Fantasy stories are typically set in either an imaginary world like Nehwon and Narnia or an imagined past like the Hyborian Age or Middle Earth. Then there is the Dying Earth genre which is set not only in the future, but at the end of Earth’s history.
Read More"The Master of the Crabs" is a somewhat typical Clark Ashton Smith tale (whatever typical means in the context of the great hierophant Klarkash-Ton). My enjoyment of this particular Clark Ashton Smith story has less to do with the story itself but more its evocative imagery and symbolism that is surprisingly deep and profound on an esoteric level.
Read More“The Dark Eidolon” is possibly one of Clark Ashton Smith's most notorious stories in the Zothique cycle, and my guess is it's due to its relatability. How many of us have yearned for revenge on past wrongs committed against us?
Read MoreClark Ashton Smith was a writer that made an indelible contribution to the genre of sword and sorcery fiction. However, his work is usually associated with the cosmic horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, rather than the father of sword and sorcery, Robert E. Howard. In truth, Smith acts as a sort of connective tissue between the two.
Read More“The Black Abbot of Puthuum” is a fine example of golden age pulp sword and sorcery, teeming with sinister magic, deeds of valor, ancient mummies, and a beautiful damsel in need of rescuing.
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