Hello all - First time posting here. I've always been a fan of Lovecraft and Howard, but am shamefully ignorant of the 3rd pillar of the Weird Tales triumvirate, Clark Ashton Smith. I am now looking to rectify this shortcoming, and am asking those more well-versed in CAS what a good starting point is, whether it be a novel, an anthology, short story collection, etc etc... All suggestions welcome, thanks for your effort.

-JS

Though the Night Shade volumes are probably the ones closest to Smith's intent, they can be a bit pricey for a newcomer. I'd suggest the collection Out of Space and Time as a good introduction; second to that, Lost Worlds. Both these are, I believe, available through Bison Books... though, as I recall, the new introductory matter is rather out of place here....

You are in for a treat, my friend! (but be ready to get out the dictionary like never before...)

My first Smith collection was "Return of the Sorcerer" from Prime books. It's a very recent release, easy to find (I actually got mine at a Borders bookstore, believe it or not, folks!), and plenty affordable (currently, it's $11.66 on Amazon brand new). I found it a very good place to start, but you will need to acquire more volumes once done with that one.

Once you get that, you can graduate to "The Emperor of Dreams" from the Fantasy Masterworks series (or you can start there!) It includes a very good selection of stories (snag it on Amazon for $4.25 [used, good] right now!!! Someone may be racing you for it...). It would be a very, very intelligent purchase. I paid far more for it, myself, and it was every bit worth it.

Beyond those worthy tomes, there is "A Rendezvous in Averoigne," from Arkham House. It only adds around 10 more stories on top of "The Emperor of Dreams," but if you get it for the right price, as I did... It's worth mentioning that this is a hardcover, if you want something sturdy.

Beyond that, don't overlook CAS as poet!--he was a poet first and foremost, and his best fiction is poetry in its own right. I recommend "The Last Oblivion" from Hippocampus Press for a good selection to start with. You cannot truly understand Smith unless you read his fiction and poetry. Of the Big 3, he was by far the most advanced poet, and his fiction shows it.

Also, in case you haven't noticed, there is a rather generous selection of Smith's work available to read here for free. I suggest sampling "The Double Shadow" for a taste of what you're getting into...it was my first ever encounter with CAS, and nothing has been the same since...

I would recommend a collection of short stories readily available and fairly reasonable on ebay entitled "Tales of Science and Sorcery" -- of course you should look into the poetry as well - these are all posted on this site - and for starters try "Nero" and "Not altogether sleep" - read them aloud - otherwise you miss 50% of the thrust of the meaning.

calonlan Wrote:
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> I would recommend a collection of short stories
> readily available and fairly reasonable on ebay
> entitled "Tales of Science and Sorcery" -- of
> course you should look into the poetry as well -
> these are all posted on this site - and for
> starters try "Nero" and "Not altogether sleep" -
> read them aloud - otherwise you miss 50% of the
> thrust of the meaning.

Just try to think away the typos -- the "naked gents" (for "naked giants") in "The Hashish-Eater" still makes me chuckle.

Yes, "The Hashish Eater" here is rife with typos. There's a good handful of words missing from this segment:

"And in one still, selenic and fetor; and I know" (toward the end of the second segment)

It should read: "And in one still, selenic hour have shrunk
To pools of slime and fetor; and I know"

I did not recommend the Hashish Eater - not for a neophyte - only some more accessible shorter pieces - I would also recommend stories like "The Great God Awto", and "Monster of the Prophecy" - rather than "Mother of Toads" for example - Entering the world of CAS for the newbie should be, in my opinion, like entering a dark room with the door open so that there is just enough light to find your way part of the way in - before taking the plunge and being ready to discover a new kind of light where keener sight is required. Bradbury came in by way of Xeethra and Double Shadow for example- at age 10 or so as I recall - that's what I am thinking - typos be damned, full speed ahead!

Quote:

Calonlan
Bradbury came in by way of Xeethra and Double Shadow for example- at age 10 or so as I recall

I cannot imagine reading Smith at that age.... Why are all writers so damn precocious?!

And may I add "The Abominations of Yondo" as another good story to start with--very appropriate, since it was, I believe, the first weird story CAS ever wrote. It is relatively short, comes with one of Smith's patented prose poem intros, and has perhaps my favorite ending of all his stories that I've read. I am smiling just thinking about it....

"The Uncharted Isle" and "The Double Shadow" are also wonderful for starters; while "The Last Incantation" shows a different side of Smith. "The Dark Eidolon" and "The Last Hieroglyph" are personal favorites, too.

My own personal introduction to Smith (at the age of 12) was through Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos, with "The Return of the Sorcerer" and "Ubbo-Sathla"; my next encounter was the Arkham House volume (through the Neville Spearman reprint) Lost Worlds, closely followed by Out of Space and Time... and then Selected Poetry. Any of these, with the possible exception of Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos, would be fine introductions to his work....

jdworth Wrote:
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>
> My own personal introduction to Smith (at the age
> of 12) was through Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos,
> with "The Return of the Sorcerer" and
> "Ubbo-Sathla"; my next encounter was the Arkham
> House volume (through the Neville Spearman
> reprint) Lost Worlds, closely followed by Out of
> Space and Time... and then Selected Poetry. Any of
> these, with the possible exception of Tales of the
> Cthulhu Mythos, would be fine introductions to his
> work....

It was probably the same for me. The first poetry of his that I read was the scrap included in Lovecraft: A Look Behind the Cthulhu Mythos, and even at 18 that made me want to read more.

calonlan Wrote:
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> - typos be damned, full
> speed ahead!


This is interesting and refreshing to hear, and I believe it is much a generation thing. The younger generation (me included) have become preoccupied with details more than wholeness. Perhaps it is a consequence of a fully industrialized age when people no longer live with handling a wide scope of life issues, but are segmented into compartments of limited function. A century ago creators were the real stars; today editors and critics have the center of attention, filling the functions of analyzing and dissecting.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 14 Sep 11 | 10:21AM by Knygatin.