Customer Reviews

The mad king (Ace science fiction classic)

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Edgar Rice Burroughs excelled in authoring fantastic flights of fancy, and, while The Mad King isn't considered an Edgar Rice Burroughs classic in the same vein as his Tarzan and Barsoom series, it's still very much crafted in the patented pulp-adventure Burroughs style and, as such, deserves a read. Honestly, I really cannot recall a boring book that this man has written; ERB's imagination truly knew no bounds.

Here's the plot of The Mad King: Barney Custer of Beatrice, Nebraska is vacationing in Lutha, his mother's beloved European homeland, when he rescues a beautiful woman on a runaway horse. The woman he saves turns out to be Emma von der Tann, a princess who is betrothed to Leopold, the "mad king." For the past decade, Leopold had been kept in the custody of Peter of Blentz, his scheming uncle and currently the regent of Lutha, but he had just recently escaped. Although wanted posters throughout Lutha proclaim Leopold's madness, this malady was an invention of Peter's, who himself seeks to ascend the throne as monarch of Lutha. A similarity in looks (and red beards) and playful words by Custer lead Princess Emma to believe that he, in fact, is Leopold of Lutha. Barney spends most of the book's first part denying that he is the king, but to little avail. This case of mistaken identity propels him to many harrowing adventures in Lutha, as he chooses to fight to save a princess and regain the throne for the rightful king, thus thwarting the ambitious machinations of Peter of Blentz.

While ERB's plot borrows heavily from the pages of The Prisoner of Zenda and even a bit from The Prince and the Pauper, he makes the premise his own with the infusion of his inimitable sense of romance and high spirited adventure. ERB's heroes are pure and noble, with no vaccilating towards the gray area, like much of our cynical, modern anti-heroes. Nowadays, these old-school types of protagonist are outdated and maybe even unrealistic, but it's still nice to hearken back to the golden age of pulps every once in a while.

First published, respectively, in 1914 (All-Story Weekly magazine) and in 1915 (Blue Book magazine), the Balkan exploits of Mr. Custer are narrated in two serials, the first being titled The Mad King, with the concluding part comprising of the serial, Barney Custer of Beatrice, which chronicles Barney's return to Lutha after two years away. This second installment, by the way, is somewhat colored with World War I implications, which might be of interest for readers with a historical bent. The Ace Books edition I own is also graced with a Frank Frazetta cover (sadly, not as good as his Conan covers). And for those who want to read more about the Custer family, ERB's The Eternal Savage (aka The Eternal Lover) tells a strange tale of reincarnation, involving Barney's sister, Victoria Custer, whose story begins at the African ranch of a certain John Clayton. Barney is in this book as a supporting character.

As I've mentioned on top, The Mad King isn't one of Burrough's all-time bests. But ERB completists will want to check this one out, as will also the more casual pulp magazine reader. This author may not have been the most celebrated of writers but, much like Robert E. Howard, he plied his tried with an infectious enthusiasm and remained true to his fans, giving them what they craved for his entire career. And, besides, there's only so much Jane Austen or Dickens I can read before I start yearning for yarns with rousing derring-do and blood and guts action. And, for that, Edgar Rice Burroughs is highly celebrated, indeed. Three and a half stars.

There are Burroughs fans who love this novel, but I'm not a big fan of this particular story. You can read about it in the reviews of much cheaper editions than this one. Just a reminder that McClurg is the first edition and G&D's are reprints. "All Lustadt was in an uproar. The mad king had escaped."