Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed The Fantastic Island & Danger Lies East (Doc Savage, Volume 23) on + 1180 more book reviews
This is the first Doc Savage novel that I've read in many years. Back in the 1960s and 70s, I devoured the Bantam reprint editions of the classic pulp stories from the 30s and 40s. Well, this one was not quite as I remembered - the writing was definitely not the greatest. The story (Fantastic Island) about a maniacal Russian with a hidden agenda on one of the Galapagos Islands may have been the inspiration for Ian Fleming's "Dr. No." I may reread Dr. No to see how it compares. The story could have also influenced the writer of "Holes", the YA novel about a camp where young people are required to dig holes because of a possible hidden treasure. Well "Fantastic Island" has this same plot line. I did like this Sanctum edition that includes some additional features discussing how Island came to be as a collaboration between Lester Dent and W. Ryerson Johnson. It also contains the Savage novel "Danger Lies East", which I'll read at a later date and a story from Crime Busters by Dent called "Talking Toad." Overall, I would definitely recommend this Sanctum edition but only a mild recommendation for "The Fantastic Island."
