Vandals On Venus

“K.G. McAbee Does It Again! Top Notch and Thoroughly Exciting!”

SPACE 1889 & BEYOND #2 is a series I am not familiar with, but to my pleasure I was given the opportunity to read K.G. McAbee’s short novel, “Vandals On Venus”, and can assure the reader, this is a fantastic concept. Apparently, space travel has been achieved in the late 1800s in this alternate universe, and settlements are established on numerous planets and asteroids. For anyone who doesn’t know K.G. McAbee, I can also assure you, this lady has long been my favorite author of science fiction and fantasy. To be honest, she can write any genre, and one of her favorite areas is pulp. When she writes a Solomon Kane, she doesn’t just imitate Robert E. Howard, she becomes Howard. The same is true with Edgar Rice Burroughs. In “Vandals On Venus” I had to look several times to make sure I wasn’t reading a “lost” Burroughs story. Gail McAbee’s story captures the Pellucidar series perfectly, though it takes place in the jungles on Venus.

In “Vandals On Venus”, Professor Nathanial Stone, co-inventor of the aether propeller, has been requested to travel to Fort Collingwood, Her Majesty’s Royal Colony on Venus to assist Geoffrey Forbes-Hamilton in his experiments. To his chagrin, his ward, Annabelle Somerset insists on accompanying him to the dangerous planet. He just knows she will get into trouble – and so do we! This is a fun adventure right out of an Edgar Rice Burroughs pulp tale as only K.G. McAbee can write them! A giant warrior of a reptile race assists the folks, and there are dinosaur-like creatures populating the jungles. Then throw in some really bad Germans and an outlaw Irishman, and you’ve got enough action to satisfy any pulp lover.

These are a series of e-books containing a short novel each, and if the rest of the stories are as good as McAbee’s, I’ll want to read them all!

Lot's Return To Sodom - Review

Lot’s Returns To Sodom (Mystery)

By Sandra Brannan

Greenleaf Book Group Press www.gbgpress.com

ISBN #978-1-60832-119-3

320 Pages

Price: $14.95

Rating: 4-Star

(“An Entertaining Read!”)

Liv Bergen returns in Lot’s Returns To Sodom, Sandra Brannan’s sequel to the fascinating In The Belly of Jonah. This time her brother is a suspect in the murder of his girlfriend, and like Nancy Drew she goes about looking for the real killer. In the meantime, there’s another murder that appears to be by the notorious Crooked Man serial killer, which brings F.B.I. Agent Streeter Pierce from Colorado to the Black Hills of South Dakota. There are plenty of suspects, and lots of danger for Liv Bergen.

After a brilliant debut novel, I was a little disappointed in this second entry by Sandra Brannan. It relied too heavily on the first story and brought in the same F.B.I. agent from Colorado, when it might have been best to introduce a new character for this out of state investigation, bringing the original field agent back in a later story. Although we’re told that Liv Bergen’s brother is a suspect in his girlfriend’s murder, he is really never in much danger of arrest, just a “person of interest” since his involvement with the victim. My main complaint against the story was changing the location from the mining community of Colorado to the Sturgis, South Dakota area. I thought the previous book worked better, and I admit I’m not a fan of motorcycle gangs or Sturgis.

However, Sandra Brannan continues to entertain with her style of story-telling and interesting murder mysteries.

Tom Johnson, Editor

Detective Mystery Stories

All Cry Chaos - Review

All Cry Chaos (Mystery)

By Leonard Rosen

ISBN #978-1-57962-222-0

The Permanent Press www.thepermamentpress.com

Price: $29.00

330 Pages

Release Date: September 2011

Rating: 5-Stars

“Leonard Rosen weaves a web of mystery with many surprising twists!”

For Interpol Agent, Henri Poincare, assigned to Amsterdam during the WTO Meeting, a mysterious explosion in a hotel brings him into a case that takes him across Europe and the United States in an investigation that will task his endurance. A distinguished mathematician appears to have been assassinated on the eve of speaking at the WTO. To complicate matters, a religious cult is preaching the End of Days, while a prisoner locked up behind bars threatens Poincare’s family in France. It appears that two forces may be after secrets the mathematician had on a computer hard drive.

This is an international mystery with a complicated plot and many unexpected twists. The author gives the reader a nice word picture of the many locales visited. The characters were interesting, and though I enjoyed Henri Poincare, I would have preferred to see more of his assistant in action. There were some problems with the story; too much of the action takes place off screen, and we only hear about it. Plus, there were many points when the story slowed down a bit too much. However, over all, this is an outstanding read, and I think the mystery fan will enjoy the complicated plot and fine characters.

Tom Johnson, Editor

Detective Mystery Stories

In The Belly of Jonah - Review

In The Belly of Jonah (Mystery)

By Sandra Brannon

ISBN #978-1-60832-050-9

Greenleaf Book Group LLC  www.gbgpress.com

Price: $14.95

250 Pages

Rating: 5-Stars

“Sandra Brannon’s writing is superb, fresh and entertaining!”

