Out of Space and Time

Out of Space and Time is a 1942 collection of fantasy, horror, and science fiction short stories by Clark Ashton Smith. The volume contains 19 stories selected by Smith himself, representing what he considered his strongest work in the genres at that time. The stories span Smith's major fictional realms, including the medieval French setting of Averoigne, the prehistoric world of Hyperborea, the sunken continent of Poseidonis, and the far-future dying earth of Zothique. Each tale presents its own self-contained narrative while contributing to the larger mythologies of these recurring settings. The collection features Smith's signature blend of horror and fantasy elements, drawing inspiration from sources like weird fiction, medieval literature, and cosmic horror. The writing style emphasizes rich vocabulary and atmospheric descriptions to create otherworldly environments and supernatural encounters. The work stands as a defining example of early 20th century weird fiction, exploring themes of cosmic horror, destiny, and humanity's place in a vast and often hostile universe. The stories demonstrate Smith's interest in cycles of civilization and decay, as well as the intersection of science and sorcery.

Readers appreciate Smith's rich vocabulary and poetic prose style in these supernatural tales. Many reviews highlight the dreamlike atmosphere and cosmic horror elements. The "The City of the Singing Flame" and "The Beast of Averoigne" receive frequent mentions as standout stories. Common criticisms include the dense, antiquated writing style being difficult to parse. Some readers note the plots can meander and pacing drags. A few reviews mention the stories feel dated compared to modern weird fiction. From reader John D. on Goodreads: "Smith writes like a medieval poet trapped in a nightmare - beautiful but exhausting." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (382 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 ratings) LibraryThing: 4.0/5 (89 ratings) Most reviews recommend this book for fans of Lovecraft and weird fiction who enjoy ornate prose, but caution casual readers about the challenging writing style.

The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers Stories of cosmic horror and supernatural events linked to a mysterious play, sharing Smith's focus on atmospheric world-building and psychological terror.

The Night Land by William Hope Hodgson Set in a far-future dying earth where humans struggle against cosmic entities, echoing Smith's themes of civilizational decline and supernatural forces.

Tales of the Dying Earth by Jack Vance Features interconnected stories set in an ancient earth where science and magic blend, mirroring Smith's Zothique tales in setting and tone.

The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson Chronicles encounters with cosmic entities and time distortion, reflecting Smith's interest in the intersection of horror and otherworldly phenomena.

The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H. P. Lovecraft Presents a journey through dream realms and mythical landscapes, paralleling Smith's creation of detailed fantasy worlds and supernatural mythologies.

🌟 Smith was also an accomplished sculptor and poet, creating over 100 sculptures and publishing multiple volumes of poetry before focusing on prose fiction 🌟 The term "Zothique" was inspired by Smith's interest in exotic-sounding words, and he created an entire cycle of 16 stories set in this dying Earth setting 🌟 Before writing these stories, Smith taught himself French specifically to read the works of Baudelaire and other French Decadent poets who influenced his style 🌟 The Hyperborea stories were directly influenced by Smith's correspondence with H.P. Lovecraft, who encouraged him to develop his own mythological cycle 🌟 Several stories from this collection were first published in Weird Tales magazine, where Smith was paid approximately one cent per word - considered a good rate during the Great Depression