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Post by bushwick on Aug 19, 2009 12:16:24 GMT
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Post by Steve on Aug 19, 2009 12:55:07 GMT
Would be very interested to know who really wrote this, as 'David Alexander' is blatantly a pseudonym. Believe it or not, Noah, David Alexander is David Alexander - this David Alexander to be precise. Seems the Phoenix series was his first stab at the action-adventure genre. Since then he's made something of a name for himself with his investigative non-fiction, writing on topics such as stealth warfare and the Pentagon (being, I think, the only writer I'm aware of who's contributed to both Penthouse and the journal of Counter-Terrorism and Security). He still writes action-adventure novels of the 'global technothriller' variety and, perhaps most surprisingly to anyone still coming to terms with "Maxine’s urogenital system geysered from the spectacular exit wound", is also considered in certain quarters as something of a 'serious' writer for his short fiction. "Alexander is a modern de Maupassant with a Kafkian sense of linearity" reckons Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. 'John Sievert' - clue in the name - was a pseudonym originally shared by Jan Stacy and Ryder Syvertsen of Doomsday Warrior fame. The first C.A.D.S. book was a joint effort, after which Syvertsen wrote the next seven. David Alexander only took over from #9 onwards. There were 12 books in total. |
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Post by bushwick on Aug 19, 2009 18:01:52 GMT
Well I never! Thanks steve. I'll give his site further investigation. Much kudos to him for using his own name. Judging by the guy's background, all the highly-detailed weapon spec stuff (which is all Greek to me but I like it) must be pretty accurate.
I bet the C.A.D.S. books aren't half as funny as Doomsday Warrior.
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Post by franklinmarsh on Sept 16, 2009 12:16:46 GMT
I'd never stumbled across this genre before Justin, Steve and Bushwick began to discuss its dubious merits. Imagine my surprise when a mint Futura '86 print of Doomdsay Warrior fell into my hands. I seem to be having problems getting stuck into books recently and as this is a 340 page micro-print effort, things don't look too good. Hooray for Ted 'Rock' Rockson, a heavily-armed badger-haired freedom fighter who has ten Commie pinko fag subversives marked for death after they raped, tortured and murdered his mother and sisters. Post apocalyptic America (surely the Union Of Soviet Socialist America?) is in a very sorry state, the OTT nuking having created a nightmare greenhouse effect. The surviving 35 million Yanks are slaving under the Soviet yoke, mutant animals (well, rats and dogs at least) prowl what's left of the land, weird weather conditions rage and its up to Rock and his compadres to clean up the world by ridding it of the filthy Red menace.
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Post by shaun Jeffrey on Sept 17, 2009 9:26:05 GMT
This thread brings back memories. The books I used to read in this genre were The Survivalist by Jerry Ahern and Deathlands, first written by Christopher Lowder, under the pen name 'Jack Adrian'. Mr. Lowder became ill after developing the plot and writing most of the book. Laurence James, under the pen name 'James Axler' then finished the story.
Even though already mentioned, a recap:
The Survivalist was a long running series centered around John Rourke, ex-CIA officer turned weapons and survival expert, in the aftermath of a nuclear war. It featured a range of scenarios and characters, from biker gangs, to mutants and cannibals.
Deathlands is set in the aftermath of WWIII where a host of genetic contagions were released infecting the survivors with terrible illnesses. The remaining survivors lived harshly during a time of prolonged nuclear winter known as ‘Sky Dark’. Out of the ruins emerged Deathlands. In this blasted heart of the new America, a group of people try to escape the eerie wastes and mutated life forms of their environment.
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Post by bushwick on Sept 17, 2009 13:36:55 GMT
You'll tear through that Doomsday Warrior FM. I've read a few of them now and they never fail to disappoint. Have you come across the Glowers yet? They're a wise and peaceful post-apocalyptic people, but with great power, whose internal organs are on the outside of their bodies. They communicate by telepathy, and their thoughts ARE ALL IN CAPITALS. THERE IS A SEGMENT IN ONE OF THE BOOKS WHERE ONE OF THEM ENTERS INTO A LONG MONOLOGUE, RESULTING IN A GOOD FEW PAGES OF ALL CAPITALS.
And there's the underground-dwelling rebel jazz fans, who have deadly musical instruments and all speak like beatniks.
In one of the DW books (and probably in others that I haven't read) there is a part blatantly shoehorned in, where Ted is discovered by a sexy Amazonian group of warrior women. He obviously shags them, as they want his powerful Ultimate American seed to help propagate the new race. This part didn't really have any bearing on the rest of the book. I admired it as a blatant way to cram in some gratuitous sex.
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Sept 17, 2009 14:30:28 GMT
The introduction of Amazonians and utterly gratuitous sex always gets top prize in my books. Perhaps we should introduce a new vault board of book censorship making it compulsory -particularly in clever books with large words.
Having a great time in Essex at the moment in days which consist of playing music all day and watching at least three horror films a night -So many all the titles are running together.
As a relief from zombies, spinechilling darkness, dolls with weird eyes and the rest we watched The Princess Bride. It had all the elements - men in tights, torture, evil prince, hero, large strongman and master alcoholic swordsman, but - and here's where it all fell down - no Amazons or gratutious sex...
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Post by pulphack on Sept 27, 2009 15:24:06 GMT
just a quick mention here for the unsung heroes of the genre - the editors who keep them going over years and years.
i say this as Feroze Mohammed has just retired from Gold Eagle, after 27 years in the editorial chair. most of those as head honcho, taking the reins from mark howell.
in that time Feroze kept The Executioner and The Destroyer ticking over and even thriving as the genre collapsed around them. he also oversaw Deathlands and the spin-off Outlanders, which has been incredibly succesful, as well as pioneering their growth into spoken word successes for the truck drivers of America (i'm serious - seven or eight disk sets keep the truckers going on those endless highways).
under Feroze's leasdership Deathlands in particular weathered a storm that saw LJ's decease and a cut from 6 to 4 books a year, seeing it get a movie deal with the sci-fi channel (though let's not talk about the pigs ear they made of it) and last year go up 6 books per year again.
he kept a weather eye on - at one point - over half-a-dozen regular series which he ran almost single-handed, keeping continuity on what must have been a stable of authors well into double figures.
without guys like him, books like this would have died out long ago.
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Post by dem on Sept 27, 2009 20:50:51 GMT
we've had an unusually lively weekend on here - normally it's stone dead - and as far as i'm concerned this is by far the best post and the closest to what this board is supposed to be about (though mr. horror's This Creeping Evil cover is a bit tasty too). i'm ashamed to admit, i'd never heard of Feroze Mohammed until now but you're so right. without him and his like - Derek and his skeleton staff at Wordsworth spring to mind - we'd not have any of this beautiful, glorious stuff to enjoy. good on you for bringing him to our attention, mr hack. |
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Post by justin on Sept 28, 2009 20:41:55 GMT
PH, surely you can't let the man wander off into the sunset without documenting his life! How about an interview conducted with the man about Gold Eagle, if for no other reason than to reveal the truth about Chris Lowder, Peter Leslie, Mark Howell and Laurence James?
How often do we see ion this forum comments to that extent of "why didn't people document this whilst it was fresh in the mind and the participants were still alive?" There is the chance to do this with Feroze and you are the man to do it!
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Post by pulphack on Sept 29, 2009 18:07:09 GMT
justin, don't throw my own quotes at me to make me feel guilty! fair point, though. i'll ask mr M, but he's quite reticent about the imprint and his part in the longevity of pulp, and he's also such a nice guy and so discrete that he may not wish to talk about anything he may see as contentious, so don't hold your breath.
one thing i will say - four years ago he was running a tight ship and turning a small profit. harlequin was making a large one and so they asked him if he could step it up. he just kept on as before, and two years fater that harlequin were haemorraging money - except for gold eagle, which was still making the same profit. so of course, they asked him what his secret was and how come he was such a genius...
there is a lesson there about publishers, and i leave it you to work it out...
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markd
New Face In Hell
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Post by markd on Oct 23, 2009 13:44:39 GMT
Actually, it's the opinion of many former GE scribes that editor Eva Kovacs was the true unsung hero(ine) of Gold Eagle. I can attest that Feroze's input into Outlanders was minimal to the point of being non-existent. Eva pretty much single-handedly guided the Deathlands series after Laurence James left it from 1995 to 1998. She was a great editor. Feroze was little more than a traffic manager, a scheduler. At some point in the near future, I may post my recollections of my 15 years writing for Gold Eagle on my blog. www.MarkEllisInk.com |
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Post by allthingshorror on Oct 23, 2009 19:12:31 GMT
Mark - that sounds like a nice little hand grenade you've thrown into the ring. Justin who runs www.thepaperbackfanatic.com/ is away on holiday for a few weeks - but I'm sure when he comes back will want to bleed you for information! Welcome to the Vault! |
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markd
New Face In Hell
Posts: 9
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Post by markd on Oct 23, 2009 21:39:32 GMT
Thanks for the welcome, but it's not my intention to throw a hand grenade into someone else's forum. I know a whole, WHOLE lot about the operations of Gold Eagle (much to the consternation of a few folks), but I don't think it would be fair to post my experiences and opinions here so the site owner(s) would take the heat...if there is any. I have no problem doing so on the forum of my own site, however. www.MarkEllisInk.com |
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Post by dem on Oct 24, 2009 7:01:18 GMT
Welcome to Vault, Mark. Thank you for joining and i hope you enjoy your time with us. i'm ashamed to admit that my knowledge of Gold Eagle is limited to what's been posted on this thread, but hopefully our more clued-in element will be around to join in soon.
Thanks for the above. Would that others were as considerate, but its probably best i don't go there ....
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