STUNT MAN

STUNT-MAN

The Autobiography of Yakima Canutt

With Oliver Drake

Walker Publishing Company

Published 1979

237 pages

Having been a fan of the movie serials for most of my life, I was familiar with Yakima Canutt; considered by many to be the most famous stunt man of them all. Sometime in 1979, film critic Leonard Maltin reviewed Canutt’s autobiography, “Stunt Man,” co-written with biographer Oliver Drake. I recall at the time wanting very much to pick up a copy and read it. Alas, that never happened and decades later, the only place to find a copy was on E-Bay if one was willing to pay an exuberant, over inflated price. I pretty much resigned myself to never realizing that old wish. Then, much to my amazement and delight, my daughter Michelle gave me a beat up old library copy she’d gone on-line to purchase it for me as a Christmas gift several years ago.

Enos Edward Canutt was born on Nov. 29, 1895 in Yakima County, Washington and grew up to become a champion rodeo rider. His knowledge and love of horses eventually led him to Hollywood where, in the early 1920s, he became a silent western movie actor.

By the time the “talkies” arrived, Yak, as he was known, had become one of the premier stuntmen in films and a good friend of rising star John Wayne. Both were employed by the new founded Republic Pictures and Yak would double in such popular serials as “The Lone Ranger” and “Zorro Rides Again.”  While attending a live stage musical in Los Angeles, Yak and serial director William Witney were taken by the dancers’ intricate choreographed routines. They began to speculate on how such pre-planned steps could enliven the fight sequences in their serials and would soon create some of the most memorable and dramatic fights ever staged.

Still Yak’s renown was his horse stunts and while working on John Ford’s memorable “Stagecoach,” he developed the famous “transfer” wherein he jumped off the stagecoach onto the horses, continue to leap frog to the front pair, then fall to the ground as the team and coach ran over him only to catch the rear of the coach and pull himself back on board. To this day it remains one of the most well known western stunts ever devised.

By the 40s, Yak had suffered so many bodily injuries, he eventually gave up stunt work to become a 2^nd Unit Director; the guy who actually directs the big action sequences for movies. All of which led to his setting up and directing the famous chariot race in the 1959 version of “Ben-Hur” with Charlton Heston. In 1969 Heston presented Yak with an Honorary Academy Award for his lifetime achievement in stunt work, being credited for making the profession safer over the years with his overriding concern for the well being of his crews and their animals.

Yak passed away on May 24^th, 1986 at the age of 90.  His autobiography is a treasure of wonderful memoirs of this incredible man’s life and all the films he was a part of. I truly hope some day the publisher does a new edition so that more film buffs like myself can read this truly wonderful book.

CIRCLING THE RUNWAY

CIRCLING THE RUNWAY

A Jake Diamond Mystery

By J.L. Abramo

Down & Books

242 pgs

We generally do not enjoy books wherein the writer moves back and forth between first and third person narratives.  Most of the time these shifts are jarring  in that the reader, safely ensconced in the hero’s personality finds themselves tossed out of that mindset into a detached world vision…and then back again.  But as all things, there are exception to the rules and writer J.L. Abramo proves to be such; at least to this reviewer.

“Circling The Runway,” is a convoluted mystery that has more twist and turns in it then a box full of intertwined old shoelaces.  Within the first few pages we are introduced to at least a half dozen different characters all running to and fro; some with serious criminality on their minds while the others are the unsuspecting victims.  In this dense population of characters we meet Lt. Laura Lopez and Sgt. Roxton Johnson of the SFPD who find themselves investigating the murder of a well loved young Assistant District Attorney. Then there’s private investigator Jake Diamond and his gal-Friday, Darlene Roman who have their own hands full helping a known San Francisco mob figure clear one of his nephews of a murder charge.

That both cases will ultimately collide is a the result of some amazing plotting that has more twist and turns than a mountain back road.  And yet through it all, Abramo shows a flair for characterization that is not only flawless but crucial to making a tale like this work. There are so many moving parts all going off in different directions; you have to wonder if he isn’t a mechanic as well as a mystery writer.  No matter, in the end he has this plot engine purring like a well oiled machine with a truly remarkable finale that was more than satisfying.

All in all a terrific book we recommend happily.  J.L. Abramo is a writer to keep an eye on. He’s having way too much fun here and it’s contagious.

BARBARIANS ON BIKES

 

BARBARIANS ON BIKES

Bikers & Motorcycle Gangs in Men’s Pulp Adventure Magazines

Edited by Robert Deis & Wyatt Doyle

A New Texture Book

116 pgs

Even since appearing on the pulp scene a few years ago, Robert Deis and Wyatt Doyle have done a truly wonderful job of educating the reading public about the evolution of pulp magazines into the post-World War II Men’s Adventure Magazines (MAMS) that proliferated across the drugstore racks between the 50s and 70s.

In such beautifully produced books such as “Weasels Ripped My Flesh,” “He-Men, Bag Men & Nymphos,” “Crypto-Zoology,” and “A Handful of Hell,” they have brought us an amazing collection of reprinted fiction from so many of the most popular MAMS.  But for the most part, despite being beautiful adorned with classic art reproductions, those titles were focused on the stories and the writers.  In that fashion, Deis and Doyle clearly made their point in depicting the gradual evolution of American pulps.

With this, their fifth title, they’ve turned the spotlight on the artwork that graced the pages and covers of those latter day pulps.  Using the highly popular theme of the Outlaw Biker Gangs that infused itself into the America psyche of the era, they’ve collected some of the most beautiful illustrations and cover art ever produced for commercial periodicals.  Throughout these pages you’ll find the work of such talented artists as Mort Kunstler, Earl Norem, Marti Ripoll, Al Rossi, Gil Cohen, Basil Gogos and others you’ve most likely never heard of before. Which is itself a sin that needs correcting.

These were giants who month after month provided drawings that accompanied such features as “Sex Life of a Motorcycle Mama,” or “Havana Joy Girl Who Became a Guerilla Queen,” among the more sedate such titles. This book is a bountiful treasure that is summed up poetically with crime writer Paul Bishop’s afterword memoir. A tip of the pulp fedora to Deis and Doyle, you guys are batting 500!! 

(There is also a hard cover with 16 extra pages available.)

SINGULARITY - Rise of the Posthumans

SINGULARITY

Rise of the Posthumans

Edited by Jaime Ramos & Wayne Carey

Pro Se Press

164 pgs.

Shared world anthologies are always fascinating and at the same time a really challenge to pull off properly. In this wonderful book from Pro Se Press, editors Jaime Ramos and Wayne Carey have created a post-apocalyptic England controlled by a despotic Queen in which humanity begins to arise from the ashes. Still a poisonous gas called the Creeping Green covers the land and people have to wear protective gas masks and goggles when out and about.  A group of resistance fighters begins to appear; each with his or her back story and some with enhanced abilities. These are their stories.

Jennie Wood’s “Charada” has overtones of the Jewish Holocaust in that a secret government facility in New Southampton is mindwiping people and then using them as a private police force to hunt up undesirables. Once captured, these people have their organs harvested and used in scientific experiment to help create stronger soldiers known as Evols. Riley is one such hunter whose memories were erased to make her a better, more obedient agent but something has happened. Her memories are slowly beginning to resurface and with them agonizing moral issues as to the true purpose of her organization. A gripping tale with dark overtones you won’t soon forget.

Next is Nancy Hansen’s “Simon Simple,” the story about a young man whose chameleon like abilities can make him nearly invisible when blending in with his backgrounds. As the tale begins, he’s an enforcer working for a criminal gang but when his female friend, Mattie Fox is captured by the Queen’s Regulators and scheduled for execution, Simon’s conscience gets the best of him and he becomes a real hero.

In “The Rebel” by Lee Houston Jr., a steampunk Zorro-like figure appears on the scene thwarting the Queen’s plans on resurrecting ancient technology to strengthen her cruel hold on the remnants of mankind. A rollicking fun adventure.

Brant Fowler next offers up, “The Eye of the Mind.” It is the tale of a telepath refugee named Littleton who is using his skills to get by as a small time crook. But when he comes to the attention of the Queen, he soon finds himself being manipulated into becoming one of her agents. A skillful story about how even the best of intentions can go horribly awry. Like this one a lot.

Lord Basil Faulkner works for the Ministry of Transportation, assisting the Queen and her elite to obtain the scare perishables such as fresh fruits while the common folk scavenge for scraps.  But when the night falls, he dons a black cloak, a synthetic eye which allows him to see in the dark and he becomes “The Pistoleer.” Written by Chris Magee, this masked champion also is immune to the “Creeping Green,” allowing him to travel sans gas mask through the ever present poisonous gases that cover the city.

His is a short tale, but fast paced and professionally delivered.

Finally this first collection wraps up with “The Bride of Dr. Bravo” by co-editor Jaime Ramos. This one reveals that the main villain throughout the collection, Queen Anne Wintersmith, has a brother, Bradley, who has conspired against as well under the guise of the steampunk hero, Dr. Bravo. But his motive is in keeping his French wife, Salome, alive after she suffered radiation poisoning from the “Creeping Green.” In the end there is a climatic confrontation between the siblings that moves the tale into the world of the supernatural whereby Bradley’s wife transform into a truly mystic being of remarkable powers.  A tense, brutal yarn.

