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The Martian Falcon
NEW YORK, 1925 A city that never was. A world that never was. At least in our universe…
A place where upway trains glide between the skyscrapers and the subway system has long been abandoned to the hideous creatures that dwell beneath the Earth’s surface. A place where Cavorite-powered aircraft soar among the clouds, watched by the sky beasts that inhabit the upper atmosphere. A place where the supernatural is real, and the organised crime of New York is run by Johnny Sanguine, the Vampire King of Brooklyn.
Humanity’s first expedition to Mars has ended with the triumphant return of Rocketship X-M, bearing priceless artefacts from a long-dead civilisation. When the obsidian statuette known as the Martian Falcon is stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Al Capone, the cybernetically-enhanced “Diesel-powered Gangster”, is in the frame for the heist. Capone, however, is innocent (for once), and suspects that the Falcon was stolen by Johnny Sanguine in an effort to move in on his Chicago territory.
To prove it, Capone enlists the unwilling help of Charles Fort, private investigator and anomalist. Fort uncovers something far more dangerous than an impending turf war between two gangsters: he uncovers a mystery that stretches back five million years to the destruction of the ancient Martian civilisation, and a timeless evil that could put an end to all life on Earth.
One thing’s for certain: Fort has his work cut out trying to prove Capone’s innocence while staying out of the firing line of Sanguine and his vampires. Now may not have been the best time to take on a new research assistant, a struggling writer by the name of H. P. Lovecraft…
Welcome to a yesterday that never was. Welcome to the world of LOVECRAFT & FORT PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS
A place where upway trains glide between the skyscrapers and the subway system has long been abandoned to the hideous creatures that dwell beneath the Earth’s surface. A place where Cavorite-powered aircraft soar among the clouds, watched by the sky beasts that inhabit the upper atmosphere. A place where the supernatural is real, and the organised crime of New York is run by Johnny Sanguine, the Vampire King of Brooklyn.
Humanity’s first expedition to Mars has ended with the triumphant return of Rocketship X-M, bearing priceless artefacts from a long-dead civilisation. When the obsidian statuette known as the Martian Falcon is stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Al Capone, the cybernetically-enhanced “Diesel-powered Gangster”, is in the frame for the heist. Capone, however, is innocent (for once), and suspects that the Falcon was stolen by Johnny Sanguine in an effort to move in on his Chicago territory.
To prove it, Capone enlists the unwilling help of Charles Fort, private investigator and anomalist. Fort uncovers something far more dangerous than an impending turf war between two gangsters: he uncovers a mystery that stretches back five million years to the destruction of the ancient Martian civilisation, and a timeless evil that could put an end to all life on Earth.
One thing’s for certain: Fort has his work cut out trying to prove Capone’s innocence while staying out of the firing line of Sanguine and his vampires. Now may not have been the best time to take on a new research assistant, a struggling writer by the name of H. P. Lovecraft…
Welcome to a yesterday that never was. Welcome to the world of LOVECRAFT & FORT PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 24, 2015
Three stars doesn't mean it's a bad book at all. It's just not something I'd go out of my way to recommend. Baker's writing is serviceable enough, his characters occasionally rise as far as to amuse me (especially the casts' exasperation with Lovecraft's verbosity) and the pacing is certainly enough to keep me turning the pages. The main issue is that The Martian Falcon is more of a novella than a novel, and it never really gripped me. The mixture of genres (noir, pulp and a dose of weird) is handled deftly enough that I'd read another book set in the same world, especially if there was a deal more world-building and allusion.
March 23, 2018
I've read the previous Blackwood & Harrington Series by Alan Baker, and while I did enjoy them, this one is definitely a step forward. The characters are more fun, the dialogue is better and the story is gripping. A good steampunk/sci-fi/fantasy romp from start to finish! :)
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September 3, 2024First off it's not a Blackwood & Harrington story so I don't know why Amazon has given it that sub-title. It's a H.P. Lovecraft & Charlie Fort Fantasy / Mystery based on historical characters and Lovecraft based fantasy. A bit light weight but fun. I've read nearly all of Alan K. Bakers stuff and I enjoy his style of writing
April 11, 2018
Decent crime book. Easy read, but only if you like the supernatural.
August 12, 2020
Not even a Cthulthu in sight
Entertaining read, packed with great old ones references, looking forward to the next installment of elder things and other supernatural creatures
Entertaining read, packed with great old ones references, looking forward to the next installment of elder things and other supernatural creatures
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews