Shannon's Review - If I Were You by L. Ron Hubbard

Title: If I Were You
Series: N/A
Author: L. Ron Hubbard
Genre: Pulp Stories, Fiction
Publisher: Galaxy Press
Received: From Publicist  for review
Release Date: June 2008
Pages: 212
Rating:



My Thoughts:

This book has two pulp stories by L. Ron Hubbard first published in magazines years ago.
The first one:

If I Were You -
This a fantasy stories about a little person, named Little Tom, and a black magic magician at a circus.  The magic dies but Little Tom inherits his books even though the magician hated him.
Thing of course go awry and body switching ensues.

I enjoyed this one a little. I do like Hubbard’s fantasy more than sci fi.

The second story is :

The Last Drop-

A bartender drinks adds a strange syrup to his drink and his head inflates and mob boss comes in.  The Mob Boss whole body begins to shrink after he drinks the syrup.  

This one was strange and remind me of the scene in Alice in Wonderland.  I do not remember how it ends but I am sure it was strange because that is what Hubbard does well strangeness.

If you think of it these two stories are centered around plots that we have had in movies before and get redone after time. Like the first story we would probably think of Freaky Friday and the second story as I said Alice in Wonderland. Of course the ending is different for each. Decent stories  but stuff I have seen before.

Website:

N/A

Shannon's Review = The Crossroads by L. Ron Hubbard

Title: The Crossroads
Series: N/A
Author: L. Ron Hubbard
Genre: Fantasy, Pulp Fiction
Publisher: Galaxy Press
Received: From publicist for review
Release Date: June 2010
Pages: 136
Rating:


What is it About?

3 stories by author L. Ron Hubbard previously published in Pulp magazines.

My Thoughts:

I have read a few of Hubbard’s short stories I have to say that this one was my favorite ...well at least the first two stories are.  It surprised me because I did not think I would find anything of Hubbard I would like but the first two stories are different.

The Crossroads

A poor farmer leaves his home hoping to sell the food he has grown.  On his travel to the city he comes to a crossroad.  Not knowing where to go he sits for lunch.  As he stays at the crossroad strange and unusual people stop by and barter with him.

Borrowed Glory

An old woman is offered a deal from a angel.  She will give her youth and everything she wants for 2 days but after those days she will turned back to her present circumstances.  

The Devil’s Rescue

A survivor of a boat wreck is found by another ship.  They bring him back to health only to hope to imprison him on the ship.

As I said the first two stories are in my opinion better than the last.   They are more like fables where the last one is written differently.  I feel like first two stories you have a little fun reading them.  Devil’s Rescue you kind of have to work your brain harder to understand what is going on.  I would recommend this book for fantasy lovers.

Website:

L. Ron Hubbard
http://www.lronhubbard.org