Liv Bergen manages a limestone quarry in Colorado, where she has learned to be tough while caring for her employees. On occasion she hires university students during their school semesters. When one of the students is brutally murdered, it throws her right in the middle of an F.B.I. investigation.

The serial killer has been nicknamed the Venus de Milo murderer for one case where he cut off the arms and legs of his victims. Each killing appeared staged, as if as an art piece, gruesome in every detail. With the hotels filled up, and the bureau profiler turns out to be an old friend, she invites the F.B.I. agents to set up their operations in her home, bringing her under the evil attention of the killer. Would she be his next target?

I was intrigued by such an interesting read, and found the author’s portrayal of characters to be three-dimensional, and down to earth. The writing is smooth, and the story never slows down for long. The author seems to know when to pick up the pace again. The murderer is easily figured out, which may be a let down for some readers, but the investigators must work to discover his identity before he kills again. Not your current trend of wise cracking, gun-slinging hot shot detectives on the make for blond Hollywood stars. This is a well-paced murder mystery, with a gritty setting in rough mining country with a human monster stalking innocent victims. It felt like a mix of Murder She Wrote and Blood Work, perhaps, but a well balance between the two.

One of the most enjoyable novels I’ve read this year!

Tom Johnson, Editor

Detective Mystery Stories

Sneak Peek - Senora Scorpion

Here is a sneak peek of Senora Scorpion drawn by David Burton for one of my stories coming up in PULP ECHOES later this Fall. Senora Scorpion is an outlaw fighting for freedom from Spanish rule in California during the period that Spain subjugated the Mexicans. A lot of pulpy sword fights.

Alias The Whirlwind

Okay folks, Alias The Whirlwind is now available from Altus Press. See the book here http://www.altuspress.com/ or find it at Amazon.com The Whirlwind is Johnston McCulley's clone to his famous Zorro. The complete series is reprinted here for the first time anywhere. It also contains a new story featuring The Whirlwind by Tom Johnson.

The Adventures of The Magnificent Seven

“Ladies and Gentlemen, and children of all ages, if you will kindly focus your attention on the center ring, prepare yourselves to witness a captivating cavalcade of curiously conspicuous, maniacally mesmerizing, and devilishly delightful linguistic legerdemain.  Pay careful attention as you enter the world of the magnificent.  On this, a day you will most assuredly never forget, to the contrary, burn indelibly into your little gray cells, Tom Johnson and Pulp Den join EdinRoad press in proudly proclaiming the bodacious birth of a new modern classic, the Adventures of the Magnificent Seven, by Florida newcomer David Roth.”

A story about seven ordinary young people with extraordinary imaginations, the Adventures of the Magnificent Seven takes you on a thrilling roller coaster ride of action packed fast paced fun as common, every day activities suddenly explode into exciting adventures of the imagination.  Come along for the ride as a school field trip becomes the Mystery on the Overland Express.  Float along when a day at a small water park transforms into a heart pounding White Water Rapids run.  Venture with them as they solve the curious case of the backwards grandfather clock.  Join them when a simple bike ride turns into a deadly rescue.

I suppose I could go on forever with this, but I’ll spare you.  Hi.  I’m Poet and Writer David Roth, author of The Adventures of the Magnificent Seven.  I’d like to thank Tom Johnson for letting me share our big announcement as a guest blogger on his site, Pulp Den.  Today we’re announcing the EdinRoad Press publication of my book in e-reader format.  Right now you can find it in all the popular e-reader formats at Smashwords.com.  It will soon be available at all major online booksellers.  It is currently available in both hardcover and paperback at my LuLu.com bookstore, but today we’re making this joint effort to announce the official Edin Road e-book edition.

Our target is Young Adult, but this is a book anyone from late elementary school age through adult can enjoy.  Kind of like a Disney movie, there are nuggets of humor and interesting ideas built in for all audiences including a few harmless but saucy tidbits for the big kid in all of us.  I had a great time writing it, and I hope that this has spiked enough interest that you rush right over to one of the places I’ve mentioned to get yourself a copy.  The easiest and most affordable way is to go to Edin Road and click on the link that takes you to Smashwords…or just click the Smashwords link in this article.  There you’ll find an e-book version for whatever flavor of reader you own.  Please join us in this kick off celebration, and download your copy of the Adventures of the Magnificent Seven.

Thanks again to Tom Johnson for letting us make this announcement from his web page.

About Tales of Masks & Mayhem

Unfortunately, new pulp fiction had not made an impact in 2005 & 2006, so the anthologies were not noticed and did not sell. Which is a shame, as there were some great stories in them. Ginger took a beating in the pocketbook both from sales and cost of self-publishing the volumes. Though the project was worthwhile because of her work with the authors and artists, she has not ventured into the market since.

Tales of Masks & Mayhem

In 2005, Ginger Johnson created the idea of an anthology series titled TALES OF MASKS & MAYHEM, with the intention of self-publishing. We had just ended our long run of fiction titles, and had contact with numerous authors who were writing new pulp hero characters at the time. For Volume One, she selected “Monarch of The Flame Madness” by Maxentius Andor Scarlatti (Steve Mitchell), featuring The Tarantula; “Crimson Harvest” by Therese Drippe & Tom Johnson, featuring The Black Bat from the pulps; “The Grey Monk’s Justice” by John L. French, featuring The Grey Monk; “Lunar League” by Lance Curry, featuring Secret Agent “X” and The Moon Man from the pulps; “Doc Atlas: Gorilla Killer” by Michael A. Black, featuring Doc Atlas; “Hunter’s Moon” by Debra DeLorme and Tom Johnson, featuring The Black Ghost & The Scarecrow; and “The Night Hawk” by Will Murray, featuring The Night Hawk. Tom Johnson wrote an Introduction for the book. It was 440 pages of pulp action. The book was picked up by Mystic Toad Press, and edited by long-time friend, K.G. McAbee. Unfortunately, Mystic Toad Press went out of business soon after publishing the first anthology. The volume was picked up again by Altus Press in 2007. Copies can be purchased from Altus Press or Amazon.com.

In 2006, Ginger Johnson was not without a publisher for the TALES OF MASKS & MAYHEM anthologies, but still had material on hand for a couple more volumes. She decided to self-publish the remaining series if a publisher did not pick them up. For Volume Two she selected “Shadowhawke: First Flight” by K.G. McAbee & Tom Johnson, featuring Shadowhawke; “Wolf’s Clothing” by John L. French, featuring The Grey Monk; “Doc Atlas: Arctic Terror” by Michael A. Black, featuring Doc Atlas; “Midnight Moon” by Terry Nudds, featuring The Moon Man from the pulps; “For The Love of A Child” by Debra DeLorme, featuring The Scarecrow; “The Beginning: A Mr. Minus Story” by Ginger Johnson, featuring Mr. Minus; “The Lady of Death” by G. Wayman Jones (Steve Mitchell), featuring The Black Bat from the pulps; “The China Connection” by Alanna Morgan (Marilyn Morey), featuring The Fox; Tom Johnson provides an Introduction for the volume. It is 399 pages of pulp action. Ginger was unable to find a publisher, so self-published the book through E-Booktime. Print and e-books are available from E-Booktime and Amazon.com.

Following the release of Volume Two, later in 2006 Ginger published Volume Three through E-Booktime. For this volume, she selected “The Cult of The Faceless Fiend” by Tom Powers, featuring The Crimson Bat; “The Face of Chu-Lung by Eric Torowski, featuring Chu-Lung; “Sidewinder” by Debra DeLorme, featuring The Scarecrow; “Death And The Black Ghost” by Tom Johnson, featuring The Black Ghost; “A Taste For Murder” by J. Michael Major, featuring The Black Bat from the pulps; “Souls On Fire” by John L. French, featuring The Grey Monk; “The Dust of Death” by Joel Jenkins, featuring Ell & Adder; “Doc Atlas: The Satan Plague” by Michael A. Black, featuring Doc Atlas; “Mr. Minus Takes A Vacation” by Ginger Johnson, featuring Mr. Minus; “Catch A Falling Star” by Dale Roberts, featuring Mr. Mystery; Interior artwork by Tom Powers, Eric Torowski, Tim Faurote, and David L. Transue. A special cover provided by David L. Transue. There are 391 pages of pulp adventure. Book is available from E-Booktime and Amazon.com.

Phantoms In Bronze

To kick off The Summer Of Bronze, Altus Press released the thick volume, "Phantoms In Bronze" a while back, featuring four Phantom Detective novels by Laurence Donovan. Donovan, a ghost writer for Lester Dent had been turning out some descent Doc Savage novels when he moved over to the Thrilling line to write Phantom Detective novels. Four of those novels that appeared in 1941 & '42 were filled with Doc Savage type adventures. The Thousand Island Murders, Death Over Puget Sound, Murder Moon Over Miami, and Streamlined Murder are the tales in this big volume. Will Murray writes a very interesting Introduction for the book, and at 632 pages, it's well worth the price. Available from Altus Press and Amazon.com

Secret Agent "X" Volume 5

Secret Agent “X” Volume 5 from Altus Press continues this popular series in a beautiful, thick volume perfect for the collector’s bookshelf. This volume contains the next five novels in line by Paul Chadwick and G.T. Fleming-Roberts: Monarch of Murder (August 1935), Legion of The Living Dead (September 1935), Horde of The Damned (October 1935), Ringmaster of Doom (November 1935), and Kingdom of Blue Corpses (December 1935). Contains 562 pages, with an Introduction by Tom Johnson. Original artwork re-mastered and included. Highly recommended.

Agent 13

Here are my favorite Graphic Novels. All Pulp http://allpulp.blogspot.com/ has interviewed the authors of this series, so be sure to check it out. There were three prose novels featuring Agent 13, who was a mixture of Secret Agent X, The Spider, G-8 and Operator #5. The two graphic novels were beautifully illustrated in full color. Notice the Showcase Shazam! over my shoulder?