Zothique a mythical land of the far future is Clark Ashton Smiths most carefully worked out fantasy realm and many of his most celebrated stories are set in this evocative world of languid decadence strangeness and sexuality Beginning with quotThe Empire of the Necromancersquot 1932 and extending all the way to the short play The Dead Will Cuckold You 1956 Smith fashioned Zothique in tale after tale each adding new elements to the localeampnbspAs we read the Zothique tales we see how the imminent extinguishing of the sun has caused civilization to collapse Paradoxically society has reverted to a kind of primitivism with the return of royalty superstition and sorcery This scenario allowed Smith to engage in tongueincheek archaism of both langauge and setting Some of the most poignant stories he ever wrotestories that fused fantasy and the supernatural with a sense of aching loss and tragedyare set in Zothique including quotThe Dark Eidolonquot and quotXeethraquotampnbspOther tales such as quotThe Weaver of the Vaultquot and quotNecromancy in Naatquot focus morbidly on death Eroticism is the focus of quotThe Witchcraft of Uluaquot and quotMorthyllaquot while quotThe Voyage of...
