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Fantasy Short Stories Collection #2
Danger in the Dark
Fortune hunter Billy Newman is not a man of great strength or physical courage. Like a young Johnny Depp, he gets by on his wit, wiles and good looks. And he's had quite a good run—striking gold in the Philippines and buying his very own island in the South Seas….
But there's trouble in paradise, and Billy's in the thick of it; The island's crops are failing; The island's people are dying; And the island's owner—Billy—is taking the heat; Why? Because he's angered the 75-foot-tall big-boss god of the island.
75-foot tall? To Billy, it's a laughable superstition—until he finds out just how serious the islanders are. They're out to sacrifice a beautiful young woman to the supposed god. The only way Billy can save her is to humor the locals and pretend to take the spirit on. But the joke may be on Billy, as he has to screw up some very real courage to face the very real Danger in the Dark.
Includes the fantasy adventures “The Room”, in which Uncle Toby goes to his room, never to return, leaving it to his nephew to explore the magic and mystery of the place, and “He Didn't Like Cats”, the story of one man's feline phobia and the hauntingly high price he pays for it.
But there's trouble in paradise, and Billy's in the thick of it; The island's crops are failing; The island's people are dying; And the island's owner—Billy—is taking the heat; Why? Because he's angered the 75-foot-tall big-boss god of the island.
75-foot tall? To Billy, it's a laughable superstition—until he finds out just how serious the islanders are. They're out to sacrifice a beautiful young woman to the supposed god. The only way Billy can save her is to humor the locals and pretend to take the spirit on. But the joke may be on Billy, as he has to screw up some very real courage to face the very real Danger in the Dark.
Includes the fantasy adventures “The Room”, in which Uncle Toby goes to his room, never to return, leaving it to his nephew to explore the magic and mystery of the place, and “He Didn't Like Cats”, the story of one man's feline phobia and the hauntingly high price he pays for it.
136 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
2 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
L. Ron Hubbard
2,008 books664 followersL. Ron Hubbard is universally acclaimed as the single most influential author and humanitarian of this modern age. His definitive works on the mind and spirit—comprising over 350 million copies in circulation and more than 40 international bestsellers—have resulted in a legacy benefiting millions and a movement spanning all cultures.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 29, 2010
I'm sorry to say that I haven't read any of Hubbard's work aside from `Battlefield Earth'. I'm also sorry that many people haven't read his works, but associate his name more with Scientology (he founded it) & all of the notions (negative & positive) that go along with it. It's far too easy for people to forget that first & foremost, Hubbard was a skilled writer. This book reminded me of that.
There are three stories in this volume, all of which have supernatural tones to them. The first story is `Danger in the Dark', a tale about a man who bought himself an island, but didn't take into account that the deity of the natives may actually exist. The second story is `The Room', & is about a man who inherits a strange room from his missing & enigmatic uncle- a room where strange & mysterious things happen. The final story is `He Didn't Like Cats', a dark tale about a man who doesn't like cats... and is in danger of paying the price for that hate.
This book was a very quick read, & I devoured it within an hour or so of picking it up. I wasn't quite sure if I'd like it or not, since I tend to go more for mystery or urban fantasy, but I really enjoyed this book. The stories in it were clearly written in another time, but the basic idea of them comes across very well. I also thought that this would make an excellent gift for those little readers who have started to read the genre (sci-fi/fantasy/horror) & want to get into the more familiar names in the field. (My nephew will love this book, I'm sure!)I also have to give kudos for the cover- it puts me in the exact mind frame for this type of book & brings to mind the pulp fiction age of yore. It's absolutely perfect.
I really can't say enough good things about this slender volume. It's not a very thick book, but what it lacks in length it makes up in quality. For those who are curious about the man behind the book, there's a short biography of Hubbard during what the book editors describe as the "Golden age of fiction". Again, this book will be a must have for fans of Hubbard's work & this is what he is best at- creating stories that tickle our imaginations!
There are three stories in this volume, all of which have supernatural tones to them. The first story is `Danger in the Dark', a tale about a man who bought himself an island, but didn't take into account that the deity of the natives may actually exist. The second story is `The Room', & is about a man who inherits a strange room from his missing & enigmatic uncle- a room where strange & mysterious things happen. The final story is `He Didn't Like Cats', a dark tale about a man who doesn't like cats... and is in danger of paying the price for that hate.
