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.

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:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 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:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 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.

I spoke yesterday to a friend here in Auburn who is also a subscriber, and he has not received his book either. Auburn is only 2-3 hours from San Francisco, so I figured he would be among the first to receive it.

I then called and spoke to one of the powers-that-be at NightShade and was assured that the books were indeed shipping; to the 300+ subscribers first, then it will be made available to everyone else. NO ONE has their book yet? Really?? All I can say is that there must be a large backlog in their shipping department . . . I can assure you that this book will be worth the wait. THE LAST HIEROGLYPH contains ten stories set in Zothique, which, along with the title and cover, make it the most thematic collection in the series. The intro by Richard Lupoff is also one of my personal favorites.

If ANYONE gets the book (or has already received it) please let the rest of us know ASAP; I'm sure we'd all appreciaate it.
Thanks,
Ron

casofile Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I
> can assure you that this book will be worth the
> wait. THE LAST HIEROGLYPH contains ten stories set
> in Zothique, which, along with the title and
> cover, make it the most thematic collection in the
> series.

It seems to me it must also contain things like "The Theft of the Thirty-Nine Girdles" and other such not so exciting later works.

How's about Tales of India & Irony? On August 12th Scott Conners said, "We don't know how many we will have available, and I plan squirreling away a few of them for the retirement fund." I think this statement needs clarifying. Will all subscribers get their copy, as promised at the launch of the series? How many copies does the squirrel get? Ten? Twenty? Seventy-five? What if somebody pays $100 for a copy next year on the collectors' market, only to find that ten years from now, after the squirrel has released his private stock, the value of the book has fallen to $15? Isn't that rigging the market? Does it show contempt for the customer? Okay, so a publisher can do what he likes with his books. He can shred them, after he's fulfilled his contractual obligations that is. But doesn't manipulating the balance between supply and demand by creating an artificial shortage (other than a stated limitation on an edition) to force up the price for the "retirement fund" raise some interesting ethical questions? Answers on a postcard, please.

Yes, it would be nice to have some clarification as to the status of India & Irony? I clearly remember NS saying that more copies of said book will be available for those buying the last vol from them (as well as subscribers), however there is no mention of it on the site... I'm guessing that this isn't going to be the case (more lies), so if there is the chance of getting a copy of it off the back of Scott's lorry then I wouldn't say no, although this doesn't seem like a very satisfactory way to do business to me. No offence to Scott who has kindly made this offer known, but this is no way for NS to treat CAS' work. I hope his estate have nothing to do with them again. I think I'll just order my copy of V5 from amazon, which will at least ensure getting a copy before doomsday and hopefully give NS a smaller cut of the profits...

Jojo Lapin X Wrote:

> It seems to me it must also contain things like
> "The Theft of the Thirty-Nine Girdles" and other
> such not so exciting later works.


You mean, you don't like 'Thirty-Nine Girdles'? But you're right, of course. I guess it's fair to say this final book also contains some of the worst things Smith ever wrote . . . his last story "The Dart of Rasasfa" was rejected and remained unpublished until STRANGE SHADOWS in 1989. But these are still the exception and show his growing disgust and cynicism towards American 'shitilization' towards the end of his life.

I certainly hope they hurry up. I'll be moving 70mi away in 2wks. A copy of India and Irony would be nice as well. I've been waiting 4yrs.