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Out of Space and Time (Panther Books)
Out of Space and Time Volume 2
Cross the threshold of fantasy into brilliant worlds of macabre imagination..
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1974
127 people want to read
About the author
Clark Ashton Smith
714 books982 followersClark Ashton Smith was a poet, sculptor, painter and author of fantasy, horror and science fiction short stories. It is for these stories, and his literary friendship with H. P. Lovecraft from 1922 until Lovecraft's death in 1937, that he is mainly remembered today. With Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, also a friend and correspondent, Smith remains one of the most famous contributors to the pulp magazine Weird Tales.
His writings are posted at his official website.
His writings are posted at his official website.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 30, 2020
This collection of short stories is part two of a reprint of the first collection of Smith's work, published by Arkham House in 1941. These stories are less linked by their setting than in volume 1 and instead an attempt has been made to group them by theme, such as 'Judgments and Dooms'. Only the middle section stories share a setting of Smith's: in this case the mythical land of Hyperborea.
In some respects, I found the stories less satisfying than those in volume 1, as some are a bit 'so what' such as 'The Last Hieroglyph' - the sequence of events play themselves out to a long foreseen conclusion, and I wondered why the god had seen fit to summon those characters to their ends prematurely. 'Sadastor' is unusual in being a story told by a demon to cheer up a young lamia! 'The Death of Ilalotha' is a tale of the attractions of a woman, exerted sorcerously beyond the grave. 'Return of the Sorceror' provided some genuinely creepy moments until the reason why the narrator has been employed by a nervous recluse in an old house is revealed and I think over-egged: I would have found it more unsettling if the "noises off" which the narrator kept hearing were really caused by oversized rats.
The three stories in the Hyperborean section were the least successful for me as two of them had the 'so what' conclusions I had noted earlier. Only 'Ubbo-Sathla' provided more interest with its twist ending
I enjoyed the stories in the last part of the book most. Under the heading 'Interplanetaries' is firstly 'The Monster of the Prophecy', a longer tale about a man who is taken to Antares by a being who has been living on Earth in the guise of a human. The alien society and eventual fate of the man, who is not told the real reason for his being saved from a suicide brought on by depression, has an interesting twist and - rarely for Smith - a happy ending.
I especially liked 'The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis' which is set on Smith's version of Mars, encountered in other collections: a Mars with just breathable air and the remnants of ancient civilisations, including a still-existing race. Two members of this race act as guides to a team of human archaeologists who want to explore a remote ruined city left behind mysteriously by an earlier Martian race. Being a modern reader rather than the 1930s readership who would originally have read these tales, one particular aspect acted as a spoiler as soon as the narrator described a mural found in subterranean tunnels beneath the ruin, because of its partial similarity to a famous film trope, but this story benefits from a driving plot, the building of suspense, action scenes, and less of Smith's tendency to overdo the purple prose and the use of a Thesaurus. The book finishes with a couple of two-page vignettes which are descriptions rather than stories.
The more enjoyable read of the final section brought up the rating for me to a solid 3 star read.
In some respects, I found the stories less satisfying than those in volume 1, as some are a bit 'so what' such as 'The Last Hieroglyph' - the sequence of events play themselves out to a long foreseen conclusion, and I wondered why the god had seen fit to summon those characters to their ends prematurely. 'Sadastor' is unusual in being a story told by a demon to cheer up a young lamia! 'The Death of Ilalotha' is a tale of the attractions of a woman, exerted sorcerously beyond the grave. 'Return of the Sorceror' provided some genuinely creepy moments until the reason why the narrator has been employed by a nervous recluse in an old house is revealed and I think over-egged: I would have found it more unsettling if the "noises off" which the narrator kept hearing were really caused by oversized rats.
The three stories in the Hyperborean section were the least successful for me as two of them had the 'so what' conclusions I had noted earlier. Only 'Ubbo-Sathla' provided more interest with its twist ending
I enjoyed the stories in the last part of the book most. Under the heading 'Interplanetaries' is firstly 'The Monster of the Prophecy', a longer tale about a man who is taken to Antares by a being who has been living on Earth in the guise of a human. The alien society and eventual fate of the man, who is not told the real reason for his being saved from a suicide brought on by depression, has an interesting twist and - rarely for Smith - a happy ending.
I especially liked 'The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis' which is set on Smith's version of Mars, encountered in other collections: a Mars with just breathable air and the remnants of ancient civilisations, including a still-existing race. Two members of this race act as guides to a team of human archaeologists who want to explore a remote ruined city left behind mysteriously by an earlier Martian race. Being a modern reader rather than the 1930s readership who would originally have read these tales, one particular aspect acted as a spoiler as soon as the narrator described a mural found in subterranean tunnels beneath the ruin, because of its partial similarity to a famous film trope, but this story benefits from a driving plot, the building of suspense, action scenes, and less of Smith's tendency to overdo the purple prose and the use of a Thesaurus. The book finishes with a couple of two-page vignettes which are descriptions rather than stories.
