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Jake Conger/Wild Talents Division #3
Hello, Lemuria Hello
When Ron Goulart gave the publisher of this book the original outline for it, he promised it would be one of the very few novels ever written to be based on the famous "Shaver Mystery" that agitated the world years before the UFO's appeared in the sky.
He also promised that it would give the real reason for the death of Elvis Presley.
Well, we have searched this novel through and we can't find Elvis Presley, so we cannot claim to give the real reasons for his sudden death. On the other hand, there is a pop singer named Amos Binky who comes to a sudden demise.
But since this is all taking place in the 21st Century and involves Jake Conger, who has a talent for the invisible, this obviously sheds no light on the late Elvis. Or does it?
As for the Shaver Mystery, yes, indeed, that part of Goulart's promise has been fulfilled. Now You Will Know All! HELLO, LEMURIA, HELLO deserves indeed to be the Award-winning book of the C.W.A. at its 2022 Convention.
He also promised that it would give the real reason for the death of Elvis Presley.
Well, we have searched this novel through and we can't find Elvis Presley, so we cannot claim to give the real reasons for his sudden death. On the other hand, there is a pop singer named Amos Binky who comes to a sudden demise.
But since this is all taking place in the 21st Century and involves Jake Conger, who has a talent for the invisible, this obviously sheds no light on the late Elvis. Or does it?
As for the Shaver Mystery, yes, indeed, that part of Goulart's promise has been fulfilled. Now You Will Know All! HELLO, LEMURIA, HELLO deserves indeed to be the Award-winning book of the C.W.A. at its 2022 Convention.
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
50 people want to read
About the author
Ron Goulart
578Ìýbooks93ÌýfollowersPseudonyms: Howard Lee; Frank S Shawn; Kenneth Robeson; Con Steffanson; Josephine Kains; Joseph Silva; William Shatner.
Ron Goulart is a cultural historian and novelist. Besides writing extensively about pulp fiction—including the seminal Cheap Thrills: An Informal History of Pulp Magazines (1972)—Goulart has written for the pulps since 1952, when the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction published his first story, a sci-fi parody of letters to the editor. Since then he has written dozens of novels and countless short stories, spanning genres and using a variety of pennames, including Kenneth Robeson, Joseph Silva, and Con Steffanson. In the 1990s, he became the ghostwriter for William Shatner’s popular TekWar novels. Goulart’s After Things Fell Apart (1970) is the only science-fiction novel to ever win an Edgar Award.
In the 1970s Goulart wrote novels starring series characters like Flash Gordon and the Phantom, and in 1980 he published Hail Hibbler, a comic sci-fi novel that began the Odd Jobs, Inc. series. Goulart has also written several comic mystery series, including six books starring Groucho Marx. Having written for comic books, Goulart produced several histories of the art form, including the Comic Book Encyclopedia (2004).
Ron Goulart is a cultural historian and novelist. Besides writing extensively about pulp fiction—including the seminal Cheap Thrills: An Informal History of Pulp Magazines (1972)—Goulart has written for the pulps since 1952, when the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction published his first story, a sci-fi parody of letters to the editor. Since then he has written dozens of novels and countless short stories, spanning genres and using a variety of pennames, including Kenneth Robeson, Joseph Silva, and Con Steffanson. In the 1990s, he became the ghostwriter for William Shatner’s popular TekWar novels. Goulart’s After Things Fell Apart (1970) is the only science-fiction novel to ever win an Edgar Award.
In the 1970s Goulart wrote novels starring series characters like Flash Gordon and the Phantom, and in 1980 he published Hail Hibbler, a comic sci-fi novel that began the Odd Jobs, Inc. series. Goulart has also written several comic mystery series, including six books starring Groucho Marx. Having written for comic books, Goulart produced several histories of the art form, including the Comic Book Encyclopedia (2004).
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 15, 2018
This is the third Goulart novel to feature Jake Conger, the semi-former agent of the Wild Talent Division who can turn invisible at will. This time, the plot is a riff on the infamous , a hoax published as non-fiction by Amazing Stories in the 1940s that claimed a prehistoric race of aliens called the Lemurians were living in deep subterranean caverns and wreaking havoc on the surface, kidnapping people, causing “natural� disasters, etc. Goulart takes that idea and runs with it for laughs � the Lemurians are real, and they are now attempting to take control of Earth after a crackpot conspiracy theorist named PK Stackpole wrote a book exposing their existence. Conger’s mission � find their HQ and stop them. As always, Goulart’s plot has his protagonist hop from one clue to the next, encountering oddball comedy characters on the way. But he also has a lot of satirical meat to work with here in the form of both the Shaver hoax and the kinds of crackpot conspiracies you see in Fortean Times. Some dated un-PC jokes aside, this is one of Goulart’s more fun novels that also features one of his best opening lines: “The assassin came in and ordered waffles.�
December 23, 2020
This is the third of Goulart's novels to feature Jake Conger (who has a talent for the invisible), an operative of the Wild Talents Division, and is one of my favorites of all of Goulart's work. Set in the far-future world of 2022, the page inside the cover announces that Hello, Lemuria, Hello has been awarded the highest prize, The Goofy, at the Annual Convention of the Crackpot Writers of America. Goulart turned his satiric humor full bore onto science fiction fandom in this one, basing the parody on the Shaver Mystery. People unfamiliar with the story might not get as much here, but, despite some now unfortunately dated bits, genre fans will surely find this one full of chuckles. "The assassin came in and ordered waffles."
April 26, 2021
C'è tutto quello che un film di azione dovrebbe avere. Ed è un libro di fantascienza!
July 9, 2023
A novel plotted to satirically scrutinize the “Shaver Mystery� way back when magazines were the main outlet for science fiction stories. Revolved around a group of misfit government agents with special powers (invisibility and preconception) tasked with solving several disappearances. Marginally funny but certainly nothing amazing.
November 25, 2020
First book I’ve read by Ron Goulart and definitely a fun and quick read. Very imaginative adventure all the way through. Although I do wonder if there is any truth in this book having to do with Elvis‘s death relating to Amos Binky ?! Hmmm. I guess we’ll never know !
February 10, 2022
Non è malaccio, storia che presumo debba essere divertente. Purtroppo non è per niente il mio genere.
September 3, 2023
The first book by Goulart I've actually enjoyed, and enjoyed more than usual. Tempted to give him a second chance...
July 3, 2009
See my review of "Wildsmith".
June 29, 2013
A quick light fun little book.
I'm sure it was much funnier and more poignant when it was written. It is a dated story now.
I'm sure it was much funnier and more poignant when it was written. It is a dated story now.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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