Dave
2009-02-28 13:10:28 UTC
Classic DOC, the death's head figure from the past igniting a modern-
day feud in Kentucky. The action is non-stop, the images are vivd --
I have no problem rating this as a top 20 DOC, and yeat, after my
latest re-read, I had a lot of problem with it, and a had to fore
myself to the finish.
MAJOR SPOILERS ALERT
- Structure. This is about feuding families in the kentucky hills, so
why does it start so improbably on the Maine coast. Frankly, it would
have been much more interesting to introduce the hillybillies into New
York City to get things going.
- How tough is the Squeaking Goblin? From what he actually does, he
is one of the toughest foes ever. DOC can't catch this guy, ever. He
chases him along the Maine coast and alll through the kentucky woods
and can never catch him. the goblin is an expert swimmer (except at
the end, when he suddenly ceases to be able to swim that well, and for
some reason doesn't have his diving helmet). Even though he has two
warring clans fired up and doing his bidding, the goblin himself is a
free agent, and works alone all the time. He's an expert markman.
he's an inventore -- the weird squeaking rifle with disappearing
bullets, and the weird fake spider webs of death than gum up a few
middle chapters. he Takes out Johnny and Monk both in a two vs. one
fistfight, carries them both off, and is such an expert woodsman that
DOC can't track him. and he can do all these things
MORE SPOILER
because he's really a Wall Street financier. And we know how talented
those guys are.
The Real Plot: This is from the same era as THE SEA MAGICIAN, and
this is another of those convuluted plots -- in the SEA MAGICIAN it
was all to avoid income taxes, in the SQUEAKING GOBLINit hinges on an
inheritance. You have to wonder why bad guy just didn't hire Ham
Brooks and take the hillbillies to court, rather than embarking on an
expensive scheme of danger, murder, and revenge.
The final explanation: From Will Murray's notes, the original ending
got changed by Street and Smith so that it wasn't very logical; the
new tollin reprint goes bak to the original. I;m not impressed; I'd
have to go back and read the Bantam to see if it really is an
improvement
Dave
day feud in Kentucky. The action is non-stop, the images are vivd --
I have no problem rating this as a top 20 DOC, and yeat, after my
latest re-read, I had a lot of problem with it, and a had to fore
myself to the finish.
MAJOR SPOILERS ALERT
- Structure. This is about feuding families in the kentucky hills, so
why does it start so improbably on the Maine coast. Frankly, it would
have been much more interesting to introduce the hillybillies into New
York City to get things going.
- How tough is the Squeaking Goblin? From what he actually does, he
is one of the toughest foes ever. DOC can't catch this guy, ever. He
chases him along the Maine coast and alll through the kentucky woods
and can never catch him. the goblin is an expert swimmer (except at
the end, when he suddenly ceases to be able to swim that well, and for
some reason doesn't have his diving helmet). Even though he has two
warring clans fired up and doing his bidding, the goblin himself is a
free agent, and works alone all the time. He's an expert markman.
he's an inventore -- the weird squeaking rifle with disappearing
bullets, and the weird fake spider webs of death than gum up a few
middle chapters. he Takes out Johnny and Monk both in a two vs. one
fistfight, carries them both off, and is such an expert woodsman that
DOC can't track him. and he can do all these things
MORE SPOILER
because he's really a Wall Street financier. And we know how talented
those guys are.
The Real Plot: This is from the same era as THE SEA MAGICIAN, and
this is another of those convuluted plots -- in the SEA MAGICIAN it
was all to avoid income taxes, in the SQUEAKING GOBLINit hinges on an
inheritance. You have to wonder why bad guy just didn't hire Ham
Brooks and take the hillbillies to court, rather than embarking on an
expensive scheme of danger, murder, and revenge.
The final explanation: From Will Murray's notes, the original ending
got changed by Street and Smith so that it wasn't very logical; the
new tollin reprint goes bak to the original. I;m not impressed; I'd
have to go back and read the Bantam to see if it really is an
improvement
Dave