Publishers Weekly
Equal parts adventure and action, Hubbard's novella tells the tale of Tom Christian, a man trying to reclaim his treasure on the Solomon Islands. Though he makes friends with the coastal inhabitants, those further inland are known for their vicious tactics including cannibalism. Led by Punjo Charlie, a sinister trickster, the islanders attack Christian and his friends as they attempt to reclaim the treasure. The story pulls listeners in, but like most pulp fiction, this narrative has some dubious representations of race and gender, which are two-dimensional and, at times, offensive. Director Jim Meskimen does well creating a pitched audio environment with a sense of adventure and excitement through a mixture of actors, sound effects, and musical score. A Galaxy hardcover. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
“L. Ron Hubbard’s stories are always colorful, crashing adventures.” —Tim Powers
"With arrows and spears whizzing by and gunshots ricocheting off trees, listeners will feel as though they are navigating the perilous jungle alongside the duo. Definitely one of Hubbard’s more successful adventures; strongly recommended.” —Library Journal Starred Review
“Equal parts adventure and action, Hubbard’s novella tells the tale of Tom Christian, a man trying to reclaim his treasure on the Solomon Islands…. This story pulls people in…. Jim Meskimen does well creating a pitched audio environment with a sense of adventure and excitement through a mixture of actors, sound effects, and musical score.” —Publishers Weekly
"BEST AUDIOBOOKS—FULL CAST, GOLDEN AGE STORIES SERIES L. Ron Hubbard, Performed by a Full Cast" —AudioFile Magazine
"Each of these of these outstanding audio books are two hour productions characterized by talented multi-cast performances, which are enhanced with impressive special effects and thematic music. Flawless technical recordings, each and every one of these very special audio books provides the listener with a true 'theatre of the mind' experience and is enthusiastically recommended." —Midwest Book Review
“Hubbard wrote adventure, westerns, thrillers, and crime-espionage as well as sf—and they reveal both the range and quality of the author’s work…. Even a sampling of Galaxy’s catalog makes it clear that pulp-fiction devotees need to put Hubbard’s works on their must-read lists.” —Booklist
Library Journal
This title was originally published in the August 1936 issue of Five-Novels Monthly and combines two thematic elements common to Hubbard's adventure fiction: headhunters and gold mining. It opens with American Tom Christian setting off for the jungles of the Solomon Islands in search of the gold that cost the life of his partner. When Christian's defenses are weakened by gold fever, he finds a savior and sidekick in Hihi, a Polynesian native who joins him on his journey. With arrows and spears whizzing by and gunshots ricocheting off trees, listeners will feel as though they are navigating the perilous jungle alongside the duo. Notable are the appearances by jiggly-eyed thief Punjo Charlie, whose foreboding way of speaking Hihi's name in the context of threatening his life—a curled, drawn out "Eeee-hee"—is spine-chilling. R.F. Daley narrates while Thomas Silcott, Jim Meskimen, Max Williams, Josh Robert Thompson, Brooke Bloom, and Fred Tatasciore voice the nine-character cast. Definitely one of Hubbard's more successful adventures; strongly recommended.
