The problem is that the book immediately settles down into a pure mystery novel and the Shadow takes a minor role in his own adventure. That stuff is just pure pulp, and I loved it. Harry Vincent on the bridge about to commit suicide, the Shadow appearing out of the night to save him and then command ownership of his life. I would say that this first Shadow novel has one of the best beginnings of any pulp novel I’ve ever read. I read The Living Shadow when I was a kid, shortly after discovering Doc Savage and before the Avenger started getting released, and discovered I didn’t blaze through the story as quickly as I did a Doc novel. The simple translation is that I am enamored of the character, but I simply haven’t read as many of his books as I have Doc Savage or the Avenger. Assisted by a team sworn to the cause of justice, he battles impossible odds to ensure "the weed of crime bears bitter fruit" for evildoers.The Shadow is one of my favorite pulp characters, but more for the appearance and mythos than for reading pleasure, which is a backhanded compliment, I know. For criminals may plot and plan, but their doom is already lurking in the shadows! An innocent seeming darkness behind the curtains slowly takes the form of a weird being clothed in black. The story of hidden millions, an innocent young heir marked for death, underworld scheming, treachery close at hand, and hair-breath escapes, the book never lets up from the moment The Shadow materializes from the fog at the end of Chapter 1 to the last mocking echo of laughter as he dispenses his unique form of justice at the end. Gibson (under the pseudonym Maxwell Grant), who penned an unbelievable two Shadow novels per month, The Shadow's Justice is a perfect showcase for Gibson's patented brand of prose and non-stop action. Told at a fevered pace by former journalist Walter B. The Shadow's Justice is a must-read straight from the pages of the famous 1930s pulp.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
March 2023
Categories |