Monday, April 5, 2010

Paperback 305: Air Bridge / Hammond Innes (Bantam 1125)

Paperback 305: Bantam 1125 (1st ptg, 1953)

Title: Air Bridge
Author: Hammond Innes
Cover artist: Al Rossi

Yours for: $17


Best things about this cover:
  • Looks like the final frame in a Douglas Sirk melodrama. "We'll follow that Air Bridge, darling ... follow it ... to Freedom!" [cue music ... and cue credits]
  • That is a *lot* of coat he's wearing. Note that it's enveloping not just him, but the adoring, beret-wearing lady he's got his arm around as well — the one who looks like she's thinking: "Forget the airplanes for one second and kiss me, you gorgeous slab of a man!"
  • Check out Heckle and Jeckle conspiring in the shadowy background. "To be continued ... ?"


Best things about this back cover:
  • Why does all the danger in paperback cover copy descriptions come in "web" form?
  • SAETON? ELSE!?!? What, are you using a Ouija Board to name your characters?
  • "DIANA, who wanted Saeton with the hard passion of a man..." Hot girl-on- ... whatever SAETON is ... action!

Page 123~

His voice had risen and there was a wild look in his eyes. "Forget about yourself. Forget about me. Won't you do this for your country?"
"No," I said.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]

7 comments:

Brian Busby said...

"Here is an exciting, sudden death story of violence and treachery told..."

Oh, okay. Not for you? I understand. Forget Saeton, Fraser, Diana and Else, let me tell you about Angela, Hope, Ellen and Carrie. Lament for Four Virgins. Hear that? Virgins. Hot.

Dave M said...

Let us know when you get hold of "Lament for Four Virgins." Thanks.

Frank said...

"Else" is just a German variant of "Elsa" or "Elsie," but Saeton? I don't know what the hell that is.

DrSchnell said...

Can't believe the "Lament for Four Virgins" didn't get a nod in your back cover review! And Saeton would sound pretty much like "Satan" if you said it out loud, which would give this one a nice occult twist.

Michael5000 said...

Can't believe the "Lament for Four Virgins" didn't.... Oh, hi DrSchnell. 'sup?

Alix said...

Umm, yeah, Lament -- we're looking forward to it.

And who's that chick he's with on the cover, his mother? He's ten times hotter. And clearly younger.

Pax said...

Cool, fiction during the Berlin air lift....who knew?