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Galaxy Jane
Interplanetary journalist Jack Summer discovers that smugglers plan to secret their supply of the deadly drug Zombium aboard an immense movie studio starship, and, with the help of his boss's daughter and a robot photographer, he sets out to get the story
168 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1986
2 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Ron Goulart
607 books98 followersPseudonyms: Howard Lee; Frank S Shawn; Kenneth Robeson; Con Steffanson; Josephine Kains; Joseph Silva; William Shatner.
Ron Goulart is a cultural historian and novelist. Besides writing extensively about pulp fiction—including the seminal Cheap Thrills: An Informal History of Pulp Magazines (1972)—Goulart has written for the pulps since 1952, when the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction published his first story, a sci-fi parody of letters to the editor. Since then he has written dozens of novels and countless short stories, spanning genres and using a variety of pennames, including Kenneth Robeson, Joseph Silva, and Con Steffanson. In the 1990s, he became the ghostwriter for William Shatner’s popular TekWar novels. Goulart’s After Things Fell Apart (1970) is the only science-fiction novel to ever win an Edgar Award.
In the 1970s Goulart wrote novels starring series characters like Flash Gordon and the Phantom, and in 1980 he published Hail Hibbler, a comic sci-fi novel that began the Odd Jobs, Inc. series. Goulart has also written several comic mystery series, including six books starring Groucho Marx. Having written for comic books, Goulart produced several histories of the art form, including the Comic Book Encyclopedia (2004).
Ron Goulart is a cultural historian and novelist. Besides writing extensively about pulp fiction—including the seminal Cheap Thrills: An Informal History of Pulp Magazines (1972)—Goulart has written for the pulps since 1952, when the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction published his first story, a sci-fi parody of letters to the editor. Since then he has written dozens of novels and countless short stories, spanning genres and using a variety of pennames, including Kenneth Robeson, Joseph Silva, and Con Steffanson. In the 1990s, he became the ghostwriter for William Shatner’s popular TekWar novels. Goulart’s After Things Fell Apart (1970) is the only science-fiction novel to ever win an Edgar Award.
In the 1970s Goulart wrote novels starring series characters like Flash Gordon and the Phantom, and in 1980 he published Hail Hibbler, a comic sci-fi novel that began the Odd Jobs, Inc. series. Goulart has also written several comic mystery series, including six books starring Groucho Marx. Having written for comic books, Goulart produced several histories of the art form, including the Comic Book Encyclopedia (2004).
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 5, 2022
Afraid I'm going to be kind of hard on this one. I really didn't care for it. I'm sure some folks would like it but it was written very tongue in cheek, kind of James Bond vibe in an SF universe, but without any seriousness to it. I'm just not the target for this kind of thing. It was also a pretty severe case of false advertising. The title and great cover suggest a space pirates kind of adventure but there's none of that. Galaxy Jane is a movie being filmed by a futuristic studio and there is some drug dealing on the set. A reporter is sent to figure out what's going on and has various adventures and woos various ladies. There's a running skit where he's being hounded by hired thugs, robots and others, to get him to pay alimony to his ex-wife but to me that got old very fast and it wasn't funny. Or at least I didn't find it so.
As I was researching Goulart (who died in January of 2022) for this review I found out that he's also written a few other books I've read, and none of which I liked, including a Flash Gordon (The Plague of Sound) under the name Con Steffanson, and The Phantom volume "The Goggle Eyed Pirates," with the name of Lee Falk on it. I thought both those books were weak and it's interesting to me to see they are from the same author with the same style. I personally won't be reading anymore Goulart books but that's my individual decision. He's not for me. It might be that you'd like exactly his kind of writing so don't let me stop you from giving him a try.
As I was researching Goulart (who died in January of 2022) for this review I found out that he's also written a few other books I've read, and none of which I liked, including a Flash Gordon (The Plague of Sound) under the name Con Steffanson, and The Phantom volume "The Goggle Eyed Pirates," with the name of Lee Falk on it. I thought both those books were weak and it's interesting to me to see they are from the same author with the same style. I personally won't be reading anymore Goulart books but that's my individual decision. He's not for me. It might be that you'd like exactly his kind of writing so don't let me stop you from giving him a try.
