“False Cargo” by L. Ron Hubbard

“False Cargo”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio (July 2012 release date)
Approx 2 hours

If you will allow, I’m going to give you a heads up on your summer audiobook listening. First of all, this July Galaxy Audio / Galaxy Press will be releasing another audio pulp and paperback collection in the Stories from the Golden Age releases. They have been releasing L. Ron Hubbard’s stories that were originally published in the pulp magazines in the early to mid-20th century each month since 2008. I’ve been enjoying the audiobook versions of these books for a few years now and glad to see they have lots more to come. The July release will be a collection of two Sea Adventure stories featuring the title story “False Cargo” and a second story “Grounded.”

While reading these stories in the paperback form will still give you that real pulp-fiction feel, the audio versions of the books are superb. The paperback versions have the feel because they have simulated the old pulp paper that have the pulp magazines the nickname, but even better the covers of the books are thick and use the original artwork from the magazine covers of the time, also the stories have illustrations every so often to give that extra oomph. But what makes the audiobooks so awesome, in my opinion, is that they are produced with sound effects, excellent voice acting and music that all together give them an almost old-time radio feel. (Almost, because as the listener you don’t have to listen to the actors sell you soap or hair cream.)

The first story and the title story of this release is, “False Cargo,” originally published in the May, 1935 issue of “Five Novels.” The story starts out with a bit of mystery where Brent Calloway takes on the identity of a ruthless killer known as Spike O’Brien. Calloway does this to gain access to the ship, the “Barclay.” Calloway as it turns out is an insurance fraud investigator and is sent to make sure the shipment makes it safely to port. The problem is that the crew is out making money scuttling ships and collecting the insurance money, and are not prepared to let anyone take away their golden calf.

When O’Brien makes his appearance, surprisingly, on the ship Calloway and Dorothy a passenger on the ship and a friend of one of Brent’s best friends are in danger of losing their lives. Calloway now has to get himself, Dorothy and the ship safely to San Diego while fighting the insurance thieves. Danger on the waters and danger on the ship threatens the lives of everyone in this Sea Adventure.

“Grounded” is the second/bonus story in this release, and from all the research I put in I could only find that this adventure story was written in April of 1932. It seems to be the second short story written by Hubbard and doesn’t have the same type of ending as his pulp-fiction writings. Usually the good guy wins and gets the dame, this time though, the good guy wins but at the cost of his own life. With his reputation ruined by the death of a friend in an air incident, a Royal Air Force lieutenant seeks to redeem himself on patrol in pre-World War II China. This story has a great feel to it and yet it is dark and foreboding, and even has a bit of a morality tale feel as well.

Two great adventure stories on the sea from the master storyteller, coming July 2012 from Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press.

“The Toughest Ranger” by L. Ron Hubbard

“The Toughest Ranger”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
Approx. 2 hours

Wanna get roped into a fun story from the golden age of stories?  Read on and I’ll tell you about a fun collection of stories that will be released this coming June from Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press.

Galaxy Press and the audio book equivalent Galaxy Audio have been releasing the stories from the Golden Age, other wise known as the days of pulp fiction, since 2008.   During the early to mid 20th century in America there were all sorts of cheaply printed magazines that specialized in everything from sci-fi, mysteries, crime-stories to westerns.  The magazines were printed on cheap paper that was so cheap that the pulp was clearly seen and felt, thus the name Pulp Fiction.  Many writers used these magazines as outlets to release some of the greatest stories ever written.  During this time L. Ron Hubbard was prolific at putting out the stories and he would write in every genre of fiction that was printed in these magazines.  Galaxy Press has been re-releasing these stories creating a newer version of the pulps.  These books contain stories written by Hubbard in these magazines and picking up these books you can escape back in time and enjoy some fun short stories from the master storyteller.

Galaxy Audio is the audiobook side of Galaxy Press and they release the books in audio form that still create that feel of the pulps.  The audiobooks sound like an old-time radio drama from those same days.  With the over the top Hubbard characters, the actors bring to life the written word with some great vocal acting.  The music is created for each genre and really push the emotions and excitement of the stories.  One other thing, being like an old-time radio drama they have sound effects that not only perfectly match the events and ambiance of the story settings but keep the story in your head so you can still create your own theatrical performance.

This time around I listened to another group of stories from the Western genre.  This is a genre that I never had even thought of reading, let alone listen to in audiobook form.  I was just never a Western fan.   With the excellent productions I had heard from Galaxy Audio in the Sci-Fi stories from L. Ron Hubbard, I ventured into some of the Fantasy, Mystery and Adventure stories and finally broke down and gave the Westerns a chance.  I was not at all surprised at the production being just as superb but I was surprised that I now look forward to listening to another Hubbard Western story.  The two aspects that sold me are the excellent vocal skills of all the actors and the realistic but subtle sound effects, even the rattlesnakes sound like they can strike if you get to close to the speakers.

This book, which once again will be released in June of 2012, contains 3 stories from the Western Pulp Fiction magazines.

“The Toughest Ranger,” originally published in the June, 1938 issue of “Western Story Magazine,” tells the story of a  scared, exhausted, and half-starved young Petey McGuire, a saddle tramp on the run from one beating to another, crying sensitively when a lame horse has to be shot.  He finally gets angry or maybe hungry enough to become the toughest Ranger.  Petey finds his way to the headquarters of the Arizona Rangers looking for a job.  Needing food for himself and his horse, Petey creates a new ornery personality; he claims to be the toughest man around from Kansas City to Nawlins (New Orleans for you city folk), a man so tough he’d give a rattler nightmares. But when the chief Ranger, Captain Shannon, calls Petey’s bluff and sends him after the most dangerous desperado in the state, Petey must discover what it really means to be Ranger-tough.

The second story, “The Ranch That No One Would Buy,” originally published in the October, 1939 issue of “Western Yarns,” tells the tale of when a fearful young man comes to town to buy a ranch for a friend and is challenged to a gun fight for cheating by the local bully.  The outcome of the six-gun showdown seems sadly predictable.   But this is an L. Ron Hubbard book and one of the things he’s best at is throwing twists and turns into a story, and the ending may surprise you a bit.

“Silent Pards,” originally published in the November, 1938 issue of “Western Story Magazine” is a fun tale that tells of an old prospector, Old Cherokee, who gets his gold stolen from him twice, but when of  rattlesnakes have Old Cherokee marked for their hungry fangs, they overlook his two silent partners, his dog, Hardtack, and Joe the mule.  This one was the best story to close out this collection, in that it was just plain fun, and you knew the bad guys were gonna get what’s due.

So venture off into some fun stories from the days of Pulp fiction and escape.

“Hell’s Legionnaire” by L. Ron Hubbard

“Hell’s Legionnaire”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio (2012)
Approx. 2 hours

Another month flies by and it’s time for another release of a story from the golden age from Galaxy Audio/Galaxy Press. In April (2012) they will be releasing the L. Ron Hubbard far-flung adventure “Hell’s Legionnaire,” featuring three stories from the days of pulp fiction magazines. The three stories in this new release were all released in 1935 and each one tells a tale from the adventures of the French Foreign Legion.

I remember when I was a kid and seeing on television some kid threatened to run away and join the foreign legion. I became intrigued and looked up the info at the time and realized that while I liked the kepi (the cap worn by the Legion) and the exploding fleur-de-lis symbol, I was not about to follow the kid on television and become an elite fighting force which allowed all nationalities a chance to fight for France. However, Hubbard has written several stories involving the Legion I can live out these adventures, even if only in my imagination.

Once again Galaxy Audio has produced an audiobook that not only brings to life these classic tales from the master story-teller, L. Ron Hubbard, but also recreates the whole pulp-fiction experience into an audio format. They achieve this by creating a performance of the book that is very reminiscent of old-time radio shows from around the same time of the original printings of these stories. The voices, from the separate actors for each character all the way to the classic old timey feel of the narration keep the story realistic and yet over the top with each performance. The sound effects place the listener right in the middle of the shootouts between the Legion and the Berbers. The music between chapters and stories is superb and with the bugle calls of the Legionnaires as the building point for the original music, the listener can charge along and fight the Berbers or seek out the gold.

