35 books by Bulmer reviewed in this area. 14 other Ace Double flip side novels by various authors are also included on this page.
Cover art by Bill Maugham
Kenneth Bulmer (1921-2005) was a U.K. writer who published over 140 novels, most in the pulp tradition. He wrote the many-volumed Dray Prescott series, and several other series. There are enough of his SF works to keep a reader going for a few years. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction claims that his best writing was between the years 1955 and 1968. So for now, that is the period I will focus on for further reading, giving me 22 other books by Bulmer to digest.
Since I am now at #15 in the Avon/Equinox series, I must read 15 other books before getting to #16. I know that is a long way ahead, but I enjoy it, and when I do get to the next Avon series book, it is treated very specially. So next I will read a work by Farmer, then Kornbluth, Sladek, Budrys, Silverberg, ect. until I read arrive at Bulmer and read another story of his. Then comes #16 in the Avon series. It should take me about 2 months.
Since I am now at #15 in the Avon/Equinox series, I must read 15 other books before getting to #16. I know that is a long way ahead, but I enjoy it, and when I do get to the next Avon series book, it is treated very specially. So next I will read a work by Farmer, then Kornbluth, Sladek, Budrys, Silverberg, ect. until I read arrive at Bulmer and read another story of his. Then comes #16 in the Avon series. It should take me about 2 months.
City Under The Sea comes from 1957, and is 175 pages long. Let me begin by saying that undersea stories are not my cup of tea. I am not a fan. I don't mind a passage or two of underwater adventure, but an entire novel spent under the ocean is usually too much for me. Bulmer writes in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs, however, an author I grew up with and who became a hero to me. This story is certainly reminiscent of many that Burroughs wrote, and if he had written an entirely underwater adventure I'm certain it would have gone something like this one did.
An early edition of the story.
Bulmer's story has some interesting twists on your standard underwater yarn. In the far future, humans get most of their food from vast underwater farms, both fish and plant. The farms are run by corporations who use kidnapped people as slaves down there. Not only that, but they surgically alter many of them so they can breathe underwater. That's pretty cool, unless, of course, you don't want to be a slave with gills. Jeremy Dodge is our intrepid hero. He is a spaceman, however, but is lured into the deeps by a man requiring his services. Curious, he proceeds to investigate, but before he can find out anything he is kidnapped and put to work, never to see above water or outer space again. He suspects the beautiful female secretary that was leading him to his meeting of arranging his kidnapping, and he vows to find her and deal accordingly with her.
Bulmer provides some escape from the gloomy depths by providing a second narrative, as the leaders of the sea and of outer space are about to battle it out for funding. However, the space people want their astronaut back, and come looking for him, with the help of the undersea ocean patrol. So we get to leave slavery for a time.
Various escape plans are attempted by Dodge and his underwater friend Harp, usually leading to something worse. Besides the corporations kidnapping each others slaves for themselves (which happens to Dodge and Harp), there is something more sinister, very far down in the deepest part of the ocean. Aliens are suspected of living there, and the UN (?) plans on dropping a hydrogen bomb to annihilate them. Nice folks, those UN types.
An interesting observation comes out at some point in the narrative regarding slavery and what it is like to be a slave. At one point Dodge is promoted one step higher than a mere slave labourer, and becomes a somewhat trusted guard and is given a harpoon gun. His self-esteem immediately rises, and he goes about his new task with a much better attitude than when he was the lowest of the low on the totem pole. He is still a slave, and still wishes to escape and kill the people responsible for the entire situation, and in fact it now becomes a bit easier to attempt it once again.
Dodge begins the story as a hater and distruster of undersea life (like me), and laments that he will never return to space. However, by the end of the book he really begins to like it down there, and hopes to make an honest life of it, rather than return to space. Even my dislike of underwater stories became less intense. Who knows, it might be fun to live underwater all the time!
The story is fast paced, and is easily read in a few sittings. It is not first class SF writing like some of the other titles in the Avon/Equinox series, but neither is it so bad that one cannot finish reading. If you like SF pulp, this is one of the agreeable ones.
*** stars. Reviewed August 22nd/17
Bulmer provides some escape from the gloomy depths by providing a second narrative, as the leaders of the sea and of outer space are about to battle it out for funding. However, the space people want their astronaut back, and come looking for him, with the help of the undersea ocean patrol. So we get to leave slavery for a time.
Various escape plans are attempted by Dodge and his underwater friend Harp, usually leading to something worse. Besides the corporations kidnapping each others slaves for themselves (which happens to Dodge and Harp), there is something more sinister, very far down in the deepest part of the ocean. Aliens are suspected of living there, and the UN (?) plans on dropping a hydrogen bomb to annihilate them. Nice folks, those UN types.
An interesting observation comes out at some point in the narrative regarding slavery and what it is like to be a slave. At one point Dodge is promoted one step higher than a mere slave labourer, and becomes a somewhat trusted guard and is given a harpoon gun. His self-esteem immediately rises, and he goes about his new task with a much better attitude than when he was the lowest of the low on the totem pole. He is still a slave, and still wishes to escape and kill the people responsible for the entire situation, and in fact it now becomes a bit easier to attempt it once again.
Dodge begins the story as a hater and distruster of undersea life (like me), and laments that he will never return to space. However, by the end of the book he really begins to like it down there, and hopes to make an honest life of it, rather than return to space. Even my dislike of underwater stories became less intense. Who knows, it might be fun to live underwater all the time!
The story is fast paced, and is easily read in a few sittings. It is not first class SF writing like some of the other titles in the Avon/Equinox series, but neither is it so bad that one cannot finish reading. If you like SF pulp, this is one of the agreeable ones.
*** stars. Reviewed August 22nd/17
THE SECRET OF ZI
Cover art by Ed Emshwiller
Alternate cover art, with an alternate title!
I am a happy man when I have something fun in my hands--an Ace SF Double is just about as good as it gets! I read so many of these in high school, and of most I have no memory. I could have easily read this one back then, too, though nothing in it rings a bell with me. The novel is from 1958, and is 161 pages long. It was the next novel the author published after City Under The Sea. Reading it again made me curious as to how many SF authors from the 50s were really wanna be crime writers, in the tradition of Raymond Chandler and other pulp writers. So many SF books from this period seem to be thinly disguised crime novels, or undercover agent fiction, or even underground vs. commies.
This one fits almost all of those categories, as any really good pulp writer will try to jam in as many genres as possible to hook his reader. I remember reading many of these types of books as a teen and not really 'getting' them, finding them talky, complicated, and up to something that I could never quite figure out. Now I know why. Many of them were aimed at an adult reading audience. Still, what teenage SF loving reader could resist that incredible cover? Well, wait until you see the other side (below).
The Earth has been sneakily overrun by aliens. At first they pretended to be our friends, but then their real motives became all too clear. Earth supplies their needs, and they live a life of silly luxury on their own planet. Sounds like it is time for the French Revolution! Bulmer has a number of interesting characters, and these days his menage-a-trois with the two wonderful and lovely ladies would have been described in a lot more detail. Starting out exactly like a noir crime novel, the hero is escaping from a murder scene in which he has been framed as the killer. He crashes in his escape car, is severely injured, and then things just go from bad to worse for him.
There is plenty of excitement and thrills, but also a lot of intrigue and dialogue, and the reader is kept in the dark about the actual secret of ZI. I now know the full secret, but I am not telling, not even under very light torture. I read this in one day (I was sick in bed anyway), and found it kept my mind off of my injured sinuses quite nicely. Perhaps it isn't the best SF novel ever written, or even the best pulp SF novel ever written, but it was the best SF novel I read all day!
*** stars. Reviewed Nov. 25th/17
BEYOND THE VANISHING POINT
Cover art by Ed Valigursky
In the story, the girl in the cage has dark hair.
Blondes on the cover probably sell more books.
Blondes on the cover probably sell more books.
The flip side of the Bulmer novel is a 95-page story by Cummings, which was first printed in Amazing in March 1931. It reads like a juvenile, and indeed as a young reader I would have been more attracted to this tale of people who can shrink or grow at will using a powerful drug, much like Alice did to enter Wonderland, than the slightly more cerebral Bulmer novel.
**1/2 stars. Reviewed Nov. 26th/17
THE CHANGELING WORLDS
I read the Kindle version...
From 1959 comes this 159 page novel. It was one side of an Ace Double, and I wish I had the other half. I'm grateful for the Kindle editions, but for the price paid they should also give the 2nd novel it came with originally.
Original version. Cover art by Ed Valigursky. The image is not from the story.
This is a good story, two of them, actually. The chapters alternate between following the life of Kirby, a pampered inter-planetary party goer, and his wife Molly, and the adventures of an agent infiltrating a planet to stop a revolution. It is an effective way to keep the pages turning, as most chapters end with a cliff hanger, but you have to wait two chapters to read what happens next. In one, Molly gets herself into a catfight that turns into a duel with swords to the death. The two stories gradually converge by the end, linked together by Kirby trying to avenge the death of his brother.
The story is a thinly disguised attempt to describe the life of the real aristocracy on Earth versus those who support the revolution (French?). Both ways of life turned into disasters, and that seems to be what might happen on the black symbol planet in question. Planets are colour-coded, with all human life upon them originally coming from Earth and forming colonies five thousand years ago. Black planets have forgotten their human origins. Humans trade with them for food and babies. Yup, babies. Red planets are learning to integrate with galactic society again. White planets are stable and seem to produce much of the machinery needed for civilization to continue. Gold planets are decadent, with no one living there who works, or even knows where things come from. Robots do everything for them, much as servants did (do) for the rich. Their inherited money pays for whatever they want, and they never question how or why.
It's an interesting story, and it seems to me that reading Bulmer will not be a waste of time. The moral decision that Kirby must make is whether to try and help others, or continue with his wasted life of parties. And believe it or not, it would be a tough decision for anyone to make. And who else writes about parties that can go on for six months or more!
*** stars. Reviewed January 30th/18
THE EARTH GODS ARE COMING
Cover art by Ed Valigursky
Same book under a different title.
Same story as Earth Gods Are Coming
From 1960 comes this 102 page novella, certainly one of the stranger and more memorable SF stories published as an Ace Double. It was also published under the title Of Earth Foretold. Colonel Roy Inglis is sent into space to try and locate The Evil Ones, an alien civilization that is spreading its own form of religious propaganda across the galaxy. Its messages are now colliding with Earth-based religious propaganda being spread across the stars. Roy and his crew are blasted from the sky by the enemy, and crash land on Pogosan. The description of the planet and native people reminded me a lot of P. J. Farmer stories, and even though religious fanaticism is at the root of things here, Bulmer goes off in a decidedly non-Farmeresque type of adventure.
I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that half of the crew of the Swallow was female. However, that only increases the sexism rather than equalizes it. Those gals sure look great in tattered clothing. I suppose. The basic story is rather good, as Earth-based propaganda encounters alien-based nonsense of a similar message. By seeding planets with robotic Prophets, the minds of affected planet dwellers are twisted enough to accept humans (or the alien version, whichever gets set up first) as their friend and saviour. Happily, the religious aspect of the beliefs is never stressed. Earth is hoping to win converts over to their social and economic system, and plan to follow up with actual human contact in the far future.
But something goes wrong, and half of the crashed human crew becomes susceptible to the alien (Evil Ones) message. Halfway through the story the plot takes a U-turn, and suddenly the humans are convinced that the alien way is the only way. They have come under the spell of the enemy, and there seems no turning back.
This is a pretty great little story, though the message I took from it was likely vastly different from the one Bulmer intended, at least in 1960. Those Russian commies might be trying to capture our souls, but by gar they can't have them! My take on things? There is grand stupidity at work at both ends of the galaxy, and only war can ensue when both stupids collide.
*** stars. Reviewed Dec. 29th/17
THE GAMES OF NEITH
Cover art by Emsh
Also from 1960 comes the flipside to Bulmer's tale, above. This one, at 144 pages, is 50% longer than the Bulmer story, and should be considered the Alpha side. Margaret St. Clair sounds like a woman I would like to know more about, and I hope to read more of her novels. Her Wiki bio is worth a read, as is this novel, my first by her. In its own way it is as equally strange as the Bulmer tale it shares the volume with. A man, a woman, a female being from another dimension, and a dog-like cyon struggle to rebalance the universe. A fun adventure tale, though with enough science to make it more than worthy of the genre. I'm glad I read this!
*** stars. Reviewed Dec. 30th/17
*** stars. Reviewed Dec. 30th/17
THE FATAL FIRE
Cover artist uncredited.
From 1960 comes this 160 page space adventure. Bulmer is a writer I have grown to like. This is the 8th book of his I have read, and there are times when I think I am reading literature, not pulp. Bulmer has good characters, develops them well, and certainly places them in interesting situations. He is also good at allowing diverging plot lines to converge nicely at the climax of his story.
Julian Justin is the hero, and we first meet him in the slums where he grew up. He is now 18 years old, and is coming home with a stolen chicken. He returns home to find his step-sister dead. In the slums (called the Pool), when a young person dies, their skin is removed and sold to a company that uses such things. No one works in the slum; the uneducated and unemployed live there, fending for themselves, surviving on meagre government funds and their wits. Julian is captured and put into a CC gang; he did not volunteer but was conscripted. Others that he meets did volunteer. It is run much like the CCC/WPA program was in the depression years of the USA. He is sent to another planet, and there he supervises a Terra-forming robot work gang.
After meeting and becoming friends with Ed, the two of them plan their escape from the work planet, in the hopes of getting back to Earth. We learn that Julian can see "colours" when there is immediate danger to him. He and Ed put this power to use, gaining enough money to help them escape. They capture a flier, but it is captained by a member of the Aristo class. They are the opposite to the Pool dwellers, in that they live in luxury, are very rich, and extremely well educated. Paul (the Aristo), Ed, and Julian end up crashing after takeoff, and have to rely upon one another to survive the harsh planet until they can make their way back to civilization. A strong bond grows between them. Paul is a mastermind businessman, and once back on safe ground, the three stay friends and partners in a mad scheme to rule the interplanetary business world.
The plot continues to develop in many interesting ways, and by the end Bulmer has not only elaborated on the split in society between the haves and the have-nots, but he has also created a business environment that required a lot of thinking and planning to work out. I'm certain that someone with an MBA degree would be impressed! There is the added excitement of a guild of assassins at work, and some evolutionary science speculation as well. The ending is quite shocking and unexpected, and does not resolve any of the heavy social issues that have been brought to light. The Aristos end up sounding a bit like Frank Herbert's mentats from Dune, but with their heads turned firmly towards business. All in all, a lively and very engrossing read. I am always amazed at how much plot some of these early SF writers could fit into 160 pages!
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed June 30th/18
KEYS TO THE DIMENSIONS SERIES
VOL 1: LAND BEYOND THE MAP
Cover of my Kindle edition.
Original 1961 appearance of the story. Cover art by Lewis.
In 1965 Bulmer enlarged his original 1961 story to 153 pages, and it was published as half of an Ace Double. This eventually led to a similar series, though this book is often considered a standalone. It reminded me a bit of Wizard of Oz, and the moving and shifting landscape of this other world must have been a big influence on P. J. Farmer, who overused a similar world in his interesting and worthwhile novel The Lavalite World, Book 5 of his Pocket Universe series.
Bulmer's tale is terrific classic pulp story telling, and it is in its own way quite wonderful. It begins on a dark and stormy night in England, and then switches location to Northern Ireland. This is one of very few SF novels I know of that uses such a location. The plot summary, which involves a torn map that can transport the user through a misty netherworld into a land of sunshine but filled with horrors, reads almost as a juvenile novel. There is certainly nothing from keeping a young reader from entering these pages.
Roland Crane and Polly Gould enter this strange other world. It is Crane's second visit, as he was there accidently with his family at the age of six. The experience left his older sister permanently brain damaged, and he with nightmares and vivid memories of certain aspects of the brief horrors his family witnessed, before escaping back to Ireland and the road they had been driving upon. The build up and mystery of Roland and Polly acquiring the needed map is fast paced and logical. Polly is in search of her beloved cousin, whom she believes is still alive somewhere in that land.
She is a 1960s girl through and through. She wears trousers, is independent, educated, and able to take care of herself. She is the dominant partner in this expedition, though Crane is nothing short of being a strong man himself. It is refreshing to see such a female character in older fiction, and I wonder how much her character developed and improved in the 1965 rewrite.
Once inside the other world, it isn't quite as much fun, but it is entertaining. The pace continues to be fast, but we do not learn nearly enough about the alien inhabitants and their vast machinery, other than the fact that things are not working out too well for them, and they have to leave the alternate planet soon. Loose ends do get tied up, at least, and we are not left hanging and waiting for a sequel. That wasn't the way, until Tolkien was widely published and accepted as a god of writing. But there are pretty strong hints that other adventures might follow, if not with the same characters, perhaps with their children. We shall see. Recommended to lovers of pulp SF. ***1/2 stars. Reviewed Nov. 8th/18
Bulmer's tale is terrific classic pulp story telling, and it is in its own way quite wonderful. It begins on a dark and stormy night in England, and then switches location to Northern Ireland. This is one of very few SF novels I know of that uses such a location. The plot summary, which involves a torn map that can transport the user through a misty netherworld into a land of sunshine but filled with horrors, reads almost as a juvenile novel. There is certainly nothing from keeping a young reader from entering these pages.
Roland Crane and Polly Gould enter this strange other world. It is Crane's second visit, as he was there accidently with his family at the age of six. The experience left his older sister permanently brain damaged, and he with nightmares and vivid memories of certain aspects of the brief horrors his family witnessed, before escaping back to Ireland and the road they had been driving upon. The build up and mystery of Roland and Polly acquiring the needed map is fast paced and logical. Polly is in search of her beloved cousin, whom she believes is still alive somewhere in that land.
She is a 1960s girl through and through. She wears trousers, is independent, educated, and able to take care of herself. She is the dominant partner in this expedition, though Crane is nothing short of being a strong man himself. It is refreshing to see such a female character in older fiction, and I wonder how much her character developed and improved in the 1965 rewrite.
Once inside the other world, it isn't quite as much fun, but it is entertaining. The pace continues to be fast, but we do not learn nearly enough about the alien inhabitants and their vast machinery, other than the fact that things are not working out too well for them, and they have to leave the alternate planet soon. Loose ends do get tied up, at least, and we are not left hanging and waiting for a sequel. That wasn't the way, until Tolkien was widely published and accepted as a god of writing. But there are pretty strong hints that other adventures might follow, if not with the same characters, perhaps with their children. We shall see. Recommended to lovers of pulp SF. ***1/2 stars. Reviewed Nov. 8th/18
VOLUME 2: THE KEY TO IRUNIUM
The confusing cover art is by Gray Morrow.
The book is from 1967, and is 138 pages long. It is the "A" side of an Ace Double. Though Roland Crane's name is mentioned in passing in the book, he does not appear in it. In fact, this book has so little to do with the first book that it might as well be called independent from it. The story is in the tradition and style of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Bob Prestin can make objects disappear. And people. And fortunately, himself. Chased by killer madmen wanting to enslave him because of his powers, and aided by three people, Bob transports himself from Italy to a planet in another dimension just as he is about to be killed.
Life isn't so great on Irunium. Nasty people use porteurs like Bob to transports jewels. How original. Bob wants to find the hapless female that he unknowingly tranported here. We don't see Fritzy except at the beginning and the very end, but we might be seeing more of her, and Bob. The story barely counts as an average pulp adventure, and based on it I'm surprised it became a series at all. I loved the first book, and wish Bulmer had stuck closer to it. Though not at all boring, this one seems uninspired. No doubt the author is introducing characters that will return in later volumes. Let's hope the others are worth reading.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed December 5th/19
The
"B" side of this Ace Double is by an author who seems to have written
nothing else. No biography is available. The novel lasts for 116
pages, and is considerably better than the Bulmer story. A young man
from a planet colonized so long ago that they no longer remember the
home planet is forced to go into space, rather than remain at school
where he wishes to stay. He must sell weapons to more primitive people,
and return with goods needed by his planet. What we are left with is a
more than halfway decent planetary adventure, as Maikal must deal with
opposing human settlements, as well as the indiginous people who have
always been downtrodden and persecuted by the humans.
At first he tries to help the humans to fight each other, but he ends up eventually helping the planet's original people. Some remarkable things about the book are the encounters he has with the humans. They have lost rack of their origins, too, and a working spaceship, which they do not know how to engage, has become the focus of a state religion. The dominant group has a king with no sons, whose daughters are being brought up to take over when he dies. Each of the girls is strange in different ways, including the youngest and most feminine one, who initially aids Maikal, but then turns her back on him. She is never seen again, but has probably gone in the spaceship, which Maikal has shown how to use.
It is strange that no record exists of Alan Schwartz, and no other stories by him can be identified. This book would have made a great series.
*** stars. Reviewed December 6th/19
THE WANDERING TELLURIAN
Cover art by Podwil.
At first he tries to help the humans to fight each other, but he ends up eventually helping the planet's original people. Some remarkable things about the book are the encounters he has with the humans. They have lost rack of their origins, too, and a working spaceship, which they do not know how to engage, has become the focus of a state religion. The dominant group has a king with no sons, whose daughters are being brought up to take over when he dies. Each of the girls is strange in different ways, including the youngest and most feminine one, who initially aids Maikal, but then turns her back on him. She is never seen again, but has probably gone in the spaceship, which Maikal has shown how to use.
It is strange that no record exists of Alan Schwartz, and no other stories by him can be identified. This book would have made a great series.
*** stars. Reviewed December 6th/19
VOL 3: THE KEY TO VENUDINE
Cover art by Kelly Freas.
Bulmer seems to have regained his stride with this short (122 pages) sequel from 1968. Leiber's Fafhrd and Gray Mouser seem to be the inspiration for Offa and Fezius, our two heroes involved in sward and sorcery doings. The story is a romp from start to finish, as the two men try and save a princess from being taken by an evil baron and wed to him. Aided by her beautiful redheaded sister, Lai, and a stalwart few people that stumble through gates from other worlds, the small group of adventurers break apart for a time, and then reunite for the climax.
This story checks all the boxes for a fun adventure story, including battles with knights, aerial acrobatics riding flying griffs, strange underground rooms, and at least five different worlds visited. One of the five worlds is contemporary New York City, and we meet some of the characters from Key to Irunium. Mack is back, and Sarah, and they help Lai and Fezius get back to their world.
Bulmer really has opened up a universe of exploring with this series, and I wonder why it wasn't longer than it was. The countessa is very annoying, and seems to know everything, and be able to do anything, except at the very end, when she is always thwarted. Typical omnipotent bad girl (or guy), and relied upon too much by adventure writers.
After a strong start in the series, then a weak 2nd entry, Bulmer does a good job of making me look forward to the next book in the series.
*** stars. Reviewed January 18th/20
This story checks all the boxes for a fun adventure story, including battles with knights, aerial acrobatics riding flying griffs, strange underground rooms, and at least five different worlds visited. One of the five worlds is contemporary New York City, and we meet some of the characters from Key to Irunium. Mack is back, and Sarah, and they help Lai and Fezius get back to their world.
Bulmer really has opened up a universe of exploring with this series, and I wonder why it wasn't longer than it was. The countessa is very annoying, and seems to know everything, and be able to do anything, except at the very end, when she is always thwarted. Typical omnipotent bad girl (or guy), and relied upon too much by adventure writers.
After a strong start in the series, then a weak 2nd entry, Bulmer does a good job of making me look forward to the next book in the series.
*** stars. Reviewed January 18th/20
MERCENARY FROM TOMORROW
Cover art by Jack Gaugan.
Also from 1968 comes this 131 page novel by Mack Reynolds, telling of what war and skirmishes of the future might look like. Joe Mauser is a mercenary soldier, having risen to the rank of Captain after surviving many battles and wars. The fights are now mostly corporation versus corporation, each hiring generals and an army to fight it out and resolve conflict. The rules of engagement, however, stipulate that only weapons from pre-1900 can be used. Aside from that, anything goes. The battles are real, and many men are killed and wounded. And it is all covered lived on the telly, by reporters in the field.
Joe Mauser is a man straight out of an Argosy magazine adventure story, kind of a man's man, and recognized as such by other mercenary soldiers that have either fought with him or against him. He is shrewd, intelligent, and very effective in battle. He hasn't escaped being wounded, and spending months in hospital, either.
In the upcoming fight between Vacuum Tube Transport and Continental Hovercraft, it is assumed that the larger company will score an easy victory . They have the resources to hire the best generals, and enough soldiers and artillery to easily defeat the upstart company trying to land a major transportation contract. Everyone is surprised when Joe signs up to fight for Vacuum Tube Transport, the underdogs. But Joe has a scheme for winning, and for making money on the shares he buys, too. But that isn't his main reason for fighting again. He wants a caste upgrade.
Joe was born into the lowest caste system of the capitalist society, and has worked his way up to mid-level. But he wants to break into upper caste, something that is a very rare achievement for someone coming from his background. Can he pull it off? Mack Reynolds has carefully crafted a very good story, in the pulp tradition of men's magazines. While nothing much happens in the story, a lot of ground is covered as we get to really know Joe and what he is up against. No aliens, no sex, but there is a lot of drinking. Actually not a bad story, though it likely has a limited audience.
*** stars. Reviewed January 21st/20
Joe Mauser is a man straight out of an Argosy magazine adventure story, kind of a man's man, and recognized as such by other mercenary soldiers that have either fought with him or against him. He is shrewd, intelligent, and very effective in battle. He hasn't escaped being wounded, and spending months in hospital, either.
In the upcoming fight between Vacuum Tube Transport and Continental Hovercraft, it is assumed that the larger company will score an easy victory . They have the resources to hire the best generals, and enough soldiers and artillery to easily defeat the upstart company trying to land a major transportation contract. Everyone is surprised when Joe signs up to fight for Vacuum Tube Transport, the underdogs. But Joe has a scheme for winning, and for making money on the shares he buys, too. But that isn't his main reason for fighting again. He wants a caste upgrade.
Joe was born into the lowest caste system of the capitalist society, and has worked his way up to mid-level. But he wants to break into upper caste, something that is a very rare achievement for someone coming from his background. Can he pull it off? Mack Reynolds has carefully crafted a very good story, in the pulp tradition of men's magazines. While nothing much happens in the story, a lot of ground is covered as we get to really know Joe and what he is up against. No aliens, no sex, but there is a lot of drinking. Actually not a bad story, though it likely has a limited audience.
*** stars. Reviewed January 21st/20
Volume 4: THE WIZARDS OF SENCHURIA
Cover art by Kelly Freas.
From 1969 comes this short (113 pages) continuation of the series by a man that knows how to write pulp fiction. Bulmer is now very confident in his role of chronicler of the adventures in various dimensions. We have a series of new places to visit, though we are mostly centered in a world called Senchuria. A new action hero is born, as Scobie Redfern takes up where other brave men have left off. Once a lumberjack, he is a big man who doesn't like anyone pressuring him. He has a wicked temper when aroused. He meets and falls in love with Val, a porteur, and together and with a small group of friends they battle evil as they try to save the Senchurian city from being over run by the Contessa's forces. We meet her briefly in person, and find out that she is imperious to all weapons. Sigh. Really?
One of the greatest things about this story is that is has nudity and sex! And not only that, but it has several strong female lead characters, who fight hideous monsters and evil alongside the men. There is also some humour, though there is a lot of killing and suffering, too. We briefly meet characters from the other novels, and seem to building him a small army of invincible heroes and heroines. I feel they might be needed before the final chapter is written in this fun series.
*** stars. Reviewed February 29th/20
CRADLE OF THE SUN
Cover art by Jack Gaughan.
Brian Stableford is another new name for me. This was his first novel. It is from 1969, and is 140 pages long. Imagine if Lord of the Rings had been 140 pages long, and at the end the Ring had been thrown into Mt. Doom. However, all the Fellowship died along the way, or at the very end. And Sauron lived, and Saruman. And Rivendell was destroyed and everyone there killed. It would still be a very good book, but it would be a bit devastating to read. Welcome to Cradle of the Sun.
Humans and rats combine forces to find out why their races are becoming extinct. A fellowship is formed, and an expedition sets out for Tierra Diablo. There is high adventure along the way, plenty of enemies, but also some allies. And some who are neither, but just plain weird (the lizard riders, for one). The story has a bit of Tolkien, a bit of Conan, and pretty much takes the hallowed adventure tale to task for putting its heroes into so many dangerous situations and always having them come out scarred but alive. Not here. I only became attached to the Librarian, and his death was the first shock. There were plenty more. I also came to really like the two foot long rats. No matter. This is a good, but very harsh read. If I do read any more works by this author, I am forewarned.
*** stars. Reviewed March 2nd/20
Humans and rats combine forces to find out why their races are becoming extinct. A fellowship is formed, and an expedition sets out for Tierra Diablo. There is high adventure along the way, plenty of enemies, but also some allies. And some who are neither, but just plain weird (the lizard riders, for one). The story has a bit of Tolkien, a bit of Conan, and pretty much takes the hallowed adventure tale to task for putting its heroes into so many dangerous situations and always having them come out scarred but alive. Not here. I only became attached to the Librarian, and his death was the first shock. There were plenty more. I also came to really like the two foot long rats. No matter. This is a good, but very harsh read. If I do read any more works by this author, I am forewarned.
*** stars. Reviewed March 2nd/20
VOLUME 5: THE SHIPS OF DUROSTORUM
Cover art by Jack Gaughan.
Ships is the 5th book of Bulmer's series set in a multi-dimensional world and using some recurring characters. At 100 pages, this 1970 novel is the shortest one yet in the series. Bulmer takes a new tack in volume 5, as the hero of this story, a rescued mining engineer named J.T. Wilkie, sides with the enemy. The Contessa is treating him nicely since she requires an engineer, and he is beholden to her since she saved his life. And so we get a different perspective on the enemy camp, and we finally get to have extended scenes with the cruel mistress of the dimensions. Her only love is jewels and power, and she has plenty of both. However, plenty is never enough for a person like her.
Though barely longer than a novella, a lot happens in this pulp style planetary adventure. Bulmer has now seen the decade turn, and he continues to feature women in lead roles. Besides the all powerful and evil villainess, we meet Sharon, a capable fighter as well as a beautiful woman. And there are women warriors fighting alongside their men folk on the ships of Durostorum. The ships are wonderfully depicted on the cover, though in an abstract way. There is one scene in particular, where the ship carrying our party bursts through the ceiling of a volcanic cone, that I think would have impressed Iain Banks, who used similarly imagery in some of his SF novels.
Near the end we encounter some people who went missing in the previous book, and now we learn what happened to them while other events transpired in Senchuria. Events from volume 4 seem to take place simultaneously with those in volume 5, and the Contessa goes missing at one point and returns in a foul mood. Having read Vol. 4, we know why she is upset. As usual, I enjoyed reading this new entry in the virtually unknown SF series. Bulmer continues to do his job, and his creativity shows no sign of lagging.
*** stars. Reviewed April 14th/20
ALTON'S UNGUESSABLE
Cover art by Kelly Freas.
Another new author for me, Sutton was an American SF writer with over 20 books to his credit. From 1970 comes this 151 page planetary adventure, where human colonies from the vast Empire finally run up against the Big One; an alien that cannot be defeated by humans. While exploring new planets for possible colonization, a crew of men and women scientists encounter a strangely barren planet, one with only one type of bird and some small rodents. Though there are flaws in the science from from the start, the story moves along at a good pace.
On board is a telepathic crew member, and his job is to read signs of danger that instruments do not pick up. He senses danger, great danger, before they even land. But who cares? The planet looks suitable for humans, and so the exploration begins. Despite strange disasters and the continuing alarm from the telepathic crew member, things proceed as normal until it is too late--an alien presence has taken over the ship and wishes to be transported off the planet where it has been marooned for a long, long time (much too long, another science flaw in the story).
On its surface, this is a fantastic account of first contact between a large Empire of humans pushing their boundaries, and an alien of unimaginable power and need for survival. The story is taut and told very well. It would make a fantastic movie, much better than Alien and its ilk. It also comes off as a really good Star Trek episode, though Kirk and his crew would have been no match for this alien. And therein lies a big problem. Humans are simply no match for Uli the alien. Without the telepathic abilities, courage, and intelligence of Roger Keim, there would not even be a story. The crew would have ended up like the natives of the planet, who were utterly destroyed by Uli, and their buildings and temples smashed to pieces.
So it's almost like alien versus alien, as Keim is much more than human, and that takes away from the story. I would have liked Keim to have been part of the solution, but not the entire solution. This takes away from humans and makes them look even more pitiful and pitiable than ever, especially when one takes into account how Keim and his type are mistreated by humans. If humans are so powerless without the help of telepathy, then it just might have been better to let the alien win and take over the galaxy. What is the point of saving them?
Despite some science flaws and a telepathic man being the only one who can save Humankind, this is an amazingly good book, right up to and including the final sentence. Highly recommended.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 16th/20
So it's almost like alien versus alien, as Keim is much more than human, and that takes away from the story. I would have liked Keim to have been part of the solution, but not the entire solution. This takes away from humans and makes them look even more pitiful and pitiable than ever, especially when one takes into account how Keim and his type are mistreated by humans. If humans are so powerless without the help of telepathy, then it just might have been better to let the alien win and take over the galaxy. What is the point of saving them?
Despite some science flaws and a telepathic man being the only one who can save Humankind, this is an amazingly good book, right up to and including the final sentence. Highly recommended.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 16th/20
VOLUME 6: THE HUNTERS OF JUNDAGAI
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1971, it's time for Cy Yancey's turn to become confused, as he unwillingly becomes another hero in the author's ongoing series. The books are now starting to have a very familiar feel to them, though more and more characters from previous books are now reappearing, adding to the overall confusion. I've lost track of how many worlds have been visited or mentioned.
It begins in NYC, when Cy sees characters pop in and out of existence. Two of them are beautiful, scantily clad women, and when he encounters them in another dimension, his thoughts turn lascivious. However, things don't pan out the way our hero wants them to. The ladies are highly capable in the use of weapons, and take to calling Cy "Ninny," as he is forever asking what in hell is going on. Imagine a couple of young beauties referring to Conan as "Ninny." It makes a welcome change, and while it doesn't cure the inherent sexism and tension of pulp novels, it does relieve it somewhat. Zelda and Jorine are porteurs, capable of locating dimension gates and travelling through them. Without them, Cy has no hope of ever returning to Earth, so he does his best to stick close.
There is nothing much new in this story, except a few worlds not visited till now. The main one is Jundagai, where rich people come to hunt exotic and dangerous animals. We do learn that Bulmer is very much against this sort of thing, and makes the pampered, spoiled hunters seem very much like their Earthly counterparts. We also get to appreciate his knowledge and love of guns. Cy himself was a top knotch target shooter before this, as well as a skilled judo and karate student.
The contessa does not appear directly in this novel, only her minions. But we sense a major showdown coming soon. With two books remaining in the series, will she get her comeuppance, or will she take over the universe and all the dimensions? Stay tuned for further updates.
*** stars. Reviewed May 28th/20
VOLUME 7: THE CHARIOTS OF RA
Cover art by Kelly Freas.
From 1972 comes this 130 page entry in the long-running series. The main hero this time, captured from Earth and brought into the dimensions, is Roy Tulley. Kidnapped with a friend and being led towards a life of slavery, he manages to escape with a new dimension friend, Fangar.
The main part of the adventure takes place in a dimension that appears to have ties to ancient Egypt, especially in twin cities that straddle a wide river. Bulmer takes some pains to develop characters and plots here, before we are sent off into other dimensions once again near the end. But the section in Ra is by far the best. We encounter the contessa yet again, and Roy Tulley sees things from her perspective. He ends up helping her a lot, and pledging to help more once his business in Ra is completed. Bulmer seems to take turns, with some books having heroes opposing the contessa, and other ones aiding her. It's an interesting turn of perspective, since it is not immediately apparent that she is evil.
This was the last in the series that Bulmer wrote for many years. He must have been tiring of the series, or else they weren't selling well. Ace never let on that it was an actual series, with characters returning now and then, as well as new ones added. It might have helped sales immensely if they had labelled the books as such. I know that at this I was actively seeking out SF and fantasy series to read.
My only complaint is that we suddenly leave Ra, just when things get interesting. And though we return at the end, we never find out what happens there. The book just ends suddenly, leaving us with an incomplete plot. This is still one of the better entries in the series.
*** stars. Reviewed June 29th/20
EARTHSTRINGS
Cover art by David Plourde.
From 1972 comes this 141 page novel by a relatively new author for
me. Another wonderful reason to read Ace Doubles. I have also read the
author's Alien Sea (see my E. C. Tubb page). This is an adult
story about corruption and the deliberate destruction of an Earth
colony, as well as one man's success with women. Jeremy (Jerry) is a
reporter in an era where real news can be sometimes difficult to come
by. The solar system has been tamed, and several of the nearest stars
now support fledgling colonies. As the colonies are very expensive to
set up and maintain, there is considerable opposition to them. When a
flamboyant playboy seems to disappear, along with a colony going totally
silent, an investigation must be launched.
But it would take months to set up an official inquiry. Jeremy,
trying to track down some facts about the mysterious playboy for a
future obit column, inadvertently sets wheels in motion for a much
faster, less official investigation, and is surprised to learn that he
will be on the team heading into interstellar space.
Not that much different from a traditional corporate espionage caper,
with beautiful women, parties, and fancy space yachts, the writing is
nonetheless mature and evenly paced. Jerry is a decent character, a
respected reporter who seems to have a natural way of getting people to
talk. And women like him, too. Though much of the plot stays
Earthbound, we do finally head out to space for the denouement. For all
that I like Kenneth Bulmer, once again a flip side story is superior to
the one I wanted to purchase and read. It will not surprise the reader
that the author wrote a few Man From UNCLE books, too. Recommended.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed July 1st/20
VOLUME 8: THE DIAMOND CONTESSA
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1983 comes Bulmer's conclusion to his long-running series. At 174 pages, it was written 11 years after the last entry. It's just as confusing as most of the other books, but we finally get to see the comeuppance of the Contessa. First we have to wade through a lot of sadistic torture, whippings, kidnappings, slavery, and all the other things that make these dimensions so attractive to travellers.
Harry Blakey is the hero who finally gets to undo all the evil deeds. He is a natural porteur, the finest we have seen in the series, but he chooses to keep it secret from his fellow travellers. He can actually see the dimension gates as lights, and can also sense what is on the other side. But even better, he has been trained by "Uncle Jim," a mysterious character that we never meet, to turn off his gift, so others cannot detect it.
While we spend the climax of the book in the Contessa's main city of diamonds, before that we hope around ceaselessly from one dimension world to another. It becomes dizzying, and perhaps somewhat overused. I found that the books I most enjoyed in the series were the ones that honed in on one particular dimension, and taught us about it and its inhabitants.
We return to some familiar places, though, and most of the surviving good guys from previous volumes are in it, putting up a united front to try and put down the Contessa once and for all. Though the suit of armour is a bit of as cheat, it is fun to watch Blakey go up against the main forces of evil and obliterate them. And as much as I would have liked to see one of the stronger women characters take down the Contessa in the finale (Sarah, for instance, who has been after her since the first or second book), it almost happens. But Bulmer ended things differently, leaving open the possibility of a further sequel. Though he lived for another 22 years, he wisely decided to leave things as they are.
It is a very difficult series to really get a handle on characters, settings, and who is fighting who. There are simply far too many worlds, races, weapons, lead characters, and events to be able to grasp an overall picture. Even Silverberg's outrageously enormous world of Majipoor could be somewhat grasped and understood once the books were finished, and, of course, the gold standard for memorable world creation is still Tolkien. And I'm not certain that a rereading of the entire series would help. There is just too much frantic action and dimension hopping going on. Reading these books is akin to munching through a bowl of potato chips. They're pretty good going down, but you are not going to remember very many individual chips afterwards.
I recommend the series as a quick read. It's sheer pulp adventure from the first page to the last.
*** stars. Reviewed August 5th/20
_______________________________________________
BEYOND THE SILVER SKY
Cover art by Emsh
Bulmer's novel is the "A" side of an Ace Double (see below for the other side). Published in 1961, it is 100 pages long. Though it could easily be expanded, even into an epic novel or a short series, it works well as a long novella. Bulmer is a good writer, and knows his way around a sentence and a paragraph. His main character is Keston, and the story opens with him visiting his family for the first time in many years. Keston's civilization lives beneath the ocean. The society currently has two large problems to deal with. Firstly, they are at war, not with one, but with two other lifeforms. Secondly, the ocean depth is shrinking, and it is only a matter of time before the water level becomes too low for their great cities to survive.
Keston is a warrior in the Emperor's army, but he is also trained as a scientist. He is chosen for a scientific expedition to explore above the water, something that religion had forbidden of his people for thousands of years. The expedition is undertaken in the "Turtle," a large vehicle with legs than can walk on land once they are beyond the ocean. They are following in the footsteps of a previous expedition that ended tragically. However, the notes from that one survived.
There are two scientist women in the expedition, a worthwhile gesture from 1961! The younger of the two women is already partnered with a young male team member. But Keston is attracted to the older one. However, he is wise enough to postpone any romantic thoughts until the expedition is over. She seems to like him, too, but no doubt feels the same about waiting. Again, this is pretty high level thinking on Bulmer's part for the time, and for the audience for whom he wrote. Smart women and smart men!
There are two scientist women in the expedition, a worthwhile gesture from 1961! The younger of the two women is already partnered with a young male team member. But Keston is attracted to the older one. However, he is wise enough to postpone any romantic thoughts until the expedition is over. She seems to like him, too, but no doubt feels the same about waiting. Again, this is pretty high level thinking on Bulmer's part for the time, and for the audience for whom he wrote. Smart women and smart men!
Though the story easily maintains interest through the first two thirds, it is only once the expedition finally sets out that I really began to like this novel. Before that we meet a typical farming family, losing land quickly to low water levels, and we learn about some of the societal taboos. Next we get to visit the main city, and learn about the war being fought on two fronts. We even get to engage in a battle. However, once the archaeological expedition is in full swing, the book is difficult to put down. Highly recommended, and an easy read.
A preliminary work by Emsh before the final cover painting.
Taken from the Ace Double SF page (D 507)
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed March 17th/18
MEETING AT INFINITY
Cover art by John Schoenherr
This is the "B" side of Ace Double D-507. From 1961, it is 155 pages long. John Brunner contributes a 1-page autobiography. This is certainly one of the most eye-catching SF covers I have ever seen, and the title is pretty neat, too. Unfortunately, neither the cover or the title have much to do with this very good story. There are meetings, and there is some discussion about reality and how it is perceived. But sadly there is no meeting at infinity. All meetings take place in a large office above The Market, where goods from other worlds are sold and traded.
The story is very complex for such a short novel, and someone like Iain Banks could have spun this out to over 500 pages without breaking a sweat. Brunner gives us a futuristic society that trades with worlds in other dimensions, and one of those worlds, a seemingly primitive one, is out to get us. There are at least half a dozen main characters, and as many supporting ones. The story jumps from one perspective to another, and is hard to get a grip on for the first third or so. It is sophisticated writing, and requires a sophisticated reader. This is not a book someone in their teens would likely enjoy.
There is only one female character in the story, but the plot revolves heavily around her. She was burned badly when her husband attempted to murder her, and for most of the book she dwells within a medical cocoon that is slowly restoring her body. She is supervised by a brilliant doctor, who in turn is aided by an alien contraption, called a "perceptor." The perceptor is central to the story, and thus the woman who is using it to heal. However, the perceptor can do even more wondrous things than heal someone who is badly burned.
This is a really wonderful discovery, and makes be curious about reading more books by Brunner. For now, I will have to hope that he comes up again on an Ace Double with an author from the Avon Rediscovery Series. Recommended to readers who enjoy a thinking person's book. Don't rush through the beginning, nor read it when you are tired.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Mar. 21st/18
NO MAN'S WORLD
Cover art by Emsh
This is a silly title for a very good story. From 1961, it is 128 pages long. One of the most interesting things about the story is how many female characters have lead roles. Having just read Harry Harrison's first Stainlesss Steel Rat book, which had a very intelligent female lead character, I am impressed! I admit to liking women, especially smart ones.
Like many shorter Ace Double stories, this one packs a lot into a small package, and could easily have been fleshed out to 300 pages or more. Without getting into plot, it is a modern espionage story with a SF twist ending. The hero, David Caradine, alias John Carter, is escaping from a more complicated life as an important leader. When his plans literally go up in smoke he refuses to back and try it over again. He tries to become an interplanetary business man, but it does not go as planned. Burroughs fans will be delighted when he meets up with Carson Napier!
The book has a strongly pacifist theme, as the hero constantly is upset by the rule of "might is right." While fully capable of handling himself in dangerous situations, he prefers to find peaceful solutions if possible. An easy read, and hard to put down once started. Highly recommended.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 17th/18
Mayday Orbit
Cover art by Ed Valigursky
Mapman Mike
I am a fan of Poul Anderson's fantasy writing. He wrote two brilliant stories that were published by Lin Carter under the Ballantine Fantasy series, and I loved both of them. This is the second SF novel by him I have read, and hope to read many more. Both feature the same hero, Dominic Flandry (the earlier novel was "We Claim These Stars"). Published in 1961, the story is 126 pages long. I'm beginning to see a pattern to the type of novels that Ace published back in the day. A planet is under duress because of a bad dictator. The hero, from Earth, arrives alone and without any kind of backup, and strives his utmost to save the day.
I have no problem with this type of story, especially with first rate writers at the helm. This one has several good points to recommend it. The planet was colonized by a handful of people from the Steppes of Central Asia. It is a cold planet, and life is harsh outside the one main city. But the people are educated, and many treat the memory of their home planet with respect and awe. There is a woman lead character, and she is not the classic tall, slim, western beauty, but better fits the Central Asian mold. She is also a trained warrior, of which I approve.
There are also some wonderful moments upon an alien planet, and the author outdoes himself in describing some truly remarkable landscapes, people, and animals. Both sides of this Ace double are recommended. If I ever finish this Avon/Equinox project, I just might wade into the Ace Double series for a new blog.
***1/2 stars. Reviewed May 18th/18
DEFIANCE
Cover artist uncredited.
From 1962 (or 1963, depending on who you believe) comes this very fine space adventure. The print edition is 156 pages. I read the Kindle version. The book consists of an opening short story, followed by three novelettes. The last three stories follow the same hero on three different expeditions.
The opening short story could be called "Origins," as it details an early expedition of the Terran Survey Corps. These are people who are first on the scene of an Earth-like planet, and arrive in scout ships to have a general look round. The early version of the scout ship has a crew of six. In this story, an ancestor of the hero of the main stories that follow this one, encounters a forest of deadly spiders, in the tradition of Bilbo Baggins and the Dwarves in Mirkwood.
The second story introduces us to Leftus Tait, a man born in space and a man destined to explore it. This engrossing story could be titled "The Baskers." It is an excellent tale of a deadly encounter with robots that can repair themselves as they are damaged. They are protecting the entrance to a cave, and nothing the crew can do can get them inside. Unless they are captured. A few manage that feat, while another young man has his legs and one arm severed in a brief encounter with these deadly mobile threats. Generations later, the new, vastly expanded scout ships hold a crew of 110 (Star Trek, anyone?). Men and women are aboard. Many of the crew are scientists, but there is a medical team, engineers, radio personnel, etc. While men remain in command, at least intelligent and educated women are visible in these adventures. However, sexism does rear its head quite often, though not in any overt way. Leftus Tait likes women, and their distinct body shape, despite wearing standard coveralls, always threatens to ruin his train of thought. He is, however, an honourable man, and keeps his thoughts to himself. He does particularly like one "Jinty," a scientist with whom he has a troubled relationship. This is a great little story, not without its horror elements.
The third story sees many of his original crew back with him, as Tait now has command of his own scout ship. They are away from the mothership and discover a society on one of the planets that requires calling in the experts. This story could be called "A Sense of Humour." Nothing the experts can do or think of win them the hearts of the aliens, who are likable enough and enjoy practical jokes on one another. What they don't like is someone trying to win them over by bribes of any kind. There is a basic mystery of why sometimes they will except gifts from Earthmen, and other times they won't. With the project stalled, it is up to Commander Tait and his crew to take matters in their own hands. This episode shares strong similarities to some of Chad Oliver's work (see his page on this blog). One of the amazing things we learn about the "experts," is that they come from all backgrounds on Earth. They are all highly educated and are used to help make first contact with intelligent life. There is a Pgymy, an Aborigine, an Inuit (called Eskimos), as well as people of many races, such as Chinese.
The final story is a disaster epic, as Tait's ship The Outsider collides with another scout ship, Courageous. They fall to the surface of a planet with a very hostile physical environment, and crash about 10 miles apart. Tait must marshall all of his strength and energy and get his crew to rebuild the ship. With their radios destroyed, they have no contact with the mother ship, and they have no idea which planet they are on. Salvaging parts from the two crashed ships becomes an epic in the tradition of building the pyramids, or of erecting Stonehenge. Only this ordeal is more difficult, because of the landscape, the climate, and the lack of proper food for the survivors. It may not be believable in the end, but then again, who am I to say?
This is an excellent series of stories, and I no doubt would like to reread them someday. I have not yet mentioned their striking similarity to those of "Men, Martians and Machines," by Eric Frank Russell. Written in 1955, this exceptional set of stories also tells about first alien encounters, and a crew of men (no women, drat) who are the first to visit them. No doubt Bulmer was heavily influenced by Russell's book. While Bulmer does not have Russell's chess-obsessed Martians, nor does he have the gift of humour as does that author, he does have the ability to tell great stories in a very readable manner. Highly recommended!
**** stars. Reviewed August 8th/18
Don't Cross a Teledine also features a strong female lead character, and I commend Bulmer for including women in SF adventures. Craig is telepathic and more; he can manipulate objects with his mind. Leslie is telepathic only, and they can communicate without speaking. Craig is a Venusian lowlife, trying to cheat at cards to earn enough money to get back to Earth. Leslie and her father require him to obtain a video recording for them, while another man wants the same tape, but for different reasons. Under pressure, Craig must determine who is telling the truth, and choose sides at the last minute. I like the fact that Craig is an anti-hero, and mostly out to save his own skin. Leslie is equally strong, and not necessarily any more likable, though Craig finds her more and more attractive as the story progresses to its exciting climax. Good SF pulp writing, and this one does seem fine as short fiction, and it does have a satisfying ending.
**** stars. Reviewed August 8th/18
WIND OF LIBERTY
Cover to my Kindle edition.
This 144 page book from 1962 contains two stories; the novella length title story, and a novelette length story called "Don't Cross a Teledine." The second story is not named in the table of contents, but a new "chapter one" suddenly appears. The story is named in the actual text.
Original 1962 print cover.
The Wind of Liberty has a good premise and started out great. A man by the name of Vickery is on the planet Sjalberg II to help the humans there overthrow the galactic government, called the F.C., or Friendly Combine. The combine is not friendly except to the rich. Sound familiar? The top one or two per cent rules the galaxy, and the Freedom Fighters are spreading out to help individual planets overthrow the business focused governments.
Complicating matters are the alien Mong, who want to eliminate all humans from the galaxy. So the F.C. is fighting not only its own rebellious planets, but also an alien menace. With the revolution on Sjalberg II successful, Vickery moves on to assist the planet Custer. However, the F.C. send a female special agent to capture him. This is an exciting story, and I felt that I was reading P.J. Farmer a lot of the time. Like many shorter works of SF, this one could have easily been spun out to a full length novel, and even a series. It has a good male and female lead character, and there is sexual tension between them. They go through a lot of adventuring together, though in the end Elaine's conditioning as a special agent overcomes her emotional involvement with her quarry.
Just as the story seems to be kicking into high gear, however, it ends suddenly, abruptly, and permanently! I was very disappointed that it was over, and a new story was now facing me on the Kindle page of my I-Pad. With female characters (two in the story), deadly aliens, humans fighting humans, and a whole galaxy of planets to explore, this story has great potential. This is a good candidate for fan fic to take over. Wish I had the time.
*** stars. Reviewed January 15th/19
Don't Cross a Teledine also features a strong female lead character, and I commend Bulmer for including women in SF adventures. Craig is telepathic and more; he can manipulate objects with his mind. Leslie is telepathic only, and they can communicate without speaking. Craig is a Venusian lowlife, trying to cheat at cards to earn enough money to get back to Earth. Leslie and her father require him to obtain a video recording for them, while another man wants the same tape, but for different reasons. Under pressure, Craig must determine who is telling the truth, and choose sides at the last minute. I like the fact that Craig is an anti-hero, and mostly out to save his own skin. Leslie is equally strong, and not necessarily any more likable, though Craig finds her more and more attractive as the story progresses to its exciting climax. Good SF pulp writing, and this one does seem fine as short fiction, and it does have a satisfying ending.
*** stars. Reviewed January 15th/19
THE WIZARD OF STARSHIP POSEIDON
Cover art by Jack Gaughan
From 1963 comes this mistitled story, lasting for 124 pages. It is the "A" side of an Ace Double (see below for the "B" side). It is not often that I dislike a story, and indeed I do not dislike this one. But I don't really like it, either. Firstly, there is no wizard. A lot of readers probably expected one. I did. Instead, we have a very short, brilliant scientist planning a payroll heist on a starship. The professor was to receive a large financial stipend from his university for his experiments. When that falls through, he decides to rob the payroll so he can undertake his experiments in creating early life on a sterile planet. He isn't the only interested party, however. The space rebels also want the loot, and their plots coincide and interfere with one another.
The story is kind of a space version of "Oceans 11." The story is well written, but none of the characters are the least bit likable. The bad guy (young nephew to the professor) is suitably detestable, but there are no good guys. The sonic virus idea is a bit ridiculous, too. This is a strange story, with strange motives and strange goings on. I found myself able to read it easily enough, but I kept waiting for it to end so I could get on to the flip side, a novella by Poul Anderson. I also found the ending quite unsettling, as none of the university professors in on the successful robbery were really punished for their actions. And no one mentions the dead crewman of the Poseidan, either, killed during the robbery attempt.
This story is not up to Bulmer's usual high standards. I would have never guessed him as the author if his name had been hidden. I don't even like the cover art much.
** stars. Reviewed October 4th/18
LET THE SPACEMEN BEWARE
Cover art by Emsh.
From 1963 comes this unforgettable 98 page novella by Anderson, also published under the title "The Night Face." Classic SF writing simply does not get any better than this. This story owes a huge debt of gratitude to Chad Oliver, a man who introduced anthropological science into SF, especially regarding first encounters, and also to P. J. Farmer's Night of Light. We arrive on Gwydion as the second expedition, preceded by the anthropologists. Humans want to set up a landing and resupply base on the inhabited planet, but are puzzled by the strangeness and overall calmness of the population. The natives are one-time colonists, but their history goes so far back that the myths about them are all that remains of their true origins. Did they really descend from one male and two female survivors, and then populate the planet to its present 10 million?
This is one of the most intelligent and engrossing SF stories I have ever read. Anderson sets a perfect pace for revealing the truth slowly and carefully. The natives are not keen on talking about their religious rites which occur every five years, corresponding to the flowering of the Bale plant. At that time, all the people attend a ritual in a distant holy city, empty except for that ceremonial night. They refuse to talk about, or even remember, what goes on there, and the follow-up group of astronauts investigating are frustrated at every turn. Psychologists will have a lot to say about them in future studies.
However, once the secret comes out, it is unexpected (unless you carefully study the cover art). Again, what a fabulous SF movie this would make! Highly recommended!
**** stars. Reviewed October 5th/18
This is one of the most intelligent and engrossing SF stories I have ever read. Anderson sets a perfect pace for revealing the truth slowly and carefully. The natives are not keen on talking about their religious rites which occur every five years, corresponding to the flowering of the Bale plant. At that time, all the people attend a ritual in a distant holy city, empty except for that ceremonial night. They refuse to talk about, or even remember, what goes on there, and the follow-up group of astronauts investigating are frustrated at every turn. Psychologists will have a lot to say about them in future studies.
However, once the secret comes out, it is unexpected (unless you carefully study the cover art). Again, what a fabulous SF movie this would make! Highly recommended!
**** stars. Reviewed October 5th/18
DEMONS' WORLD
Cover art by Jack Gaugham. Also one interior drawing by him.
I admit to having a soft spot for Kenneth Bulmer, and for Ace SF doubles. I find myself relaxing and enjoying myself with such books as this, perhaps not expecting top flight SF, but usually getting more than expected. And in its day this book cost 40 cents; how good is that? This one is from 1964, and is 139 pages long. This story seems to be a cross between "The Invaders" episode of Twilight Zone, which aired in 1961, and the TV series "Land of the Giants," which aired in 1968. A man lands in a strange world, but loses his memory when his ship crashes. He is saved by a foraging team of humans, and brought to the Controllers. "Stead" begins his re-education, learning language from scratch, and everything else, too, except about sex. The controllers are saving that for later.
Bulmer does a good job in writing a one-book story, complete in itself. We don't need sequels, though obviously a series could have been based on this effort. Bulmer deals with the two levels of society; the Controllers, who are in charge and always safe from exposure to the outside, and the Foragers, who go out of the safe areas and scavenge for food. The class system is absolute; one class leaves a quiet though intellectual life, while the other leads a dangerous and death-defying life. The controllers don't even believe that some of worst dangers that threaten the Foragers even exist, and won't listen to anyone telling them otherwise. Stead is plopped into the middle of the politics, and eventually assigned to be a Forager.
Accompanying him and his mates on the food gathering missions is the highlight of the book, as we gradually learn what is going on, and experience the many dangers first hand. Kudos to Bulmer for having competent (though sexy and beautiful) women included in both the Forager class and the Controllers. There are at least five female characters with important roles. Of course for the seasoned SF reader it isn't too difficult to figure out what is happening, but one can never predict the final outcome. Bulmer achieves a suitable literary climax, and has us reading the last few chapters without a break. This is good stuff, from a seasoned and interesting writer.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed February 18th/19
I WANT THE STARS
Cover art by Emsh.
The B side of Ace Double F289 is a short novel by Purdom, his first. From 1964, it is 115 pages long. Based on this story, the author shows promise, but also has some refining to do. It begins as a classic space opera, then wanders off into a zone of strangeness that is hard to define, but strongly reminded me of sequels to Arthur C. Clarke's Rama concept. Five humans are wandering the galaxy, 400 years after the last act of willful violence or war back on Earth. They first encounter the Horta, a telepathic race that the humans want to understand better. The Horta are easily able to protect themselves from the humans, simply by controlling their thoughts. One of the female humans dies,and the others barely manage to escape.
Next they encounter the "Borg" (!), a race of beings that want to impart knowledge to any race that asks for it. They are willing to answer any question asked of them, though the answers may take many years to fully answer. So far so good. Then one of the Earth men decides to go hunting with one of the more primitive aliens. It is a dangerous sport, and the animals are bred to be vicious and intelligent. The aliens use the activity to train their warriors. From here on in the book becomes a minor bloodbath, as feuding factions each want to capture the humans, who they consider superior enough to aid their own cause against their enemies. The humans are forced to fight and kill, something deeply shocking to them. We cannot judge these people of the future by our own standards. Of course we, too, would fight for our lives, and with much less compunction. But after 400 years of peace, the humans have lost their instinct to fight. So EPurdom making it morally difficult for his humans to fight and kill is believable. I just wonder why he insisted on so much bloodshed. Emsh's cover art is a telling prelude for readers.
One of the quotes I liked is on P. 63. The aliens know that they will destroy themselves if the humans don\t stop them, somehow. Jenorden, the main human hero, contemplates their fate, and comes to a brutal conclusion. "There was no room in the universe for people who could build powerful weapons and then couldn't control themselves enough to survive their own ingenuity."
Yup. I agree with that statement, and likely will not be too surprised when humans, sooner rather than later, push the buttons and end it all.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed February 19th/19
One of the quotes I liked is on P. 63. The aliens know that they will destroy themselves if the humans don\t stop them, somehow. Jenorden, the main human hero, contemplates their fate, and comes to a brutal conclusion. "There was no room in the universe for people who could build powerful weapons and then couldn't control themselves enough to survive their own ingenuity."
Yup. I agree with that statement, and likely will not be too surprised when humans, sooner rather than later, push the buttons and end it all.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed February 19th/19
THE MILLION YEAR HUNT
Cover art by Emsh.
Again from 1964, and lasting for 133 pages, is this exciting space opera written by a man who I admire more with every book of his I read. Bulmer is a man bubbling over with ideas, though often the shorter format of Ace Doubles hinders a plot that could easily last for several volumes. Carson is a mischievous lad of 20 years, working away at a space ship salvage yard on a backwater planet. The book opens as he is pulling a nasty prank on one of the members of the Galactic Guardsmen. The prank works, but someone else walking past at the same time is given the blame instead. Carson admits to the prank, especially when he discovers that it was his redheaded girlfriend of 17 years that has been arrested.
This sets off a major space adventure, one with almost nonstop action and planet hopping. Carson ends up seeking vengeance on an even nastier group of men than the Guardsmen, and he is unexpectedly aided by an alien presence that enters his mind on his first adventure after escaping his prison cell. The alien is called Sanchez, who is looking for his bride to be, Lys. They are virtually immortal, but must find a new host each time one dies. Sanchez has been searching for Lys for about a million years. Carson agrees to help him find her.
Three quarters of this book is very good. But then the author has to suddenly tie up all the loose ends, and so the ending becomes rather hectic and seems too contrived. Another hundreds pages or so and Bulmer could have eased us into what was happening, but instead we have several events take place that make the ending too pat. But this is one of those things that makes pulp literature what it is. Bulmer can hardly be blamed for ending a book too suddenly, when he likely could have easily carried on.
This is a fun read, and though I mentioned that there is action aplenty, there is also a lot of conversation, much of it inner stuff between Sanchez and Carson. I liked the book, and do recommend it. There is also a fine interior illustration.
*** stars. Reviewed April 8th/19
SHIPS TO THE STARS
Cover art by Jack Gaughan
The flip side of the Ace Double featuring Bulmer's novel contains 6 short stories by Fritz Leiber, one of my very favourite authors of SF, and especially fantasy. There is a small b & w illustration at the beginning of each story. Leiber's stories in general are as much about horror as they are SF.
Dr. Kometevsky's Day is from 1952, and is 20 pages long. Leiber's stories are like no one else. This is a very good example of how different his imagination is. Without giving the plot away, Earth and the entire solar system are threatened with annihilation. The mystics and their theories are pitted against those of more rational minded scientists, but no one is able to explain what is going on.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 8th/19
The Big Trek is from 1957, and is 5 pages long. More like a drug-induced dream than a story, this one is pretty strange. A man joins a very long parade of strange creatures moving past him. Very weird.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 8th/19
The Enchanted Forest is from 1950, and is 19 pages long. A wild one (?) is chased across the galaxy. He has escaped conformity carrying copies of all his mates. He crash lands on a planet of thorns, which is actually a colossal social experiment by Earth scientists. Really, really weird, despite the fact that everything gets explained at the end.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 9th/19
Deadly Moon is from 1960, and is 30 pages long. A number of people are having strange dreams and terrifying nightmares about the moon crashing down upon the Earth. What can it all mean? Watch the fun as part of the moon does fall into the Earth. I would guess that the casualty count was a bit on the low side.
*** stars. Reviewed April 9th/19
The Snowbank Orbit is from 1962, and is 17 pages long. An alien encounter turns out badly, especially for the aliens. Leiber tells the story from inside a small space probe that had been orbiting Mercury. It is now headed out towards Uranus at 100 miles per second, and then into space, with little hope for the astronauts aboard. It is a good story, especially the part about the alien ships. I just wish it could have had a more peaceful encounter. I would have had the aliens somehow assisting the humans.
*** stars. Reviewed April 10th/19
The Ship Sails At Midnight is from 1950, and is 21 pages long. Compare this story to Hal Clement's Assumption Unjustified, from 1946. Whereas Clement's tale is more gentle and less violent, Leiber's turns much darker at the end. Still, Leiber is such an incredible writer, and this type of story proves it (so is Clement!). Four young people seem lost and unmotivated, until one July day Helen starts working at the local cafe. Of the four, Es is female and an artist. The three males are physicist, writer, and psychology majors. The effect Helen has on all of them is profound, but in the end her love and attention to each of them is called into question. None of the four can meet Helen on her own terms, and tragedy results. Superior writing, though again I would wish for a somewhat happier ending.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 10th/19
Dr. Kometevsky's Day is from 1952, and is 20 pages long. Leiber's stories are like no one else. This is a very good example of how different his imagination is. Without giving the plot away, Earth and the entire solar system are threatened with annihilation. The mystics and their theories are pitted against those of more rational minded scientists, but no one is able to explain what is going on.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 8th/19
The Big Trek is from 1957, and is 5 pages long. More like a drug-induced dream than a story, this one is pretty strange. A man joins a very long parade of strange creatures moving past him. Very weird.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 8th/19
The Enchanted Forest is from 1950, and is 19 pages long. A wild one (?) is chased across the galaxy. He has escaped conformity carrying copies of all his mates. He crash lands on a planet of thorns, which is actually a colossal social experiment by Earth scientists. Really, really weird, despite the fact that everything gets explained at the end.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 9th/19
Deadly Moon is from 1960, and is 30 pages long. A number of people are having strange dreams and terrifying nightmares about the moon crashing down upon the Earth. What can it all mean? Watch the fun as part of the moon does fall into the Earth. I would guess that the casualty count was a bit on the low side.
*** stars. Reviewed April 9th/19
The Snowbank Orbit is from 1962, and is 17 pages long. An alien encounter turns out badly, especially for the aliens. Leiber tells the story from inside a small space probe that had been orbiting Mercury. It is now headed out towards Uranus at 100 miles per second, and then into space, with little hope for the astronauts aboard. It is a good story, especially the part about the alien ships. I just wish it could have had a more peaceful encounter. I would have had the aliens somehow assisting the humans.
*** stars. Reviewed April 10th/19
The Ship Sails At Midnight is from 1950, and is 21 pages long. Compare this story to Hal Clement's Assumption Unjustified, from 1946. Whereas Clement's tale is more gentle and less violent, Leiber's turns much darker at the end. Still, Leiber is such an incredible writer, and this type of story proves it (so is Clement!). Four young people seem lost and unmotivated, until one July day Helen starts working at the local cafe. Of the four, Es is female and an artist. The three males are physicist, writer, and psychology majors. The effect Helen has on all of them is profound, but in the end her love and attention to each of them is called into question. None of the four can meet Helen on her own terms, and tragedy results. Superior writing, though again I would wish for a somewhat happier ending.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 10th/19
BEHOLD THE STARS
Cover art by Jack Gaughan.
The "M" series of double novels by Ace upped the price to $0.45. Bulmer's story is from 1965, and is 120 pages long, with small printing. I don't know who did more writing for Ace, but Bulmer is certainly up there in quantity. This is a fairly restrained and single-minded story of David Ward, civilian but former army veteran who fought in the terrible and tragic interplanetary war with the Venies. He is on his way to a reunion with his army buddies when the story opens, only his best friend, Steve Jordan, is not in attendance.
Ward now works as a highly skilled technician servicing star ships and assembling and repairing the transport boxes now used to travel across light year distances. First, star ships are sent on their way with a transport box inside. When fuel runs low, the techie transports to the ship, has fuel sent along via the box, fixes the ship's course, then returns to Earth. Once the ship arrives at a new star system (many years later), humans have instant access to that planet via the boxes. And on and on. So humans are now just reaching stars 200 light years away from Earth, but they have encountered an intelligent, likely hostile race. War is imminent, and despite having recently ended a major war, Earth must be prepared once again to defend its right to emminent domain.
Things are thrown for a loop when peaceniks get involved, jeopardizing Earth's fragile empire. Ward gets caught right in the middle, as he uncovers the nest of peace loving folk. It's a decent enough story, but not very pulp-oriented or action packed. The cover art shows part of the aftermath of a short space battle.
I have encountered the space transport box idea elsewhere in this blog, but I can't remember who else used it. It's a great idea for SF, and helps explain how we got to the stars without doing any damage to Einstein's theories. Since there is no real hope of travelling faster than light (which is just too slow, anyway), perhaps these teleportation ideas make better sense for SF writers. But how do you get that first box to the planet in deep space? It takes a lot of time. Bulmer gets it right. ** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 19th/19
I have encountered the space transport box idea elsewhere in this blog, but I can't remember who else used it. It's a great idea for SF, and helps explain how we got to the stars without doing any damage to Einstein's theories. Since there is no real hope of travelling faster than light (which is just too slow, anyway), perhaps these teleportation ideas make better sense for SF writers. But how do you get that first box to the planet in deep space? It takes a lot of time. Bulmer gets it right. ** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 19th/19
PLANETARY AGENT X
Cover art by Jack Gaughan.
The flip side of the Bulmer story is by a writer I had never heard of. The short novel (133 pages) was first published as two novellas in Analog Magazine. The two stories appear together here for the first time, published in 1965. The first story is called Ultima Thule, and the hero wonders how far humans will develop before they reach the end of their possibilities. It's an interesting question. Apparently Reynolds was interested in utopias, and we see that a lot in this first story. Ronny Bronston starts out as a probationary agent of Section G (not X, as in the title) of United Planets, an organization who tries to maintain the status quo on member colonial planets, no matter how outrageous their government or lack of one. At least that is what he is told at the beginning. This is a fast paced story with a very interesting female character helping Ronny along through his first assignment. Their relationship is amusing and realistic, and despite her beauty Ronny keeps his hands off at all times.
The second story relates one of Agent Bronston's solo adventures, as he tries to arrest Billy Antrim. What we get is a really good futuristic version of trying to capture Billy the Kid. Bronston not only gets his man (though Billy has quite a killing spree beforehand), but puts him to good use as well.
Looking at my next book to read, it is an Ace Double with a story by E. C. Tubb. However, the flip side is by Mack Reynolds again! Looking forward to it.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 21st.
WORLDS FOR THE TAKING
Cover art by Zoot Van Zitzewitz
From 1966 comes this 3-part, very intense novel, lasting for 159 pages. The novel seems like an epic once competed, as Bulmer does his usual amazing job of writing unusual SF. Lately I have come across plots that are so absurd as to almost destroy any attempt by even a very good writer to create a believable scenario. Bulmer would have us believe that it is standard practice in the future to capture Earth-like planets orbiting distant stars, and to transport them back and put them into orbit around our sun. So far, Earth has nearly 50 habitable worlds orbiting near it. Manifest Destiny has gone completely mad. And completely mad is the central character, one Stephen Strang. He is one of the most repulsive characters I have ever encountered in fiction who is not considered to be a criminal.
Though many subplots and less important characters insert themselves into this fascinating, it is Stephen Strang that we are stuck with throughout the story. In Part One, when Strang is young and just becoming very important, we almost are convinced that he will turn out to be a hero of sorts. And though he does, the man that emerges by the final page is one of the most atrocious characters to ever grace the pages of a novel. Reminds me of a certain president of the USA in 2019.
I don't wish to reveal any plot developments, but the planet capturing capers continue till the end of the story and beyond, though with a twist. A number of good people die, though Strang lives on, growing more hostile and Machiavellian with every plot turn. Reminds me a bit of "Game of Thrones," and it is every bit as savage. Bulmer does a better job than some by keeping Earth's conquests close to Sol, though the entire galaxy is now within reach of ftl scout ships.
This is a good novel, but disturbing in so many ways. Trump's presidency will make for a number of good books, but it, too, is disturbing in so many ways.
*** stars. Reviewed July 5th/19
CYCLE OF NEMESIS
Cover art by Kelly Freas
1967 was a busy year for Bulmer. This novel, at 190 pages, was too long for an Ace Double edition, so it got its own volume. During the first 40 pages, I was nearly convinced that this was going to be the best novel I had ever read. It had a great, classy opening, and the horror began to appear early on, but in very small doses. Things continued to go really well, and but then, all of a sudden, there were monsters everywhere, and lots of shooting. The cover art is very descriptive. It's too bad that so many monsters, virtually and unending supply of them, appear early on in the story.
The Nemesis has been chained up in Iraq for 7000 years, and is about to break out. Apparently it knows everything, especially about its enemies. How it knows this we never learn. And it seems that it can send our rescuers back and forth through time at will, and sometimes through space and time. But despite its flaws, this is still a very fun story to read. The characters are great, too, and seem to be lifted out of a really good comic book. There are three women in the story, along with three men. Once the story heats up, the action is non-stop. If you like non-stop action, you will like this book. If you like something a little more talky, you still might like this book
Some of the deaths that occur are shocking, and one of the most shocking is never really explained (no spoiler here--keep reading). How did the headless body get that way, and who or what placed it where it was found? We know who it was, and why, but the how is never explained.
I'm not certain what I was expecting, but Bulmer gave me the unexpected. He is an amazing writer, and the climax of the book, back at the house when time seems to go crazy, and the chase is on, is remarkable and very well crafted. This is a very good novel, though it likely could not be filmed. However, it would make an excellent, very dark comic!
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Sept. 4th/19
I'm not certain what I was expecting, but Bulmer gave me the unexpected. He is an amazing writer, and the climax of the book, back at the house when time seems to go crazy, and the chase is on, is remarkable and very well crafted. This is a very good novel, though it likely could not be filmed. However, it would make an excellent, very dark comic!
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Sept. 4th/19
TO OUTRUN DOOMSDAY
Cover art by Kelly Freas.
Again from 1967 comes an action-packed planetary adventure tale from one of the greats. This story is 159 pages, a typical medium-short Ace novel, costing only 50 cents back in the day. The cover art, while intriguing and well done, does not accurately indicate what the story might be about. I don't think any one painting could do that, anyway.
Poor Jack Waley is travelling on an interstellar ship that has a melt down and explodes. He alone escapes in a lifeboat, to be stranded on an out-of-the-way planet without communication or any modern conveniences. He is rescued by a forest tribe of civilized people, and begins his adventure on this alien planet by falling in love with Mimi, daughter of the village chief. However, he is soon captured by little green men and taking into slavery. He escapes with an ally and and old woman, and they make it to a distant city. Jack is soon captured again, and this time becomes a treader slave on a ship.
The book oscillates from very humourous to deadly serious, and the part where Jack is on this ship is serious indeed. Jack's adventure continue (and continue), as once again a great pulp writer makes it seem that we have read an epic novel by the time all is said and done. The planet is mysterious, as certain things can be requested with a short prayer, and will materialize for the person asking. But not food, water, nor money. Nor an interstellar communicator. To Jack's advantage, he can request items (weapons, clothing, jewellery for his girlfriends) without speaking out loud. This is a mighty handy feature for him to have.
There are some side-splitting moments in the story, as Jack's luck seems to run hot and cold, and his self-image is not a great one. But it's fun watching him grow from a pampered and spoiled young man to a warrior of stature and courage. I was a bit upset by the ending, though no spoilers are forthcoming.
This is a very good SF pulp novel, and if you like wandering across a strange planet and meeting strange people, critters, and sights, then you will likely enjoy this book.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed October 18th/19
THE DOOMSDAY MEN
Cover design of the version I read, uncredited.
Original publication of Doomsday Men, Nov. 1965.
In
1968 Bulmer reworked his novel from If, and it was published again that
year by Curtis Books. Police in the future use agents that enter the
minds of people recently dead. They can thus trace the victim's last
movements, see who the killer was, and then let the police do the rest.
This is a really interesting concept, and by far the best part of the
book. It would make a fantastic TV SF crime series, too!
Unfortunately, Bulmer switches gears near the end of the book, and it
becomes yet another race against time (and a bomb) to save the world.
Even
so, this is a well-written novel and Bulmer keeps us turning pages till
the (ridiculous) ending. Parts of it reminded me of a Doc Savage tale,
though this one grows more complex as time goes on. America is
protected from enemy attacks by a protective sphere, and has been
isolated from the rest of the world for many years. This isolation is
now causing a spike in the murder rate, as young people turn to crime
for kicks. Even though 98% of homicides are solved and the killer is
caught, the police cannot let on how they do it. Even so, the murder
rate spikes.
I
really enjoyed the crime drama portion of the book. Bulmer had a good
enough idea that he should have stuck with it and developed it further.
Instead, this part of the book is only the gateway to a more sinister
and deadly plot. Be prepared for some severe twists and turns near the
very end, one of them at least being quite laughable. And then there
are the young schoolgirls who are really special agents, even working at
risque late night parties! All in all I really liked the book. It is
fast paced, pretty original, and worth reading. Recommended.
***1/2 stars. Reviewed Oct. 22nd/17
Cover art by Jeff Jones.
Cover art by Ken Barr.
I read the Kindle edition. 
Cover art by Jack Gaughan.
Cover art by Kelly Freas.
Cover art by David Schleinkofer.
Cover art by Kelly Freas.
STAINED-GLASS WORLD
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1969 comes this 160 page distopian novel of a drug-filled escapist future, with the world divided between Workers and Uppers. If the workers don't work, they don't get access to their off duty dream worlds, which is the only reason they work to keep the world running in the first place. The Uppers have access to better drugs and dreams, and whenever they want. There are various kinds of security forces, including the toughest of them, the Revenue men. The streets are mean, and no one ventures out alone.
The book is very hard to grasp at first. It took me nearly 75 pages to fully figure out what was going on. For one thing, there are a lot of main characters, and they are all dreaming. But everyone's dreams have been on a big downer lately, and Vincent, a research doctor, tries to figure out what is wrong. Important characters include, besides the doctor, Sturm, the head of a vast insurance business, Conrad and Lawrence, his employees who are out searching for Vincent; then there is Sheldon and Minch, two workers who give us perspective form the bottom rungs of the ladder.
When the workers are under the spell of their dreamworld, the revivifying needle used to awaken them (for their work shift) is called The Horrible Truth. Uppers have access to something called Joy Juice, which is somehow extracted from the dreaming workers. Following the Age Of Material Plenty (our time), the world collapsed into chaos, barely saved by the two tier social structure. There is nothing green in the cities, and most lie in ruins. Workers live in in small clans in abandoned buildings.
Sturm, one of the richest men in the world, owns the largest art collection in existence, housed in a vast multi-stories warehouse that would make the Louvre look like a closet. He can walk through the different layers to see his paintings, sculptures, etc., but he prefers to sit in a comfortable chair in his office and view works through a telescope. While workers have to use lucimech, basically fabricated hallucinogenics, Uppers get to use joy effluvia. Each high allows the person dreaming to have full control over his/her dreams, acting out their wildest fantasies each time they go under. Reality is something to bear until you can hit the couch again. But with the dreams becoming increasingly dangerous to the user, Vincent must discover the reason why.
Interesting that I came across the term Atrocity Exhibitions in this book, too, which paints one of the bleakest pictures of the future that I have ever come across. Being a British writer, it's possible that Ballard read this and came across the term. In an era when so many people in our time are turning to drugs to escape reality, once can only imagine how much this will increase as things get progressively worse. Pandemics, global warming, on-going wildfires, increasingly severe floods and storms, and the constant possibility of nuclear war will only drive people further into despair. Bulmer's book is stark, but so is the world. Much more so than even in 1969.
*** stars. Reviewed September 8th/20
Sturm, one of the richest men in the world, owns the largest art collection in existence, housed in a vast multi-stories warehouse that would make the Louvre look like a closet. He can walk through the different layers to see his paintings, sculptures, etc., but he prefers to sit in a comfortable chair in his office and view works through a telescope. While workers have to use lucimech, basically fabricated hallucinogenics, Uppers get to use joy effluvia. Each high allows the person dreaming to have full control over his/her dreams, acting out their wildest fantasies each time they go under. Reality is something to bear until you can hit the couch again. But with the dreams becoming increasingly dangerous to the user, Vincent must discover the reason why.
Interesting that I came across the term Atrocity Exhibitions in this book, too, which paints one of the bleakest pictures of the future that I have ever come across. Being a British writer, it's possible that Ballard read this and came across the term. In an era when so many people in our time are turning to drugs to escape reality, once can only imagine how much this will increase as things get progressively worse. Pandemics, global warming, on-going wildfires, increasingly severe floods and storms, and the constant possibility of nuclear war will only drive people further into despair. Bulmer's book is stark, but so is the world. Much more so than even in 1969.
*** stars. Reviewed September 8th/20
KANDAR
Also from 1969 comes this 127 page sweeping sword and sorcery epic, in the best tradition of Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and Michael Moorcock. Though short in pages, it is big in story and sweep. Kandar is a hero who would rather study the wonders of science than the more necessary magic and sorcery he spurns, but when push comes to shove, he really should have been concentrating on his sorcery studies. When his city is attacked by evil wolfmen, with the aid of dark sorcery, he is absent, as is the city's wizard-protector, who is trying to convince the hero to study more. Once they return to the city they see it in flames, going down to the overwhelming powers of evil. Akkar's wizard is able to place a counter-spell, and suddenly the city is frozen in time, amidst the great battle. Kandar must go off and seek out tow other books of deep magic, in the hope of returning to save the city.
A number of exciting adventures and encounters with evil wizards await Kandar, as he sets out alone but gains allies as he goes. Two of those allies are people he has just killed, one a warrior much like Conan, and the other a wizard of small talents. He casts a spell and they end up inside his head, following him and conversing together wherever he goes, so he becomes a three-in-one hero. This gives a nice twist to the story. There are four beautiful women that Kandar has dealings with in the book. Women tend to be naked a lot in these kinds of books, and this one is no exception. Jeff Jones' cover art is true to the story. Of course Kandar is often naked, too, for whatever that is worth.
While the book is complete and satisfactory as a story on its own, it obviously was intended to be a series if successful. I really wish there had been other stories about Kandar and his further adventures. He had just come to realize that it was a really big world out there, and he was anxious to explore it. Bulmer displayed a real affection and love for this type of writing, which is even better than his Keys to the Dimensions stories. At least we have this one novel about Kandar, and it is a good one.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed October 10th/20
I read the Kindle edition.
Again from 1969 comes a rousing adventure, lasting 114 pages. Bill Jarrett is a big man, and his body is trained superbly for fighting with many secret and well practiced techniques. Bill is a galactic adventurer, and has just been paid a large sum of money for completing a job. But Bill isn't superb enough at the beginning, and is soon drugged and shipped out to a different planet, where a "princess" orders him to find her brother. Why should Bill comply? Well, mainly because he has a furry thing wrapped around his skull that tortures him every time he takes his mind off his goal. An author needs this sort of thing, otherwise Bill would simply bugger off. I really dislike these sort of things in stories, the worse one of all time being the giant balloon ball in the TV series The Prisoner, which was the only thing that kept him from escaping.
Bill starts out alone in his quest, but is soon joined by Todd, a huge, rather fat man with a high, squeaky voice. They get along very well together and make a great team. Along comes young Susan, who doesn't do too much after initially helping them escape an office building, but Bill thinks she's swell. Later we add an electronics expert, a doctor, and one more female to the team, though it is mostly Todd and Bill that gets thing done.
Bulmer is such an expert when it comes to this kind of short, intense adventure story, and can easily keep the reader turning pages until the very end. Endings are usually abrupt, like this one, with the main adventure barely concluded. In this case, there is one more adventure awaiting, but we do not get to experience that one. Bulmer was really into writing series,and I suspect that he left the ending this way in case he decided to write a sequel.
A fun way to pass the time for SF pulp adventure lovers.
*** stars. Reviewed November 7th/20
STAR TROVE
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1970 comes this very well written and fun novel, lasting 192 pages. When Bulmer wants to write well, he can write very well indeed. Felix Vereker is an antiques dealer for a large interplanetary company. He becomes unwittingly involved in espionage as he travels to a planet looking for answers into his boss's death. On board the space liner he meets Rosalind, a beautiful woman who becomes a close acquaintance and co-adventurer. The best thing about this novel are the many surprising twists and turns, and it doesn't hurt that Bulmer easily avoids cliches and pat solutions.
There is some humour amongst the violence and killing, the most notable example being Vereker's trial by combat against Conan the Barbarian! The planet Malfaria undergoes an assassination and revolution while he is there, before escaping to Malfagia, a manufactured primitive planet where rich people and go and become barbarians, either fighting against critters or against other men.
What is the Star Trove? Although it becomes the centre of the adventure, we never learn anything much about it. Ruins of an ancient civilization, and all that. The book could have easily handled a sequel.
Though a pulp book at heart, its frequent references to Moliere and Shakespeare, among others, set this one considerably higher than most of its genre kin. The action is tempered with a few quieter moments, as well as the introduction of several types of humans who once originated on Earth, but now have gone separate ways. All in all a highly readable and likeable adventure story.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed January 8th/21
SWORDS OF THE BARBARIANS
From 1971 comes this 127 page potboiler in the sword and sorcery tradition of Conan. It's at least as good as most stories by Robert E Howard, but that isn't really saying very much. A muscleman barbarian and his twin sister take on an evil city, eventually triumphing (sorry for giving the ending away) after great deeds and many misfortunes. It seems to have been the opening novel of a series which never really got started. There were so many of these types of books coming out in the early 70s that it probably got lost in the crowd. Added to the character pool is a sorcerer who has sworn off his art, an imprisoned winged female, and a number of heroes and villains who help fill in the pages. The book limits itself to two main locations, the evil city, and the encampment of the encroaching army bent on capturing the city for itself. This helps keep the book focused.
If you have never read any of these types of books, I suppose this one would be as good a place as most to get started, though I can highly recommend the ones by Fritz Leiber starring the Gray Mouser and Fafhrd the Barbarian. If you have read a lot of them, then this one will add nothing new to the mix. For some reason, my BT edition features 16 pages of illustrations (not counted in the page count) in the middle of the book, on either side of the Kent cigarette ad, featuring fantasy creatures from a medieval bestiary. Go figure.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed February 9th/21
BLAZON
From 1971 comes this 149 page SF adventure, Earth versus really nasty aliens. Earth colonies have spread far and wide in the galaxy, but have only encountered humanoid aliens so far. That changes with the arrival of the slug-like Unha, who wage instant war upon colonial planets, mercilessly killing and destroying. Earth ships try to fight back, but are no match for the aliens.
A top secret project commences to build a super weapon capable of taking on the Unha. 5 human brains, with bodies destroyed either by Unha attacks, or in one case, birth defects, are encased in virtually fireproof weaponized bodies, and their minds are linked in to one. They are taught to fight and use their weapons, four males and a female. Off they go, and their first mission is highly successful. Soon they are terrorizing the Unha, who suddenly want an armistice and peace talks.
Only there is one problem; the new weapon of five people, called Blazon, will not stop their attacks, ignoring all orders to do so. Now Earth is faced with a new problem; how to stop the carnage before the Unha are totally wiped out.
Though a good action/adventure yarn, a few things would have made this an even better story. One thing I would have liked to have seen is some dissent within the Blazon group, as they try to come to terms with the end of a war they have no wish to observe. Another thing would have been to strand them on their last planet, leaving them there to stew for awhile, and perhaps eventually come out of their destructive mode. But the simplistic ending and lack of true intelligence within Blazon is a bit disappointing.
Still, this is classic Bulmer, if not great literature.
*** stars. Reviewed December 9th/20
THE ELECTRIC SWORD-SWALLOWERS
From 1971 comes a novel as quirky as its title (which I cannot fathom). Nor does the byline "Every man his own Napoleon" make any sense, either. One side of an Ace Double from 1971, Bulmer's tale is 121 pages long. This is one of the oddest stories I have ever read in this project, and I've read many odd ones. In essence, the emperor of a planet (a self-proclaimed Napoleon), reenacts famous battles. This particular story deals with the Battle of Waterloo at its climax. Intelligent robots with some human DNA are utilized in the battle, thousands of them. He is aided by brilliant technicians. A group of reformers want to oust him, and use the robots for greater good and profit. Our hero, Ferdie Foxlee, is hired as a top technician, after barely escaping two previous jobs.
The story begins as a comedy farce, but grows more serious as it goes on. Some good points are raised throughout the story about revolutions, war, and the inhuman use of robots that are partially intelligent, and can act and feel on their own. It's the kind of story one comes across more often in Ace Doubles than any other publisher, and I doubt any other publisher would have printed this as is. Bulmer knows his military history, and he knows his emperors, too. While I am not a fan of military history (or military anything), I found the book to be highly readable, and so original in concept that I enjoyed reading it a lot. The ending is also very well handled, as the planet finds a worthy purpose after all, rather than just being a fun place to reenact battles.
*** stars. Reviewed March 15th/21
BEYOND CAPELLA
From 1971 comes this 132 page novel, on the flip side of Bulmer's tale. I have come across Rackham's work several times now, paired with Avon/Equinox authors in Ace Double editions. Though very sexist for today's reader (what SF wasn't from earlier days?), Rackham at least tackles the issue of women in space and women in combat. He also tackles other major issues such as the morality and wastefulness of war, computers replacing humans, and even alcohol on board ship (no one smokes on board in this book, either).
The story begins as a rather routine space adventure, but gradually grows into something much better. Edward Kent Kane is the hero, and it's nice to see his character develop as the story goes along, much more so in the latter half of the book. Kane is given command of a ship, his first commission, and must take it to Capella, where a war against alien space ships is taking place, with Earth on the losing end. With a skeleton crew of 14 (not screwball in the least, as the cover suggests), and four scientists (one a female), the ship is given a shakedown, and unexpectedly encounters some of the alien invaders.
Keep in mind that authors from this time period have had a full dose of Star Trek, not to mention all of the SF written up to this time. So while some of Rackham's ideas are not totally original (his time era uses Dirac transmitters, from James Blish stories), the way he uses his ship and crew is quite unique and very well written. The climax of the story, when the ship shifts into a very small other universe, is a fantastic piece of writing, filled with wonderful visuals, sounds, and ideas. The experience the crew and passengers endure could be described as a bad trip on LSD, something else well known back in the early 70s.
Overall this is a fun read, a bit slow to get started, but pretty amazing once things start to move. I would love to read about Kane's next outing.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed March 17th/21
THE INSANE CITY
Cover art uncredited.
Also from 1971 comes this 175 page adventure thriller, well within the SF realm (not fantasy, as it says on the cover). Arthur Ridgway loses his job, and becomes one of the unseen and unwanted. Robots have taken over most jobs that once required manual labour, and the uneducated have been left out of the social equation. Arthur falls in with an underground movement to help people who have lost jobs and homes, and manages to fall in love with the woman who leads the group.
Although the complexity of the story is rather high, Bulmer has a way with telling stories that makes reading easy and fun. In fact, I read this novel in less than one day, as I was forced to sit on the couch for a long time with a cat recovering from surgery (the cat is doing fine). There are many important themes running through the tale, almost too many to deal with properly. Robots taking jobs, human lives becoming more ruled by central computers, computer intelligence and their ability to deal with emotions, megalomaniac CEOs wanting to dominate the planet, and even clearing slums and not properly seeing to the needs of the displaced.
At its heart, though, this is a pulp action story, and the final third of the tale pits two men and a woman against a city that is out to destroy them all, and anyone else who tries to enter its domain. Everything from lamp posts and fire hydrants to mechanical milk men try to stop them, as the three heroes race to switch off the master computer. Good fun, and some amazing insights into our future world.
*** stars. Reviewed April 12th/21
ON THE SYMB-SOCKET CIRCUIT
From 1972 comes Bulmer's 2nd last stand alone novel, lasting for 174 pages. With a title like that, I don't know how many copies it would sell, but the cover art is attractive. And though the cover art does show an event from the novel, it leaves out a very important detail; the symbiotic creature attached to Wade's back, keeping him alive on the otherwise poisonous planet. Taht creature, his "alice," forms the entire reason for the story, which is quite good.
Some novels can seem rather confusing at first, and this one starts out by making me want to pull out some of my hair. But soon things become smoother. Bulmer, following the lead of a fictional future writer in his story, gives us new information on a need to know basis, and the entire puzzle will not become clear until near the end of the story. The biggest puzzle at first is Wade himself, the not quite human lead character of the novel. Next comes the symbiant creatures humans use of this planet to survive. The planet is used to grow geriatric drugs, highly prized in the galaxy. But for unknown reasons, the symbiant creatures have been abandoning their human hosts, leaving them to die horribly, stranded.
What exactly is a symb-socket circuit? Humans can be fitted with a stoma socket that can be used to plug into different symbiant creature helpers on many different planets. Thus humans, once fitted with the socket, can make a circuit of the planets, for fun and/or profit. There is no need to carry oxygen everywhere they go, or to build domes under which to live. A new kind of freedom allows people to enjoy alien planets on its own terms. But the hastily researched symbiant creatures of Ashram have a deadly secret that the head doctor refuses to see. It's up to Wade to educate him in time, to save lives.
The ending is one of the best I have come across, and is both sad and shocking, though perfect for the story. There are many notable observations of human nature. A highly recommended read.
**** stars. Reviewed May 8th/21
ROLLER COASTER WORLD
From 1972 comes Bulmer's last stand alone novel, lasting for 173 pages. Yet again readers will have to bear with Bulmer's strange exposition, which hardly prepares us for what is happening and where we are, exactly. But have no fear, as all will eventually be explained. But it takes a while. There are several key characters, including Doug Marsden, Flora, Paula, and Shari, among others. Doug is a respected athlete, but has never won a championship. He has a lot of runner up trophies, and he is becoming bitter about it. He eventually gives up on athletics and turns to giving horoscopes. Not great there, either, due to a mishap. Next comes making an Exisensi, a form of VR entertainment. Nope. Lastly, he gets involved in politics, and finally finds his niche.
Doug loves Paula, madly. Paula is married. Their affair is hopeless and nearly meaningless, but ti carries on, till death do them part. Almost. The planet they live on, a former Earth colony, has a life affirming radiation that gives its citizens an invigorating existence. Without it, people return to a more primitive state, and most die or go crazy. The main problem is that the radiation is expiring, getting used up, and is disappearing all over the planet. Can anything be done, besides leave?
Bulmer seems to set up a lot of his books as if they were going to become series', and goes to an awful lot of trouble with each new book, introducing a whole way of life somewhere. What he can fit into a relatively short novel is simply astounding. Granted, readers do have to fill in a lot for themselves, but Bulmer's writing helps us a lot in that regard. He has a gift not only for setting scenes, but for good storytelling as well. Doug has become a hopeless character by the end of the novel, so much in love with Paula that he will sacrifice his ideals and more to be with her. He needs a good kick to the behind. Luckily for him, someone is there to give it to him.
Good characters, good story, good situations, and a good read. I will miss Bulmer's writing.
*** stars. Reviewed June 13th/21
