Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
445th out of 488 books
—
449 voters
The Iron Duke
He’s a lady’s man, a man’s man—and a wanted man, on the run in 1930s Europe….
Meet Blacky Lee, ruggedly handsome with a quick wit and a roguish charm. Think Clark Gable—with larceny in his heart and a price on his head. A price put there by the German Gestapo. But Blacky’s always got an angle, and this time it’s as audacious as they come. He’ll hide in plain sight, imperson...more
Meet Blacky Lee, ruggedly handsome with a quick wit and a roguish charm. Think Clark Gable—with larceny in his heart and a price on his head. A price put there by the German Gestapo. But Blacky’s always got an angle, and this time it’s as audacious as they come. He’ll hide in plain sight, imperson...more
Paperback, 128 pages
Published
March 16th 2009
by Galaxy Press
(first published March 13th 2009)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
270)
May 12, 2013
Robert Slaven
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
_freetofirstpersonwhoasks,
librarything
As usual, I received this book for free in a LibraryThing giveaway. It's also worth noting that I'm not typically a fan of the audio book genre so when this one showed up at my doorstep I was not disappointed but I was a bit out of my usual familiar literary format.
On the positive side, the whole thing is professionally and crisply presented. Rather than being a mere narration of the text of the novel, the presentation features half a dozen or more voice actors, sound effects and musical score....more
On the positive side, the whole thing is professionally and crisply presented. Rather than being a mere narration of the text of the novel, the presentation features half a dozen or more voice actors, sound effects and musical score....more
I received a free copy of this audiobook and let me just say that I adored it! :)
First I am going to start by saying that the narration was spectacular. The acting was so realistic and entertaining that it was hard to stop listening to it.
Now to the plot! "The Iron Duke" is about a man named Blacky Lee who is a scoundrel, but at the same time, a charming and tricky man. He gets into trouble with the government because he impersonates a member of the monarchy that looks a lot like him. The story...more
First I am going to start by saying that the narration was spectacular. The acting was so realistic and entertaining that it was hard to stop listening to it.
Now to the plot! "The Iron Duke" is about a man named Blacky Lee who is a scoundrel, but at the same time, a charming and tricky man. He gets into trouble with the government because he impersonates a member of the monarchy that looks a lot like him. The story...more
I’ve never even read a pulp fiction story until Galaxy Press provided an audio copy to me of The Iron Duke by L. Ron Hubbard to read. Pulp fiction? I instantly had visions of kitschy plot lines mixed with bad writing. What had I gotten myself in to?
I popped the CD into my player in my car and was sent back to another time. I felt like I was listening to an old radio cast of the story, acted live. My first thought was, “Boy, this is cheesy.” But to be honest, it worked. The stories themselves don...more
I popped the CD into my player in my car and was sent back to another time. I felt like I was listening to an old radio cast of the story, acted live. My first thought was, “Boy, this is cheesy.” But to be honest, it worked. The stories themselves don...more
As thrilled as I was to be able to read and review a book, this exact kind of book written over 50 years ago worried me a little for the language that would be used. As English is only my second language, I'm not 100% familiar with archaic terms or old sayings, so I was afraid the book was going to be full of them, that I would have trouble understanding things thus getting frustrated and not finishing the book :(
But I was pleasantly surprised by how easy was to get through the pages and I also...more
But I was pleasantly surprised by how easy was to get through the pages and I also...more
Eternally brief and pulpy, L. Ron Hubbard’s “The Iron Duke” is a brazen romp through pre-WWII Europe, complete with radical communists, looming Nazis, and drunk monarchists. Blacky Lee, the sneaky little liar, takes refuge in Aldoria via a handy moustache and prince impersonation. Drama, romance, and ridiculousness ensue. So how does “The Iron Duke” fare against other WWII pulp fiction and work I’ve reviewed by L. Ron Hubbard? Read on!
At somewhere around fifty pages, “The Iron Duke” is formatted...more
At somewhere around fifty pages, “The Iron Duke” is formatted...more
Jan 25, 2010
James
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who likes pulp adventure
Shelves:
sci-fi
Being a collector of pulp mags, I recognized the painting at the cover of The Iron Duke; I think it's from Argosy Magazine as I remember. I know that the company Author Services had a reprint project going on, but leather covers and expensive paper made a $50 a book subscription a bit expensive. Regardless, I collected a few of these books to get my Hubbard fix of fantasy and science fiction. Galaxy Press has been on a project recently of publications of Hubbard's old pulp stories.
The pulps had...more
The pulps had...more
1 like · like · see review
view all 8 comments
I don't generally read this kind of thing, but it was given away free by a very nice lady on the L. Ron Hubbard stand at the London Book Fair earlier this year. I don't like to write anything off without having read it first, so I thought I'd give it a try.
The writing was not bad, and the plot moved along quickly, with lots of twists and turns. The only problem was that the characters did not feel like human beings. And that, for me, is a big problem. There was a hero, a dame, a sidekick and a v...more
The writing was not bad, and the plot moved along quickly, with lots of twists and turns. The only problem was that the characters did not feel like human beings. And that, for me, is a big problem. There was a hero, a dame, a sidekick and a v...more
Apr 28, 2013
Michelle
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
giveaway-wins,
adventure
To preface this review, this is the seventh book I have received for an honest review from Galaxy Audio. While they all generally have the same feel to them, my enjoyment does vary.
The Iron Duke was definitely one of the better ones. Blacky Lee and is awesomely named sidekick, Stub, are wanted by most European governments. On the run from Nazis, they end up in Aldoria (does that even exist?) where Blacky begins to impersonate the monarch, while Communists try to take over.
Most (I can't say all b...more
The Iron Duke was definitely one of the better ones. Blacky Lee and is awesomely named sidekick, Stub, are wanted by most European governments. On the run from Nazis, they end up in Aldoria (does that even exist?) where Blacky begins to impersonate the monarch, while Communists try to take over.
Most (I can't say all b...more
I received a free copy of this (physical) book from Galaxy Press.
It's a relative short story about two men, Blackey Lee and his traveling companion Stub Doyle. They are on the run from their latest scheme that backfired, yet again, thanks to Blackey's overzealous and over confident nature. They find themselves in the Balkans, where Blackey is immediately confused with His Highness, a blubbering drunk who hasn't been out of the palace in three years, Phillip the archduke of Aldoria. But, the Coun...more
It's a relative short story about two men, Blackey Lee and his traveling companion Stub Doyle. They are on the run from their latest scheme that backfired, yet again, thanks to Blackey's overzealous and over confident nature. They find themselves in the Balkans, where Blackey is immediately confused with His Highness, a blubbering drunk who hasn't been out of the palace in three years, Phillip the archduke of Aldoria. But, the Coun...more
I drive a pretty long way to work each day – some days spending over an hour in my car each way. So I enjoy listening to Audio Books. I was recently given the opportunity to listen to some Stories from the Golden Age. These Audio tapes are about 2 hours long and Galaxy Press has over 150 audiobook stories in their collection by L. Ron Hubbard.
The nice thing about these audiobooks is that there is a lot of action in them and you can hear the different characters – with lots of sound effects. Ther...more
The nice thing about these audiobooks is that there is a lot of action in them and you can hear the different characters – with lots of sound effects. Ther...more
Blacky Lee is on the run – and the people tailing him don’t plan to throw him a party when they find him. They want his blood; his blood, and the blood of his sidekick, Stub. There’s only one thing for it… Illegal entry into Aldoria!
Blacky didn’t pick Aldoria randomly – he knows that he bears an uncanny resemblance to Phillip, Archduke of Aldoria, and plans to impersonate him if pressed. But the citizens are one step ahead of him – they are more than ready to bow down and serve Blacky. All, that...more
Blacky didn’t pick Aldoria randomly – he knows that he bears an uncanny resemblance to Phillip, Archduke of Aldoria, and plans to impersonate him if pressed. But the citizens are one step ahead of him – they are more than ready to bow down and serve Blacky. All, that...more
When I listen to the Galaxy Press audio versions of L. Ron Hubbard's short stories, I imagine the families of yesteryear huddled around the radio before the advent of television. I'm enthralled by the music, the sound effects, the voices of the characters and the content of the stories themselves.
Are Blacky Lee and his sidekick Stub Doyle the good guys or the bad guys? No matter, because you'll find yourself rooting for them in the end. If you're looking for a quick adventure with added suspense...more
Are Blacky Lee and his sidekick Stub Doyle the good guys or the bad guys? No matter, because you'll find yourself rooting for them in the end. If you're looking for a quick adventure with added suspense...more
actually, I read and listened to this story, so I think I will reread it. When you just read, you can reread a line as much as you want. But, when you listen, it will take a lot of effort when you repeat the sound track every once in a while.
It was really enjoyable. The ending was unpredictable. I thought the protagonist will end up in the jail or he will be executed. But, instead, he became the king!
The story is about a young man who resembles the ruler of Adoria, a country. He impersonates th...more
It was really enjoyable. The ending was unpredictable. I thought the protagonist will end up in the jail or he will be executed. But, instead, he became the king!
The story is about a young man who resembles the ruler of Adoria, a country. He impersonates th...more
This was my introduction the pulp fiction genre, and it was a great ride. Fun and predictable, it was like mixing classic comics with classics from likes of Alexander Dumas, Robert Louis Stephenson or Edgar Rice Burroughs. The story was fast, with con men hiding out from Nazis, mistaken identities, and conflicts between royalty and communists in a small, unnamed central European country. I loved reading what would have been popular in the 1930s and 1940s, and I was also fascinated by the endnote...more
I listened to this on CD and loved it! This story has everything!! Blacky Lee is man's man (ahhh ladies man too!). There is a whiny little side kick named Stubs. The story is a love story. A story with lots of adventure and intrigue. Suspense and humor. I picture Blacky Lee with the good looks of Gerard Butler. He's a con man. He's a ladies man. He only has his own best interests at heart. Or does he??
Read my full review at http://www.peanutbutterandwhine.com/2...
This CD is awesome!
Read my full review at http://www.peanutbutterandwhine.com/2...
This CD is awesome!
Why did I read it?
Stories from the Golden Age is a new series that is assembling stories from L. Ron Hubbard's time as a pulp fiction writer. My library was given some free copies, so I figured I'd read one of them. First of all because our Acquisitions Librarian nor myself selected them, and secondly because I thought L. Ron Hubbard was better known for his Scientology religious beliefs than his writing ability.
What happened?
While the phrase, Pulp Fiction might conjure images of the Quentin Tar...more
Stories from the Golden Age is a new series that is assembling stories from L. Ron Hubbard's time as a pulp fiction writer. My library was given some free copies, so I figured I'd read one of them. First of all because our Acquisitions Librarian nor myself selected them, and secondly because I thought L. Ron Hubbard was better known for his Scientology religious beliefs than his writing ability.
What happened?
While the phrase, Pulp Fiction might conjure images of the Quentin Tar...more
This audiobook version of this book was amazing. I loved the different voice actors for each character and the sound effects and the music between chapters (such a good idea to know when I could turn it off if I was getting out of the car). The story was interesting - I'm not sure if it was more due to the audiobook or not but I enjoyed the story. A little bit of mystery and action and adventure. Looking forward to reading/hearing more from this author!
This is a short, amusing pulp adventure story. There's nothing striking or special about it, and it would no doubt have been long forgotten had in not been written by Hubbard. Nonetheless, it's a good representative of the popular fiction of the time, and better written than much of the material from that era. The volume is very well produced with nice period illustrations and a delightful cover with folded-in end papers like a dust jacket, and is filled out with interesting supplementary essays...more
Apr 15, 2013
Nicole
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
goodreads-first-reads,
audio-book
I wasn't aware that this was an audiobook when I entered and won it in a GoodReads giveaway. This is my first audiobook so if I miss something important please keep that in mind.
The audio was clear, no fuzziness or muffled parts. The worst thing I can say is that one of the voice characters sounded a lot like a character portrayed by The Jerky Boys in one of their many albums. It was easy though to quickly get over the humor of similarities and get into the story.
The audio was clear, no fuzziness or muffled parts. The worst thing I can say is that one of the voice characters sounded a lot like a character portrayed by The Jerky Boys in one of their many albums. It was easy though to quickly get over the humor of similarities and get into the story.
Not the best L. Ron Hubbard book I've read. Not his best work in terms of short stories either. For a good introduction to L. Ron Hubbard and his Golden Age (action adventure yarn) series, try Spy Killer or Dead Men Kill.
Another of his fun little action stories.It was originally published in 1940 in July issue of "Five-Novels Monthly" magazine. So, it's a fun quick read with that old flavor.
Enjoyed the story immensely, took me back to a much simpler time.
Classic L. Ron Hubbard fun. Well written, and engaging.
Mr Hubbard must have had a twinkle in his eye as he conceived this story! The characters and settings have been written by other reviewers, what really impressed me was Mr, Hubbard exercise of remarkable creative muscles with the many deft changes in direction and decisions of characters that leave you on the edge till the end wondering the outcome!
I won this at a First Reads giveaway. This is my second audio book from Ron, L. Hubbard, I love them. I have a long drive to town, and enjoy listening to them in the car. Perfect, I hope I win some more! Haha.
May 02, 2013
Karla (Mossy Love Grotto)
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ebook,
kindle-freebie
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
L. Ron Hubbard was a popular pulp writer of science fiction, fantasy, adventure, mysteries and westerns during the 1930s and later founder of Dianetics and Scientology.
Known Pseudonyms:
Frederick Engelhardt
Kurt von Rachen
Rene LaFayete/Rene La Fayette/René Lafayette
Frankie Rohne
More about L. Ron Hubbard...
Known Pseudonyms:
Frederick Engelhardt
Kurt von Rachen
Rene LaFayete/Rene La Fayette/René Lafayette
Frankie Rohne
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
