Moon of Blood


"Moon of Blood" is a short story by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, featuring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard. It was first published by Bantam Books in the paperback collection Conan the Swordsman in August 1978. Later paperback editions of the collection were issued by Ace Books. The first hardcover edition was published by Tor Books in 2002. The book has also been translated into Italian. It was later gathered together with Conan the Liberator and Conan and the Spider God into the omnibus collection Sagas of Conan.

Plot

As the Picts west of the kingdom of Aquilonia gather to attack the frontier fort of Velitrium, Conan's Aquilonian scouting party is ambushed by venomous snakes conjured by a native shaman. Soon, Conan discovers his men were betrayed by one of their own, Edric, and that the Picts are planning an even more ambitious blow. Rallying his army into battle against their massed foe, Conan strikes out ahead, hoping to locate the enemy sorcerers and preclude a more devastating magical strike. Everything comes to a head at the well-named Massacre Meadow, where Conan's heroics gain him a reputation recognized even by the king of Aquilonia.

Adaptation

The story was adapted by Roy Thomas, Ernie Colón and Tony DeZuniga in Savage Sword of Conan #46, November 1979.