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The Green Hornet Chronicles
a collection of short stories based on the old radio serial character, who also appeared on television. The introduction is by Van Williams, the television Hornet.
- GenresShort StoriesPulp
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Win Scott Eckert
66 books89 followersWIN SCOTT ECKERT is a novelist, editor, essayist, and author of short fiction. He is steeped in the works of famed science fiction writer Philip José Farmer, particularly Farmer’s shared universe literary-crossover Wold Newton cycle and the Lord Grandrith/Doc Caliban series. He has a deep interest in studying fictional biographies, creating detailed chronologies of fictional characters and universes, and exploring the metafictional connections between seemingly unrelated works, which resulted in MYTHS FOR THE MODERN AGE: PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER’S WOLD NEWTON UNIVERSE (MonkeyBrain Books), a 2007 Locus Awards finalist, and the critically acclaimed, encyclopedic CROSSOVERS: A SECRET CHRONOLOGY OF THE WORLD 1 & 2 (Black Coat Press, 2010).
Eckert is also an expert on many of the authors and characters who inspired Farmer—such as Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan, Pellucidar, John Carter of Mars, and more), the pulp heroes (Doc Savage, The Shadow, The Avenger, etc.), Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty, Ian Fleming’s James Bond, and Sax Rohmer’s Denis Nayland Smith, Fu Manchu, and Sumuru—as well as other heroic characters whose adventures Eckert has chronicled, including Zorro, Sexton Blake, the Phantom, Honey West, the Scarlet Pimpernel, the Domino Lady, and the Green Hornet, all of which can be found in the pages of anthologies from Moonstone Books, Meteor House (THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER), Black Coat Press (TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN), and Titan Books (TALES OF THE WOLD NEWTON UNIVERSE).
An accomplished essayist, Eckert contributed a new foreword the 2006 edition of Farmer’s well-known fictional biography, TARZAN ALIVE: A DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY OF LORD GREYSTOKE (University of Nebraska/Bison Books), as well as several forewords and afterwords to Titan Books’ reissues of Farmer’s novels. As Executive Editor for Meteor House, he played a key role in reissuing definitive editions of Farmer’s fictional biography DOC SAVAGE: HIS APOCALYPTIC LIFE (2013), and Farmer’s authorized Burroughs novel, TARZAN AND THE DARK HEART OF TIME (2018).
Eckert is the authorized legacy author of Farmer's Patricia Wildman series (THE EVIL IN PEMBERLEY HOUSE, THE SCARLET JAGUAR). His latest releases are an authorized Avenger book from Moonstone, HUNT THE AVENGER (2019); an authorized novel in the new Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe, TARZAN: BATTLE FOR PELLUCIDAR (2020); and, as coauthor with Farmer, the fourth novel in Farmer's Secrets of the Nine series, THE MONSTER ON HOLD (2021), furthering the titanic saga of Doc Caliban's battle against the dark manipulators who hold the secret to eternal life, the Nine. His Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe novel KORAK AT THE EARTH'S CORE is forthcoming in April 2024.
Find him online at winscotteckert dot com
Eckert is also an expert on many of the authors and characters who inspired Farmer—such as Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan, Pellucidar, John Carter of Mars, and more), the pulp heroes (Doc Savage, The Shadow, The Avenger, etc.), Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty, Ian Fleming’s James Bond, and Sax Rohmer’s Denis Nayland Smith, Fu Manchu, and Sumuru—as well as other heroic characters whose adventures Eckert has chronicled, including Zorro, Sexton Blake, the Phantom, Honey West, the Scarlet Pimpernel, the Domino Lady, and the Green Hornet, all of which can be found in the pages of anthologies from Moonstone Books, Meteor House (THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER), Black Coat Press (TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN), and Titan Books (TALES OF THE WOLD NEWTON UNIVERSE).
An accomplished essayist, Eckert contributed a new foreword the 2006 edition of Farmer’s well-known fictional biography, TARZAN ALIVE: A DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY OF LORD GREYSTOKE (University of Nebraska/Bison Books), as well as several forewords and afterwords to Titan Books’ reissues of Farmer’s novels. As Executive Editor for Meteor House, he played a key role in reissuing definitive editions of Farmer’s fictional biography DOC SAVAGE: HIS APOCALYPTIC LIFE (2013), and Farmer’s authorized Burroughs novel, TARZAN AND THE DARK HEART OF TIME (2018).
Eckert is the authorized legacy author of Farmer's Patricia Wildman series (THE EVIL IN PEMBERLEY HOUSE, THE SCARLET JAGUAR). His latest releases are an authorized Avenger book from Moonstone, HUNT THE AVENGER (2019); an authorized novel in the new Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe, TARZAN: BATTLE FOR PELLUCIDAR (2020); and, as coauthor with Farmer, the fourth novel in Farmer's Secrets of the Nine series, THE MONSTER ON HOLD (2021), furthering the titanic saga of Doc Caliban's battle against the dark manipulators who hold the secret to eternal life, the Nine. His Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe novel KORAK AT THE EARTH'S CORE is forthcoming in April 2024.
Find him online at winscotteckert dot com
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 2, 2024
Most short story collection to me are usually mostly ok stories with a couple of gems a couple of duds scattered throughout. This collection has no duds and several gems. Enjoyable read. Recommended
August 25, 2019
Contrary to a lot of readers of this book, I was not a Green Hornet fan growing up. The 60’s TV series was before my time and even though I’ve been on a sort of retro kick for the past several years, the character never really entered my orbit. But a few months ago I listened to a number of the old Green Hornet radio show broadcasts of the late 1930's and really started to get into it.
This book collects a number of stories written by contemporary authors that pay homage to the Green Hornet mythos. Edited by Joe Gentile and Win Scott Eckert, these stories are based on the TV show version, with most of the tales taking place in that decade. Authors include such luminaries as James Reasoner, Win Scott Eckert, Will Murray, and Greg Cox as well as a whole host of others that tackle the character from different angles. There are 18 stories packed in this one volume. Also included is an essay by Harlan Ellison himself explaining the start of a Green Hornet story that he abandoned, and the reasons why. And finally, we get a nice intro by Van Williams, (the TV actor who played him) and an interview with Dean Jeffries, the man who designed the Black Beauty, (Green Hornet’s car) for the show.
I now feel like I know Britt Reid (editor of the Daily Sentinel and Green Hornet), Kato (masked chauffeur/bodyguard/enforcer, who was also Reid's valet), Britt Reid's secretary Lenore "Casey" Case, reporter Mike Axford, and others. I tend to get sucked into these sorts of characters and like to experience them in all forms of media, so I’ve already purchased the original two serials from the early 1940s and plan to start watching the TV series at some point too. Oh, and I also will soon be diving into The Green Hornet: Still at Large, (edited by these same two gentlemen) as well. Sigh…just not enough time in the day.
This book collects a number of stories written by contemporary authors that pay homage to the Green Hornet mythos. Edited by Joe Gentile and Win Scott Eckert, these stories are based on the TV show version, with most of the tales taking place in that decade. Authors include such luminaries as James Reasoner, Win Scott Eckert, Will Murray, and Greg Cox as well as a whole host of others that tackle the character from different angles. There are 18 stories packed in this one volume. Also included is an essay by Harlan Ellison himself explaining the start of a Green Hornet story that he abandoned, and the reasons why. And finally, we get a nice intro by Van Williams, (the TV actor who played him) and an interview with Dean Jeffries, the man who designed the Black Beauty, (Green Hornet’s car) for the show.
I now feel like I know Britt Reid (editor of the Daily Sentinel and Green Hornet), Kato (masked chauffeur/bodyguard/enforcer, who was also Reid's valet), Britt Reid's secretary Lenore "Casey" Case, reporter Mike Axford, and others. I tend to get sucked into these sorts of characters and like to experience them in all forms of media, so I’ve already purchased the original two serials from the early 1940s and plan to start watching the TV series at some point too. Oh, and I also will soon be diving into The Green Hornet: Still at Large, (edited by these same two gentlemen) as well. Sigh…just not enough time in the day.
June 13, 2013
One of my favorite guilty pleasures (although I have one friend who says we should never feel guilty about pleasures) is the old Green Hornet TV program. So, when my husband brought this anthology home for me after seeing it in a convention dealers' room, I was delighted.
As is often the case with anthologies, this one is a trifle uneven. There were some editorial issues in a few of the tales, and none in others. What was 100 percent consistent were the outstanding illustrations by artist Ruben Procopio; each tale has a drawing at the beginning to set the tone.
My favorite stories were Matthew Baugh's "The Inside Man," about a Native American man who has just returned from Vietnam and is trying to help his family financially, and Harlan Ellison's "The Soul of Solomon." This latter is an unfinished tale that includes notes on why it remains incomplete and always will.
This was a fun read that Hornet fans are sure to enjoy.
