Planets in Peril

Captain Future #12

by Edmond Hamilton

Science Fiction

Genres: Science Fiction

128 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Edmond Moore Hamilton was a popular author of science fiction stories and novels throughout the mid-twentieth century. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he was raised there and in nearby New Castle, Pennsylvania. Something of a child prodigy, he graduated high school and started college (Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania) at the age of 14--but washed out at 17. He was the Golden Age writer who worked on Batman, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and many sci-fi books.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his twelfth adventure, Curt Newton (aka Captain Future) and his trio of sidekicks travel into another dimension to save the humanoid inhabitants from the evil Cold Ones. Joan Randall is left behind and the gang accompanies Gerdek and his sister Shiri (isn't she the young lady more recently from Roswell?) through space and time on their desperate mission. The Captain Future stories were good pulp fun, perhaps intended for a younger audience than were the Doc Savage stories, but a literary step up for the fans of Flash and Buck. Planets in Peril is one of the better books in the series.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a prime example of Golden Age science fiction. This book was written when the Solar System still had 9 planets (which it still does to me) and in science fiction all 9 planets had some sort of life on them, most having intelligent life. In this one Captain Future and the Futuremen travel to another universe to help a people who are dying slowly out while being simultaneously being attacked by a race of being known as the "Cold Ones" who are bent on their destruction. Captain Future impersonates a long lost hero who returns to save them and after many twists and turns he does so. The story even has a surprise ending. I read this book in one day as it only had 128 pages. I have read modern novels whose chapters were nearly this long, but it makes for a fun fast read and I recommend a trip to the Golden Age from time to time.

[Kurt Reichenbaugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a couple of these old Captain Future paperbacks that are reprints from the pulp magazine Captain Future starred in. Captain Future is an entertaining hero with wild space adventures that have no basis in science fact. In this one, he travels to another universe (huh? Whaa?) and does goes against a race of zombie-like baddies named "the Cold Ones" by the humans in peril. Captain Future is asked to stand in for a legendary hero promised to return to save the galaxy. There are also a couple of space hotties in the mix to keep things lively. Edmond Hamilton was one of those always reliable writers of the pulps who could spin a lively yarn, and this one is no exception. Old school pulp fans would enjoy it for what it is. Also, for fans of The Big Bang Theory on TV, yes, that's a Captain Future poster in Leonard and Sheldon's apartment.

[Dylan Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written more like an episodic space-opera, it was a bit dramatic with surprises, but was still a fun read, by an amazing sci-fi author. It will be hard to find the others in the series, but it was still enjoyable on its own!

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pulp era SiFi hero, Captain Future is a more scientific version of Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon. He and his band of Futuremen are special criminal investigators for the Earth government and are similar to Doc Savage and his band of helpers. Great reads, recommended