manages to pull off something special in this book, and the comparisons to Sprague de Camp are not hyperbole. The world of Kern is brutal. There are no mighty pig roasts or glowing rune-carved weapons to succor a Cimmerian warrior through the deadly harsh winter and seasons of famine. Instead, every day is beset with threats from foes, animal and human, natural and supernatural.

The premise of an outcast finding favor to eventually lead his adoptive people with such dizzying success is a bit far-fetched. However I rarely found myself crying foul over a plot hole or a glaringly obvious weakness that soured the suspension of disbelief. Coleman writes simply but also does not stumble by attempting something beyond his abilities. There is not much boring filler here, and the action does not get tedious, although possibly a bit silly at the very end, where every character, animal and otherwise gets involved in the 'mega-epic' climactic battle.

Overall it is a quick, fun read and I will be purchasing the sequel.
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Walter E. Kurtz
3.0 out of 5 stars Nice and entertaining, with potential, but nothing special
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2011
Verified Purchase
For a sword and sorcery book based on a computer game, this is pretty good story. It is a tale of Kern Wolfeye, who is something of a pariah among his clan because of his strange appearance and dubious parentage. Upon the death of the clan chieftain, Kern is thrown out by the new clan leader.

This is not good time for Cymmeria. The land is covered by harsh, unnatural (sorcery created?) winter and suffers an invasion of Vanir (northern people) led by a superhuman warrior named Grimish.

Through a combination of happenstance and personal choices, Kern ends up leading a mini crusade against the Vanir and gathers a band of followers. The story is perhaps not original, but it is not totally predictable either. There is a lot of action and I was pleasantly surprised to read that unlike Conan, Kern is not a one man army. His fighting skills are ok, but nothing special. Through the book his fighting abilities improve somehow through practice and training, but most of the time in combat he barely manages to survive long enough for his friends to arrive and gang up on the enemy.

However, what Kern lacks in brawn, he makes up in brains. He is a very intelligent individual who solves problems using his brain rather than muscles. In fact, sometimes he is too intelligent. The way he is written, Kern can find a solution to any problem and think his way out of any situation within seconds.

The book is not just about Kern. As he travels, we get a glimpse of Cymmeria and its different clans and cultures. Cymmerians are not all the same and there are cultural and regional differences.

I find it quite interesting. Normally, Conan stories are set far away from Cymmeria and Conan himself does not talk much about his homeland.

There is one big problem I have with the book, and that is too many characters. Kern ends up with some fifteen people following him, and for the most part we know nothing about them except for their name. Too many characters is bad. Too many characters that are not fleshed out is very bad.

But overall, this is a fun, entertaining, light book to read. Fans of Age of Conan game should definitely check it out. Fans of Conan won't like it as much as Howard's stories, but it is still a good read. Taking into account the quality of typical gaming fiction, this book is quite good.
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer 1445
5.0 out of 5 stars This series is an excellent addition to any fantasy collection!
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2005
Non-traditional structure ... but FANTASTIC story telling!!!

You can get a synopsis anywhere so I'll cut to the chase... BUY THIS BOOK NOW! Kern is the most interesting character to wander Cimmeria since Conan himself. Take a little John Carter then add a dash of Tarzan, a pinch of Elric and a hardy handful of Conan (If he doesn't cut your hand off first) and you have Kern. I am already looking forward to more of Coleman and Kern in the future and, being a long-suffering Wheel of Time Fan, I hope it is sooner than later!

I have to agree with others who have reviewed this work - I was thrown off by the grammar and usage for the first chapter or two... most of the previous Conan authors wrote pieces which tried to mimic REH in style. Coleman trades, at times, grammar for a feeling of urgent action. I almost put the book down after the first 30 pages or so but kept with it to see where the story led and quickly became a fan of Kern; I bought the other two books in the series within days and read them eagerly.

I have the good fortune to own and to have read (at least twice) all of the Conan novels and collected editions published in the last 34 years (yeah, that's almost scary in and of itself) and I found myself caught up in a different but just as excited way reading Coleman as I ever have been reading Howard, DeCamp, Jordan or Carpenter. Not exactly textbook writing but darn ggod writing nonetheless.
5 people found this helpful
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