When literary scholars discuss heroic fantasy (which they do not do very often), authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Robert E. Howard are usually mentioned, but de Camp usually is not; yet de Camp has had a profound influence on the literary subgenre of swordand-sorcery. A discussion might begin by examining those aspects of The Goblin Tower that are representative of the subgenre and those which remain unique to de Camp, such as how he connects his fantasy world to our own world. Another approach to discussing the novel might begin by focusing on the characterization of Jorian: Why does he have the weaknesses he has?

How does he compare to other fantasy heroes?

1. Compare Jorian to Conan, an archetypal figure for sword-and-sorcery adventures. What do these characters have in common? How do they differ?

How do their personalities shape their adventures?

2. How does...