If you think you know what a Conan story is, 'Red Nails' might surprise you. Sure, there's a mighty-thewed barbarian and a fierce pirate queen, but Howard puts them in a pressure cooker that's more psychological thriller than open-field battle.

The Story

After a run-in with a dragon-like creature, Conan the Cimmerian and Valeria of the Red Brotherhood find the walled city of Xuchotl. They expect treasure or a safe haven. What they get is a gilded prison. The city's inhabitants, the Tecuhltli and the Tlazitlans, have been murdering each other in a feud for fifty years. The entire story takes place within this one sprawling, opulent, and decaying building. Halls are booby-trapped. Allies are scarce. Trust is a luxury that gets you killed. Conan and Valeria get sucked into the conflict, not as saviors, but as fresh pieces on a deadly chessboard. The final reveal of what started the feud is a brilliant, dark punchline that changes how you see everything that came before.

Why You Should Read It

This is Howard at his absolute peak. The action is relentless, but it's the atmosphere that hooks you. You can feel the damp, smell the decay, and sense the paranoia in every corridor. Conan and Valeria are a fantastic duo—equals in courage, wary of each other, but bound by a brutal pragmatism. Howard doesn't waste a word. The feud is a sharp mirror held up to so-called 'civilized' society, showing how petty hatreds can rot something beautiful from the inside. It’s a story about the madness of tribalism long before that was a common theme.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who loves their fantasy dark, fast, and intellectually satisfying. If you enjoy the trapped, creeping dread of a story like 'The Most Dangerous Game' but want it mixed with bronze-aged brutality and a touch of the weird, this is your book. It proves that the best sword-and-sorcery isn't about the size of the monster, but the darkness in the human heart.