1. QueenOfPlants

    QueenOfPlants Definitely a hominid

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    Fantasy Subversion of Cosmic Horror

    Discussion in 'Discussion of Published Works' started by QueenOfPlants, Dec 19, 2021.

    Yesterday I stumbled over a short story by Clark Ashton Smith titled "The Seven Geases".

    You can listen to a very nice audio recording here: youtube
    Or read the text version here: http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/192/the-seven-geases (public domain)

    I loved it so much that I had to share it with you.


    The story belongs to "Hyperborean Cycle" and can therefor be regarded as a branch of the Cthulhu Mythos.

    It starts out as a "heroic tale" about a hunter, with white supremacy undertones.
    The hunter sets out to hunt members of another species, which he deems "sub-human", but who obviously possesses a certain intelligence according to the text.

    During the course of the story those tropes become thoroughly subverted, though, and it ends in a rather unexpected way.

    The text has a subtle humour that I loved very much. There are, in my opinion, two main reasons why it works so perfectly:

    1. The contradiction between the behaviour of the protagonist and that of the "monsters".
    The protagonist is rude and hunts other intelligent creatures for sports. (We are led to believe that he is the hero of the story at first.)
    In juxtaposition, the "monsters" are all polite and grateful towards their neighbours. They also seem to possess a sense of duty regarding whatever task they see as their purpose.
    They do not even harm the protagonist.

    2. The contrast between content and language.
    The text talks about "unspeakable horrors", but in a language that is refined and could be used to describe a tea time setting.


    Anyway, I found it amazing and if you want to check it out, I would love to hear your opinions about it.
     
  2. Cress Albane

    Cress Albane Active Member

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    You have an audio recording? You're a lifesaver. I was looking for an audiobook to listen to while playing Civilization (my favorite pastime on lazy sundays).
     
  3. QueenOfPlants

    QueenOfPlants Definitely a hominid

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    Hehe. :D

    Well, thank the person who owns the youtube channel! I just told you the link. :)
     
  4. Le Panda Du Mal

    Le Panda Du Mal Contributor Contributor

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    One of my favorite CAS stories. When D&D people talk about “gonzo dungeons” I think of “the Seven Geases” and also another CAS Hyperborea story “the Coming of the White Worm”.
     
  5. Le Panda Du Mal

    Le Panda Du Mal Contributor Contributor

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    I love this recording of “Isle of the Torturers”:
     
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  6. QueenOfPlants

    QueenOfPlants Definitely a hominid

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    What are gonzo dungeons???
     
  7. Le Panda Du Mal

    Le Panda Du Mal Contributor Contributor

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    Dungeons with weird or extradimensional stuff. Not your usual goblins and trolls. Tsatthogua or those serpent scientists in the Seven Geases would probably count as “gonzo.” Though everyone probably had their own idea of what it would be.
     
  8. Cress Albane

    Cress Albane Active Member

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    I think I'd describe this story to a friend like this: "Imagine if H.P Lovecraft wrote Dante's Inferno":D

    The contrast between the language and the world creates a unique atmosphere that allows for some slow-burn humor. I really like when stories do that.

    Also, I love how the "underworld" is presented here. Possibly my favorite type of creatures are those that barely resemble anything known to man, so the presentation here really suits my tastes.

    The only complaint I have is that the story got a bit monotonous in the middle. I think cutting out one interaction or changing it up a bit would improve the general pacing significantly.
     
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  9. QueenOfPlants

    QueenOfPlants Definitely a hominid

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    Could be, though then it would not be 7 geases.
     
  10. Night Herald

    Night Herald The Fool Contributor

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    Okay, wow, that was brilliant! Thanks for sharing, and by extension for introducing me to Clark Ashton Smith. I had heard the name, I'm sure, but not much else. I listened to this and shortly thereafter to "The Testament of Athammaus", which was also great. I'll be devouring more of his work at a steady rate. Or perhaps an unsteady, frantic one, if the quality persists.

    But yeah, "The Seven Geases" really struck me with its uniqueness. I went into it expecting something entirely different. It may be partly because I was getting sleepy at the time, but the narration called forth some very strong visuals and impressions. I felt like I was navigating that strange underworld myself. I have to credit to the narrator, of course, for breathing such life into the story.

    I felt it was wonderfully written, and easy to parse despite the archaic language. I learned some new words, which I'll have to set aside time to properly digest.

    I think my favorite part was the last leg of the journey, when the hunter meets Abhoth, the "coeval of the oldest gods". The initial descriptions of the thing, its progeny, and their, um, interactions were downright chilling. The horrible, uncaring, ceaseless industry of nature and evolution personified, for lack of a better word. Made manifest in eldritch, undulating flesh, perhaps. I found it deeply obscene, even troubling. But then I had to laugh when Abhoth began talking with such a dapper voice and posh lexicon. Just an absolutely delicious juxtaposition.

    The use of seven geases as a thread through the story was immensely compelling, and I was at the proverbial edge of my seat to see what eccentric terror would be next.
     
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