The Radiant Shell

by Paul Ernst

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1932

About the author

Paul Frederick Ernst was an American pulp fiction writer. He is best known as the author of the original 24 "Avenger" novels, published by Street & Smith under the house name Kenneth Robeson.

He "[took] up fiction writing in his early twenties." Credited by pulp-expert Don Hutchison as "a prolific manufacturer of potboilers-made-to-order," his stories appeared in a number of early Science fiction and fantasy magazines. His writing appeared in Astounding Stories, Strange Tales and Amazing, and he was the author of the Doctor Satan series which ran in Weird Tales from August, 1935. His most famous work was in writing the original 24 The Avenger stories in the eponymous magazine between 1939 and 1942.

When pulp magazine work began to dry up, Ernst "was able to make a painless transition into the more prestigious "slick" magazines, where his word skill earned him higher financial rewards." As of 1971, he was "still active as a writer," including penning "Blackout" for the July 1971 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. He died in Pinellas County, Florida.

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_...]


Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Paul^Ernst

Reviews

[Zen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard Golden Age Sci-Fi Pulp stuff.

Start with an interesting idea....in this case Invisibility Paint that bends Light Rays around and past the object painted. Then slather this paint, which is hot as boiling oil, all over a Sexy, Muscular, Naked Man named Thorn Winter. (What a name!) And thus: Invisibility!

"Said The Secretary of War, 'I'd never have believed it if I hadn't painted you and witnessed it myself! That paint of yours is miraculous!'
'A little complicated but hardly miraculous,' replied Torn Winter."

Then bring in some Anti-Slavic, Pro-American Cold War Political Intrigue.

The Super-Top-Secret Zeiglar Plans for the Devastating Heat Ray Super Weapon are stolen by the Avarians of Avaria, which is a small, stereotypical, unknown-by-Westeners, Eastern Block nation who, are planing to detroy all the major cities of The U. S. Of A., "....'this Great Stupid Nation' said the Ambassador of Avaria", and thus take over the World and make it unsafe for God, Democracy and Good Ol' Mom and Apple Pie.

So....now you send the Invisible, but still Sexy, Muscular, Naked Man named Torn Winter, to Avarian Embassy, where the Avarians are literally Twirling Their Mustachios, to steal back the plans......

.....and the rest if the story is Action, Action, Action.

Fun stuff.....even though for the rest of the story you don't get to see Torn Winter's.....ah....well, he's Invisible.

[Chris Aldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of LibriVox Short Science Fiction Collection 015. About the use of an invisibility cloak to steal valuable documents and thereby prevent a war. Above Average. Narrator somewhat hesitant. 52:03

[Mark]

Audio

[Rickie Allen Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting

A very interesting as well as an entertaining story. Thank you author for a good story. A newer version of the Invisible man👍👍

[Ralph McEwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plans stolen and a man offers to retrieve them while invisible.

Audio Book MP3 downloaded from
http://librivox.org/short-science-fic...
Public Domain stories from Project Gutenberg, that are read by volunteers.
I listen to these short stories while walking to and from work.

Play Duration: 00:52:03
Read By: Bellona Times

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightful twist on H. G. Wells' The Invisible Man.