sdlotu
10/8/2022
An engaging story about an interplanetary megalomaniac with control over Mars and Venus and designs on Earth. He has the power, influence and backing to control two worlds with ease, but apparently three worlds is stretching himself too thin, and his control falters in the face of Earth's opposition.
Tarrano himself is not a cackling, ghoulish madman. Instead, he is vaguely reminiscent of Mussolini, which is reasonable given the time this story was written.
This tale of the plucky, spirited opposition to the seemingly all powerful ruler is the very essence of space opera and pulp. Go into this as a reader with that understanding, and the story is as much fun as watching old movie serials. That won't make it a book to remember forever, but it will be a pleasant read.
Cummings has updated his writing style considerably since his formative work in 1919 and 1920, so that improvement makes the current work more accessible.
And, it comes with 'the most unique publisher's cover blurb ever written".