Hot Lead - Most Wanted All Review Special by Justin Mariott

As part of the Hot Lead series of fanzines, Justin Marriott brings us an all-review special. It came out last year, in 2020 and was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise horrible year. It's a wonderful resource for fans of western fiction. More than 160 pages and over 200 reviews representing the vast history of the western paperback are all here for the taking. It is perhaps the best such resource of its kind in existence today.

The Forward to this volume, by noted comic book writer and western author Chuck Dixon sets the proper tone of enthusiasm for the genre as a whole.  Justin Marriott himself provides a thoughtful introduction while three more informative and addictive essays are also included: Paul Bishop examines ten of his favorite western authors, Howard Andrew Jones takes a deep dive into westerns in the Gold Medal line and Gary Dobbs provides a thorough analysis of Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove Saga.   

The reviews themselves are organized chronologically with major divisions by “era” beginning in 1927 all the way to modern day westerns. You’ll find everything from stand-alone classics to western series, adult westerns, weird westerns, and even the comics. Each is granted a rating by the reviewer and of course, not all will agree, but there-in lies an extra bit of fun when reading them. I found more than a few that I at first disagreed with but the text of the review sells their rating and now has me thinking I might revisit them to see if my own opinion might change.

This is a fairly hefty product, especially considering the price. Most of the reviews are accompanied by black & white cover photos of the original publication and that in itself can be a fun way to browse.  One note of caution however: readers might well find themselves significantly expanding their wish lists for future reads so check your bank account before delving in.

** On a side note, I feel a little conflicted about reviewing this product at all since I have ten or so reviews in here myself. My words above reflect all the other content in the book, and I would feel the same even were I not included. Nevertheless, it was an honor and a privilege to contribute to the effort. **

The Eagles' Brood (Camulod Chronicles) by Jack Whyte

Once again I am marveling at this series known as “The Camulod Chronicles,“, the vast epic story of the Legends of King Arthur, but told as historical novels rather than fantasy.  This is a series to savor over time rather than rush through from one book to the next, tempted as I am to do so simply because of the fantastic storytelling and pure reading enjoyment.

This third volume starts a new “chapter” in the series as we have moved on to a new generation in the larger story.  The first two books are told from the viewpoint of Publius Varrus, but now we turn to events from his nephew’s perspective, Caius Merlyn Britannicus.  That’s right…the Merlin of legend is now the narrator of the story but this is not the long white bearded old wizard we often think of, at least not yet.  He is a warrior and leader of men, much like his cousin and best friend, Uther Pendragon.

This novel is a transitional book in the series as it takes us through the lives of the young Merlyn and Uther and ends with the discovery of a young 7-8 week old infant by the name of Arthur.  But more than that, the largely idyllic story heretofore of the building of the Colony of Camulod (Camelot) and the advancement of ideas and invention has morphed into the inevitable war torn strife of our heroes defending against the invading Saxons and others.  Much more about wars and battles in this one, and consequently more brutal than the first two, culminating in the final battles between Uther and Lot of Cornwall.  It’s also transitional in other ways as Merlyn’s encounters with influential people he meets during his travels alter his perspectives on religion, culture, and the motivations of countries.  He comes to realize, for example, that the invading Saxons, whom he has always thought of as inherently evil, are really no different than his own ancestors, the Romans, who also invaded the British Isles. No doubt these sorts of realizations will greatly affect his influence on Arthur.

I love the way the author presents a wonderful sweeping saga of a story, building in all of the familiar aspects of the legend but keeping it all at such a rich personal level.  A hint of magic does sneak into this one in the form of a few Merlyn’s dreams but they are more prescience than sorcery.  I really want to know how these same events unfolded from Uther’s perspective but alas I will have to wait, for Uther doesn’t get his own book until #7 in the series.  Meanwhile I greatly look forward to the next installment, The Saxon Shore, wherein I hope to discover just what sort of adventures Merlyn will be having with his new ward, baby Arthur.

Zorro - Volume 1 by Johnston McCulley

Don Diego Vega is the spoiled son of Don Alejandro Vega, the richest landowner in California and favorite of the governor. He’s a real dandy and despises anything that might be construed as work or that would require some amount of effort on his part. We know him better, of course, as Zorro, defender of commoners and indigenous peoples of California against corrupt and tyrannical officials and other villains. The early days of the Pueblo of Los Angeles was a cauldron of competing politics and devious motives. Dressed all in black and wearing a mask, Zorro relishes opportunities to one-up the mostly inept public officials who endlessly attempt to capture him. 

This volume opens with the very first novel in the Zorro cannon, “The Mark of Zorro.” This has been retitled after its original debut when it was known as “The Curse of Capistrano” first appearing in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley. Interestingly, it was meant to be a stand-alone novel but the Douglas Fairbanks film adaptation in 1920 prompted more stories over some four decades. This volume collects two additional short stories: “Zorro Saves a Friend” and “Zorro Hunts a Jackal”.

I enjoyed these stories more than I expected I would. I worried that, like many pulp stories of that era, they might be rather dry due to the style differences from more modern works. Happily my concerns were for naught as McCulley writes in an easy-flowing, campfire-story-telling way that encourages the reader to keep turning the pages. The first novel, "The Mark of Zorro" was clearly meant to be the only story as it offers a complete account of Zorro’s adventures. It culminates in his ultimate success by exposing the corruption and winning the girl and even going so far as to reveal his identity to all. Subsequent stories have to deal with this and so they make it clear that only a select few, after all know that he is really Don Diego Vega.

A nice essay is included at the end of the book, written by Ed Hulse, wherein he takes a good look at how the Douglas Fairbanks film was conceived and its impact on the future of Zorro.

The stories differ from the movies and television series that readers may have seen but it was fun to read the original stories upon which they were based. Looking forward to more Zorro stories to come.

Last Days of Night by Graham Moore

This novel provides a fascinating portrayal of one of the most exciting times in world history, at least when it comes to scientific invention and the birth of technology.  It was enjoyable to read, to get to know the real-life characters, and at the same time learn about these historical events in a non-textbooky way.

The plot revolves around three main historical characters: Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla.  The inventor, the businessman, and the genius.  All three men were primary warriors in what became known as the “current war”, i.e. the battle over whether or not A/C or D/C would win out in the end.  In the middle of this tripod of giant historical figures is a young 26 year old recently graduated attorney named Paul Cravath, a name not familiar to me when I began reading this book but who I learned became one of the giants of the legal profession, largely due to his involvement in the “current war” and its successful resolution (depending on one’s point of view).

This is a pretty fast-paced novel with short chapters and a swift narrative style.  The facts are well-researched and the author provides a welcome section at the end wherein he separates facts from fiction.  There is also a nice little romance sub plot. But where the novel really shines is in how it is capable of transcending the simple facts of the events during the late 1800’s when electricity was harnessed and helps us to understand the nature and value of the inventive process.  A relatively brief 15 years in our history saw not only many new discoveries related to electricity, but also the birth of new ideas on how we would go about “inventing” in the future.  The notion of an eccentric lone inventor working in his personal lab quickly morphs into the business of inventing.  Really, it’s the beginnings of how technology is advanced today. 

This was what made me interested to read this book.  But in addition, thanks to having Paul Cravath as the protagonist character, I also got to witness the concurrent development of the legal profession, seeing it change quickly from a cottage industry into a legal “factory” with Cravath’s introduction of the idea of associate attorneys and building an entire legal firm.  Pretty cool.

