Searching CAS at Amazon last night to see if there had been any release date changes for any of the lovely "Collected Fantasy" series, I noticed that Amazon has posted an image of the cover art for Volume 4, "The Maze of the Enchanter."

It's a handsome cover, in case anybody wants to take a look.

Link for convenience: The Maze of the Enchanter

That's an excellent cover! I wonder when we'll see the cover for Vol. 3?

Yeah, I think that is the best cover yet.


To get a little off topic:

BTW, although the horns are missing, the bull in the upper right appears to be based on the bull column capitals at Persepolis.

click on the pictures here:
[www.persepolis3d.com]
and here:
[www.viskom.oeaw.ac.at]

This guy has some good photos but he calls it a horse head. But in his pictures you can see how Persepolis looks today and you can compare it to the reconstructions in the next link below this one.
[www.pbase.com]

I've always been fascinated by Persepolis. Looking at the reconstructions it looks very exotic, almost other worldly.
Click on the numbered structures in this link to see some reconstructions. I don't know how they arrived at those colors, but maybe they're close to accurate.
[www.persepolis3d.com]

/Back on topic.

So with the bull head, the ancient building in the background and Clark in that robe, it really gives this cover an ancient exotic feel.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 1 Oct 07 | 05:20PM by Tantalus.

Quote:

BTW, although the horns are missing, the bull in the upper right appears to be based on the bull column capitals at Persepolis.

You are right Tantalus, without a doubt. However, I think that rather than the column capitals, it is actually based off the large gateway guardians. Look:

[oi.uchicago.edu]

The above is at my work as well as one of the column capitals. They are astounding. :)

PS. It is definitely a bull!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 1 Oct 07 | 07:54PM by NightHalo.

The bull was sacred to the Persians as well as many other ancient peoples as a symbol of power and fertility. An early ritual which antedates the concept of blood atonement or cleansing (a kind of baptism) was the "tauroboleum" in which initiates into the cult priesthood, clothed in white robes, walked into a pit above which was an open grate and upon which a bull had been sacrificed - the blood dripping from the cut throat would "anoint" the men in the procession, purifying them for admission to secret rites.
small side note for those interested -
Drf

NightHalo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The above is at my work as well as one of the
> column capitals. They are astounding. :)


Wow! I didn't realize they were so massive! Thanks for the pic.


calonlan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> small side note for those interested -


I did find that interesting calonlan! I am not surprised that on a CAS forum there are those with an interest in ancient ruins and civilizations. They just go together.

Any word on the release date for vol. 3? I preordered on Amazon.com, and noticed today that the date they have listed has passed. Thanks in advance for any information.

Regards,

David



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 5 Nov 07 | 05:08PM by Radovarl.

Word at WFC is that it's supposed to be in the warehouse when they get back. Operative word is supposed. Of course, if this goes the same way as the other two, I'll see my copies long after everyone else has seen theres!
Best,
Scott

Thanks for the info, and for all of your efforts. I'm sure that I am not alone when I say that it's much appreciated. I see now that the date on Amazon has been changed to the 14th of this month, which jibes with what you've heard. One of these years I'll have to make it to WFC; hopefully it'll be closer to Delaware soon, though I dread going into Philadelphia or even Baltimore these days :{.

Is the actual manuscript for volume 4 complete and handed over to the publisher?

Eldritch Frog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is the actual manuscript for volume 4 complete and
> handed over to the publisher?

No. We're having some problems getting manuscripts, so this one may be delayed a bit. Can't go into details, sorry.

Scott

No worries. These books are like a certain Danish beer, "worth waiting for". :-)

Night Shade Books are now saying that Vol. 4 will appear in September.

[www.nightshadebooks.com]

Martinus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Night Shade Books are now saying that Vol. 4 will
> appear in September.
>
> [www.nightshadebooks.com]
> detail&p=91


Scott, do you have the manuscripts for 4&5 since you last posted? Things are back on schedule?

We're good. There are about six stories left to do, plus I need to finish the notes.
So progress is being made. September is a possibility, although I think October is more likely.

Scott

Thank you Scott! It's great to hear that you have access to the papers needed to finish the series! I look forward to reading volumes 4&5!

Scott Connors Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We're good. There are about six stories left to
> do, plus I need to finish the notes.
> So progress is being made. September is a
> possibility, although I think October is more
> likely.
>
> Scott



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10 Jul 08 | 10:22AM by Eldritch Frog.

Martinus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Night Shade Books are now saying that Vol. 4 will
> appear in September.
>
> [www.nightshadebooks.com] detail&p=91

And now it's January 2009.

Hey, we're down to working on the notes--texts are finished! (Now if I can just find where I put that @#$%ing file of letters from WEIRD TALES to CAS...!)

Scott

Yay! :-)

I've had an exceptionally good day today -- The Abyss Triumphant, The Wine of Summer and The Hashish-Eater arrived today. :-D
And the first thing I read was, of course, the limericks... ;-)

Scott, do you think they will ship early next year then? Is the art done for those volumes? It's great to hear that you have the stories done.

Scott Connors Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey, we're down to working on the notes--texts are
> finished! (Now if I can just find where I put
> that @#$%ing file of letters from WEIRD TALES to
> CAS...!)
>
> Scott