His poetry is divine. The Last Incantation is a fable of melancholy right up there with Dunsany's episode of Time and the Gods. And The Dark Eidolon is one of the most nightmarishly beautiful things I've ever read.
I just read The Last Incantation. As a Brit, it makes me wish I was American so that I knew how to Yee Haw in a long and loud fashion -it was tremendous!
Clark Ashton Smith as a writer reminds me of an athlete who always made the all-star game in his career but never won a title. His writing is so strange but feels a bit more hopeful than either Lovecraft or Howard, even with creatures like Tsathoggua. I discovered him in some of those Cthulhu Mythos anthologies that include stories from Lovecraft’s contemporaries and predecessors. I wonder how much Dunsany influenced Smith. The otherworldly nature of his creations feel equally weird. Hope you have a great week! Best, Jack
Great video. I've got the Clark Ashton Smtih books Return of the Sorcerer, Hyperbora, and maybe some more hidden behind other books sitting on my shelf.
All I know of his (but haven't read) is "The Empire of Necromancers." And I only know that because chapter five of Frankenstein was published in Weird Tales in a 1932 issue, which also had that story. I saw it while doing some research a bit ago and wrote the title of Smith's story down because of the title, but never got around to it. Those readings were fantastic, I will make sure he is someone I have read by the end of the summer. Thanks for sharing this!
Just FYI for you here, Michael. Right now, Amazon has the Kindle edition of "Lair of the Eldritch Dark: The Collected Works of Clark Ashton Smith (Illustrated)" for FREE. It's a thousand pager. Just downloaded it myself, so I can't speak of the formatting as of yet, but hey, it's FREE! Just thought you and your watchers might be interested. Love your videos. Take care.
One of my favorite writers, and a great talk, Michael. Well done. Let's hope more are inspired to check out his work and raise it so it can have tea with HPL and REH.
Penpals with H.P. Lovecraft? I`m putting him on my TBR list! :D I just love finding new and lesser known authors/books on your channel. Keep up the Sunday Penguin series, I`m enjoying these :)
The cover of the penguin book, The Spy, is amazing, and the covers of the Nightshade Press collected editions are amazing too; I’ve stared at those covers for hours probably. And CAS himself drew The Spy and was a great artist and a great sculptor of very surreal, medieval-looking art which reminds me of William Blake.
One of the greatest authors of horror/fantasy/science fiction ever to set pen to paper and among the most erudite and articulate (and largely self-taught). I would not compare him to Lovecraft; they were parallel geniuses.
Isle of the Torturers, Empire of the Necromancers, The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan. I have never read a one of his many stories that I did not enjoy. They say he educated himself by reading encyclopedias and dictionaries. No one comes close.
Whoah, I only vaguely recall him but was so impressed by your review I already ordered the book. Thank you! ps-maybe as a sort of "bookend" to the first story you read, consider a read(re-read?) of Joanna Russ' "We Who Are about To"...
Hi Michael, Gavin McIntosh (by way of the B.Stoker quicksands of Aberdeen, Scotland). You probably already have them, but if not, I would recommend The Collected Fantasies vol 1-5 and the companion The Miscellaneous writings of Clark Ashton Smith by Scott Connors & Ron Hilger (eds). They also include some of the correspondence and criticism of H.P.Lovecraft.
See you have a thing about Kindle...you want a real book in your hands.......I have a thing about Audio Books..... I believe they are 2 be read not listen 2. So each 2 their own.
Man, I am happy I found your channel. You are a man with literary tastes pretty close to mine. I love CAS, I consider him the greatest of the Weird Tales Holy Trinity. I dont know if you have have read Mark Samuels, I strongly recommend him to you as well as Reggie Oliver in case you didn't read them already. I also wonder what do you think of two favorites of mine: Jack Vance and Gene Wolfe. Congratulations for your channel, love your style.
Lovecraft is great, Smith is better. The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis is a fantastic horror story, one of the best. Satampra Zeiros is a great adventure tale that Conan would be proud to feature in. Those are just two in a true collection of gems.
O Muse, where loiterest thou? In any land Of Saturn, lit with moons and nenuphars? Or in what high metropolis of Mars- Hearing the gongs of dire, occult command, And bugles blown from strand to unknown strand Of continents embattled in old wars...
