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The Devil - With Wings
During the 1930's and 1940's, L. Ron Hubbard wrote and published over 10 million words, becoming one of the most popular and prolific writers of the day.He wrote articles, short stories, novels, poetry, plays and film scripts, as well as numerous aviation, western, "true love", sports, detective, military, adventure, science fiction and fantasy stories. His name on the cover of a magazine was enough to send the circulation skyrocketing! Original editions of these incredible tales have become rare collectors' items due to their scarcity and demand. The L. Ron Hubbard Classic Fiction Series presents the full collection as a limited printing in an elegant leatherbound set, designed for generations of enjoyment.
138 pages, Leather Bound
Published January 1, 1996
3 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
L. Ron Hubbard
1,933 books651 followersL. Ron Hubbard is universally acclaimed as the single most influential author and humanitarian of this modern age. His definitive works on the mind and spirit—comprising over 350 million copies in circulation and more than 40 international bestsellers—have resulted in a legacy benefiting millions and a movement spanning all cultures.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 26, 2013
The pulp fiction writing style is ideal for a busy father of two 1/2 kids who happens to also be a doting happy husband with a professional career. The short chapters and fast-pace action keeps my literary appetite fed while neatly fitting into my busy and hectic schedule.
The Devil with Wings is about the mysterious and dark rebel, also known by the Japanese as Akuma-no-Hane', who terrorizes the land of the rising sun with death and destruction. The devil wreaks havoc throughout Asia with his daring aerial maneuvers and cunning methods to stop the Japanese soldiers advances. However, standing in his way is a beautiful young girl who believes he murdered her only brother. The mysterious stranger must find a way to prove the lies are false and save the day without being killed.
Ron L Hubbard is a master storyteller whose own life coincidentally reads like one of his very own tales. From prolific writer, World War II officer, world traveler, explorer, to founder of the church of Scientology Mr. Hubbard was quite an extraordinary character.
The Golden age club offers 150 or more stories just like this in their collection. Check www.goldenagestories.com for an interesting way to stay involved with reading.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my un-biased and honest review.
The Devil with Wings is about the mysterious and dark rebel, also known by the Japanese as Akuma-no-Hane', who terrorizes the land of the rising sun with death and destruction. The devil wreaks havoc throughout Asia with his daring aerial maneuvers and cunning methods to stop the Japanese soldiers advances. However, standing in his way is a beautiful young girl who believes he murdered her only brother. The mysterious stranger must find a way to prove the lies are false and save the day without being killed.
Ron L Hubbard is a master storyteller whose own life coincidentally reads like one of his very own tales. From prolific writer, World War II officer, world traveler, explorer, to founder of the church of Scientology Mr. Hubbard was quite an extraordinary character.
The Golden age club offers 150 or more stories just like this in their collection. Check www.goldenagestories.com for an interesting way to stay involved with reading.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my un-biased and honest review.
January 21, 2019
One of the best air adventure stories I ever read.
September 9, 2014
Playing Jokers Blog: all suits of genres and book news
And now we bring you the gripping tale from the Far East, where our daring hero has been declared dead!
I love two things that set me up for success with this book.
1. I love old radio broadcasts from the 1930s to the early 1960s. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to listen to them every Sunday (or any day during the week through streaming) on The Big Broadcast, my local radio station’s special program. And I recite: “Around Dodge City and in the territory out West, there’s just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers…and that’s with a U.S. Marshall and the smell of…GUNSMOKE!” (I’m not kidding when I say that I love and have grown up with these programs and stories.)
2. I also enjoy pulp fiction. In fact, I used to go to a hole-in-the-wall independent used bookstore in one the many ‘old towns’ in the area to hunt down pulp fiction paperbacks. Such titles as, “The Bed She Made” (a moralistic tale about a woman who had boyfriends, and thought she might be pregnant, only to discover that she wasn’t and decided she shouldn’t have boyfriends) and “The Horizontal Man”, a story if I remember correctly was about a man who had his own kind of vices and revelations.
When I won six (yes, six of these audiobooks!) from LibraryThing, I was a little freaked out by creepy technology. I swear I’ve never admitted my love for radio shows in a review before, and maybe only briefly expounded on my love for pulp fiction. Still, I was a little nervous about what might be contained in these stories from the early twentieth century in a multi-cast performance. Because as much as I love the genre, I am also aware that it is perhaps one of the rougher forms of writing in terms of its simplistic style and sweeping generalizations.
