073 05/36 The Seven Agate Devils

Posted by on May 17, 1996 in 1936, Bantam 073-084, baumhofer, nanovic, novel, pfeiffer, pulp | 6 comments

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Murder on an international scale was being committed by a sinister mastermind. His method — an unusual, inescapable form of death. His trademark — a small statuette next to the corpse. The Man of Bronze and his fearless friends do battle with the thieving, murderous spawn from Hell — and become marked men themselves!


  • http://www.howardhopkins.com Howard Hopkins

    Another novel I suspect had some ghostwriting going on, but still rather eerie and enjoyable. Aren’t many bald-headed women running around in Doc novels, so some unique aspects to the tale. The ending was a bit clunky; namely, the murder device, but all in all still lots of fun.

  • http://www.paulcook-sci-fi.com Paul Cook

    This is one dead turkey. It really reads like a warmed-over story from Dime Detective Magazine: Doc investigating the murders of soveral wealthy men in a mansion. He doesn’t do anything spectacular; his aides are wooden and less than useless; and the Bantam cover really tanked. Easily one of the very worst Docs. Blah.

  • Mark Carpenter

    Again, I have to disagree with the consensus on this one. “The Seven Agate Devils” is a very cool departure from the “Doc in foreign country seeking treasure” rut that Dent sometimes got himself into. It’s basically a mystery about a very ingenious murder device that kept my attention for all 16 chapters. In fact, I think it’s one of Dent’s best bad-guy gadgets

  • Michael Bloom

    This was difficult to slog through. Definitely a ghosted novel, with some Dent rewrite to smooth out the worst parts.

    Doc is turned into a “science detective” and Monk and Ham seem to have had their brains kidnapped by aliens!

    Finally, the explanation of the mystery deaths is a real letdown.

    Add the atrocious Pfeiffer cover and it’s a wonder this one sold any copies. I’ll be it didn’t go into a 2nd printing!

  • Scott Kimball

    This one wasn’t too bad…kept my interest, but I admit the explantion at the end for the killings was completely ridiculous.  Gruesome and ridiculous at the same time. 

  • http://DocSavageOrganised Richard Cording

    I found it extremely difficult struggling through to the end of this one….