I have just started reading this, and I am loving his prose style. I was familiar with Lovecraft, Howard and Dunsany, but this author was missing for me. Would you also recommend Blackwood and Machen if I were to look for similar authors as the ones I just mentioned?
I really enjoy your channel and I’m a huge fan of Arthur Conan Doyle, H P Lovecraft and Robert E Howard. I’ve had Clark Ashton Smith on my TBR list for sometime now, but you’ve just catapulted him to the top of that list What are your thoughts on Arthur Machen?
I'm a big fan of Lovecraft and Howard, but after I discovered the works of Clark Ashton Smith, he definitely became my favorite author
Just ordered the Clark Aston Smith book. I've never read anything by him. Sounds like a terrific writer.
He really is.
His poetry is divine.
The Last Incantation is a fable of melancholy right up there with Dunsany's episode of Time and the Gods.
And The Dark Eidolon is one of the most nightmarishly beautiful things I've ever read.
I just read The Last Incantation. As a Brit, it makes me wish I was American so that I knew how to Yee Haw in a long and loud fashion -it was tremendous!
Been a year since I discovered CAS. Dude is great at descriptive world building.
Clark Ashton Smith as a writer reminds me of an athlete who always made the all-star game in his career but never won a title. His writing is so strange but feels a bit more hopeful than either Lovecraft or Howard, even with creatures like Tsathoggua.
I discovered him in some of those Cthulhu Mythos anthologies that include stories from Lovecraft’s contemporaries and predecessors. I wonder how much Dunsany influenced Smith. The otherworldly nature of his creations feel equally weird.
Hope you have a great week!
Best, Jack
Thanks for the kind words, both for me and CAS. I’m betting that Dunsany was a pretty big influence.
Great video. I've got the Clark Ashton Smtih books Return of the Sorcerer, Hyperbora, and maybe some more hidden behind other books sitting on my shelf.
I only have a few random CAS books. I love them all. Thanks so much for watching!
Nice one, haven't heard of it before thanks for sharing I'm really enjoying these Sunday Penguins. Keep it up Mike 🙂👍
I will of course. You know I just can’t shut up! And I have a lot of Penguins!
All I know of his (but haven't read) is "The Empire of Necromancers." And I only know that because chapter five of Frankenstein was published in Weird Tales in a 1932 issue, which also had that story. I saw it while doing some research a bit ago and wrote the title of Smith's story down because of the title, but never got around to it. Those readings were fantastic, I will make sure he is someone I have read by the end of the summer. Thanks for sharing this!
I’m glad my overly melodramatic readings are good for something! I think you will like CAS. Thanks for watching!
Wow, he sounds so interesting. That intro was wonderful!
Thanks! Still waiting for that call with my Emmy awards nomination.
Just FYI for you here, Michael. Right now, Amazon has the Kindle edition of "Lair of the Eldritch Dark: The Collected Works of Clark Ashton Smith (Illustrated)" for FREE. It's a thousand pager. Just downloaded it myself, so I can't speak of the formatting as of yet, but hey, it's FREE! Just thought you and your watchers might be interested.
Love your videos. Take care.
Yep, another one to order when my book ban is up! Thanks for posting!
Great reading, Mike! Another Penguin I need to add to my collection.
Yes, you need this one!
One of my favorite writers, and a great talk, Michael. Well done. Let's hope more are inspired to check out his work and raise it so it can have tea with HPL and REH.
Just read this collection because of your recommendation. Thanks kind sir!
Penpals with H.P. Lovecraft? I`m putting him on my TBR list! :D
I just love finding new and lesser known authors/books on your channel. Keep up the Sunday Penguin series, I`m enjoying these :)
I’m glad you like them. If you keep watching I’ll keep making them!
Thanks for the introduction to Clark Ashton Smith. I look forward to reading his work.
just ordered the book. thanks.
It’s a great book. Thanks for watching!
Can’t wait to learn more about this author. I love Lovecraft and this sounds very similar
At his best, Smiths writings are poetically amazing
The cover of the penguin book, The Spy, is amazing, and the covers of the Nightshade Press collected editions are amazing too; I’ve stared at those covers for hours probably.
And CAS himself drew The Spy and was a great artist and a great sculptor of very surreal, medieval-looking art which reminds me of William Blake.
Clark Ashton Smith. There is no substitute.
Very true.
One of the greatest authors of horror/fantasy/science fiction ever to set pen to paper and among the most erudite and articulate (and largely self-taught). I would not compare him to Lovecraft; they were parallel geniuses.
Isle of the Torturers, Empire of the Necromancers, The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan. I have never read a one of his many stories that I did not enjoy. They say he educated himself by reading encyclopedias and dictionaries. No one comes close.
I only knew Smith by name, but I obviously need to read his stuff.
CAS is a profound writer, I think he's in a league of his own really.
Love your review! I have the book already! I love Smith, and I love your pronunciation of "Yoh Vombis."
Thanks!
Whoah, I only vaguely recall him but was so impressed by your review I already ordered the book. Thank you! ps-maybe as a sort of "bookend" to the first story you read, consider a read(re-read?) of Joanna Russ' "We Who Are about To"...
TBR List gets longer, never heard of him, but after that great reading I have to check it out.
CAS is really, really good!
I watch a lot of book tubers. Scary 4 you..🤪.You're the only one that reads a lot of the same things I read.
Read a small ebook of his called The Ninth Skeleton. Enjoyable.
Hi Michael, Gavin McIntosh (by way of the B.Stoker quicksands of Aberdeen, Scotland). You probably already have them, but if not, I would recommend The Collected Fantasies vol 1-5 and the companion The Miscellaneous writings of Clark Ashton Smith by Scott Connors & Ron Hilger (eds). They also include some of the correspondence and criticism of H.P.Lovecraft.
Harlan Ellison also spoke of Smith in superlative terms.
Like Lovecraft. I have everything hes done.
I wish I had everything!
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 LoL. Not like I do. Mines on Kindle. 😁
@@jamesfetcho6315 I’m actually going to start using that thing. I have an Oasis and that thing cost a mint, I should at least use it.
See you have a thing about Kindle...you want a real book in your hands.......I have a thing about Audio Books..... I believe they are 2 be read not listen 2. So each 2 their own.
Would you consider a video on the Nightshade Collections of Clark Ashton Smith?
Clark Ashton Smith, a good choice. Would you consider a review of Ramsey Campbell?
I really have to pick up some Ramsey Campbell. It has been a long time since I read him.
The Hungry Moon was one by Ramsey Campbell that always stuck with me.
@@jamesfetcho6315 The Hungry Moon it is! I’ll pick up that one.
Man, I am happy I found your channel. You are a man with literary tastes pretty close to mine. I love CAS, I consider him the greatest of the Weird Tales Holy Trinity. I dont know if you have have read Mark Samuels, I strongly recommend him to you as well as Reggie Oliver in case you didn't read them already. I also wonder what do you think of two favorites of mine: Jack Vance and Gene Wolfe. Congratulations for your channel, love your style.
Lovecraft is great, Smith is better. The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis is a fantastic horror story, one of the best. Satampra Zeiros is a great adventure tale that Conan would be proud to feature in. Those are just two in a true collection of gems.
O Muse, where loiterest thou? In any land
Of Saturn, lit with moons and nenuphars?
Or in what high metropolis of Mars-
Hearing the gongs of dire, occult command,
And bugles blown from strand to unknown strand
Of continents embattled in old wars...
He was a poet but didnt know it ? Come on someone had to say it. 😉 I must confess I hadnt heard of him.
I’m glad I introduced you to him. Really great writer! Thanks for watching!
I have just started reading this, and I am loving his prose style. I was familiar with Lovecraft, Howard and Dunsany, but this author was missing for me. Would you also recommend Blackwood and Machen if I were to look for similar authors as the ones I just mentioned?
I really enjoy your channel and I’m a huge fan of Arthur Conan Doyle, H P Lovecraft and Robert E Howard. I’ve had Clark Ashton Smith on my TBR list for sometime now, but you’ve just catapulted him to the top of that list What are your thoughts on Arthur Machen?
C.A.S 👍😁👍
You did such a great video I want to run out and buy it, but I’m a big chicken!🐣 Horror’s not for me. Love his writing, though.
He can be pretty scary.
Awful in it's horrible-ness!!! Sounds like my Ex.....😮
Lovecraft was a racist, Clark wrote great oriental fiction, like his Zothique cycle and his amateur works like the Sword of Zagan and Black Diamonds
Yes, therefore, racism is good. Thanks I didn't know that.
You call Lovecraft a racist, yet you use the word "Oriental"? OK...