The Devil—With Wings is in my opinion, classic pulp fiction with the following elements:
• Orientalism (why look how strange these people are in this part of the world! How mystical and baffling!)
• A strong male character
• A beautiful submissive woman
• Dead-pan one-liners
• Action-oriented and light on character development
Taking place in Manchukuo (I think) right before the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s, it is spy vs. spy between Japanese intelligence officer Captain Ito Shinohari and British Marine intelligence officer “Akuna no Hane” (The Devil with Wings). American Patricia Weston is looking for her missing and presumed dead brother, Robert Weston, and finds herself under the control of Akuna no Hane and his trusty sidekick, Chin.
At first, I had a hard time understanding what was going on and to get used to the multi-cast performance of the audiobook. Having listened to many audiobooks recently, it was a bit of a shift to have sound effects. While reminiscent of those radio broadcasts I love, it is not that. It is not a script, but a novel read out by a narrator with actors performing the dialogue with sound effects in the background. That said, once I got into the style, I enjoyed it a lot. It was fun and quick moving; it is too short to have moments of mundane details.
A reader of this kind of story has to accept that times were different at the time it was written and things that are politically incorrect now were fairly acceptable back then. It’s certainly not literature. It is an enjoyable and quick story that is action-packed.
And now we bring you the gripping tale from the Far East, where our daring hero has been declared dead!
I love two things that set me up for success with this book.
1. I love old radio broadcasts from the 1930s to the early 1960s. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to listen to them every Sunday (or any day during the week through streaming) on The Big Broadcast, my local radio station’s special program. And I recite: “Around Dodge City and in the territory out West, there’s just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers…and that’s with a U.S. Marshall and the smell of…GUNSMOKE!” (I’m not kidding when I say that I love and have grown up with these programs and stories.)
2. I also enjoy pulp fiction. In fact, I used to go to a hole-in-the-wall independent used bookstore in one the many ‘old towns’ in the area to hunt down pulp fiction paperbacks. Such titles as, “The Bed She Made” (a moralistic tale about a woman who had boyfriends, and thought she might be pregnant, only to discover that she wasn’t and decided she shouldn’t have boyfriends) and “The Horizontal Man”, a story if I remember correctly was about a man who had his own kind of vices and revelations.
When I won six (yes, six of these audiobooks!) from LibraryThing, I was a little freaked out by creepy technology. I swear I’ve never admitted my love for radio shows in a review before, and maybe only briefly expounded on my love for pulp fiction. Still, I was a little nervous about what might be contained in these stories from the early twentieth century in a multi-cast performance. Because as much as I love the genre, I am also aware that it is perhaps one of the rougher forms of writing in terms of its simplistic style and sweeping generalizations.
The Devil—With Wings is in my opinion, classic pulp fiction with the following elements:
• Orientalism (why look how strange these people are in this part of the world! How mystical and baffling!)
• A strong male character
• A beautiful submissive woman
• Dead-pan one-liners
• Action-oriented and light on character development
Taking place in Manchukuo (I think) right before the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s, it is spy vs. spy between Japanese intelligence officer Captain Ito Shinohari and British Marine intelligence officer “Akuna no Hane” (The Devil with Wings). American Patricia Weston is looking for her missing and presumed dead brother, Robert Weston, and finds herself under the control of Akuna no Hane and his trusty sidekick, Chin.
At first, I had a hard time understanding what was going on and to get used to the multi-cast performance of the audiobook. Having listened to many audiobooks recently, it was a bit of a shift to have sound effects. While reminiscent of those radio broadcasts I love, it is not that. It is not a script, but a novel read out by a narrator with actors performing the dialogue with sound effects in the background. That said, once I got into the style, I enjoyed it a lot. It was fun and quick moving; it is too short to have moments of mundane details.
A reader of this kind of story has to accept that times were different at the time it was written and things that are politically incorrect now were fairly acceptable back then. It’s certainly not literature. It is an enjoyable and quick story that is action-packed.
February 6, 2013
Full Disclosure: I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway in the expectation that I would review it. Presumably this was influenced by my review of an earlier book in the series, "If I Were You."
This volume is part of the "Golden Age Stories" reprints of L. Ron Hubbard's pulp writing. A lot of effort has been put into making the book physically attractive, and the appearance is of very high quality. I wish some other authors got the same treatment!
The short novel within is set in 1930s Manchukuo, a part of northeastern China set up as a puppet state by the Japanese invaders. The Japanese are being battled by a man they call "Akuma no Hane", which the author translates as "the devil with wings." (A closer translation would be "The Devil's Feather." Most of the names of Japanese people are likewise suspect.) This mysterious black-clad aviator has been harrying their troops for the last three years.
But now it seems Akuma no Hane has gone too far, killing the American civil engineer Robert Weston. Now, not only is Captain Ito Shinohari of Japanese Intelligence after the aviator, but Bob's sister Patricia is also out for blood. Now the pilot and his faithful sidekick Ching must race to discover the truth and head off a Russian-japanese war!
This is an exciting pulp story, foll of action and gunplay. The centerpiece is a fierce dogfight told from Patricia's confused viewpoint in the back of Akuma no Hane's plane. The period racism is toned down considerably; Shinohari isn't evil because he's Japanese, but because he cares more about his own advancement than the good of his country. The Japanese in general are in the wrong, but that's because they're invaders, not the color of their skin.
The story does less well with Patricia, whose bravery and determination are emphasized in her first confrontation with Akuma no Hane, And then...she accomplishes absolutely nothing in the story, becoming a tagalong for the Devil. There's a romance angle, but it's badly shoehorned in towards the end. A woman with agency Patricia is not. If that sort of thing bothers you, take off half a star.
The volume comes with a glossary, which will be helpful for readers who are unfamiliar with 1930s history, plus the same introduction and potted hagiography of L. Ron Hubbard that comes with every volume in the series, plus a several page preview of "The Green God," another volume in the series.
This is a very quick read, and with the recycled material, I cannot recommend paying full price for this one. If you enjoy daring tales of aviation and the Far East, check to see if you can get The Devil--with wings from your library, or wait until it shows up used.
This volume is part of the "Golden Age Stories" reprints of L. Ron Hubbard's pulp writing. A lot of effort has been put into making the book physically attractive, and the appearance is of very high quality. I wish some other authors got the same treatment!
The short novel within is set in 1930s Manchukuo, a part of northeastern China set up as a puppet state by the Japanese invaders. The Japanese are being battled by a man they call "Akuma no Hane", which the author translates as "the devil with wings." (A closer translation would be "The Devil's Feather." Most of the names of Japanese people are likewise suspect.) This mysterious black-clad aviator has been harrying their troops for the last three years.
But now it seems Akuma no Hane has gone too far, killing the American civil engineer Robert Weston. Now, not only is Captain Ito Shinohari of Japanese Intelligence after the aviator, but Bob's sister Patricia is also out for blood. Now the pilot and his faithful sidekick Ching must race to discover the truth and head off a Russian-japanese war!
This is an exciting pulp story, foll of action and gunplay. The centerpiece is a fierce dogfight told from Patricia's confused viewpoint in the back of Akuma no Hane's plane. The period racism is toned down considerably; Shinohari isn't evil because he's Japanese, but because he cares more about his own advancement than the good of his country. The Japanese in general are in the wrong, but that's because they're invaders, not the color of their skin.
The story does less well with Patricia, whose bravery and determination are emphasized in her first confrontation with Akuma no Hane, And then...she accomplishes absolutely nothing in the story, becoming a tagalong for the Devil. There's a romance angle, but it's badly shoehorned in towards the end. A woman with agency Patricia is not. If that sort of thing bothers you, take off half a star.
The volume comes with a glossary, which will be helpful for readers who are unfamiliar with 1930s history, plus the same introduction and potted hagiography of L. Ron Hubbard that comes with every volume in the series, plus a several page preview of "The Green God," another volume in the series.
This is a very quick read, and with the recycled material, I cannot recommend paying full price for this one. If you enjoy daring tales of aviation and the Far East, check to see if you can get The Devil--with wings from your library, or wait until it shows up used.
