Dragon Flame

Killmaster #14

by Nick Carter

The novel is set in December 1965. Carter is vacationing in a borrowed yacht in Hong Kong disguised as playboy, Clark Harrington. He is contacted by friend and CIA agent, Bob Ludwell. Ludwell confides in Carter that he is leaving Hong Kong that night to cross into China on an undisclosed mission and that he does not expect to survive. Ludwell has clearly lost his nerve and hands Carter an envelope with instructions to give it to his wife and children if he does not return in a week.

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1966

About the author

Nick Carter is a house pseudonym used by Award, Ace, and later Jove, publishing for the series Nick Carter who later graduated to a special agent for the Killmaster novels, a series of 261+ spy adventures published from 1964 until late 1990s.

A great number of writers have written under the pen-name over the years, beginning in September 1886 when Nick Carter first appeared in the 'New York Weekly' in a 13-week serial, entitled 'The Old Detective's Pupil; or, The Mysterious Crime of Madison Square'.

The Nick Carter character was originally conceived by Ormond G. Smith, the son of one of the founders of Street & Smith, and realized by John R. Coryell.

Reviews

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is 1966 Hong Kong and Nick Carter's vacation recovery from an earlier mission is being interrupted by an old friend who needs his help. His cover as an international playboy has him cozying up to a particularly frigid woman before he crosses paths with a group of killers calling themselves the Society of the Red Tiger. We're not sure if this group is tied to Communist China or a more locally based group of Hong Kong gangsters, but they are sure to be the ones who have so frightened his old friend.

This is the 14th installment of the Nick Carter Killmaster series and it was ghost-written by Manning Lee Stokes. Nick Carter the author is a pseudonym used by several authors writing for the series, with Nick Carter also being the name of the protagonist character, a superhero American James Bond-style agent.

Verdict: "Dragon Flame" starts with a few pitfalls that hinder dated reads with Asian characters, some bad mock-speaky-prose that isn't as much offensive as it is just distracting, but that is kept to just the first twenty pages and this episode of the Killmaster series is otherwise a short, wild ride through Hong Kong and the Chinese border with a perfectly explosive finish. A really fun one.

Jeff's Rating: 4 / 5 (Very Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: R

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice rewrite of an old Pulp character. Recast more in the James Bond spy mode. Good quick men's adventure read. If you are looking for some fast paced action and adventure then this is a recommended read.