Doc Savage: Skull Island

Doc Savage: Skull Island (Action/Adventure)

By Will Murray

ISBN #978-1618271136

Altus Press www.altuspress.com

410 Pages

Price $24.95

Rating 5-Stars

In Skull Island, the new adventure of Doc Savage by Will Murray, the story opens as Doc returns from his Fortress of Solitude to find King Kong dead at the base of the Empire State Building. His aides are excited about the big ape, but Doc says, “I know this creature.” And after his team removes the huge body at the request of the mayor, Doc begins telling them the story that took him to Skull Island.

Beginning right after Doc and his friends are released from the Army following WWI, young Clark Savage is contacted by his father, Clark, Senior, and they embark on an emergency mission to find the abandoned ship floating without crew that belonged to Doc’s grandfather, Stormalong Savage. Whether intentional or not, the story is written in the formula of the 1920’s action novels, reminding me of the great old H. Rider Haggard African romance novels of the period, in which the reader is treated to a long journey of discovery and adventure. The huge tome is actually in three parts: book one The Orion, tells of their travel by sea, and numerous encounters with danger. Book two Skull Mountain Island, finds them on the jungle island of a land that time forgot where they find Doc’s marooned grandfather, Stormalong Savage, with prehistoric beasts and more danger. Book three Kong, brings in the mighty lord of the island. Throughout the narrative, Doc, Clark Senior, and even old Stormalong, have been constantly harassed by Dyak pirates who are seeking heads as trophies. They are on the island for the greatest of all trophies, the head of King Kong.

This is the story long awaited by fans of Doc Savage. We meet Doc’s father, his grandfather, and even read about his uncle, the father of Pat Savage. A lot of detail goes into Doc’s childhood, revealing much of the mystery surrounding his mother and adventurous family, and possible reasons for his early training to become a superman. To be honest, I don’t think anyone but Will Murray could have told this story; at least I’m glad he’s the one who penned the huge volume. There will undoubtedly be naysayers, and years of debate whether or not Skull Island is a masterpiece in pulp fiction, but for me this novel stands along side the best of the long series of Doc Savage adventures. And let’s not forget the addition of Kong, lord of Skull Island!