As is often the case with anthologies, this one is a trifle uneven. There were some editorial issues in a few of the tales, and none in others. What was 100 percent consistent were the outstanding illustrations by artist Ruben Procopio; each tale has a drawing at the beginning to set the tone.
My favorite stories were Matthew Baugh's "The Inside Man," about a Native American man who has just returned from Vietnam and is trying to help his family financially, and Harlan Ellison's "The Soul of Solomon." This latter is an unfinished tale that includes notes on why it remains incomplete and always will.
This was a fun read that Hornet fans are sure to enjoy.
September 13, 2011
A collection of short stories edited by Joe Gentile and Win Scott Eckert based on the old radio series from the thirties. These stories, though, are based around the TV series of the sixties.
The introduction is by the TV Hornet, Van Williams, and the afterword is an interview with Dean Jeffries, the man who designed the Hornet's car, Black Beauty, for the show.
Some of the authors represented here are James Reasoner, Greg Cox, Win Scott Eckert, Will Murray(who just had a new Doc Savage novel published), and a story fragment by Harlan Ellison, along with a number of others.
Enjoyed this set and will soon get to the just published new one.
The introduction is by the TV Hornet, Van Williams, and the afterword is an interview with Dean Jeffries, the man who designed the Hornet's car, Black Beauty, for the show.
Some of the authors represented here are James Reasoner, Greg Cox, Win Scott Eckert, Will Murray(who just had a new Doc Savage novel published), and a story fragment by Harlan Ellison, along with a number of others.
Enjoyed this set and will soon get to the just published new one.
September 26, 2011
If you are a Green Horent fan, you should enjoy these short stories. Most are set during the 1960's Green Hornet TV show.....Good writing!
August 21, 2012
As a fan of the TV show and the super hero genre in general, I found this to be a fun and enjoyable book.
April 23, 2026
Thought it would be a fun quick read. But the stories took their time, creating rich worlds and characterizations. Plotting was super sharp. Several times I was wondering how the Hornet would get out of his dilemma. Good stuff.
April 24, 2014
A nice mix of stories. Good mix of gritty crime drama nd pulp adventure. Really enjoyed the Kato solo story.
Only gripe is that the Harlan Ellison story gets a lot of hype and is the worst one in the book. Harlan is just coasting on his rep with this one and pulls a stunt that any self respecting editor should have turned down.
These anthologies from Moonstone have been fun reads. Hope they keep going with more volumes and characters.
Only gripe is that the Harlan Ellison story gets a lot of hype and is the worst one in the book. Harlan is just coasting on his rep with this one and pulls a stunt that any self respecting editor should have turned down.
These anthologies from Moonstone have been fun reads. Hope they keep going with more volumes and characters.
August 19, 2013
There are a lot of very good stories in here. Some of them make you wonder about what is the author doing. These are all well written and fun to read. I would like to review each of the stories, but that would be onerous for me and probably boring for you.
July 31, 2017
The short fiction form really suits the Hornet. Stories range from pretty good to really outstanding. It's solid crime fiction that means just a bit extra to Hornet fans.
August 15, 2020
Like most short story collections, the quality varies from story to story. It will depend on your tastes as to which stories are great and which are not. The three tales I liked the most were, in book contents order, 'Weakness', 'Nothing Gold Can Stay', and 'Stormy Weather'. The one I was most excited to read was 'Eyes of the Madonna' by Ron Fortier mostly because he had written the excellent Green Hornet comics for Now Comics and I was hoping it was going to be a prose story following that continuity. So I was a little disappointed when it followed all the others in the book and was based on the TV series. Don't get me wrong, I still liked it but i feel it was a lost opportunity. On the other hand, this book has some of the worst editing I have ever seen. Bad grammar, missing or even wrong words in the sentences. There were a few places were errors were on every page in a row. You would get things like:
"As long I'm publisher..."
"The Hornet finger hesitated on the finger of his gun."
And hilariously "the giant fell to one knee beside Kato's prostate form" which gave me a mental image of a knee quite far up into Kato's groin, Ouch!
"As long I'm publisher..."
"The Hornet finger hesitated on the finger of his gun."
And hilariously "the giant fell to one knee beside Kato's prostate form" which gave me a mental image of a knee quite far up into Kato's groin, Ouch!
February 8, 2021
Great read, enjoyed very much. Grew up with the series which enhanced the stories. Really liked how they brought in other characters from the old days. Highly recommend book. Very well written.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews