The Sunday Penguin: Clark Ashton Smith

[@ЗоранКузмановић]

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

[@janicecuroso1042]

Just ordered the Clark Aston Smith book. I've never read anything by him. Sounds like a terrific writer.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

He really is.

[@andrewvanhorne4359]

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.

[@DamienNeverwinter]

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!

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

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

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks for the kind words, both for me and CAS. I’m betting that Dunsany was a pretty big influence.

[@guaporeturns9472]

Been a year since I discovered CAS. Dude is great at descriptive world building.

[@GinaStanyerBooks]

Wow, he sounds so interesting. That intro was wonderful!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks! Still waiting for that call with my Emmy awards nomination.

[@attention5638]

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!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I’m glad my overly melodramatic readings are good for something! I think you will like CAS. Thanks for watching!

[@jeremyfee]

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.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I only have a few random CAS books. I love them all. Thanks so much for watching!

[@ThisJustInBookTube]

Great reading, Mike! Another Penguin I need to add to my collection.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Yes, you need this one!

[@sgriffin9960]

Yep, another one to order when my book ban is up! Thanks for posting!

[@BookTimewithElvis]

Nice one, haven't heard of it before thanks for sharing I'm really enjoying these Sunday Penguins. Keep it up Mike 🙂👍

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I will of course. You know I just can’t shut up! And I have a lot of Penguins!

[@DitaSka]

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 :)

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I’m glad you like them. If you keep watching I’ll keep making them!

[@sleestack13]

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.

[@stews9]

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.

[@sjoerdvanloon]

Just read this collection because of your recommendation. Thanks kind sir!

[@MrGlasgow51]

Thanks for the introduction to Clark Ashton Smith. I look forward to reading his work.

[@vickiragland8066]

just ordered the book. thanks.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

It’s a great book. Thanks for watching!

[@guaporeturns9472]

Can’t wait to learn more about this author. I love Lovecraft and this sounds very similar

[@blackmetalmagick1]

At his best, Smiths writings are poetically amazing

[@my88110]

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.

[@revenantreads]

I only knew Smith by name, but I obviously need to read his stuff.

[@ebirahvsgabara6552]

Would you consider a video on the Nightshade Collections of Clark Ashton Smith?

[@bookfantastic]

Clark Ashton Smith. There is no substitute.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Very true.

[@bookfantastic]

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.

[@2024FingersCrossed]

TBR List gets longer, never heard of him, but after that great reading I have to check it out.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

CAS is really, really good!

[@zsazsavoom]

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"...

[@jamesfetcho6315]

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.

[@billfrug]

CAS is a profound writer, I think he's in a league of his own really.

[@mizukarate]

Read a small ebook of his called The Ninth Skeleton. Enjoyable.

[@TheMikester307]

Love your review! I have the book already! I love Smith, and I love your pronunciation of "Yoh Vombis."

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks!

[@robertmoye7565]

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.

[@petrolillos]

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.

[@gavinmcintosh5716]

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.

[@Mark-fw8pd]

Clark Ashton Smith, a good choice. Would you consider a review of Ramsey Campbell?

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I really have to pick up some Ramsey Campbell. It has been a long time since I read him.

[@jamesfetcho6315]

The Hungry Moon was one by Ramsey Campbell that always stuck with me.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@@jamesfetcho6315 The Hungry Moon it is! I’ll pick up that one.

[@jamesfetcho6315]

Like Lovecraft. I have everything hes done.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I wish I had everything!

[@jamesfetcho6315]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 LoL. Not like I do. Mines on Kindle. 😁

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@@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.

[@jamesfetcho6315]

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.

[@maverickwonder2477]

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?

[@jeroenadmiraal8714]

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?

[@bookfantastic]

Harlan Ellison also spoke of Smith in superlative terms.

[@theobaldlolworth4717]

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...

[@DDB168]

He was a poet but didnt know it ? Come on someone had to say it. 😉 I must confess I hadnt heard of him.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I’m glad I introduced you to him. Really great writer! Thanks for watching!

[@wbbartlett]

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.

[@kimesch9698]

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.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

He can be pretty scary.

[@jamesfetcho6315]

C.A.S 👍😁👍

[@glockensig]

Awful in it's horrible-ness!!! Sounds like my Ex.....😮

[@intrepidojaguar1120]

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

[@kallianpublico7517]

Yes, therefore, racism is good. Thanks I didn't know that.

[@asdfasdf5695]

You call Lovecraft a racist, yet you use the word "Oriental"? OK...