The Return of the Sorcerer: The Best of Clark Ashton Smith

This exceptional collection of Smith's short fiction showcases the underrated pulp master's storytelling genius in 18 stories, most originally published between 1931 and 1935. In the dark fantasy gem “The Isle of the Torturers,” a king loses his realm to plague and seeks sanctuary on an island inhabited by sadists. The sublimely lyrical “The City of Singing Flame” describes a portal to a realm of unparalleled beauty and terror. Equal parts science fiction thriller and gut-wrenching horror, “The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis” pits a team of Mars explorers against an unearthed nightmare. Though over 70 years old, these stories are still wonderfully weird and wildly entertaining, making this collection a timeless treasure to be cherished by fans of horror and the pulps. (Nov.)