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Yarth - Gardner F. Fox's Yarth

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From: Mich...@xenite.org (Michael Martinez)
Subject: WorldFAQ: Gardner F. Fox's Yarth
Date: 1998/11/28
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Approved: Mich...@xenite.org
Organization: The Xenite.Org Domain -- Worlds of Imagination on the Web
X-Server-Date: 28 Nov 1998 03:46:55 GMT
Followup-To: alt.fan.created-worlds,alt.fantasy,alt.fantasy.conan
Newsgroups: alt.fan.created-worlds,alt.fantasy,alt.fantasy.conan,alt.pulp,rec.arts.books,alt.books


                            WorldFAQ:
                      Gardner F. Fox's Yarth

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1].  Quick Reference

     Yarth is a thinly veiled pseudo-Earth, supposedly a world
     set billions of years into the future after Earth has been
     consumed by Sol and the universe itself is collapsingl.  Fox
     uses Yarth to present a science fantasy immitation of Robert
     E. Howard's CONAN that was so closely modelled on Howard's
     writing style Marvel Comics freely adapted these stories for
     their CONAN series.  Primary sources are the books KOTHAR --
     BARBARIAN SWORDSMAN, KOTHAR OF THE MAGIC SWORD, KOTHAR AND
     THE DEMON QUEEN, KOTHAR AND THE CONJUROR'S CURSE, KOTHAR AND
     THE WIZARD SLAYER.

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2].  Printed Sources Bibliography

     I've never read KOTHAR AND THE CONJUROR'S CURSE.  I found
     the title while looking at John Wenn's bibliography for Fox.
     A few people have written to me indicating they have or
     have read the book, but I don't yet have a summary.

KOTHAR -- BARBARIAN SWORDSMAN, Leisure Books, 1970,ISBN 0-8439-00146.

     This is actually a collection of three short stories: "The
     Sword of the Sorceror", "The Treasure In The Labyrinth", and
     "The Woman In The Witch-Wood".  In the first story Kothar
     meets Afgorkon and is given Frostfire so he can serve Queen
     Elfa against Red Lori.

KOTHAR OF THE MAGIC SWORD, Modern Promotions, 1969.

     This is the only illustrated Kothar book.  Two of the
     illustrations bear a signature of "Robbins". Kothar gets
     embroiled in one of Red Lori's schemes and takes on monsters
     and demons.

KOTHAR AND THE DEMON QUEEN, Leisure Books, 1970, ISBN 0-8439-00147.

     A wizard named Mindos Omthol desires eternal life and youth.
     To win that prize, he must steal the "god" Xixthur from
     Candara, a witch-queen who is half-woman, half-demon.  But
     Xixthur cannot be stolen.  Enter Kothar, and some of the
     nastiest demons ever encountered.

KOTHAR AND THE CONJUROR'S CURSE, Belmont, 1970, B75-2051.

KOTHAR AND THE WIZARD SLAYER, Modern Promotions, 1970.

     Red Lori escapes from the prison where Kothar has left her
     but someone is sending animated corpses to kill all the
     wizards of Yarth.  Lori recruits Kothar and Afgorkon to help
     her find the Wizard Slayer.

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3].  Visual Sources Bibliography

     Marvel Comics adapted these books to their CONAN: THE
     BARBARIAN series in the early 1970s.  The stories were
     credited in the opening panels.  The adaptations appeared in
     issues ranging from approximately #20 to #35.
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4].  Related Materials Bibliography

I'm told that the KYRIK books are very similar to the KOTHAR books.

Kyrik: Warlock Warrior (April, 1975) LB 252NK  ISBN 0-8439-00252-095
Kyrik Fights the Demon World (1975)  LB 284NK  ISBN 0-8439-00284-095
Kyrik and the Wizard's Sword (1976)  LB 333ZK  ISBN 0-8439-00333-125
Kyrik and the Lost Queen (1976)      LB 420ZK  ISBN 0-8439-00420-125

>From sorcror...@aol.com (SorcrorKng):
    "Gardner also wrote a series of short stories for Dragon Magazine
    featuring "Nyall of the Far Travels", who was in essence another
    incarnation of Kothar."

The short stories are:
Vol  Issue  Date              Title
---  ----   ----------------  ---------------------------
 2    1     2  August 1976    The Shadow of a Demon
 5    1     5  March 1977     Beyond the Wizard Fog
13    2     7  April 1978     The Stolen Sacrifice
23    3     9  March 1979     The Thing from the Tomb
33    4     7  January 1980   The Eyes of Mavis Deval
36    4     10 April 1980     The Cube from Beyond
38    4     12 June 1980      The Cup of Golden Death
44    5     6  December 1980  The Lure of the Golden Godling
55          November 1981     The Coming of the Sword

From DragonTales: "Out of the Eons"

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5].  Online References

     A)   News Groups

          Fox's works can be discussed in alt.fan.created-worlds
          alt.fantasy, alt.books, rec,arts.books, and
          rec.arts.sf.written.  It might also be appropriate
          to discuss them in alt.fantasy.conan, alt.comics, and
          alt.pulp.

     B)   Mailing/Discussion Lists

          None.

     C)   Web sites

          John Wenn's Author List for Gardner F. Fox
http://julmara.ce.chalmers.se/SF_archive/Authorlists/Fox.Gardner

     D)   Online services

          No special forums.

          NOTE:  There is now a Message Board Directory
          which provides links to individual Web-based
          boards, message board providers, and large
          indexes of boards.  Some of these indexes
          include Science Fiction and Fantasy boards
          and may contain content of interest to people
          who read the WorldFAQs.  The Message Board
          Directory is located at:

          http://www.xenite.org/mb_direct.htm

     E)   IRC

          None.

     F)   Comprehensive lists of resources

          None.
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6].  Description

     Yarth is an amazing world, filled with endless wastes that
     separate ancient, crumbling cities from vast ruins more
     ancient and crumbling.  Even the civilized peoples are
     barbaric, and their world uses a mixture of magic and
     science to survive in a universe so old that it has nothing
     left to look forward to.  All worlds are bound together by
     spells and dead wizards' spirits, and demons and "gods"
     casually interact with the would-be great powers.

     Kothar comes from the northern land of Cumberia (Cimmeria).
     He is a mercenary who is given the incredibly powerful sword
     Frostfire by Afgorkon, a wizard who has been dead 50,000
     years.  Kothar's nemesis is Red Lori, a devastatingly
     beautiful witch who uses her sensuality to control men and
     increase her power.  She consorts with ancient dead wizards
     and demons who help her in her various schemes to outwit
     Kothar and regain her lost freedom.

     Frostfire is a blessing with a high price.  It's a sword
     beyond all other weapons, and Kothar doesn't want to live
     without it.  But it won't let him gather and keep treasure.
     No matter how he tries to gain wealth, he always walks off
     with nothing more than his life and his sword.  Like Conan,
     Kothar finds himself in strange predicaments, fighting
     monsters and demons and caught up in the various schemes of
     the gods and the remaining wizards.  Like Conan, he
     overcomes all challenges with a resolute barbarian ferocity
     which is incorruptible.  But he always finds time to enjoy
     the company of beautiful women.

     The intrigues and adventures Kothar gets embroiled in take
     him from country to country, across seas and into strange
     worlds.  He is like Hercules, performing the Twelve Tasks,
     in a mythical world that seems familiar and comfortable.

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7].  Maintainer Information

FAQ owner: Michael Martinez 
Last Updated:  August 2, 1998

Some information was contributed by:

Mary Creasey 
Donald J.A. Redick 
SorcrorKng 
------------------------End of WorldFAQ--------------------------

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