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Challenger Storm #1
The Isle of Blood
The first in a brand new pulp series featuring a classic adventure in the 30s mold of daring do. Challenger and his loyal band of men venture to a mysterious southern island to rescue the daughter of a wealthy American financier. But what is the strange secret of the flooding rocks and the Goddess of Death they will encounter. Cover and interior art are by the award winning legendary illustrator, Michael Wm. Kaluta. This is one pulp premier readers do not want to miss!!
176 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 3, 2012
Airship 27 is probably the best company currently in the new pulp field when it comes to reviving classic pulp heroes. And while they have introduced several new heroes in their two Mystery Men (& Women) anthologies, classic characters have always seemed to be their focus.
Challenger Storm: Isle of Blood is one of several novels that looks to change that. Challenger Storm is something of a Doc Savage sort, a heroic adventurer with a crew of allies and a desire to help those in need. He’s an exceptional man, a talented pilot and an all around Renaissance man.
His first adventure takes him to La Isla de Sangre, the Isle of Blood mentioned in the subtitle. He’s there to rescue a kidnapped young woman from a guerilla force, but he quickly finds he’s in the middle of an all out war. Ultimately, he and his men must take on the murderous Villalobos brother, would be conquerors of the entire island.
Don Gates develops a solid tale for the first adventure of his new hero. Challenger seems like a genuinely interesting character to lead the story. Unfortunately the tale sometimes feels like it gets bogged down with too many viewpoint supporting cast members. While reading, I couldn’t help but yearn for more Challenger in the book that carries his own name!
While this is Gates’s first novel, his artistic collaborator is far from a rookie. The book features a painted cover and interior line drawings by the legendary Michael Kaluta. Kaluta’s fantasy art is almost legendary in the field, but long time pulp fans might remember his classic, and gorgeous, work on both the 70s and 90s incarnations of the Shadow.
To be honest, Kaluta’s art is worth the price of the book alone. But Gates keeps up as best as he can with the superstar artist and delivers a solid adventure yard. While Challenger Storm: Isle of Blood walks little new ground, it is a rip-roaring adventure yarn, well worth a look by any new pulp reader.
The book is now available for $14.99 in print or for a cool $3 as a PDF download from the Airship 27 Hangar.
Challenger Storm: Isle of Blood is one of several novels that looks to change that. Challenger Storm is something of a Doc Savage sort, a heroic adventurer with a crew of allies and a desire to help those in need. He’s an exceptional man, a talented pilot and an all around Renaissance man.
His first adventure takes him to La Isla de Sangre, the Isle of Blood mentioned in the subtitle. He’s there to rescue a kidnapped young woman from a guerilla force, but he quickly finds he’s in the middle of an all out war. Ultimately, he and his men must take on the murderous Villalobos brother, would be conquerors of the entire island.
Don Gates develops a solid tale for the first adventure of his new hero. Challenger seems like a genuinely interesting character to lead the story. Unfortunately the tale sometimes feels like it gets bogged down with too many viewpoint supporting cast members. While reading, I couldn’t help but yearn for more Challenger in the book that carries his own name!
While this is Gates’s first novel, his artistic collaborator is far from a rookie. The book features a painted cover and interior line drawings by the legendary Michael Kaluta. Kaluta’s fantasy art is almost legendary in the field, but long time pulp fans might remember his classic, and gorgeous, work on both the 70s and 90s incarnations of the Shadow.
To be honest, Kaluta’s art is worth the price of the book alone. But Gates keeps up as best as he can with the superstar artist and delivers a solid adventure yard. While Challenger Storm: Isle of Blood walks little new ground, it is a rip-roaring adventure yarn, well worth a look by any new pulp reader.
The book is now available for $14.99 in print or for a cool $3 as a PDF download from the Airship 27 Hangar.
July 1, 2012
If a novel doesn't grab my attention from the beginning I lose interest rather quickly and it's nearly impossible to regain my attention after the first 2 chapters. Some call it a short attention span but I simply need a book to entertain me with wonderful characters and dynamic scenes. If a writer can manage to keep me hanging on every page and unable to put the book down, they've got a fan for life. Challenger Storm: The Isle of Blood is just such a book.
From the first chapter to the last, Don Gates, was able weave a wonderful story filled with interesting characters and exciting situations set during the exciting 30's. The lead character, Clifton "Challenger" Storm is made of the best stuff from the pulp era novels. The difference, however, is that Storm, unlike most pulp heroes, is not fearless. Storm is driven to do the right thing and does so even though he's, at times, afraid for his life. It's this quality that makes Storm an "every man" type of hero that I find accessible.
And, Gates' writing is style is clean, smooth, and concise. I didn't have to keep a dictionary handy to look up obscure words the author added as a vain attempt to add depth to feel of the novel.
The story is fast-paced when it needs to be but doesn't skimp on characterization. Each member of Storm's team and the other supporting characters are wonderfully portrayed and became 3-dimensional.
I could continue rambling on about all the things that made me fall in love with this book but it would would run out of space.
Let me keep it simple - read this book and you'll be entertained. Period.
From the first chapter to the last, Don Gates, was able weave a wonderful story filled with interesting characters and exciting situations set during the exciting 30's. The lead character, Clifton "Challenger" Storm is made of the best stuff from the pulp era novels. The difference, however, is that Storm, unlike most pulp heroes, is not fearless. Storm is driven to do the right thing and does so even though he's, at times, afraid for his life. It's this quality that makes Storm an "every man" type of hero that I find accessible.
And, Gates' writing is style is clean, smooth, and concise. I didn't have to keep a dictionary handy to look up obscure words the author added as a vain attempt to add depth to feel of the novel.
The story is fast-paced when it needs to be but doesn't skimp on characterization. Each member of Storm's team and the other supporting characters are wonderfully portrayed and became 3-dimensional.
I could continue rambling on about all the things that made me fall in love with this book but it would would run out of space.
Let me keep it simple - read this book and you'll be entertained. Period.
May 23, 2013
Great! Can't wait to read the new one. Way to go, Don!
July 13, 2018
Although I was aware of the Challenger Storm novels, I didn't resolve to check them out until I encountered Clifton Challenger as a guest star in a Dillon novel (by Derrick Ferguson).
Isle of Blood is a great example of New Pulp Fiction. It utilizes Pulp Fiction tropes such as a team led by an exceptional person (e.g. Doc Savage, the Avenger/Richard Benson), weird science, lost cities, and a touch of the supernatural.
If you're not aware of New Pulp or Old Pulp, for that matter, no worries. Most people aren't. And being aware of these genres is not in the least bit necessary to enjoy this novel.
The Isle of Blood is an exciting action/adventure tale that keeps right on moving until the end.
Isle of Blood is a great example of New Pulp Fiction. It utilizes Pulp Fiction tropes such as a team led by an exceptional person (e.g. Doc Savage, the Avenger/Richard Benson), weird science, lost cities, and a touch of the supernatural.
If you're not aware of New Pulp or Old Pulp, for that matter, no worries. Most people aren't. And being aware of these genres is not in the least bit necessary to enjoy this novel.
The Isle of Blood is an exciting action/adventure tale that keeps right on moving until the end.
March 4, 2017
Serviceable writing, but the plot is obvious, the characters wooden and oblivious to the obvious plot twists, and the tension suffers. The genre is well-represented, but the rest of the piece falls apart.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews