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Clark Ashton Smith: The Master of the Crabs

“The Master of the Crabs” is a short story by Clark Ashton Smith published in Weird Tales in 1948. On the shadowy shores of Zothique, an apprentice is swept away by his master, the sorcerer Mior Lumivix, in a desperate race against the dreaded Sarcand. Their goal: a treasure hidden on the mysterious island of Iribos. As they sail west, they face storms, bewitched calm, and the horrors that lurk in the depths. On the island, betrayal, ancient magic, and sea creatures become the protagonists of a struggle for power and survival.

Clark Ashton Smith’s Stories

Explore the best stories by Clark Ashton Smith, master of cosmic horror and dark fantasy. Discover tales of exotic worlds, ancient magic and unspeakable terrors, such as The Return of the Sorcerer and The Nameless Offspring. Read his complete stories and enter his unique universe.

Jack London: To Build a Fire (Early Version)

To Build a Fire is a short story by Jack London, published in May 1902 in The Youth’s Companion. It tells the story of Tom Vincent’s solitary journey through the frozen landscape of the Yukon in the middle of winter. Confident in his strength and experience, the protagonist ignores the warnings about the dangers of traveling alone. However, the extreme cold soon reveals itself as a ruthless enemy, and what seems like a routine journey becomes a desperate struggle for survival. This is the story’s first version, which London would rewrite and publish under the same title in 1908.

Ernest Hemingway: The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber

Ernest Hemingway : L’heure triomphale de Francis Macomber

The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, a short story by Ernest Hemingway published in 1936, narrates the relationship between a married couple and their guide during a safari in Africa. After an incident with a lion, the interaction between the characters becomes tense, as one of them does not react as expected during the hunt, which tests their emotions and the perception that others have of him. It is an intense story full of twists and turns and one of the most famous by the American writer.

Ted Chiang: The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate. Summary and analysis

“The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” by Ted Chiang is a short story published in 2007 that combines fantasy with a philosophical exploration of time and destiny. Set in medieval Baghdad, it follows Fuwaad ibn Abbas, a merchant who discovers the shop of an alchemist named Bashaarat, who has created a gate capable of taking people twenty years into the past or future. Through intertwined stories, the story raises questions about free will, the inevitability of destiny, and the true meaning of repentance and redemption.

Ray Bradbury: The Small Assassin. Summary and analysis

The Small Assassin, a short story by Ray Bradbury published in 1946, is a disturbing psychological horror story that explores fear and paranoia in motherhood. Alice Leiber, after a complicated delivery, develops an irrational rejection of her baby, convinced that there is something strange about him. Her husband, David, tries to help her, while Dr. Jeffers attributes her fear to an emotional disorder. However, as unexplained events occur, the sense of threat grows, and what seems like a simple obsession becomes terrifyingly real.