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Crimson Skies
Crimson Skies
Welcome to the world of Crimson Skies. The United States is a land torn apart by epidemic and war. With chaos on the ground, America’s highways have been forced into the skies, a lawless new frontier where the flying ace—hero, pirate, villain—is king. Here are the exciting, danger-packed adventures of three such daredevils.
The Case of the Phantom Prototype . A hefty payday convinced dogfight genius Paladin Blake to fly a top-secret aircraft into the Mojave Desert. But on this job, Blake must not only save himself, but thousands of others slated for death by an unseen foe.
“Genghis” Kahn & the Manchurian Gambit. Why is the notorious leader of the Red Skull Legion pirate gang rescuing a lady in distress, returning gold, and duking it out in blazing air battles from Manhattan to Manchuria with no plunder in sight? Wonders never cease.
Bayou Blues. Ever since flying ace Nathan Zachary made a pirate ship out of a stolen zeppelin, the gentleman air-pirate and his “Fortune Hunters” gang have roamed the globe in search of money, fame, and adventure. But a double-dealing Cajun sky-thief, a crooked businessman, and a pair of star-crossed lovers may just trump this ace in a high-stakes, high-altitude con game.
Swashbuckling adventures of your favorite flying aces, in all their guts and glory, against a backdrop of blazing
CRIMSON SKIES
Crimson Skies, Xbox, and the Xbox Logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Used under license. Copyright© 2001 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
The Case of the Phantom Prototype . A hefty payday convinced dogfight genius Paladin Blake to fly a top-secret aircraft into the Mojave Desert. But on this job, Blake must not only save himself, but thousands of others slated for death by an unseen foe.
“Genghis” Kahn & the Manchurian Gambit. Why is the notorious leader of the Red Skull Legion pirate gang rescuing a lady in distress, returning gold, and duking it out in blazing air battles from Manhattan to Manchuria with no plunder in sight? Wonders never cease.
Bayou Blues. Ever since flying ace Nathan Zachary made a pirate ship out of a stolen zeppelin, the gentleman air-pirate and his “Fortune Hunters” gang have roamed the globe in search of money, fame, and adventure. But a double-dealing Cajun sky-thief, a crooked businessman, and a pair of star-crossed lovers may just trump this ace in a high-stakes, high-altitude con game.
Swashbuckling adventures of your favorite flying aces, in all their guts and glory, against a backdrop of blazing
CRIMSON SKIES
Crimson Skies, Xbox, and the Xbox Logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Used under license. Copyright© 2001 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 22, 2010
What? You thought I wouldn't give this 5 stars???? To be honest, it's because of the other authors. I admit it. :)
June 18, 2021
Crimson Skies by Erin Nylund and various other writers is a video game tie-in novel based on the 2003 Xbox/Microsoft Games Studios game “Crimson Skies”. Crimson Skies takes place in an alternate 1930s in which the Great Depression caused the United States to break up into a host of regional fiefdoms engaged in constant skirmishing. Faced with the breakdown of the railway system, these nations were forced to rely on aircraft for commerce, and the skies soon became crowded with passenger and cargo traffic. As airborne trade grew, so did the menace of "air pirates." The North American nations responded by forming their own national air militas or contracting private companies to keep their cargo, and themselves, safe. It makes you wonder just how things would be like if history was just a little different. This book a collection of three novellas. Done in the style of the old pulps, each story follows one of the main Crimson Skies characters as they fly, flight, and con their way to save the day, or line their pockets their pockets in the process. The first story, about Paladin Blake, while interesting, came off as a little dry to me. Some of the "plot twists" were a little contrived for my tastes, but the action was solid enough, and the ending was great. The second story, about Johnathan "Genghis" Kahn, was easily my favorite. I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy a story that made the "bad guy" out to be the hero (and he IS a bad guy - he steals, he lies, he cheats, he kills for fun - he's definately an unsavory character) but the story was hilarious, and a lot of the plot twists totally broadsided me; I never saw 'em coming. It was great, especially the very end. The third story, about Nathan Zachary, was a bit shorter than the others, and I wasn't sure I'd like it at first. The portrayal of Nathan wasn't what I was used to based on the PC game and I was expecting a wider array of characters instead of focusing mainly on Nathan. The action, however, was the best of the three stories, and the "air race" at the end was absolutely great. The story simply got better as it went along. If you liked the XBox game, or like Crimson Skies in general, I'd definately recommend giving this book a shot. It's well-worth the read.
September 25, 2017
Bookworm Speaks!
Crimson Skies
by Eris S. Nylund, Mike Lee, Eric S. Trautman, and Nancy Berman
****
Acquired: Half-Price Books
Series: Crimson Skies
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Del Rey (October 1, 2002)
Language: English
Subject: Science Fiction, Dieselpunk
****
The Story: Welcome to the world of Crimson Skies. The United States is a land torn apart by epidemic and war. With chaos on the ground, America's highways have been forced into the skies, a lawless new frontier where the flying ace—hero, pirate, villain—is king. Here are the exciting, danger-packed adventures of three such daredevils.
