The Sargasso Ogre
by Kenneth Robeson (Lester Dent)
October 1933
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| And you thought his ripped shirts were provocative |
Doc and the gang are aboard a boat that gets hijacked by a gang of thugs, included the titular Ogre, whose strength matches that of Savage. The liner gets set adrift in the Sargasso Sea, a fictional dead zone in the Atlantic where multiple currents meet and deposit derelict vessels.
Here, amongst the seaweed, are scores of ghost ships and a boat full of Amazon-esque survivors guarding a treasure. Shades of Waterworld. Great sense of setting, and great action as Doc navigates the maze of ships to take on an army of pirates.
Also fun for having Doc interact with a large group of women. Of course, they constantly swoon at his bronze magnificence, but their flirting is futile as Doc is famously "woman-proof". On the flip side, this is one of the few things that Doc is not the world's best at. Although familiar with feminine psychology, "the intricacies of the feminine mind were beyond any psychologist". Dames.
Of all the Doc Savage stories that I have read, this one is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteMine too, so far.
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