“”The Blacks!” he shouted. “The Blacks aregoing to attack at Buffalo. It’s a trick–a trick! ForGod’s sake stop the general movement north. Itell you, you’ll be swamped!””
Black planes being the bad guys, of course, that Dusty Ayres and his Battle Birds will have to Desperately Dogfight to save the day.
Apparently, the USA would miss not [...]
Continue reading about The Purple Tornado – Robert Sidney Bowen
Or given of course that this is G-8 and His Battle Aces, and the bad guys pretty much have to be German: Stahlmaske.
Doctor Doom is shades of this guy, certainly:“”I am Hans Shilder, Herr Doktor, but I do notknow who this poor burned one is. I was comingfrom my father’s little farm in the mountainsbeyond [...]
Continue reading about Scourge Of the Steel Mask – Robert J. Hogan
Giant robots and nebulous bad guy.
There are also some other fun bits – gynoid assassins, and underwater plane battles and geeky inventor sidekicks. The ex-lover plane pilot is actually a lot more interesting than the reporter that hooks up with Sky Captain, too, and is a far more believable pulp hero.
The overall plot and [...]
Continue reading about Sky Captain and the World Of Tomorrow – Kevin J. Anderson
The second Dusty Ayres adventures pits him and some other yanks (with Agent 10) against more of the same and the same bad guys.
The problem here is that the plot is very lacklustre.
2 out of 5
Guardian Angel 1 – Warren Murphy and James Mullaneyhttp://us.macmillan.com/BookCustomPage.aspx?isbn=9780765357595#excerpt
“The border issue had become a tense one in recent years. And even though Smith kept himself totally free of political opinion, he knew the politicians had done with the issue what politicians generally do: instead of solving the problem, they had [...]
Continue reading about Guardian Angel 1 – Warren Murphy and James Mullaney
God Of Death – Barry SadlerHuman sacrifice will backfire if you pick an immortal.
I didn’t like this one as much as the first, but still a fine adventure.
Basically, all you have to hear is this ‘Vikings vs Olmecs’ and what more do you need to know?
Ok, one more thing – what happens when you try [...]
The Wings Of Satan – Robert J. Hogan“There’s always something queer,” G-8
admitted, “when the enemy captures men from
our ranks, then sends them back, planes and all.”
That is pretty much it for this G-8 adventure, in a nutshell. Rather on the tame side, this one.
Herr Doktor Krueger and G-8 also have a bit of ‘is [...]
Bandit Gold – Thomas M. ReidA bloke coming back from the war has a mate who told him about a treasure map. However, there is a fiery redheaded sister, the City of Lost Souls, a dodgy sergeant, some nazis and Pancho Vila to deal with on the way.
3 out of 5
Running Thunder – John HelfersA pommie aviator is shot down trying to shut down a German war operation in Mexico. He joins forces with some local ranchers who have had a herd rustled by the same mob. Stampede time.
3.5 out of 5
The Headless Staffel – Robert J. HoganG-8 is somewhat perturbed when he realises the pilot he is flying against has a guy sitting behind him with no head, not to mention four attack falcons loaded down with acid. It doesn’t matter how good a WWI superpilot superhero superace you are, you ain’t outflying a [...]
Continue reading about The Headless Staffel – Robert J. Hogan
Dogfight Donovan’s Day Off – Michael MoorcockWWI ace hero can’t fly new plane straight enough to hit German bomber zeppelin. Throws himself at it instead.
4 out of 5
Continue reading about Dogfight Donovan’s Day Off – Michael Moorcock
Stalker the Darkstar File – Archie GoodwinNon-lethal heroics show this apple did fall far from the tree.
3 out of 5
Continue reading about Stalker the Darkstar File – Archie Goodwin
Squadron of Corpses – Robert J. Hoganhttp://www.archive.org/details/G8_vs_the_Squadron_of_Corpses
Zombie nazis.
No point saying anything else.
Except.
Zombie nazis!
Bring a LOT of salt.
3 out of 5
Continue reading about Squadron of Corpses – Robert J. Hogan
Tokyo Purple – Chet CunninghamFirst Penetrator book for me. From the intro:
“To the public, the Penetrator became a cross between a modern day Robin Hood and a real-life Superman…”
Not your average guy either, it seems. Some mystic Native American mojo going on, giving him some heightened senses, pain resistance, and other things.
He carries around [...]
Lockheed Loot – Arch Whitehousehttp://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~idesign/apr-04/loot.pdf
Keene gets involved with a plot involving the new Lockheed plan and some advanced weaponry.
3 out of 5
The Staffel Invisible – Donald E. Keyhoehttp://www.pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=582
The Boche, it appears, have invented a new material that bends light. This would explain a few recent odd events.
It is up to Philip Strange to put a stop to it. He has a pretty serious problem when he ends up in a dogfight with a plane [...]
Continue reading about The Staffel Invisible – Donald E. Keyhoe
Stolen A Squadron – Donald E. Keyhoehttp://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~idesign/jun-02/sas.html
Monsieur Le Diable keeps nicking aces, and it doesn’t appear to matter to him which side they are on.
Then he manages to disappear a train carriage full!
If I was Philip Strange, I’d be getting jack of being accused of being a miscreant. But, superhero pilot agent that he [...]
Skeleton From the Sky – Donald E. Keyhoehttp://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~idesign/oct-03/skeleton.html
The G-2 Ace ends up deep in skeletons in the catacombs, along with his offsider Andre, after being framed for a ‘murder in the dark situation.’
At the heart of it is a plot concering some intelligence documentation.
3 out of 5
Continue reading about Skeleton From the Sky – Donald E. Keyhoe
Cavalry of the Clouds – Arch Whitehousehttp://www.pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=53
This Griffon yarn is a definite improvement. A plane has been developed that can carry tanks!
Barney has disappeared, and is wanted for a crime associated. Keen doesn’t know where he is, but sets out to track him down, finding a beautiful woman, a plot, and a plane [...]
Continue reading about Cavalry of the Clouds – Arch Whitehouse
Zeppelins Vanish – Arch Whitehousehttp://www.pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=52
Some of our dirigibles are missing. Or zeppelins, if you prefer. Without a doubt, some fast talking and dogfighting will be required to get them back.
2 out of 5
Hawks of Hate – Arch Whitehousehttp://www.pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=51
The Griffon has a rival, who has a newer, fancier plane to boot. First The Fox causes The Griffon to ditch in the Atlantic, then tries to frame him for something else.
Competition over a job, leads to Keen and sidekick doing some re-engineering, to give them a shot.
3 out [...]
The Griffon’s Gamble – Arch Whitehousehttp://www.pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=50
A dodgy petroleum company, and a Chinese bad guy interested in some Japanese swords with Keen in the middle. Fairly pointless, this one.
1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about The Griffon’s Gamble – Arch Whitehouse
Guns of the Griffon – Arch Whitehousehttp://www.pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=49
The Griffon is a bit of a bandit playing all sides. Removing dodgy elements himself, and taking their cash when he feels like it. He comes across a corporate aeroplane manufacturer feud, and takes advantage.
Kerry Keen, his alter-ego is an investigator, so he picks things up that way. A [...]
Continue reading about Guns of the Griffon – Arch Whitehouse
Storm Over the Americas – Kerry McRobertshttp://www.pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=204
When plans for an important technology go missing, the Eagle is sent on their trail.
Evil Nazis in Venezuela, that is what this means.
Here’s a line that can’t help bring cheer :
“Beer steins began flying.”
with the help of a brave woman and a couple of other blokes, the Eagle lives [...]
Continue reading about Storm Over the Americas – Kerry McRoberts
Earmarked Gold – George L. Eatonhttp://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~idesign/mar-02/gold.html
Three dirty rats, of the tommy-gun wielding variety are desperate and hatch a scheme to get their hands on some bullion.
They have also laid hands on Red Gleason to help with this end, and Bill and the others go after them.
2.5 out of 5
The Blood Red Road to Petra – George L. Eatonhttp://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~idesign/nov-01/bill.html
Commander Kestrel is having some problems, murdered agents and the like, over the Dead Sea way. They eventually decide they may have a use for Barnes and crew.
Doing some touring :
“That’s Petra, kid.”
“Gosh, you know a lot, don’t you Bill?”
Sandy gets himself into a bit [...]
Continue reading about The Blood Red Road to Petra – George L. Eaton
Sea Hangar Snare – Arch Whitehousehttp://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~idesign/may-02/seahangr.html
The Griffon’s offsider, Barney O’Dare, knows the value of a good bottle of O’Doul’s Dew, and a pair of secret decoder glasses.
3 out of 5
The Scourge of the Sky Brood – Arch Whitehousehttp://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~idesign/aug-sept-02/scourge.pdf
A man is killed at 4000 with a Ghorka knife. Keen investigates. A stolen box is important to the military, and he has to tie the two together.
2 out of 5
Continue reading about The Scourge of the Sky Brood – Arch Whitehouse
Bill Barnes Takes A Holiday – George L. Eatonhttp://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~idesign/dec-02/holiday.html
Bill has been working so hard he is on the verge of a breakdown. His team realises this and orders him off the base for 3 weeks, taking along his kid sidekick.
He snoozes while he is flown along, but a storm and a distress call causes his [...]
Continue reading about Bill Barnes Takes A Holiday – George L. Eaton
The Aardvark Affair – Gary BrandnerThe Big Brain is called back in by his former colonel, now a spook for Agency Zero. Three scientists have become vegetative, and they want to know why.
He realises the crop enhancing program is not all that he seems, and both he and his girlfriend get into a lot [...]
Last Rites (Graphic Audio Production) – Will MurrayThis is another Graphic Audio book that I have not read in novel form, so can’t say if it is any different. I have read around three other Destroyer novels, and this is considerably better.
The riff on Chiun is like McDowell from the excruciatingly bad movie, but [...]
Continue reading about Last Rites (Graphic Audio Production) – Will Murray
Hell Dawn Graphic Audio Production – Tim TresslarAfter the first book they sent me, this is one of an additional three Graphic Audio books they have given me to listen to.
I can’t compare this to the novel, as I have not read that. Still, I found myself sucked in a little. Bear has [...]
Continue reading about Hell Dawn Graphic Audio Production – Tim Tresslar
The Eternal Mercenary – Barry SadlerThe book opens with some US Vietnam war doctors looking at what should be a corpse, a man victim of the getting blown up thing. However, the body heals rapidly, which freaks them. It freaks them even more, when assisting with surgery to remove shrapnel they find a [...]
The A-Team – Charles HeathThe A-Team are a bunch of commandos on the run. Shafted by their bosses, they go undercover, working as a team of troubleshooters/crime fighters, helping those who didn’t have anyone else to turn to.
A disguise artist, a muscle man, a crazy pilot, and a mastermind made up the team – [...]
Death Check – Richard SapirWhile Chiun inflicts some unpleasant training on Remo, he must stop a crazed Doctor’s plot to take over the world via human enhancement. Some nazi style sex blackmail enters into this. Reno and this very loopy scientist enter into an argument with a bit of abuse and philosophy thrown in.
Rather disjointed [...]
Created the Destroyer – Richard SapirA cop that has gone a little off the rails ends up killing a perp. He gets severely shafted and executed for it. Only not quite, this is used as a cover to train a secret agent, basically, in all sorts of things, including superhuman karate, and point him at [...]
Continue reading about Created the Destroyer – Richard Sapir
The Executioner Trilogy – Don PendletonA nice deal, this three-in-one, in a pretty decent looking edition. Handy lists in the back of all the Pinnacle series published up to that time, as well, very useful.
Mack Bolan is a US Army sergeant, and a sniper in the Vietnam war. In fact, he is so good at [...]
Continue reading about The Executioner Trilogy – Don Pendleton
Continental Contract – Don PendletonAt the start of the book, Bolan ends up facing serious heat. He decides to get to the airport and bug out. He chooses Paris.
Yet another group of gangsters volunteers to take him down, and they know he can only have gone to one of three places.
Again, he gets female help [...]
Miami Massacre – Don PendletonI am not sure Pendleton was a big football fan. Bolan is going to run a ‘power sweep up the middle’ to get out of Phoenix.
Pretty powerful, anyway, he kills half a dozen mafiosi or so in the first 3 pages.
In the process he learns of a meeting of all the [...]
Battle Mask – Don PendletonBolan, after getting his Death Squad killed knows he needs an edge. He looks up an old acquaintance from Vietnam, a doctor, who is now a plastic surgeon, and procures a ‘Battle Mask’.
The cops are still looking for him, as is the mafia, so a large amount of violence comes to [...]
Death Squad – Don PendletonThe mafia have been backtracking Bolan’s life, to find out where he is likely to turn. They track down his old sniping partner, and he is forced to rescue him.
They get the idea to from a Death Squad, to work as a team for some serious mafia elimination work.
Cue action movie [...]
War Against the Mafia – Don PendletonMack Bolan is a US Army sergeant, and a sniper in the Vietnam war. In fact, he is so good at that, he has ended up with a nickname, ‘The Executioner’.
He is granted leave when it is discovered his father has killed his mother and sister, and then committed [...]
Continue reading about War Against the Mafia – Don Pendleton
Chinese Puzzle – Warren MurphyThe main man to worry about, if not counting Chiun, in this book is a Chinese general, Liu.
Chiun does a bit of ranting about the Chinese, or even a lot of ranting, detailing the history of problems between his little Gaulish village, err.. Korean village of Sinanju.
Add in a Chinese girl, [...]
The Vampire Staffel – Robert J. HoganAmen Sikh is not a nice man. That is probably being overly generous. He wants to destroy the world by plague, well, the Northern Hemisphere anyway. This forces G-8 and the Germans to work together, as Berlin, London, Paris or wherever, it doesn’t matter to him.
2.5 [...]
Continue reading about The Vampire Staffel – Robert J. Hogan
Dragon’s Fists – Jim DennisSome good kung fu action. However, here, Dragon is less of a mystery figure, but more of a bored dilettante that suddenly became unbored when he tried to nick an artifact from a guru, who, of course, then made him look silly. Quite brutal. Definitely not one for the women in [...]
Ace of the White Death – Robert J. HoganThis book is a lot of fun. A french agent has made a terrible discovery about a new German weapon, and G-8 is ordered to go and find out what it is.
He does, and ends up having to sneak back into Germany through No Man’s Land to [...]
Continue reading about Ace of the White Death – Robert J. Hogan
Purple Aces – Robert J. HoganA pilot arrives, dying, and a strange purple stain spreads on his face, with an Ace of Spades.
Two other pilots, twins, exhibit bizarre behaviour changes.
When G-8 investigates, there is much dogfighting. The trail leads him to a castle in a dungeon, through a swamp, past a cemetery, no less, and [...]
The Bat Staffel – Robert J. HoganImagine if Biggles was American. Ok, well, not quite that cheesy, but certainly in the ‘hey chaps, let’s go blow the shit out of some jerries’, world war one style.
Replace the british slang with American, and there you go. G-8 is a combination of Biggles and James Bond, and [...]
Black Lightning – Robert Sidney BowenCaptain Dusty Ayres is The Speed Ace, and his plane the Silver Flash is the fastest flying machine going.
As such, the US Armed Forces command have a job for him. The Black Invaders army has almost taken Europe, and their command ‘Fire-Eyes’, self-styled Emperor of the World, is heading [...]
Continue reading about Black Lightning – Robert Sidney Bowen
Silverfinger – Glen ChaseThis series is meant as an Executioner spoof, and that is really exactly how it reads. Cherry Delight is not as much a hardcore weapons fanantic as Mack Bolan, but uses seduction and sex quite a bit more. Bolan gets lots of action, Delight gets extreme amounts of action. Quite a bit [...]