January 20, 2024
The epic story about a man who rules the sky in his plane, the man known as Akuma-no-hane, the Devil with Wings. He fights the Japanese, who are depicted as the fascist imperialists as they were in this time in history, but they are no caricatures. No, the villains are worthy opponents, great matches for this devil in the sky. The setting is great, too, beleaguered occupied China. This is a great piece of airborne pulp.
September 4, 2013
The Devil—With Wings is a classic tale of the lonely and misunderstood hero. Forsythe has been waging his one-man war against the Japanese for years and has always stayed one step ahead. In return, the Japanese have waged a rather successful propaganda campaign against Forsythe, publicly blaming him for every crime and even pinning a few things on him that he wasn’t even responsible for including the death of an American scientist. Things come to a head when Forsythe encounters the vengeful sister of the scientist he supposedly killed and promptly falls in love with her. His only hope for a peaceful and normal life is to clear his name and prove his innocence to the girl, no simple task for The Devil—With Wings.
The Devil—With Wings is the latest installment in Galaxy Audio’s ambitious project to produce more than 200 golden age stories from one of the world’s most prolific writers, L Ron Hubbard. Hubbard wrote hundreds of these short fictions during the pulp era and printed them in the various publications of the day. Now many of them are available in stunning, lifelike sound. These stories are produced with a top-notch cast of characters and theater quality music and sound effects. Guns blazing, airplanes diving, bombs exploding—you’ll feel like you’re right in the middle of the action.
I really can’t say enough about the narrating talent that Galaxy Audio uses in these productions. They may not be the biggest names in the industry but they are among the most talented and versatile I’ve encountered, often playing multiple roles within each story. The Devil—With Wings includes the voice talents of R F Daley, Jim Meskimen, Cristian Belfrage, Bob Caso, and Denice Duff.
Steven Brandt @ Audiobook-Heaven
The Devil—With Wings is the latest installment in Galaxy Audio’s ambitious project to produce more than 200 golden age stories from one of the world’s most prolific writers, L Ron Hubbard. Hubbard wrote hundreds of these short fictions during the pulp era and printed them in the various publications of the day. Now many of them are available in stunning, lifelike sound. These stories are produced with a top-notch cast of characters and theater quality music and sound effects. Guns blazing, airplanes diving, bombs exploding—you’ll feel like you’re right in the middle of the action.
I really can’t say enough about the narrating talent that Galaxy Audio uses in these productions. They may not be the biggest names in the industry but they are among the most talented and versatile I’ve encountered, often playing multiple roles within each story. The Devil—With Wings includes the voice talents of R F Daley, Jim Meskimen, Cristian Belfrage, Bob Caso, and Denice Duff.
Steven Brandt @ Audiobook-Heaven
January 18, 2016
“Fantastic Air Adventure.”
Gary Forsythe is Akuma-no-Hane, the Devil With Wings, and deadly flyer the invading Japanese hate and fear. They have a large price on his head. He appears to be aiding Russia and the Chinese in their fight with the Japanese, but no one knows why, except maybe Ching Tze-Chang, Forsythe’s Yale educated aide. When they learn that Forsythe has been blamed for the murder of an American engineer named Robert Weston, and that his sister, Patricia Weston is in China gunning for Akuma-no-Hane, it’s time for Forsythe to get to the bottom of things – before the girl shoots him by mistake.
This was a fun adventure. Forsythe dresses all in black, except for a silver belt buckle, and wears helmeted-goggles effectively disguising his identity from the Japanese. There is a running confrontation between Forsythe and Captain Ito Shirohari of Japanese Intelligence throughout the story. Of course, Ito wants to kill Forsythe, but never gets the upper hand. Meantime, Forsythe suspects the captain of crimes against the Japanese government, which could cause the little Japanese a lot of trouble with his own people. For adventure and aviation lovers, this is a fine example of the genre, and highly recommended for lovers of a good yarn.
Gary Forsythe is Akuma-no-Hane, the Devil With Wings, and deadly flyer the invading Japanese hate and fear. They have a large price on his head. He appears to be aiding Russia and the Chinese in their fight with the Japanese, but no one knows why, except maybe Ching Tze-Chang, Forsythe’s Yale educated aide. When they learn that Forsythe has been blamed for the murder of an American engineer named Robert Weston, and that his sister, Patricia Weston is in China gunning for Akuma-no-Hane, it’s time for Forsythe to get to the bottom of things – before the girl shoots him by mistake.
