I only recently discovered the joys of CAS and have been voraciously buying and reading anything I can find by him. I have a particular fondness for his Averoigne stories, and I was disappointed to learn that the versions of two of these stories that I have read (Mother of Toads and The Beast of Averoigne) were in fact heavily edited versions. I am told that the unedited versions do exist (I have seen them quoted on the net) but so far I am unable to discover where I can find copies of them.
If anyone here can point me in the right direction I would be very grateful indeed.
> I only recently discovered the joys of CAS and
> have been voraciously buying and reading anything
> I can find by him. I have a particular fondness
> for his Averoigne stories, and I was disappointed
> to learn that the versions of two of these stories
> that I have read (Mother of Toads and The Beast of
> Averoigne) were in fact heavily edited versions.
> I am told that the unedited versions do exist (I
> have seen them quoted on the net) but so far I am
> unable to discover where I can find copies of
> them.
There was a series called "The Unexpurgated Clark Ashton Smith" and I assume the full versions are appearing in some of the more recent collections of CAS's fantasy. Otherwise you can print those particular two from this site.
> If anyone here can point me in the right direction
> I would be very grateful indeed.
>
> Thanks, and congratulations on a fine site.
Yes, it's the best weird fiction(eer) site on the web.
Thanks Ghoti23, I will try to track down The Unexpurgated Clark Ashton Smith. I will print the stories off in the meantime, but it would be nice to have them in book form. I would love to see the Averoigne series collected in one volume in the way that the Zothique stories were.
Night Shade Books 5 Volume set will have the original versions. The two stories you mentioned will be in volume 4 (The Beast of Averoigne) due April and 5 (Mother of Toads) due November
EMPERORS OF DREAMS: SOME NOTES ON WEIRD POETRY Includes essays on the weird verse of George Sterling, Clark Ashton Smith, H.P. Lovecraft, Samuel Loveman, Donald Wandrei, Frank Belknap Long For purchase, contact P'rea Press, email: DannyL58@hotmail.com