"As poet, fiction writer, and artist, Clark Ashton Smith (1893-1961) has left an indelible mark on the fields of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. But criticism of his bountiful and varied work has been surprisingly scanty and oftentimes ill-informed. 'The Freedom of Fantastic Things' represents the most substantial volume of criticism of Smith's work ever published, and includes both original and previously published work by leading scholars on Smith" -- Back cover.