The Lost Oasis - Doc Savage #6

The Lost Oasis This book started slowly for me because of the somewhat odd circumstances that begin the story. But it got better and better as the plot developed. Plenty of interesting and exciting events took place, and by the end, my attention was rapt, as seems to be the case when I read any Doc Savage adventure. The Sargasso Ogre Will Murray says that this was Lester Dent's personal favorite Doc story. After reading it, I can't say that it's my favorite, but it was certainly fun. In this story, the slowest part for me was the middle portion. But the beginning and final chunks contained plenty of motion and intrigue. Despite the slow parts, this is as good as adventure stories get, and so I still give it a 5-star rating. Even the slow parts have more motion to them than other fiction.

Here's a fun jungle adventure. We have a fair of evil slavers, a lost airship, a beautiful aviatrix, a diamond mine full of slaves (ok, so that is pretty standard, even today). In this Lost Oasis there are also a large number of venomous vampires, and carnivorous plants that can happily handle vultures and larger. Doc and Rennie are happily minding their own business in Manhattan when they notice a reward being offered for Doc's whereabouts, of a million dollars. Something is up, they learn, clearly, and end up on the trail of the clearly captured aviatrix. Flight, African action, danger, capture, and breakout all happen at breakneck speed afterwards. 3.5 out of 5

A good read, but if you are looking for the Sargasso Sea of Legend...the Ravenous Rats, Fungus Infected Seamen, Slobbering creatures emerging from the wreckage to roam about the deck at night, Deranged Scientists...Sigh!.. I waited for the ships caught in the great whirlpool to appear out of the mists, their decks overrun with dimly viewed, undulating masses from the unknown.....Much to my regret, not a one. Instead, we have Doc running around the floating wreckage (inadequately pictured) against a malevolent (but ordinary) robber baron. Doc's essentially mindless minions largely out of the action and not demonstrating their scientific or other skills of which we are constantly reminded (otherwise we would forget?). The story is in largely flat, didactic writing without the force to draw one into the scenes....the kind of magic found in the writing of William Hope Hodgson is absent. The illustrations are the most evocative of the allure of the Sargasso...the allure which caused me to exclaim in my first oceanography class..."Sargassum? Sargassum? From the Sargasso Sea? The Isle of Lost Ships??? Wow!" As I stood there on the beach with the specimen in my hands trembling with joy!! One last point...There is a Red Headed Heroine...attracted to Doc....but the script states...(approximately) "There is no woman for Doc Savage"...Gad!. Well, read the story anyway...you might like it if you've not seen anything better. When I saw this volume I bought six other under the influence of my initial ardor...none since.

Here's a fun jungle adventure. We have a fair of evil slavers, a lost airship, a beautiful aviatrix, a diamond mine full of slaves (ok, so that is pretty standard, even today). In this Lost Oasis there are also a large number of venomous vampires, and carnivorous plants that can happily handle vultures and larger. Doc and Rennie are happily minding their own business in Manhattan when they notice a reward being offered for Doc's whereabouts, of a million dollars. Something is up, they learn, clearly, and end up on the trail of the clearly captured aviatrix. Flight, African action, danger, capture, and breakout all happen at breakneck speed afterwards.