C. L. Moore

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Yes, but they were originally published under the name Lewis Padgett, which often served as a collective surname. It was under this name that I first read some of them in the excellent classic SF anthology Adventures In Time And Space: Adventures in Time and Space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia , which is why I've always suspected that they may have been collaborations even though Moore protests otherwise.

 

[Connavar]

Detour to Otherness
Henry Kuttner & C.L. Moore[SIZE=-1]
introduction by Robert Silverberg
Afterword by Frederik Pohl
Cover art by Richard Powers
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]ISBN 9781[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]893887183
$40.00
600+ pages Hardcover[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Description[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]In 1961, Ballantine Books published Bypass to Otherness, a paperback collection of some of Henry Kuttner's (and C. L. Moore's) best short stories. Several selections were drawn from Kuttner's popular series such as the "Hogbens" (comedic otherworldly hillbillies living in America), "Gallagher Galloway" (scientist who invents technical marvels only when intoxicated), and the "Baldies" stories eventually collected in Mutant. Bypass was projected as the first of three "Otherness" collections of Kuttner's short fiction. Return to Otherness followed in 1962 with 8 more stories. And then . . . nothing. The third "Otherness" collection never appeared. Now, almost fifty years later, Haffner Press announces DETOUR TO OTHERNESS: a massive hardcover assembling the contents of both Bypass to Otherness and Return to Otherness, and adding 8 additional stories selected for their scarcity, quality, and sheer entertainment value. Grand Masters Robert Silverberg and Frederik Pohl provide introductory and afterword materials to the book, and the whole affair is decorated with an unpublished painting by Richard Powers. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]

WORKING ONLINE HOME OF HAFFNER PRESS

This sound interesting for Kuttner/CL Moore fans.
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[Connavar]

Yes, but they were originally published under the name Lewis Padgett, which often served as a collective surname. It was under this name that I first read some of them in the excellent classic SF anthology Adventures In Time And Space: Adventures in Time and Space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia , which is why I've always suspected that they may have been collaborations even though Moore protests otherwise.

Among Kuttner's most popular work were the Gallegher stories, published under the Padgett name, about a man who invented hi-tech solutions to client problems (including an insufferably egomaniacal robot) when he was stinking drunk, only to be completely unable to remember exactly what he had built or why after sobering up. These stories were later collected in Robots Have No Tails. In the introduction to the paperback reprint edition after his death, Moore stated that all the Gallegher stories were written by Kuttner alone.

 

[Fried Egg]

I've just started reading C. L. Moore's collection "Black Gods & Scarlet Dreams" and have so far read the first two stories, both featuring the vengful warrior queen Jirel. I must say that so far I am really enjoying her style and emphasis on imagery over characterisation; that is precisely what I look for in fantasy.

"Black God's Kiss" was a superb story and, in some ways, reminded me of William Hope Hodgson's "The Night Land" in terms of the protagonists nightmare journey across a horrific and dark landscape. Although Moore captures the terror of the ordeal with far more brevity than Hodgson while retaining the rich depiction of the environment.

Good stuff indeed.

 

[Fried Egg]

Well, I've started the "Northwest Smith" stories now and so far, I have to say, I'm not enjoying them as much. It's like Moore set up this character who's a tough, interstella space smuggling rogue but we don't see anything of that side of him. We see only his slipping off into some dark, fantastic nightmare-scape in which he could be anyone.

Perhaps they'll get better as the collection goes on...

 

[Connavar]

Well, I've started the "Northwest Smith" stories now and so far, I have to say, I'm not enjoying them as much. It's like Moore set up this character who's a tough, interstella space smuggling rogue but we don't see anything of that side of him. We see only his slipping off into some dark, fantastic nightmare-scape in which he could be anyone.

Perhaps they'll get better as the collection goes on...

I have read most of the stories in that collection and i must tell you its not about space adventure. Its like Sword and Sorcery, supernatural horror in space. Like reading Howard,Hodgson in space setting.

She isnt a natural Sword and Planet writer like ERB,Brackett.

 

[nomadman]

I sometimes think Moore`s Jirel and Northwest stories are unfairly pigeonholed into the S&S bracket (a genre which was only really defined several decades later) and therefore tend to be held up to standards she wasn`t really aiming for in the first place. Whilst her chracters might have shared outward similarities with more typical S&S heroes like Conan and Eric John Stark I never felt Moore was as interested in plot-driven action so much as in testing the emotional and spiritual mettel of her characters through the intrusion of some alien element that must first be resisted and then overcome. Certainly a large number of her works echo the same theme, and can therefore seem rather repetitive if read too close to one another. Nonetheless, as a writer of weird tales I feel she was almost unrivalled in her abililty to depict the alien and the unreal. Her works share a more authentic nightmarishness than either Smith or Howard, IMO and offer a greater emotional impact than Lovecraft.

 

[Fried Egg]

I loved the Jirel stories, they were all great. But for some reason I was a little disappointed by most of the Northwest Smith stories, although not all, I thought "Scarlet Dreams" was amazing.

Moore definitely tries to paint vivid pictures and describe the full gamot of emotions that her characters endure and I would definitely liken her more to C.A.S. than Leigh Bracket or Robert Howard. I think you're right about the range though. Whilst deeply imaginative in picturing strange worlds and dimensions, she lacks C.A.S.'s range (at least in terms of what is presented in this collection).

 

[Connavar]

I loved the Jirel stories, they were all great. But for some reason I was a little disappointed by most of the Northwest Smith stories, although not all, I thought "Scarlet Dreams" was amazing.

Moore definitely tries to paint vivid pictures and describe the full gamot of emotions that her characters endure and I would definitely liken her more to C.A.S. than Leigh Bracket or Robert Howard. I think you're right about the range though. Whilst deeply imaginative in picturing strange worlds and dimensions, she lacks C.A.S.'s range (at least in terms of what is presented in this collection).

You liken her Jirel stories to CAS ? Her Northwest stories i agree was less than i expected of her. I think Brackett,Howard are stronger on weird S&S like stories in space or in earth compared only to Northwest stories. I hope Jirel is stronger work of hers.

CAS imagination, weird original style is something i would like to see more. I dig Howard and co but i need different styles.

 

[Fried Egg]

You liken her Jirel stories to CAS ?

Not the Jirel stories as such, I was talking more about her general style and evokative prose.

Her Northwest stories i agree was less than i expected of her. I think Brackett,Howard are stronger on weird S&S like stories in space or in earth compared only to Northwest stories. I hope Jirel is stronger work of hers.

I certainly preferred them.

 

[nomadman]

You liken her Jirel stories to CAS ? Her Northwest stories i agree was less than i expected of her. I think Brackett,Howard are stronger on weird S&S like stories in space or in earth compared only to Northwest stories. I hope Jirel is stronger work of hers.

CAS imagination, weird original style is something i would like to see more. I dig Howard and co but i need different styles.

Of the two writers Moore's the more repetitive, with a narrower range and more obvious technical faults to her prose, but I also find her stories more intense, and for that matter prefer her over CAS. CAS's stories rarely hit me with that same jolt, that same sense of the truly weird and nightmarish which is what I generally look for in this type of writing. CAS has plenty of qualities which Moore doesn't possess though. I dunno, it depends on your taste I suppose.

Thing is, even in a relatively narrow field like weird fiction Moore tends to fall between the gaps; her stories lack the plot or down-to-earthness of Brackett, Howard et al, but are a little too overtly macho for the more genteel and sardonic charms of CAS or Vance. Perhaps that's why she hasn't received the same sort of attention that those other writers' have.

At any rate, like most pulp writers she's best read in small doses if one wants to avoid burn out.

 

[Connavar]

Of the two writers Moore's the more repetitive, with a narrower range and more obvious technical faults to her prose, but I also find her stories more intense, and for that matter prefer her over CAS. CAS's stories rarely hit me with that same jolt, that same sense of the truly weird and nightmarish which is what I generally look for in this type of writing. CAS has plenty of qualities which Moore doesn't possess though. I dunno, it depends on your taste I suppose.

Thing is, even in a relatively narrow field like weird fiction Moore tends to fall between the gaps; her stories lack the plot or down-to-earthness of Brackett, Howard et al, but are a little too overtly macho for the more genteel and sardonic charms of CAS or Vance. Perhaps that's why she hasn't received the same sort of attention that those other writers' have.

At any rate, like most pulp writers she's best read in small doses if one wants to avoid burn out.

Good comparison with CAS & Vance, i think thats why i find CAS so appealing. Vance being my fav writer someone is sardonic, prose stylised weird like him that you cant compare to many others is someone to look at for. CAS i have not read enough to get a complete picture of. Only 3-4 short stories. I have high hopes for him though.

There is no chance for burn out most of my weird authors are pulp era authors. Im getting Jirel by Moore, Nightshade volume 1 collection of CAS and Brackett Stark books. I dont have the time to burn out with any of them

 

[J-Sun]

Of the two writers Moore's the more repetitive, with a narrower range

As I indicate in my earlier post, I wouldn't characterize Moore that way. (I have only read a story or two of Smith, so maybe the bare comparison could be true, but sounds unfair, even so.) It's true that Jirel and Northwest are each in a very narrow range and aren't all that far removed from each other but, if you take her whole body of work into account, I'd say she's quite diverse. The fantasy/sf-horror of NWS and JofJ, but also the baroque space opera of Judgment Night, the colorful science fantasy of the Startling novels, the overly drab realism of Doomsday Morning, and quite a variety in her own indpendent stories, not to mention the fact that she's half of Lewis Padgett and Lawrence O'Donnell.

 

[nomadman]

As I indicate in my earlier post, I wouldn't characterize Moore that way. (I have only read a story or two of Smith, so maybe the bare comparison could be true, but sounds unfair, even so.) It's true that Jirel and Northwest are each in a very narrow range and aren't all that far removed from each other but, if you take her whole body of work into account, I'd say she's quite diverse. The fantasy/sf-horror of NWS and JofJ, but also the baroque space opera of Judgment Night, the colorful science fantasy of the Startling novels, the overly drab realism of Doomsday Morning, and quite a variety in her own indpendent stories, not to mention the fact that she's half of Lewis Padgett and Lawrence O'Donnell.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I meant specifically her Jirel and Northwest stories, not her other works (both solo and in collaboration with Kuttner) which, like you said, cover quite a range of themes and styles.

 

[BAYLOR]

Black Gods kiss contain all other Jirrl of Joiry Stories ans thyey are truly great tales o sword and sorcery, Its apathy she did write more of then then did. A novel or two about Jared would have been nice. If you suspend some disbelief , he Nothwest smith stories are lots of fun to read as well. There is even one story where Northwest Smith and Jirel of Joiry are brought together.