Doc Savage: Skull Island (The Wild Adventures of Doc Savage)

I have read most of the Doc Savage stories from reprints in the 70s. The characters and stories are good escapism fare. This chronicle that concerned Doc Savages past was welcomed, as I always wondered about that. If you like it you may enjoy the earlier volumes taken from the old pulp magazines. However, I find these more modern stories have more detail and less repetition.

Doc Savage: Skull Island is an interesting addition to the Clark Savage Jr. mythos while using the backdrop of Kong’s stomping grounds. This is an early Doc adventure adding Murray’s ideas about the origins of some of Doc’s philosophies and technologies. Although many would cringe at the idea, especially the canon purist, I felt the story added depth to Doc and now consider it part of the Doc Savage story. I recently read Kong vs. Tarzan by Will Murray which was a Kong story with Tarzan playing a supporting role. As I read DS: Skull Island, I thought it was a seamless sequel to Kong vs. Tarzan. To my surprise I found that DS: Skull Island was published 3 years earlier. So Murray is going Wold Newton on us but personally I like the concept. King Kong, the original movie, left the audience with two big questions. Filmatically answering those questions would have bogged down the story but they hung out there. The first was how did Denham get Kong from Skull Island to New York? The second- How did New York dispose of the body of Kong? Again neither answer would make for an exciting aspect to the film so they were rightfully left out of the movie. In Kong vs. Tarzan, Murray answers the first questions in a logical, reasonable fashion that leads to the meeting of Kong and Tarzan. The second question is answered in DS: Skull Island leading Doc to tell about a previous adventure he had with his father that put them on Skull Island and an encounter with Kong. It is a fast paced read, focusing on the relationships within the Savage family. Doc, having just returned from Europe and WWI, sets sail with his father to attempt to discover if Doc’s grandfather Stormalong Savage is still alive. Murray steps away in his works from the original author Lester Dent by adding in deepening characterization. He still hits the action tropes of a Doc Savage story but doubles the page length by adding a lot more interaction between characters. I recommend the book to Doc and Kong fans neither one getting short shrift in the story. The Kong scenes play out better in this adventure than in Kong vs. Tarzan. This is Kong’s world and he is king. When transported to Africa, he was out of his element but dominating lesser creatures so the scenes play out with little tension. Here we have Doc out of his element, still learning himself while trying to prove himself to his father. Lots of tension both with the action and between characters. The purist Doc fan might be perturbed but this die hard fan thoroughly enjoyed this romp,

Let me say that I grew up with Doc Savage and as a kid, I loved the characters and the concepts. But as I grew older, I felt that Lester Dent's writing was far more juvenile than his pulp contemporaries and I'd put Walter Gibson, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Paul Ernst, Norvell Page and Robert E. Howard as being light years above and beyond anything that Lester Dent ever wrote. That's just my personal opinion, of course! Now, Will Murray has been writing new Doc Savage novels for years, most of them based upon outlines or notes left behind by Dent -- I've often wondered where Dent ended and Murray began, because Will is usually able to perfectly capture the tone and style of Dent's work... which, considering my ambivalence for Dent's writing, isn't always a good thing.This book, however, is wholly original to Murray -- and if this is any indication of what he's capable of when freed from the shackles of writing a pastiche, all I have to say is that I wish he'd cut loose more often! This is the best Doc Savage novel I have ever read and that's coming from someone who's read well over a hundred of the books, not even counting Murray's pastiches. There's honest-to-god characterization here! Most Doc novels replace true characterization with well-worn tropes (Monk & Ham are arguing! Johnny just said super-amalgamated! etc.) but this is the first time I felt like I was really being taken inside Doc's screwed-up head. I say screwed-up because I've always thought he was an awkward man-child produced by an upbringing that at best could be described as cruel and unusual... and that upbringing is repeatedly brought to the fore in this novel, as even Doc himself wonders what kind of father would have done that to him.Speaking of Doc's father, the scenes between the two of them echo with restrained emotion. It's a testimony to the skill of Murray that you can feel the tension between these two men, both of whom are too damned awkward to show true emotion 99% of the time. They obviously feel passion and concern for each other & others... but it's so tightly restrained that they both border on the fringe of madness. I'm sure some Doc fans will bristle at that description but I've always felt that Doc was just a healthy push and shove away from having an emotional breakdown.The pacing of the story is wonderful -- I felt like it was providing forward momentum even when the characters are just hanging out on a boat. There are some scenes here -- like the "test" on the beach where Doc tries to see if he can hold his breath longer than his opponent -- that I think I'll always remember. And while I wondered if I would enjoy a Doc story where the Fabulous Five are mostly absent, I actually found that I preferred it. Unlike The Shadow's aides (many of whom I really, really like), most of the Fabulous Five have never been remotely as interesting to me as Doc himself... freeing him from their bickering presence allowed me to truly immerse myself in Doc's mindset. Again, if Murray could do this on a regular basis, I'd be all over a `young Doc' series that put the emphasis on Doc as the star attraction like this did.I will say that I groaned inwardly every time `Stormalong' Savage was mentioned. Doc's grandfather is alternately referred to Stormalong and Stormy throughout and I absolutely loathe it. Makes me think of Poopdeck Pappy from Popeye every time. Their last name is `Savage' -- you don't need to put anything `cool' in front of it! Indiana Jones isn't called Indiana Prometheus, for Pete's sake. The rule should be ordinary name/cool name, not cool name/cool name. Though, let's be frank here: Stormalong is so far into uncool that it's just silly.Aside from that relatively minor quibble, this novel is a tour de force that not only made Doc exciting for me for the first time in years, it actually made me feel like re-reading some of the older novels, which I've avoided for quite awhile.Hands-down, a must-read for pulp fans. I truly, truly enjoyed it.