The three stories in this collection are:

“Hell’s Legionnaire” originally published in the July, 1935 issue of “Mystery Adventures” tells the tale of an american who is sentenced to a penal colony for killing an officer, even though it was self-defense, as he runs from the Legion but only to find he’s run straight into a Berber camp, the enemy. In this camp he discovers a beautiful American woman who is just about to be tortured by the Berbers. He can’t just leave her behind so using his cunning and skills learned in the Legion he fights to find away for them both to leave the country, while trying to not only escape the Berbers but the French Foreign Legion, as well.

“The Barbarians” originally published in the December, 1935 issue of “Dime Adventure Magazine” tells of Captain Jack Harvey, an American in service of the Legion who is sent to avenge the death of a comrade. He flies behind enemy lines to confront the Berber tribal chief and after talking with the chief sees the war in an entirely new philosophical view.

“The Squad That Never Came Back” originally published in the May, 1935 issue of “Thrilling Adventures” tells of a corporal in the Legion who, threatened with death, leads a group of fellow legionnaires to a lost treasure in the Moroccan desert.

Each story is a great escapism story that will give you the chance for some great adventure while staying within your own comfort zone.

“Death Waits at Sundown” by L. Ron Hubbard

“Death Waits at Sundown”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
approx. 2 hours

Holy cow, another month has gone by and it’s time for the next release of Stories from the Golden Age. Galaxy Press and Galaxy Audio have been republishing the pulp-fiction works of L. Ron Hubbard into two awesome formats. In the paperback releases you get that old timey pulp fiction magazine feel with the awesome graphics on the cover and pics on the inside. In the Audiobook format they stick with that old timey feel in that the stories are fully produced with a full cast of actors, sound effects, and music that fits every story. This time around they have taken back to the days where the trails were dusty and the cattle were rustled. Which reminds me of a joke…but I’ll wait until the end of the review to tell you.

Every time I listen to one of these books I’m always amazed at the supreme voice talent and production that goes into each of the stories. You gotta realize that back in the day when writing for the pulps L. Ron Hubbard created over the top characters and to get readers that was a must. In these audio productions this over the top aspect of the characters is carried through with the excellent voice work. Each character in the story has a significant part to play and the voice actors all portray every aspect of the character through their excellent acting. The voices are superb.

I have mentioned him in the past, but I want to talk more about Jim Meskimen. He has performed and directed in many of the stories in these audiobooks and even narrated and a few. Jim Meskimen is a talent that is out of this world, maybe even not of this Earth. He is well known for his impersonations that are nothing shy of astounding (check out his viral youtube video http://youtu.be/j8PGBnNmPgk ). This time around the cast not only includes Jim but also Tamra and Taylor Meskimen. I’m pretty sure I’m right in saying that Tamra is his wife and Taylor is the result of these two outstanding talents passing their extremely talented genes to their offspring. So with this cast, which also includes Fred Tatasciore, R.F. Daley, Shannon Evans, Taron Lexton, Phil Proctor and Michael Yurchak, you are getting some excellent vocal talent that can create a full theatre of the mind experience that these classic stories deserve.

This audiobook consists of the following three stories:

“Death Waits at Sundown” originally printed in the October, 1938 issue of “Western Story” magazine tells of Lynn Taylor, a hard-riding, two-fisted Texan who plans depriving the town of Pioneer of its necktie party because just wants to substitute another victim, the real criminal. Taylor’s kid brother, Lee, gets framed for stage robbery, cattle rustling (that joke is coming) and murder, the boy swears his innocence and instead accuses McCloud, head of the vigilante committee responsible for removing the town’s former sheriff. with the help of the former sheriff, Lynn sets up a trap for McCloud.

