This was a wonderful mix of dinosaurs, Nazis, a ninja, a femme fatale, a super soldier, and crazy adventure. The art was pretty good and the story wasThis was a wonderful mix of dinosaurs, Nazis, a ninja, a femme fatale, a super soldier, and crazy adventure. The art was pretty good and the story was good and lots of fun. ...more
Ed Brubaker is a great comics writer and has a good feel for crime stories. This was crime adjacent. I believe it was a take on 70's pulp action novelEd Brubaker is a great comics writer and has a good feel for crime stories. This was crime adjacent. I believe it was a take on 70's pulp action novels and hit that mark pretty well. ...more
I read King Solomon's Mines many years ago. I know Haggard wrote a lot of Africa-centric stories and this is one of them. When I say Africa, I'm meaniI read King Solomon's Mines many years ago. I know Haggard wrote a lot of Africa-centric stories and this is one of them. When I say Africa, I'm meaning "the Dark Continent", of the Victorian Age. Africa was a romantic place for readers in that it was a land of mystery, savagery, and much of it was a mystery.
This story follows a professor and his adopted son. The son is a descendant of an ancient Greek who apparently died at the hands of an immortal queen in the heart of Africa. Following directions left on an ancient pottery shard and other clues, the two embark (along with a faithful retainer) to find this mysterious land where one may become immortal.
Shipwrecks, swamps, and beasts are challenges along the way, but they are eventually taken by some warriors who lead them the rest of the way to this hidden valley. There they eventually meet the immortal queen, She Who Must Be Obeyed (aka She). She sees Leo, the adopted son as a reincarnation of her lost love. I'll stop the recap here.
The queen is a simply vile woman, but also of unearthly beauty, which makes any man fall in love with her. She is petty, jealous, and vengeful. I have a feeling that Haggard might have had a chip on his shoulder when it came to beautiful women. I will also at this point say this book amply displays misogyny and racism throughout. On the flip side, She is a woman of authority in a way that was a bit uncommon for the time.
Overall, a good story, but a bit slow at times. I do not care for Haggard's writing. He tends to being overly wordy in his narrator's monologues. ...more
I listened to the Librivox recording of this book as read by Thomas Copeland. It was very well read.
This is a departure from the series as it focusesI listened to the Librivox recording of this book as read by Thomas Copeland. It was very well read.
This is a departure from the series as it focuses on not John Carter, but he and Dejah Thoris' son, Cathoris. At this point, I must point out that the fourth book in Tarzan is focused on Tarzan's son. Edgar Rice Burroughs is at times a bit formulaic. In the Pellucidar novels, he actually focuses on a different character in the third novel, brings in Tarzan in the fourth novel, and focuses on yet another character in the fifth novel.
About this book - Thuvia, introduced in The Gods of Mars, has returned home to her father, the ruler of another city in Barsoom. Cathoris is quite smitten with her as was alluded to in the previous novel, The Warlord of Mars, but has not stated his intentions quickly enough. She is to be wed to a prince from another city. A third prince of yet another city has intentions toward her and kidnaps her while making it look like Cathoris is responsible.
Cathoris rescues Thuvia, but the two arrive in a strange valley where yet another race of Barsoomians are found, the yellow men of Mars. This group has the ability to generate powerful illusions that can actually harm others who believe in them.
The book didn't excite me as much as the previous Barsoom books, but it had some really interesting and original ideas in it. Cathoris and Thuvia are both interesting characters and the plot was fairly involved, but not too surprising. Even a moderate offering of Edgar Rice Burroughs is not time wasted. ...more
A fun listen from Librovox. Conan is in fine form here. Brash, violent, vengeful, and devious.
Of note about Howard's writing. At the time, his descriA fun listen from Librovox. Conan is in fine form here. Brash, violent, vengeful, and devious.
Of note about Howard's writing. At the time, his description of the voluptous dancer would have been very provocative and remains very vivid and salacious. The descriptions of blacks in the story is again cringeworthy. ...more
I listened to this from Audiovox as read by Richard Kilmer. A fun story, but it drags at times with expounding on imaginary science.
Once again, the trI listened to this from Audiovox as read by Richard Kilmer. A fun story, but it drags at times with expounding on imaginary science.
Once again, the treatment of women was embarrassing, but I know that was a 1920's prevailing opinion.
If I go on with the series, it will be because the next book is called Skylark Duquesne. He supposedly dies in this book, but he's too great a villain to let go. ...more
I listened to this from Librivox while commuting back and forth from work. The narrator was not great. His reading was stiff and I didn't care for howI listened to this from Librivox while commuting back and forth from work. The narrator was not great. His reading was stiff and I didn't care for how he pronounced some words. That said, it wasn't hard to get used to and he conveyed the story well enough.
First off, this is apparently the very first "space opera" and written while Elmer Smith was working on his doctorate between 1915 and 1922. That's a book that was started over 100 years before I listened to it. The portrayals of women and minorities is cringeworthy now, but I can acknowledge the wrongs as I see them and move on.
Dr. Richard Seaton discovers X, an unknown element that when combined with copper produces staggering amounts of energy. With this friend, Martin Crane (a millionaire and engineer), they build a spaceship. Against them is an evil corporation that partners with a scientist named Marc, "Blackie" Duquesne. DuQuesne is a match for Seaton. Brilliant, athletic and capable, but DuQuesne is out for himself and is willing to be totally ruthless, while also being a gentleman. He's basically Flash Gordon with Dr. Zharkov's intelligence. (FYI: Flash Gordon came out in 1934)
DuQuesne builds his own ship and kidnaps Dorothy, Seaton's fiancee. During a struggle on his ship, a lever is thrown hurling them to floor with the heavy G's. Seaton and Crane set out after them and all manner of adventures take place on strange new worlds.
I found the story a lot of fun and truly appreciated how ground-breaking it was. DuQuesne might be the best villain I've read in a long while. I'm listening to the second book now and also enjoying it....more
Magnificent. I read a bunch of Conan when I was much younger and I've read a story or two in recent decades, but this sole novel of Conan by REH is something I'd never read/listened to. It is absolutely amazing. Howard is a consumate writer with vocabulary that might be challenging, but a dictionary (or google search) will bring you up to speed. His words though are very evocative and quickly bring an image to mind.
This is Conan at his best. King Conan loses his throne and quests for a means to regain it against a host of foes including a three thousand year old sorcerer returned to life by other foes. Conan journeys from Aquilonia to Stygia having many adventures along the way.
Mark Nelson reading the story does a fine job. ...more
I think 2017 will be the year of the pulp. This is a newer Doc Savage story written by Will Murray (of The Destroyer fame) and was quite well done. A I think 2017 will be the year of the pulp. This is a newer Doc Savage story written by Will Murray (of The Destroyer fame) and was quite well done. A solid continuation of the old pulps. I want to check more of them out. ...more
A weaker entry in the series. I've heard it improves with the next book. A weaker entry in the series. I've heard it improves with the next book. ...more
One thing I'm greatly enjoying about the Tarzan books is that the second and third went places I never expected. Part of the second book involved TarzOne thing I'm greatly enjoying about the Tarzan books is that the second and third went places I never expected. Part of the second book involved Tarzan as a spy. This book has Tarzan leading a group of apes and a panther as his army in pursuit of the villainous Rokoff.
Great action and adventure and a story that continually surprises me. Sure, there are times where the pulp is thick with the damsel in distress and believing a person dead when they aren't, but overall these are a great time. ...more
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