Caravan of the Damned, by Chuck Dixon - Book Review
The desert! The Princess! The Gold! The Jewels! It's time for a chase...
Chuck Dixon seems to be congenitally incapable of creating run of the mill monsters. Maybe it’s in the water. In this, the second book in the series, Dixon has not only wolf like demons hidden in the forest, but they make you uncomfortable because they sort of, kind of, move like men. The previous book had a blackened demon from hell with razor teeth and penchant for beheading anyone in its path - including the evil wizard who summoned it from the depths.
In Caravan of the Damned, Conan and his crew commandeer a caravan that is not only laden with riches, it has the princess - the beautiful and priceless treasure - who is to be married upon arrival. The story is constantly shifting between Conan’s brutish and impulsive crew, the arrogant yet beautiful princess, with Conan in the middle, trying to figure out how to get to the destination, as well as wring all the value from the caravan. These various plot lines create a swirling, enjoyable mess.
It’s a classic set up. The Official Caravan, moving through the desert, is taken over by Conan and his dirty group. News spreads quickly about the heist, and suddenly, everyone is on the run. The officials who are after Conan have to be careful, because the princess has now been stolen, along with the booty in the caravan, so they have no choice. They must give chase through the desert, get the princess, kill Conan, or else their lives are forfeit.
All parties concerned are fighting the bone dry desert. Water is scarce. Meals are seldom and bad. Conan has to keep his crew at bay because they’re pissed about the situation. Are there whispers of a mutiny? Conan knows who the smart, wily crew members are, and he has to maintain dominance within the band of violent men. Keeping the loyal members of the crew away from the scheming crooks, loyal to no one, keeps Conan on edge. Adding to Conan’s problems, the petulant young princess flings insults at Conan and his dirty, barbaric, ignorant, low-born crew, yet Conan must protect her. As she is the ultimate prize, by far the most valuable jewel of the caravan, she must be guarded 24/7.
Chuck Dixon, creator of the Batman villain ‘Bane’, consistently writes his protagonist into a corner. Each time you think that the story has reached its natural end, there is another twist. For example, Conan and his group, now broiled and weary, reach an oasis - finally something good. Right?
Wrong. As a matter of fact, it’s where things get really bad.
Dixon, who was blacklisted from mainstream comics for unauthorized opinions, has created another Conan book for Arkhaven Comics that uses the most elemental storylines, and crafts them into something brisk, rough, and fun. Marvel and DC’s loss is our gain.
I found myself unable to wait for the third installment, so I bought this 1000 page monster. Thanks Chuck.
