Kindle Reading for the Serial Fan
Got a Kindle a while back and have become very addicted to it, buying dollar copies of Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir’s Destroyer series, dollar copies of The Spider pulp novels, Max Allan Collins and Lawrence Block mysteries when they go on sale for three buck, and lots of free classics from Edgar Rice Burroughs, Arthur Conan Doyle, H. G. Wells, Sax Rohmer and Alexandre Dumas.
I like to surf around a lot and have found some choice books for the serial fan who is into reading. McFarland has been slowly converting their library over to electronic downloads and William C Cline’s In the Nick of Time is now available for ten bucks. Hopefully his follow up Serials-ly Speaking will be converted soon as well.
If you are interested in superheroes, Jake Rossen and Mark Millar’s Superman vs Hollywood is available for ten bucks. Though not exclusively about serials it does chronicle the ups and downs that have followed the character’s film adaptations starting with the Fleischer cartoons. The book goes on to Kirk Allyn’s serials, George Reeves’ TV show, Christopher Reeve’s film series, Dean Cain’s TV version,and ending with the long and somewhat crazy pre-production efforts that eventually brought out Superman Returns (which makes up the main bulk of the book).
On a side note, those who liked that one may also be interested in Michael Uslan’s The Boy Who Loved Batman. An autobiography that chronicles the author’s love of comic books, especially Batman, and how this led to him creating the first accredited college course on comic books. The notoriety of which allowed him to gain the rights to make a Batman movie, allowing him to be one of the producers on every Batman film made since 1989. Along the way he discusses the film history of the character, with emphasis on how much he has never liked the Adam West version, but Lewis Wilson’s and Robert Lowery’s serials do get a mention in passing. Same price as the previous books I mentioned.
For those serial lovers who are more interested in silent films, or into fiction instead of books about film, you are in for a treat. The Kindle has three, count’ em, three books available, for free, that would be right up your alley. The entire run of Arthur B Reeve’s Craig Kennedy series of short story collections and novels can be downloaded on Kindle, including his adaptations of the Pearl White serials he worked on, The Exploits of Elaine and The Romance of Elaine. If you’re not into going to the trouble of downloading them individually, for two bucks you can get the entire thirteen book set in one collection (personally I would rather take the time to get them for free, but I’m cheap). The third free book is even better, Arthur B Reeve’s and John W Grey’s adaptation of the The Mastery Mystery, the famous serial that starred Harry Houdini in his film debut.
I could go on, talking about books that were adapted to serials, like Son of Tarzan but I think I’ve put forth enough food for thought for the moment.
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