Format :E-book Pages: 97 Genre : Science Fiction Published : 1928

“I should state therefore , that I , Anthony Rogers , am the only man alive whose normal span of eighty-one years of life has been spread over a period of 573 years .”

Summary : Meet Anthony Rogers . He’s a World War 1 veteran now working for a company that researches radioactive gases . He gets assigned to an abandoned mine near Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania to investigate an unusual phenomena . While investigating the mine it collapses around him and the gases keep him in a suspended animation till 2419 . When he finally comes to he finds a very different America . The United States has been reduced mostly gangs all living in fear of the reigning Mongolian Empire . Anthony quickly joins the Wyoming gang in a plot to get their country back piece by piece while also dealing with rival gangs and traitors in their midst .

“Take command then , Rogers , for the present . Do you all know his voice , boys ?”

Review : So this novella was the introduction of the science fiction hero Buck Rogers though he is referred to as Anthony here and I gotta say it was pretty damn good . Rogers comes off as a badass while also still feeling like a real human being and a lot of the tropes that would be science fiction staples are introduced here .It analyses American society and actually does a good job of predicting things to come . There are some parts that get a little too close to John Carter but it never goes over the line . If you like science fiction or action stories then give it a read .

“Then on the count of three , shoot up those repeller rays – all of them – and for God’s sake , don’t miss .”

Recommendations : Books

1. A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
2. The Virginian by Owen Wister
3. Haunted Mesa by Louis L’Amour
4. Vampire Hunter D Volume 1 by Hideyuki Kikuchi
5. Two Coffins for Slocum by Jake Logan
6. The Last Days of Krypton by Kevin J. Anderson
7. Saboteur by James Luceno
8. Reign of the Snake Men by Emile C. Tepperman
9. The Black Master by Walter B. Gibson
10. Dilvish , the Damned by Roger Zelazny

Songs

1. Big Bad John – Jimmy Dean
2. Daddy Cool – Boney M.
3. Tiger Man – Elvis Presley
4. Iron Man – Black Sabbath
5. Call on Me – Eric Prydz
6. The Game – Motorhead
7. Real American – Rick Derringer
8. Harder , Better , Faster , Stronger – Daft Punk
9. T.N.T. – AC/DC
10. The Power – Snap

Movies

1. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979)
2. Princess of Mars (2009)
3. The Descent (2005)
4. Captain America : The First Avenger (2011)
5. Flash Gordon (1980)
6. A New Hope (1977)
7. The Matrix (1999)
8. Pandorum (2009)
9. Universal Soldier (1992)
10. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers : The Movie (1995)

Lesson : If the mine is abandoned then leave it alone .