The Weaver In The Vault

Tales of Zothique #6

by Clark Ashton Smith

Zothique is Earth's last continent in the very distant future when the sun has grown dim, the work has grown old, and the remorseless seas have overwhelmed all other continents. The sciences have been forgotten as the shadowy arts of sorcery and magic have been reborn. The a dark world of older mystery where luxurious kings and wandering heroes venture across dim landscapes, pitting their strength and wisdom against powerful wizards, necromancers, and alien gods - all under a dying sun. Even three of the king's toughest henchmen began loosing their nerve as they descended into the dark catacombs of a long-forsaken, earthquake-ruined burial site in Chaon Gacca. Their assignment, to recover the remains of an ancient king, was detestable enough. But nothing could compare to the horrific sights and sounds of... The Weaver!

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

Audio CD

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

[Andrew Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

A semi-buddy adventure of seasoned warriors drunkenly raiding a tomb for grisly treasure. Clark is poetic with his word usage and continues to set a grim stage of ancient horror and modern desires for power.

The last continent, Zothique. Miraab's 59th Tasuun king, Famorgh, for his Queen Lunalia of Xylac, has tasked his most daring warriors (Yanur, Grotara, and Thirlain Ludoch) to enter the tombs of the abandoned and rumored Chaon Gacco to the north and bring back any remnants of the mummified King Tnepreez (sorcerer), Famorgh's dynasty founder. Two hundred years ago, such a task did not fare well for King Mandis' braves that he sent after the mummified Queen Avania. The catacombs of death hold mystery and madness.

The Abominations of Yondo
The Charnel God
The Dark Eidolon
The Death of Malygris
The Double Shadow
The Empire of the Necromancers
The Isle of Torturers
Necromancy in Naat
The Tale of Satampra Zeiros
The Tomb-Spawn
The Voyage of King Eurovan
The Weaver in the Vault

[William Cherico · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty uneventful story where three guys are sent across a desert to a tomb that's not quite uninhabited. The fantastical element gets weird at the end, mainly because the titular weaver is a floating orb that seems to have no connection to the wider Zothique cycle or even the adjacent Cthulhu mythos like I initially thought. Smith's talented writing doesn't save the nothing plot from being very uninteresting.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was short. The language was wonderful.

[FelixTheMonarchist · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover image shown here on goodreads has fortunately nothing to do with the book.

[Per · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Pedro Medeiros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird story structure, extremely dark, evil and very original, especially for the time.