William P. McGivern

Pen names: P. F. Costello ---------------------------------------------- "Al Addin and the Infra-Red Lamp" © Fantastic Adventures, Nov 1941 --/ cool f story An inept and fumbling Genie brings his master only headaches and problems, instead of cold hard cash. The storyline is more than familiar: from ancient Arabic tales to Disney, and even famous Russian story for children "Old Man Khottabych" - and many, many stories in the fantastic pulps. Tells you that there are countless ways to screw up your "three wishes", and like in a bad dream, you never get ahead with Genie setup. ---------------------------------------------- "The Contract of Carson Carruthers" © Fantastic Adventures, Jan 1942 "The Man Who Bought Tomorrow" © Amazing Stories, Apr 1952 ---------------------------------------------- "People of the Pyramids" (as by P. F. Costello) © Fantastic Adventures, Dec 1941 --/ cool f novella --/ adventure award --/ style award --/ rare find I have long suspected that Indiana Jones character was basically lifted from the adventure pulps of the 1930s, but this is the first time I've read a story where the lead guy looks like Indiana Jones, speaks like Jones, and has fantastic adventures in exotic desert just like in the Lucas-Spielberg movies. Even the Indy's hat is prominently featured here. Total sense of deja vu - only of course, this novella was written in 1941, supposedly by William McGivern. But is he the real author? P. F. Costello was a "one pen name fits all" in Ziff-Davis pulps, and I doubt that McGivern had written it. The writing is smooth, the adventure is tightly plotted - more masterful hand seems to be at play here. So here's what transpires in this "lost prequel" to the Indiana Jones series: Harrison Ford goes on a treasure hunt in the desert, saving a damsel in distress, captured by an evil archaeologist. There are fights in the crowded market, kidnappings, super-technology of the lost race, chases and double-crossings... enough plot and action to fill a movie script, complete with CG special effects in the end. Not bad for a totally forgotten pulp "lost world" fantasy. ---------------------------------------------- "The Picture of Death" © Fantastic Adventures, Nov 1942 --/ cool dark f story --/ wonder award --/ idea: self-drawing picture --/ rare find ---------------------------------------------- "Rewbarb's Remarkable Radio" © Fantastic Adventures, Dec 1941 --/ cool f story --/ humour award --/ rare find In the 1940s the radio, not movies was the focus of everyday entertainment, and a lot of pulp humour rotated around that - radio equipment and radio personalities became a subject of choice for many urban fantasy stories. This cute tale follows the journey of self-discovery and self-assertion of one very meek and shy man - with the help of an obnoxious radio set, which suddenly finds its voice... literally. The radio box speaks back, and not only its own mind, but the opinions of all popular radio hosts, amplified - in the meantime spoiling (or improving) our hero's miserable marriage. Cool story, smoothly told. ---------------------------------------------- "The Roman Holiday" © Amazing Stories, Jul 1952 "Sidetrack In Time" © Amazing Stories, Jul 1941 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ rare find "The Tireless Leg" (as P. F. Costello) © Fantastic Adventures, Nov 1942 --/ cool f story --/ wonder award --/ idea: living leg --/ shock value --/ rare find "The Travelling Brain" © Fantastic Adventures, Mar 1952 --/ cool sf story --/ rare find ----------------------------------------------

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