Red Nails

One of the strangest stories ever written-the tale of a barbarian adventurer, a woman pirate, and a weird roofed city inhabited by the most peculiar race of men ever spawned! VALERIA, a woman pirate forced to join a mercenary army, killed an officer and fled into the wilderness. Conan, a Cimmerian, followed her, and caught up with her in a forest after a long pursuit. And that was just the beginning of this great yarn. This book contains the original text as it first appeared in WEIRD TALES pulp magazine as well as all of the original illustrations which accompanied this serial. This was the last Conan story written by Robert E. Howard and was published posthumously.

The final sword-and-sorcery installment of the epic Conan the Barbarian Series. During the mythical Hyborian Age, Conan the Cimmerian and Valeria of the Red Brotherhood are pursued by a dragon-like monster—until they make it to civilization. Xuchotl is an ancient city of wealth and beauty, with walls of jade and bejeweled lights. Seemingly deserted, Xuchotl actually harbors two gangs who are locked in an endless ancestral feud. And when one of the gang leaders, a stunning woman with a vampiric lust for life, makes Valeria a target of her hunger, Conan and Valeria must escape the evil and madness that flood the city before all is lost . . . “The usual rip-roaring, headlong action, inventiveness, and raw violence which Howard’s name on a story guaranteed . . . The finale makes the last act of Hamlet look like a Sunday school picnic.” —Black Gate “Absolutely worth reading as an example of trashy sword and sorcery that’s never dull for a moment and acts like a sleazy D&D game highlight reel. It’s also notable that it’s one of the inspirations for Tom Moldvay’s 1982 module, ‘The Lost City,’ which amped up the insanity of the warring factions, provided a multi-level dungeon, and then gave a map of an underground complex and asked Dungeon Masters to make up their own adventures in this Howardesque world.” —Tim Callahan, Tor.com “It holds your attention while you are reading it and you do want to get to the end of it.” —History Books Review

RED NAILS is one of the original stories featuring Conan, one of the most enduring and loved characters of the twentieth century. To celebrate the release of the new film version, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, starring A GAME OF THRONES' Jason Mamoa, Gollancz is delighted to present this ebook of a classic Conan story, also collected in the CONAN THE BARBARIAN film tie-in edition.

In Red Nails, Conan finds himself in the Darfar region, whose territory is almost entirely covered by a huge forest. Here he pledges himself a mercenary, promising his sword to the highest bidder, fighting alongside fellow mercenary and fierce female warrior Valeria. After a clash against a terrible dragon, the two go to a strange fortified city, apparently deserted…but the duo will quickly discover that a civilization lives hidden inside, and that the citadel hides a heavy secret. Red Nails is one of Conan's most beloved and sophisticated stories. Howard affirms his style, persisting in his mistrust of modern civilizations, consumed by passivity, laxity and cruelty. Régis Hautière, Olivier Vatine and Didier Cassegrain give substance to this tale in splendid colors.

Rand took up figure skating at age 43. As she became increasingly immersed in the world of adult competition (participating in the Gay Games and the Adult Nationals), she found herself focusing her research on the world of skating. These essays reflect on the sexualization of female skaters, the hairdos and costumes, and racial bias in movement genres and athletic standards.