The Feathered Octopus

Doc Savage (Bantam) #48

by Kenneth Robeson (House Name), Lester Dent

Lured into a trap by a bogus appeal to his sense of goodness, Doc Savage saw a dangerous plot to gain control of all the world's airlines. But the monstrous financial manipulator HIGH LAR, his wife LO LAR and their gang hadn't counted on the superhuman strength and cunning of The Man of Bronze to uncover their evil plan!

Genres: Adventure, Fiction, Pulp, Mystery, Action

122 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1937

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

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I had donated all of my Doc Savage books for a library book sale but I still had one in a box--and I thought I would read it--"The Feathered Octopus," the 48th in the series, originally published in "Doc Savage Magazine" in 1937. The author was Lester Dent (1904-1959) writing under the name "Kenneth Robeson."
A fairly typical Doc outing--the scientifically-trained "superman" battles yet another super-villain ( in this one, he's the mysterious High Lar) in a fast-paced pulp fiction story. I enjoy the bizarre situations set against the world of the 1930s and all the locations around the world that Doc's adventures take him to ( this one is set mainly in New York with a trip to a South Seas island at the end). I also enjoy the antics of the Doc Savage team, especially the apish but brilliant "Monk" with his pet pig. There's also a rare appearance by Doc's cousin Patricia Savage but, as usual, she is underused in the story. Doc and his men continually want to keep her out of harm's way although she wants to have adventures like her cousin.
As I say, it's a fairly typical Doc adventure except that Doc himself is absent from a good bit of the story, as he is captured early on. It's interesting to see "Rennie" take over and lead the group...
I can't conclude without adding that this was written in the earlier part of the 20th Century and there is racism as well as sexism. Asians ( called "Asiatics") are stereotyped. There's the beautiful "Eurasian" woman who, of course, is evil. It was inconceivable that an Asian woman could be considered to be a hero...
3 stars for an enjoyable read for a lazy afternoon of eating Girl Scout cookies.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Feathered Octopus 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.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doc and all of his men are included in this saga. Doc is captured at the beginning of the story and doesn’t appear until the middle. Renny takes over point man for the group. This was actually an interesting change and nicely done. Pat comes into the story about the middle of the adventure and helps Renny find where Doc is being held.

This book was authored by Lester Dent and first published September 1937. Ironically, the book states that the story itself occurs in the spring. There is no real reason for this distinction as far as I could understand.

[MR MICHAEL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though written by Lester Dent, it is not up to his usual standard. Doc is kidnapped, then Monk and Ham are kidnapped too when they go looking for him. The others are then kidnapped but all escape and Pat Savage is kidnapped. This takes the crew to a South Seas island and the plot behind it all is just trying to gain control of the world's airlines. I guessed who the villain was early on, which is unusual for me in a Doc Savage story.

[Jeff J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pulp novel featuring Doc Savage. A scheme to take over world airlines. Much chaos ensues.

[Mark Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A typical, fun Doc Savage adventure, though one where Doc is offscreen most of the book. Despite this, the Fabulous Five come through!

[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!

[Keith B · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 for nostalgia!! An obviously hastily written story by Dent. Very revealing characterization of Long Tom and somewhat of Johnny and Renny also. Mae it a better read than it should have been.

[Shannon Cooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book requires two separate reviews. The first is quite positive — for once, a Doc Savage book has risen (slightly) above its pulp origins to tell a truly interesting story, one in which the heroes are actually challenged and do not always succeed in everything they try. Although the climax was extremely rushed, and bore the remains of dangling ideas that the author never followed up on, I found the meat of the story to be thoroughly entertaining.

But the racism. Oh, the racism. We’ve left Africa behind, and we are now in the realm of the Orient. I can forgive changes in vocabulary over time, but what can you say when a book tells you, with a straight face, about how hideous “Orientals” get as they age? Or how a woman who is half European and half Asian is bound to be a beauty, but evil? And let’s not forget that virtually every henchman of our villain is described in terms of race first, with “white” a code word for intelligence.

In short, “The Feathered Octopus” shows the light and dark sides of early 20th century pulp fiction. On the one hand, inventive plots and high adventure abound. On the other, anyone that isn’t fully white (by the author’s definition of that term) is marginalized or turned into the villain.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doc's willingness to help a crippled boy gets him into a trap by financial schemers plotting to use him as a front for their takeover of the world's airlines. Heavy on oriental stereotypes (there's a passing remark about how being terrified of the Big Bad isn't normal for a white guy), but a good pulp thriller (like some of Dent's past books, Doc and his crew are presented as more human, less super-heroic 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.

[colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

read 05.27.85
read 09.xx.86

[Normand Kosztko · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good adventure novel 5/5

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

read between summer 1970 & summer 1974