To pirate part of a quote “let’s return to the thrilling days of yesteryear...”. And the series of books that bring L. Ron Hubbard back from the golden age of pulp fiction certainly do that. Pulp fiction in the days when I was growing up was our escape from the humdrum, provided us with heroes who were both dashing and moral, and best of all, the books were cheap.
But the writing was not. And L. Ron Hubbard was one of the best. He wrote in almost every genre of adventure there was, from westerns to mysteries to scifi & fantasy and military. Threw in the occasional novel as well. Because his tastes were very eclectic combined with an inquiring mind, he roamed the world seeking and finding characters and situations he wove into these thrilling tales.
The Phantom Patrol is an excellent example of the pulp genre and his researches, in this case centered around the US Coast Guard. A Cutter commanded by CPO Jimmy Trescott is tracking an infamous drug runner named Georges Coquelin (interesting to note that drug runners were as prevalent then as now, and with the removal of Prohibition, were of a major concern to the Coast Guard) only to receive an SOS from an aircraft that had crashed but was still afloat. Giving up on the drug runner’s trail, Jimmy rushes to the rescue only to have Coquelin arrive at the same time. Results include a damsel in distress, a wealthy man in need, armed combat and eventually a bad case of mistaken identity.
Join me in enjoying this thriller from yesteryear as L. Ron Hubbard builds the tension to an exciting climax. Remember what is was like to curl up with a rousing good tale.
- Final Blackout by L. Ron Hubbard
- Ron Hubbard, Magick and mumbo jumbo
- Military pulp
- 10 awesome pulp fiction book cover babes: vintage inspiration
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