This book was a very quick read, & I devoured it within an hour or so of picking it up. I wasn't quite sure if I'd like it or not, since I tend to go more for mystery or urban fantasy, but I really enjoyed this book. The stories in it were clearly written in another time, but the basic idea of them comes across very well. I also thought that this would make an excellent gift for those little readers who have started to read the genre (sci-fi/fantasy/horror) & want to get into the more familiar names in the field. (My nephew will love this book, I'm sure!)I also have to give kudos for the cover- it puts me in the exact mind frame for this type of book & brings to mind the pulp fiction age of yore. It's absolutely perfect.
I really can't say enough good things about this slender volume. It's not a very thick book, but what it lacks in length it makes up in quality. For those who are curious about the man behind the book, there's a short biography of Hubbard during what the book editors describe as the "Golden age of fiction". Again, this book will be a must have for fans of Hubbard's work & this is what he is best at- creating stories that tickle our imaginations!
October 23, 2014
[This review is of the BOOK, not the Audio Book.]
Danger in the Dark is a book that has three short-stories by Hubbard, written during his height as a pulp writer in pre-War USA.
The first is Danger in the Dark, about Billy who just bought an island near the Philippines, complete with natives and a god. At first Billy thinks the god is a myth, but as it turns out, he’s a real being! One who causes earthquakes as he walks, who creates typhoons and plagues.
To appease the god, the natives want to sacrifice Christina, a beautiful girl who is all too willing to sacrifice herself for her people. Billy has other ideas.
Fun David and Goliath story, though I would have liked to know what kind of being the god Tadamona was!
The next story was The Room, about a special room that nephew Jacob inherited after the disappearance of his Uncle Toby, who used to stay in that room for days and days.
Another world lies beyond it, a special dimension of sorts will all kinds of goodies in it. Despite this, Jacob makes himself known in the small town, a place that is so Midtown America that it hurts.
Lots of commentary on the fickleness of the human condition and the impossibility of alternate universes that may not be so impossible.
The last story was He Didn’t Like Cats, which I had read before in another anthology, Supernatural Cats.
Joe was a broken-down, vindictive yet small man, who used to torture cats when he himself was given a hard time by others. The story is humorous and sad at the same time. Joe accidentally kills a cat and what happens next is quite a tale!
In some ways the short reminds me of the Slaves of Sleep, except instead of a wondrous dream world of a hero, Joe suffers from a nightmare world of which the cat rules and rules with revenge.
Bottom Line:
Some great line art by Edd Cartier, famous pulp fiction artist of the time. The stories are quaint and actually have a message behind them in every case. You just have to be aware enough to find it.
Recommended.
Danger in the Dark is a book that has three short-stories by Hubbard, written during his height as a pulp writer in pre-War USA.
The first is Danger in the Dark, about Billy who just bought an island near the Philippines, complete with natives and a god. At first Billy thinks the god is a myth, but as it turns out, he’s a real being! One who causes earthquakes as he walks, who creates typhoons and plagues.
To appease the god, the natives want to sacrifice Christina, a beautiful girl who is all too willing to sacrifice herself for her people. Billy has other ideas.
Fun David and Goliath story, though I would have liked to know what kind of being the god Tadamona was!
The next story was The Room, about a special room that nephew Jacob inherited after the disappearance of his Uncle Toby, who used to stay in that room for days and days.
Another world lies beyond it, a special dimension of sorts will all kinds of goodies in it. Despite this, Jacob makes himself known in the small town, a place that is so Midtown America that it hurts.
Lots of commentary on the fickleness of the human condition and the impossibility of alternate universes that may not be so impossible.
The last story was He Didn’t Like Cats, which I had read before in another anthology, Supernatural Cats.
Joe was a broken-down, vindictive yet small man, who used to torture cats when he himself was given a hard time by others. The story is humorous and sad at the same time. Joe accidentally kills a cat and what happens next is quite a tale!
In some ways the short reminds me of the Slaves of Sleep, except instead of a wondrous dream world of a hero, Joe suffers from a nightmare world of which the cat rules and rules with revenge.
Bottom Line:
Some great line art by Edd Cartier, famous pulp fiction artist of the time. The stories are quaint and actually have a message behind them in every case. You just have to be aware enough to find it.
Recommended.
