Pulp Fiction discussion

Hello everyone and welcome to my group. I hope you'll make yourself comfortable. Feel free to recommend books, discuss your latest read, ask questions, or even tell us about your own book (Yes, you can promote here. DON'T make me regret that. Be reasonable.)

I started this group to celebrate what I call pulp fiction. I'm not a fan of books that require flow charts to keep track of characters or ones that like to go on forever about the details of an object. If I have to read eight paragraphs about how a person is dressed, I'm chucking that book.

This group is all about the laid back fiction/fantasy/adventure authors. Quick and easy reads that put a smile on your face.

I have the group classified as science fiction and fantasy. However, feel free to tell us about any "Pulp" genre you enjoy. (Scifi, fantasy, adventure, horror, etc.) We DON'T want to here about erotica, S&M, etc.

Thanks for stopping by and I look forward to connection with you.


-Jeff

Thanks for the invitation, Jeff! I'm a huge fan of the classic pulp fiction era, when speculative sci-fi was smart, pushed boundaries, and had something to say without all the fluff we see all too commonly these days. I look forward to the conversations!

Hello Leigh. I'm glad you dropped in. Looking forward to the discussions.

Welcome to the group.

Hi Jeff and thanks for the invite! I too have flung a book across a room when the descriptions stretch across multiple chapters. I look forward to discovering some new pulp fiction to read :)

Hello Jamina. Good to have you here. Looking forward to discussions.

Thanks for the invite, Jeff! Sounds like this is going to be a great group!

No probelem William, good to have you in the group. I hope to have some fun and good conversations about all sorts of books... Sci-fi, fantasy, adventure, even horror.

If you get a chance, welcome Parita to the group. Thanks for joining!

Thanks for inviting me to the group, Jeff! I enjoy pulp horror -- I think, just because something is in the 'pulp' category doesn't it's inferior or low-grade. For me, pulp means a fun, exciting, action-filled read. :-)

Mark wrote: "Thanks for inviting me to the group, Jeff! I enjoy pulp horror -- I think, just because something is in the 'pulp' category doesn't it's inferior or low-grade. For me, pulp means a fun, exciting, a..."

I agree... I don't use the term "pulp" as a grade or quality signifier. For me pulp means... Lots of action, some fun/exciting characters I can love and/or hate, with not a lot of overhead. By that... I mean not spending two and a half pages telling me about what the character is wearing or how the trees look.

Tell me the "story"... my imagination will fill in the gaps.

Jeff mentioned:
>Tell me the "story"... my imagination will fill in the gaps.

I agree! I, too, get impatient with wordy stories that describe the furniture in an elegant room where absolutely nothing is happening!

Jeff,
thanks for the welcome into the group. Just to introduce myself to the members my name is John Picha and I'm an ePulp writer as well as traditional pulp fan. I thought I'd share a list of some of my favorite pulps and and what I like about them. I hope some of these are lesser known to the group so I can introduce some of you to some new, old stuff. ha ha.

- Operator #5
The stakes are always so high in these stories.

- The Johnston Mcculley Stuff (Zorro, Madame Madcap, the Crimson Clown)
His stories have so much of the modern superhero DNA in them. They are kind of like exploring fiction ground zero (Like Philip Wylie's Gladiator).

- Amusement Inc
These stories usually have details that are shocking from a modern vantage point. In a way they kind unintentionally deconstruct the good o'l days. I also suspect Gangster Squad actually came from this group.

- the Spicy Stories
It's interesting to see how they pushed boundaries in the past. These kind of remind me of 'pre-code" movies. In a way the situations in these tales make the characters seem more familiar to the modern reader. I think that bridges the distance between the past and the present.

- the Shadow
who know what evil lurks there…

John, how would you define pulp fiction?

Jeff wrote: "John, how would you define pulp fiction?"

Pulp Fiction is one of those terms that seems splintered depending on which era you point at. off the top of my head i can think of 5 distinct categories. 1 - First generation Pulp Magazines (Argosy) were kind of exploratory wonders. You never know what you're going to find in one of these tales. 2 - the Golden of Pulp Magazines (the shadow) which i see as depression era pressure valves. typical they are linear stories, that put you right in the action along side larger than life characters. 3 - Pulp Fiction seems to be the sordid paperback category, where everyone is a bad girl, reefer addict or maniac on the run, ha ha. 4- Men's Adventure Magazines (Men's Life) with titles like "weasels ripped my flesh." These stories are typically...an average X-GI Joe, minding his own business stumbles on to a cult's desert-island-HQ. after freeing a dungeon full of slave girls and they shoot their way to freedom. 5- Pulp Fiction the movie. nine out of ten times if i say pulp people think i mean that movie. ha ha.

when i hear pulp i think #2. (wait, that didn't come out right.) i mean the golden age of pulp magazines.

john

John wrote: "Jeff wrote: "John, how would you define pulp fiction?"

Pulp Fiction is one of those terms that seems splintered depending on which era you point at. off the top of my head i can think of 5 distinc..."


I think of my book Assassin's Retribution as "pulp fiction". Heavy on the action, light but lovable characters, and a good story. (at least I think so.. I'm kinda bias tho..LOL)

hey grant,

how would you define pulp?

Welcome to the group Vardan.

hey Jeff! Good to be part of the group! I like the relaxed atmosphere here, which is thanks to you so cheers!

The best pulpy books I read (in the sci-fi category) were the Stainless Steel Rat series, the Deathworld series (both by Harry Harrison) as well as absolutely loved the pulpy fun of the Logan's Run...you can expand that to include all the Star Wars expanded universe novels, which are pulpy in spite of their otherwise pretensions (don't tell Lucas) :)

One person's pulp fiction is another's literary classic. Also, the passage of time figures into the mix. Just look at the fiction of H.P. Lovecraft! While he was alive, his work was considered pulp. Now that's he's passed away and some time has gone by ... his stories are American horror classics.

Hello all! I just wanted to stop by and introduce you to my new Steampunk novel HAWTHORNE: Chronicles of the Brass Hand ~ Mystirio Astronomiki.

Maybe you could take a look at it and possibly visit my website as well? I'd be very appreciative! Thanks a bunch!

HAWTHORNE: Chronicles of the Brass Hand ~ Mystirio Astronomiki




HAWTHORNE: Chronicles of the Brass Hand ~ Mystirio Astronomiki



My website is located at www.thehawthornebooks.com

Thanks again.

Christopher C. Meeker