The Magic Island

Doc Savage (Bantam) #89

by Kenneth Robeson (House Name), Bob Larkin (Cover) (Illustrator)

By night, a fabulous city floats like a phosphorescent fantasy over the watery waste of the Pacific. The awestruck sailors who witness this miraculous sight find themselves gifted suddenly with superhuman powers. But by morning the phantasm — and its magic — have mysteriously vaporized. Stranger still, why are a certain crime kingpin and beautiful but ruthless heiress fascinated by the unearthly event? To come up — alive –with an answer, the Man of Bronze will need all his incredible cunning and towering strength. (Originally published as "OST")

Genres: Adventure, Fiction, Pulp, Science Fiction, Pulp Adventure, Fantasy

137 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published July 1, 1977

About the author

Kenneth Robeson was the house name used by Street and Smith Publications as the author of their popular character Doc Savage and later The Avenger. Though most Doc Savage stories were written by the author Lester Dent, there were many others who contributed to the series, including:

William G. Bogart
Evelyn Coulson
Harold A. Davis
Lawrence Donovan
Alan Hathway
W. Ryerson Johnson

Lester Dent is usually considered to be the creator of Doc Savage. In the 1990s Philip José Farmer wrote a new Doc Savage adventure, but it was published under his own name and not by Robeson. Will Murray has since taken up the pseudonym and continued writing Doc Savage books as Robeson.

All 24 of the original stories featuring The Avenger were written by Paul Ernst, using the Robeson house name. In order to encourage sales Kenneth Robeson was credited on the cover of The Avenger magazine as "the creator of Doc Savage" even though Lester Dent had nothing to do with The Avenger series. In the 1970s, when the series was extended with 12 additional novels, Ron Goulart was hired to become Robeson.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Magic Island is a "Doc Savage" novel by Kenneth Robeson. Kenneth Robeson was the house name Street and Smith Publications used as the author of their popular Doc Savage novels. Though most Doc Savage stories were written by the author Lester Dent, there were many others who contributed to the series, including: William G. Bogart, Evelyn Coulson, Harold A. Davis, Lawrence Donovan, Alan Hathway, and W. Ryerson Johnson.
I love reading these old pulp novels from time to time. I read about 80%+ of the Doc Savage novels when I was a teenager but that was a very long time ago. I have been trying to find them again in the Bantam editions I read in my youth. I have found several of them in used bookstores and have bought several from online aftermarket bookstores.
In this one, Doc Savage and his men are in the thick of it again. The action is classic Doc Savage, filled with good old-fashioned adventure and gadgets that always seem to be there when the hero needs them. You can relax and escape for a little while. A good read in the Doc Savage series.

[Steven Vaughan-Nichols · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Doc Savage novel features a somewhat different take on the lost city trope. It's not a great one, even judging it by the 30's pulp curve, but it was still enjoyable.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The original title of the book was Ost. This was a wonderful yarn and an absorbing read, right until the very end. The last few page or so when the Ostians decided that they did not want their wealth no longer was a bit of a cheat for me. They decide to turn all of their wealth over to the white men. Hmmm. So this basically turners into a treasure hunt book. This despite the fact is already very wealthy as are his aids.

So, in the end, Doc’s crew have to ditch every nonessential on the dirigible to fit all of the swag. Why? Doc already has a fabulous gold horde already. Then the last sentence really knock me for a loop. The dirigible loses its gas and so they have to walk through the jungle fir three weeks. With all of that loot? I don’t think so. Why did the author devolve the book into such an insanely ridiculous finish. I was set to give the story five stars but the ending brought it down a couple of stars.

Doc and all of his men are aboard for this adventure. The story begins off the coast of New Guinea. The story comes East to New York and from there the adventure goes to add to San Francisco before again coming back to New Guinea for the finish.

[David Ivester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heres an adventure that includes the whole gang, Monk and Ham, Renny, Long Tom and ... well, the rest as they say on Gilligan's Island. Throw in a beautiful dame and a few swarthy crooks and you have an adventure boiling. Speaking of boiling, it never ceases to amaze that these pot boilers were generated in mere days by a covey of journeyman pulp writers who made something so enjoyable to read. My favorite DS, I think, is The Worlds Fair Goblin, but this one is not far behind. What a trip!

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Doc adventure.

[Mark Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mysterious floating city—the explanation for which advances beyond the usual Doc Savage pseudoscience—leads to a rip-roaring adventure.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Doc Savage story appeared in 1933 and the series ran in pulp and later digest format into 1949. Bantam reprinted the entire series in paperback with wonderful, iconic covers starting in the 1960's. Doc was arguably the first great modern superhero with a rich background, continuity, and mythos. The characterizations were far richer than was common for the pulps; his five associates and their sometimes-auxiliary, Doc's cousin Pat, and the pets Chemistry and Habeas Corpus, all had very distinctive characteristics and their byplay was frequently more entertaining that the current adventure-of-the-month. The settings were also fascinating: Doc's Fortress of Solitude, the Hidalgo Trading Company (which served as a front for his armada of vehicles), and especially the mysterious 86th floor headquarters all became familiar haunts to the reader, and the far-flung adventures took the intrepid band to exotic and richly-described locations all over the world. The adventures were always fast-paced and exciting, from the early apocalyptic world-saving extravaganzas of the early days to the latter scientific-detective style shorter works of the post-World War Two years. There were always a few points that it was difficult to believe along the way, but there were always more ups than downs, and there was never, ever a dull moment. The Doc Savage books have always been my favorite entertainments... I was always, as Johnny would say, superamalgamated!

[Stormcrow Hayes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of the better Doc Savage tales. Yes, there are a few interesting mysteries presented and plenty of classic pulp era action, but nothing that really stands out from other tales.

Although most "magic" in these tales turns out to have a scientific explanation, Robeson (aka Dent), runs with Eastern mysticism to explain how Goa, the native elder, projects his image and reads minds, even going so far as to footnote a photo of a levitating yogi that science can't explain. I guess Dent didn't realize how easily photos could be faked. We are left with a character who truly has magical abilities though they aren't put to much use.

Of note, there is an incredibly racist portrayal of a Chinese man who is part of the villain's crew, but at least turns out to be a good guy at heart.

This book is for Doc Savage diehards and completists.

(Lastly, my copy had a lot of typos and typeset errors, more than usual.)

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the pulp era heroes few stand out above the crowd, Doc Savage is one of these. With his 5 aides and cousin he adventures across the world. Fighting weird menaces, master criminals and evil scientists Doc and the Fab 5 never let you down for a great read. These stories have all you need; fast paced action, weird mystery, and some humor as the aides spat with each other. My highest recommendation.

[Lewis Manalo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pulp fiction at its best, this oldie of the Man of Bronze is typically quaint and breath-takingly fast. It's kind of storytelling is often copied today, minus the racism and sexism. I particularly like the footnotes that constantly attempt to lend the story some plausibility.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Solid pulp adventure as a mysterious city floating in the sky lures Doc and his team into another jungle adventure. Nothing spectacular, but good entertainment, though more sexist than many in the series.

[Tomi Vaisala · Rating 2 out of 5]

Imaginative sci-fi story that was originally published in Doc Savage magazine under the name Ost.

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

a.k.a. Ost, read some time in 1983