Customer Reviews

Hostage to Death (Stories from the Golden Age)

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Galaxy Press has reprinted inexpensive anthologies of classic pulp tales of two-fisted action by legendarily popular writer (and Scientology religion founder) L. Ron Hubbard, which are sure to satisfy avid readers of the pulp fiction action/adventure genre. "Hostage to Death" (9781592122820) follows Legionnaire Bill Reilly, challenged by a renegade Berber chieftain to rescue a kidnapped American named Kay MacArthur, possibly from a fate worse than death, even though he knows that he may be plunging headlong into a deadly trap. Also present is the story preview "Yukon Madness". Each action-packed volume of Stories from the Golden Age is further enhanced with a glossary of regional terms, dialects that have fallen into disuse, and other words that may be esoteric to the casual reader. An excellent pick for anyone who loves pulp fiction.

In addition to the beautiful paperback editions of L. Ron Hubbard's Stories from the Golden Age, interested readers will also enjoy the audio books. Each audio book features a multicast performance with music and sound effects reminiscent of radio's golden age. "Hostage to Death" is a stunner in its own right, but the audio book highlights yet another level of Hubbard's narrative skills. Starring the voice talent of Kelly Ward, familiar to movie fans from "Grease," and "The Big Red One," Ward also directed this audio book version of "Hostage to Death." Additional voice talent is provided by R. F. Daley, Charles Fathy, Christina Huntington, Jim Meskimen, Phil Proctor and Josh R. Thompson.

With Hubbard's action-packed pacing, "Hostage to Death" takes off like a bullet and the suspense never lets up. The voice acting is top-notch - indeed, this high quality is evident on ALL of Hubbard's Stories from the Golden Age audio books thanks to the attention-to-detail and loving care provided by Galaxy Press.

This is the way audio books should be produced. Adventure stories have never sounded so good. Congratulations to all of the people responsible for producing this outstanding series of audio books.

I never really thought to read stories about the French Foreign Legion as something of interest. But now that I have read a few of these pulp fiction stories, I enjoy the pace and high level action that pulses through the story. Lieutenant Bill Reilly is set up by his French superiors in a no win situation after he was assigned a mission to create a conflict between Spanish and local Berbers, enabling the French to attack a weakened Morocco: half-way through, he was abandoned by the French and made the scape goat. So through wit, guile and guts, Bill works his way through the considerable opposition in an attempt to win out in the end.

Hostage to Death

by L. Ron Hubbard

Multi-cast performance

Produced by Galaxy Audio (2009)

Approx. 2 hours

Once again it's time to dive into the Golden Age of Stories, when many Americans could get great escapism fiction from pulp magazines. One of the most prolific pulp fiction writers was L. Ron Hubbard, writing stories from many genres and being published in nearly all the pulps. This time around we go on a far flung adventure and join up with the French Foreign legion.

I can remember when I was young that a young man would instead of run away and join the circus had the option of running away and joining the Foreign Legion, I think I remember some TV show where a kid threatened to do so but being only 9 years old was talked out of it by his parents. The French Foreign Legion has been known to be an elite force with training that is more intense than any other military allowing anyone from any nationality to serve the French Army.

This story, "Hostage to Death" was originally published in "Five Novels Monthly" July, 1935 and is an adventure that will lead to double crosses within double crosses. Legionnaire Officer, Bill Reilly receives a severed hand that serves as a message and a threat. The hand is that of some unlucky soul that crossed into Abd El-Ulad's territory and that if nothing is done an Englishwoman, Kay MacArthur's hand will be sent next, basically challenging the Legion to rescue her. Knowing it could be a trap, Reilly's sense of honor overrides and he sends his squad in to rescue the woman. The good news, the woman is rescued. The bad news, it was a trap and the railroad they were supposed to be guarding is blown up. Reilly is tried and convicted to 15 years for abandoning his post.

But the Legion has other plans for Reilly. Now that Reilly is known to be sent to the roughest prison in history the Legion plans for his escape so he can infiltrate another enemy's camp, that of Abd El-Krim. Reilly takes to Krim the plans for movement of ammunition and basically sells Krim several trainloads of Legion weapons. The Legion does this so the enemy can attack and weaken Spain, who is threatening the French. The problem is that the French have one more plan of doublecrossing Reilly which could put him and Kay MacArthur in the path of certain death.

Once again Galaxy Audio productions along with a superb cast present an adventure from the Stories from the Golden Age. The sound effects alone put you in the middle of the fight with rattling machine guns and clashing of blades. You may find yourself ducking the gunshots while trying to rescue the dame while listening.