tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post9084251389087521076..comments2024-03-28T18:21:09.285-05:00Comments on Rough Edges: Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Famous Fantastic Mysteries, August 1942James Reasonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-59258169729606295912015-09-25T04:51:51.972-05:002015-09-25T04:51:51.972-05:00Agreed on the Zothique cycle/collection, which I t...Agreed on the Zothique cycle/collection, which I too feel is his very best---3 of the 4 top CAS stories I named are from that world/book (and I've read quite a lot of CAS). Genus Loci is my second favorite collection of his, and this one also includes some of his atmospheric, oddball science fiction, though generally he was a fantasist.S. Craig Zahlerhttp://scraigzahler.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-76013881328421657002015-09-25T04:51:44.724-05:002015-09-25T04:51:44.724-05:00Agreed on the Zothique cycle/collection, which I t...Agreed on the Zothique cycle/collection, which I too feel is his very best---3 of the 4 top CAS stories I named are from that world/book (and I've read quite a lot of CAS). Genus Loci is my second favorite collection of his, and this one also includes some of his atmospheric, oddball science fiction, though generally he was a fantasist.S. Craig Zahlerhttp://scraigzahler.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-49376441376390399192015-09-24T22:41:32.033-05:002015-09-24T22:41:32.033-05:00I agree with the above comments about Clark Ashton...I agree with the above comments about Clark Ashton Smith, who was one of the better authors to write for WEIRD TALES. My favorite Smith stories are the Zothique cycle of bizarre horror stories. His work is now widely available in various reprints and collections. I've read many of his stories more than once. He also was a talented artist and sculptor. Walker Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16089880902426182100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-55538258612128695072015-09-24T08:46:53.721-05:002015-09-24T08:46:53.721-05:00I haven't read much by CAS, either, but I'...I haven't read much by CAS, either, but I've enjoyed what I've read. I have several volumes of his short stories on hand, just need to find the time to read them. Clearly, Smith was more of a stylist than Merritt and had a great imagination.James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-21913128420741889522015-09-24T03:16:46.864-05:002015-09-24T03:16:46.864-05:00I ordered and am waiting for my copy of the newest...I ordered and am waiting for my copy of the newest Blood n Thunder myself.<br /><br />Regarding Merritt:<br />I am a big fan of lost race stories, but the two of his that I read--'Dwellers in the Mirage' and 'Face in the Abyss'--were pretty decent, but the strange beings and the "lost" elements are introduced so near the front of these books that I felt the stories lacked the very important adventure/journey/struggle component found in all of the best lost race fiction. And a lot of the fantasy ideas are of these not very imaginative types---it's a slug, but really a big slug; he's a pygmy, but with golden skin; it's an octopus, but with twelve tentacles; etc. These books were whimsical, magical, and very romantic fantasy. So in terms of the notable pulp fantasists, the weirdness, prose, creativity, imagery, irony, and darkness of Clark Ashton Smith appeals to me far, far, far, far, far more than does the Merritt that I've read. There's no better fantasy--pulp or otherwise--than "Isle of the Torturers," "Colossus of Ylourgne," "Dark Eidolon," and "Xeethra," by CAS.<br />So I'd encourage more time spent with him than Merritt, though perhaps the Merritt horror is better than his highly romantic fantasy.S. Craig Zahlerhttp://scraigzahler.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-37228523983466955542015-09-20T11:52:28.738-05:002015-09-20T11:52:28.738-05:00The new issue of BLOOD n THUNDER has a long articl...The new issue of BLOOD n THUNDER has a long article on FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES, the first of two parts. It has claim, along with FANTASTIC NOVELS, to being one of the best looking pulp tiles. Excellent covers and interior art and an interesting letter column. One of my favorites.Walker Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16089880902426182100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-54407152913159989662015-09-20T06:25:41.118-05:002015-09-20T06:25:41.118-05:00Merritt's BURN WITCH BURN is a horror-book cla...Merritt's BURN WITCH BURN is a horror-book classic, but his fantasy novels never impressed me much.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14826624693734173136noreply@blogger.com