“Ride ’Em, Cowboy!” originally published in the July, 1938 issue of “Western Story” magazine is a great cowboy competition story between a Cowboy and a Cowgirl. When a champion bronco-buster and the girl he wants to marry, but constantly quarrels with, compete for the same prize at a rodeo, the results are unexpectedly romantic, but still with some good ol’ cowboy action involved.

“Boss of the Lazy B,” originally published in the September, 1938 issue of “Western Story” magazine shows that there’s only one kind of justice for a kidnapper and a thief and the boss of the Lazy B dispenses it with authority. I gotta say that the voice of the Boss is the coolest in this collection, you’ll see when you listen.

So, do yourself a favor and punch some dogies or just get this super awesome audiobook.

Okay now for that joke:

An Arizona cowpoke rides into a small Texas town and notices a gallows being set up in the middle of town. When he walks into the town saloon he says to the bar-keep, “Looks like you folks is gettin’ set for a hangin’.” The bar-keep says, “yep, they’s ahangin’ Brown Paper Pete.” “Brown Paper Pete?” asks the cowpoke, “Why do they call him that?” “Well,” explains the bar-keep, ” He wears brown paper chaps, a brown paper vest, and wears a brown paper 10 gallon hat.” The cowpoke asks, “What are they hangin’ him for?” The bar-keep answers, “Rustlin’.”

“Mouthpiece” by L. Ron Hubbard

“Mouthpiece”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio (2012)
Approx 2 hours

Being a comic book fan I’ve always been drawn (pardon the pun) to the pulp magazines from the early to mid 20th century.  Actually, the pulp magazines were printed between 1896 and into the 1950s.  Pulp magazines with their thrilling over the top stories and characters and sensational cover art could easily be said to be the founding fathers of comic books.  With authors such as Isaac Asimov, H.P. Lovecraft and L. Ron Hubbard the stories were often more valuable than the mere 10 cent cover price of the pulps.  Many well known authors wrote for the pulps and provided a plethora of short stories that have been nearly forgotten.  The pulps are making a comeback, thanks in small part to the old Quentin Tarantino movie, but the biggest reason for the comeback is the efforts of Galaxy Press and Galaxy Audio.

Since 2008 Galaxy Press/Galaxy Audio have been publishing the stories L. Ron Hubbard wrote for the pulps.  This not only preserves the stories for the future, after all the original pulps were printed on cheap paper (thus the name) and not meant to last, but this re-releasing exposes the readers of today to some fun stories in nearly every genre; mystery, sci-fi, adventure, westerns and more.  The added bonus is that Galaxy Audio is releasing each of these books, which contain one to four stories each in a pulp magazine feeling edition, into audiobooks.

The audiobooks from Galaxy Audio capture the feel of the original pulp magazines of the pulp era by dramatizing each book in the manner of radio shows from the same era. They use great vocal talent that are able to bring these over the top characters to life, sound effects that keep the story going and incidental music that fits perfectly with each genre and story.  Each time I listen to one of these audiobooks, I’m always amazed at the escapism provided.  By the end of each book I’m left wanting more yet still feeling satisfied by the great stories provided.  Then I have to wait another book for the next issue to be released.  (Actually you could buy the “ePulp” through their website, which is an iPod classic preloaded with all 80 audiobooks with lots of extras including photos, glossaries, videos and more, and not have to wait.)

This time around I gave the February, 2012 release of “Mouthpiece” a listen.  This audio pulp release from Galaxy audio features for stories from the Mystery genre of L. Ron Hubbard’s pulp writings. These stories were perfect Hubbard stories in that they not only were fun to hear but they included the inevitable Hubbard story twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.

The first story in this collection is, “Mouthpiece” originally published in the September, 1934 issue of “Thrilling Detective, and tells the story of Mat Lawrence who returns from building a power dam in the desert to track down the murderer of his gangster father. It had been a long time since Mat Lawrence went to the city. Only something urgent could take him from his job something as urgent and shocking as the grisly murder of his father. His father was a big-time gangster so it was no big surprise, Mat was an honest man but shared his father’s temper which gets him to seek revenge on his father’s murderer.  Seeking the help of his father’s attorney, Mat goes after the murderers and the million dollars that has gone missing.

Story number two is “Flame City,” originally published in the February, 1935 issue of “Thrilling Detective” and tells the story of Fire Chief Blaze Delaney whose job is in jeopardy because of a rash of fires hitting the city.  Blaze gets help from his son to stop an epidemic of fires and bring the arsonists to justice.

The third story is “Calling Squad Cars!” originally published in the April, 1934 issue of “Phantom Detective” and tells of a police dispatcher suspected of helping a gang of bank robbers.  When he is fired as dispatcher he fights back by tracking down the gang.  When he is taken hostage by the gang he soon learns how they were able to put out false reports on the police band to cover up their actual heists.  Now the dispatcher must use his skills as an expert radio man to foil the gangs criminal antics.

The final story is “The Grease Spot,” originally published in the July, 1936 issue of “Thrilling Detective” and tells the story of former race car driver now owner of a wrecking company who has been warned against using the police band as a means to get his tow jobs.  He soon finds himself a captive, at gunpoint, and needing help from the men in blue, or can he turn it around and help them out?

All four stories in superb audio drama form are the perfect companion for anyone who loves a good mystery.

“Trouble on His Wings” by L. Ron Hubbard

“Trouble on His Wings”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
Approx 2 hours

I’m really enjoying all theses stories from the Golden Age, that are being released from Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press, especially the short audiobooks they are releasing.  Galaxy Audio has been releasing all the short stories by L. Ron Hubbard from his Pulp-Fiction writing days of the mid-20th century since 2008 and each month there’s a new release.  In the paperback versions they are giving them the look and feel of the old pulp magazines, but even better Galaxy Audio has created what I call Audio Pulps in their audio versions.

The Audiobooks all run about 2 hours in length some with 1 story and some with 2 or 3 short stories.  Each one is produced with a full cast, sound effects and incidental music that fits each story perfectly.  In fact, these audiobooks sound a lot like the old radio dramas from that same era.  The voice actors bring to life each character perfectly.

The new year is rolling in and that means another year of monthly releases from Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press.  The first release of the year is “Trouble on His Wings,” which was originally published in the January, 1939 issue of “Five Novels Monthly.”

This adventure takes us to the air with a “picture-chaser” for the newsreels, yes, it is a bit dated on that aspect but the adventure is still enough to keep you on the edge.  Johnny Brice is always out to get the best pictures from the mouth of danger, from flying over a shipwreck and then diving in to get the film from the tourists onboard, to flying over a forest-fire and risking life and plane to get the best film for the newsreels.

The risks in this story run high and when Johnny and his sidekick, “Irish” fly over a shipwreck they end up rescuing a beautiful woman who manages to tag along on each adventure.  Each time around tragedy strikes and Johnny loses his film and crashes a plane or two.  He figures it’s all because of the dame and gives her the nickname “Jinx.”

Finally when Johnny is sent over to cover the war between Japan and China and is captured by the Japanese, the trio have to escape, and hopefully gather some info so Johnny and Irish can keep their jobs at world news.

Lots of fun high-flying, death-defying, adventure in this one.  Using the same old pulp-fiction formula of a Hero, a sidekick and a dame, Hubbard keeps you on listening until the very end.  With all sorts of twists and turns in the story that you never know what will happen until the surprising end.

“Orders is Orders” by L. Ron Hubbard

“Orders is Orders”

by L. Ron Hubbard

Multi-cast performance

Produced by Galaxy Audio (2008)

approx 2.5 hours

Galaxy Audio is getting ready to release some new collections of audiobooks from L. Ron Hubbard’s Pulp Fiction writings of the mid-20th Century and before I get to them I realized there was one release I’ve missed.  You see, since 2008 Galaxy Press and Galaxy Audio have been gathering all of the stories Hubbard wrote during the hey day of pulp fiction and have been releasing the New York Times bestselling author’s writings in their own new pulp magazine forms.  The paperbacks have the feel of the old pulps (but are a little more sturdy), and the audio book forms, well let’s just say, Galaxy Audio has created the new format of Audio Pulps.  The audiobook releases are all around 2 hours in length and while some may contain one story there are some that have 2 or 3 short stories.  This one is only one story but, as are all of them, it is a fun and exciting adventure story.

