A shipwrecked lunatic, a mysterious cavern, and a plump little man with a fear of fire lead Doc on his strangest and most legendary adventure ever — straight to the gates of hell itself!
Well, this is the holy grail for most Doc fans and I wanted to be the first to comment on it. I haven’t read this one yet but I am looking forward to it. I have a beautiful copy of Omnibus #13 sitting on my “to read” shelf. It will be the last one I read and from what I’ve heard it is a fitting end to the great series. Some have said it is disappointing or, because of its strangeness, should be considered apocraphal and not part of the series. I don’t agree. It was written by Dent which makes it Doc Savage in my book. Doc goes to hell? Sounds good to me! If anyone can beat the devil, it’s Doc. Bring it on!
Thomas reveals (yet again for those who have heard me say it for years now) his deep Doc Savage secret: Up From Earth’s Center is the only Doc I have never read because it is the last in the series. I’ve had it since I was a kid and still haven’t read it. Somehow, I just can’t. I guess I figure if I never read the last book in the series, the series can’t end. Right? Yeah.
I read it. “Up from Earth’s Center” is a strange tale indeed. I had always wanted to read it ever since Philip Jose Farmer’s Apocaliptic Life. In this story Dent returns to a more thoughtful account of Doc’s carreer. There is a descriptive clarity that went missing from some of the later novels. I love the way it took me back to the first time I read a Doc Savage story. As an adult, it is a much tamer story that tugs at your imagination and lures the reader into a tangible sort of darkness that even Doc Savage has never experienced. I was literally on the edge of my seat with this one. A classic Doc Savage story! If Dent intended to end a great series of books with this story it does not work because it simply leaves the reader begging for an encore and then some!
Henry, all I can say is: You lucky, lucky man! Ever since I read about this story in Farmer’s APOCOLYPTIC LIFE, I’ve eagerly desired it! And the more I hear/read about it, the greater that desire grows! Over here in New Zealand, I never saw any of the Doc Savage Omnibuses when they came out in the shops; in fact, I don’t think many of the bookshops carried them. But I know that someday I’ll find that elusive Omnibus # 13…..
I loved it. I really dug the scene where we 1st see Doc in this story. That’s just for starters. when he goes to the tunnels of the earth…it just gets better and better. I also love the scene when they are running to get out. great story and a great way to wrap up the series. Dent was a Master. YOU HAVE TO READ THIS ONE!
It’s a good read and a lot of fun. I read it, as a teenager, back when the last Omnibus came out. If you still haven’t read it, you should.