Tarrano the Conqueror, Warlord of the Planets, grew up as Taro, in the “Cold Country” of Venus, along with a girl who took the name Tara as a promise to be his mate. Tara loved Taro as he was. However, young Taro wanted much more… he was hungry for recognition. As an adult working in the Venusian government, he advanced to an obscure position, Under-Secretary in the capitol of the Venus Central State. From there, using a combination of charm and tactical cunning, he raised an army, and on May 12, 2430, his plot to assassinate all the major leaders of Earth and Venus was a success. After essentially conquering those planets, he led his forces in an invasion of Mars. He likely would have conquered the entire Solar System, but he was obsessed with a woman named named Elza Brende. Tarrano abducted her, her twin brother Georg, and her friend Jac Hallen. Tara attempted to kill her rival, Elza, using remote controlled flying blade discs, but Georg and Jac stopped her. Elza and her friends, along with Wolfgar, a spy working for Princess Maida of the Venus Central State, fought Tarrano directly. When it was clear that he could not conquer Elza, Tarrano crashed his own ship. Awakening from a coma, Tarrano found himself stranded on an asteroid between Mars and Earth, along with Tara and a race of insect-men. Although not a large man, Tarrano was described as having extraordinary strength and fought with deliberate technique, suggesting he may have had some martial arts training. Tarrano’s weapons included a painful electrified whip, a muscle paralyzing ray, and knockout gas. While he was smart and cunning, he also knew how to manipulate people through fear. He was absolutely merciless. He was aided by a Venusian soldier named Argo, and had command over assassins, an army of soldiers and an entire armada of war ships.
First Appearance “Tarrano the Conqueror” 14-part serial in Science and Invention (beginning July 1925 and concluding August 1926) by Ray Cummings
First Publisher ○
Appearance List “Tarrano the Conqueror” 14-part serial in Science and Invention (beginning July 1925 and concluding August 1926) by Ray Cummings; Tarrano the Conqueror (1930) by Ray Cummings — first book edition A. C. McClurg (Chicago), A. L. Burt reprint (New York); Tarrano el Conquistador (1931) in Revista Literaria: Novelas y Cuentos no. 137 (Madrid: Dédalo); “Tarrano the Conqueror” reprint in Science Fiction Quarterly (first series, Summer 1941) [Internet Archive]; Tarrano le conquérant (1963) — French translation, Le Rayon fantastique no. 115 (Hachette/Gallimard); Tarrano the Conqueror (1975) — Garland Library of Science Fiction hardcover reprint.
Description Tarrano the Conqueror, Warlord of the Planets, grew up as Taro, in the “Cold Country” of Venus, along with a girl who took the name Tara as a promise to be his mate. Tara loved Taro as he was. However, young Taro wanted much more… he was hungry for recognition. As an adult working in the Venusian government, he advanced to an obscure position, Under-Secretary in the capitol of the Venus Central State. From there, using a combination of charm and tactical cunning, he raised an army, and on May 12, 2430, his plot to assassinate all the major leaders of Earth and Venus was a success. After essentially conquering those planets, he led his forces in an invasion of Mars. He likely would have conquered the entire Solar System, but he was obsessed with a woman named named Elza Brende. Tarrano abducted her, her twin brother Georg, and her friend Jac Hallen. Tara attempted to kill her rival, Elza, using remote controlled flying blade discs, but Georg and Jac stopped her. Elza and her friends, along with Wolfgar, a spy working for Princess Maida of the Venus Central State, fought Tarrano directly. When it was clear that he could not conquer Elza, Tarrano crashed his own ship. Awakening from a coma, Tarrano found himself stranded on an asteroid between Mars and Earth, along with Tara and a race of insect-men. Although not a large man, Tarrano was described as having extraordinary strength and fought with deliberate technique, suggesting he may have had some martial arts training. Tarrano’s weapons included a painful electrified whip, a muscle paralyzing ray, and knockout gas. While he was smart and cunning, he also knew how to manipulate people through fear. He was absolutely merciless. He was aided by a Venusian soldier named Argo, and had command over assassins, an army of soldiers and an entire armada of war ships.
