Posted by Steven R. Harbin on February 15, 1999 at 04:11:16:
In Reply to: Clark Ashton Smith posted by Tim Stretton on January 27, 1999 at 07:38:00:
Yes, I've always thought that a lot of CAS's work was extremely similar to Vance and had just assumed that CAS and Lord Dunsany were both inspirations for the young Vance. But then I seem to remeber reading an interview somewhere in which Vance said No, CAS wasn't an inspiration, maybe LD a little, but that his main insiration had been P.G.Wodehouse(of Jeeves & Woster fame). Be that as it may, anyone who likes The Dying Earth stories would probably like some of both CAS and LD. I do remeber JV saying that as a boy he would wait by the mailbox for the newest edition of Weird Tales, so maybe he read more CAS than he remembered in the interview.
As far as novels, I'm pretty sure that CAS only wrote short stories and poetry. Anyone out there who comes across that interview in which JV is specifically asked about the CAS influence, please let me know. Thanks.
: I have recently come across the writings of Clark Ashton Smith, who, as far as I can make out, was a US writer of fantasy and horror in the 1940s. His prose style is curious, ornate and compelling, and reminds me in some ways of Vance's. There is a much anthologised short story, "The Weird of Avoosl Wuthqqan" which would not be out of place in "The Dying Earth".
: Does anyone out there agree with me? And can anyone tell me anything about Clark Ashton Smith?
: Cheers,
: Tim.