Russ Winterbotham (1904–1971)

Damn! That's a neat cover... If, as I did, you grew up playing with "Major Matt Mason" (From Mattel), you will not be able to resist this novel of the first manned Mars expedition.
This novel spends half it's time and most of it's energy on the murderous jealousy of the expedition leader who seems ready to kill the other four men in order to have the one woman astronaut for himself... Bit of a failure in the psychological testing there, I'd say.
When the astronauts land on a fairly believably show more depicted Mars (circa 1962) they strap on their spacesuits and their M-14 rifles - and go forth to meet the strange and hostile Martians. Yep, vegetation and possibly intelligent, if non-humanoid, Martians. Cool!
It's not a good novel by most measures, but I enjoyed it anyway. show less

In a world much like ours, yet startlingly different, its one man's struggle against overwhelming forces.

George Braderick is a general GS5 civil service employee, but also a Sergeant Major of the National Guard whose principal duty is to guard the local armory. That's why he became the target of the sinister Dr. Ludwig Taun and the victim. A desperate struggle for power in a world without the dimensions we know.

In my quest to review books and authors form the Golden age of SF (40s, 50s and 1960s) I have found some jewels. Unfortunately, this is not one.

Winterbotham has wrote a least 5 SF novels and several short stories for the SF pulp magazines. If this book is representave then his work is only for adolescents.

This is a first contact story for ages 12 to 16. My son might like it. Even for that age it may be only 3 stars for average. For adults it's 2 stars at best.