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Night Calls the Green Falcon
In the 1950s, Cray Flint was the handsome, dashing star of the serial The Green Falcon . Now, decades later, he spends his days in his rundown apartment reminiscing about the time when he played a superhero. When Julie, Cray’s young neighbor, is killed by the infamous Fliptop Killer, Cray is propelled to don his green cape one more time. In pursuit of justice, Clay becomes the superhero that he used to pretend to be. Funny, dark, and gripping, Night Calls the Green Falcon tells the story of an aging man getting one last chance to relive his glory.
69 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2014
About the author
Robert McCammon
169 books6,038 followersPseudonyms: Robert R. McCammon; Robert Rick McCammon
Robert McCammon was a full-time horror writer for many years. Among his many popular novels were the classics Boy's Life and Swan Song. After taking a hiatus for his family, he returned to writing with an interest in historical fiction.
His newest book, Leviathan, is the tenth and final book in the Matthew Corbett series. It was published in trade hardcover (Lividian Publications), ebook (Open Road), and audiobook (Audible) formats on December 3, 2024.
McCammon resides in Birmingham, Alabama.
Robert McCammon was a full-time horror writer for many years. Among his many popular novels were the classics Boy's Life and Swan Song. After taking a hiatus for his family, he returned to writing with an interest in historical fiction.
His newest book, Leviathan, is the tenth and final book in the Matthew Corbett series. It was published in trade hardcover (Lividian Publications), ebook (Open Road), and audiobook (Audible) formats on December 3, 2024.
McCammon resides in Birmingham, Alabama.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
May 6, 2019
Once he embodied the superhero The Green Falcon in a Saturday afternoon TV series but now he's old and only living on memories. Cray lives in a rundown apartement house when he witnesses how his neighbour, a prostitute, is murdered. It was the Flip-Top Killer so it seems. For the last time he puts on his green costume and tries to hunt the killer down. Can this likeable old man, Cray Flint so his stage name, who was sent to a sanatorium once fill up the expectations he has in his role? This story is full of nostalgia and characters of a bygone era. He is helped by a stripper named Amacing Grace and a taxi driver who always reminded me on Robert DeNiro in his movie Taxi Driver. This is a gorgeous story. You feel every page with the old hero and hope for a happy ending. Highly recommended. An extremely well done longer short story.
May 7, 2019
Death stalks the city.
The Flip-top killer is on the loose.
The Green Falcon comes out of retirement to stop this evil villain!
Each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger. Just as the old movie serials used to on Saturday mornings at the theater. A real page-turner.
The aeroplane crashed into the building’s fifth floor, and he was engulfed by a wall of fire and agony.
...
A fist hit him in the face, crumpling his nose and mashing his lips. He pitched back, stunned – and he fell over the fire escape’s railing into empty space.
...
He got up on his knees, aware that Dogmeat was advancing towards him. Dogmeat’s booted foot drew back, the kick aimed at the Green Falcon’s face.
...
The cab, its exhaust pipe spitting fire, rocketed towards the plate-glass window of a lingerie store.
Gracie gave a stunned little cry, gripped the Green Falcon’s hand with knuckle-cracking force, and the Green Falcon braced for impact.
...
Soundlessly, the pit bull leapt at the Green Falcon, its jaws opened for a bone-crushing bite.
Stop now before you die
“The reality is that … I think I’d rather die as the Green Falcon than live as an old man with a screwed-up bladder and a book of memories. I want to walk tall, just once more. Is that so terrible?”
An inspiring story to "respect your elders, put up your toys, and do right".
Enjoy!
The Flip-top killer is on the loose.
The Green Falcon comes out of retirement to stop this evil villain!
Each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger. Just as the old movie serials used to on Saturday mornings at the theater. A real page-turner.
The aeroplane crashed into the building’s fifth floor, and he was engulfed by a wall of fire and agony.
...
