Customer Reviews

Doc Savage #1: Fortress of Solitude" and "The Devil Genghis"" (Doc Savage (Nostalgia Ventures))

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Doc Savage was the first superhero. He was the inspiration for Superman, Batman and many other of the heroes everyone knows today. An interesting thing to note is Doc Savage's first name is Clark, and Kenneth Robeson's Real last name was Dent. Put them together and you get Clark Dent. HMM. . . Where have I heard that name before?

If you enjoy Science fiction, action, adventure, or just a good old mystery, these books are for you. Written is a fast paced manner, they read very well and keep the action moving as fast as you can read. Unlike many books today, where the author adds so much detail that a minute's worth of dialogue and activity takes 6 pages to read, these novels keep you moving at the speed of an action movie, not a documentary.I have been a fan of Doc Savage since about 1978. I grew up reading and collecting the Bantam editions. In college, I lost my focus and missed the last years of the series and have been trying to find them, ever since. I was excited when I heard this was coming, but after reading my copy, I can only say one thing. Awesome!

This book is printed in the original pulp magazine style. in the 1930's entire novels were printed on 7X10 paper with illustrations and extra articles and such. This edition is a true book, with quality covers, printed spine and heavy paper. Even the original illustrations have been used, along with the original cover paintings from the first editions. Additional articles about the author and the series add interest over and above the enjoyable stories.

Buy yours today! You won't regret it.

The books gathered here come later in the Doc Savage run, just before the stories started to lose some of their steam. It was almost as if Lester Dent (writing as Kenneth Robeson) became insprired by the idea of someone breaking into The Fortress of Solitude and getting away with it! I actually read The Devil Genghis first in 1967 when I bought a copy of the original pulp, before the Fortress of Solitude came out. It took me about two years to get the original pulp, but by then I had read the Bantam edition of THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE.

Doc may seem quaint these days, but Dent's punchy writing style and loopy descriptions still save the day. I recommend all of the Doc Savage books in this run. I'm hoping Doc will find a new audience in the 21st century. He was, and still is, the greatest adventure hero of them all. Above Doc is Superman. There's no one in the middle of those two. Blazes!

Scientist and Superhero... what could be better?

This is my first foray into the mysterious world of Doc Savage stories, and I must say it has been an interesting experience. Being born several generations after these were written, some of the references flew right over my head. I had to ask someone about one of the name references and was told the guy was some race car driver in the 1930's.

Just like reading the Sherlock Holmes stories, it takes a little time to get into them. I didn't really like the novels until I was halfway through the first one. That's nothing against the story itself, it just took me that long to get into the style. It's a very abrupt, staccato style of writing, kind of like a 1920's newsreel. Parts of it have the same rhythm as machine gun fire.

Give it a go. Doc doesn't disappoint. It's a timeless classic.

I couldn't put this book down. It's not only a fun trip into the early days of PULP, but also a great read.

The original format is preserved; the look and fell of the book itself is cool.

From its action cover to the last page this story was a blast. I also enjoyed the historical notes throughout the book.

Nostalgia Ventures and Anthony Tollin have teamed up to do a comprehensive reprint of several Street & Smith pulp heroes. At present, they are doing double reprints of The Shadow and Doc Savage. Shortly, they will start new series reprinting The Avenger and The Whisperer. All have complete pulp texts (no edits or removals, like past reprints), tho reset so its easier to read, the original illustrations, reprinted covers (one is used as the cover of the book, but both original pulp covers are shown on the back), and several additional articles and additions.

Hopefully, they can succeed to reprinting all these characters in these new editions, they are all excellent.

While all the Doc Savage novels were reprinted by Bantam, for those (like me) who have these reprints, the reason for getting these new volumes is the chance to read the original stories (WITHOUT the editing that occured in the Bantams, including in a few rare cases a LOT of text), see the original illustrations and covers, and the great additional articles.

This volume (#1 in their series) kicks off the series, reprinting the 2 adventures where Doc goes up against John Sunlight: "Fortress of Soliture" (Oct 38) and "Devil Genghis" (Dec 38). We get the cover of "Fortress of Solitude" as the cover of this volume, and both original pulp covers are on the back. There is ALSO a variant edition with the Bama cover of "Fortress of Solitude" used. Each edition have different ISBNs, so you can keep them apart.

"Fortress of Solitude" fully shows Doc's Arctic retreat, an idea later picked up by Superman. It markes the first appearance of villian John Sunlight, who found and penetrated the Fortress, taking many of Doc's inventions.

"Devil Genghis" has Doc again going up against Sunlight, the only Doc villian to do so. Actually written to follow immediately after "Fortress", it was instead published a month later.

Extras in this volume include:

An Introduction to "Fortress" by pulp historian Will Murray, which also touches on the influences of Doc.

An Interlude article by Murray, on the writing of "Devil Genghis".

A Postscript article by Murray on John Sunlight.

"Doc Savage Returns" by series editor Anthony Tollin, on this and prior reprint series.

A brief bio of Lester Dent.

Doc Savage has returned!

It is great what Nostalgia Ventures is doing and that FINALLY someone is starting to reprint all these classic tales of adventure. I agree with the other statements, Doc is indeed the first superhero. These stories are timeless and the action is unbelievable. Can't wait for the rest of the series to follow.