Book Review: Tomb of the Ten Thousand Dead

I have to say I have never read any of L. Ron Hubbard's books. Not a huge fan of sci-fi and there is that whole Scientology issue, but I have to say this was a ripping good read. I'm glad I received an Early Review copy because I had no idea what an exciting author Hubbard was. "Tomb of the Ten Thousand Dead" is an action-packed adventure ride centered on a treasure map from Alexander the Great. He left jewels in the Indian desert in a tomb which has yet to be found. Captain Charles Gordon's quest is incredibly exciting and fast paced. Loved it.

The book also includes two other short stories, "Price of a Hat" and "Starch and Stripes". In "Price of a Hat", a Russian hat brings death wherever it goes, but what is the mysterious secret it hides? The fall of the Russian Monarchy takes center stage in a classic question of "What if?". I found this story utterly fascinating and a wonderful read. I'm not much of a fan of military stories so I wasn't a huge fan of "Starch and Stripes", but it was well written.

On the whole, this was a great adventure read and a must for anyone who is a fan of pulps, life myself. The cover looks exciting and definitely captures the feel of the book. A wonderful glossary and section of L. Ron Hubbard's contribution to pulp literature accompanies the book. A definite keeper. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!