ePulp Review of the Week - Ten A Week Steale by Stephen Jared.

Ten A Week Steale by Stephen Jared
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*E-Pulp Warning* All my e-reading is e-pulp focused so my reviews are written with e-pulp in mind. Reader beware :) *E-Pulp Warning*

Overall: 4 stars (Recommend).

Ten A Week Steale is a great little noir story set in 1920s Hollywood, authentically capturing the mood and the city as Steale does what hard-boiled men do. Hollywood is captured brilliantly by someone who obviously loves the genre and the setting and, although it's not the fastest or pulpiest story around, it's well worth a look.

Pacing and Action: 3 stars.

To be honest, the story probably wasn't written as a pulp story. At least not dialled up to 'Full Throttle' which makes 3 stars a little awkward. By the standards of any other genre this has plenty of fisticuffs and dames, villains and other action galore. But by pulp standards there's a lot of thinking and brooding and contemplating the nature of life etc. None of this detracts from the story in any way but it does lack that pulpy extreme.

Pulp Concept: 4 stars.

Steale isn't a Private Investigator cliche and the use of 1920s Hollywood rather than the 30s are both nice touches that give Steale his own road to walk. The back story also makes all of what happens completely plausible as the hard-boiled action ensues. It's classic era setting and the easy action tropes it allows all come together for a pulp concept that, while not ground-breaking, certainly does the job.

Then there's the setting. First class. The author clearly has a love for this era and this town and it shows from the details sprinkled throughout. You don't drown in it but the sense that you're wandering through these gaudy temples to the new demi-gods of their age is palpable. Fantastic stuff that begs to be explored further.

Character Development: 4 stars.

Related to the pacing this is a book that has plenty of character development and a fair bit of introspection and self awareness. Being noir-ish tends to do that :) The characters are well rounded, have plausible motivations and personalities and they are all indelibly tied to the world in which they exist and it works very well.

Production: 5 stars.

Have you seen that cover? Wow. Gorgeous. Eye catching, era relevant and professional. And that's a sentence you could use to describe the whole package. It's been edited properly and is a quality production all round.

Series Potential: 3 stars.

This is where I'm guessing the story was not originally intended as a straight up pulp story. While there's definitely space to produce sequels and create a series - and the author's familiarity with the setting BEGS for SOMETHING set in 1920s Hollywood - the story does little to set up a serialised status quo. While this isn't an issue for people not interested in the pulpier side of life, for those of us who are it's another indicator that, while a good read, it's not straight up pulp.

Wrap Up.

A good, entertaining story that anyone with an interest in noir or hard-boiled detectives should like, with an interesting twist thanks to the setting and atypical era. Not to take from this though, it's not the pulpiest story going, even if it is of the highest quality.

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ePulp Book Review - Tier Zero by Henry Brown.

Tier Zero by Henry Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* All of my reading and reviewing is skewed towards epulp. All reviews are therefore skewed to that end. Reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*

Overall: 4 stars (Recommended) - but drop a star if you're a pulp purist or think the politics may annoy you.

Tier Zero, though not the pulpiest read you're likely to find, is a good read in the vein of an old-school men's adventure paperback. It moves at a fast clip and has plenty of authentic military action and hardware to satisfy any enthusiast but the American politics can be a bit much if you're not that way inclined.

Pacing and Action: 3 stars.

If there's one thing this story does well it's the authentic use of military hardware and action. Clearly the author has some form of military background and the story benefits, conveying the use of hardware and what it's like to be on a battlefield, all while moving the plot at a rapid fire pace. Battle scenes are explosive, the characters know what they're doing, and what they achieve is built on a solid foundation of training, making much of what happens completely believeable. On the battlefield at least.

Where the story can bog down is with the politics. Maybe it's an American thing but, as an Australian, I found the political discussions a bit jarring. Long arguments full of assumptions I clearly wasn't privy to slowed the action down. It also sounded a bit one-sided so I can imagine that if you're American and you have a different set of political beliefs you may also be rubbed the wrong way. But, again, I'm clearly out of the loop of these discussions.

I'd also imagine pulp purists would find it a bit annoying. It does tend to suck the fun out of a story.

But this story isn't, per se pulp, more like a paperback from the 70s or 80s with a very strong retro vibe so if that's what you're after, you'll get it in spades. Less so if you're just after pulp or don't appreciate the strong political message.

Pulp Concept: 4 stars.

It's an okay concept but I think the author carries it a long way. Were it in the hands of someone who wasn't as comfortable with military characters it may have been a shallow read but the author is able to give the situation a lot of authenticity and depth. There's also plenty of material to mine from the subject matter so overall it's a fairly satisfying concept, mostly thanks to the execution.

Character Development: 4 stars.

Military stories are usually ensemble stories and the author does very well bringing together an eclectic group of people who still work together in an authentic way. There's plenty of inter group drama and very different personalities but they're handled very well, each character achieving some sort of depth. Some characters felt like they only existed to support the politics but overall it was very good.

Production: 3 stars.

Spelling and grammar were good. There were a few weird page breaks in the middle of the book and for some reason, every time I turned on my Kobo the bookmark was about 8 or 9 pages back from where I finished last. But this could be a problem with the Kobo as much as the book. Where the production is really let down is the cover which, while serviceable, does sell the story short. The content inside deserves better.

Series Potential: 3.5 stars.

There's plenty more story left in this series with ramifications for the protagonist that could be interesting to explore later. But at the same time there isn't a lot there to suggest there's more to come. The characters are likeable enough to sustain another sequel (I think this is the second in the series) but it could also finish there without too many problems.

Wrap Up.

Tier Zero is a well written men's adventure action story with an old-school vibe but there are some aspects that will mean it's not for everyone. However, if old-school men's adventure is what you're after then this is a good example.

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ePulp Review of the Week - Dodge Dalton in the Shadow of Falcon's Wings by Sean Ellis.

The Adventures of Dodge Dalton in the Shadow of Falcon's Wings by Sean Ellis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* All my e-reading is e-pulp related so my reviews are thus minded. Reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*

Overall: 3 stars (You might like it)

Although this story had all the classic pulp adventure elements it seemed to drag relative to other examples of the field. As a mainstream adventure story it does the job with plenty of the good stuff the genre has to offer but as e-pulp it seems to drag in an unnecessary way I found frustrating.

Pacing and Action: 3 stars.

This was a bizarre reading experience for me because while the story seemed to have everything I could want in a pulp tale it became really hard going by the halfway mark. The action was often described from a distance, the character perspectives were complicated by a timeline that would jump back and forth, even on cliffhanger chapter endings, and the characters seemed to be constantly reflecting on things and telling rather than showing. There also didn't seem to be any logical drive to the plot so things would drag out over chapters without any sense of where we were headed. The overall effect was bulky and wordy and I found it very frustrating.

If you're not especially pulp inclined then add another star as many of these things won't bother you. But I was expecting some high pulp and this wasn't really it.

Pulp Concept: 3 stars.

The pulp concepts were fairly simple with the stereotypical period setting and some whacky, fun pulp sci fi elements but the constant use of meta-style self referencing was a bit of a drag. I don't know if the writer was trying to say something or just so wrapped up in the pulps that his hero had to be a pulp writer as well but it caused some logic kinks that had me stopping to wonder if I was supposed to be reading something into this or not. Either way it slowed things down further and heaped on the frustration.

Again, if you're not pulp obsessed a lot of this won't matter but for me it was really disappointing.

Character development: 4 stars.

This wasn't too bad. The character is actually going on a journey and, while clunky at times, there ends up being a fairly solid cast of characters by the end. The story also plays some interesting kinks into the stereotype of the Doc Savage clone by making him a support character. It was an idea that had some interesting potential. But considering the protagonist's journey was the strength of the story it highlights that the style of writing was more your traditional prose writing than a more pulpy style or storytelling. Even if all the characters and setting etc were pulp sourced.

Production: 4 stars.

Good cover with its old-school adventure feel and good editting. One thing that stood out was the random use of some extraordinary words. Words like 'imprecations', 'bellicose', 'demesne', and 'coruscating' are all used and, thanks to my Kobos handy dictionary, I know they were all used in the right context. But they serve as a good illustration of how the writing style can be a bit flamboyant and dense at the expense of what is going on.

Series Potential: 3 stars.

I just don't see anything here that would warrant a series, beyond wanting more pulp to read. Although the setting and characters are certainly there and ready to go. And as there is already two stories in the series the ability to read on is available.

Wrap Up.

Certainly not my favourite reading experience of the past year but I think less fussy readers will get a lot more out of the story than I did. This story made me realise that, A, there is such thing as pulp snobbing and, B, I'm starting to do it while I read. I'm guessing this will make my reviews more discriminating but make it harder to look at myself in the mirror :(

Check this out if you need a quick Indiana Jones-style fix. But if you're a pulp afficiando there is better stuff out there.



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ePulp Review of the Week - The Sting of the Silver Manticore by P. J. Lozito.

The Sting of the Silver Manticore by P. J. Lozito
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* All my e-reading is pulp skewed so my reviews are too. Reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*

Overall: 3 stars (You may get something out of it)

First up, I didn't finish this book. It was just too much. This is, personally, a 2 star book - one that has major problems with the basic writing craft, regardless of the story being told. But I rated it a 3 because I think that if you are a hard core retro pulp fan you may get something out of this. But for everyone else I recommend you try something else.

Pacing and Action: 2 stars.

This was a very slow story and not because of the action scenes etc. This is a slow story because there is endless exposition (at least for the first 48% I read). Six or seven of the first ten chapters are, without a word of exaggeration, exposition chapters in which two or more people sit in a room and explain things to each other. It's incredibly frustrating. Explanation after explanation after explanation. Much of it concerns character biographies, historical events and plot points that occurred before the story even starts which is bizarre as I was under the impression this was the first book in the series. It also leads to a convoluted, twisting plot with motivations I couldn't recall. It was frustrating and it was slow. And eventually I just had to put it down.

Pulp Concept: 3 stars.

This is where things get really frustrating. For all the confusion and lag in the story this appears to be one of the best researched pulp stories I've ever read. It is clear that the author is a massive pulp fan and student of the era. And this is where nostalgia-pulp fans will get a kick out of the story – the story is riddled with little anecdotes of the era, information about various experiments or scientific breakthroughs that were occurring at the time and brand names or popular culture references dropped in at every turn. It’s thick throughout the story and really does help ground the story in the era. But if you’re not a fan of the era and not playing pulp-era bingo then it slows the story down even more with obscure references to unnecessary information. Again, very frustrating.

The pulp concept is also very derivative. I don’t have an encyclopaedic knowledge of nostalgia-pulp characters but even I know a blatant Doc Savage clone when I see one, right down to his offsiders where there is no attempt to hide the fact they’re clones. This is largely a fan fiction story about the time the Green Hornet teamed up with Doc Savage. There are few original ideas and that offsets a lot of good research.

Character Development: 2 stars.

As mentioned before, most of these characters are straight up ports of other characters so there wasn’t a lot of character development to speak of, but I will qualify that by pointing out I only got half way through the book. But with all the exposition going on there was plenty of ‘telling’ and not much ‘showing’ which, again, was very frustrating.

Another aspect that was done well was the characterization of the bad guys but it’s a complicated ‘well’. The Oriental villains are characterised well in that they really do feel like the Fu Manchu-style characters from the serials etc and as a piece of fan fiction the story reproduced them well. But those representations are fairly uncomfortable in a modern context. The characters are freed from much of the racist baggage of their peers through various stretches of exposition and some clunky dialogue sequences but it was still awkward to read. That’s not on the author so much as the lingering shadow those old characters cast but it was a little uncanny to read.

Production: 3 stars.

Again, not great. Spelling and grammar mistakes everywhere. It needed a much better edit before being published. Saving grace was the cover which I didn’t think was too bad and helped it stand out from other pulp offerings. An extra star for the cover. But that didn’t help what was past the cover.

Series Potential: ? stars.

I didn’t make it to the end of the book so I can’t say for sure but if the characters are all knock offs then I can’t imagine why you would want to read further adventures. Not when you can read the real ones. I do think that the writer has potential to do this sort of project in the future, learning from their fairly simple beginner mistakes to write another well researched, style-accurate nostalgia-pulp character series. But this character may have already done its run.


Wrap Up.

There really is some quality stuff in this story but it’s lying under a thick layer of beginner writing that really ruins the experience. If you adore the genre and the era then you will love all the references and probably get a chuckle out of the way it so clearly references the classic pulp characters. But for someone unfamiliar with the old pulps or too young to get anything out of the nostalgia aspect you are better off trying something else.


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ePulp Review of the Week - Spinward Fringe Boradcast 0: Origins by Randolph Lalonde

Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins by Randolph Lalonde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*E-Pulp Warning* All my e-reading is e-pulp so I review to that standard. Reader beware :) *E-Pulp Warning*

Overall: 4 stars (Recommend)

I stumbled across a recommendation for this series and I'm really glad I did. Spinward Fringe is a fantastic example of space opera fiction with an incredibly detailed world, fantastic technology and a great concept that allows us to explore them both. While it can suffer the usual pacing problems inherent in the genre it is a quality start to an e-pulp series that shows plenty of promise.

Pacing and Action: 3 stars.

Like all the best space opera the battles in Spinward Fringe are fantastic. Epic in scope yet still allowing for the brilliance of amazing fleet tacticians, anyone who's a fan of the genre will feel well at home with SF's grasp of epic confrontation. But the action isn't limited to space as the crew finds themselves in all sorts of sticky situations from bounty hunter chases to jail breaks. The author's use of sci-fi technology definitely helps here as the characters are set up well for the sort of Star Wars-esque running and gunning that makes for great action-adventure storytelling. It's all excellent, fun stuff and the first two stories rip along.

Unfortunately the third story does fall back into the bad habits of the genre. Anyone who loves this genre tends to get used to the tendency of stories to get bogged down in the technology as the author tries to illustrate just how much thought they've put into their sci-fi tech tree (I'm looking at YOU Honor HarringtonOn Basilisk Station). As space opera that's fine but as e-pulp it can turn into a grind about rail cannons and refit schedules that will bore you to tears. There's also some structural problems with the third story where there doesn't seem to be any stakes or narrative motivation until about half way through the story. Considering this is a first novel that one mistake is not bad but it did bring a rip-roaring sci-fi romp to a bit of a crawl which was disappointing.

But if you like your action full of fleet battles and laser blasters, you'll get something out of this for sure.

Pulp Concept: 5 stars.

Brilliant. The world of Spinward Fringe is well thought out and we get a good sense of just what's happening out there in that big old universe. The technology opens all sorts of potential and the wider political machinations make you want to return to the universe to see what happens. Good stuff.

The ship and tech for the crew also helps. If you've ever dreamed of exploring the galaxy with the sort of hardware that allows you to break the Prime Directive with impunity then this is your sort of exploring. Gunboat exploration with the chance to nuke dirty corporate thugs? What could be better than that?

Perhaps the only drawback may be the stories tendency to fall into wish fulfillment - a lot of really convenient things do tend to happen for the crew to function the way they do - but that's kind of the point. If you're super-sam-serious about your sci-fi this may in fact be a turn off but if you're like me and you want to just shoot up corporate stooges with impunity then this is a story for you. And what could be more pulp than that?

Character development: 3.5 stars.

I'm not going to say the characters are brilliant, nor memorable, nor do they go through any sort of development that may merit a PhD thesis. But there definitely is character development there. Maybe it's the wish fulfillment aspect but the characters do tend to blend into the background, subsumed by the cool stuff. They do however exist and do have a story arc. But it's not why you'll be reading this.

Production: 4 stars.

Good editing make it a very readable book. I didn't notice anything that kicked me out of the story. The story was also free as the first in the series which is always big points for production.

The only real drawback would be the fairly unmemorable cover. It does clearly state which 'broadcast' in the series this is (unfortunately a nice surprise for a lot of e-pulp) but it's still fairly forgettable.

Series Potential: 4 stars.

This series is already selling like hotcakes so the concept is sound. It's also six or seven books strong already so if you enjoy this one you can keep reading safe in the knowledge that there's plenty more where that came from.

On its own merits though you can see why there's such a following. The world that has been imagined begs to be explored further and the impression that we've just started this journey is palpable. About the only thing preventing it from being 5 stars would be the characters. At no point was I desperate to see what happened to them even if I was interested in seeing what happened to their ship. But still, there's definitely gold in them thar hills and I look forward to returning to the Spinward Fringe universe.

Wrap Up.

Excellent sci-fi space opera pulp with fantastic potential for the future. If you're into space opera and into reading e-pulp then this is definitely a story for you. With plenty more where that came from...


Grant.

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ePulp Review of the Week -

The Adventures of Gravedigger Volume One by Barry Reese
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Overall: 5 stars (Highly Recommend)

Gravedigger is another addition to Barry Reese’s growing stable of old-school nostalgia pulp creations and, as usual, doesn’t disappoint. The Gravedigger leans more to the horror side of the nostalgia-driven dark avenger theme with a bit more gore and darkness than before, while bringing the Sovereign City world closer together with several crossovers and some more historical background to the city. All while providing a read that won’t trouble first time readers to the Sovereign City world. It’s good quality epulp that’s a definite read for those who like their vigilantes up to their neck in the supernatural and don’t mind some gibbs and gore along the way.

Pacing and Action: 4 stars.

The pacing is good with three short stories that introduce us to this new character and plunge us into the supernatural shenanigans that plague Sovereign City. There’s plenty of action, crazy situations and cross-city conspiracy that ensures the book earns its pulpy status. Not to mention a good helping of supernatural bad guys that need to be dispatched by our new hero. It’s all well detailed and fast.

About the only problem with the pacing – and I’m using the word ‘problem’ loosely – is that the book does tend to timeline jump a bit in order to fill in the historical backstory. By any other standard the pace is fine but on a pulpy scale it does tend to haul things up and complicate the read more than usual. It won’t spoil the read but it is less than pulp-ideal.

Pulp Concept: 5 stars.

Very pulpy. If you’ve ever read an old-school dark avenger vigilante story then this is familiar territory but with a few very unique twists. It creates a character with an interesting quandary and plenty of momentum for further adventures, all steeped in the supernatural and dark. The only shortcoming might be for people who like their reading gore free as the book does have a touch of the exploitation film about it – not in a big way but it’s there – and if so you may want to knock a star off the final score, but for everyone else this is as pulpy as you like.

Character Development: 4 stars.

The protagonists’ dilemma and motivation is written well and there’s plenty of supporting characters with their own personalities and motivations. There’s an interesting group dynamic with some really interesting cross-overs with already established characters for readers familiar with them. As pulp goes these are very well rounded characters with a proper internal life that should draw the reader in and get them invested in the story if you’re in it for the action and nothing but.

However, the supporting cast can fade into two-dimensional characters that are more ideas than full blown people. Their behaviour can seem a little inconsequential at times, the risks they take having no ramifications or consequences to the point that they’re untouchable and above what happens to them. It can also cheapen the Gravedigger’s abilities when supporting characters every now and then manifest their own amazing abilities (I’m talking about a certain briefcase throwing incident) and are relatively unfazed by anything around them (they’re awfully chipper and loyal considering some of the things they see). But, considering this is the first story it may be all about establishing a status quo than delving into their own faults and insecurities.

Production: 5 stars.

A gorgeous cover and good price make this 5 stars even though there were a few editorial misses in the third book. Unfortunately the cover hasn’t been posted here on GoodReads (I read the ebook version as well, but that’s not up in time for this review either) but in colour it really is amazing, perfectly capturing the mood and pulpy ‘tude the book has. Very nice.

Series Potential: 5 stars.

Definitive. There’s plenty more action to be had following The Gravedigger and all the pieces are in place for further adventures. Sovereign City is also becoming a more textured and detailed location for all things pulpy so it would be a crying shame if there weren’t more stories in the pipeline.

Wrap Up.

Another quality piece of writing from a trustworthy name in nostalgia pulp. Even though it has its faults I’m still giving this 5 stars as it is as good as anything else out there in epulp land, nostalgia or otherwise, with plenty more story to check out if you want to read more. For those who like their pulp reading gore free you may want to knock a star off but for those who like their vigilantes embroiled in the supernatural this is a must read. I definitely recommend.

Interested in more epulp? Check out the rest of my reviews.




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Here's that cover from another source:

 

ePulp Review of the Week - Dillon and the Pirates of Xonira by Derrick Ferguson.

Dillon and the Pirates of Xonira by Derrick Ferguson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

***Pulp Warning*** All my e-reading is in the vein of e-pulp, so all reviews are pulp relative. Reader beware :) ***Pulp Warning***

Overall: 4 stars (Recommend)

The Pirates of Xonira is a Bond style romp through a modern world setting which makes a refreshing change for pulp. Dillon is great, the action non-stop and the supporting cast fantastic but it's missing that certain something that would make it 5 stars.

Pacing and Action: 4 stars.

One thing about a modern setting for pulp is that there's plenty more toys to play with and Dillon has a garage full of them. Motorbikes, four-wheel drives, drone gunships and submarines are all part of the fun and shenanigans ensue.

The only let down would be the way the story falls into some old Bond cliches with slabs of exposition while characters interrogate each other or the villain explains his evil scheme. It slows things down a little and can feel a little clunky.

Pulp Concept: 4 stars.

A modern setting for non-superhero pulp seems to be a fairly rare occurence but it shouldn't be. The Dillon series is a good exception with a clear Bond influence while putting its own spin on the ideas. It blends Bond with more fantastic elements that provoke Dillon's various high-tech adventures, usually dragging him all over the world in order to make things right. It's a good conept that is well used in this latest installment.

Character development: 4 stars.

This is quite good, helped by the fact that all of the characters are unique with their own motivations and character tics. Over the course of the story we good a very good sense of who is what and why, Dillon is a great character that plays with the Bond cliche by being not very Bond in many different ways and the supporting cast also have histories and stories of their own. Not sure if anyone changes over the course of the narrative but being well-rounded to begin with means that you don't notice.

Production: 3.5 stars.

There were some spelling mistakes and missed words that should have been picked up in editting and the cover is a bit flat and lifeless. But the price is good which means you get plenty of pulp for your buck.

Series Potential: 4 stars.

Three or four stories in I think the series potential has been proven. The pattern has been set and references to Dillon's wider world are always being dropped in to flesh out the world and his character. Plenty of material to mine in the future and the author is no doubt thinking in that vein.

Wrap Up.

Good, fun, Bond-style pulp romp with a great character. Will be interesting to see what happens next in the world of Dillon.


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ePulp GoodrReads Review of the Week - Sentinels: When Strikes the Warlord by Van Allen Plexico.

Sentinels: When Strikes the Warlord by Van Allen Plexico
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* All my e-reading skews towards e-pulp. So do my reviews. Reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*

Overall: 4 stars (Recommended)

The first book in the Sentinels series is everything it claims to be: old school comic book storytelling but in this old school prose stuff. And it's a lot of fun. A must read for old school comic readers and a lot of fun for anyone who likes to read about people in figure-hugging costumes punching robe-clad people who like to plot the end of the world.

Pacing and Action: 4 stars.

Fight scenes, baby. That's what you'll get. And people who can fly and/or teleport. That generally makes for a fast, action packed story.
Seriously though, this is comic book storytelling so there's absolutely no let up to the fights. If that's your thing then this is your thing.
The writing also has a good sense of humour. Very funny. There's a scene with an errant marsupial that comes to mind. Hi-larious for its 'what the...' value. And down right stereotypical (I should know).

Pulp Concept: 5 stars.

Can't get a pulpier concept than 'superheroes'. If you can, I want to know about it.
I suppose there's a slight chance that old-school fanboys may get agro about the thin veneer of DC or Marvel-iness that wafts around each of the characters but the rest of us geeks will get a kick out of a world in which Darkseid (with an Arnold-esque '6th Day' predicament) is desperately trying to fight off Superman before Galactacus shows up to eat the Multiverse.

Character Development: 4 stars.

It's not the strongest but it's definitely there. The characters do have personalities and they do have their own stories to be advanced, although I think most of this story is a set up for the larger trilogy. It's okay without being brilliant.

Production: 4 stars.

Does the job with a cover that tells you exactly what you're getting and professional editting. Had a weird thing going where all dialogue, even after logical action tags, would take a new line, making it hard to work out who was talking on occasion. But that may have been a Kobo thing or something.
All up though, good stuff.

Series Potential: 4 stars.

This is obviously an ongoing story with a much larger set of stakes on the table and many character threads left open for more exploration. Hopefully this will also include expanding on the world a lot more. This is, after all, a world in which superheroes fly the skies. Let's discuss that a little more.
Also, good news, there's at least six stories in the series so far. So if you do end up liking this stuff, there's plenty more where that came from.

Wrap Up.

A very fun little romp through the superhero genre which makes you wonder why modern-style superhero prose pulp isn't written more often. Not quite the epic must-read title but a pretty good start.

Most Quotable moment:

"The Second German Reich? Again?" He glared at Francisco. "Remind me to recalibrate the dimensional transporter. You're spending far too much time studying that particular alternate reality."
Francisco looked crestfallen.




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GoodReads ePulp Review of the Week- The Last Adventure of Dr Yngve Hogalum by D.L. Mackenzie.

The Last Adventure of Dr. Yngve Hogalum by D.L. Mackenzie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*E-pulp warning* All of my reading and reviewing is focused on e-pulp. So all reviews are skewed in that direction. Reader beware :) *E-pulp warning*

Overall: 4 stars (Recommended)

A fantastic start to what should be a great pulp series. The narrator's voice is brilliant and the steampunk sci-fi whacky and fun, making up for what may be (for some) a lack of action. But the short length of the story ends up being its undoing, suggesting that either this should have been grouped together with two other stories in the series or the reader should buy and read three of them at a time.

Pacing and Action: 3 stars.

This isn't the fastest or pulpiest story you will ever read. In fact, there's not a lot that happens. But the slow pace of the story actually reflects the more genteel nature of the main characters, helping to build the world from the perspective of the narrator. Written in the style of an H. Rider Haggard adventure story or a Sherlock Holmes mystery the plot is relatively slow in the face of other pulp offerings but like thriller or horror or hard-boiled suspense stories the slower pace is appropriate to what is happening with excellent use of cliffhangers to keep the reader turning the page at pace, even if the stakes are more social than physical.

If you've ever read a story written before World War 1 you will also marvel at how the author has been able to capture the cadence and pacing of those old stories. That, along with the sheer wackiness of all the steampunk sci-fi, more than make up for any perceived lack of fisticuffs or chase scenes. All activities such cerebrally-minded gentlemen such as those illustrated here would look down upon as unseemly, unnecessary and more than a little vulgar...

The real problem with the pacing is to do with the length of the story. It's only 15,000 words and before you can get your teeth into the story world it has come to an abrupt halt. At the end. That in itself would not be a problem if you could just go onto the next story but The Last Adventure is sold on its own as an individual book. This isn't just because it's the first free title in the series, either. I've checked and all ensuing titles are the same length. It makes me wonder why the author didn't package three stories together at a time as it would be a more fulfilling reading experience.

Pulp Concept: 5 stars.

Fantastic. The narrator's voice clearly captures not only the whacky steampunk happenings but also the class and characters of the era in a way that makes you want to know more and more about what is going on in this crazy new world. It's fun, it's quirky and all done with a charm that immediately lends the series its own character. Very memorable and great pulp.

Character development: 4 stars.

The narrator is clearly a man of his class and clearly unreliable in a way that illustrates who he is and what motivates him. It's very well done. All the other characters in the story are also well drawn with their own personality quirks and foibles and all fitting in magnificently with the world that has been created. Again, the only problem is that we haven't spent enough time with them to get beyond simple caricatures. They're unique but we will have to wait until later stories to see if they are well rounded.

Production: 4 stars.

Great cover and no editing problems of note. Very professional. And as the first story in the series it is also free which always helps you get good marks.

But you can't go past the fact that these stories could be packaged together in groups of three in order to have a more fulfilling reading experience. You can always buy them individually but it would be so much simpler if they were collected together.

Series Potential: 4 stars.

Strong. Very strong. In fact there's already four books in the series although each is 15,000 words each. The reader has been introduced to a world of vast, quirky potential in which anything could happen. And enough has been set up to suggest a strong series going forward. As a reader I definitely want to see what happens next.

Wrap Up.

A great start to what should be a fantastic pulp series, I highly enjoyed The Last Adventure but recommend that if you don't mind paying the extra $4 you should get the equivalent of a full novel's worth of story to experience the full potential.

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GoodReads ePulp Review of the Week: The Myth Hunter by Percival Constantine.

The Myth Hunter by Percival Constantine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* All of my e-reading skews towards the pulpy side of the prose spectrum. As such, my reviews are pulp skewed. Reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*

Overall: 4 stars.

The Myth Hunter is the pilot episode for what could be a very strong pulp series. It's a cinematic piece of modern tomb raiding e-pulp that moves along at a cracking pace. It is unapolegetically pulp. But it would hope to cut back on the exposition, add some more unique elements and give the characters more depth if the rest of the series is to really capture an audience. But at $1 on Kobo and the potential for a really fun series in the works I think it's well worth checking out to see for yourself.

Pacing and Action: 4 stars. (3 stars if you have no intention of reading further stories in the series)

This story moves at a truly cracking pace. With its frantic jetsetting, exotic weapon laced fights and several different sets of bad guys all crammed into a rather modest page count the action never stops. And it has a real cinematic feel to it that is crisp and clear with larger than life action never being marred by unnecessary detail.
Until we're set to learn something new about each character. Chalk it up to first story cobwebs or something but the story throws the reader straight into the deep end of the action (which is good) but then makes up for the frenetic start by regularly stopping for exposition heavy dialogue between various characters concerning either the next important plot point, or the way they knew each other back in the day and what they were like. In any other story the level of exposition is fine but in a story moving this fast 'fine' is slow.
But this is most definitely pulp fast. And pulp fast is good.
Oh, and the end is a little anti-climactic. It would suggest that there's a bigger story in play, which is good for a series, but it would be a little annoying if you were only interested in reading this one story in the series.

Pulp Concept: 3 stars.

The unapolegetic, big-picture zaniness is there and the use of unique elements like the Japanese mythology is very well done. The concept of the myth hunters also works with a great showdown between more than a few parties making the story even crazier. But the let down is that a lot of the story feels like a poor knock off of Tomb Raider, right down to the lack lustre imitation Lara Croft. Imitation isn't a problem in pulp - in fact resuing cool ideas is kind've encouraged - but the end result should be something unique. A failure to do so leads to fan fiction. The Myth Hunter rarely feels like anything less than a Tomb Raider clone, one that adds little to the idea, whether it be the characters or the way in which the internal logic of the world operates. As a first episode in the series it may be working up to those points of difference but there was little to foreshadow such a thing in this book.

Characters and Development: 3 stars.

Fairly two dimensional. As I said above, the lead is a Lara Croft knock off and the rest of the cast are fairly cliched Bond villains or henchmen. There's a few mythical characters who give themselves a point of difference but they never really get beyond superficial motivation etc. The story is very cinematic but the problem with typing out a movie is that you lose the storytelling the actors bring to the movie. And while these characters told you a lot about themselves and each other they were never really convincing. Something you can fix in a series but it certainly wan't satisfying in this particular episode.

Production: 5 stars.

Very good production. Properly editted and well set out, there was nothing to take away from the story. The cover also stands out even if it communicates little about the story within. A very professional product that would suggest you can trust the author to always provide a well crafted e-book.
But the really outstanding part? $1 on Kobo as I bought it. That's a pulp price if ever I saw one. It also means that you have no reason not to try it for yourself. Probably makes it hard to make a living for the author but at that price the first issue can be a guilt free experiment. If you don't like you haven't lost anything from the experience. And with the high production values you won't have wasted your time. A very very good thing.

Series Potential: 4 stars.

And here's the rub. With its fast, exciting start and the general mythology of the world set up this could be one hell of a pulp series. The exposition is out of the way, the bad guys and the general conspiracy are explained, and the whole Tomb Raider clone concept has been well established. Now we can get on with the rest of the series, where all the weaknesses of this particular episode can be addressed. And, with a sequel already out (Dragon Kings of the Orient) I'll be sure to check it out to see if this be the case.
But, if these things aren't addressed and the series continues with the same shallow characterisation and 'Tomb Raider lite' concept then it will not rise above fan fiction and that would be a shame.

Wrap up.

At such a cheap price this series is well worth a look if you're in any way interested in this whole e-pulp thing. You'll definitely get your money's worth and a fun, fast read that could lead to a new pulp series to follow. Check it out.

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ePulp Goodreads Review of the Week - Fistful of Reefer by David Mark Brown.

Fistful of Reefer by David Mark Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

***Pulp Warning*** My e-reading is mostly e-pulp centric. My reviews are therefore skewed towards e-pulp reading. Reader beware. ***Pulp Warning***

I'll qualify this review by saying that while Fistful of Reefer does resemble many other pulp stories out there it isn't strictly pulp. The author's intent, as I understand it, was to write Dieselpunk and as such it's not trying to be pulp.

On the other hand, Dieselpunk is my other prose obsession and there's plenty of pulp grist for the mill in this one. I mean it references The Dollars Trilogy in the title. That's not just pulp - that's classy pulp!

So I'm going to qualify everything and be more confusing than usual. Read on...

Overall: 4 stars (3 stars for pulp snobs, if it's possible to be such a thing)

As most people note, if you like your Serge Leone movies political (which is sort of a redundant statement) then you'll get a kick out of this story. I'm just repeating what others have said but this is The Good, The Bad and The Ugly set in 1920s America with a drug-based Macguffin. And goats that barf marijuana. If this in anyway sounds like your kind of thing then this story is for you.

A qualification for pulp readers though - if you're a pulp purist then you may want to knock off a star (or half a star if that were possible at Goodreads). As you may expect from a story with the word 'reefer' in its title, there is much introspection. You may like this, you may not. For you it's 3 stars. All four of you terrible snobs...

On the other other hand - this is fantastic Dieselpunk. More on that later.

Pacing and Action: 3/4 stars.

For a pulp story this can be a little slow. And the angst over various political problems may be a chore. If you enjoy a little bit of cheeky 'punkitude in your reading this will be fine. If you're not there's still plenty of spills and thrills, including some awesome period-specific vehicle-based chase scenes that will definitely float the boat of many a pulp reader. But then there's all that boring angst about politics...

Pulp Concept: 4/5 stars.

Not your average pulp concept, to be sure, but it IS suitably whacky and leads to all the shenanigans you could want from a pulp story, even if not quite at the pace you may want. A note on the drug thing - to my surprise the story doesn't actually have much to do with drugs. They serve as a MacGuffin that then charges the political environment the characters move through. So don't be too put off by the idea. If you despise everything to do with drugs then the title should have put you off already. But if not, don't worry cause the stuff just ends up being yet another banned substance during Prohibition era America. Which gets our heroes into a lot of trouble. And the most disturbing moment of drug consumption comes from regurgutating goats...

Character development: 3/4 stars.

Again, I'm going to qualify this one. I didn't particularly like the first protagonist, but that's because I didn't 'get' him. I just had a lot of trouble getting a read on him. He was kinda flaky and passive. The other protagonist was a little more straightforward, even if he could be seen as the antagonist as well, but I think this also benefitted from previously reading Reefer Ranger, the free prequel of sorts to Fistful of Reefer. There is, however, plenty of character development among the supporting cast and some really intriguing character paradoxes that were unfortunately left unanswered. But by pulp standards this was pretty good. My inability to understand the protagonist notwithstanding.

Production: 4 stars.

A zany cover that grabs you and professional editting etc on the inside make this an easy book to read.

Series Potential: 4 stars.

There's already a stack of different stories in the DMB Files which I've been told will serve as artifacts in a series set in the present. In the new series the stories will be referred to as documents written by a pulp writer/historian that is trying to unravel various conspiracies. And considering the titles of the other stories include zombies and other pulpy concepts I think the series potential is already on show to see.

If you're interested check these out:

The Austin Job
Del Rio Con Amor
Twitch and Die!
And the one that gets my attention: Paraplegic Zombie Slayer

So there's plenty of pulpy madness out there to be had in the world of the DMB Files. Series potential? Big tick.

Dieselpunk: 5 stars.

As a Dieselpunk story this thing is top class. 'Punking a time era (Steam, Diesel, Atomic, Cyber) is to criticise the politics of the present or the past by using the past to show up the future or inserting modern values and ideological beliefs into the protagonists existing in a former or future age. And this book does so in spades, using the idea of a character's quest to get their cash crop (which just happens to be an illegal substance in America at a time when most things were illegal) away from the people who are hunting them as a political statement about banned substances, freedoms and a range of other topics. The fact that it uses a Mexican perspective of the era and examines the various political shenanigans happening at the time a) gives it that special Serge Leone flavour, and b) lands squarely within the target it was aiming for - Righteous Diesel'punkitude (come on, it's called Fistful of Reefer. Did you think I'd get through this review without one stoner movie reference?).

If you like Dieselpunk then buy buy buy.

That is all.

Wrap Up.

Bizarre story that will pass some people by completely. But if this is at all remotely your thing - even if you're not into the whole drug politics thing - I suggest you give it a go, or at least track down the free Reefer Ranger to see what you think.

You never know, it could be your gateway drug to the DMB Files...

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GoodReads ePulp Review of the Week - Mythical: Heart of Stone by C.E. Martin.

Mythical: Heart of Stone by C.E. Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* Most of my e-reading is e-pulp based. My reviews are therefore written with e-pulp in mind. Reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*


Overall: 4 stars.

Mythical is a new, interesting take on what could be described as the urban fantasy superhero genre (if such a thing has ever existed). With suitably pulpified concepts and plenty of comic book-style throw downs the story sets up what could be a very interesting world, but suffers the usual problem of developing characters in amongst the flying bullets.

Pacing and Action: 4 stars.

If you like your pulp comic-booky (that is now a word, cause I said so) then the action will suit you to a tee. This is a world in which people fight up close and personal and the gibbs tend to rain on down with each new showdown. It's good, solid two-fisted gunfu which keeps the story clicking, with a few horror scenes thrown in for variety. Add in all the superpowers and you're not once lacking for thrills.

Pulp High Concept: 4 stars.

Really solid. This is superhero prose but with an interesting twist. Hard to explain, but it's like your average whiny emo urban fantasy story got itself the purpose of a superhero story and some 1980s action film grit to prove it wasn't being a girly man. Plenty of whacky concepts abound (and in pulp, it's all about the whacky) and just when you think you've got the world figured out someone gets their heart ripped out and it turns to stone in their hands. It's all rather delightful. In the pulp sense of the word.

Character development: 3 stars.

Once more, this is pulp's archnemesis and Mythical struggles to rise above. There is some very good characterisation when it comes to the teenagers, the sense of petty teen jealousy and ignorance especially well done. But unfortunately some of the characters go AWOL for the second half of the story (they just kind of disappear and aren't mentioned again) and none of the bad guys get far beyond caricature. It's not terrible but people who are interested in motivations etc are going to be disappointed.

Production: 4 stars.

There were a few spelling mistakes, some weird line breaks and a few misused words but the editting wasn't too bad for an indie. Cover was okay. All up the production did the job but not much more. Which is fine.

Series Potential: 5 stars.

There's a lot of potential here for future stories. If this story does one thing well it's hint at the wider world that may just exist just beyond the borders of the current book. There should be plenty of space to expand on the mythos. Much much potential. I.e sequels. I.e. NOW.

*On a personal note I will say that the mythos of the storyworld is a little... kooky. There seems to be a strong hint of Christian mythology throughout the story (nothing preachy but it's part of the protagonists old school-ness and the monsters have a biblical bent that suggests the author has read their Bible) but it's married to some very gory fight scenes that kind of glory in the blood and the gibbs and the way a certain calibre of bullet bursts inside a human being etc. Again, just a personal thing, but the combination seems... odd.
But that's America for you.*

And can I just say that the powers of the protagonist are brilliantly set up for further superhero-style dramatics. He's set up as a bloke who can take a lot of damage, recover from it on a regular basis, but still has his own kryptonite that should see many a cliffhanger where he desperately can't get to that enticingly close water bottle - all without the often rediculous Aquaman-fish-out-of-water thing. It's a good set up for a serialised hero.

Wrap Up.

If you're in any way inclined towards superhero prose then you should check this out. It should be the start of a very good series. Well done.

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ePulp Review of the Week- Tales of the Red Panda: The Crime Cabal, by Gregg Taylor.

Tales of the Red Panda: The Crime Cabal by Gregg Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* All my reading skews towards e-pulp, as do my reviews. Reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*



Overall: 4 stars (Recommended)

A really fun story with lively characters, witty banter, plenty of action and some great set scenes. This is your straight up masked pulp vigilante story with the joy turned up to 11. Its only downfall may well be the fact that it's too stereotypical and therefore has no real momentum to make it a true classic.

Pacing and Action: 5 stars.

Pacy and lively, the story has plenty of action. It also helps that the sense of humour and the witty banter between the two main characters really snaps and crackles. It's a whole lot of fun. And while there isn't a huge variety of actions scenes the many fights are nice and chaotic. Just the way the Red Panda likes it.

Pulp Concept: 3 stars.

In a funny way this is the weak point of the book. The characters are great but beyond the somewhat jokey fact that they are fighting on the 'mean streets of Toronto' and the guy looks like a red panda in his domino mask there isn't a lot unique about the character as a classic pulp hero. Personality etc are great but the whole 'rich guy in a fedora and domino mask fighting crime with weird special powers' doesn't get any new elements added to it.
And Toronto is... Toronto. It ends up being yet another 30s city in decline etc etc etc.
The saving grace is probably the bad guys who are very well done. They're suitably monstrous and Ebil and make you think what Toronto could have been like back in the 30s...

Character development: 4 stars.

The main characters are great. They have real personalities, a real and complicated relationship and, again, their witty banter is awesome. On a personal note, they do seem to be a bit arrogant and smug but then again, I've never been a one-man war against crime. Maybe that goes with the territory.
The real let down is the support characters. When they're not barely there they're somewhat annoying and clueless, helping the smugness of the Red Panda sort of run unchecked. And the lead support character sort of just shows up half way through and then... doesn't really achieve much. It made me wonder if he was there just to make the last half of the story work better. It's a bit of a let down considering how well the rest of the story is written.

Production: 3.5 stars.

The editting was fine and the cover okay but what really kicked me in the teeth was the price. $5 for a pulp story is steep when you can get quality stuff for $3 a pop. Not as audacious as the $6 plus stuff out there but pushing the limits of worth-it. I'll probably get the rest at $5 anyway but I'll still smart when I push the buy button.

Series Potential: 4 stars.

Gregg Taylor can write good pulp and the Red Panda series already stands at 3 books. Which is awesome. However, whether Toronto is up to the challenge of hosting pulp stories as interesting as the Red Panda and the Flying Squirrel remains to be seen.

Special Award: My New Favourite Scene.

Book gets an award for the first paragraph of chapter 5. Fantastic scene that not only paints an incredibly vibrant picture for what is a fairly simple sequence but also serves to move the story along at the same time. Well done.

Wrap Up.

A really fun pulp reading experience that is just a little let down by the supporting elements and the feeling that there could have been more to the concept. Recommend this to anyone who wants some fun in their reading. And who doesn't want fun in their reading..?

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GoodReads reviews - The Troubleshooter: New Haven Blues by Bard Constantine.

The Troubleshooter: New Haven Blues by Bard Constantine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* My online reading is mostly epulp related and as such my opinion of a story's worth also tends to be epulp skewed. Review-reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*

Overall score: 5 stars (highly recommend)

The Troubleshooter was a joy to read. With all the zaniness you could expect for your epulp reading dime The Troubleshooter throws you into a very different world, one that is part Bladerunner, part 1930s America and then continues to heap on the weird and zany. All to the quirky, jargon-deep voiceover of our protagonist Mick Trubble. It's fast paced and constantly confronting the reader with whacky new ideas as we follow a bad, yet fairly typical day in the life of Mick Trubble. And if you like zany epulp style sci-fi/noir shenanigans then this is definitely the story for you.

Pacing and action: 5 stars.
This story is ludicrously fast if you're watching the clock. Within the space of 24 hours Mick Trubble does an insane amount of running and gunning yet amongst it all the reader still gets a fairly comprehensive story of political intrigue. Everything from sci-fi car chases to stand offs with leather clad assassins. You will not e left wanting for action.

Pulp concept: 5 stars.
It's a little complicated but essentially the world of The Troubleshooter is retro-style dieselpunk world with a reasonably believeable justification. Don't think too hard about it, but by pulp standards it's pretty good and creates a world full of potential future adventure while giving us plenty in the present. The setup also turns out an impressive number of whacky yet cool supporting characters. And that's what good pulp does.

Character development: 4 star.
The achilles heal of pulp, when you're doing all that running and gunning the characters can often get left behind. The Troubleshooter did this better then most with a comprehensive character story that Mick Trubble himself has to uncover. It's not brilliant but we at least get a good sense of who Mick is, even if the supporting cast can be easily forgotten as characters. Bit harder to forget them as garrishly dressed hitmen though. They're definitely better as archetypes than they are as fleshed out characters. But Mick himself saves this from being 3 star.

Production: 5 star.
This thing has been editted properly (I mean spelling, grammar, formatting - everything. It's a professional product) with good cover art and nice touches like the glossary at the front. 5 star production from a genre that can often be lacking in this department.

Series potential: 4 stars.
It's definitely there. If Constantine can come up with just as many whacky characters for a sequel then this will be quite the epulp series. Fingers crossed and here's hoping.

Wrap up.
Definitely one of the best epulp stories I've had the pleasure of reading. It's quality, it's fun, it has a unique and endearing style. It leaves you wanting more. And that's good pulp.

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E-pulp Review of the Week - Dinosaur Jazz by Michael Panush.

One of my GoodRead.com reviews for e-pulp series. This week it's the whacky and oh so pulp, Dinosaur Jazz:



Dinosaur Jazz by Michael Panush
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* My ereading pretty much revolves solely around epulp. My reviews are thus skewed. Reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*

Overall score: 4 stars (Recommended)

This is a story about Jazz Age dinosaurs. And whacky people who spend lots of time within close proximity to said Jazz Age dinosaurs.

If that doesn't excite you then check your pulse.

This is a fantastic read about a world that anyone with an adventurous bone in their body should want to visit. It's pulp at its pulpiest with genre smashing concepts embedded deeply within a period setting that would be familiar to anyone who holds fond memories of ye olde movies such as Lost World and its many derivatives. It's a fantastic idea that is backed up by great action and fantastic characters but, to my personal taste, does trip a little over its main protagonist.

Pacing and Action: 4 star.
This is a story that involves people who hunt and shoot dinosaurs for a living. Trust me, there's plenty of action. Throw in despotic robber-baron lunatics, Tommy gun toting gangsters, zeppelin flying smugglers and peace-averse cavemen all chasing after the same Macguffin and - trust me - there's plenty of action. About the only thing preventing this from being 5 stars is the protagonists bad habit of constantly going emo and reflecting on the world around him and how it doesn't understand him etc. This can become infuriating when you know there's a T-Rex just over the next ridge. I found myself internally screaming "GET ON WITH IT" more than a few times. But then I can be a bit impatient that way.

Pulp Concept: 6 stars.
You read me right. 6 stars out of 5. Pulp concepts don't get much better than this. It could have easily been implausible, having that many different dinosaurs stomping about on such a small geographical space, but this actually has a lot to do with overriding conspiracy of the island and is therefore saved on count back. Apart from that (and a fairly American-centric explanation about people going to the island just to drink booze. When they could just go, you know, anywhere else in the world) the concept is well grounded. Which is impressive considering how out there everything is. The concept is so good that you even forget about some of the other annoying parts, and that's why it gets 6 out of 5. The concept is just that good.

Character development: 3 stars.
This is probably more a personal thing than anything but the protagonist annoyed me. A lot. For a bloke who spends his work hours shooting T-Rexs with a hunting rifle he is incredibly mopey and passive. Very emo in all the worst ways. In the end I wondered if he would even be the hero of the story if the other people around him didn't make him do what everyone else knew he should be doing. The supporting cast however is very strong and diverse and helps to reveal the breadth and depth of what is possible in this crazy world. They help a lot.

Production: 5 stars.
No problems here. Good cover, well formatted and has maps and other things that help the reader and give the impression of a professional job. I think there was a few spelling mistakes but only enough to rile the spelling Nazis. Well done.

Series potential: 5 stars.

Be a crying shame if this doesn't continue. Absolute crying shame. Most of the story is wrapped up, and personally I wouldn't mind another protagonist, but the future adventure potential of this concept needs to be explored. Pronto.

Wrap up.

An excellent story with fantastic concepts that only suffers from a vaguely wearisome protagonist. Most people won't even notice so I highly recommend this to anyone who likes adventure or fun or dinosaurs. It's awesome.

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E-pulp Review of the Week: The Adventures of Lazarus Gray by Barry Reese.

Welcome to the first of my weekly GoodReads e-pulp reviews. These are reviews I've already posted over at Goodreads.com and each week I will spotlight one here. And first cab off the rank is The Adventures of Lazarus Gray...



The Adventures of Lazarus Gray by Barry Reese
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*Pulp Warning* All my e-reading, and therefore my reviews, are e-pulp skewed. Reader beware :) *Pulp Warning*

Overall: 5 stars (Highly Recommend)

The Adventures of Lazarus Gray is a series of well crafted pulp stories that illustrate exactly what's available for potential e-pulp afficiandos looking to see what the whole e-pulp thing is about. The supernatural, Dark Avenger concept is well served with great world building, interesting characters and a dark, sinister mood punctuated by crazy supernatural villains. This is modern Dark Avenger e-pulp at its best and if you're looking for a gateway into the field then this is where you should start.

For those who are already pulp zombies - you should have read this already.

Pacing and Action: 5 stars.

In using a collection of shorter stories the old school pulp pacing is perfect. Each story is consistently good, filled with two fisted action and bizarre and dark supernatural bad guys. The action isn't as fast or frenetic as your typical adventure pulp but the more consistent pacing is more suited to the sense of menace and darkness provided by the stories. It works really well.

Pulp Concept: 5 stars.

Using its Dark Avenger hero the book develops both its setting and supernatural themes really well. The book is actually set in Sovereign City, the same Sovereign City of a book I've reviewed previously, Adventures of Fortune McCall, The which was a nice surprise. Lazarus Gray, however, swims in the much darker, supernatural parts of town and the combination of corrupt, decaying 30s city and the outrageous supernatural bad guys is done really well. Much credit to the author.

Character Development: 5 stars.

The characters are not only interesting but they also develop over the course of each story, providing three dimensional people you care about. In a field in which this aspect often gets lost in the flying bullets, Reese has done a good job not only making the reader care but then promising that there's more in store and you will want to read further to find out what happens next. And that's good series writing.
The protagonist Lazarus Gray is also well developed with complicated motivations and back story that is slowly revealed and then examined over the course of each story so that, by the end of the book, we have a very good idea of who he is and what possible drama he will end up in during future stories. It's very very well done.

Production: 5 stars.

Great cover that makes me wonder why they don't use comic art for more pulp covers. Both styles are from the same fiction genetic pool, after all. The editting is also professional with great setting out etc which is important when you have multiple stories. A very professional product and well worth the price.

Series Potential: 5 stars.

No 'potential' about it, over the space of this first book we're already knee deep in the series. Reese has shown that he can write a series like the best of them so now it's only a matter of more more more. The vast conspiracy has been established, various reoccuring characters are on the board, and there's still plenty to learn about our intrepid team of supernatural murder solvers.

More please.


Wrap Up.

Seriously, if you want to know if this Dark Avenger e-pulp thing is your kind of thing then start here. If this doesn't take then maybe the genre isn't for you. If it does - welcome aboard.

And, again, if you DO like modern renditions of Dark Avenger stories then you should have read this already.

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