A Will Murray Doc Savage novel based on an unused Lester Dent story idea is not to be missed.But a Will Murray original Doc Savage novel is therefore ABSOLUTELY not to be missed on the evidence of this offering.Will orchestrates a genuine "event novel " paring off Doc Savage with King Kong, more particularly the Kong of the 1933 movie as opposed to Peter Jackson's remake. Surely the original movie is the ultimate Pulp film adventure anyway?A prologue starts with the aftermath of Kong's death and Doc's involvement, which is a surprise in itself, therein leading to a re telling of events immediately following the end of the first World War.The real delight here is that not only do you get the combination of Doc, Kong and the mysterious Skull Island of the title but also along for the ride are Doc's father and indeed, his grandfather! (with hints of other family members which will hopefully form the basis of more original tales - hint, hint Will!).The author takes the opportunity to tell a rollicking Pulp Adventure which will keep you turning the pages on its own but also to flesh out some of Doc's backstory. It is almost impossible to resist a smile picking out the various foreshadowing of events, characters and gadgets to come.More importantly at the conclusion of the story you will have a new and far more complete insight into Doc's character, his motivations and even his demons.Some of the prose is genuinely touching in a way that no Doc Savage story has ever been before.A genuine masterpiece and a worthy and indeed, landmark novel in the Doc Savage canon.Don't miss it!!

This has to be the best addition to the Doc Savage canon by Will Murray. It is a true rollercoaster ride from start to finish. INteresting to see Doc before the start of his real career and his interactions with his father and grandfather. I have been a fan of both the original Kong movie and the Doc Savge stories for years. It was pure magic to see them finally meet 80 years to the month since they first hit the screen and newsstands. Makes the anniversaries all that more special.Will Murray has created a superb piece that weaves both characters together wonderfully. I am hoping that the upcoming 'Phantom Lagoon' is going to be what I think it will be.

Unusual and very innovative take on a DS saga. This is the first Kindle version of his adventures I've bought and the narrative is very 'Robesonesque'. I assume this is still Will Murray, who should be well-practiced by now (I have all of his previous DS efforts in paperback). The only down-side is that the books are brobdingnagian in price, even the K versions are pricey, I only bought this one coz I had some credits from my Prime account. Even as good as this one is, I wouldn't buy any more due to cost. Sad, because I've been a DS fan since 1968.

I've never read a Doc Savage story before and probably never would have had this meeting with King Kong not be committed to print.I read King of Skull Island and loved how it expanded on the 30s Kong mythos. This story is pretty well paced with some great interactions between the characters - Kong isn't the star of the book and neither is Savage but Skull Mountain Island itself.... and a deserving star it is.

An exciting tale opening a window onto the young Doc and his family. The story of Kong is skilfully woven to be the back drop of this story.