Shawn's Reviews > Zothique

Full of decadence, mummies, necromancers, intelligent birds, shipwrecks, torturers, magicians, astrology, arrack, opium, dancing skeletons, demons, Gods, prophesies, lamias, incu- and succu- bi, ells, birdcrowns, deserts, cannibals, witches, charms, jesters, odalisques, parapets, chambers and camels camels camels.

Truly a pioneer of weird tales with his anachronistic word choices, distinctly Arabic settings and tales of dark magic. Smith's world was populated by fallen empires and empires actively falling into ruins. Some of his characters are pitiable but mostly deserve their comeuppances. I think I would have enjoyed these more if I didn't binge them together as they do tend to blend in together and probably can't get them unstuck.