This was a fun adventure. Forsythe dresses all in black, except for a silver belt buckle, and wears helmeted-goggles effectively disguising his identity from the Japanese. There is a running confrontation between Forsythe and Captain Ito Shirohari of Japanese Intelligence throughout the story. Of course, Ito wants to kill Forsythe, but never gets the upper hand. Meantime, Forsythe suspects the captain of crimes against the Japanese government, which could cause the little Japanese a lot of trouble with his own people. For adventure and aviation lovers, this is a fine example of the genre, and highly recommended for lovers of a good yarn.
April 4, 2017
I received this novella length book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. It is a very nice copy and contains an ad for buying more of these serial adventure novels in the same format. I had read only a small amount of early-20th century pulp fiction, so I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did.
If you have not read from these early pulp-novelists you have to remember that it is all about the action. This book is no exception. The chapters are short, single scenes with little character development, yet every action of the characters is described.
Fans of H.R. Haggard or short adventure stories should look for this book and books like it.
If you have not read from these early pulp-novelists you have to remember that it is all about the action. This book is no exception. The chapters are short, single scenes with little character development, yet every action of the characters is described.
Fans of H.R. Haggard or short adventure stories should look for this book and books like it.
October 4, 2016
Originally published in the November, 1937 issue of Five-Novels Monthly Magazine, this is a very pulpy pulp adventure featuring an airman and spy with super-heroic abilities battling the Japanese in the days when they were consolidating their hold over the Chinese mainland. He reminded me a lot of Captain Midnight. The plot is fast and furious with fun and engaging (if a little stock-ish) characters, and Hubbard is at his best narrative voice. The book is part of Galaxy's handsome uniform series of his published pulp work with the original illustrations, a nice sturdy cover with folded end-papers, and a handy glossary. It's a fun read.
March 14, 2014
Won this audio book from LibraryThing. L. Ron Hubbard is really an amazing man with great talent. This audio book left me distress not knowing what happened to The Devil with Wings, but loved that it ended in a happy ending. I loved the Japanese music in between chapters. You really feel like your in the book with the characters. People could relate to this story when someone puts all the blame on you and not stepping up to there mistakes. I recommend you pick up the book or audio. It's a very short story, but straight to the point.
March 6, 2014
I received this novel from a Goodreads Giveaway and was very impressed by it!
I finished it a while ago, but forgot to post a review, but it was a small and fast read! I'm not usually one to read adventure novels, but it kept me on my toes. Hubbard's descriptions were so vivid that it was as if I was right there with the action. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes exciting stories. I'm so happy I received this novel through the giveaways!
I finished it a while ago, but forgot to post a review, but it was a small and fast read! I'm not usually one to read adventure novels, but it kept me on my toes. Hubbard's descriptions were so vivid that it was as if I was right there with the action. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes exciting stories. I'm so happy I received this novel through the giveaways!
May 18, 2013
While in the midst of it all, a beautiful woman attempts to kill him thinking he is responsible for the death of her brother and is to blame or says the Japanese. Can he prove his innocence, help the woman, and make it out alive? ...read more http://www.musingwithcrayolakym.com/3...
April 7, 2013
It was pretty good, I started out with it kind of slow, but it picked up, I love these kinds of books, it was an easy read, I like books that aren't usually over 300 pages so I can return a quicker review. I would love to win some more of these books.
March 6, 2013
I received a set of L. Ron Hubbard audiobooks to review. This was one of them. The audiobook portion was very well-done and was more like a radio drama of old and less like a traditional audiobook. I did not care for the actual book though.
February 3, 2013
Everything moves very quickly in this story and it definitely suits Hubbard's style. Informative bonus materials included.
September 2, 2014
A superb spy plot it classic style of the golden age era.
What great scampy characters and a fine tight plot.
What great scampy characters and a fine tight plot.
March 19, 2013
This is a summer type read in which one can lay back and relax or tighten up for a cool adventure. This book is dated, but still reads like a fun comic strip from yesteryear.
April 27, 2015
I listened to this as another great L. Ron Hubbard pulp audio book - these stories make our commute in the morning much more fun!
December 20, 2016
Standard pulp. Very silly and seriously flowery language.
May 25, 2013
Good old fashioned drama. Clean! Enjoyed the novelette.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews