The Dweller in the Gulf

by Clark Ashton Smith

The Dweller in the Gulf, which appears only in the Clark Ashton Smith story of the same name, is an ancient, possibly immortal creature that dwells deep within the planet Aihai (Mars). It is served and worshipped by a cult of Martians who have been captured and blinded by the Dweller, which is equipped with two proboscides for the extraction of eyes. The cult periodically gathers around a strange figure of the Dweller (the Eidolon of the Blind) which induces a drug-like ecstasy in anyone who touches it; while they are thus drugged, the Dweller claims one as a living sacrifice. First published in Wonder Stories, Mar 1933.

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Weird Fiction, Fiction

ebook

First published December 1, 1987

About the author

Clark 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.

Reviews

[Tim Pendry · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is rare to find a bit of a dud in Clark Ashton Smith's work but this is one. It revisits the territory of 'The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis' (1932) only a year later but in the less interesting 'Wonder Stories'. The tale is one cliche after another at the edge of being a Weird Tales pastiche.

The story begins with a superb and evocative picture of the Red Mars as imagined in the fantasies of the interwar period before science ended that dream but descends (literally and figuratively) into a sub-Lovecraftian horror story that fails to engage. Indeed, I really started to yawn after a while.

[Per · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://archive.org/details/wondersto...
http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/...

"The Dweller in the Gulf" was accepted by Wonder Stories in December and saw print in February 1933 in the March issue. Smith was horrified to discover that the story had not only appeared under a new title (this had happened to him several times before), but that the story itself had been atrociously edited. Whole paragraphs of descriptive/atmospheric material had been removed, but, more serious than this, the bleak ending had been completely rewritten and softened. [...]
The text for the present edition of "The Dweller in the Gulf" is based on a pair of manuscripts held in the Clark Ashton Smith Collection of Brown University, the first being a top-copy of "The Eidolon of the Blind", the second a carbon of "The Dweller in the Gulf" dated "Aug-Sept-Nov. 1932".

[Arimi Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Final Verdict
This was not too great. A lot of common phrases from the time, which did bring a smile to my face, but far from creative, even for what was considered great at the time. I did enjoy the description of the creature in this one, however, Ashton-Smith has wrote far better tales than this one. This felt like a book that I've heard a million times before, so it was very challenging to enjoy.

Probably one of the earlier books in terms of science fiction that was ever wrote- however many authors seem to use the exact same descriptions when it comes to science fiction, the same story line, the same nameless seemingly men who are journeying to mars. Who meet their unfortunate fate.

Before thoughts
Youtube appears to be on a roll. And we are listening to HorrorBabble's reading of this one. Clark Ashton Smith is a name I recognised, but this story isn't one I've heard of. Science fiction and horror- this is hopefully tasteful.

[Lynsey Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn’t enjoy a good old story about a eyeless, mind controlled cult who hangs out in dark scary caves on Mars.

That’s right everyone enjoys that.

Any flaws in the characters and slightly slow plot are more than made up for with the ending.

God, that ending.