A fist hit him in the face, crumpling his nose and mashing his lips. He pitched back, stunned – and he fell over the fire escape’s railing into empty space.
...
He got up on his knees, aware that Dogmeat was advancing towards him. Dogmeat’s booted foot drew back, the kick aimed at the Green Falcon’s face.
...
The cab, its exhaust pipe spitting fire, rocketed towards the plate-glass window of a lingerie store.
Gracie gave a stunned little cry, gripped the Green Falcon’s hand with knuckle-cracking force, and the Green Falcon braced for impact.
...
Soundlessly, the pit bull leapt at the Green Falcon, its jaws opened for a bone-crushing bite.
Stop now before you die
“The reality is that … I think I’d rather die as the Green Falcon than live as an old man with a screwed-up bladder and a book of memories. I want to walk tall, just once more. Is that so terrible?”
An inspiring story to "respect your elders, put up your toys, and do right".
Enjoy!
August 4, 2019
Charles van Buren
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
An aging former actor takes on what maybe his final role
August 3, 2019
Review of Kindle edition
Publisher: StoryFront
Language: English
ASIN: B00JXQDHLQ
58 pages
Great story of an aging, impoverished former star of movie serials - Cray Flint, the Green Falcon. A serial killer terrorizing the street people kills one of Cray's friends in the cheap apartment house Cray now calls home. The killer escaped Cray's grasp but the Green Falcon goes in pursuit. During the pusuit, Cray realises that he would rather die as the Green Falcon than continue to live his life as it is.
A story of the bleak underbelly of the city with unlikely heroes. Maybe they will do good, maybe they will die but if so, they will die trying.
I downloaded this story via Kindle Unlimited.
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
An aging former actor takes on what maybe his final role
August 3, 2019
Review of Kindle edition
Publisher: StoryFront
Language: English
ASIN: B00JXQDHLQ
58 pages
Great story of an aging, impoverished former star of movie serials - Cray Flint, the Green Falcon. A serial killer terrorizing the street people kills one of Cray's friends in the cheap apartment house Cray now calls home. The killer escaped Cray's grasp but the Green Falcon goes in pursuit. During the pusuit, Cray realises that he would rather die as the Green Falcon than continue to live his life as it is.
A story of the bleak underbelly of the city with unlikely heroes. Maybe they will do good, maybe they will die but if so, they will die trying.
I downloaded this story via Kindle Unlimited.
January 3, 2024
"Night Calls the Green Falcon" is a long short story/novelette about a retired movie superhero making a comeback to catch a serial killer. Each chapter ends on a mini cliffhanger - this technique combined with a short length (50-60 pages) makes it perfect for a quick read in one sitting.
The story has a bittersweet vibe, and the kind of melancholic feeling when you realize time is ticking away. But the cool part is, it also gives you hope that, every now and then, you can still grab onto some of that old excitement and glory if you're brave enough to go for it.
A solid, quick read.
The story has a bittersweet vibe, and the kind of melancholic feeling when you realize time is ticking away. But the cool part is, it also gives you hope that, every now and then, you can still grab onto some of that old excitement and glory if you're brave enough to go for it.
A solid, quick read.
August 20, 2014
This story is included in the collection Blue World.
It's one of my favorite stories of all time. That is all. :)
It's one of my favorite stories of all time. That is all. :)
January 9, 2024
A washed-up actor, who played the Green Falcon in the 1950s, gets a chance to play the real-life superhero when his neighbor is killed by the prolific serial killer known as the Fliptop Killer. Practically ripped from the pages of a superhero comic, all the glorious action happens in one incredible night.
February 5, 2024
I’m a huge fan of Robert R McCammon. I thought I had all of his works when someone on Facebook suggested Night Calls the Green Falcon. At first all my searches for the book came up empty. Then on RRM own website I saw the story posted for free along with a batch of other shorts.
The story of the aging star of the 1940s serials where he played The Green Falcon is wonderful. I throughly enjoyed it. Truly would love to see a TV series of this.
Read every RRM book or story you can find.
The story of the aging star of the 1940s serials where he played The Green Falcon is wonderful. I throughly enjoyed it. Truly would love to see a TV series of this.
Read every RRM book or story you can find.
March 12, 2024
A love-letter to the pulps and pulp heroes of the 1930s and 40s. There was an unexpected cameo fans of the pulp heroes will get a kick out of. I know I did!
Highly recommended
Highly recommended
August 20, 2014
I LOVED this story and when I say loved, I mean loved! Every thing good about McCammon's story telling in one short story. Try it, you will like it!
Recommended
Recommended
October 3, 2020
I absolutely LOVE this story!!! I feel such a strong connection to Cray and sympathize with him completely. The way each chapter ends in a cliffhanger just like a serial is so clever. I couldn’t put this down and enjoyed every single second. I didn’t want it to end. I love when characters (that would under normal circumstances never befriend each other) band together and this story left me with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes.
March 29, 2024
Fantastic short story. Non stop action.
June 22, 2016
Nostalgic feel good murder mystery
I know that sounds odd but what started out as a story of serial murder became a story of redemption that left me with a feeling of warmth and nostalgia. I'm not quite old enough to remember first hand the old serial movies but I did see some in reruns on tv as a kid and I watched the old Lone Ranger, Green Horner (who the Green Falcon reminds me off) and the original Superman whenever I could and the overall theme was good always won if you did right. If only that were still true today. Thanks Mr. McCammon for yet another entertaining yarn and the reminder that superheroes might still be out there just waiting for someone to believe again.
I know that sounds odd but what started out as a story of serial murder became a story of redemption that left me with a feeling of warmth and nostalgia. I'm not quite old enough to remember first hand the old serial movies but I did see some in reruns on tv as a kid and I watched the old Lone Ranger, Green Horner (who the Green Falcon reminds me off) and the original Superman whenever I could and the overall theme was good always won if you did right. If only that were still true today. Thanks Mr. McCammon for yet another entertaining yarn and the reminder that superheroes might still be out there just waiting for someone to believe again.
April 4, 2018
I read this story years ago in Robert McCammon's short story collection Blue World. I grew up in the 1970s and at Christmas in the UK they used to show the Buster Crabbe, Flash Gordon serials, on BBC 2. I lapped them up. This short story is McCammon's love letter to those cheesy 40/50's serials. It's just fab! A really powerful tale of a broken man's redemption. I'd recommend most of Robert McCammon's novels. In the 80's he was part of my Big 3 horror writers with Dean R Koontz and Stephen King. The books Swan Song, They Thirst, Stinger and A Boys Life are as good as anything that King and Koontz have written. Thankfully through some superb audiobook adaptations and Kindle these once wrote hard to source novels are easy to locate again. Read them, you're in for a treat!
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February 1, 2019Headline (Required)
Robert R McCammon is simply awesome. He writes his books so well and I can't ever remember reading a bad one. This one was just a short story, but still was a great story that I couldn't put down. I'm working on it and I plan on owning all of his works as part of my collection. Swan Song is still my favorite as of this moment but with this author, as I go along, that might change. Thank you sir. You make my reading an absolute pleasure.
Robert R McCammon is simply awesome. He writes his books so well and I can't ever remember reading a bad one. This one was just a short story, but still was a great story that I couldn't put down. I'm working on it and I plan on owning all of his works as part of my collection. Swan Song is still my favorite as of this moment but with this author, as I go along, that might change. Thank you sir. You make my reading an absolute pleasure.
February 2, 2019
What a ride. This is a thriller and a story of redemption for a washed-up actor who could not be the superhero his character was. There's character development and edge of the seat action; disillusionment and a heart-warming ending without being gushy. For a short story there is a lot packed into this gem.
July 28, 2017
Read this years ago, as it's part of a McCammon collection, and just re-read it as an Amazon single. Good short story that pays homage to the cliff-hanger serials of the '40's. McCammon has been, and will continue to be, one of my all time favorite authors.
February 11, 2015
Pure joy! McCammon puts his foot on the peddle and doesn't let up.
February 16, 2015
Go, go Green Falcon
A wonderfully exciting short story with the character & plot development of a full length novel. I have a feeling we haven't heard the last of the Green Falcon.
A wonderfully exciting short story with the character & plot development of a full length novel. I have a feeling we haven't heard the last of the Green Falcon.
February 27, 2018
Another great McCammon story
Awesome. Makes you long for the time you believed in heroes. Makes you realize you can still matter even at an older age. Great story
Awesome. Makes you long for the time you believed in heroes. Makes you realize you can still matter even at an older age. Great story
June 5, 2018
Great little book. Had me on the edge of my seat but, wish it was longer.
February 4, 2026
This is a short story by Robert. One of a few I’ve been finding on KU on Amazon. This one wasn’t one of his stand outs but still an interesting read. Robert really can write on a diverse range of ideas.
This story centres around a retired lonely elderly actor who once played a superhero and misses his youth, energy, lifestyle and the joy of how his superhero persona made him feel.
One night an awful crime occurs and he pulls out the slightly faded moth eaten green superhero suit and pops it on and transforms into the man he once was (not literally, in his mind) and is determined to seek justice. It’s a classic evil villain vs superhero story but with a difference.
On the way he meets some interesting and colourful characters, ventures into the dark side of humanity and most powerfully goes through a reawakening about what really matters in life. It’s definitely one you can read in one go and will keep you entertained.
I’ve preferred other things from him not I give this a solid 3.5 stars. It was interesting and a bit unique from anything else I’ve read lately. I’m on a bit of a roll with books and stories by this Author at the moment.
Thanks so much for taking a little time to read my review. Your likes and comments mean a lot to me. 😻 Feel free to add me as a friend or follow me for more book reviews.
This story centres around a retired lonely elderly actor who once played a superhero and misses his youth, energy, lifestyle and the joy of how his superhero persona made him feel.
One night an awful crime occurs and he pulls out the slightly faded moth eaten green superhero suit and pops it on and transforms into the man he once was (not literally, in his mind) and is determined to seek justice. It’s a classic evil villain vs superhero story but with a difference.
On the way he meets some interesting and colourful characters, ventures into the dark side of humanity and most powerfully goes through a reawakening about what really matters in life. It’s definitely one you can read in one go and will keep you entertained.
I’ve preferred other things from him not I give this a solid 3.5 stars. It was interesting and a bit unique from anything else I’ve read lately. I’m on a bit of a roll with books and stories by this Author at the moment.
Thanks so much for taking a little time to read my review. Your likes and comments mean a lot to me. 😻 Feel free to add me as a friend or follow me for more book reviews.
July 17, 2021
I have to say that it has been some time since I have read any work by Robert McCammon (although I realise now I have read the short story collection based in and around Wolf Hour one of my favourite books), anyway...
This is a rather intriguing short story which to be honest I think the Kindle introduction pretty much says it all. However it is a clever short story as to what happens to superhero's (even from the "serials") does after they have been put out to pasture.
Each author I have read has their own style (I guess that is why people read one authors works and not another so rather obvious there really) but I find that McCammon's style is so easy to get in to and be thoroughly absorbed in to. Which is ideal then for the short story format where you need to get in to things as quickly as possible as otherwise you could run out of pages before things have even got started - let alone resolved.
I think the short story format though not for all is really an ideal tool for authors to practice their craft with and this was a perfect example of when things are just right...
This is a rather intriguing short story which to be honest I think the Kindle introduction pretty much says it all. However it is a clever short story as to what happens to superhero's (even from the "serials") does after they have been put out to pasture.
Each author I have read has their own style (I guess that is why people read one authors works and not another so rather obvious there really) but I find that McCammon's style is so easy to get in to and be thoroughly absorbed in to. Which is ideal then for the short story format where you need to get in to things as quickly as possible as otherwise you could run out of pages before things have even got started - let alone resolved.
I think the short story format though not for all is really an ideal tool for authors to practice their craft with and this was a perfect example of when things are just right...
June 14, 2025
an excellent read
I am a huge fan of this author. I tried this short story out thinking that even if it sucks I will be ok because it isn’t super long. It was awesome. His attention to detail and nuances is what makes this author so great. You can picture everything as you read. He doesn’t even over do it and beat you in the head with his details.
This story is about an aged ex TV star. He stumbles on a killer. Then decides to become his alter ego the Green Falcon and pursue the killer. But man what a ride! So much more than how I described this! Highly recommended
I am a huge fan of this author. I tried this short story out thinking that even if it sucks I will be ok because it isn’t super long. It was awesome. His attention to detail and nuances is what makes this author so great. You can picture everything as you read. He doesn’t even over do it and beat you in the head with his details.
This story is about an aged ex TV star. He stumbles on a killer. Then decides to become his alter ego the Green Falcon and pursue the killer. But man what a ride! So much more than how I described this! Highly recommended
January 21, 2020
What fun!!!
I was worried spending "good money" for a short story. Oh me, of little faith!! You can depend on Robert R. McCammon for well written entertainment. What a wonderful story. I really loved having a senior-savior. The watchman was another excellent character! Talk about diversity!! The only 'standard white male role' is the killer!! Take that hollywood. This would make a really fun film, chok full of diverse characters.
I was worried spending "good money" for a short story. Oh me, of little faith!! You can depend on Robert R. McCammon for well written entertainment. What a wonderful story. I really loved having a senior-savior. The watchman was another excellent character! Talk about diversity!! The only 'standard white male role' is the killer!! Take that hollywood. This would make a really fun film, chok full of diverse characters.
October 8, 2022
Cray Flint is an old serial actor. He played the part of the Green Falcon. He is living in an apartment building with thin walls. He hears noises coming from the apartment next to him. When he checks on his neighbor, he finds her dead. It looks like the work of the flip-top killer. After finding a clue in the victim's hand, he thinks he can find the killer. He puts on his Green Falcon clothes one last time. This is a wonderful story, very uplifting.
August 2, 2026
Such a silly, dark, and heartfelt 5/5. McCammon does a great job blending the rough reality of life with the fantastical. I loved how he wrote this just like the Falcon’s serials, with cliffhangers and twists every chapter. The cast of characters was entertaining and the sort of redemption story was great. His short stories have always managed to pack a punch, and this one was no exception. McCammon did right.
June 1, 2021
This is just a fun sentimental journey down the past. The green falcon is an aging star of "serial movies" When I was a child the theaters had the news reel, previews, then a serial. IT could be Rocketman or others like it. All this was before the main movie started. IT was fun taking this trip down memory lane. It's light easy fun and a quick enjoyable read.
August 4, 2021
Found in Blue World, this is without a doubt one of my favorite short stories by McCammon and the only one that made me cry. It's just THAT good. About a once famous but now washed up television superhero who picks up his mantle after a hooker he befriended is viciously murdered by a maniacal serial killer on the loose hunting night people. Fan-freaking-tastic story.
July 29, 2025
If I go crazy will you still call me Superman? Great story, wished it was long about an Aging television superhero, who just wants to be Super one last time and his life to mean something. So he chases a Serial killer all over LA, inspiring a motley crew to assist him, this is straight McCammon style as only he can. Another Banger.
June 5, 2019
McCammon does it again! Fun and funny, great story about a former TV superhero trying to catch a serial killer---and rising to the occasion. A celebration of the human spirit triumphing over evil and aging. Tight and well-written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews