The best Conan story by far, mostly because the author has enough room to develope details often left out of shorter works. It is, as suggested, a very macho male work, but since the average reader is looking for exactly that kind or tale it's hardly a criminal act to write or read it, as has also been suggested. There is, or should be, room for all forms of writing Howards creation still stands head and shoulders above all other swords-and-sorcery heros.