September 19, 2020
This is one of Goulart's Jake Summer books, a paparazzi/journalist who lives in Goulart's Barnum System and has many zany adventures with robots and lizard-men and cat-men and attractive young women and all manner of unlikely aliens and other crazed characters, solving mysteries and getting to the truth of the stories to which he's assigned. This one has a lovely cover by Boris Vallejo depicting the title character, who's the star of a film Jake and his sidekick Palma are investigating. It's light satire, fun and quick stuff, great for taking your mind off of the current news.
March 13, 2013
Deceptively marketed. The cover and most of the back description would have you believe this is a space adventure but the story actually has very little to do with Galaxy Jane and it turns out that it's just the title of a movie that's being made. It's really a goofy story about a roguish journalist tracking down drug smugglers... in space. Not nearly as fun as I was led to believe it would be.
November 30, 2019
They say never judge a book by its cover and never was a truer word spoken when reading Galaxy Jane. Hands up, I admit it, I bought this one for the gorgeous Boris Vallejo cover art and the title Galaxy Jane - BV being one of my favourite artists and Barbarella my favourite film, the fact that it's written by Ron Goulart (vampirella, Battle Star Galactica) surely didn't hurt.
So here I am expecting a sexy pulp romp about a buxom and deadly space pirate - something like Raven or Silverglass in space. Alas from the first page I'm disappointed... because Galaxy Jane isn't even a minor character, she's not in this at all! The connection is that a film is being made about the sexy space pirate.
The story itself follows hack journalist Jack Summer and the wannabe reporter Vicky who just happens to be the bosses daughter. They are on the film set investigating rumours of the smuggling of zombium (the galaxy's drug of choice).
The story is very poor and the ending rushed. The characters are cardboard and predictable. The writing is very sparse too which hardly helps - there's barely any description and nothing is explained. This is a world peopled with animal like aliens but other than naming them: catmen, apemen, lizardmen, toadmen, birdmen and the odd one off reference to fur or feathers you don't get any description at all. This feels like a script - which would be acceptable if this was the novelization of a movie but it isn't and sorry but describing an explosion as "Kaboom! Kachow! Karoom! Whump! Whump!" might be ok in comics or script but not in a novel.
Really disappointed with this in almost every respect. Thank goodness it has a lightening pace and is blessedly short.
So here I am expecting a sexy pulp romp about a buxom and deadly space pirate - something like Raven or Silverglass in space. Alas from the first page I'm disappointed... because Galaxy Jane isn't even a minor character, she's not in this at all! The connection is that a film is being made about the sexy space pirate.
The story itself follows hack journalist Jack Summer and the wannabe reporter Vicky who just happens to be the bosses daughter. They are on the film set investigating rumours of the smuggling of zombium (the galaxy's drug of choice).
The story is very poor and the ending rushed. The characters are cardboard and predictable. The writing is very sparse too which hardly helps - there's barely any description and nothing is explained. This is a world peopled with animal like aliens but other than naming them: catmen, apemen, lizardmen, toadmen, birdmen and the odd one off reference to fur or feathers you don't get any description at all. This feels like a script - which would be acceptable if this was the novelization of a movie but it isn't and sorry but describing an explosion as "Kaboom! Kachow! Karoom! Whump! Whump!" might be ok in comics or script but not in a novel.
Really disappointed with this in almost every respect. Thank goodness it has a lightening pace and is blessedly short.
July 24, 2022
alaxy Jane: adventurer, space pirate, freedom fighter, and one of the most interesting persons the Barnum System ever knew. A book about her would probably be awesome. But this isn’t that book. Instead it’s about NewzNet reporter Jack Summer, who’s ostensibly been assigned to write a story about the new movie based on Galaxy Jane’s greatest adventure. But we all know he’s really a scandal-sniffer, and his real job is to investigate information that the starship Hollywood II is secretly involved in Zombium smuggling.
Cover by Boris Vallejo, and it’s probably a publicity still of the actress playing Jane.
Jack isn’t thrilled about this assignment, especially as he’ll have to work with recent journalism school graduate (and boss’ daughter) Vicky Nugent. But he’s behind on his alimony, and the money’s too good to pass up. Vicky comes with camera operator/bodyguard Scoop, a combat robot who’s been reconditioned with snappy patter and a variety of useful tools.
The trio board the Hollywood II and encounter various wacky show business types, from irascible parrotman writer Harlan Gyrzb (a transparent stand-in for irascible human writer Harlan Ellison), through “moderately swishy” catman actor Ezra Zilber, to consultant Bunker King, Jr., great-grandson of the character played by the male lead, who strongly objects to the way his ancestor is being portrayed.
After some hijinks on the city-ship, our characters land on Murdstone, the planet that will be used for location shoots for the Galaxy Jane movie. Temporarily separated from Vicky and Scoop, Jack runs into lecherous former partner and photographer Palma, and recruits local guide and telekinetic mutant Finity Kwark to assist them. Too bad they get captured too!
Just when it looks like the case is wrapped up, the locals get riled up, and it looks like the big battle scene meant for the movie will play out in real life. How’s Jack going to get out of this one?
As you might have guessed, this is a science fiction spoof. Zany personalities, comical situations, unlikely events. Ron Goulart wrote quite a few novels and stories along these general lines. No attempt is made to make the mix of humans, variant humans, animal-people, weirder aliens, robots and androids seem particularly plausible, and Mr. Goulart feels free to toss in random background gags with no larger purpose. Why is there a “dirty wrestlers” convention at this remote inn in a swamp? Why not?
In a lot of ways, this book feels like it could have been written in the 1960s rather than the 1980s, with perhaps the female characters being allowed to be more effective than back in the day without it being treated as a big deal. Jack is less worried about working with Vicky because she’s a woman, and more that she’s a rookie. A rookie who’s a crack shot, as she keeps reminding him (and finally gets to prove.)
That said, there’s a definite undercurrent of horniness. Palma may be the one who actively pursues any woman with noticeable breasts, but Jack has a reputation for canoodling himself, and it’s not ever completely denied or confirmed in his thoughts. Several of the women in the story are clearly open to warm embracing and maybe more.
My personal favorite is Finity, who has an “aw-shucks” attitude towards her telekinetic powers, and a folksy way of speaking. “Well, for blamsakes!”
Most of the gags land, and if you don’t like one, another will be along in a paragraph.
Content note: Fantastic racism played for laughs (one fellow explains that normally he’d never be defending reptile people, who are the lowest of the low, but these particular ones share a hobby with him.) Drug abuse. Slavery (Palma and Finity free the slaves they stumble across, but there’s not much they can do about the social structure.) Offscreen extramarital sex. Goverment agencies regularly bug people’s rooms without a warrant. A bit of homophobia. Ageism, again played for laughs as Jack is 39, and is constantly reminded that’s over the hill for reporters.
Overall: A lot of the reviews I’ve seen did not appreciate the bait and switch of the title and cover. If you can overlook that, this is a funny but inconsequential romp that you can probably find cheap used.
Cover by Boris Vallejo, and it’s probably a publicity still of the actress playing Jane.
Jack isn’t thrilled about this assignment, especially as he’ll have to work with recent journalism school graduate (and boss’ daughter) Vicky Nugent. But he’s behind on his alimony, and the money’s too good to pass up. Vicky comes with camera operator/bodyguard Scoop, a combat robot who’s been reconditioned with snappy patter and a variety of useful tools.
The trio board the Hollywood II and encounter various wacky show business types, from irascible parrotman writer Harlan Gyrzb (a transparent stand-in for irascible human writer Harlan Ellison), through “moderately swishy” catman actor Ezra Zilber, to consultant Bunker King, Jr., great-grandson of the character played by the male lead, who strongly objects to the way his ancestor is being portrayed.
After some hijinks on the city-ship, our characters land on Murdstone, the planet that will be used for location shoots for the Galaxy Jane movie. Temporarily separated from Vicky and Scoop, Jack runs into lecherous former partner and photographer Palma, and recruits local guide and telekinetic mutant Finity Kwark to assist them. Too bad they get captured too!
Just when it looks like the case is wrapped up, the locals get riled up, and it looks like the big battle scene meant for the movie will play out in real life. How’s Jack going to get out of this one?
As you might have guessed, this is a science fiction spoof. Zany personalities, comical situations, unlikely events. Ron Goulart wrote quite a few novels and stories along these general lines. No attempt is made to make the mix of humans, variant humans, animal-people, weirder aliens, robots and androids seem particularly plausible, and Mr. Goulart feels free to toss in random background gags with no larger purpose. Why is there a “dirty wrestlers” convention at this remote inn in a swamp? Why not?
In a lot of ways, this book feels like it could have been written in the 1960s rather than the 1980s, with perhaps the female characters being allowed to be more effective than back in the day without it being treated as a big deal. Jack is less worried about working with Vicky because she’s a woman, and more that she’s a rookie. A rookie who’s a crack shot, as she keeps reminding him (and finally gets to prove.)
That said, there’s a definite undercurrent of horniness. Palma may be the one who actively pursues any woman with noticeable breasts, but Jack has a reputation for canoodling himself, and it’s not ever completely denied or confirmed in his thoughts. Several of the women in the story are clearly open to warm embracing and maybe more.
My personal favorite is Finity, who has an “aw-shucks” attitude towards her telekinetic powers, and a folksy way of speaking. “Well, for blamsakes!”
Most of the gags land, and if you don’t like one, another will be along in a paragraph.
Content note: Fantastic racism played for laughs (one fellow explains that normally he’d never be defending reptile people, who are the lowest of the low, but these particular ones share a hobby with him.) Drug abuse. Slavery (Palma and Finity free the slaves they stumble across, but there’s not much they can do about the social structure.) Offscreen extramarital sex. Goverment agencies regularly bug people’s rooms without a warrant. A bit of homophobia. Ageism, again played for laughs as Jack is 39, and is constantly reminded that’s over the hill for reporters.
Overall: A lot of the reviews I’ve seen did not appreciate the bait and switch of the title and cover. If you can overlook that, this is a funny but inconsequential romp that you can probably find cheap used.
June 20, 2020
Marketed as science fiction, this is more of a satire of hard-boiled detective novels that happens to have a science fiction setting. There are nods to science fiction fandom that will be caught by those readers. Hardest to miss is the caricature of Harlan Ellison.
As a satire, it was amusing. I was hoping more for a science fiction story and to learn far more about Galaxy Jane. Instead she is a character in a space opera that will be soon filmed. Our intrepid investigatory journalist is reporting on it as a cover for finding out more about the Zombium drug trade.
I bought it long ago in paperback for the Boris Vallejo cover. The Kindle edition has an equally misleading cover. If you aren't looking for a satire, but a space opera, you will find yourself sorely disappointed.
As a satire, the book is well done and earns its four stars.
As a satire, it was amusing. I was hoping more for a science fiction story and to learn far more about Galaxy Jane. Instead she is a character in a space opera that will be soon filmed. Our intrepid investigatory journalist is reporting on it as a cover for finding out more about the Zombium drug trade.
I bought it long ago in paperback for the Boris Vallejo cover. The Kindle edition has an equally misleading cover. If you aren't looking for a satire, but a space opera, you will find yourself sorely disappointed.
As a satire, the book is well done and earns its four stars.
July 21, 2021
Not exactly what I expected but I couldn't put it down. You will need a vivid imagination of our own and be willing to allow Ron Goulart's words create a colorful and futuristic world that really stimulates the mind. The story was well told and a fun read. My only wish was that there was another book to follow this great story. It's defiantly on my list to re-read when a need to escape on a sci-fi adventure.
November 23, 2022
You don't go into a Ron Goulart book expecting nuance and deep existential metaphors.
You go in looking for schlock, a lot of characters (too many too boot), some genuinely funny lines, more dialogue than narrative, and then... an ending... that stops the book as quickly as it started.
That is all I wanted and that is all I got.
Thanks Ron, and I mean this will all sincerity, I'm glad you knew who you were and what you could do in 160 pages.
You go in looking for schlock, a lot of characters (too many too boot), some genuinely funny lines, more dialogue than narrative, and then... an ending... that stops the book as quickly as it started.
That is all I wanted and that is all I got.
Thanks Ron, and I mean this will all sincerity, I'm glad you knew who you were and what you could do in 160 pages.
February 18, 2023
These Goulart stories read like a comic book. I’m not saying they are juvenile but they are full of cat men, lizard men, bird men, toad men, surly robots and all that stuff. And the stories boil down to a romp.
November 26, 2019
I bought this book on a whim but it wasn't for me.
January 6, 2024
Half decent interplanetary mystery romp. None of the characters are particularly relatable and the story ties up with a cheesy sex scene. Just okay for what it is, wouldn't read the others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2018
I re-read this today (5/13/18), almost 10 years after the last time I read it. And, in reading the previous reviews, it is obvious that science fiction readers have become too wrapped up in the "science" part. THIS BOOK IS SATIRE. Let me repeat that: THIS BOOK IS SATIRE.
Goulart, if I may simplify for those of you that didn't "like" the book and thought it was "misleading," tends to lampoon (that means "ridicule, deride or caricature") both science fiction and hard-boiled detective stories. It's meant to amuse you, not make you think. He is also mocking pop-culture, political-correctness, stuffy-academic types and anything else he feels is worth a chuckle.
Now, back to my original review:
When I need some mind candy, have a little reading fun, and want to laugh, I usually turn to Ron Goulart. He encompasses my passions for science fiction, action/adventure, mysteries and satire.
All his characters are such extreme stereotypes that they can't help be funny, so if you're easily offended by stereotyping, you may not like him.
I was once told that Terry Pratchett wrote in a similar style. So very NOT true! Goulart is humorous and far more readable than Pratchett, who tends to be merely droll as he drones on.
About the only beef I have with Goulart would be his weak endings, especially in this story. He seemed rushed to finish this one. But, as usual, his main character gets the young maiden in the end and everyone hops happily off to bed for a night of... Well, he never quite says, but I have a VERY fertile imagination! LOL
This isn't rocket science. Hell, it's barely science fiction. But it's funnier than an inept demi-wizard and a world balanced on the back of turtles or elephants or whatever.
Goulart, if I may simplify for those of you that didn't "like" the book and thought it was "misleading," tends to lampoon (that means "ridicule, deride or caricature") both science fiction and hard-boiled detective stories. It's meant to amuse you, not make you think. He is also mocking pop-culture, political-correctness, stuffy-academic types and anything else he feels is worth a chuckle.
Now, back to my original review:
When I need some mind candy, have a little reading fun, and want to laugh, I usually turn to Ron Goulart. He encompasses my passions for science fiction, action/adventure, mysteries and satire.
All his characters are such extreme stereotypes that they can't help be funny, so if you're easily offended by stereotyping, you may not like him.
I was once told that Terry Pratchett wrote in a similar style. So very NOT true! Goulart is humorous and far more readable than Pratchett, who tends to be merely droll as he drones on.
About the only beef I have with Goulart would be his weak endings, especially in this story. He seemed rushed to finish this one. But, as usual, his main character gets the young maiden in the end and everyone hops happily off to bed for a night of... Well, he never quite says, but I have a VERY fertile imagination! LOL
This isn't rocket science. Hell, it's barely science fiction. But it's funnier than an inept demi-wizard and a world balanced on the back of turtles or elephants or whatever.
July 3, 2009
See my review of "Wildsmith".
June 10, 2012
I think this is the worst book I have ever read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews