C. L. Moore

I've started The Best of C. L. Moore and though I've only read the first two stories I really enjoyed them.

Although the two tales "Shambleau" and "Black Thirst" have sci-fi trappings - they take place on other planets, they have ray guns - they strike me as dark fantasy. The author does a fantastic job creating a sense of menace and dread.

Darn, I was sure I had that book, now I want to read it. It must have died in the flood (sniffle, whimper). I do remember enjoying the book very much, and reading some other by her that I also enjoyed. I hate floods (pouting). Thanks for bringing her back to mind!

I like Moore a lot. Most of what I've read from her has been in the Fantasy Masterworks volume Black Gods and Scarlet Dreams, which is basically two sets of stories: Jirel of Joiry (fantasy) and Northwest Smith (sf).

I found that same book in a used bookstore recently.
Maybe I will read it after I finish re-reading the bloody crown of Conan.

Shambleau is a great mood piece! It's also collected in the Kuttner/Moore anthology The Two Handed Engine that Centipede press put out in 2004.
Gotta sit down and do the rest of that one...

I'm quite enjoying this book. So far i've read the first 3 or 4 stories.

The first two have Northwest Smith in them. These two stories were fun.
"Shambleau"
"Black Thirst"

The third story, I believe it was titled "Bright Illusion", was really wierd. I think poor Dixon actually went bonkers earlier in the story, because he sure acts like it for the remainder of the story.

The fourth, "Black God's Kiss", is a story of Jirel of Joiry. I'm only part way through it, but I like it so far. I've always enjoyed S&S, and this is along those lines.

I also have this Planet Stories Northwest of Earth, haven't read it yet, but it says on the cover "The Complete Northwest Smith". It has to be good.

I've got another Planet Stories Black God's Kiss. It has 200+ pages. A quick glance thru shows each of them are about Jirel. Another good one to read sometime in the near future.

Yep. Moore is one of the best.

I'm down to the final story now.
There are some great short stories in this book!

It's funny sometimes, reading these stories written so long ago.

Here's one from "No Woman Born"
"There was applause from an invisible audience. Then someone came out and did a dance with lighted torches that streamed long, weaving ribbons of fire among clouds of what looked like cotton wool, but was most probably asbestos." LOL

Also, does it seem like a lot of the male scientists in these old tales are always a hair away from going "mad"? Another one from the same story:
"He began to pace up and down with quick,uneven steps, striking his hands together. His face was twitching with a little tic that drew up one eye to a squint and released it again at regular intervals. Harris could see how very near collapse the man was."

When I read that, I envisioned that chief inspector guy from the old Pink Panther movies, when Cleseau(?) would drive him crazy, his face would do all that lol