Hi.
I know that a lot of his works have been released in volumes. I was just wondering, which volume contains the most and the best of CAS's fantasy works?

Rendezvous in Averoigne is always a good place to start. It has a broad sampling of fantasy stories set in various CAS "worlds" (Hyperborea, Atlantis, Xothique, etc.).

Well, I'm prejudiced, but the Night Shade series will contain every complete story Smith wrote, in chronological order, and based upon meticulous examination of the surviving manuscripts.

Scott

Scott Connors Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, I'm prejudiced, but the Night Shade series
> will contain every complete story Smith wrote, in
> chronological order, and based upon meticulous
> examination of the surviving manuscripts.
>
> Scott

What about fragments?

Yrs
Martin

I'm only into fantasy- Would you say that the Emperor of dreams by Fantasy masterworks would have the biggest collection of his fantasy works?

There's a fine line between fantasy and other genres in Smith's work. For instance, "The City of the Singing Flame" is one of the finest tales of pure fantasy that it has been my pleasure to read, yet because it was published in Wonder Stories, ostensibly a "scientifiction" mag (although it also published A. Merritt's "The Moon Pool") it is usually grouped as a sf tale. (It also fits the criteria set by Lovecraft for a weird story, since it centers on a phenomenon that is an apparent violation of natural law). Smith used mythology in much of his sf; for instance, if "The City of the Singing Flame" is his vision of Paradise, then "The Eternal World" is Purgatorio, and both "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis" and "The Eidolon of the Blind" visions of the Inferno. While working with "The Immortals of Mercury," I noticed that it is also essentially an infernal vision as well: the hero awakens in a coffin-sized space and is to be thrust into a fiery pit by demonic beings.
If it comes to a choice between the paperback Emperor of Dreams and Arkham's A Rendezvous in Averoigne, I would recommend the Arkham on grounds of better selection and durability. However, Bison Books has reprinted both Out of Space and Time and Lost Worlds as trade paperbacks that are better constructed than EoD; between them they contain the lion's share of Smith's best work.
Best,
Scott

Martinus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Scott Connors Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Well, I'm prejudiced, but the Night Shade
> series
> > will contain every complete story Smith wrote,
> in
> > chronological order, and based upon meticulous
> > examination of the surviving manuscripts.
> >
> > Scott
>
> What about fragments?
>
> Yrs
> Martin


Strange Shadows is still in print, so there is no perceived need to include fragments, synopses, etc. However, there is supposed to be a reprinting of The Black Book, and I'm trying to work out reprinting of his essays and prose poems, both of which need new editions. But I gots ta finish da Night Shades first!

Best,
Scott

Scott Connors Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Strange Shadows is still in print, so there is no
> perceived need to include fragments, synopses,
> etc. However, there is supposed to be a
> reprinting of The Black Book, and I'm trying to
> work out reprinting of his essays and prose poems,
> both of which need new editions. But I gots ta
> finish da Night Shades first!
>
> Best,
> Scott

*slaps forehead* Silly me! Why didn't I think of that? I've even GOT Strange Shadows!

This is the first I hear about a reprint of the essays and prose poems, and it makes me very happy. But you're right, first things first! Can't wait to get The End of the Story into my eagerly waiting tentacles! :-)

Yrs
Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 26 Jan 07 | 05:29PM by Martinus.

Scott!

Please keep me informed re the reprint of the prose poems.

Elsewhere:

In regards fantasies, what about the poems?

Phillip

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