The Double Shadow: A Clark Ashton Smith Podcast

Archive of Posts in "Episode"

Episode #17: “The Double Shadow”

November 29, 2012 by Ruth · Episode · Comments are closed

This week, The Double Shadow does…”The Double Shadow“!

This story was first accepted by Strange Tales, which then folded before publishing. Smith published it himself in 1933 in a volume titled The Double Shadow with “The Maze of the Enchanter,” “The Voyage of King Euvoran,” “A Night in Malnéant,” “The Devotee of Evil,” and “The Willow Landscape.”

Definitions from the first paragraph, as collected by Phil:

  • orichalchum – a type of Roman brass made of 80% copper and 20% zinc.
  • triremes – a ship with three rows of oars on each side.
  • seine – a fishing net.
  • byssus – a type of filament secreted from mollusks, sometimes used to make fabrics.
  • Lephara is a port city on Poseidonis mentioned in Sfanamoë.

(Ruth: Yes, I sent Phil his copy of The Double Shadow.)

For Phil, a history of Duncan Idaho. And, speaking of that, 42:00-44:00 contains some specific Dune spoilers re: Duncan Idaho.

Join us next time for “A Vintage from Atlantis.”

Music by: Erdenstern

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Episode #16: “A Voyage to Sfanomoë”

November 14, 2012 by Ruth · Episode · Comments are closed

A transcription of this episode is available.

This week, we escape the sinking continent of Poseidonis on A Voyage to Sfanomoë.”

Voyage is the second of Smith’s Poseidonis stories and the first we’ve had so far in the podcast with scientists instead of magicians or necromancers. It was published in the August 1931 issue of Weird Tales, just over a year after “The Last Incantation.” Lovecraft’s “The Whisperer in Darkness” was published in the same volume.

Join us next time, as we release our self-titled(????) episode, “The Double Shadow!”

Music by: Erdenstern

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Episode #15: “The Last Incantation”

October 25, 2012 by Ruth · Episode · Comments are closed

A transcription of this episode is available.

Welcome to Poseidonis! The About page has been updated with our new list of stories. Today we start off with “The Last Incantation.”


Unicorn head by Robert A Neri Jr. or Ranger Games

We’ve jumped back in time to June of 1930, when this story was published in Weird Tales and to an era after the glory of Atlantis, but before Averoigne. The series is bookended with stories about Malygris, possibly the greatest sorcerer/necromancer we’ve run across so far.

Next time, join us on “A Voyage to Sfanomoët;.”

Music by: Erdenstern

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Episode #14: Au Revoir, Averoigne

October 17, 2012 by Ruth · Episode · Comments are closed

This week is our last in Averoigne. We talk about the three major synopses from the Eldritch Dark and a little biographical and critical information. Synopses: “Queen of the Sabbat,” “The Werewolf of Averoigne,” and “The Sorceress of Averoigne | The Tower of Istarelle.”

The essay Phil referenced is “Into the Woods: The Human Geography of Averoigne” by Stefan Dziemianowicz, in The Freedom of Fantastic Things: Selected Criticism on Clark Ashton Smith ed. by Scott Connors. Tim quoted from “Eblis in Bakelite” by James Blish, “James Blish versus Ashton Smith; to Wit, the Young Turk Syndrome” by Donald Sidney-Fryer, and “Who Discovered Clark Ashton Smith?” by Scott Connors, all published in the Lost Worlds journal.

So–what did we have in Averoigne?

  • 1 cathedral
  • 1 convent
  • 2 monasteries
  • 14 Necromancers
  • 1 demon
  • 1 alien
  • 1 evil statue
  • 11 mentions of werewolves
  • 1 actual werewolf
  • 2 sorceresses, unaligned
  • 1 witch, batrachian
  • 2 vampires, lazy
  • 1 staff of household vampire servants
  • 2 lamias, unconfirmed
  • 1 art-loving archbishop
  • 7 gargoyles
  • 1 corpse giant
  • 2 epidemics of murder
  • 16 dead monks

Next week, we’ll be doing our first Poseidonis story: “The Last Incantation.”

Music thanks to: Kevin MacLeod.

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Episode #13: “The Satyr”

September 26, 2012 by Ruth · Episode · Comments are closed

This week, we’re covering the last published Averoigne story, “The Satyr” along with its variant conclusion.

The poet referenced in the story was Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585), who was a member of the group of French poets known as La Pléiade.

The phrase we were looking for from the Podcast to the Curious was the “Jamesian whallop,” an especially good phrase when said in a British accent.

In next week’s episode, we’ll wrap up Averoigne with a discussion of the setting and a look at three synopses/outlines CAS wrote for potential Averoigne stories. The synopses we’ll be covering are “Queen of the Sabbat,” “The Werewolf of Averoigne,” “The Sorceress of Averoigne | The Tower of Istarelle.”

Thanks again to Kevin MacLeod for the music.

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Episode #12: “The Enchantress of Sylaire”

September 12, 2012 by Ruth · Episode · Comments are closed

This week’s episode is on “The Enchantress of Sylaire.” Enchantress was published in the July 1941 issue of Weird Tales.


Illustration from Weird Tales most likely by Clark Ashton Smith.

The Wikipedia entry for Cromlech has an illustration of a basic one, as well as more complex outlines.

A few links here for those interested in illustrations of monsters carrying women and the “carry phenomenon.”

Next time, we’ll be doing the last of the Averoigne stories, “The Satyr.” You may also want to read read its variant conclusion, which we’ll be discussing on the show.

Thanks again to Kevin MacLeod for the music.

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