The Barbaric Triumph: A Critical Anthology on the Writings of Robert E. Howard. The Barbaric Triumph examines all aspects of the life and work of Robert E. Howard — the originator of the sword-&-sorcery fantasy genre and the creator of Conan the Barbarian. Featured are essays by Leo Grin, Edwrad A. Waterman, Charles Hoffman, Paul Spencer, Mark Finn, Steven R. Trout, Lauric Guillaud, Scott Connors, George Knight, Don Herron, and more.