The Fire-Eater

The Barnum System #1

by Ron Goulart

Great scaly dragons roamed the dunes -- unreal beasts resurrected daily in the mirage belt. Illusions created by atmospheric manipulation -- and by magic. For although Esmeralda was a backward world, it had a very real and unusual native art -- witchcraft!

Raker of Soldiers of Fortune, Inc. was being paid well to track down the planet's deadly Fire-Eater -- who visited flaming death upon distant enemies.

But Raker found himself battling not one wizard, but a whole pack of sorcerers, plague makers, lycanthropes, and fire assassins. And the ones who couldn't kill him with words went at him with battle axes, swords and the like. Raker began to wonder if even a great fortune was going to be just compensation if he couldn't live long enough to collect....

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor

159 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Pseudonyms: Howard Lee; Frank S Shawn; Kenneth Robeson; Con Steffanson; Josephine Kains; Joseph Silva; William Shatner.
Ron Goulart is a cultural historian and novelist. Besides writing extensively about pulp fiction—including the seminal Cheap Thrills: An Informal History of Pulp Magazines (1972)—Goulart has written for the pulps since 1952, when the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction published his first story, a sci-fi parody of letters to the editor. Since then he has written dozens of novels and countless short stories, spanning genres and using a variety of pennames, including Kenneth Robeson, Joseph Silva, and Con Steffanson. In the 1990s, he became the ghostwriter for William Shatner’s popular TekWar novels. Goulart’s After Things Fell Apart (1970) is the only science-fiction novel to ever win an Edgar Award.

In the 1970s Goulart wrote novels starring series characters like Flash Gordon and the Phantom, and in 1980 he published Hail Hibbler, a comic sci-fi novel that began the Odd Jobs, Inc. series. Goulart has also written several comic mystery series, including six books starring Groucho Marx. Having written for comic books, Goulart produced several histories of the art form, including the Comic Book Encyclopedia (2004).

Reviews

[TAP · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few interesting ideas but mostly meh.

2.5

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of Goulart's earliest novels, and is set on Esmeralda in his Barnum System sequence. It is notable for presenting a lot of traditional fantasy-fiction tropes, and the way they play against his science fiction viewpoint is interesting. It's a fast-paced satirical story, as virtually all of his work is, and features John Raker of Soldiers of Fortune, Inc., investigating the planet as he pursues clues to the Fire-Eater, who seems to be immolating his enemies from afar. It's a little dated, not terribly memorable, but fun. I also liked the Robert LoGrippo cover.

[John Defrog: global citizen, local gadfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I’ve been revisiting Ron Goulart, here’s one of his novels I actually haven’t read before – what I believe is the first Barnum System novel, in which John Raker of Soldiers Of Fortune Inc is hired to investigate a series of strange assassinations taking place on Esmerelda, a backward planet where sorcery and magic are real. Someone is killing officials of the ruling League Of Statesmen by remotely setting them on fire. Raker’s mission: find the assassin(s), stop them, and if possible find out how they’re doing it. This one is a little different as Goulart plays around with the fantasy-world gimmick. That said, as with all of his novels, Goulart sticks to his basic narrative template: laconic hero carries out his mission and plays straight man to the eccentric and talkative secondary characters he encounters. And like most Goulart novels I’ve read, it’s fun, light entertainment – which is what I come to Goulart for, so it met my expectations.

[Brian Yatman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish it. I found myself proofreading it as I read, and that's not my idea of time well spent. Sometimes bad writing can contain interesting ideas and vivid imagery (hello Lovecraft), but this is not that.

[Mikepottz · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Raker is on the planet Esmeralda which doesn't allow cars or guns. He attacked an angry mob, his filling from his wisdom teeth flies out. Esmeralda is a backwood planet, low technology and a strong predilection for witchcraft. An assassin is knocking off the members of the league of nations and Raker is hired to find them. A man feeding a 50 pound yellow cat gets smashed in the chin by Raker. Raker eats a lot of cheese and drinks a lot of wine. Nice life. Raker asking too many questions gets put in a cell. He smashes the jailor in the guts. Caught again by a merchant supplier who has gained 200 pounds because he likes to try all the goods. Gluttony you prick. More escaping and Raker at a carnival where people drink a potion and turn into lions, tigers, wolves and go hunting. Raker stabs a leopard. More crazy antics from Ron.

[Russell Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character has this faux good boy charm where he’s always cheesing and doesn’t kill on principle. However, he’s a huge dick to his friends and tries to sleep with every woman he sees. I’m giving 2 stars for a part of the book where all the characters go to a rave where you drink a potion that turns you into animals. I’m here for the 70’s furry dance party and that’s it!!

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Goulart parody

[Paul Wood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Solid pulp. At times it is slow moving.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a silly little book. Fun to read.

[Stephen Rowland · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of Goulart's weakest.

[Graham Carter · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's like the author had no idea how he wanted to end the story. Left too many threads open and the story ending was so poor, even for the seventies!

[Tentatively, Convenience · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ron Goulart is a prolific pulp writer. The 28 books that I've read by him so far can be described in similar terms. See my review of "Wildsmith".