Untamed Pellucidar

Wild Adventures of Tarzan

by Lee Strong

Northern Russia 1924: The Red Army is eliminating those who resist the fledgling Soviet government. At The Battle of the Plutonian Plain, the White Russian forces, do not fall, instead retreating into the dangers of Pellucidar. Mikhail Kirillivitch Kirov, a young conscript caught up in this mad scheme, is fascinated by this new world. He finds Pellucidar's Stone Age landscape and inhabitants a revelation-until he's grabbed by a mammoth Skal and flown back to its aerie to feed its giant offspring. Thus begins Kirov's astounding adventure in the Northern environs of Pellucidar. Fantastic beasts stalk Kirov as he navigates the complex world of Pellucidar's most dangerous Man. To survive, Kirov must escape slavery from the Beautiful Ala and her mighty Black Birdriders, foster a civil war, impress the natives with his "inventions," conquer the terrifying Pulka Horde, and become a warlord of several tribes as they flee the Soviet invaders.

328 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 2018

Reviews

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice modern story to the ERB Pellucidar series. The writer did a great job matching the feel of the original books. Recommended

[David Critchfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edgar Rice Burroughs introduced us to the savage land of Pellucidar in the year 1914 when AT THE EARTH’S CORE appeared serialized in the pulp magazine ALL-STORY WEEKLY. Burroughs’ exciting story-telling thrilled readers, and his fantastic, primordial world was like no other. Over the years, Burroughs wrote six additional books in the series. Now, many decades later, author Lee Strong is carrying on Burroughs’ grand tradition with this new Pellucidar novel.

As every schoolboy knows, Pellucidar is a prehistoric world 500 miles down on the inner surface of Earth’s hollow sphere. Burroughs populated his world with prehistoric tribes, leftovers from earlier stages of human evolution, and weird, preternatural races. Of course there are scantily-clad cave women and dinosaurs! What’s not to love about this place?

Lee Strong takes us back to Pellucidar in this exciting new adventure with a young Russian who encounters challenges undreamt of. Strong’s love for all things Burroughs is evident, and he’s certainly clever enough to play in the Burroughs universe. Burroughs fans will enjoy Strong’s "Easter eggs" that refer to other Burroughs characters. Too, there are settings that may be recognized from hollow Earth fiction. Readers new to Pellucidar need not worry about what has gone before. This is an enjoyable self-contained story.

If this is your first time entering savage Pellucidar, I envy you. The world that’s ahead is the very best there is. If you’re a long-time fan, at last you have a new Earth’s core novel, and you can become lost in Pellucidar again.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Untamed Pellucidar by Lee Strong

Mikhail Kirillvitch Kirov enters Pellucidar as part of Regiment Commander Kandinsky’s Soviet troops, sent to establish a USSR presence on Pellucidar’s continent that lies under the Arctic Ocean. They call this Leninska, and the two nearby oceans the Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels Oceans.
During the explorations, Kirov is carried off by a skal, a giant bird. He is later taken as a slave by people who ride giant birds. Kirov begins to use his knowledge to live a better life. He insulates his hut. He makes a wheelbarrow. He teaches the tribe to make spear throwers. Eventually, he rises from slave to being called inventor and wizard of the tribe.

Under his leadership, the tribe begins to prosper and win battles against enemies. And under his leadership, these enemies become allies. But there are other dangers out in untamed Pellucidar. And the Soviets haven’t just gone away…

It is great to see a new hero enter the Pellucidar Universe. Mr. Strong has made the new character fit seamlessly into the world within the world. The story is pure pulp adventure, a sci-fi fantasy masterpiece that makes the reader long for more!

I give the story five stars.

Quoth the Raven…

[Theresa M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Untamed Pellucidar what a story!

Fantastic, I felt like I was reading a book by Mr. ER Burroughs himself. I’ve been reading & rereading his books since I could read. Let’s just say that it was 65yrs ago. We still have the very old paperbacks. Loved it! Hope there’s a follow up to rest of the same people. Thank you ERB inc.

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of the book starts like gangbusters, and it's so original that original material purists can't be mad as it takes place in the world created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, but doesn't change the world or its characters. That being said, the ending begins to peter out to a rather wimpy conclusion.

[Larry W. Cox]

Hard to keep focused as story line jumped around so much and left part of story out.