The more enjoyable read of the final section brought up the rating for me to a solid 3 star read.
August 20, 2023
Nice mix (if a fairly slim volume) of Clark Ashton Smith short stories: fantasy, horror, and science fiction, published from 1930-1937. Most of the stories appeared previously in Weird Tales. Low 3 stars.
July 14, 2021
Phenomenal, this collection represents the stories that Smith chose himself as his best stories and they are! As always his descriptions are unmatched in their poetic visions of beautiful nightmares.
January 20, 2009
I didn't really enjoy this one as much as I did the first volume. In the first volume, I was struck by the fact that I really picked up on the time/space distortion and dislocation that came through loud and clear in Clark Ashton's Smith's work. In Volume 2, the theme didn't really carry through as well, but there were some really great stories in here.
Out of 11, there were 6 that I very highly recommend; you'll see a lot of mythos-related themes in these. These are
The Return of the Sorcerer (very Lovecraftian)
The Last Hieroglyph
The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan
The Testament of Athammaus (in which we meet Tsothaqqua)
Ubbo-Sathla (a really creepy story)
and The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis (archaeology on Mars)
The others were good, but this anthology is like any other...there are always some you like much more. I am so fortunate to have found these two volumes at a price I could afford; an incredibly valuable addition to my mythos collection.
If you want some really good horror (that you have to think about!) don't miss this one or Volume I.
Out of 11, there were 6 that I very highly recommend; you'll see a lot of mythos-related themes in these. These are
The Return of the Sorcerer (very Lovecraftian)
The Last Hieroglyph
The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan
The Testament of Athammaus (in which we meet Tsothaqqua)
Ubbo-Sathla (a really creepy story)
and The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis (archaeology on Mars)
The others were good, but this anthology is like any other...there are always some you like much more. I am so fortunate to have found these two volumes at a price I could afford; an incredibly valuable addition to my mythos collection.
If you want some really good horror (that you have to think about!) don't miss this one or Volume I.
December 2, 2019
I have seen several commentaries describing Clark Ashton-Smith as the successor to Lovecraft's crown. While at times Ashton-Smith does approach Lovecraft's purple prose and overbearing sense of ominous gloom, I find this comparison incomplete. While Ashton-Smith does have some distinctly Lovecraftian tales, most notably the horrific "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis", he is able to do more than simply recreate a mood. He has the one thing with Lovecraft often failed to have, a coherent and cohesive plot. This makes his writing for more enjoyable. Indeed several stories in this book I would class as classics (including the one mentioned above). My favourite, startlingly, has a happy ending — something was almost totally unknown within Lovecraft's oeuvre. That particular tale, "The Monster of the Prophecy", would be worth the price of admission by itself. Four stars.
November 29, 2012
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories, some were horrifying, but some were surprisingly sweet and even had a happy ending! It was nice to read a collection of Smith's work where not all the characters died horribly at the end. The stories reminded me a lot of Lord Dunsany in this volume. A lot taking place in mystical places with strange gods. I also loved the his scifi take on horror, evil Lovecraftian style hordes in space instead of New England. I would definitely recommend this collection, even though it's volume 2, you really don't need to read volume 1 first, though I will definitely be buying volume 1 and reading it.
October 26, 2013
Probably enjoyed this more than Volume 1, perhaps just as getting used to his style. Not that it takes long to get used to it, as it's excellent writing throughout. the book included my first introduction to Smith's Cthulu mythos stories, particularly enjoying The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan.
Could have given this 5 stars, but I get the feeling I'm yet to read his very best tales, however there are some excellent stories in this one, the longest tale here, The Monster of the Prophecy being a fine example. Smith's background as a poet is evidenced with the beautiful short piece, Sadastor, which is basically a prose poem.
So, yes, all still very fresh and one to go back to with relish.
Could have given this 5 stars, but I get the feeling I'm yet to read his very best tales, however there are some excellent stories in this one, the longest tale here, The Monster of the Prophecy being a fine example. Smith's background as a poet is evidenced with the beautiful short piece, Sadastor, which is basically a prose poem.
So, yes, all still very fresh and one to go back to with relish.
March 23, 2012
When it comes to fantasy and horror, I always go for Panther Books--the publishing house whose art director used the most LSD.
I'm rather pushed back by the stories from Smith's Zothique cycle: too outlandish for empathy and too many names that would score incredibly high in Scrabble. I like the Hyperborean tales better, which still bear some connections to a familiar world. Plots aren't much more than fables, but Smith's writing is ever absorbing.
I'm rather pushed back by the stories from Smith's Zothique cycle: too outlandish for empathy and too many names that would score incredibly high in Scrabble. I like the Hyperborean tales better, which still bear some connections to a familiar world. Plots aren't much more than fables, but Smith's writing is ever absorbing.
April 28, 2025
Out of Space and Time: Volume 2 continues from Out of Space and Time: Volume 1, and the two together were a reprint in 1974 of a single Clark Ashton Smith book of the same name published by Arkham House in 1942. Volume 2 has fantastic cover art by Bob Haberfield, like Volume 1.
Aside from one story, "The Return of the Socerer," Volume 2 consists entirely of tales that Lin Carter had earlier revived in Zothique, Hyperborea, Xiccarph, and Poseidonis, which were published from 1970 to 1973.
Out of Space and Time: Volume 2 is split into three sections. The first, "Judgments and Dooms," continues directly from Volume 1. It contains "The Last Hieroglyph," which is a lovely tale of Zothique about an astrologer, a mummy, and a dog. A second Zothiquian story, "The Death of Ilalotha" is in this section, along with the prose poem "Sadastor" from Xiccarph. Lastly, the new story is "The Return of the Socerer," which is very Lovecraftian and even contains a mention of Lovecraft's fictional book of black magic, The Necronomicon. Smith's writing, though, is much better than Lovecraft's, in my view.
The second section is called "Hyperborean Grotesques" and contains three top stories that Lin Carter had previously republished in Hyperborea, "The Testament of Athammaus," "The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan," and "Ubbo-Sathla."
The last section, "Interplanetaries," contains "The Monster of the Prophecy," "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis," and a prose-poem, "From the Crypts of Memory"—all three from Xiccarph, though none of them actually Xiccarph stories. "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis," for example, is one of Smith's Aihai, or Mars, tales. Lastly, "The Shadows" is another prose poem, this time from Poseidonis.
I preferred Volume 2 to Volume 1. Smith ostensibly picked his best stories for Out of Space and Time, and it really shows in Volume 2. August Derleth is quoted on the back cover that "Clark Ashton Smith has captured the beauty and terror of fantastic worlds of dream and imagination. . . virtually without peer in the genre of fantasy and the macabre." I wholeheartedly agree.
Aside from one story, "The Return of the Socerer," Volume 2 consists entirely of tales that Lin Carter had earlier revived in Zothique, Hyperborea, Xiccarph, and Poseidonis, which were published from 1970 to 1973.
Out of Space and Time: Volume 2 is split into three sections. The first, "Judgments and Dooms," continues directly from Volume 1. It contains "The Last Hieroglyph," which is a lovely tale of Zothique about an astrologer, a mummy, and a dog. A second Zothiquian story, "The Death of Ilalotha" is in this section, along with the prose poem "Sadastor" from Xiccarph. Lastly, the new story is "The Return of the Socerer," which is very Lovecraftian and even contains a mention of Lovecraft's fictional book of black magic, The Necronomicon. Smith's writing, though, is much better than Lovecraft's, in my view.
The second section is called "Hyperborean Grotesques" and contains three top stories that Lin Carter had previously republished in Hyperborea, "The Testament of Athammaus," "The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan," and "Ubbo-Sathla."
The last section, "Interplanetaries," contains "The Monster of the Prophecy," "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis," and a prose-poem, "From the Crypts of Memory"—all three from Xiccarph, though none of them actually Xiccarph stories. "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis," for example, is one of Smith's Aihai, or Mars, tales. Lastly, "The Shadows" is another prose poem, this time from Poseidonis.
I preferred Volume 2 to Volume 1. Smith ostensibly picked his best stories for Out of Space and Time, and it really shows in Volume 2. August Derleth is quoted on the back cover that "Clark Ashton Smith has captured the beauty and terror of fantastic worlds of dream and imagination. . . virtually without peer in the genre of fantasy and the macabre." I wholeheartedly agree.
July 30, 2019
Someday I'm going to make a list of not only all the characters and place names in Smith's works, but also the fanciful and ornate adjectives that he uses that I've never encountered in any other writings. Sometimes I question whether he is simply utilizing archaic versions of words or just making things up. BUT! I wouldn't have it any other way. I love his writing so much.
March 17, 2018
It must have been so much easier to write a Cthulhu Mythos/Yog-Sothery story back in the '30s when the mention of that rare, worm-fretted and abhorr'd Necronomicon would raise a shudder rather than a rye smile...Even so, I enjoyed this.
February 15, 2020
This was a very interesting stories that merge horror, sci-fi and fantasy in the manner of their time. Worth a read.
May 26, 2024
Classic stories from the man who swallowed the Encyclopædia Britannica - and several dictionaries besides.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews