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Doc Savage (Bantam) #23
Fortress of Solitude
The deep mysteries of Doc Savage are finally revealed! John Sunlight, poetic genius of evil, gruesome master of a thousand elements of screaming terror, discovers the innermost secrets of The Man of Bronze. Doc Savage finds himself enmeshed in a diabolical web of dark horror as he valiantly battles the appalling machines of destruction he himself has invented!
116 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1938
3 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Kenneth Robeson
916 books134 followersKenneth 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 23, 2025
The uncompromising hero of yesteryear! The proto-Superman and proto-Batman, tied into one magnificent, infallible man!
And after 22 books...have we finally stumbled upon something which makes the big man nervous?
This was a fun, short adventure novel that deviates a little from the formula I'm used to reading, but for the better. The one thing I really like about these books is that the main character is not some flawed, depressed, loner, anti-hero. Doc exercises his mind to be an intellectual, and exercises his body to be strong. That's it. It feels almost achievable with hard work and perseverance.
Find a copy and give it to a kid who's on his phone too much.
And after 22 books...have we finally stumbled upon something which makes the big man nervous?
This was a fun, short adventure novel that deviates a little from the formula I'm used to reading, but for the better. The one thing I really like about these books is that the main character is not some flawed, depressed, loner, anti-hero. Doc exercises his mind to be an intellectual, and exercises his body to be strong. That's it. It feels almost achievable with hard work and perseverance.
Find a copy and give it to a kid who's on his phone too much.
February 21, 2022
A group of escapees from a Siberian prison camp head off into the Arctic on a stolen icebreaker. Among them is a man by the name of John Sunlight. When the ship becomes trapped in the ice, John Sunlight makes his way into the icy wasteland where he encounters friendly English-speaking Eskimos and a mysterious blue dome. Once he is able to penetrate the interior of the blue dome, he discovers death ray technology, which he then decides to sell to a couple of squabbling Balkan nations so that he may use the money to advance his plans to take over the world.
The “mysterious blue dome” is Doc Savage’s Fortress of Solitude. For year, the author of the Doc Savage books, Lester Dent, had been hinting at a secret lab somewhere in the artic, a place where Doc would periodically disappear to in order to further his own inventions. Most people today, of course, think of the Fortress of Solitude as Superman’s retreat but Doc’s predated that by nearly two decades. That’s not the only thing that Superman and other comic book characters borrowed from the annals of Doc Savage.
First published in 1938, the 68th submitted novel in the series (#23 in Bantam publication order) is a very important entry in the Doc Savage canon. In addition to the Fortress itself and what occurs there, it is also the introduction of Doc’s greatest nemesis ever. John Sunlight matches Doc Savage in intelligence but also brings a devious cunning which makes him a great threat. Hard as it is to believe, he is also more physically powerful than Doc despite a slight build. At times of he will subconsciously emit a low growl, much in the same way that Doc’s trilling happens. His ultimate goal is to end humanity's problems such as war, famine, and intolerance although his approach is nothing short of diabolical.
Another interesting feature of this volume is that we see Doc’s vulnerability on full display. The magazine’s editor at the time seems to have felt that Doc was becoming too unrealistic and too dependent on gadgets, so he decided to emphasize the scientific side of the character. In addition to his own inventions, the Fortress also contains all of the extremely dangerous weapons recovered from previous adventures. Thus, several scenes in this book depict Doc’s intense worry and concern over his Fortress being discovered and the contents being loosed on the world. He clearly feels responsible for whatever catastrophe may result.
In the end, this is another great Doc Savage adventure, even if the ending leads into a sequel.
The “mysterious blue dome” is Doc Savage’s Fortress of Solitude. For year, the author of the Doc Savage books, Lester Dent, had been hinting at a secret lab somewhere in the artic, a place where Doc would periodically disappear to in order to further his own inventions. Most people today, of course, think of the Fortress of Solitude as Superman’s retreat but Doc’s predated that by nearly two decades. That’s not the only thing that Superman and other comic book characters borrowed from the annals of Doc Savage.
First published in 1938, the 68th submitted novel in the series (#23 in Bantam publication order) is a very important entry in the Doc Savage canon. In addition to the Fortress itself and what occurs there, it is also the introduction of Doc’s greatest nemesis ever. John Sunlight matches Doc Savage in intelligence but also brings a devious cunning which makes him a great threat. Hard as it is to believe, he is also more physically powerful than Doc despite a slight build. At times of he will subconsciously emit a low growl, much in the same way that Doc’s trilling happens. His ultimate goal is to end humanity's problems such as war, famine, and intolerance although his approach is nothing short of diabolical.
Another interesting feature of this volume is that we see Doc’s vulnerability on full display. The magazine’s editor at the time seems to have felt that Doc was becoming too unrealistic and too dependent on gadgets, so he decided to emphasize the scientific side of the character. In addition to his own inventions, the Fortress also contains all of the extremely dangerous weapons recovered from previous adventures. Thus, several scenes in this book depict Doc’s intense worry and concern over his Fortress being discovered and the contents being loosed on the world. He clearly feels responsible for whatever catastrophe may result.
In the end, this is another great Doc Savage adventure, even if the ending leads into a sequel.
January 21, 2021
A criminal named John Sunlight discovers Doc Savage's Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic and uses Doc's own inventions as weapons to further his goals. A good, fast-paced entry in the series.
February 4, 2023
Doc Savage is the vanilla ice cream of pulp heroes. He's good at everything, has no real personality to speak of, and is just kind of bland. Sometimes that can be fine, especially with these old pulps that you have to give a lot of leeway to, but this one just didn't pull me in at all.
April 12, 2020
John Sunlight, an escapee from a Siberian prison, stumbles upon Doc Savage's hidden laboratory. Sunlight then launches a scheme to make millions by selling off Savage's inventions and captured weapons to countries with opposing ideals.
This was a fun pulp novel and hits all the right buttons - mysterious deaths, alluring women, blistering action sequences and lots of purple prose! Sure, it's not that well-written, but it's short and moves at a brisk pace. There is some funny dialogue and some that's just terrible, but that's all part of the fun in reading a pulp novel. The characters are pretty cardboard, and not even all of Savage's team makes it into the story. As always, the constant sparring between Monk and Ham provides some of the most amusing moments. Savage himself is very much a boy scout similar to Superman, who will later steal the Fortress of Solitude idea.
The science is suspect, and some of the action concepts way out there, but no more so than a lot of comic books, TV shows, or action movies. If you read this in the proper frame of mind, you'll have a blast with it.
Certainly not for everyone, but it can be a really fun read.
This was a fun pulp novel and hits all the right buttons - mysterious deaths, alluring women, blistering action sequences and lots of purple prose! Sure, it's not that well-written, but it's short and moves at a brisk pace. There is some funny dialogue and some that's just terrible, but that's all part of the fun in reading a pulp novel. The characters are pretty cardboard, and not even all of Savage's team makes it into the story. As always, the constant sparring between Monk and Ham provides some of the most amusing moments. Savage himself is very much a boy scout similar to Superman, who will later steal the Fortress of Solitude idea.
The science is suspect, and some of the action concepts way out there, but no more so than a lot of comic books, TV shows, or action movies. If you read this in the proper frame of mind, you'll have a blast with it.
Certainly not for everyone, but it can be a really fun read.
May 26, 2018
A solid three star rating from me. The story had its moments, and even a deus ex machina circumstance that made me groan, only to have it turned on its ear moments later, but the lack of character development left me wanting more. Please do not get me wrong, I grew up adoring pulp fiction, and Lester Dent was a hero! However, as I have moved through life I have found that without protagonists that I care about or villains whose machinations are rooted in believable motivations, I no longer get as engaged as I used to. That is the issue here. Lots of action, lots of 1930s type gadgets and gizmos, but nobody I really cared about.
Having said that, if you want a no holds bared, shallow, action oriented story, the Fortress of Solitude is for you.
Having said that, if you want a no holds bared, shallow, action oriented story, the Fortress of Solitude is for you.
September 20, 2018
Read as a teenager and just re-read it. Very well done Doc Savage story. Lester Dent writing as Kenneth Robeson created Fortress of Solitude idea about 20 years before Superman. Doctor "Doc" Clark Savage The Man of Bronze was created about five years before Clark Kent The Man of Steel. Doc Savage was a human with exceptional "super" talents, skills, and abilities. Superman was from another planet which led to his superpowers on Earth. Of course, now if you asked about 100 people who Doc Savage was you might get lucky and find one or two, and I'm guessing about 90+ people would know Superman. So, Superman clearly won the name recognition and mainstream awareness contest, but I've always enjoyed Lester Dent's, Doc Savage creation.
Read
June 27, 2020Bombastic, repetitive, and palaverous. Enjoyed every second of it. Finally, a decent full-cast production that actually banks on its own campiness and gets it right. Full marks.
Caution: borderline (probably not borderline) racist in spots, in the Noble Savage line of thought, but a product of its time.
Caution: borderline (probably not borderline) racist in spots, in the Noble Savage line of thought, but a product of its time.
April 21, 2023
Fortress of Solitude 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
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.
In this one, Doc Savage and his men face off against John Sunlight. John Sunlight is arguably Doc Savage's greatest enemy. He matches Doc Savage in intelligence yet also has an animalistic cunning which made him a great threat to Doc. He is also more physically powerful than Doc. He however uses his talents to pursue his goal of world dictatorship. At times he has been known to emit a low growl subconsciously, very similar to Doc's trilling. His ultimate goal is to end humanity's problems such as war, famine, and intolerance by bringing the world under his control. The two have shown immense respect for each other, and Sunlight has even offered to spare Doc's life if he joins him. Sunlight is tall and gaunt with strangely long fingers. He has a hypnotic stare that only the most intelligent or determined can resist. He was also the only enemy to appear twice in the original pulp stories. This novel, Fortress of Solitude, and The Devil Genghis which I will be reading next. The action is classic Doc Savage, filled with good old fashion adventure and with 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.
William G. Bogart
Evelyn Coulson
Harold A. Davis
Lawrence Donovan
Alan Hathway
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.
In this one, Doc Savage and his men face off against John Sunlight. John Sunlight is arguably Doc Savage's greatest enemy. He matches Doc Savage in intelligence yet also has an animalistic cunning which made him a great threat to Doc. He is also more physically powerful than Doc. He however uses his talents to pursue his goal of world dictatorship. At times he has been known to emit a low growl subconsciously, very similar to Doc's trilling. His ultimate goal is to end humanity's problems such as war, famine, and intolerance by bringing the world under his control. The two have shown immense respect for each other, and Sunlight has even offered to spare Doc's life if he joins him. Sunlight is tall and gaunt with strangely long fingers. He has a hypnotic stare that only the most intelligent or determined can resist. He was also the only enemy to appear twice in the original pulp stories. This novel, Fortress of Solitude, and The Devil Genghis which I will be reading next. The action is classic Doc Savage, filled with good old fashion adventure and with 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.
July 26, 2023
Authored by Lester Dent and published in October 1938. The adventure begins in Siberia before escaping to the Arctic which is where the Big Blue Dome is found. Meanwhile, Doc, Mink, Hsm and Long Tom are all drawn into the caper before being led back to the Arctic. Renny and Johnny are out of the country and do not play any role.
Doc Savage’s Fortress of Solitude is found by the worst person possible. John Sunlight. He quickly takes advantage for his own personal gain and nefarious purposes.
I have long wished to read this Doc Savage adventure but delayed my gratification purposely. Instead, I chose to read through the Doc Savage series in the chronological order in which they were published. It was worth the wait. There were other books in the series also, but this was the prize. Now, onward to complete the series.
Doc Savage’s Fortress of Solitude is found by the worst person possible. John Sunlight. He quickly takes advantage for his own personal gain and nefarious purposes.
I have long wished to read this Doc Savage adventure but delayed my gratification purposely. Instead, I chose to read through the Doc Savage series in the chronological order in which they were published. It was worth the wait. There were other books in the series also, but this was the prize. Now, onward to complete the series.
December 22, 2019
So, this was my second Doc Savage book, the first being The Man of Bronze. I'm assuming you are allowed to skip a few of them and still get the gist/not miss much.
This book introduced the Sherlock Holmes equivalent of Professor Moriarty (unless he has had multiple arch rivals) John Sunlight. Won't go too deep into the plot, but just know that if you read into later issues that you may be seeing more of this guy.
Really short read, doesn't really go into too much detail about the new antagonist. Ham and Moe are still ribbing eachother for minor comedic effect...its kind of getting stale at this point.
To be honest, I am probably going to take a break from this series for a little bit. Not saying that this wasn't a good read, I just need a little bit of a rest from pulp like this.
This book introduced the Sherlock Holmes equivalent of Professor Moriarty (unless he has had multiple arch rivals) John Sunlight. Won't go too deep into the plot, but just know that if you read into later issues that you may be seeing more of this guy.
Really short read, doesn't really go into too much detail about the new antagonist. Ham and Moe are still ribbing eachother for minor comedic effect...its kind of getting stale at this point.
To be honest, I am probably going to take a break from this series for a little bit. Not saying that this wasn't a good read, I just need a little bit of a rest from pulp like this.
April 24, 2024
If you want to be challenged, go read Tolstoy. If you want some disposable fun, read Doc Savage.
Fortress of Solitude is infinitely dumb. And even making allowances for the genre and when it was written, there's next to no dramatic meat on its bones. But despite this, or perhaps because of this, it's kinda fun.
Doc is the ultimate Gary Stu. He does everything well, and those around him stand in awe of his incredible skills and smarts. The only thing he doesn't have is a personality, but that's okay because there are some colorful characters around him.
Playing like a mix of James Bond and Indiana Jones, Fortress of Solitude is a decent enough pit stop in between more substantive fare.
Fortress of Solitude is infinitely dumb. And even making allowances for the genre and when it was written, there's next to no dramatic meat on its bones. But despite this, or perhaps because of this, it's kinda fun.
Doc is the ultimate Gary Stu. He does everything well, and those around him stand in awe of his incredible skills and smarts. The only thing he doesn't have is a personality, but that's okay because there are some colorful characters around him.
Playing like a mix of James Bond and Indiana Jones, Fortress of Solitude is a decent enough pit stop in between more substantive fare.
January 8, 2026
I liked this one better than The Man of Bronze - John Sunlight is a great villain, and the book successfully sells you on the idea that this is a capable, evil bastard, more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the bronze ubermensch protagonist. Sort of fell out love with the book as it went on, the usual Doc Savage contrivances and so on and so forth, but far from a bad experience. Doc or Sunlight having a larger proportion of the screentime helps a lot - their larger than life presence suits Dent's writing style more than the POV of more mundane folks like Doc's affiliates.
First exposure I've had to Doc Savage's 'crime college'. Now that's a trip.
7.5/10, C.
First exposure I've had to Doc Savage's 'crime college'. Now that's a trip.
7.5/10, C.
October 6, 2017
This is the first Doc Savage pulp adventure that audible studios has tackled. This is done by the same team that worked on The Shadow novel Partners in Peril. The material is from 1938 and will strike some as dated, but as long as you know what you are getting with this, you are in for a treat. This is the unabridged pulp novel from the mind of Lester Dent recorded by a full cast and mixed with some sound effects and music. It comes across as a blend of audiobook and a kind of modernized old time radio show, Great fun! Recommended. Dear Audible studios, more please! Keep 'em coming!
August 24, 2025
Not much to say about this one, it was short, it was a fun pulp book of its time and had a Fortress of Solitude long before Superman did. Worth a read if you’ve never read any Doc Savage books as this is considered one of his best stories (first one I read). These are hard to find a physical copy of so when you see em grab em!
March 10, 2018
One of the worst WRITTEN yarns in the series is also one of the best STORIES: even though, in his first appearance, John Sunlight comes off as Nothing Much in the Evil Genius department. I mean -- how much of a genius can he be when all of his best stuff is stolen from Doc's Fortress of Solitude?
May 8, 2017
More Pulp adventure from Doc Savage. This time he meets his greatest villain!
Not sure if people realize that Doc Savage had a Fortress of Solitude before Superman!
October 11, 2017
Doc adventure read in the 80s
September 3, 2018
Entertaining short novel as are all the Doc Savage stories.
September 4, 2021
Cheesy, thin, and over the top. Written in the late 30s, it just doesn't hold up. Pulpity pulp pulp pulp.
July 9, 2023
For my first Doc Savage story! I found it interesting, reminded me of the Dirk Pitt stories. But I am assuming it was the inspiration for Dirk Pitt anyway
April 9, 2013
Sherlock had his Moriarity. Bugs had his Elmer Fudd. Kirk had his Khan. All truly great and legendary heroes are only half the story because – in order for them to earn that ‘legendary’ status – they must have an adversary equal to their strength, cunning, and ability. Only in facing and, ultimately, besting a foe equal to his measure can any champion truly rise up and take his proper place in the society he feels responsible for protecting. Without it, they can still be great men (and women), but there will always be a lingering doubt about whether or not they legitimately had ‘the right stuff.’
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last paragraph for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
John Sunlight – a convict who managed a prison break out of a Siberian stronghold – and what remains of the crew of an Arctic icebreaker stumble across a mysterious blue dome, one which holds more secrets and more treasures than anyone could possibly imagine. In reality, the dome is the secret property of Clark Savage, Jr. – aka Doc Savage – and it houses any and all forms of evil science he’s thwarted from being released on an unsuspecting mankind. What starts out as a happenstance discovery could lead to the end of life as we know it unless Doc and his faithful companions can’t uncover the Sunlight’s secret identity as well as his plans to profit from Doc’s good works before it’s too late!
This blue dome is known as Savage’s “Fortress of Solitude,” a haven for one of the greatest minds on our planet … and before anyone gets his or her undies in a bunch the character and property of Savage actually predates Superman by nearly a decade. In fact, there’s reason to suspect that a Superman tinkering co-opting the idea of such a fortress from the annals of Doc’s adventures instead of vice versa, but we’ll leave that debate to scholars who are more ‘in the know’ than I. Doc’s fortress was a secret location for him to go and practice his particular brand of science, and, as thus, he would need to keep all that evil away from the wrong hands … such as John Sunlight.
These pulp adventures were intended to be little more than nonstop adventure – think of them as comic books in prose form – and much of FORTRESS is a joyous romp. There’s action aplenty – with high-tech James Bond style wizardry of every possible stripe – and there are even a couple of tough ladies of Amazonian strength named Giantia and Titania to serve up some surprising fisticuffs. Literally, this is a tale that could be told in bullet points – Sunlight escapes; Sunlight uncovers the Arctic stronghold; Sunlight desires to put Savage in his place; Doc rises up and chases Sunlight and his cohorts; etc. – and the slim, tight prose (not always entirely effective but definitely tight) pushes the reader forward from one ‘point’ to the next.
Inevitably, these yarns were structured to lead to showdowns, and therein lay FORTRESS’s greatest misstep in my opinion: there isn’t any. Now, truth be told, there’s a climax, and, yes, it’s fraught with as much action and adventure that anyone would come to expect from any Doc Savage tale … but it’s just that these two great characters – Doc and Sunlight – never really face-off in any respectable head-to-head match-up. Instead, Sunlight’s forces and Doc’s forces clash, and, in the confusion, Sunlight gets away, living to fight another day (which everyone knew was going to happen anyway, most likely).
Still, it’s told with enough vim, vigor, and gusto that this reader of pulp will await the next contest, all the while hoping that our hero will finally give our enemy the thumping that he deserves!
RECOMMENDED. Look, I can be honest about it: these older pulps are not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you know what you like, and you like what you know, then DOC SAVAGE: FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE is a solid non-stop pulp adventure that gives the Man of Bronze a genius-level adversary – one for the ages. Yes, the prose has all the claps and traps so common to the age in which it was written (obvious smarmy jokes, lightly fleshed out characters and situations, etc.), but keep in mind the era in which this style was created, and it’s easy to forgive.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last paragraph for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
John Sunlight – a convict who managed a prison break out of a Siberian stronghold – and what remains of the crew of an Arctic icebreaker stumble across a mysterious blue dome, one which holds more secrets and more treasures than anyone could possibly imagine. In reality, the dome is the secret property of Clark Savage, Jr. – aka Doc Savage – and it houses any and all forms of evil science he’s thwarted from being released on an unsuspecting mankind. What starts out as a happenstance discovery could lead to the end of life as we know it unless Doc and his faithful companions can’t uncover the Sunlight’s secret identity as well as his plans to profit from Doc’s good works before it’s too late!
This blue dome is known as Savage’s “Fortress of Solitude,” a haven for one of the greatest minds on our planet … and before anyone gets his or her undies in a bunch the character and property of Savage actually predates Superman by nearly a decade. In fact, there’s reason to suspect that a Superman tinkering co-opting the idea of such a fortress from the annals of Doc’s adventures instead of vice versa, but we’ll leave that debate to scholars who are more ‘in the know’ than I. Doc’s fortress was a secret location for him to go and practice his particular brand of science, and, as thus, he would need to keep all that evil away from the wrong hands … such as John Sunlight.
These pulp adventures were intended to be little more than nonstop adventure – think of them as comic books in prose form – and much of FORTRESS is a joyous romp. There’s action aplenty – with high-tech James Bond style wizardry of every possible stripe – and there are even a couple of tough ladies of Amazonian strength named Giantia and Titania to serve up some surprising fisticuffs. Literally, this is a tale that could be told in bullet points – Sunlight escapes; Sunlight uncovers the Arctic stronghold; Sunlight desires to put Savage in his place; Doc rises up and chases Sunlight and his cohorts; etc. – and the slim, tight prose (not always entirely effective but definitely tight) pushes the reader forward from one ‘point’ to the next.
Inevitably, these yarns were structured to lead to showdowns, and therein lay FORTRESS’s greatest misstep in my opinion: there isn’t any. Now, truth be told, there’s a climax, and, yes, it’s fraught with as much action and adventure that anyone would come to expect from any Doc Savage tale … but it’s just that these two great characters – Doc and Sunlight – never really face-off in any respectable head-to-head match-up. Instead, Sunlight’s forces and Doc’s forces clash, and, in the confusion, Sunlight gets away, living to fight another day (which everyone knew was going to happen anyway, most likely).
Still, it’s told with enough vim, vigor, and gusto that this reader of pulp will await the next contest, all the while hoping that our hero will finally give our enemy the thumping that he deserves!
RECOMMENDED. Look, I can be honest about it: these older pulps are not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you know what you like, and you like what you know, then DOC SAVAGE: FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE is a solid non-stop pulp adventure that gives the Man of Bronze a genius-level adversary – one for the ages. Yes, the prose has all the claps and traps so common to the age in which it was written (obvious smarmy jokes, lightly fleshed out characters and situations, etc.), but keep in mind the era in which this style was created, and it’s easy to forgive.
November 9, 2015
I always hated that Superman's creators stole the Fortress of Solitude idea from Doc Savage. Crafty and brazen, but pretty low.
The arctic stronghold to which the Man of Bronze retreated for study and experiments and overall attempts to amp his awesomeness was mentioned in many of the novels since the beginning in 1933. But it took until the October 1938 issue of Doc Savage magazine for an adventure to actually put us there. "Fortress of Solitude" was worth the wait; it's a crackerjack tale.
In this one, the one man in all the world Doc Savage would least like to stumble upon his "strange blue dome" on an arctic island does so. John Sunlight has just escaped from a Russian prison camp when he discovers the Fortress of Solitude, pulls a fast one on its Eskimo caretakers and gains entry, leading to the theft of some of the world's worst weapons, which Doc has hidden there.
John Sunlight is a lean man who looks like a poet but is pure villainy, calmly delighting in dominating others. He dresses entirely in one color, shifting hues according to his moods. John Sunlight gives Doc some extremely jittery moments, and our normally unrattleable hero's veneer of control cracks several times when he realize what John Sunlight now has at his disposal, including a machine that produces total blackness by affecting the optic nerves (or something like that).
This tale also features two enormously strong women named Titania and Giantia, circus strongwoman types who get mixed up in things along with their demure little sister, Fifi. Interestingly, the normally nonjudgmental Doc once refers to them as "freaks." Along the way, Long Tom and Ham keep Fifi safe, misogynist Long Tom hating being around the beauty (was Long Tom gay?).
There's some nice action in this one, though we're mostly told about Sunlight's nefarious ways rather than writer Lester Dent showing us. And the big confrontation between Sunlight and Doc isn't really much of one, though the follow-up "The Devil Genghis" may have had something to do with that. There also are a couple curious turns of plot. Doc knows his Fortress of Solitude must have been broken into, but when Sunlight bolts New York for a rendezvous in the Arctic, Doc has to scheme to figure out where he's going. Er ... probably to the Fortress, Doc?
For "Fortress of Solitude," then, 4.5 stars. Not absolutely top-class Doc, just a tick below, but it's got the frickin' Fortress of Solitude and the series' greatest villain, and that's saying a lot.
The arctic stronghold to which the Man of Bronze retreated for study and experiments and overall attempts to amp his awesomeness was mentioned in many of the novels since the beginning in 1933. But it took until the October 1938 issue of Doc Savage magazine for an adventure to actually put us there. "Fortress of Solitude" was worth the wait; it's a crackerjack tale.
In this one, the one man in all the world Doc Savage would least like to stumble upon his "strange blue dome" on an arctic island does so. John Sunlight has just escaped from a Russian prison camp when he discovers the Fortress of Solitude, pulls a fast one on its Eskimo caretakers and gains entry, leading to the theft of some of the world's worst weapons, which Doc has hidden there.
John Sunlight is a lean man who looks like a poet but is pure villainy, calmly delighting in dominating others. He dresses entirely in one color, shifting hues according to his moods. John Sunlight gives Doc some extremely jittery moments, and our normally unrattleable hero's veneer of control cracks several times when he realize what John Sunlight now has at his disposal, including a machine that produces total blackness by affecting the optic nerves (or something like that).
This tale also features two enormously strong women named Titania and Giantia, circus strongwoman types who get mixed up in things along with their demure little sister, Fifi. Interestingly, the normally nonjudgmental Doc once refers to them as "freaks." Along the way, Long Tom and Ham keep Fifi safe, misogynist Long Tom hating being around the beauty (was Long Tom gay?).
There's some nice action in this one, though we're mostly told about Sunlight's nefarious ways rather than writer Lester Dent showing us. And the big confrontation between Sunlight and Doc isn't really much of one, though the follow-up "The Devil Genghis" may have had something to do with that. There also are a couple curious turns of plot. Doc knows his Fortress of Solitude must have been broken into, but when Sunlight bolts New York for a rendezvous in the Arctic, Doc has to scheme to figure out where he's going. Er ... probably to the Fortress, Doc?
For "Fortress of Solitude," then, 4.5 stars. Not absolutely top-class Doc, just a tick below, but it's got the frickin' Fortress of Solitude and the series' greatest villain, and that's saying a lot.
September 25, 2016
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!
April 28, 2023
For this being about Docs super secret hideout, it sure wasn't that exciting. It had moments but they were few and far between. The first 3 chapters are of the bad guy try to break into the 'blue dome' and the rest of the story seems to make Doc and the guys throwaway background characters.
I assume the John Sunlight guy was supposed to be Docs ultimate foe but he didn't do anything super human or evil, he was just there. People around him seemed to be more scared of him than we were. At the start, when they're dealing with the unconscious Fifi, the descriptions of her and her beauty almost sounded stalker-ish.
But as always we were given a few great lines, like:
'Serge Mafnoff screamed in his study.' (Yeah, studying does that to me too)
'There are men who love to loaf, and loaf.' (I do love me a loaf loaf.)
"Your mistake," Titania said, "was in being born." (OH SNAP!)
"There was no one in the plane," Doc said. "It was being flown by a radio robot." (you're listening to station R O B O T 99FM, all robot all the time)
'The girl was very small, very pretty--if you liked the kewpie-doll type.' (Not me, personally I go for the 'Creepy Doll' type)
'The bronze man made mistakes himself.' (not as many as these other 5 screw ups, they were just the worst)
Once again our Superamalgamated count was zero, so no points this round.
Oh well, on to the next one....
I assume the John Sunlight guy was supposed to be Docs ultimate foe but he didn't do anything super human or evil, he was just there. People around him seemed to be more scared of him than we were. At the start, when they're dealing with the unconscious Fifi, the descriptions of her and her beauty almost sounded stalker-ish.
But as always we were given a few great lines, like:
'Serge Mafnoff screamed in his study.' (Yeah, studying does that to me too)
'There are men who love to loaf, and loaf.' (I do love me a loaf loaf.)
"Your mistake," Titania said, "was in being born." (OH SNAP!)
"There was no one in the plane," Doc said. "It was being flown by a radio robot." (you're listening to station R O B O T 99FM, all robot all the time)
'The girl was very small, very pretty--if you liked the kewpie-doll type.' (Not me, personally I go for the 'Creepy Doll' type)
'The bronze man made mistakes himself.' (not as many as these other 5 screw ups, they were just the worst)
Once again our Superamalgamated count was zero, so no points this round.
Oh well, on to the next one....
November 20, 2012
Doc Savage and the Fortress of Solitude
Wherein Doc and crew face off against the most evil man in the world, John Sunlight. Taking place mostly in the arctic circle, the novel introduces the man who would be Doc’s only nemesis who was practically his equal, though in this novel that is never put to the test as the two men never meet in battle. It’s a battle of wits with two nations futures in the balance as the evil John Sunlight unleashes the horrific devices Doc has sequestered away in his hidden (Insert Drumroll here) FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE!
This was one of the classic Doc Savage stories from the 30’s which so easily translates to today with Doc’s amazing technologies envisioned so many years before their time. As always Doc has his right hand men with him, including Monk and Ham as well as Long Tom.
The cast of villains is just as colorful as the heroes in this tome as we meet the two amazonion sisters Giantia and Titania as well as their pixieish and beautiful sister, Fifi.
All in all it was a thrilling adventure that actually pushed Doc in directions he never had to go to before, including looking for threats emanating from within his own house as it were.
While not one of the best Doc novels it was still very, very good and highly recommended.
Wherein Doc and crew face off against the most evil man in the world, John Sunlight. Taking place mostly in the arctic circle, the novel introduces the man who would be Doc’s only nemesis who was practically his equal, though in this novel that is never put to the test as the two men never meet in battle. It’s a battle of wits with two nations futures in the balance as the evil John Sunlight unleashes the horrific devices Doc has sequestered away in his hidden (Insert Drumroll here) FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE!
This was one of the classic Doc Savage stories from the 30’s which so easily translates to today with Doc’s amazing technologies envisioned so many years before their time. As always Doc has his right hand men with him, including Monk and Ham as well as Long Tom.
The cast of villains is just as colorful as the heroes in this tome as we meet the two amazonion sisters Giantia and Titania as well as their pixieish and beautiful sister, Fifi.
All in all it was a thrilling adventure that actually pushed Doc in directions he never had to go to before, including looking for threats emanating from within his own house as it were.
While not one of the best Doc novels it was still very, very good and highly recommended.
July 4, 2021
One of the better Doc Savage books. Despite this being book 23 in the series it reads as one that could have been later.
Long ago John Sunlight ran was caught by the Russians and sent to a Siberian prison camp. Despite the odds he engineered an escape and took all the prisoners with him. Jack Sunlight is intelligent, manipulative, and seems to have a strange hypnotic power over his followers. When they run aground in the arctic it is near a strange blue dome. Sunlight is able to discover the secret entrance to this dome.
Doc Savage and his men enter the story when a strange death of a Russian diplomat occurs in New York. Then begins the chase and slow revelation, at least to his men, that someone has discovered the remote location of Doc Savage's Fortress of Solitude. The fortress is not only where Doc conducts many of his greatest experiments but also where he stores the evil devices that he and his aids have come across in their adventures. And John Sunlight is intelligent enough to figure out how to make them work.
Can Doc stop the Sunlight before his evil plans come to fruition? You'll have to read the book.
Long ago John Sunlight ran was caught by the Russians and sent to a Siberian prison camp. Despite the odds he engineered an escape and took all the prisoners with him. Jack Sunlight is intelligent, manipulative, and seems to have a strange hypnotic power over his followers. When they run aground in the arctic it is near a strange blue dome. Sunlight is able to discover the secret entrance to this dome.
Doc Savage and his men enter the story when a strange death of a Russian diplomat occurs in New York. Then begins the chase and slow revelation, at least to his men, that someone has discovered the remote location of Doc Savage's Fortress of Solitude. The fortress is not only where Doc conducts many of his greatest experiments but also where he stores the evil devices that he and his aids have come across in their adventures. And John Sunlight is intelligent enough to figure out how to make them work.
Can Doc stop the Sunlight before his evil plans come to fruition? You'll have to read the book.
February 20, 2016
"John Sunlight had been put on this earth so that men could be afraid of him. Russia was the first country to become afraid of John Sunlight." Sunlight is a memorably creepy, sinister adversary who'd stand out even if he hadn't been the only Doc Savage foe to get a rematch (a couple of books later, in "The Devil Genghis."). Here, he stumbles onto Doc's secret arctic research lab (although it was mentioned in the first Doc Savage novel, this is the first time it's played a role) and starts stealing nasty devices for his own ends. For regular readers of the series, this shows Doc considerably more emotional and distressed than usual, something that happens more as Dent plays with the formula going forward. Overall, 4.5.
March 30, 2015
Superman may be known for his Fortress of Solitude, located in the vast arctic wastes, but Doc Savage introduced it a full 19 years before the Man of Steel.
In this adventure a mad super villain discovers Doc's fortress, along with the bronze man's collection of weapons too terrible to be used. Havoc, of course, ensues.
The story follows the typical Lester Dent formula. Pulp fiction may be formulaic but that's part of it's charm, it's what makes it fun.
This is not great literature nor does it pretend to be. Doc Savage is fun, pure and simple. Read it for that reason alone and I guarantee you'll enjoy it.
In this adventure a mad super villain discovers Doc's fortress, along with the bronze man's collection of weapons too terrible to be used. Havoc, of course, ensues.
The story follows the typical Lester Dent formula. Pulp fiction may be formulaic but that's part of it's charm, it's what makes it fun.
This is not great literature nor does it pretend to be. Doc Savage is fun, pure and simple. Read it for that reason alone and I guarantee you'll enjoy it.
March 4, 2012
"It seemed from the first that John Sunlight had been put on this Earth so that men could be afraid of him"
From that early line on, I knew I would enjoy the rest and I did. Very influential story for many who read it as John Sunlight remains one of Doc Savages greatest villains. But the Fortress of Solitude's acclaim is often the influence of its title, its part in the story and how it influenced Super Man, which is also very noteworthy. All the more reason to read. Sunlight appears again in the Devil Genghis.
From that early line on, I knew I would enjoy the rest and I did. Very influential story for many who read it as John Sunlight remains one of Doc Savages greatest villains. But the Fortress of Solitude's acclaim is often the influence of its title, its part in the story and how it influenced Super Man, which is also very noteworthy. All the more reason to read. Sunlight appears again in the Devil Genghis.
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