All in all “Singularity – Rise of the Posthumans,” does offer up a treasure of terrific story but in the end, there seems to be a lack of genuine connection between them, as though we’ve seen glimpses of different dwellings but the entire neighborhood in which they exist is still vague and unknown to us. In the end, this reviewer would love to see these same characters actually interact with one another and provide us with that adhesive that is so vital to a shared-world environment.  It could be prove to a challenge, but these writers, with this first entry, have all proven they are all more than capable of delivering something special.

THE MYTH HUNTER - Curse of the Necronomicon

THE MYTH HUNTER

Curse of the Necronomicon

By Percival Constantine

Nifty Entertainment

145 pgs

Of the various series created by new pulp scribe Percival Constantine, our favorite is his Myth Hunter books starring beautiful Elisa Hill; a trained archeologist who travels the globe in search of arcane artifacts often believed to me mere legends.  In this latest adventure, Hill, in an effort to save her old lover-partner, Lucas Davalos, finds herself caught up in the quest of the notorious book known as the Necronomicon.

First revealed to the public in the horror stories of pulp great, H.P. Lovecraft, the Necronomicon was described as a book of magic which could offer untold powers. The source of thes dark powers were the Elder Gods; a race of monstrous beings banished to another dimension before the dawn of time. A wealthy, recluse financier whose health has him at death’s door, believes the book actually exist and that it can grant him immortality.

And so the hunt is on with Hill and Davalos aided by the beautiful Japanese kitsune Asami (a magical being who can turn herself into a kind of were-fox creature) battling an evil demonic cult and army of paid mercenaries to stop a madman from achieving his perverted goals. The action is non-stop as Constantine controls pacing like a fined tuned Ferrari engine whipping through delightful character scenes with just the right moments of personal tension.

We’ve said all along that Constantine just gets better with every new book he writes.  “Curse of the Necronomican” continues to prove us right as it has become our favorite Myth Hunter entry thus far.  If you enjoy great pulp adventures with gutsy female heroes, look no further, dear readers.  This one’s for you.

THE MIDNIGHT GUARDIAN

THE MIDNIGHT GUARDIAN

(Hour of Darkness)

By John C. Bruening

Flinch! Books

408 pages

The traditional classic pulp novels that appeared in the 30s magazines generally ran   60,000 words.  In them one would find a fast paced narrative that would explode across the pages in colorful, purple prose. Over time many of these tales were reprinted in paperbacks and continued to be labeled as novels. Whereas in truth, they were actually novellas that once took up the main portion of a monthly periodical that also featured two to three additional shorts to fill them out. We raise this topic because over the years, most novels coming from the big New York publishers grew to well over 120,000 words and were easily distinguishable from their pulp paperback cousins. Of course this ultimately led to the over-written, padded monstrosities we are cursed with today and the dwindling sales margins have forced big time publishers to demand “bigger” books. But that’s a whole other topic for another time.

Our purpose here was to point out that the fact that even with the emergence of New Pulp, writers found themselves sticking with the tried and true 60,000 word format which isn’t a bad thing at all. Whereas a few daring penmen have attempted to bridge the gap between pulp and traditional novel and the results have been haphazard to say the least.

Up until now no one had been able to deliver a realistic hybrid we are hereby calling the pulp novel. And that, my fellow dear readers, is what John Bruening has brilliantly achieved here. “The Midnight Guardian – Hour of Darkness,” clocking in at twice the size of an average pulp book is a genuine novel in every sense of the word….and still pulp. The significance of that is going to felt for a long time to come.

 When Jack Hunter was a young man of high school age, his policeman father, Lt. James Hunter, died heroically saving Union City from a sadistic gangland boss named Nicky Diamond. Diamond was caught and sent to prison for fifteen years, while young Jack went on to college and eventually law school. The plot kicks into high gear when Diamond, upon his release, returns to the city and immediately begins setting up his old gang He recruits new soldiers with the intent of finally realizing his twisted dream of taking complete control of Union City.

Whereas Jack is now an Assistant District Attorney who, along with his boss, the police Commissioner and a dedicated police detective named Dugan, is not about to let that happen. The added menace in Nicky Diamond is that he loves to blow things up and hires both a demolition expert and a talented radio engineer. Together he has them fashion deadly timebombs which he uses in leveling several buildings with the city limits. These acts of destructions are his public calling card announcing his return.

Angered by Diamond’s effrontery and total disrespect for the law, Jack finds himself stymied in not being able to go after the crook directly. The memory of his father’s death continues to haunt him and his temptation to make this crusade a personal one is at constant struggle with his career as a representative of the justice system. Eventually, it is Jack’s cousin, Buzz Hunter, who offers him a fantastic alternative to his dilemma.  Eight years older and a veteran of World War One, Buzz owns and operates an electrical store and is himself a genius inventor.  It is Buzz who creates a leather helmet wired with special sensors that when worn, affect a stimulating wave that heightens the brain’s sensory capabilities. Simply put, when one wears the helmet, one can hear and see far beyond the normal human range. Adding goggles and a mask to the helmet, Jack ends up with a remarkable scientific marvel that helps him gain an edge on Diamond and his murderous crew.

Wearing the disguising helmet and whipping through Union City on a souped-up motorcycle, Jack becomes a mysterious vigilante and begins his campaign to thwart Diamond and his insane goals.

If all this sounds familiar, it’s because Bruening has no issue with following classic pulp elements to weave his over-the-top adventure and he gives us a new pulp hero who is truly a legitimate heir to such battlers as Secret Agent X and the Black Bat. By the time we had come to the novel’s last fifty pages, all this reviewer could do was keep turning pages and hang on tightly. Every single action sequence that races towards the dramatic finale is a Republic Serial put to prose. There is no lack of action in this tome, and even though Bruening does give us a larger entree than we are use to, he makes it so damn tasty; it becomes a remarkable pulp feast.

“The Midnight Guardian – Hour of Darkness” is a pulp novel.  As such it is the first of its kind, and this reviewer has to believe, having now set the bar to this quality level, Bruening’s colleagues have one hell of a challenge ahead of them. We wish them luck.

CRIMSON SHORE

CRIMSON SHORE

A Pendergast Novel

By Preston & Child

Grand Central Publishin

370 pgs

Whenever people ask us what is the best New Pulp Fiction being published today, we’ll invariably point them to the Agent Pendergast novels by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.  In the same way Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt is a modern interpretation of the classic pulp hero, Doc Savage, FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast is our Shadow.  We first became aware of this series when years ago a dear friend sent us copies of “Still Life With Crows” and “The Cabinet of Curiosities,” two of the early entries, as a Christmas gift. Thus leaving us with a debt we’ll never be able to completely repay.  That we instantly were enamored with Pendergast and his world would be a gross understatement.

Preston and Child, in the grand tradition of the classic pulps, pull out all the stops and their plots are incredibly far-fetched, over-the-top, crazy mysteries filled with the most bizarre villains, monsters and incredibly brave heroes.

Okay, if the above paragraph hasn’t won you over, there’s no need to continue reading this review.  “Crimson Shore” is the 15^th book in the series.  It begins when Pendergast and his beautiful young ward, Constance Greene, travel to a small fishing hamlet on the coast of Massachusetts named Exmouth.  They have been hired by a well known sculptor, who resides in the village.  His priceless wine collection has been stolen from the cellar of his lighthouse cottage.  During their investigation, they uncover a centuries old murder which sets them on a hunt for a mysterious killer who lives in the marshes along the shore.  Soon both Pendergast and Constance are delving into Exmouth’s sordid past; a history connected with the infamous Salem Witch Trials.

When several people are slain and their corpses found tattooed with arcane symbols, panic begins to grip the small, close knit community and our heroes are quickly caught up in a suspenseful chase that will lead them into shadowy horrors beyond anything they have ever faced before.  “Crimson Shore” is a roller-coast page-turner that will keep even the most jaded reader up till the wee hours of the night.  Its final mystery is one we never saw coming and one we will never forget.  Kudos to Preston and Child for this masterful series that shows no signs of plot fatigue yet.  And in this day and age, that’s saying quite a lot.

A CONGRESSION OF PALLBEARERS

FIGHT CARD – SHERLOCK HOLMES

A CONGRESSION OF PALLBEARERS

By Andrew Salmon

Fight Card

133 pgs

This is the final entry in the Fight Card Sherlock Holmes trilogy as written by Canadian pulpster, Andrew Salmon.  No stranger to Holmes and Watson, Salmon’s stories of the Great Detective have earned him awards and well deserved recognition. Thus it was not a fluke when Fight Card publisher, Paul Bishop, first approached him a few years ago to bring the Baker Street Detective into the world of boxing. 

Salmons first two books, “Work Capitol” and “Blood to the Bone,” were well received by Holmes fans around the world.  So meticulous is Salmon’s research and his ability to turn a Victorian phrase, his stories flow with a perfect Arthur Conan Doyle pitch that is so familiar to readers.  And now we have the third and final chapter of this stellar trilogy.

“A Congression of Pallbearers,” picks up a few years after the events in the second adventure.  It begins with an assassination attempt on Holmes and then the plot meanders into a convoluted espionage affair which reintroduces the alluring character of female pugilist Eby Stokes.  Upon the culmination of their first encounter in the previous book, Miss Stokes had been recruited by Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, to be an operative for Britain’s Special Branch.  What with the world racing towards a new century filled with all manner of scientific marvels, the Empire’s role seems to be diminishing and she appears more vulnerable than ever.

Soon after the attempt on Holmes’ life, a female agent is brutally murdered and Holmes begins to suspect both incidents are connected.  He and Watson confront Mycroft only to learn Stokes, and her partner, a male agent named Andrew Martin, have gone missing while on assignment in Berlin.  Days later, Miss Stokes suddenly appears at Holmes’ door with a dangerous tale of her own.  She and Martin, while in Germany, discovered that Special Branch had been infiltrated by foreign agents who were systematically obtaining sensitive British secrets and smuggling them out of the country.  Not knowing who they could trust, the pair returned to England via a clandestine route and were now hiding in fear of their lives.

As is typical of all Salmon fiction, the plot bolts forth like a rocket propelling the narrative along at breakneck speed, all the way delving into the personalities of the players with a deft, often heart-warming perspective.  His ability to bring Holmes and Watson to life while at the same time lavishing us with local color, history and action galore is at its zenith in this offering.  In the end, he has saved the best for last, “Fight Card – Sherlock Holmes – A Congression of Pallbearers,” is an amazing work by a master storyteller.  Not to be missed.

SHERLOCK HOLMES - DOMINO LADY

SHERLOCK HOLMES – DOMINO LADY

Edited by Joe Gentile

Moonstone Press

120 pages

Normally we don’t care for “hybrid” publications.  By that we refer to books that have comics strips and prose stories mixed together between two covers; neither a full out graphic novel or a traditional prose anthology.  And yet, as the old saying wisely dictates, for every rule there is always an exception.  “Sherlock Holmes – Domino Lady” from Moonstone Press is that oh so rare, wonderful exception.

Edited by Joe Gentile, it reprints an earlier two-issue Domino Lady adventure by Nancy Holder and Bobby Nash, only now it is in full color, as are the other two short strips in this package. That in itself is a welcome upgrade to what was already a marvelous story.  Next we have two short prose pieces, one by Nash and the other by Holder.  Spaced between these is a solo Holmes strip Gentile and then the book wraps up with a solo Domino Lady strip by James Chambers and artist Scott P. “Doc” Vaughn.  If you are unfamiliar with Vaughn, he does a great pulp sci-fi webstrip called “Warbirds of Mars” and is no slouch when it comes to drawing sexy 1940s style pin-up beauties.  Thus his doing Domino Lady was an editorial stroke of genius.

Cap it all off with a gorgeous cover by the amazing Mike Fyles and you have a truly unique, fun and beautiful book any pulp fan would love to have in his or her collection.  As for the book’s overall theme, the pairing of a 70 year old Holmes and the vivacious, alluring Ellen Patrick from Los Angeles…well, honestly, it works a whole lot better than one could possibly imagine.  A tip of the pulp fedora to Moonstone Press.  Here’s wishing for more such hybrids.  You may make a believer out of us yet.

THE IMMORALITY ENGINE

THE IMMORALITY ENGINE

By George Mann

Tor Books

347 pages

It would be nice if publishers were uniform in how they dispensed their titles to reviewers but alas, that is not the case.  Rather they simply hand copies to various marketing associates in their home offices and these men and women mail out the books to their individual lists of reviewers.  Which is why, after having send us “The Executioner’s Heart,” the fourth book in the Newbury & Hobbes Investigation series (which we absolutely loved and reviewed months ago), we were then gifted with third installment, “The Immorality Engine.”

Of course it’s always awkward reading any series backwards, but the simple truth is we so loved these characters we simply dove into the tale and kept our fingers crossed it wouldn’t be too difficult to understand what was what.

Mann is a steampunk writer and the world his characters inhabit is filled with airships and steam-powered Hansom cabs that weave their way through the streets of Victorian London dodging the more traditional horse-driven models.  Both Sir Morris Newbury and Miss Veronica Hobbes are special agents of Queen Victoria; an aged monarch now living via the workings of a clockwork mechanism.  The case begins when the duo is recruited by Scotland Yard Inspector Charles Bainbridge to investigate two murders of the same man.  It seems the morgue has two corpses belonging to a burglar named Edwin Skyes but Sykes had no siblings; these are not twins nor merely look-alike individuals.  Newbury quickly comes to the inescapable conclusion that one body is in fact a replica of the other.  In other words someone has developed the process of human cloning.

At the same time, Veronica is concerned for her sister Amelia’s well-being.  Amelia is residing in a sanitarium because of her epileptic-like seizures which, when they occur, allow her to see the future.  She is under the private care of the Queen’s own personal physician, Dr. Fabian.  All should be fine and yet Veronica has her suspicions as to why Her Majesty is interested in her sister’s well being.  Could the Queen be manipulating Fabian to discover the source of Amelia’s prophetic abilities for her own gains?

Thus both investigators find themselves dealing with two totally different cases.  Or so they believe until they come in contact with a secret society whose antiquated beliefs in spiritual rebirth may threaten the entire government.  From this point on there are attempted murders at every twist and turn to include attacks by incredible mechanical monsters; all to stop Newbury and Hobbes from finding the truth.

Once again Mann delivers a fantastic page turner that kept this reader thrilled and delighted from the opening scene to the last.  “The Immorality Engine,” is everything one would accept from a colorful, imaginative steampunk adventure.  Meanwhile, we definitely need to pick up books one and two.

TALES FROM THE FLIP-SIDE: The Adventures of Big Daddy Cool & The Bombshell Kittens

TALES FROM THE FLIP-SIDE

The Adventures of Big Daddy Cool & The Bombshell Kittens

By John Pyka

Pros Se Press

169 pages

When our colleague and fellow reviewer, Tommy Hancock, handed us a copy of this book and said, “It has everything from Nazis vampires to flying cars!”  We knew instantly we were in for a real pulp treat.  And of course Tommy right. Enough so for that to have become an understatement.

New Pulp writer John Pyka’s adventure takes place in a glorious fun-house of an alternate world where the Earth was invaded by Martians; shades of H.G. Wells.  But thanks to scientist such as Tesla and Edison, we managed to beat the bug-eyed monsters and then pretty much stole their technology to create our own weapons; all to insure they would never try that invasion gig again.

Thus the world is filled with both new and alien inspired inventions.  Time passes and as the 1930s roll along, stirrings in Germany begin to make themselves known as an egomaniac named Adolf Hitler comes to power under the ministrations of Count Dracula.  See, we told you this one had everything a pulp reader would want.  Whereas these vampire Nazis pose a threat to our world, there is always the possibility of another attack form the stars.  Ergo the super heroes have divided themselves into two groups; the spacefaring Defenders of Earth and the earthbound superheroes that fight your assorted crime and evil masterminds.

Among the latter we found our protagonist, an ex-thug turned nightclub entertainer named Johnny Dellarocca better known as Big Daddy Cool.  Johnny’s powers are his ability to read minds…after he’s felt pain.  Sure it’s twisted.  Every time he needs to use his abilities, somebody else has to punch the hell out of him.  So let’s give Pyka a ton of credit here, these superheroes totally break the mold while being so much damn fun.

Johnny takes it upon himself to find other supers and recruits them in his battle against villainy.  Chief among these are the absolutely beautiful women he finds all over the country, each possessing a fantastic gift…and all of them eventually falling madly in love with their new boss.  These of course are The Bombshell Kittens as advertised in the sub-title.

“Tales From The Flip-Side: The Adventures of Big Daddy Cool & The Bombshell Kittens is easily one of the wildest rides this reviewer has ever been taken on and we loved every single minute of it.  Is it silly? Totally.  Is it wacky? That word doesn’t even come close.  But that’s what it is suppose to be and delivers far and beyond its initial promise.  If you are tired of the same old plots and heroes done by rote, then shake up your reading habit and dive into something so damn original it will leave you laughing for hours after you put it down.

This one is one of a kind.  And thanks, Tommy, we so owe you one big time.

OUTLAWS OF OLYMPUS

OUTLAWS OF OLYMPUS

By C.E. Martin

Available at Amazon

55 pages

Just when you think a genre of pulp fiction has been fairly well exhausted, up pops a new wrinkle. In this case the genre is the Weird Western and the guy offering us a new twists on this popular field is C.E. Martin with his “Outlaws of Olympus” concept.  The title pretty much gives the idea away, but for those of you who somehow missed Classical Mythology in high school, here’s what C.E. sets forth.  The ancient Greek Gods, you know, Zeus, Mercury and the others have reappeared on Earth during the Westward migration of the late 1860s.  Ergo, you have gods, demi-gods and mythological monsters sharing the wild frontier with your cowboys, settlers and Indians.

It’s a heady stew and with this first little chapbook, things get kicked off fast. Mercury, in the guise of an outlaw known as the Quicksilver Kid, is causing mayhem and destruction as he mows down anyone foolish enough to confront him with a special six-shooter that fires gold bullets.  Then Hercules arrives in the guise of a Catholic Monk named Father Sergio Morricone.  (Yes, we know where that came from. C.E. has a fine sense of humor.)

The Kid is holding an entire town captive and forcing them to offer him a blood sacrifice every few days or else he’ll wreak bloody havoc.  When Father Morricone shows up, their confrontation is as one would expect between two gods.  But who is the black cavalry soldier riding with Hercules and what role will he play in their final battle?

Fifty-five pages flies by when the action is this colorful and frenetic.  We’ve been a fan of Martin’s “Stone Soldiers” series for a few years now and are thrilled to see him launching another great new pulp saga with tons of potential.  Stay tuned.

THE QUEEN'S MARKSMAN

THE QUEEN’S MARKSMAN

By Theresa M. Moore

Antellus Books

(www.antellus.com)

285 pages

In 1878, young Robert St. John, a descendant of the fabled Earl of Loxley, aka Robin Hood, joins the army to fight in Afghanistan.  On the journey east via the Orient Express with the new recruits, he encounters two very strange European noblemen.  They prove to be vampires and one of them, unable to control his blood-lust, attacks Robert in the middle of the night.  In doing so he turns the young Englishman into one of the undead.  From that point forward, this imaginative adventure focuses on Robert’s learning to adjust to his new life as a vampire.  He quickly learns to adapt his unearthly powers on the battlefield and soon becomes a war hero succeeding in exploits beyond the abilities of normal men.

Upon his return to England, he is knighted by Queen Victoria and, via Prime Minister Disraeli, put in charge of created a new secret service for the empire.  It is clear from the very first page that Ms. Moore had a genuine affection for all things British and she skillfully weaves both its actual history and those myths and legends that have endeared themselves to fiction fans for generations.  Via the exploits of Sir Robert, we glimpse a Victorian world on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution and a burgeoning 20^th Century that will be filled with both wonders and horrors.

None of the latter is more gruesome than the appearance of Jack the Ripper on the streets of White Chapel.  As the empire’s colonial strength begins to wane around the globe, its own moral decay accelerates in the swelling ranks of the poor and homeless.  And amidst this changing world walks the Ripper, a madman with his own brand of soulless insanity.   Ms. Moore offers up Sir Robert, and his fellow vampires, as agents of good working in the shadows to keep civilization on track.  Soon our hero and his vampire companion are on the hunt to find Saucy Jack and end his murderous rampage.

Though not what we would label a fast paced action pulp, “The Queen’s Marksman,” is a steadily told adventure focused on developing rich, full realized characters both good and bad.  We enjoyed it a great deal and it once again adds substantial evidence to our beliefs that the best new fiction on the market today is coming from small, independent publishers like Antellus.  Bravo, Ms Moore and well done.

LOOKING AT THE WORLD WITH BROKEN GLASS IN MY EYE

LOOKING AT THE WORLD WITH
BROKEN GLASS IN MY EYE

By Mark Justice

Graveside Books

304 pages

A few reviews earlier we talked about book titled “No Rest for the Dead.” This particular review should be offered under the heading of, “A Voice From Beyond.”  It’s pretty easy to rift off titles as this collection of weird, horror yarns by the late Mark Justice sports a mouthful itself.  And maybe that’s because of Mark’s talent for black comedy and his love of the truly bizarre.  Also let’s clear things up front here.  Unlike the times we review books by friends and colleagues where we do our best to remain fair and impartial, this time around it’s sincerely personal.

Mark Justice was a pal and one hell of a damn great writer.  And no, we don’t toss that adjective around lightly.  This collection of 18 twisted tales of various lengths and subject matter are some of the best, funniest and truly creepy tales ever penned.  Each is a solid gem of wit, wisdom and incredible insight into what wise folks call the human condition.  Which in the end is the purpose of all fiction: to view the world through one’s unique life experiences and then have the courage to share them with others.  Mark does that so well, there were moments when reading through these yarns we were either laughing, crying or weary of any strange noises in the house around us.  The man had the ability to pull you into his fabulous imagination and hold you there until the final, bloody end.  And he left us there better for having gone along for the ride.

A quick glance at the table of contents and instantly we recall savoring these truly wonderful stories.  “Black Wings” is perhaps the most disturbing of the bunch and will most likely generate nightmares for lots of readers.  Whereas “Nursing Home of the Gods” and “Agent of Death” are hilarious, side-splitting black comedies.  Then there is the longer entry, “The Autumn Man,” which is both haunting and nostalgic with a good dash of horror thrown in for good measure.

Mark Justice left us too soon in the grand scheme of things.  Yet, during his short time with us, he wrote memorable works of fiction that will continue to both entertain and scare the hell out of readers for ages to come.  In that we take much comfort and devote ourselves to helping spread the word.  If this is the first time you’ve ever heard of Mark Justice, please, go find this book, it is a truly a gift from beyond.

THE ARCANUM

THE ARCANUM

By Thomas Wheeler

A Bantam Trade Paperback

325 pages

Here’s a question for you; can a book ever be too much fun to write?  Or how about the other side of that coin; can a book ever be too much fun to read? Well, not when it’s Thomas Wheeler’s “The Arcanum.” Of course our only regret here is that we waited so long to pick up a copy.  We love team-up tales wherein certain characters, either fictional or historical, meet and share an adventure together.  From the comic adventures of the Justice League of America and the Avengers to Alan Moore’s amazing “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,” such team-ups have always fired our imagination with the idea of multiple heroes coming together to fight the forces of evil.

Published in 2004, this story informs us that long ago a mystic named Konstantin formed team that included author Arthur Conan Doyle,  magician Harry Houdini, New Orleans Voodoo Princess Marie Laveau and weird-fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft to help him fight all manner of occult evil.  He called them the Arcanum, deriving from the word arcane pertaining to the secret and mysterious.  The book opens twenty years later with Konstantin’s murder and the theft of a rare, lost religious tome called the Book of Enoch.  Supposedly it tells of fallen angels who still inhabit our world.  Whoever possesses the book will gain the power to find and control these supernatural creatures.

Realizing that threat, Doyle, now sixty-years old, both famous and tired, travels to America to reassemble the Arcanum for one last adventure. At the same time a maniacal serial killer begins murdering the poor and destitute homeless in the slums of New York by tearing out their spines.  All too soon, Doyle learns these killings are directly related to the Book of Enoch and the mastermind behind the killings is somehow using them as part of larger scheme.

Honestly, the second Doyle and Houdini are reunited, the sparks begin to fly.  Wheeler’s ability to capture the essence of these two wildly different personalities works to perfection in propelling the plot.  All of us are aware of the true friendship between these two turn of the century super stars and how it was ruined by Doyle’s emotional conversion to spiritualism after the death of his son in World War One. All these elements weave their way into this story.  Then there is the shy and enigmatic Howard Philip Lovecraft, one of the greatest horror writers of all time and the exotically beautiful and powerful Marie Laveau.

When one has such colorful characters, it is near impossible not to lose one’s self in the melodrama. It is clear from the onset that Wheeler had a genuine affection for the members of the Arcanum and writing their final adventure is truly a work of love on his part. That passion is infused in every single chapter. So much so that the reader can’t help but share it. Thus upon reaching the end, we were simulatneously happy and sad.  Happy for the ride Wheeler had given us with his marvelous imagination and sad that like all great carnival rides, it too had to come to an end. Please, if you love true, fast paced, action filled pulp adventure, you will not find any better than “The Arcanum.” Now go buy a copy.  You can thank me later.

TRANSCENDENTAL

TRANSCENDENTAL

By James Gunn

Tor Books

302 pages

When one titles a book “Transcendental,” it’s probably a good idea to start our review with a clear definition of that word.  Our trusty old Webster list it as an adjective; 1) or relating to transcendentalism.  (The philosophical belief that knowledge of reality comes from intuition rather than from objective experience.)  2) rising above common thoughts or ideas; mystical.

Confused yet?  Maybe looking at the root word transcend can help clarify things a bit more. It is defined as 1) to pass beyond (a human limit) 2) to exist above and independent of (material experience or the universe) and 3) to surpass. 

Set in the far-far future, mankind has encountered many different alien races representing the spectrum of our natural universe; animal beings that look like elephants; flower beings that stand on tall stalks and whose roots are mobile. There is even a machine race.  Then the various empires fought each other in decades old wars until reason and sanity won out and peace was established.  Still, the quest for knowledge is so ingrained in the nature of all sentient beings, ultimately that seeking creates a quasi religion surrounding a so-called Transcendental Machine.

And therein lays the crux of James Gunn’s fantastic plot in which a group of aliens from the furthest reaches of the known galaxy come together to journey beyond known space in the hopes of finding this wondrous Transcendental Machine.  Riley, a cynical ex-mercenary is kidnapped by unknown parties and has an organic computer implanted in his brain. If he refuses to obey this “pedia” it will kill him.  He is told to sign aboard the spaceship Geoffrey about to undertake that trip.  On the ship are representatives of the various galactic races each hoping to experience instant evolution to a higher state of being via the Transcendental Machine. 

The “pedia” also informs him that one of the passengers may be the rumored Prophet, the only being to ever find the machine and be transformed by it. It is believed the Prophet is traveling with the expedition to determine which of the travelers is worthy of undergoing the change.  No sooner does the group assemble at the space ladder taking them to the Geoffrey then an attempt is made to sabotage their launch. Then, shortly after passing through the first nexus jump point, a passenger is found murdered in Riley’s cabin.

Why are we here?  What is our true purpose?  Is there a higher evolutionary step in our future?  All these philosophical questions surround a standard suspense thriller in this truly unique narrative. Gunn’s depiction of the various races is imaginative and compelling.  One of the classic faults of most science fiction has always been, according to critics, our inability to accurately understand something alien.  We can only ever interpret this world via our own human limitations. Whereas Gunn’s tale argues quite powerfully that all species born of the same physics will ultimately share the same perspective inherent in the same nature, be rocks, vegetables, or flesh.  One universe equals one truth.  In “Transcendental,” Gunn invites us on a journey to discover that truth, no matter how beautiful or frightening.