Just finished reading all of Clark Ashton Smith's short stories

[M.T. Black]

A few days ago, I finished the final volume of Clark Ashton Smith's Collected Fantasies. That's well over a hundred stories in five volumes.

I first encountered Smith in X2 Castle Amber many years ago, and I had read a few of his more famous stories. But, a couple of years ago, I set down to read through the entire ouvre. It has taken some time.

Smith is legitimately criticized as a turgid writer, and his stories sometimes have glacial pacing and virtually no plot.

But when he hits the mark, his writing is sublime and his imagination is peerless. Once you develop a taste for his writing, it's very easy to get lost in it.

Favorites? Hard to go past City of the Singing Flame, The Door to Saturn, and The Empire of the Necromancers. But there are many others I adored, and many re-readings lie ahead.

 

[Nikosandros]

I personally don't find his writing (too) turgid and - in a short story - great atmosphere, for me, can trump plot.

 

[M.T. Black]

I personally don't find his writing (too) turgid and - in a short story - great atmosphere, for me, can trump plot.

Which are your favorite stories?

 

[Alzrius]

I've been trying to find the title of a short story of his for some time now, so I'm hoping you recall it (spoilered just in case).

Spoiler

It's one where an ancient wizard has the idea of conjuring up the specter of a girl he loved when he was a boy, and he runs the idea by his familiar, who hesitantly signs off on it. When he brings forth her spirit, the sorcerer detects a flaw, and morosely dismisses her shade, asking his familiar why it didn't tell him. The familiar replies that even if it had told him that bringing her back wouldn't have brought back his youthful innocence, the sorcerer wouldn't have believed him, and the sorcerer agrees, morose and despairing.

 

[Nikosandros]

I've been trying to find the title of a short story of his for some time now, so I'm hoping you recall it (spoilered just in case).

Spoiler

It's one where an ancient wizard has the idea of conjuring up the specter of a girl he loved when he was a boy, and he runs the idea by his familiar, who hesitantly signs off on it. When he brings forth her spirit, the sorcerer detects a flaw, and morosely dismisses her shade, asking his familiar why it didn't tell him. The familiar replies that even if it had told him that bringing her back wouldn't have brought back his youthful innocence, the sorcerer wouldn't have believed him, and the sorcerer agrees, morose and despairing.

The Last Incantation.

 

[Alzrius]

The Last Incantation.

Booyah! Thanks for that!

 

[monsmord]

The opening to The Dark Eidolon remains my favourite expository lines in all literature - a succinct wealth of history and tone. Smith is the author I most return to, like a comfort food.

 

[Nikosandros]

Which are your favorite stories?

That's a tough one. My "current" answer would probably be the Zothique cycle, as I truly love the atmosphere and the setting. I must also admit that those are the stories that I've re-read more recently, so that's likely to be a factor also.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

The Empire of the Necromancers is a brilliant piece of work. The atmosphere and eldritch beauty of his tales are nonpareil.

 

[M.T. Black]

That's a tough one. My "current" answer would probably be the Zothique cycle, as I truly love the atmosphere and the setting. I must also admit that those are the stories that I've re-read more recently, so that's likely to be a factor also.

Yes, they are fantastic. I occasionally think about creating a Zothique-based campaign, though it would certainly be grim.