The Case of the Phantom Prototype. A hefty payday convinced dogfight genius Paladin Blake to fly a top-secret aircraft into the Mojave Desert. But on this job, Blake must not only save himself, but thousands of others slated for death by an unseen foe.
"Genghis" Kahn & the Manchurian Gambit. Why is the notorious leader of the Red Skull Legion pirate gang rescuing a lady in distress, returning gold, and duking it out in blazing air battles from Manhattan to Manchuria with no plunder in sight? Wonders never cease.
Bayou Blues. Ever since flying ace Nathan Zachary made a pirate ship out of a stolen zeppelin, the gentleman air-pirate and his "Fortune Hunters" gang have roamed the globe in search of money, fame, and adventure. But a double-dealing Cajun sky-thief, a crooked businessman, and a pair of star-crossed lovers may just trump this ace in a high-stakes, high-altitude con game.
Swashbuckling adventures of your favorite flying aces, in all their guts and glory, against a backdrop of blazing crimson skies.
The Review: Crimson Skies is a video game created for the Xbox game system as well as PC. It is arcade style, flying game where the player performs daring (and impossible) flying stunts in order to save the day and steal from the rich.
These stories fall into a distinct sub-genre of speculative fiction known as “Dieselpunk” even though it actually predates the coining of said term. Some reader’s may confuse the setting of this book for “Steampunk” but that is not accurate. Steampunk refers to a genre where technological and social norms are inspired, in part or in whole, by Victorian England and the Industrial Revolution. Steams and pistons power those worlds. Dieselpunk on the other hand is more inspired by America in the first half of the twentieth century, with electricity and gasoline engines being commonplace.
That is what makes this book so much fun. It takes the old tales of dashing pirates and damsels in distress and transports them into a world of gas balloons and diesel powered propellors. The stories that are being told weave tales that are familiar to us, even if they are using technology from the thirties.
The creators of the game have gone on record stating that they wanted to transfer the swashbuckling antics of Errol Flynn movies, based on Caribbean piracy, to a world of airships and airplanes. If that was truly the goal of this book, it completely worked. The text pays homage to the old pulp heroes of yesteryear. Even the sheer corniness of it all pays off.
Since this book contains three separate novellas, the writers took the opportunity to truly make this an All-American diesel punk adventure. This America has been divided into numerous smaller states due to war, disease, economic and political strife, but it is still recognizable. The Bayou Blues story is especially memorable for its many southern touches. The reader also visits the towering spires of Mahattan and the mountains of the West.
The main problem with this book is the question of it origins. As stated previously, this book is a based of old action pulp books and radio shows. The catch on that front was that pulp fiction has never been considered “high” literature. The term ‘pulp’ is derived from the quality of the paper that the stories were printed on.
Final Verdict: Its a shame that Crimson Skies was not a big success when it was first released. It is a unique setting that maintains a nonetheless, timeless feel to it. For those who wish to explore ‘dieselpunk’ further, this book is a good place to start.
Rating: Four Propellors Out of Five
thecultureworm.blogspot.com
Crimson Skies
by Eris S. Nylund, Mike Lee, Eric S. Trautman, and Nancy Berman
****
Acquired: Half-Price Books
Series: Crimson Skies
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Del Rey (October 1, 2002)
Language: English
Subject: Science Fiction, Dieselpunk
****
The Story: Welcome to the world of Crimson Skies. The United States is a land torn apart by epidemic and war. With chaos on the ground, America's highways have been forced into the skies, a lawless new frontier where the flying ace—hero, pirate, villain—is king. Here are the exciting, danger-packed adventures of three such daredevils.
The Case of the Phantom Prototype. A hefty payday convinced dogfight genius Paladin Blake to fly a top-secret aircraft into the Mojave Desert. But on this job, Blake must not only save himself, but thousands of others slated for death by an unseen foe.
"Genghis" Kahn & the Manchurian Gambit. Why is the notorious leader of the Red Skull Legion pirate gang rescuing a lady in distress, returning gold, and duking it out in blazing air battles from Manhattan to Manchuria with no plunder in sight? Wonders never cease.
Bayou Blues. Ever since flying ace Nathan Zachary made a pirate ship out of a stolen zeppelin, the gentleman air-pirate and his "Fortune Hunters" gang have roamed the globe in search of money, fame, and adventure. But a double-dealing Cajun sky-thief, a crooked businessman, and a pair of star-crossed lovers may just trump this ace in a high-stakes, high-altitude con game.
Swashbuckling adventures of your favorite flying aces, in all their guts and glory, against a backdrop of blazing crimson skies.
The Review: Crimson Skies is a video game created for the Xbox game system as well as PC. It is arcade style, flying game where the player performs daring (and impossible) flying stunts in order to save the day and steal from the rich.
These stories fall into a distinct sub-genre of speculative fiction known as “Dieselpunk” even though it actually predates the coining of said term. Some reader’s may confuse the setting of this book for “Steampunk” but that is not accurate. Steampunk refers to a genre where technological and social norms are inspired, in part or in whole, by Victorian England and the Industrial Revolution. Steams and pistons power those worlds. Dieselpunk on the other hand is more inspired by America in the first half of the twentieth century, with electricity and gasoline engines being commonplace.
That is what makes this book so much fun. It takes the old tales of dashing pirates and damsels in distress and transports them into a world of gas balloons and diesel powered propellors. The stories that are being told weave tales that are familiar to us, even if they are using technology from the thirties.
The creators of the game have gone on record stating that they wanted to transfer the swashbuckling antics of Errol Flynn movies, based on Caribbean piracy, to a world of airships and airplanes. If that was truly the goal of this book, it completely worked. The text pays homage to the old pulp heroes of yesteryear. Even the sheer corniness of it all pays off.
Since this book contains three separate novellas, the writers took the opportunity to truly make this an All-American diesel punk adventure. This America has been divided into numerous smaller states due to war, disease, economic and political strife, but it is still recognizable. The Bayou Blues story is especially memorable for its many southern touches. The reader also visits the towering spires of Mahattan and the mountains of the West.
The main problem with this book is the question of it origins. As stated previously, this book is a based of old action pulp books and radio shows. The catch on that front was that pulp fiction has never been considered “high” literature. The term ‘pulp’ is derived from the quality of the paper that the stories were printed on.
Final Verdict: Its a shame that Crimson Skies was not a big success when it was first released. It is a unique setting that maintains a nonetheless, timeless feel to it. For those who wish to explore ‘dieselpunk’ further, this book is a good place to start.
Rating: Four Propellors Out of Five
thecultureworm.blogspot.com
August 4, 2018
3.5 more entertaining than I had expected. Enjoyed it a lot.
January 9, 2024
Pretty good adventure book. I read this because I loved the video game that it was based on. If you love Doc Savage-style adventure (but better written), you will like this.
April 11, 2016
It's hard to fault a tie-in book--especially one loudly proclaiming its association with the Xbox game--when it has the ambition to acknowledge the creators of The Shadow, Doc Savage, and G-8, and to frame its stories as the contents of an in-universe issue of Spicy Air Tales magazine circa 1938.
But as the stories progressed, the only impression it was making was of being sort of horribly average: well crafted, well plotted, a vaguely interesting setting, but unremarkable. Like the Agent 13 stories, this emulates the period pulp adventures with better craftsmanship and without the lunatic sensibilities.
The broken United States setting, where the union collapsed after a more-costly Great War, followed by devastating flu epidemic and states-rights uprising with regard to Prohibition, is basically plausible except for its main feature: airplanes everywhere and air banditry. It's unclear if the original creators started from the premise of the alternate history, or if that history was a bag tied onto the air combat at the heart of the original tabletop game.
But as the stories progressed, the only impression it was making was of being sort of horribly average: well crafted, well plotted, a vaguely interesting setting, but unremarkable. Like the Agent 13 stories, this emulates the period pulp adventures with better craftsmanship and without the lunatic sensibilities.
The broken United States setting, where the union collapsed after a more-costly Great War, followed by devastating flu epidemic and states-rights uprising with regard to Prohibition, is basically plausible except for its main feature: airplanes everywhere and air banditry. It's unclear if the original creators started from the premise of the alternate history, or if that history was a bag tied onto the air combat at the heart of the original tabletop game.
January 8, 2012
As 3 noveletas aqui são compiladas do site do jogo (já defunto) de miniaturas: de semana a semana, eram postos bocados das histórias disponíveis para os fãs, baseados no setting. E bom, tenho que dizer que me diverti muito a ler. A Lady cresceu só com primos (a minha única prima tem menos 10 anos que eu), e por isso o seu lado Maria-Rapaz bate forte de vez em quando. E como bateu com este livro: Pulp! Aviões! Duelos e Dogfights! Não seria possível não gostar? Eeeeeeee! Senti-me miúda outra vez, aos saltos, como quando vi o Indiana Jones e a Última Cruzada! EEeeee!
E a parte melhor? QUem quiser ler estas noveletas pode encontrar pelo menos 2 delas no site (mirror) aqui, mais umas quantas! http://firedrake.org/roger/csarchive/st ... cy-air.htm
January 2, 2015
Though I only played the demo of Crimson Skies, many years ago, the central plot of the game interested me a lot. So it was fun to find this little pulp beauty in a second hand book shop. A fun book to read, it stays true to the universe of piracy in the high skies. A light read, don't expect a lot of substance. It was a good idea to make it a combination of stories rather than one long novel. Almost makes me want to go and play that game now.
July 14, 2015
Very good book adaptation of the video game. Recommended
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews