Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem
Gary Phillips
(Author)
Description
MATTHEW HENSON AND THE ICE TEMPLE OF HARLEM is the first in a new exciting retro rollicking adventure series. This re-imagined pulp novel follows the Doc Savage-style adventures of the first black man to reach the North Pole --Matthew Henson. The tail end of the Roaring 20s. Harlem. Hired by controversial spiritual leader Daddy Paradise to retrieve his adult daughter who has been kidnapped, adventurer Matthew Henson does just that. Then he must safeguard the two until the firebrand can deliver a momentous speech at a mass rally. Henson must employ all his survival skills to fulfill his task--skills that kept him whole in forbidden jungles, across Asia, and in sub-zero ice storms when he first reached the North Pole. Henson's charge brings him face-to-face with such illustrious characters as gangster Dutch Schultz, who's looking to muscle out numbers racket boss Queenie St. Clair, and famed inventor Nikola Tesla who is using his electrical acumen to surveil plutocrats. Henson's pal Bessie Coleman, America's first black aviatrix lends a hand as well. With a death ray zeroing in on him, he races against the clock to save lives, and keep a mysterious and powerful meteor fragment he brought back from the Arctic years ago out of the hands of monied evil-doers. Set against the intellectual, artistic and political firmament that was the Harlem Renaissance, THE ICE TEMPLE OF HARLEM re-imagines explorer Matthew Henson in the style of Doc Savage and Indiana Jones. The one the Inuit adopted as their own and considered the best example of those from the distant South.Product Details
Price
$27.99
$26.03
Publisher
Agora Books
Publish Date
November 17, 2020
Pages
272
Dimensions
5.5 X 8.7 X 0.8 inches | 0.95 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9781951709358
BISAC Categories:
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About the Author
Gary Phillips is the son of a mechanic and a librarian. He was weaned on too many comic books, Dashiell Hammett stories, reruns of the original Twilight Zone, and experiences ranging from community organizer to delivering dog cages. His 1950s set graphic novel the Be-Bop Barbarians riffs on race relations, jazz, police brutality and the Red Scare. His novel Violent Spring was the first such mystery set in the aftermath of the 1992 civil unrest, and he edited the Anthony award-winning anthology, The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir. He is story editor on FX's "Snowfall," about crack and the CIA in 1980s South Central where he grew up. Visit him at https: //gdphillips.com
Reviews
Named Best Book of the Week by Booklist While the entertainment value is high in MATTHEW HENSON AND THE ICE TEMPLE OF HARLEM, Phillips shows the racism Henson encountered on a daily basis. With its echoes of the Doc Savage series and the Indiana Jones movies, MATTHEW HENSON AND THE ICE TEMPLE OF HARLEM should make for long-running series.--The South Florida Sun-Sentinel Along with the rampaging retro action, Phillips smoothly incorporates biting social commentary on the racism of the era. Henson is a terrific character, larger-than-life in a movie-serial way, and the story's pacing is exquisite. The first installment in a projected series, this is a rousing adventure in the grand pulp tradition, a wildly entertaining extravaganza that almost demands to be filmed.--Booklist (Starred) A tropey and diverting adventure, distinguished by its Jazz Age Harlem setting and unflinching depiction of 1920s race relations.--Publishers Weekly Once again, Gary Philips displays his mastery of the pulp genre. Matthew Henson's already blinding star goes supernova in this wonderful romp into alternative history and larger-than-life classic adventure!--John Jennings, Eisner Award-winning graphic novelist From its explosive beginning to its rollicking climax one exciting, pulp-driven ride. A gripping, entertaining novel that just won't let you go."--Brendan DuBois, award-wining and New York Times bestselling author
PRAISE FOR THE OBAMA INHERITANCE, EDITED BY GARY PHILLIPS AND WINNER OF THE 2018 ANTHONY AWARD FOR BEST ANTHOLOGY AND THE 2017 INDIE BOOK AWARD FOR ANTHOLOGIES, BRONEZ MEDAL
Resistance takes many forms, particularly in the current political climate. Few methods of protest are as cheerfully strange and purposefully bizarre as THE OBAMA INHERITANCE. ―The Washington Post
