Fantastic Adventures, January 1942

"FANTASTIC ADVENTURES", January 1942 ---------------------------------------------- David Wright O'Brien (as by John York Cabot) "The Daughter of Genghis Khan" © Fantastic Adventures, Jan 1942 --/ cool sf story --/ adventure award --/ rare find Typical wartime pulp fiction, with plenty of military action in China (against Japanese) - but this time with added "lost world" and slightly erotic context. Entertaining, with brisk pace and understated encounter with a super witch and her dragon-shaped ghostly friend. Strangely, the purple prose is mostly absent, and story almost grips with gritty action. ---------------------------------------------- Robert Moore Williams "The House of Fire" © Fantastic Adventures, Jan 1942 --/ cool sf story --/ shock value --/ rare find Another story with genuine wartime atmosphere... I remember from my genetic memory the low-flying bombers and skeletons of houses on fire (transfered to me from my grandmother... who had to jump from the 10 floor of the burning Moscow building) Terrifying ideas of things living in the flames of the bombed house could really be turned into a masterpiece of horror - but alas, here is just an average story. Still, reminds me somewhat of the excellent "Dagger of the Mind" by Bob Shaw. ---------------------------------------------- David Wright O'Brien "Spook for Yourself" © Fantastic Adventures, Jan 1942 --/ cool f story --/ rare find A precursor to the great movie "Ghost", a poor man's "Unknown Worlds"-style story - but could've been done better. The misadventures of a lovestruck ghost. You can deduce the rest of the story quite easily. As you can see, the shortage of writers in these times (at "Amazing Stories" and "Fantastic Adventures") resulted in the whole issue written by 2 people under various housenames. ---------------------------------------------- William P. McGivern "The Contract of Carson Carruthers" © Fantastic Adventures, Jan 1942 ---------------------------------------------- David Wright O'Brien (as by Duncan Farnsworth) "V Is for Vengeance" © Fantastic Adventures, Jan 1942 Hitler squashed under the collapsed Triumphal Arch, a case of wishful thinking... ---------------------------------------------- Don Wilcox "Rainbow of Death" © Fantastic Adventures, Jan 1942 --/ cool f story --/ rare find Very strange one, perhaps the best of Don Wilcox: a sinister waterfall consumes whole shiploads of tourists, taking their souls and leaving a ghost ship behind. Really creepy, considering that rainbow supposed to be a cheerful sign, here it's an omen of possession. ---------------------------------------------- CONTINUE TO OTHER PULP REVIEWS

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