The way Galaxy Audio has created this Audio Pulp format is by casting multiple talented people to play the parts in the story and then incorporating excellent sound effects and perfect music between chapters.  The final products sound like old time radio with over the top acting for the over the top characters created by Hubbard.  The voice work alone makes these recordings fun to hear.

As for the stories, well I will have to say there is a bit of a pulp fiction formula to them, but Hubbard uses that formula perfectly.  I had originally thought this was just a Hubbard gimmick, but following the success of Galaxy Audio/Galaxy Press re-releasing the old pulp-fiction stories other publishers have begun releasing other stories from the pulp-fiction days, and it seems that the formula is a pulp-fiction formula and Hubbard just seemed to master it.  That formula? Well, you gotta have a hero, a sidekick (preferably with some strange quirk) a dame and an impossible mission or crime to solve, then throw in some pretty enemies that are impossible to overcome and have the good guys win.  It works and let me tell you, it is extremely fun.

This story, “Orders Is Orders” was originally published in the December, 1937 issue of “Argosy weekly” and tells the story of just such formulaic characters. Two marines, Gunnery Sergeant James Mitchell and Private First Class “Tuffy” Spivits,   and a girl, a fan dancer trying to escape the war-torn area,  dodge bullets on a 200-mile trek through embattled China to bring serum and gold to the American consulate, an isolated island of safety in a sea of dead and dying.

Japan and China are battling it out and caught in the middle, in the Chinese city of Shunkien, is the American Consulate.  The American refugees cannot escape due to the war being waged and the Asiatic form of cholera is threatening unless they can get the serum on time.   Sgt, Mitchell is just the man to do it, but he has one weakness, liquor, if he can stay away from it he can stay clear headed enough to get the job done.  One of the many things that make Mitchell the perfect candidate is that he was raised in the area.  Mitchell’s father is a missionary and he was raised there until a falling out caused him to leave abruptly, he’s been on his own ever-since.

Mitchell and Spivets come to the aid of a fan dancer who is trying to escape, but they end up taking her the wrong way when they commandeer her car in order to make the mission succeed.  Along the way they come to where Mitchell’s father has set up is mission and find it nearly in ruins due to the war.  Since their last car broke down they have to commandeer one and reluctantly Mitchell’s father joins in.  With constant battles going on they strange landing party fight all odds to get to Shunkien on time without getting the U.S. involved in this war.

It may be the old Pulp-Fiction formula, but L. Ron Hubbard could write the action that keeps you hooked until the very end.

“The Chee-Chalker” by L. Ron Hubbard

“The Chee-Chalker”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio (2008)
Approx 2 hours.

It’s time once again to go on an adventure with the master story teller, L. Ron Hubbard.  Once again we turn to the stories from the Golden Age, and this time explore the wilderness and outlaws of the Alaskan territory.  Hubbard wrote many stories in many genres that were published in many of the pulp fiction magazines in the mid-20th Century and Galaxy Press has been releasing these stories in their own “pulp” form and have created audio pulps from these releases.  What I call audio pulps are short books (usually around 2 hours in length) that are produced with an excellent multi-cast of performers, special effects that place the listener in the middle of the story and original music that matches the story perfectly.  Each production is reminiscent of old time radio broadcasts with over the top characters and voices to match.

This time I go back to 2008 (the year when Galaxy Audio first began releasing these stories) and listen to the audio pulp of “The Chee-Chalker” which was originally released in “Five Novels” monthly during the months of July and August of 1947.  This story takes you to the Alaskan Territory where FBI agent, Bill Norton and his assistant Chick have been sent to investigate the smuggling of Heroin into the United States via Alaska and Canada and the missing agent that preceded him in the territory.

Norton is considered at first a “Chee-Chalker,” local slang for a newcomer by the locals, but that’s their first mistake.  Norton finds not only the smugglers but a string of corpses which are dismissed as “accidental drownings.”  Norton doesn’t buy it and when a dame gets in the picture the twists and turns in clues abound.  This time the dame is a heart-stopping heiress to the halibut trade, and seems to be behind the murders and smuggling, at first.  But through the typewriter of L. Ron Hubbard things are never what they seem.

With hard hitting punches and excellent detective work, Norton will get to the bottom of it all,but at the expense of whose lives?  Yet another fun adventure that will keep you guessing until the very end.

“Branded Outlaw” by L. Ron Hubbard

“Branded Outlaw”
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
produced by Galaxy Audio
Approx 2 hours.

Once again I venture into another story from the pulps of the mid-20th Century and this time I do it with a western.  It’s been a bit since I’ve listened to a tale of cattle rustlers and gunslingers, so let’s check out “Branded Outlaw.”

Before we get into the story, I’ve got to explain why I’m listening to this book.  I got introduced to the stories of L. Ron Hubbard that appeared in the many pulp fiction magazines of the early – mid 20th century via Galaxy Audiom and it all started with Hubbard’s sci-fi/fantasy stories.  I’m a huge sci-fi fan, and listening to these classic stories produced by Galaxy Audio would blast me off into several universes and realities.  I then got curious and started listening to the other genres, from air adventures, mystery, sea adventures and westerns.  I’ve never been a fan of westerns but after hearing the great production in the others I gave them a chance with this collection.  I was amazed, they were fun and with the great sound effects, music and superb voice acting Galaxy Audio got me interested and since then I look forward to the next one.

This story is yet another superb production, in which you’ll be ducking bullets and hiding behind rocks to get your next shot in.  “Branded Outlaw” was originally published in the October, 1938 issue of  “Five Novels” monthly and tells the tale of “Suicide” Lee  Weston, who returns to Pecos, New Mexico from Wyoming, to help his father who has written Lee telling him of an enemy by the name of Harvey Dodge.   Weston is thinking Dodge is trying to take over his father’s land and stealing his cattle.  When he arrives he finds his father murdered and the homestead burned to the ground.  Weston then heads into town seeking revenge on Harvey Dodge.

The Sheriff tries to calm Weston, but as Weston leaves the Sheriff’s office a gunman challenges him upon hearing he is seeking out Dodge.  Weston narrowly escapes but manages to kill the gunman.  The problem is one of the stray bullets from the gunfight has killed a passerby.  Weston is now wanted for murder, he heads for the hills and a private fishing lodge he stayed in as a kid.  At the lodge Weston is found by a woman who nurses him to health, and in classic Hubbard style the twists begin in that the woman is the daughter of Harvey Dodge.

Weston sets out to stop the man responsible for the series of cattle rustlings and land grabbing after finding out that Dodge may not be behind it.  But trouble ensues as well as the gunfights.  Can Weston prove his innocence before meeting up with the lynch mob out for him?  In a tale that is a CLASSIC western, you’ll need to tighten up your spurs because you are in for the long ride until justice prevails in the old west.

Just to show how detailed of a western this story is here’s a quote from the book:

“A leather-faced, sun-dried individual with a star on his chest was drowsing over a stack of reward posters, waking up occasionally to swat at a fly which buzzed around his ear. But the instant a shadow appeared in the door, Tate Randall, through long and self-preserving habit, swiftly came to life, one hand half stretched out as a welcoming gesture and the other on the Colt at his side. His bleached eyes squinted as he inspected Lee.”

Just plain classic western writing with a very visual description.

“Ai! Pedrito! -When Intelligence Goes Wrong ” by L. Ron Hubbard and Kevin J. Anderson

“Ai! Pedrito! -When Intelligence Goes Wrong “
by L. Ron Hubbard and Kevin J. Anderson
Multicast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
Approx 9 hours

Holy cow!  I have just finished a super fun action/adventure/comedy and I can’t tell if I’m tired from laughing or the suspense, probably both.  “Ai! Pedrito!” is a great romp through the spy world mixing in the United States, the Russians, the Cubans, and the  small South American country Colodor .  This book is a parody of that spy world mixing up spies, double agents, lovers and enemies as seen through a nerdy very straight edged Naval Intelligence officer and sometimes through his doppleganger, a revolutionary, womanizer and heavy drinker.

“Ai! Pedrito!” was originally written as a screenplay by L. Ron Hubbard who said the events were based on an incident that happend to him in real life.  The screenplay was then novelized by Kevin J. Anderson.  Anderson whose works include the collaboration with Brian Herbert on the “Dune” series of books written and pieced together from material found after Frank Herbert’s death.  Anderson is not a stranger to turning “found” material into great books, but most of his stuff is Science-Fiction, while this story has a very small piece of sci-fi to add to the fun, Anderson proved he can also work on comedy and adventure with this one.

The Russians and Cubans have developed a plan to steal secrets from the U.S. military by placing a revolutionary, by the name of Pedrito Miraflores into the office of U.S. Naval intelligence and in turn send Lt. J.G. Tom Smith to the small country of Colodor, while Pedrito steals the secrets.  What makes this the perfect plan is that Smith and Miraflores are mirror images of each other, in looks only.  While Smith spends his spare time reading history books and his drink of choice is milk, Miraflores’ pasttime is womanizing and drinking tequila, oh, and starting revolutions in South America.   But these two redheads will be switching places and the mayhem begins.

Tom Smith is told he has won a free trip to the beautiful South American country of Colodor.  When he tells the representative from the sweepstakes he can’t find Colodor on the map the rep tells him it’s all due to a strike by the Mapmakers Union.  Tom takes the vacation as a chance to relax and get his mind away from the numerous blueprints of secret weapons and get a chance to read his book on great Naval battles.  When he arrives at the Colodor Airport he is accosted by a man that greets him with, “Ai! Pedrito!” and proceeds to shuffle Tom into the Airport bar insisting on buying him a drink.  When Tom insists he’s not Pedrito, the man thinks Pedrito is undercover and says, “Don’t worry Pedrito, your secret is safe with me.”  This is how Lt. J.G. begins his life as Pedrito Miraflores.

Meanwhile, Pedrito begins stealing secrets and, when Smith’s boss insists Pedrito date his daughter Pedrito cannot resist the chance to be with a beautiful woman.  But alas, this begins Pedrito’s demise in America.

With each person beginning to absorb the other more and more as they are forced to live as each other until the mission is finished they both begin to realize that womanizing gets you nowhere (especially when the women can think of only getting married).  Smith seems to be doing more damage as Pedrito, when he blows up the US Embassy, by proxy, a secret CIA communications center and gets the US to bomb secret Cuban Missile silos.  All this is done under the constant watch of a mysterious master of disguise by the name of Bolo.

With some funny constant running gags, such as the shout of “Ai! Pedrito!”, Smith nearly recognizing Bolo each time, and the mapmaker’s strike, this book will have you laughing out loud while on the edge of your seat wondering how it all turns out.  I will say that not until the very end will you know.  Hubbard had a knack for twists in a story and this one, I think, used every twist he could think of.

This audio book is yet another superb production from Galaxy Audio.  Galaxy Audio has been turning all of Hubbard’s pulp fiction stories into audio books and this latest release shows they are working on more of Hubbard’s works I hope they keep on producing more of these excellent audio dramas, because I can’t wait to listen to some of his sci-fi novels.  Galaxy Audio shows how an audiobook should be done, with excellent voice actors, special sound effects that are comparable to any major motion picture.  The incidental music through the book and especially between chapters perfectly represent the feel of the audio book, making the entire production a classic work of art.

Mixing in a comedy of errors, mistaken identity, espionage, and blundering officials, “Ai! Pedrito!..” is  a fun audiobook that will keep you on the edge of your seat with action and laughing out loud with great humor.