Our good friends at Night Shade Books were kind enough to have the printer drop-ship to Ron and me our copies, which I was happy to receive yesterday. (I hope that they received copies to take to the World Fantasy Convention.) I would imagine that they will start to ship out preorders upon their return from Cincinnati next week.

The book looks great. There are a few typos in the story notes, but Smith's texts are very clean, thanks in large measure to Martin Anderrson, who kindly helped us proofread the texts.

I hope to have news about the "bonus booklet" soon. Changes they are a-commin'!

Scott

Excellent news! If only my grandfather, who bought me a subscription as a present upon my birth, had still been around to hear it!

Wait a minute---did you say MAZE OF THE ENCHANTER?

He means THE LAST HIEROGLYPH, of course.

Oopsies...yes, I meant "The Last Hieroglyph." Sorry--brain misfire.

Scott Connors Wrote:

> Our good friends at Night Shade Books

I really must object to such a characterization of Night Shade Books. They have repeatedly screwed their editors and authors out of money owed to them (I write from personal experience), and lie about all sorts of things constantly (e.g. supposed refunds for books ordered and paid for YEARS ago that they never published).

Before anyone misguidedly jumps in to defend them, I point out that their antics got some bad press this summer at Publishers Weekly, the main journal of the publishing trade. And despite their later claims that they would make things right, they still haven't paid me what I was promised to supply several rare texts and edit the long overdue fifth volume of their William Hope Hodgson series. All my queries have been completely ignored.

See the article and comments at:
[blogs.publishersweekly.com]

or

[tinyurl.com]

Doug A.

Thanks, Doug, for the fascinating information about Night Shade Books. Everyone should be sure to read the comments, as well. While the allegations are merely that, it's hard to believe that there is not an actual fire causing all this smoke.

Proven malfeasance aside, the remarks about NSB simply reinforce the near-certainty that, when you pre-order or subscribe from these small press publishers, you are playing Russian roulette with your money. You CAS subscribers are actually very lucky. Me, although I will almost certainly miss the "extras", I am more glad than ever that I did not subscribe to this series, and that I purchased the volumes as they appeared, instead.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 31 Oct 10 | 08:53AM by Absquatch.

I have The Last Hieroglyph on pre-order from amazon.com. I'm looking forward to completing the 5-volume set.

Yeah, I've read this about NSB before in a polemical piece by Liz Williams (not an author I like, but still...), who also claims not to have been paid.

I'm looking forward to vol 5, although I shall hold back pre-ordering from amazon in case the deal to get the extra volume from NSB comes through - even though their postage to Europe is prohibitively expensive.

Scott Connors says, "I hope to have news about the 'bonus booklet' soon." Surely he isn't referring to "Tales of India & Irony?" Ross E. Lockhart posted on Night Shade Books (July 14th 2010), "Tales of India & Irony is complete, will print and ship alongside CAS5." Is there then to be another "bonus booklet" for the long-suffering Smith fans, and, if so, of what does it consist? After all, if ToI&I was complete back in July, it can't have reverted to a state of incompletion since then - or can it? Given the number of times that NSB have moved the goalposts on Clark Ashton Smith since the project was first heralded back in 2005, is there now to be another delay? While I'm here (and given the lack of information on their own site) is anyone at Night Shade Books prepared to guarantee delivery of CAS5 in time for Christmas or will this simply roll into 2011? Slap my turkey, boys, but some of us old-timers may not last that long.

Asshurbanipal, I feel your pain. I have been following the discussion on NSB's forum (which they no longer link to on their home page and which they will not let me join) for years with mounting disgust and despair. I realize that this is not the appropriate forum for consumer complaints, but is saddens me that the definitive-for-my-lifetime edition of CAS and its subscribers are handled with such contempt by the people who stand to profit economically from them the most. Five years. Five. I think I've reached the point where I long for closure more than for the book itself, never mind the colour of the lettering on the spine.

I suggest you wait for Scott's news -- it might be worth it. :)

What is five years? For Smith's complete set of stories.

1. Out of Space and Time, 1942
2. Lost Worlds, 1944
3. Genius Loci, 1948
4. The Abominations of Yondo, 1960
5. Tales of Science and Sorcery, 1964
6. Other Dimensions, 1970

Last time around, it took 28 years.

I bet most people won't read all the stories over again anyhow. But instead, just place the volumes on a shelf. What's the urgency? Besides, there is so much else to do meanwhile.

What can I say?
Avoosl Wuthoqquan: I agree with every word you say. Thank you.
Martinus: You suggest I wait for Scott's news. I have been waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting.
Knygatin: Get your head out of the sand. 28 years first time around is irrelevant. NSB launched their CAS series with a huge fanfare of pomp and self-congratulation but have, since then, prevaricated, postponed, blamed everybody but themselves for the endless delays, and, by removing the Discussion link from their home page, attempted to suppress further dialogue concerning the matter.
"I bet most people won't read all the stories over again anyhow." Wrong. Who's going to pay $150 for the definitive CAS and then not read them? I'm sitting here with Arkham House in one hand and NSB in the other trying to discover how much textual restoration has actually been made and what makes the NSB edition definitive in the first place.
"What's five years?" A long time, baby.
"What's the urgency?" If you don't know, then I can't tell you. Ever waited half an hour at the supermarket checkout only to be told, "What's the urgency? Besides, there is so much else to do?" Were you impressed? Ever heard of integrity? Contractual obligations? What about service with a smile? What about those subscribers who've died waiting?
In 2010 alone this book was promised for January, then March, then September, then November, and I would really like to know whether I'm finally going to get it before Christmas. Do you work for NSB? If not, you're wasting my time. I therefore repeat, is anybody from Night Shade prepared to guarantee that CAS5 will reach their long-suffering customers in time for Christmas, or will it be a case of, "Hey guys, looks like August 2011, but, boy, it will be so much better and well worth the wait." Didn't Perdito Street Station go down that road? Oh yes, and what about Tales of India & Irony?

Actually, you have been waiting only since Scott announced that he might have news. That's since October 30.
Most small presses I have encountered over the past 15 years don't keep their deadlines. Books WILL be delayed. I've got used to it. The longest I waited for a book to be released is 14 years, and the longest I've been looking for a book that was already released but impossible to find is 23 years (and I'm 34, so that's a pretty long wait from my point of view). To me, five years is nothing compared to that, so excuse me for not empathising. I've waited for the NSB books longer than most, because I ordered the subscription on the first day it was announced, and since I live at the back end of nowhere as far as international mail services are concerned, I will get the last book later than most. Hey, maybe even after Christmas. At worst, I'm mildly annoyed that the last book wasn't released in 2007 as originally planned, but that's life.
As far as Tales of India and Irony is concerned, I'm willing to wait. I have very good reasons for this willingness, and no, I'm not telling what they are.