"It's a commonplace these days to say that real life has become so unpredictable that it outstrips anything anyone could dream up in fiction. I think I'm guilty of having made that banal observation a few times. But that was before I read The Obama Inheritance, a collection of 15 stories so sly, fresh and Bizarro World witty, they reaffirm the resiliency of the artistic imagination." ―Maureen Corrigan, NPR Fresh Air
Truth may be stranger than fiction, but why should the conspiracists have all the fun of creating fake narratives? ... Yet, running beneath the book's mockery of conspiracy fanatics, the unspoken question that I raised earlier persists: Why are there so many outlandish conspiracy theories about the Obamas? The answer, I believe, can best be detected as this book's authors do, through the lens of identity ― and I'm not talking only about race."―Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune
"Top 15 Recommended Fall reads!! . . . Still relevant." ―Newsweek
"Stories that are often humorous, always entertaining, and mostly non-political, and that make use of the more absurd conspiracies surrounding Barack Obama and his presidency." ―Mystery Scene Magazine
There will no doubt be an abundance of interpretive, critical, but dryly academic books examining Barack Obama's two-terms as President. Phillips's story anthology stands a testament to how these same years inspired the artistic imagination. Regardless of your political views, THE OBAMA INHERITANCE belongs on the shelf of every reader who enjoys imaginative stories of the contemporary world."―Bookgasm
Surreal, silly and sometimes shocking, the stories in "The Obama Inheritance" succeed in delivering a heady mix of thoughtful satire."―The Press Herald
"Some short story collections are eclectic. Some are ambitious. Some are utterly mad. This one is all three."―San Francisco Book Review
PRAISE FOR THE OBAMA INHERITANCE, EDITED BY GARY PHILLIPS AND WINNER OF THE 2018 ANTHONY AWARD FOR BEST ANTHOLOGY AND THE 2017 INDIE BOOK AWARD FOR ANTHOLOGIES, BRONEZ MEDAL
Resistance takes many forms, particularly in the current political climate. Few methods of protest are as cheerfully strange and purposefully bizarre as THE OBAMA INHERITANCE. ―The Washington Post
"It's a commonplace these days to say that real life has become so unpredictable that it outstrips anything anyone could dream up in fiction. I think I'm guilty of having made that banal observation a few times. But that was before I read The Obama Inheritance, a collection of 15 stories so sly, fresh and Bizarro World witty, they reaffirm the resiliency of the artistic imagination." ―Maureen Corrigan, NPR Fresh Air
Truth may be stranger than fiction, but why should the conspiracists have all the fun of creating fake narratives? ... Yet, running beneath the book's mockery of conspiracy fanatics, the unspoken question that I raised earlier persists: Why are there so many outlandish conspiracy theories about the Obamas? The answer, I believe, can best be detected as this book's authors do, through the lens of identity ― and I'm not talking only about race."―Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune
"Top 15 Recommended Fall reads!! . . . Still relevant." ―Newsweek
"Stories that are often humorous, always entertaining, and mostly non-political, and that make use of the more absurd conspiracies surrounding Barack Obama and his presidency." ―Mystery Scene Magazine
There will no doubt be an abundance of interpretive, critical, but dryly academic books examining Barack Obama's two-terms as President. Phillips's story anthology stands a testament to how these same years inspired the artistic imagination. Regardless of your political views, THE OBAMA INHERITANCE belongs on the shelf of every reader who enjoys imaginative stories of the contemporary world."―Bookgasm
Surreal, silly and sometimes shocking, the stories in "The Obama Inheritance" succeed in delivering a heady mix of thoughtful satire."―The Press Herald
"Some short story collections are eclectic. Some are ambitious. Some are utterly mad. This one is all three."―San Francisco Book Review
PRAISE FOR GARY PHILLIPS' THE UNDERBELLY
Firmly rooted in the hard-boiled tradition. --Publishers Weekly
Honesty, distinctive characters, absurdity, and good writing . . . are here in Phillips's work. --Washington Post
Magrady's adventures, with a distinctive noir feeling and appreciation for comic books, started as a serialized mystery. An interview with Phillips enhances the package, offering a compelling perspective on race and class issues in South Central L.A. --Booklist
The slimness of the edition belies the effort PM Press has made to contextualize radical narratives, with an interview and other supplementary materials included in the volume--Molly Odintz, http: //crimereads.com/
