Re: Announcing The Collected Fantasies of Clark Ashton Smith
Posted by:
Scott Connors (IP Logged)
Date: 17 March, 2005 08:06PM
Steven Fama Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well this is news.
>
> Let's get going with the peanut gallery comments:
>
> "Collected Fantasies" -- are those words carefully
> chosen, or what? Is it a collected stories, or
> are the fantasies a subset of the stories? That
> some stories are available in a sixth book
> available only to subscribers suggests that
> fantasies is a subset of all stories. Also, I've
> learned that the word "collected" is carefully
> used by publishers. Specifically, collected does
> not mean "complete." So, the big question is --
> what's in, and what's not? Where's the projected
> table of contents, por favor?
There are 112 stories in this series, ranging from "The Abominations of Yondo" to "The Dart of Rasasfa." We are including every story CAS published in this period along with those stories unpublished in his lifetime that were of a fantastic nature. I am using "fantastic" in the widest sense, encompassing science fiction and horror tales as well as those stories set in a secondary world. We are also not including his already published juvenalia, since that is in-print from Hippocampus Press, but there is nothing to prevent us from going back after the initial set and doing a sixth volume containing "The Black Diamonds," "The Sword of Zagan," etc. We are including his very early published tales from the BLACK CAT and OVERLAND MONTHLY in the bonus book, along with his completed ironic-romantic/realistic stories. I could not see diluting the main volumes with these, but as a bonus for the hard-core Casophile I see no problem.
>
> Second, the "original manuscript" equals
> "definitive text" only if it is clear that CAS
> preferred the original manuscript to a later
> version, yes? In other words the "original" =
> "definitive" equation does not always compute as
> simply as it might sound. Nothing wrong of
> course, with going with the "original manuscript,"
> assuming that CAS marked his texts as finals
> versus drafts, but I don't think it fair in every
> case to conclude that the original is always
> definitive. In fact, the equation is a bit of a
> paradox since definitive means, ultimately,
> "final" and in some ways "final" could be the
> opposite of "original," if original means first.
> Definitive, in short, is publisher hype, and the
> key is if each text selection is justified,
> including a brief explanation of what other
> options were available. Its an important question
> because for us who have the Arkham collections it
> can reasonably be asked what the Nightshades offer
> that we don't already have.
As Steve Behrends demonstrated in the Unexpurgated Clark Ashton Smith series, editorial dicta forced Smith to alter his stories in a manner that was not consistent with his aesthetic tastes or authorial intent, creating stories that were not as rich or satisfying as he intended. The best known example is "The Dweller in the Gulf," but consider also the case of "The Beast of Averoigne." In its published version it is okay but hardly exceptional, but its original version, by presenting three separate narratives, is one of the best things Smith ever wrote. We are going to include explanations of how we arrived at the texts. These include comparison of all known manuscripts with the Arkham House editions (these were prepared from magazine tearsheets), the pulps where available, and with Smith's letters wherein he lamented the changes he had to do. Read Jim Rockhill's article "The Poetics of Morbidity" for more on how he had to "dumb down" his stories for the pulp readers. In short, our goal is to restore that which Smith was forced to change or excise against his own will, while retaining those latter changes he made out of a desire to improve the story. Does this require some ouija board work? Yes, but let's face it: what we have now is not what Smith wanted. We may not always hit the bull's-eye, but we're at least always going to be in the ten-ring of the target.
>
> Third, I suppose it is time for story notes for
> CAS but on the other hand I don't like somebody
> else's words -- no matter how intelligent and
> informed, which Scott's and Ron's no doubt will be
> -- literally sharing the same physical space as
> CAS' stories. But what I really hope is that
> "story notes" means a paragraph or two after the
> story has ended, not some kind of prologue, More
> than anything I hope that story notes does not
> mean stories with footnotes. The annotated
> Lovecraft is just awful in this latter respect.
> To footnote another writer's text, no matter how
> well intentioned the purpose for doing so, is
> graffiti of the worst kind.
>
We are not providing annotations. The notes will form an appendix, where they will not impede the reader's appreciation of the tale. These will be more biographical than critical, ie "Just the facts, ma'am." (I can bloviate elsewhere.) I am considering including a glossary of some of Smith's more esoteric words, but this has not been decided. I welcome input from the forum as to whether such a glossary should be included.
> Fourth, without knowing the size of each volume,
> it is difficult to judge whether $40 a book, or
> the $25 or so cost for each volume if one
> subscribes to the set, is fair. I gotta admit,
> however, that the price on the set seems fair, and
> a terrific chance for those who don't have the
> Arkhams and want a nice set of CAS' stories. On
> the other hand, there are lots of opportunties for
> circumstances to change bewteen now and sometime
> in 2007 when the final volume (of the five regular
> books) is currently scheduled for publication, and
> Nightshade bless their hearts I love 'em but they
> were late late with Red World especially with the
> slipcase version all of which is to say great as
> it is to hear this news, and even assuming the
> matters stated above are adequately addressed,
> buying the set has a touch of the gamble to it, if
> only because it's like to be three years before it
> fully comes to pass.
Smith wrote just under 600,000 words of fiction, so each volume will run around 100-115,000 words, depending on the length of each story. They will be arranged chronologically in the order of composition, not publication. This spreads the first-rate stories throughout the series, more or less evenly. Jason will be posting a tenative Table of Contents on the website soon, but as things stand now here is what the first volume will contain (subject to change, but only as to the addition or subtraction of stories toward the end):
The Abominations of Yondo
Sadastor
The Ninth Skeleton
The Last Incantation
The End of the Story
The Phantoms of the Fire
A Night in Malneánt
The Resurrection of the Rattlesnake
Thirteen Phantasms
The Venus of Azombeii
The Tale of Satampra Zeiros
The Monster of the Prophecy
The Metamorphosis of Earth
The Epiphany of Death
A Murder in the Fourth Dimension
The Devotee of Evil
The Satyr
The Planet of the Dead
The Uncharted Isle
Marooned in Andromeda
The Necromantic Tale
The Immeasurable Horror
A Voyage to Sfanomöe
The Door to Saturn
Note that there is not a lot of overlap with either A RENDEZVOUS IN AVEROIGNE or STAR CHANGES.
We _will_ have the first volume out by this autumn, unless certain depositories of Smith's papers drag their feet more than usual. The problem with the deluxe RED WORLD OF POLARIS was with the manufacturer of the slipcase, which is why we are not offering one this time. And besides, Night Shade has a pretty good record as far as small press publishers go. It's not like, say, Grant with the forever-delayed AVEROIGNE CHRONICLES or even Chaosium with THE KLARKASH-TON CYCLE! Night Shade has a good track record with these sets, having made similar offers for series by Manly Wade Wellman, William Hope Hodgson, and Lord Dunsany. Have a little faith, Steve!
;)
Best wishes,
Scott