Basil Poledouris

A new technologically superior Soviet nuclear sub, the Red October, is heading the United States coast under the command of Captain Ramius. The American government thinks Ramius is planning to attack. A lone CIA analyst has a different idea: he thinks Ramius is planning to defect, but he has only a few hours to find him and prove it. At the same time, the entire Russian naval and air commands are trying to find Ramius too.

Cimmerian Conan is captured as a child after his parents are murdered by raiding Vanir led by Thulsa Doom. After years of enslavement, Conan is freed to learn the "riddle of steel" and to kill the arch-villain Thulsa Doom