July 2, 2017
This book collects three of Hubbard's fantasy stories from Campbell's Unknown magazine, the title story from the May, 1939 issue, The Room from the April, 1942 issue, and He Didn't Like Cats from the February, 1942 issue. The cover was also from the issue in which the title story appeared, but it was intended to illustrate a story by Steve Fisher entitled Returned From Hell. It looks like a portrait of Mandrake's evil hatless twin. He Didn't Like Cats is my favorite of the trio, but they're all enjoyable and fun.
August 26, 2025
A thrilling pulp adventure with wit, danger, and a touch of superstition. Billy Newman may not be the bravest hero, but his charm and quick thinking make this story a fun, fast-paced read. Perfect for fans of classic adventure tales!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2024
https://archive.org/details/Unknown_v...
I only read the title story of this collection.
I only read the title story of this collection.
October 10, 2015
Yes, it’s another of those L. Ron Hubbard reprints; thanks, discount bin!
This time, we have three fantasy stories, none of which have anything to do with the cover. (It’s actually illustrating “Returned from Hell” by Steve Fisher.)
“Danger in the Dark” is set in the Mariana Islands east of the Philippines. Billy Newman was suckered into buying an island with a copra plantation. Unfortunately, a series of disasters, including a smallpox plague, have come to Kaisan Isle, something the natives ascribe to the evil spirit Tadamona. Billy naturally spurns this explanation as the foolish superstition it would normally be. But this time, Tadamona is real, and it has a bone to pick with the arrogant white man….
While it’s a neat twist on the “superior white dude overcomes native superstition” plotline, it’s still pretty darn ethnocentric–only Billy and the half-white girl Christina are willing to do anything to thwart Tadamona, while the natives have decided to surrender completely to their unseen nemesis. And the ending restores the “natural” superiority of white people.
“The Room” takes place somewhere in rural America. Uncle Toby, the local veterinarian, has disappeared. His nephew Joe has been tagging along on the rounds for years, despite his crippled leg, so starts filling in at doctoring animals. Eventually, Joe becomes aware that the study he has inherited from Uncle Toby contains objects not of this Earth, and that might have something to do with his uncle’s disappearance. Nothing is ever really explained, the story ends when Joe and his Aunt Cinthia disappear as well, gone no one knows where, and the house eventually burns down. I had to look at the dates to see that it was not a poor attempt to imitate one of Ray Bradbury’s pastorals. Mr. Hubbard’s style is not suited to this sort of story.
“He Didn’t Like Cats” is the tale of Jacob Findley, an otherwise blameless fellow who doesn’t like felines. One day a cat crosses his path, and a momentary impulse makes Jacob kick it–into traffic. The incident quickly becomes an obsession, and it’s not clear whether the cat is taking supernatural vengeance, or if it’s just an overactive conscience, but Jacob will never sleep well again. There’s some light comedy to stretch out the story as Jacob becomes the focus of a love triangle without ever grasping that fact. Mr. Hubbard is a bit too heavy-handed with the humor.
There’s a preview of the next volume, “The Crossroads”, a glossary and the usual potted material.
This is easily the weakest example of Mr. Hubbard’s work I have seen in the Galaxy Press reprints; very skippable.
This time, we have three fantasy stories, none of which have anything to do with the cover. (It’s actually illustrating “Returned from Hell” by Steve Fisher.)
“Danger in the Dark” is set in the Mariana Islands east of the Philippines. Billy Newman was suckered into buying an island with a copra plantation. Unfortunately, a series of disasters, including a smallpox plague, have come to Kaisan Isle, something the natives ascribe to the evil spirit Tadamona. Billy naturally spurns this explanation as the foolish superstition it would normally be. But this time, Tadamona is real, and it has a bone to pick with the arrogant white man….
While it’s a neat twist on the “superior white dude overcomes native superstition” plotline, it’s still pretty darn ethnocentric–only Billy and the half-white girl Christina are willing to do anything to thwart Tadamona, while the natives have decided to surrender completely to their unseen nemesis. And the ending restores the “natural” superiority of white people.
“The Room” takes place somewhere in rural America. Uncle Toby, the local veterinarian, has disappeared. His nephew Joe has been tagging along on the rounds for years, despite his crippled leg, so starts filling in at doctoring animals. Eventually, Joe becomes aware that the study he has inherited from Uncle Toby contains objects not of this Earth, and that might have something to do with his uncle’s disappearance. Nothing is ever really explained, the story ends when Joe and his Aunt Cinthia disappear as well, gone no one knows where, and the house eventually burns down. I had to look at the dates to see that it was not a poor attempt to imitate one of Ray Bradbury’s pastorals. Mr. Hubbard’s style is not suited to this sort of story.
