The People of the Black Circle
Encyclopedia
"The People of the Black Circle" is one of the original novellas
about Conan the Cimmerian
, written by American
author Robert E. Howard
and first published in Weird Tales
magazine in three parts over the September, October and November 1934 issues. Howard earned $250 for the publication of this story.
It is set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age
and concerns Conan kidnapping a regal princess
of Vendhya (pre-historical India
) and foiling a nefarious plot of world domination by the Black Seers of Yimsha. Due to its epic scope and atypical Hindustan
flavor, the story is considered an undisputed classic of Conan lore and is often cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales. It is also one of the few Howard stories where the reader is treated a deeper insight on magic and magicians beyond the stereotypical Hyborian depiction as demon conjurer-illusionist-priests.
versions of India
-Pakistan
(then united) and Afghanistan
(Vendhya and Ghulistan respectively).
The death of Bunda Chand, King of Vendhya, via a curse channelled to his soul through a lock of his hair leads to the ascension of his sister, Devi Yasmina, who vows to get revenge on his killers, the Black Seers of Yimsha. Conan, meanwhile, has become chief of a tribe of Afghuli hillmen. Seven of his men have been captured by the Vendhyans and Yasmina intends to use them as collateral to force Conan to kill the Seers. However, Conan infiltrates the border fort where they are held and kidnaps the Devi instead (with the intent of exchanging her for the seven men). The problems are complicated by Kerim Shah, an agent of King Yezdigerd of Turan, who arranged Bunda Chand's death in order to lead an army through the mountains and invade in the subsequent confusion and turmoil. His contact with the Black Seers, Khemsa, has fallen in love with the Devi's maid Gitara. They decide the strike out on their own, kill the seven hillmen and pursue Conan and Yasmina to kill them both as well.
Conan escapes into the Afghuli villages of the Zaibar Pass and Himelian Mountains (Hyborian equivalents of the Khyber pass
and Himalayas
). Yar Afzal, chief of the Wazuli village, is killed by Khemsa and the people turn against Conan, yet he manages to escape again with Yasmina. Khemsa again catches up with the pair but his attack is interrupted by four Rakhshas from Yimsha. His original masters kill Khemsa and Gitara, stun Conan and kidnap Yasmina. Khemsa survives a fall from the mountain-side long enough to give Conan a warning and a magic girdle. Shortly after, Kerim Shah and a group of Irakzai (Iraqis
), also intent on capturing the Devi for King Yezdigerd, encounter Conan. They join together to rescue Yasmina, both open about their private reasons for doing so, and approach the mountain of Yimsha. Most of the men are killed in the attempt but, following Khemsa's warnings, Conan succeeds in killing the Black Seers and rescuing Yasmina.
As they escape they encounter the Turanian army of King Yezdigerd in conflict with Conan's former hillmen (who blame him for the death of the seven captives). Despite their attitude, Conan feels obliged to assist but cannot abandon the Devi. This problem is resolved when a Vendhyan army, invading the mountains to rescue their Queen, arrives. Together, Conan with his Afghulis and Yasmina with her cavalry, they destroy the Turanian army. Conan leaves with the hillmen and the Devi returns to her country.
noted the story's "Much spectacular magic and interesting characters."
(Gnome Press
, 1952) and Conan the Adventurer
(Lancer Books
, 1966). It was first published by itself in book form by Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc. in 1974. It has most recently been republished in the collections The Conan Chronicles Volume 1: The People of the Black Circle
(Gollancz
, 2000) and The Bloody Crown of Conan
(Del Rey
, 2005).
, John Buscema
and Alfredo Alcala
in Savage Sword of Conan #16-19 (Reprinted in 2008 by Dark Horse Comics
in Savage Sword of Conan, Volume Two - ISBN 1593078943).
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
about Conan the Cimmerian
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
, written by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author Robert E. Howard
Robert E. Howard
Robert Ervin Howard was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. Best known for his character Conan the Barbarian, he is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre....
and first published in Weird Tales
Weird Tales
Weird Tales is an American fantasy and horror fiction pulp magazine first published in March 1923. It ceased its original run in September 1954, after 279 issues, but has since been revived. The magazine was set up in Chicago by J. C. Henneberger, an ex-journalist with a taste for the macabre....
magazine in three parts over the September, October and November 1934 issues. Howard earned $250 for the publication of this story.
It is set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age
Hyborian Age
The Hyborian Age is a fictional period within the artificial mythology created by Robert E. Howard, in which the sword and sorcery tales of Conan the Barbarian are set....
and concerns Conan kidnapping a regal princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
of Vendhya (pre-historical India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) and foiling a nefarious plot of world domination by the Black Seers of Yimsha. Due to its epic scope and atypical Hindustan
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
flavor, the story is considered an undisputed classic of Conan lore and is often cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales. It is also one of the few Howard stories where the reader is treated a deeper insight on magic and magicians beyond the stereotypical Hyborian depiction as demon conjurer-illusionist-priests.
Plot summary
This Conan story is set in mythical HyborianHyborian Age
The Hyborian Age is a fictional period within the artificial mythology created by Robert E. Howard, in which the sword and sorcery tales of Conan the Barbarian are set....
versions of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
-Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
(then united) and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
(Vendhya and Ghulistan respectively).
The death of Bunda Chand, King of Vendhya, via a curse channelled to his soul through a lock of his hair leads to the ascension of his sister, Devi Yasmina, who vows to get revenge on his killers, the Black Seers of Yimsha. Conan, meanwhile, has become chief of a tribe of Afghuli hillmen. Seven of his men have been captured by the Vendhyans and Yasmina intends to use them as collateral to force Conan to kill the Seers. However, Conan infiltrates the border fort where they are held and kidnaps the Devi instead (with the intent of exchanging her for the seven men). The problems are complicated by Kerim Shah, an agent of King Yezdigerd of Turan, who arranged Bunda Chand's death in order to lead an army through the mountains and invade in the subsequent confusion and turmoil. His contact with the Black Seers, Khemsa, has fallen in love with the Devi's maid Gitara. They decide the strike out on their own, kill the seven hillmen and pursue Conan and Yasmina to kill them both as well.
Conan escapes into the Afghuli villages of the Zaibar Pass and Himelian Mountains (Hyborian equivalents of the Khyber pass
Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road. It is mentioned in the Bible as the "Pesh Habor," and it is one of the oldest known passes in the world....
and Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
). Yar Afzal, chief of the Wazuli village, is killed by Khemsa and the people turn against Conan, yet he manages to escape again with Yasmina. Khemsa again catches up with the pair but his attack is interrupted by four Rakhshas from Yimsha. His original masters kill Khemsa and Gitara, stun Conan and kidnap Yasmina. Khemsa survives a fall from the mountain-side long enough to give Conan a warning and a magic girdle. Shortly after, Kerim Shah and a group of Irakzai (Iraqis
Iraqi people
The Iraqi people or Mesopotamian people are natives or inhabitants of the country of Iraq, known since antiquity as Mesopotamia , with a large diaspora throughout the Arab World, Europe, the Americas, and...
), also intent on capturing the Devi for King Yezdigerd, encounter Conan. They join together to rescue Yasmina, both open about their private reasons for doing so, and approach the mountain of Yimsha. Most of the men are killed in the attempt but, following Khemsa's warnings, Conan succeeds in killing the Black Seers and rescuing Yasmina.
As they escape they encounter the Turanian army of King Yezdigerd in conflict with Conan's former hillmen (who blame him for the death of the seven captives). Despite their attitude, Conan feels obliged to assist but cannot abandon the Devi. This problem is resolved when a Vendhyan army, invading the mountains to rescue their Queen, arrives. Together, Conan with his Afghulis and Yasmina with her cavalry, they destroy the Turanian army. Conan leaves with the hillmen and the Devi returns to her country.
Reception
Everett F. BleilerEverett F. Bleiler
Everett Franklin Bleiler was an editor, bibliographer, and scholar of science fiction, detective fiction, and fantasy literature. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, he co-edited the first "year's best" series of science fiction anthologies, and his Checklist of Fantastic Literature has been called...
noted the story's "Much spectacular magic and interesting characters."
Republishing history
The story was republished in the collections The Sword of ConanThe Sword of Conan
The Sword of Conan is a collection of four fantasy short stories written by Robert E. Howard featuring his seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian, first published in hardcover by Gnome Press in 1952. The stories originally appeared in the 1930s in the fantasy magazine Weird Tales...
(Gnome Press
Gnome Press
Gnome Press was an American small-press publishing company primarily known for publishing many science fiction classics.The company was founded in 1948 by Martin Greenberg and David A. Kyle. Many of Gnome's titles were reprinted in England by Boardman Books...
, 1952) and Conan the Adventurer
Conan the Adventurer (collection)
Conan the Adventurer is a 1966 collection of four fantasy short stories written by Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp, featuring Howard's seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. Most of the stories originally appeared in the fantasy magazine Weird Tales in the 1930s...
(Lancer Books
Lancer Books
Lancer Books was a series of paperback books published from 1961 through 1973 by Irwin Stein and Walter Zacharius. While it published stories of a number of genres, it was noted most for its science fiction and fantasy, particularly its series of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian tales, the...
, 1966). It was first published by itself in book form by Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc. in 1974. It has most recently been republished in the collections The Conan Chronicles Volume 1: The People of the Black Circle
The Conan Chronicles, 1
The Conan Chronicles: Volume 1: The People of the Black Circle is a collection of fantasy short stories written by Robert E. Howard featuring his sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. The book was published in 2000 by Gollancz as eighth volume of their Fantasy Masterworks series. The book,...
(Gollancz
Gollancz
Gollancz often refers to the British publishing house Victor Gollancz Ltd.Gollancz, a family name originating from the Polish town Gołańcz , is mainly known as the name of a prominent British Jewish family, including:* Sir Hermann Gollancz , rabbi* Sir Israel Gollancz , scholar of...
, 2000) and The Bloody Crown of Conan
Conan of Cimmeria: Volume Two (1934)
The Bloody Crown of Conan is the second of a three volume set collecting the Conan stories by author Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in 2003, first the United Kingdom by Wandering Star under the title Conan of Cimmeria: Volume Two in 2004, and in the United States by Del Rey under...
(Del Rey
Del Rey Books
Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn since 1998, by Bertelsmann AG. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It specializes in science fiction and fantasy...
, 2005).
Adaptation
The story was adapted by Roy ThomasRoy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
, John Buscema
John Buscema
John Buscema, born Giovanni Natale Buscema , was an American comic-book artist and one of the mainstays of Marvel Comics during its 1960s and 1970s ascendancy into an industry leader and its subsequent expansion to a major pop culture conglomerate...
and Alfredo Alcala
Alfredo Alcala
Alfredo P. Alcala was a Filipino comic book artist, born in Talisay, Negros Occidental in the Philippines. Alcala was an established illustrator whose works appeared in the Alcala Komix Magazine. His 1963 creation Voltar introduced him to an international audience, particularly in the United...
in Savage Sword of Conan #16-19 (Reprinted in 2008 by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
in Savage Sword of Conan, Volume Two - ISBN 1593078943).
External links
- Conan wiki • The People of the Black Circle • Synopsis, characters, locations, and publishing history
- Conan the Barbarian at AmratheLion.com
- Conan.com: The official website