I’ve read this author’s previous novel, "The Sherlockian" and enjoyed it a lot and I’ve also seen the “The Imitation Game” movie for which he was the screenwriter.   Clearly, much like the characters he writes about, Graham Moore is a name to watch in the future.

Highly recommended!

Zelda by Carter Brown

Earlier this year I was able to acquire a bunch of Carter Brown (Alan Geoffrey Yates) paperbacks for a fantastically cheap price.  To be honest I was mostly interested in the cover art by Robert McGinnis which have become collectibles all on their own.  But I happen to be one of those people who can’t stand to have an unread book in their house (which is a real problem considering my TBR shelves currently top 1800 books…owned but not yet read…) so I went ahead and plunged into this one, a random selection from the bunch.

This is reportedly the first of the Rick Holman series, although I have seen references to it being number two.  It was published in 1961, an era I’ve been reading quite a lot of recently although not necessarily by design.  Rick Holman is a Hollywood PI, a cool cat who tends to know more about what is happening than he lets on.  He is hired by one of Hollywood’s hottest glamour queens, Ms. Zelda Roxane to be a sort of keeper of the peace/bodyguard during a weekend retreat at her house where she has invited five men, including three ex-husbands to a blackmailing party.  Seems Zelda is short of cash and…well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.  One of the five men gets murdered and it is up to Rick Holman to solve the case.

Parts of this novel were exactly what I expected: a good mix of characters, some innocent, some dumb, some downright slimy, lots of titillating tease scenes, and oozing 1960’s culture.  At first it seemed to be a straight-forward crime story but then it morphed into almost a Hercule Poirot locked-room mystery story with Rick Holman even spilling the results of his investigation to the room full of suspects.  But in the end it morphed one more time into a twist ending that I didn’t see coming but endeared the character of Rick Holman to me quite nicely.

Happily, I still have about 20 more of these Carter Brown novels with McGinnis cover art to make my way through and I shall look forward to them for quick reads when the mood strikes me.

Men's Adventure Quarterly, Vol 2 by Bob Deis & Bill Cunningham

The second volume of the continuing quarterly publication of stories and essays from the golden age of what are known as “MAMs” or Men’s Adventure Magazines continues the excellent content and visual representation of the first. MAMs were magazines mostly from the 1950s-60s that were geared toward men, often violent and with pulpy adventure style yarns. More often than not, the stories were accompanied by colorful art that featured scantily clad women. The publishers, after all, knew their target audience. This time around the subject is espionage and this value is packed full.

Once again, this is a large, slick, high-quality product. It’s chock full of reprinted stories and articles from the original MAMs as well as wonderful introductions by Bob Deis and Bill Cunningham. The stories presented are from the likes of “Man’s Action, “Man’s Illustrated”, and “Male” magazines complimented by impressive original full color and B&W artwork. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Additionally, there are a couple of in-depth articles as well as a full color art gallery of classic covers.

Just as in the first issue, what really drives it over the top are the introductions to each story and article. Often when I read anthologies, I feel lucky when a story is introduced with a paragraph or two providing some background. But here, we get two and three pages of intro, describing each story’s origins, the author’s life, the artists involved and even the publishing background. The folks behind this publication really know their subject and their passion for all of it shines through once again in spades.

Hopefully Robert Deis and Bill Cunningham can put their considerable knowledge of the MAMs to work for our enjoyment for a long time to come. This will have a permanent place on my shelves, right alongside every issue that is published in the future.

Flash Gordon: War of the Citadels by David Hagberg

The second book in the Flash Gordon: Citadels series picks up right after the events of the first book (Flash Gordon: Massacre in the 22nd Century).  Flash, Dale and Dr Zarkov find themselves caught up in a war between two super-advanced machine worlds that have been at war with each other for many thousands of years.  When they acquire knowledge of a weapon named “Ultimus” that seems likely to tip the balance, the trio travel to a communications center planet to retrieve it.

David Hagberg once again pens this entry in the series.  He’s known for his techno-thrillers featuring super-spy Kirk McGarvey and has also written numerous thrillers under the pseudonym Sean Flannery.  That writing style is on full display here, combining lots of technical detail with a plot that leads the main characters through one harrowing escape after another.  In fact, the middle two thirds of this novel is practically nothing but running and escaping various pitfalls as they fight their way through enemy androids. 

I was pleased to see Dale briefly leave her damsel-in-distress role for a moment when she assumed a warrior persona and bravely sliced two androids in two.  Unfortunately, she immediately resumed her former approach to life by bursting into tears and throwing herself into Flash’s arms.  Oh well.  This was published in 1980 but perhaps the author felt this was one area in which he could emulate the more traditional story from the 1930s. 

Once again, the book spends the final few paragraphs setting up the next volume.  It’s one long hi-tech adventure throughout the series so don’t expect much resolution to the plot elements in each book.  One can't help but wonder if our heroes are truly fighting for the right side or if that might be a revelation still to come. I'm enjoying these books so far though, in spite of minor annoyances.  It's not exactly a traditional take on the Flash Gordon mythos but as long as readers can live with that, it's a decent action-oriented space opera story.

Children of Amarid by David B. Coe

The people of Tobyn-Ser have a long history of trusting and relying upon the benevolent actions of an order of mages known as the Children of Amarid. But now, this trust is rapidly eroding as crops are destroyed, villages are burned, and innocent people are being killed, seemingly at the hands of these same mages. Are these renegade mages at work or is it something more dire? A young man named Jaryd, newly recognized as a mage, finds himself at the center of the effort to unmask the nature of the evil invading their lands.

I was introduced to the works of author David Coe through his Thieftaker novels and stories, written under the name D.B. Jackson. I liked them so much that I’ve wanted to go back and try his more traditional fantasy and I’m very happy I did. This book is actually his very first published novel and is the first part of the “LonTobyn” trilogy. I found it to be an excellent read with vivid characters and an interesting plot. The world building is nice, as is the magic system. It is not without the sort of flaws that one might expect from a first novel, however. For example, I thought it could have used a bit more focus in some areas and occasionally the plot was uneven and meandered a little too much. There was also quite a bit of background presented in fairly large info dumps, but he handled this in clever ways such as through a story from somebody or a lesson for Jaryd, allowing us to learn about some of the history right along with him. 

But these are nitpicky issues, far outweighed by the sheer fun of reading a traditional fantasy novel filled with as much hopefulness as peril. It’s not “grimdark” fantasy or hard-boiled; you’ll find no f-bombs here. In style it resembles Raymond Feist’s “Riftwar” series. I like almost all kinds of fantasy and relish variety so have no problems with grimdark, etc. But it is nice every once in a while, to read a smooth-flowing fantasy yarn that doesn’t leave you with a feeling of dread.

So, I offer my strongest compliment I can ever give to a first book in a series: I can’t wait to read the next one.

Updated: The version I read is dated 1998 but per the author, all three of the LonTobyn Chronicles have been re-released from Lore Seekers Press. After a thorough edit, making improvements to prose, syntax, etc. but not to story or character development, some 20,000 words have been pruned from this first volume. My comments about a meandering and uneven plot are likely no longer relevant. 

Easy Company and the Suicide Boys by John Wesley Howard

On the high plains of Wyoming Territory in the 1870’s sits Outpost Number Nine. It’s home to the fictional “Easy Company”, a unit of mounted infantry (don’t call them cavalry) in the days after Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer lost at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Easy Company is charged with maintaining the fragile peace with the Indian tribes in the area but also stand ready to fight, should that action be called for.

This is the first novel in the Easy Company series of 31 westerns written by a number of authors using the John Wesley Howard pseudonym. This time (and apparently the only time), the author is Lou Cameron, the author who brought us 'Longarm' as well as the 'Renegade' series and the 'Stringer' series among many others. The “suicide boys” of the book’s title refer to a group of young, untested, would-be Indian warriors out to prove their bravery, and their actions in the novel lead to conflicts with the outpost.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in the series.  The main characters of Easy Company, including the commander, his officers, 1st Sergeant, and a handful of enlisted men are all introduced as the story unfolds, as are the various leaders of the Indian tribes. An additional source of conflict arrives in the form of an IG inspector, a by-the-book man who struggles to understand why Easy Company finds it necessary to interpret the regulations creatively from time to time in order to preserve the peace.

If this first book is an indication of the quality of the entire series…well, I only have 30 more to read and I’ll enjoy each one of them.

Fancy Anders Goes to War by Max Allan Collins

In 1942 Los Angeles, a young socialite named Fancy Anders finds herself in charge of her father’s famous detective agency when he is called back to active duty. She is only supposed to be a caretaker of the agency, routing incoming cases to other agencies. But when a young female worker named Rose at Amalgamated Aircraft, who had been chosen to pose as a model for a new line of patriotic posters is found dead, Fancy’s suspicions are aroused. Was it an accidental death or was she murdered? Fancy goes undercover at the factory, working as a riveter alongside a diverse group of other women, to get to the bottom of it. But as the story moves along, Fancy (and we readers) soon come to realize there is far more going on here than a simple murder mystery, likely with massive consequences.

Fancy Anders is a great new character and building her into this novella form is a real treat. It’s a tight, lean story and serves well to not only set up Fancy as a well-rounded character but also provides an interesting detective yarn in a cool historical setting. As always, Collins’ proves adept at interweaving a good plot with historical figures including, in this case, no less than FDR. 

This is the first novella of three (so far) to feature the adventurous tomboy. She has classical Hollywood beauty mixed with a keen intelligence and over-the-top confidence. Sort of a combination of Phryne Fisher and Nancy Drew. Comparisons to Brenda Starr and Max Allan Collins’ own Ms. Tree would not be out of line. But she is also smart enough to know she doesn’t have the street savvy to go it alone so makes good use of friends and confidants, including LA homicide cop, Rick Hinder. She’s no wallflower to be sure, having lived an adventurous life already. 

The novella reads like a prose version of a graphic novel and indeed, there is a wonderful illustration at the beginning of each chapter by artist/illustrator Fay Dalton, known for her James Bond folio work and Titan’s Hard Case Crime graphic novels. The entire package is a wonderful combination of retro noir art in all its forms.

Can’t wait to read more of Fancy Anders!

70,000 to 1 by Quentin Reynolds

On May 21, 1943, Gordon Manuel was serving  as bombardier aboard a B-17E and was shot down by a Japanese night fighter. He bailed out over the island of New Briton, the only survivor. His leg was broken, and he had few supplies. He did have a .45 but only five bullets. He would be stranded there for almost nine months, evading the hordes of Japanese forces on the island. This book is a fictionalized account of his true story, told from his first-person perspective.

The author, Quentin Reynolds, was an American journalist and World War II war correspondent. The book was first published in 1946, using the same sort of language the GI’s used, meaning a bit coarse for that era but pretty mild by today's standards. The first few chapters read much like a Robinson Crusoe story, with Manuel figuring out how to find food, water, and shelter and to care for his broken leg. Eventually he befriends an island native who speaks a sort of pidgin English and ultimately takes him back to his home village where he is well cared for. The natives dislike the Japanese presence on their island so are happy to protect Manuel and even scout out Japanese locations. By the end they are even finding other downed airmen and bringing them back to Manuel so they can organize a rescue.

If you’re going into this one expecting a Rambo-style plot with one man fighting his way through groups of Japanese soldiers with cool tactics and edge-of-your-seat suspense, then you will need to look elsewhere. I remember just two times when Manuel was even close to the enemy and both turned out to be anti-climactic. This despite several mentions that he has been living just 100 yards from an enemy encampment for much of the time. It is, however, an interesting read, partly because it is based on an actual event. Anytime a man can get shot down and survive for nine months on an enemy-controlled island is bound to be of interest. Additionally, Manuel’s first-person perspective of his adventures is told in a plain-language style that endears him to the reader and you can’t help but want him to succeed.

Men's Adventure Quarterly, Vol 1 by Bob Deis & Bill Cunningham

Color me impressed!

This is the first volume of what I sure hope is a continuing quarterly publication of stories and essays from the golden age of what are known as “MAMs” or Men’s Adventure Magazines. These were magazines mostly from the 1950s-60s that were geared toward men, often violent and with pulpy adventure style yarns. More often than not, the stories were accompanied by colorful art that featured scantily clad women. The publishers, after all, knew their target audience.

Now, Robert Deis and Bill Cunningham have put their considerable knowledge of the MAMs to work for our enjoyment. Each volume will focus on a single theme. This first one focuses on westerns and the second revolves around the world of espionage while the third devotes itself to the world of vigilantes. I own them all will be posting reviews of them as well, shortly.

This is a large, slick, high-quality product.  The cover alone makes my mouth water. But it is the contents that really blow me away. It’s chock full of reprinted stories and articles from the original MAMs as well as wonderful introductions by Bob Deis, Bill Cunningham, and guest editor, Paul Bishop. There are nine stories presented from the likes of “MALE”, “Man’s Life”, and “All Man” magazines complimented by impressive original full color and B&W artwork. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Additionally, there are a couple of in-depth articles as well as a full color art gallery of classic covers.

All of that would have added up to a sure-fire winner. But, for me, what really drives it over the top are the introductions to each story and article. Often when I read anthologies, I feel lucky when a story is introduced with a paragraph or two providing some background. But here, we get two and three pages of intro, describing each story’s origins, the author’s life, the artists involved and even the publishing background. The folks behind this publication really know their subject and their passion for all of it shines through in spades.

This will have a permanent place on my shelves, right alongside every issue that is published in the future. Highest recommendation!

Doc Savage: Spook Hole by Kenneth Robeson (Lester Dent)

Originally published in August 1935, this was the 30th Doc Savage story to be let loose upon the world. (Bantam has it as number 70 while the Sanctum reprints list it as number 43). Relatively speaking this falls much nearer the beginning of the series than the end and was written by the series’ creator, Lester Dent. 

Overall, this is more of a straight mystery adventure without as many potentially supernatural occurrences (or even the perception of such), as most Doc novels. The real mystery throughout most of the book is, “What exactly is Spook Hole?” What is it? Where is it? Why are so many people interested enough to kill for it? 

All but one of Doc’s crew makes an appearance in this one (another indicator of it falling in the first half of the series).  Even Doc’s cousin Pat Savage gets in on the action, as if you could keep her out of the fray once she’s gotten a whiff of an adventure to be had. One of Doc’s aides spends most of the novel undercover, but I won’t spoil that by naming names. 

The novel spends a bit too much time spinning its wheels in the first half, with various individuals or groups chasing after one another and trying to avoid Doc and friends. This is still fun reading because a lot of “Docisms” are on display such as various disguises, infiltrations, 86th floor lab break-ins, Monk/Ham insults, the upstate criminal college, and gadgets galore. However, it fails to advance the plot much. When we finally get around to Spook Hole, the plot develops nicely, and the guest character build-ups pay off. The final McGuffin reveal was a little under par but that’s OK. These books aren’t really about that anyway. The story does feature one of my favorite character names in the entire Doc Savage series: Hezemiah Law. Whether or not he is a good guy or a bad guy…well, you’ll have to read the book to find out.

Sepulchre by James Herbert

Originally published in 1987, this novel was written in the middle of James Herbert’s career, an author who has been referred to as the British Stephen King. It features a professional bodyguard and hostage negotiator named Liam Halloran who works for a company named ‘Achilles Shield’. He is assigned to protect the most valuable asset of the Magma Corporation who turns out to be a man named Felix Kline. Why is Kline so valuable? Halloran is told the man is a psychic researcher whose paranormal abilities allow him to locate undiscovered mineral mines. Halloran is skeptical to say the least but as events unfold, he is soon convinced. There have already been several failed attempts on Kline’s life by rival companies but now, the psychic has had a premonition that he will soon be in even greater danger.

The novel is basically a thriller novel for the first three-fourths of the book as Halloran works to increase security around Kline. He is introduced to the man’s personal bodyguard, a woman named Cora Redmile but soon realizes she is not trained well enough and security measures for Kline are inadequate. He does have four hired thugs but they are brutes of the worst sort. When Kline decides to be moved to his luxurious personal estate named ‘Neath’, hidden away in a small valley near London, Halloran’s tasks magnify. We see a few glimpses of something supernatural going on, although neither Halloran nor the reader is quite sure what it is. These glimpses certainly attracted me further and kept me turning the pages. The characters’ backstories are developed thoroughly as the buildup continues and eventually leads into the final quarter of the book where the horror aspects are fully unleashed. 

I haven’t read much by this author but based on this one, I am intrigued and will surely sample more of his work. I enjoyed the bodyguard/physical security aspects of the novel, especially Halloran’s workman like approach to his job in spite of a less than appreciative client. And when the horror comes out it really comes out. I felt the barrage of revelation after revelation as Herbert ties in earlier clues, including ancient Sumerian mythology and biblical themes. The plots and subplots are layered one upon the other and not fully appreciated until the dramatic and fitting conclusion.

Herbert’s incorporation of a thriller/horror crossover, I understand, is not unique to this novel. I thought it worked very well, with the corporate aspects providing a way to become truly invested in the characters before the major horror elements were let loose. I’m looking forward to my next Herbert novel.

Rattler's Law, Volume One by James Reasoner

Lucas Flint is the new marshal of Abilene, Kansas, an experienced lawman but a man that had no plans to resume his career, much less in the notoriously wild town of Abilene. After all, to fill the shoes of the last marshal, Wild Bill Hickock would be no easy task. But his moniker of “Rattler” describes his lightning-fast draw, as fast as a rattlesnake and that reputation serves him well when facing down the bad guys.

This volume compiles the first eight novels in the series and each one of them is a joy to read. These are traditional westerns. If they were movies, they would be rated PG. Flint makes for a fine protagonist as the first novel sees him tame the town and subsequent tales depict situations where he must maintain the peace. Whether it's a circus that's come to town or a fiery visitor from the Women's Temperance Society looking to banish all whiskey, you can be sure Flint will find himself in the middle of it and having to use his fast draw to solve the problem. But he’s far from alone in his efforts, supported by major characters such as his loyal but rough-around-the-edges deputy Cully Markham, and a Scottish saloon proprietor named Angus MacQuarrie who can wield a mean shotgun. Other characters include the female town doctor, the school master, and Cully’s brother Joshua who also happens to be the town pastor. 

Each story stands on its own but it’s a joy to return to the setting each time and revisit these characters. In some ways it reminds me of a television show like Gunsmoke, albeit with longer movie-length episodes. Prolific author James Reasoner has described these novels as rewritten and expanded versions of some of his early Western novels.

Wonderful stuff all the way through. Happily, I already own Volume 2, consisting of eight more novels. Can’t wait to get back to them.

Tick Tock by Dean Koontz

Tommy Phan has carved out a nice career as a detective novelist, so much so that he has just quit his reporter day job. His family immigrated to the US from Vietnam when Tommy was a young child, and he is all about pursuing the American Dream. But when a mysterious package arrives on his doorstop containing a strange little cloth doll, he wonders who sent it. Wonder turns to fear and terror when the doll comes to life, attacks him, and continually morphs into a larger and more gruesome demon. Worse, all Tommy’s attacks and attempts to stop it, kill it or even just harm it, fail. His only clue in all this is a phrase that has mysteriously appeared on his computer: “Deadline is dawn”. 

Tick Tock.

Every time I start to read a Dean Koontz book, I hesitate, knowing I am taking a risk. While some of my best reading experiences in the horror genre are due to his work, I’ve also suffered a great deal of wasted opportunities. Over the first 100 pages of this novel, I was preparing, unfortunately, to log this one in the later category. It’s a simple set-up for a horror tale but Koontz can drag out a scene with the best of them and this was getting old real fast.

But then, the whole thing gets turned on its head. It turns into a screw-ball comedy. You heard that right. Perhaps the setup I’ve described lends one to conclude that’s what has been planned all along. Regardless, the character of Del (short for Deliverance Payne) enters the plot and all is cool thereafter. She provides the zaniness, the pizazz, the aggravating nonchalance that is required for a screwball horror comedy to work. She’s a waitress who is also an heiress to a fortune. Tommy is the bumbling, unbeliever who must tolerate Del’s wild philosophies and uncanny abilities to do everything from hotwire a car to pilot a helicopter. This isn’t a laugh-out-loud funny book but her antics (and her mother’s) certainly brought a smile to my face, and eventually to Tommy’s as well.

In the end, I’m glad I stuck with this one. It’s not Koontz’ masterpiece but it turned out to be a pretty nice fun read.

Reincarnal & Other Dark Tales by Max Allen Collins

I’ve read a fair number of Max Allan Collin’s crime and/or mystery novels and always enjoyed them but this is the first time I realized he wrote some horror as well, so naturally, I had to jump on this collection. Included here are 8 stories plus two radio play scripts. I enjoyed every one of them, an unusual thing for an anthology of any stripe. 

Several of these are MAC’s take on traditional horror stories. There’s a couple of vampire tales, a Frankenstein’s monster type of story, a werewolf story and at least two haunted house yarns. But the author brings a unique perspective to each of the stories, dropping clues along the way as to which traditional story you’re reading. For example, the Frankenstein story isn’t a mad scientist creating a creature from dead body parts, exactly, but rather about a mob kingpin. There are other tales here as well, not tied into any previous works. Some tend towards hard core horror while others have a definite sense of humor about them. Most of them offer explicit sexual content so be aware of that before diving in.

All these stories were previously published as contributions to previous anthologies, mostly in the 1990s. All are pretty quick reads and thoroughly enjoyable.  Here are the stories included:

- “Reincarnal” - 1994
- “The Night of Their Lives” – 1995
- “A Good Head on his Shoulders” – 1993
- “Wolf” – 1999
- “Not a Creature Was Stirring” – 1990, revised in 2020
- “Open House” – 2011
- “Traces of Red” – 1995
- “Rock ‘n’ Roll Will Never Die” – 1994
- “Interstate 666” – 1997
- “House of Blood” Radio Play – 2012
- “Mercy” Radio Play - 2012

I, The Jury by Mickey Spillane

“I want you to hear every word I say. I want you to tell it to everyone you know. And when you tell it, tell it strong, because I mean every word of it. There are ten thousand mugs that hate me and you know it. They hate me because if they mess with me I shoot their damn heads off. I’ve done it and I’ll do it again.”

Mike Hammer, hard-hitting, tough-talking private eye has been around the block a few times and has earned a certain reputation.  A reputation for taking care of business using lethal force if needed.  When his best friend is found dead, the same best friend who had literally given an arm for him during the war, Hammer is out for blood, and a promise to kill the bastard that did it.

About time I started the Mike Hammer series by Mickey Spillane.  I’ve sort of been avoiding it because I have an awful lot of series going right now and, as usual, I was worried I would start this one and get drawn into a bunch more must-reads. But I am also reading a collection of short stories right now and the next one happens to be one of the Mickey Spillane/Max Alan Collins stories that is continuing the Mike Hammer series.  And I wanted to be sure I had read the first Hammer book in case it was in any way an origin story.

It wasn’t.  Not really.  Mike Hammer is introduced in mid-career with many a case behind him already.  I understand there is a chronology to the books and short stories but I’m not sure at this point if any of them really need to be read in order. Nevertheless, I’m glad to have finally gotten to this classic of the hard-boiled genre.  Besides Hammer, himself, we also get to meet the ongoing characters of his secretary Velda and his friend Pat Chambers, Captain of Homicide NYPD.  The story itself was nicely absorbing, filled with the expected violent action and dangerous dames.  I figured out the culprit fairly early on but not necessarily the how and the why.

So, here I  am, with a newly stoked need to read another 20-plus novels.  Bummer.

The Singing Sword (The Camulod Chronicles) by Jack Whyte

The second book in the “Camulod Chronicles” picks up shortly after the events of the first book, The Skystone.  It continues the tale of Caius Britannicus and Publius Varrus (both great grandfathers of the future King Arthur of Briton) as they continue to build the colony of Camulod during the turn of the 5th century AD, when Rome was pulling out of Briton and leaving the Brits, the Celts, and other assorted peoples to deal with various invading groups such as the Saxons and the Northmen.

I love the way this series is a truly accurate historical novel series, at this point at least, that also just happens to be related to the Arthurian legends.  As the colony of Camulod gets established, we get to see major historical events and influences unfold.  For example, due to the need for mobility in responding to threats, the art of warfare using horses is advanced.  Rome was never known for its cavalry but now there is a need for well-trained warriors on horses.  A breeding program is introduced to increase the size of the horses, the stirrup is introduced, and the swords are lengthened to allow use from horseback.  All of these developments are actual historical occurrences.  We also get to witness the first rough efforts to convert a Senate-like council meeting where elitism prevails to a newer style of local government in the form of a round circle of chairs where all have an equal voice.  I think we all know where this will lead to in an Arthurian sense.

But more importantly, this is a well-told tale.  Just as in the first novel, this is a first person account by Publius Varrus, a former legionnaire, partly crippled through a battle injury, and now a master blacksmith.  One might correctly guess from the title that he is the eventual crafter of Excalibur.  His first person point of view lends a great perspective on bringing these great events down to the individual level and allowing the everyday life of families, lovers, builders, etc. to be as personal and emotional for the reader as it is for him.  Great and satisfying personal achievements are matched by great loss and even tragedy.  It is rare when a fictional novel brings a tear to my eye but this one managed to do it.

All of these great historical shifts in thinking and technique take many years.  The first two novels cover most of Caius and Publius’s long lives but it is inevitable that we move on.  I’m excited for the third book in the series The Eagles' Brood where I understand that Publius’s grandson takes over the first person account.  His name is Caius Merlyn Britannicus, first cousin of Uther Pendragon. 

The Avenger #1 - Justice, Inc. by Kenneth Robeson (Paul Ernst)

This first novel in the Avenger series tells the origin story of Richard Benson, a man who, prior to the events of this book, had earned his fortune by being a professional adventurer; i.e. discovering rubber in South America, leading native armies in Java, making aerial maps in the Congo, mining amethysts in Australia and emeralds in Brazil, etc.  But at the beginning of this novel, just when Benson is planning on settling down, his ideal life is brutally shaken when his wife and young daughter are killed, inexplicably disappearing from an airplane on which he himself is also a passenger.

The sheer shock and stress of that experience lands Benson in a hospital and changes him forever.  His face becomes paralyzed while both his skin and hair have turned white, his facial flesh becoming malleable, like clay.  His quest to chase down the crime ring behind his tragic loss forms the basis for this novel.  During the story he also recruits the first two members of what will become “Justice Inc.”: Fergus "Mac" MacMurdie and Algernon Heathcote "Smitty" Smith.  

While these books bear the author house name of “Kenneth Robeson”, this book along with most of the original Avenger stories was written by Paul Ernst.  It was originally published in the September 1939 edition of the pulp magazine “The Avenger”, published by Street & Smith.  Reportedly this series of pulp novels grew out of a wave of magazine cancellations in the late 1930s and recognition that a new hero was needed; a hero that combined the styles and features of previous best sellers Doc Savage and The Shadow.

For me, while I did enjoy the story, it felt a little disjointed.  I’ve read a lot of Doc Savage and did notice many similarities including Benson’s aversion to outright killing the bad guys.  It is also evident that he is building a team of aides and that he enjoys using gadgets in his work.  Of course Benson is a physical hero with incredible strength and intelligence.  The plastic, malleable state of his facial features is pretty bizarre, I must say.  It allows him to reshape his facial features into a likeness of any person, his features remaining in sculpted form "until they are carefully put back into place".  It’s a cool ability I suppose but weird.  Something I would expect in the comics from a bad guy but I suppose the pulps of this era weren’t much different.  I need to remember that those kinds of comics had just gotten started with Superman having just debuted in Action Comics #1, (cover-dated June 1938), so all those weird bad guy characters were still to come.

All in all, I’m glad I finally got around to this series and this character.  He’s been on my list a long time and I somehow managed to acquire the complete set of paperback books from Popular Library so I’ll be reading more.  Looking forward to seeing how he progresses and especially to meet the new members of his team as they are introduced.

Man on the Tightrope by Neil Patterson

In post-World War II Czechoslovakia, a circus owner/operator named Cernik is frustrated by his country’s now-Communist government and is determined to escape to Austria.  After being interrogated by the state security enforcers, Cernik’s plans are forced into a faster-than-planned timeline.  He must contend with spies for the state, competing circuses, a beautiful but perhaps unfaithful wife, and a willful daughter in order to bring the plan to fruition and bring his entire circus across the border.

This book really is a lost treasure. I picked it up along with a batch of extremely cheap pulp-era paperbacks, and based purely on the cover art, I wasn’t expecting all that much. Happily, I was pleasantly surprised.  I also hadn’t realized that it is based on a true story.  It first appeared as the magazine novel, "International Incident" and was based on the actual escape of the Circus Brumbach from East Germany in 1950. The author, Neil Patterson (James Edmund Neil Patterson), was a well-regarded Scottish writer and among his works is the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay (1959’s "Room at the Top").  This book, too, was turned into a movie a year following publication.

It’s a pretty quick read and it kept me engaged throughout.  I would recommend it to others except it might be very difficult to obtain. It reads like an adventure novel of daring escape and after reading it, I am interested to chase down the movie as well.  Although you know how that goes…

Six-Gun Poker by Ron Goulart

Prolific author Ron Goulart has used many pen names over the years, including Kenneth Robeson (12 books in The Avenger series), Con Steffanson (Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon books), and many others. In addition, he’s done a lot of comic book writing for such series as Vampirella and Phantom. He’s even the ghost author behind William Shatner’s “TekWar” series. But it was as “Zeke Masters” that he compiled a series of 31 western novels featuring the likable card shark and faro banker, “Faro Blake”.

This eleventh book in the series opens with Blake in the small town of Simsville Colorado, breaking in a new case keeper by the name of Jim Higginson to assist him in running his faro games. But when they have an extraordinarily successful night against a gang leader named Joshua, the gang chooses to regain their losses by torturing both Blake and young Higginson for the location of the hidden cash. Higginson gives up the location but does not survive the torture. This launches Blake on a vendetta to regain his earnings and destroy the gang. He is aided by Higginson’s sister as Blake infiltrates the gang by assuming the guise of a notorious bank robber and safe cracker. Of course, things don’t go as planned, especially when the real bank robber shows up, but watching Blake get out of all the precarious predicaments is half the fun.

This book is packed full of western action, adventurous escapades, exciting gun play, and a fair amount of sexual shenanigans, fulfilling its mission as an “adult western.” The prose is lean and the plot moves along at a rapid pace, keeping me turning the pages. At times it feels like the author’s comic book experience shines through here as well. Faro Blake proves to be a welcome protagonist; easy to ride in his boots even if he makes different choices than I would.

Spearhead by Franklin M. Davis, Jr.

March 3rd, 1945 finds Major Van Lawrence newly assigned to command of a tank-infantry team which would spearhead the drive across the Rhine. His primary problem, other than the well-defended terrain ahead, is that he is replacing a popular commander and the unit sees him as a HQ weenie who’s green to actual combat. Chief among his detractors is his second in command, Captain Bradlow, who is jealous that he wasn’t picked for the job. Added to the mix of key characters is the general in charge and an extremely competent first sergeant who practically sleeps with the rule book. And finally, to complicate Major Lawrence’s immediate future just a little more, there is a beautiful lady reporter tagging along because of course there is.

The first half of the novel is devoted to Major Lawrence getting his feet wet in his new position and gaining the trust of his men. He must do this quickly because orders to attack the town across the river and its two German divisions would be in effect in just 24 hours. The attack itself takes up most of the second half of the book and includes some riveting accounts. An interesting ethical dilemma crops up in the form of an historic church which Eisenhower himself has placed on the protected list. Captain Bradlow, however is convinced its spires present a major threat in the form of sniper locations. To attack it or not to attack it becomes a key choice. 

When Franklin M. Davis, Jr. wrote this novel, he was a Lt Colonel in the US Army, having served in Europe in WWII. He was with the 3rd Armored Division in the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns and would ultimately attain the rank of Major General. His firsthand knowledge of armor tactics and small unit combat leadership is evident in the story. Of course, such experience doesn’t necessarily translate to good story-telling but in this case, Davis does a fine job. The novel is a quick easy read but thoroughly enjoyable. He wrote several other works of fiction as well as some history books; I would certainly read him again if given the chance.

The Nemesis From Terra by Leigh Brackett

Rick Urquhart is attempting to evade “The Company”, a rather ruthless mining conglomerate that wields much power on Mars. Tension has been building between rebellious Martians and humans who work for The Company. Rick encounters a Martian who prophesizes that Rick will ultimately rule the planet. Unfortunately, The Company catches Rick and sends him back to labor in the mines once again.  From there the story takes off in a series of adventures involving his escape, a Martian-rights activist/love interest, travel to the Martian North Pole to meet with the “Thinkers”, overcoming several power-hungry bad guys, capture by the Martians, and ultimately rising to become the Martian’s greatest hope for success.

That’s a lot of plot to cover in one not-so-big book.  It is typical of 1940’s Science Fiction however which tended to be long on plot and short on world or character building. I’ve long wanted to try Leigh Brackett, well known as a prolific author of science fiction short stories and novels from the pulp era as well as a screen writer (to include work on the script for “The Empire Strikes Back”).  Much of her work is of the “planetary adventure” or “planetary romance” variety and this one sort of falls into that category.  This is actually her first full length science fiction novel, first published under the title “Shadow Over Mars” in 1944 in the pulp magazine, “Startling Stories”.

I enjoyed reading this quite a bit even though it was a bit rough around the edges.  Apparently, the style of this one is reflective of her previous work on a crime-noir novel and is darker than most of her later work which reportedly morphed into a more fluid style.  Often referred to as the "Queen of Space Opera", she wrote in what was the consensus Mars world of science fiction from the 1930s to the 1950s, so world-building as we know it today was not as necessary.  Everybody knew that Mars was a marginally habitable desert world, populated by ancient, decadent and mostly humanoid races. I do prefer more substantial characterization though rather than just names attached to interesting alien species as we see in this novel.  

All-in-all, I’m glad I read this one, even if it isn’t a perfect representative sample of her work.  I do plan to read more of her stuff as there is certainly enough here to bring me back.

Soul Eater by Dana Brookins

Outside the village of Edgar Falls, in the abutting Pellam Woods, a house is being built.  A mansion, really, being assembled piece by piece. A reconstruction at the behest of a person or persons unknown.  Not much happens in Edgar Falls and since the factory, the town’s major employer, is getting close to shutting down, the town’s populace is enjoying the mystery of who is building this mansion. But soon bad things start to happen. Personalities change, horrible house fires kill occupants, and more. Twelve-year-old Bobby Topin senses the house is behind these terrible events and is somehow controlling people to do its bidding.

This book was originally published in 1985 and was reprinted in 2018 as part of an effort to resurrect forgotten horror “classics”. Yes, this is essentially a haunted house story, but unlike any I’ve read before.  While I enjoyed the setup of the story as well as parts of the unfolding plot, I think the novel really ran into trouble by overloading us with way too many characters and their individual subplots.  I really didn’t need to know every single townsperson and what their individual problems and life complications were.  More than once, I lost track of the main plot thread and wondered where the story was going. 

The final chapters brought everything back in line and the final payoff was OK, if a little bit predictable. No attempt was made to reveal the nature of the house and its evil. I had to be content with an “it was just evil” sort of explanation.  

The Skystone (The Camulod Chronicles) by Jack Whyte

This book is the first novel in the “Camulod” series, a nine book set that encompasses the Arthurian mythos from a historical perspective rather than a “fantasy” perspective.  I had been reluctant to begin, even though I had heard plenty of good things about the entire series.  This was mostly due to the fact that I have read numerous Arthurian accounts, many of them relatively recently, and was unsure of starting yet another one.

So glad I did give it a try though!  Right from the beginning it reminded me of perhaps my favorite Arthurian series, Bernard Cornwell’s "Warlord Chronicles".  That is to say, this book started out with gritty warfare told from the perspective of the Roman warriors on the front lines, down in the dirt and mud, fighting for their legates, their legionnaires, and for the glory of Rome.  The story begins in the final days of the Roman Empire in Briton (~375 AD – 425 AD) and involves several flashback sequences that help establish the two major characters for the novel, Publius Varrus and Caius Brittanicus, both solid Roman soldiers.  A career-ending injury to Publius leads to major changes and we quickly pull back from the day-to-day soldiering and begin to see the larger picture of what everyday life was like for citizens in Roman Briton during that era.  By the end of the book we get to experience even larger issues as we live through what amounts to the abandonment of Briton by the Roman Empire, just after the overrunning of Hadrian’s Wall and the final shake-up of emperors.

  The story is told from Publius’ first person POV as he transforms his life from soldier to blacksmith.  There is not a clue that we are in the Arthurian world throughout the first half of the book…it’s pure historical fiction.  And excellent historical fiction it is.  Well-rounded characters I came to care about and worthy goals I hoped they could achieve.  Publius’ quest for Skystones (meteor rocks) is the central driving force but it is not until the second half of the book that we get some clues that this is taking place several generations before Arthur and the gang’s appearance.  It is fascinating to read how terms such as dragon's nests, the Lady of the Lake and the Pendragon clan are introduced via perfectly natural non-fantasy methods.  No magic what-so-ever in this book.

I suspect this entire series will be a fascinating read.  I expect we will see Whyte continue to incorporate traditional Arthurian names, places and events as well as the names of various historical figures that have been suggested as being the possible basis for the original King Arthur legend. This implies, of course, that Whyte's version of history is the true story that has become distorted over time to become the legend and stories of magic that we know today.  It should be a great ride.

Strip for Murder by Richard S. Prather

Richard S. Prather wrote over three dozen Shell Scott novels as well as numerous short stories published in the likes of 'Manhunt' and 'Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine'. There was even a 'Shell Scott Mystery Magazine' that was published for a while in the 1960s. This novel was fairly early in the series, first published in 1956. The early books were a little inconsistent and one gets the idea that Prather was wrestling with just how he wanted his main character to be. Some were more hard-boiled like Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer and others tended toward the outlandish and comedic. But by the time this book was written, I would have thought the character had settled into a more or less consistent style. But now I’m not so sure.

Many readers regard this one as among the best of the Shell Scott novels. Here, Shell finds himself hired by a wealthy mother to investigate the background of a man who her daughter has married rather impulsively. Is it genuine love or is the guy a gold digger? To add to the intrigue, Shell discovers his predecessor on the case, another private eye, was found murdered. 

Shell’s investigation takes him to a nudist (‘naturist’) colony where he goes “undercover” so to speak as a health and fitness instructor. Of course, in the world of Shell Scott, the women (or ‘tomatoes” as he often refers to them) are almost always gorgeous and willing. The plot is still hardboiled but is interrupted plenty of times with screwball situations, such as his leading the entire nudist colony in calisthenics. His own corny sense of humor is on full display as well. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the double entendre).

The investigation takes him to other locales as well, some very hard boiled while others more of the outlandish type such as a scene where Shell dresses as a knight and uses a lance to fight off some toughs. The mystery is actually fairly complex with a number of red herrings and Shell is adept at following the clues in a logical manner. I felt a little thrown back and forth, going from one serious life-threatening scenario into a wacky situation almost immediately. But for all that, Shell Scott is a fun character to follow and I will keep doing so.

H.M.S. Ulysses by Alistair MacLean

From the year 1941 until the end of World War II, Alistair Maclean served in the Royal Navy with the ranks of Ordinary Seaman, Able Seaman, and Leading Torpedo Operator. This experience served him well when he launched his writing career with his debut novel, “H.M.S. Ulysses” in 1955, considered by many to be his best. Of course, he went on to great acclaim and a distinguished bestseller career despite the fact that he claimed never to have enjoyed writing but did it merely as a source of income.

This novel features the HMS Ulysses, a light cruiser that is among the best armed and fastest ships in the British Navy. The story begins in the aftermath of a mutiny born of an overworked and exhausted crew. Senior Navy officers have decided to let her prove herself by sending her out on yet another mission: to escort a critical convoy of 32 ships through the treacherous Arctic Sea to Russian allies in Murmansk. Along the way, they face extreme challenges in the form of unusually harsh Arctic storms, German ships, packs of U-boats, as well as repeated air attacks. 

A number of interesting characters populate HMS Ulysses, not the least of which is her Captain, a man suffering the advanced stages of TB but who nevertheless symbolizes the good luck of the ship’s past missions and any hope to survive this one. Few crew members are motivated by concepts such as honor, courage, etc. but rather it is their resilience that pushes them to hero status. There is a fair amount of technical jargon, but MacLean’s prose is filled with vivid descriptions of the harsh environment, the raw feeling of utter loneliness, and the crew’s growing exhaustion and desperation. This is a marvelous depiction of wartime naval operations, and a stunning portrayal of how men can push past the bounds of endurance.

Borden Chantry by Louis L'Amour

Besides the Sacketts, Louis L’Amour also wrote other family sagas with multiple books associated with them, most prominently, books featuring either the Chantry or Talon families.  In fact, all three families tie-in together through events, marriage, etc., making these books even more interesting.

Here, Borden Chantry has had some bad luck with ranching so has been working as town marshal to earn a little money to provide for his wife and son, Tom (who features in "North to the Rails"). Serving as marshal is not Borden’s heart’s desire but like most L’Amour heroes, he strives to do a good job and earn the money he is paid. So, when the body of a dead man is found shot to death, he is not content to merely chalk it up to a drunken brawl or a bad card game and simply have the man buried. He needs to find the killer. More murders occur and it becomes increasingly evident that Borden is also targeted.

The story turns into much more of a whodunnit detective novel than the typical L’Amour western novel although plenty of western action remains. When Borden eventually identifies the dead man, it turns out to be none other than Joe Sackett, younger brother of Orrin, Tell, and Tyrel. Later on, Tyrel makes a nice cameo appearance, developing a relationship with Borden. They would work together again in "Son of a Wanted Man". I love it when characters from other L’Amour books show up when I least expect it. Additionally, the character of Kim Baca is first introduced here.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one. The mystery elements are well handled as are the expected western gunfights. Borden is a likable character, a little less perfect and more like us than most of this author’s protagonists. Despite his skill with a gun, he doesn’t really think he’s cut out to be marshal, much less a detective, but he perseveres anyway.

Paperbacks at War by Justin Marriott

Once again, the Justin Marriott team has produced an in-depth look at a specific sub-genre of men’s adventure fiction, this time with an edition devoted entirely to wartime book reviews. There is a wide-range of reviews here including classic war novels, poignant we-were-there books, testosterone-fueled paperbacks, pulp yarns, and even comics. This is another must-have companion volume for those readers who dig this stuff. 

There are over 170 reviews here by knowledgeable readers. Some are authors themselves but every single one is a fan. The vast majority of this volume is devoted to the reviews, however there are a couple of extra gems including an essay by Justin Marriott focusing on the “cynical and brutal school of paperbacks in the 1970s and 80s typified by Sven Hassel and Leo Kessler” as well as a nice B&W cover gallery. The reviews are not just about the stories themselves but often include interesting information about the authors, publishers and, in the case of comics, the pencilers, colorists, etc.

Fans will want to snatch this up but I think one of the major benefits of these kind of publications are the way they can entice those readers who are unfamiliar with the sub-genre or perhaps have been flirting with diving in but are not sure where to start. There are plenty of opinions offered within these pages by knowledgeable reviewers, and of course opinions may differ. But just to read through them provides a nice education in the subject matter.

Full disclosure: I have a few reviews included in this volume but a tiny percentage of the overall content.

Highly Recommended.

Flash Gordon: Massacre in the 22nd Century by David Hagberg

Having read all six of the Flash Gordon novels written by Ron Goulart under the “Alex Raymond” name it’s time to turn my attention to another 6-book set in the Flash Gordon universe.  David Hagberg is the author this time, a fairly prolific author under a variety of pseudonyms, but almost always producing action-oriented thrillers or military fiction.  Those influences are very evident here in this first book.

I’ve done quite a bit of immersion in Flash Gordon-related media over the past six months, from books, to films, to the original 1930’s serials, and a fair number of comics.  So it is with some confidence that I can say this really is not a traditional Flash Gordon story.  It takes place in the year 2376 AD.  Flash Gordon is a Colonel in Earth’s military, and a widower for the past eight years.  Dr. Zarkov is an old man in his 80s and Dale Arden is his niece.  Not exactly “canon” if such a thing exists for these characters. One could substitute different character names for all three main characters and still have the same story.  No planet Mongo.  No Ming the Merciless, or anything else familiar to traditional Flash Gordon stories.

But despite that, I found this to be an enjoyable read.  The author brings the plot and the story aspects up to date (1980s) using technological jargon that is much more sophisticated than the older versions.  It has a sort of Star Trek feel to it.  The humans on Earth have built a “Federation” of planets for example. The term “prime directive” is used when interacting with alien civilizations. There is even a giant spaceship in the shape of a cube, 3 kilometers long on each side.  No, it’s not the Borg.  This novel predates that concept by almost a decade.

The plot involves our three characters encountering a derelict spaceship (the aforementioned cube) that had been launched from Earth 200 years previously and not expected to return.  But when they board it, they discover all crew members aboard have been murdered while in cryogenic sleep.  All but one who is missing.  But it seems the ship is being controlled by somebody or something and indeed, they are sucked into an FTL journey to a distant planet where they crash land.  Eventually they find a huge futuristic city but that also appears to be devoid of any life.  

The book does end with some answers to their questions but it is clear that this set of books will all be connected.  An actual series instead of a group of stand-alone books like the Ron Goulart ones were.

Bottom line: while clearly a new approach to the Flash Gordon saga, this was still a fun read.  The characters are one-dimensional, but I expected that.  Dale did show some feistiness at first, but this proved to be short-lived unfortunately.  She still serves as somebody to get in trouble and have to be rescued.  Flash is still the brawn of the group and Dr. Zarkov the brains.  So…maybe it’s more like the originals than I thought.  I am looking forward to book two to see where this goes and that is always a good sign.

Vampire$ by John Steakley

I really didn’t know what to expect of this novel when I first began reading it and now that I’ve finished…I’m not sure how I feel about it. It’s the story of a group of present-day mercenary vampire hunters who will clean out a nest in return for dollars. They don’t really seem to do it for the pay though so much as the idea of “somebody has to do it”. The team is led by Jack Crow and we discover during the course of the novel that he has been doing this for three years which is longer than anybody else he’s heard of. But he also knows he won’t ever win the war; there will always be more nests and he and his team can’t live forever.

These vampires are tough creatures to kill. This is not Buffy’s universe where you can simply go out on patrol, stake a few vamps here and there and call it a good night. These are horrendous monsters and it takes all of their ingenuity and teamwork just to kill the “normal” ones. When it comes to the masters, it’s a whole ‘nother level. Practically like fighting a deity. 

Parts of the novel were excellent, especially some of the fight scenes. My eyes were glued to the page to see how it would turn out. It’s like reading a hard-boiled men’s adventure story…with vampires. But other parts, unfortunately, were drawn out introspectives or flashback descriptions of a character’s past which I simply needed to plow through to hopefully get back to the good stuff again. The team members know their chances of living past the next battle are not good, so their down time is predictably crude and filled with hard drinking. Not especially fun to read about. Some of the characters are already broken, even at the beginning of the novel. I think I know what the author was trying to do with this "character building" but it didn't really work for me. 

Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers

I realized I hadn’t read a Dorothy L. Sayers novel in over 10 years and thought it high time I revisited this author and her gentleman sleuth creation, Lord Peter Wimsey. I’ve only read one previously and have been working on establishing a good baseline of golden age mysteries so of course I can’t get by with a single Lord Peter novel.

This one, first published in 1931, is the sixth in the series (although I have seen references to it being #7), and Lord Peter has been firmly established by this point. Here, while on a fishing holiday in Scotland, Wimsey takes part in the investigation of the murder of an artist. As the title suggests, there are six solid suspects, only one of which is the actual murderer, leaving five red herrings. By far, most of the book is devoted to Wimsey, and several members of the local constabulary questioning the suspects and constructing possible scenarios for how the murder was accomplished. 

Interestingly, the end of the book details a number of the official inspectors and police personnel offering very plausible scenarios for whodunnit but, of course, Lord Peter Wimsey points out the flaws in their logic and offers the correct solution. 

I found the novel to be a little tedious in places; just so many detailed clues and potentially misleading information offered by the suspects that I lost track of it all early on. Had I been a proper literary sleuth myself, I would have prepared a complex spreadsheet to record all the clues offered, who was where when, and who saw them there, and who was providing alibies for whom. Everything right down to the timetables of the trains which would prove valuable evidence indeed. But I am too lazy to do that, of course, so I let Wimsey handle that for me. 

But the conclusion was most satisfactory. I will not let another ten years pass before picking up my next Lord Peter novel.

Sheba by Jack Higgins

Henry Patterson first published ‘The Seven Pillars of Hell’ in 1963 under his Hugh Marlowe pseudonym. It was then revised and re-released in 1994 as ‘Sheba’ under his much more familiar pseudonym of Jack Higgins. It was written fairly early in his career (the 9th novel published out of over 75).

The story revolves around an early Nazi plot to blow up the Suez Canal at about the same time as the invasion of Poland. The plan would greatly hinder much of the logistical support that their foes would likely count on should they form a coalition against Nazi aggression.  That’s the big picture going on behind the scenes. However most of the story itself is centered around an American archeologist named Gavin Kane who finds himself helping a woman try to locate her missing husband in the desert of Southern Arabia. During their adventures, they locate a lost Temple of Sheba as well as encounter the group of Nazis who are planning the bombing of the Canal.

This sounds like a good pulpy Indiana Jones adventure style plot, and it is. Lost treasures, nefarious Nazi plots, tie-ins to an ancient Roman general, a touch of romance, and plenty of action-oriented fights and daring escapes combine to make this a fun ride. This is a stand-alone novel, unlike so much of Jack Higgins’ work so if you’re thinking about trying him out, this is a pretty good place to start.

The Bloody Crown of Conan by Robert E. Howard

This book compiles three of Robert E. Howard's longer Conan works, including the only full length Conan novel that he ever wrote, "The Hour of the Dragon."  It also contains "The People of the Black Circle" as well as "A Witch Shall Be Born" which contains probably the most famous scene in all of Conan literature: the one where he gets nailed to a tree, crucified really, and left to the mercy of the hungry vultures and the elements.  As the title implies, all three stories are from Conan's later days, when he is king.  

As in all of these Del Rey editions of Howard's work, the book also contains several untitled synopsis (synopses? synopsizes?), fragments, etc. as well as a thought-provoking essay on Howard and his life and times as it pertains to the included stories.

I think the noble nature of Conan really comes out in these stories, particularly in "The Hour of the Dragon".  When Conan has the opportunity to conquer a neighboring kingdom he says, "Let others dream imperial dreams. I but wish to hold what is mine.  I have no desire to rule an empire welded together by blood and fire.  It's one thing to seize a throne with the aid of its subjects and rule them with their consent.  It's another to subjugate a foreign realm and rule it by fear."  As Patrice Louinet says in the essay, "Whoever had the idea of retitling Howard's novel, 'Conan the Conqueror' had evidently not understood its theme: Conan is anything but a conqueror by nature."

Enjoyable reading and, of course, absolutely required reading for Conan enthusiasts.