“He Didn’t Like Cats” is the tale of Jacob Findley, an otherwise blameless fellow who doesn’t like felines. One day a cat crosses his path, and a momentary impulse makes Jacob kick it–into traffic. The incident quickly becomes an obsession, and it’s not clear whether the cat is taking supernatural vengeance, or if it’s just an overactive conscience, but Jacob will never sleep well again. There’s some light comedy to stretch out the story as Jacob becomes the focus of a love triangle without ever grasping that fact. Mr. Hubbard is a bit too heavy-handed with the humor.
There’s a preview of the next volume, “The Crossroads”, a glossary and the usual potted material.
This is easily the weakest example of Mr. Hubbard’s work I have seen in the Galaxy Press reprints; very skippable.
February 6, 2017
*I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher*
I enjoy pulp fiction and appreciate its significance and influence in the science fiction and fantasy genres today. Danger in the Dark is a collection of three stories, and it is pulp at its finest -- just plain, good fun. As with any collection of short stories, there were some stories that I liked better than others, but there weren't any that I really disliked or hated, so that's a good thing. This was a quick listen and was simply a fun, entertaining collection of stories. The sequence of these stories also worked very well, since my least favorite was the first story, and my favorite was the last.
The stories included in Danger in the Dark are short and sweet -- the best kind, in my opinion. A lot of action, drama, and suspense without having too much exposition to bog it all down. It's not a huge time investment, but it's good entertainment, which I appreciated.
Galaxy Audio really went all-out for this production. I loved the full-cast performance and the added sound effects. I'm not the kind of person who generally likes sound effects in my audiobooks, but these were incredibly well done. They really added to the story and helped create drama and tension in all the right places. This is one short story collection that I don't think I would have liked as much in print. I would definitely recommend the audiobook version of this one.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
I enjoy pulp fiction and appreciate its significance and influence in the science fiction and fantasy genres today. Danger in the Dark is a collection of three stories, and it is pulp at its finest -- just plain, good fun. As with any collection of short stories, there were some stories that I liked better than others, but there weren't any that I really disliked or hated, so that's a good thing. This was a quick listen and was simply a fun, entertaining collection of stories. The sequence of these stories also worked very well, since my least favorite was the first story, and my favorite was the last.
The stories included in Danger in the Dark are short and sweet -- the best kind, in my opinion. A lot of action, drama, and suspense without having too much exposition to bog it all down. It's not a huge time investment, but it's good entertainment, which I appreciated.
Galaxy Audio really went all-out for this production. I loved the full-cast performance and the added sound effects. I'm not the kind of person who generally likes sound effects in my audiobooks, but these were incredibly well done. They really added to the story and helped create drama and tension in all the right places. This is one short story collection that I don't think I would have liked as much in print. I would definitely recommend the audiobook version of this one.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
August 11, 2012
With the loss of the greatest generation author Ray Bradbury, there is a new spotlight on Sci-Fi's Golden Age. This particular audio set surprisingly combines the best of the written and the visual, the great sound effects calling to mind The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. The voicing is perfect also, with multicast performances, some discs featuring well-known Sci-Fi/Fantasy actors. Some younger readers who are used to the modern Space Opera with stellar effects and character development, may be surprised by this procedural, man vs. machine approach to storytelling, but it is representative of the Age. All-in-all, this is a very entertaining series and the beautiful packaging is a plus.
October 27, 2011
This was a lot of fun; I had been interested in checking out some of Hubbard's pulp year after reading The Amazing, the Incredible, and the Unknown by Paul Malmont. This is a collection of three short tales that showed up in Unknown, including Danger in the Dark, The Room, and He Did Not Like Cats. There is a real mix of stuff; Dark is two-fisted fantasy, The Room is more humorous fantasy, and Cats is straight up horror/humor. My enjoyment of these was also helped by this being a performed audiobook, which was really well done. Of the three, the Room was the standout; really good subtle characters, and a whimsical and imaginative scenario. This put me in the mood for more pulps!
August 31, 2014
Inclusive selections that make you wanting more. Really appreciated the enhancements making this more a radio drama than a audiobook.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews