asshurbanipal:

I agree with you completely. It boggles my mind, the way people apologize for the incompetence, and sometimes the sheer dishonesty, of many small presses. It is as if such publishers should not be held to the same standards of reputable and competent business practices as other publishers--in particular, of the "establishment" presses for whom so many fans and fan-publishers express misguided contempt.

That small presses take people's money, just like their larger counterparts, seems bizarrely irrelevant to some people. What can I say? When it's a question of my money, it's very relevant, to me.

Sorry, asshurbanipal, to have wasted your time, and sorry if I have offended your personal standpoint.

My post was more a general opinion, for others to read also.

Of course I agree that it is bad if a publisher takes the customer's money under promise of a specific release date, and then keeps postponing it over and over. In such case the customer should be offered a refund. But that issue aside, I can't see the time span for this series especially upsetting.

And until another publisher does the Collected Fantasies of Clark Ashton Smith, there really isn't an alternative. When was the last time any of the "establishment" presses published CAS?

Martinus Wrote:
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> When was the last time any
> of the "establishment" presses published CAS?

I am not sure if they count as the "establishment," or if I care, but in 2006 the University of Nebraska Press reprinted OUT OF SPACE AND TIME and LOST WORLDS. These are very handsome volumes, by the way; unlike the Night Shade books they are comfortable to read.

It took me 36 years to find a first edition of Smallcreep's Day by Peter C. Brown, but that's besides the point. Some fans have been serial victims of NSB. Five years waiting for Perdito Street Station, which was then abandoned. Five years waiting for William Hope Hodgson to be finally completed, with excuses ranging from the cat was ill, the editor was ill, and then the editor just disappeared. Five years (soon to be six) waiting for CAS to be completed, and we're not there yet. If Scott has some news he should spill it now. What excuse is there to keep us waiting? Will this thing be done and dusted by Christmas, or won't it? Somebody? Anybody?

Jojo Lapin X, I don't find the NSB books too comfortable to read either. I think it has something to do with having too many words per line, which means I have to move my eyes back and forth perceptibly, which is tiring. The fact that the typesetting has a generally amateurish, MS Wordy look to it doesn't help either. But I do like the cover art. Much genre literature is published between covers that are way too serious for my taste nowadays. These covers have a pleasant quality of whimsy about them. And using CAS's likeness and sculptures is quite witty, I think.

As a clarification with respect to the discussion at hand, let me point out that my unhappiness stems not so much from having to wait, and certainly not from the quality of the books (which I still greatly appreciate), but from constantly being lied to.

Quote:

When was the last time any of the "establishment" presses published CAS?

In addition to the University of Nebraska editions, Gollancz published the Emperor of Dreams collection in 2002, I believe. Also, three Pocket Books/Timescape collections of CAS's tales appeared during the 1980's.

The waiting and the lying are two sides of the same coin. Make up any story, quote any date, just keep the customers at bay. In many cases all that Meiville, Hodgson and Smith fans have done is to make NSB a long-term interest-free loan, amounting in all to thousands, and maybe tens of thousands, of dollars. If it turns out that Tales of India & Irony isn't ready to roll, then Ross E. Lockhart's earlier statement that it was complete was misleading, to say the least. Come on Scott, spill the beans. What do you know that we don't? Please?

Congratulations Scott! Reagrdless of the title :-)

I'm however reminded that I still have to pick up vol4.

I disagree that the stories will not be reread. I have reread all the contents of vols 1 & 2 and certainly intend to do the same with the other volumes whenever my beady eey falls on the relevant portions of the to-be-read & to-be-bought (my curses on the speculators that dumped this recession on us!) piles.

- Chris

Still waiting for the "news." Beam me up.

asshurbanipal Wrote:
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> Still waiting for the "news." Beam me up.

Thanks for the update! :)

Quote:

Thanks for the update! :)

At least someone around here is giving us updates. ;-) I, for one, cannot wait to learn what extra goodies the subscriber elite are going to get that will be denied to the rest of us!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 5 Nov 10 | 02:51PM by Absquatch.

May I nominate Night Shade Books for a special award? Their publishing schedule is without doubt one of the greatest works of fantasy fiction ever written.

Have you ever seen an old Arkham House catalogue?

Glad to hear the final volume is done, and at least some advance copies are physically printed!

:)

Like v. 5 of Weird Works of Robert E. Howard, this book will be a nice surprise when it hits the mailbox!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 8 Nov 10 | 03:35PM by Eldritch Frog.