Monday 8 October 2012

Illustrations

A curious feature of Poul Anderson's Conan the Rebel (New York, 1981) is the illustrations by Tim Kirk, showing not scenes from the novel but items mentioned in the text:

a pirate ship;
a kraal;
a knife;
a felucca;
armour and shield;
a keep;
Conan's helmet, hauberk and shield;
a priest's mask;
a candlestick;
a "wingboat";
an iron collar with keys;
a knobkerrie;
a homunculus;
the "Ax of Varanghi";
another set of armour.

Some of these illustrations might be reproduced somewhere on the internet although I could not find them on a cursory search. Despite the absence of action scenes among the interior illustrations, the book does have some graphic front covers which I have attached here and in previous posts.

Chapter II shows two ways to manipulate a man. Jehanan has been enslaved, chained and brutalised. Now, however, the priestess promises to " '...make of him what we need...' " by other means:

" 'Let him be bathed, anointed, well clad, well dined and wined. Let him have a soft bed in a beautiful room where the air is cool and fragrant. When he has rested, I will seek him out. Presently we shall know much more.' " (p. 16)

That sounds as if it might work but I will have to read on to find out.

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