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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Sept 5, 2023 18:44:28 GMT
I presume that as usual there's backstory as to why Lin ignored the Averoigne stories; it may have been as simple as he really didn't care for them. No idea. It is my understanding that he was planning such a volume, but the series folded before he was able to do it. The Weird Tales versions can, however, be found in the British paperback reprints of the Arkham House collections. If I knew where I have them.
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Post by Knygathin on Sept 5, 2023 19:01:15 GMT
I once tried to order the following book from Impatient Press, but they seemed to have lost interest. It is printed in the same format as the old Ballantine Adult Fantasy books, but instead of the Unicorn's Head imprint it has a goat.
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Post by helrunar on Sept 5, 2023 20:33:40 GMT
That looks quite cool, Knythagin, with an evocative painting for the cover. Too bad if the planned publication was abandoned.
Price seems to have gone up since 1972, though--as one would expect.
cheers, Hel.
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Post by Knygathin on Sept 6, 2023 6:49:47 GMT
The Weird Tales versions can, however, be found in the British paperback reprints of the Arkham House collections. If I knew where I have them. Surely you must have a shelf reserved for the great Clark Ashton Smith?!
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Post by andydecker on Sept 6, 2023 8:29:49 GMT
I acquired the ebook. The introduction informs me that "The Beast of Averoigne" is neither the magazine version nor Smith's original version, but rather the combination version Connors and Hilger saw fit to concoct themselves for the Night Shade edition. Ack! Where are my old paperbacks? This is difficult. If Night Shade is to be believed, Smith reworked the original draft three times because Wright wouldn't buy it. While Connors and Hilger edited the tale, used the original plus the new ending of the third draft - if I understood the afterword right - the only 'original' draft was published in Strange Shadows: The Uncollected Fiction and Essays of Clark Ashton Smith by Steve Behrend in 1989 for Greenwood Press. I guess Night Shade could have included this for posterity.
While I am not a fan of such tinkering, the question in general is which version is the 'real' one? The one published in Weird Tales, the unedited by editorial draft, the first draft, the later ones?
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Sept 6, 2023 9:58:06 GMT
While I am not a fan of such tinkering, the question in general is which version is the 'real' one? The one published in Weird Tales, the unedited by editorial draft, the first draft, the later ones? The Weird Tales version. Smith agreed to those changes. Connors and Hilger did not, as far as I know, consult with him about their version. "The Beast of Averoigne" as it appears in Wildside's THE RETURN OF THE SORCERER seems to be the Weird Tales version. Otherwise I have it in LOST WORLDS, packed away in a box somewhere.
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Post by andydecker on Sept 6, 2023 17:22:06 GMT
While I am not a fan of such tinkering, the question in general is which version is the 'real' one? The one published in Weird Tales, the unedited by editorial draft, the first draft, the later ones? The Weird Tales version. Smith agreed to those changes. Connors and Hilger did not, as far as I know, consult with him about their version. "The Beast of Averoigne" as it appears in Wildside's THE RETURN OF THE SORCERER seems to be the Weird Tales version. Otherwise I have it in LOST WORLDS, packed away in a box somewhere. I read both versions today. The one in Weird Tales - I looked up the original - and the one in the Night Shade edition. I have to say that I liked the Night Shade version much more. It was a lot of fun, more fun than the streamlined and severly cut version he did for Wright.
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Post by Knygathin on Sept 18, 2023 22:15:53 GMT
For some reason, much as I like the short stories, I did not take to The Swords of Lankhmar. In the light of what you thought of it, I will give it another go. The only reason I can think of why anyone would not like The Swords of Lankhmar, is if the reader was in too much of a hurry and not attentive enough.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Sept 19, 2023 5:55:36 GMT
For some reason, much as I like the short stories, I did not take to The Swords of Lankhmar. In the light of what you thought of it, I will give it another go. The only reason I can think of why anyone would not like The Swords of Lankhmar, is if the reader was in too much of a hurry and not attentive enough. I am currently rereading Fritz Leiber's Swords series with much attention. The best short stories are mostly his earliest collected in Swords Against Death. On the whole, his later stories are less good, with the longer ones being padded out and tedious. That is the reason I stopped reading The Swords of Lankhmar on my third attempt.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Sept 19, 2023 5:58:00 GMT
The only reason I can think of why anyone would not like The Swords of Lankhmar, is if the reader was in too much of a hurry and not attentive enough. There is another reason. I am currently rereading Fritz Leiber's Swords series with much attention. The best short stories are mostly his earliest collected in Swords Against Death. On the whole, his later stories are less good, with the longer ones being padded out and tedious. That is exactly why I stopped reading The Swords of Lankhmar on my third attempt.
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Post by Knygathin on Sept 19, 2023 6:23:45 GMT
I am currently rereading Fritz Leiber's Swords series with much attention. The best short stories are mostly his earliest collected in Swords Against Death. On the whole, his later stories are less good, with the longer ones being padded out and tedious. That is the reason I stopped reading The Swords of Lankhmar on my third attempt. I agree that some of the longer stories felt padded. My favorite story is still probably the beginning of Swords Against Death - that introduces Sheelba's hut for the first time - and "The Jewels in the Forest". However, The Swords of Lankhmar is not padded. Do you remember Fafhrd's love affair with he translucent woman? One of the best episodes in the whole series.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Sept 19, 2023 10:08:22 GMT
I am currently rereading Fritz Leiber's Swords series with much attention. The best short stories are mostly his earliest collected in Swords Against Death. On the whole, his later stories are less good, with the longer ones being padded out and tedious. That is the reason I stopped reading The Swords of Lankhmar on my third attempt. I agree that some of the longer stories felt padded. My favorite story is still probably the beginning of Swords Against Death - that introduces Sheelba's hut for the first time - and "The Jewels in the Forest". However, The Swords of Lankhmar is not padded. Do you remember Fafhrd's love affair with he translucent woman? One of the best episodes in the whole series. I didn't get that far. And probably never will.
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Post by Knygathin on Sept 19, 2023 10:52:47 GMT
Do you remember Fafhrd's love affair with the translucent woman? One of the best episodes in the whole series. I didn't get that far. And probably never will. Ok. I hope you find some other good books.
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