The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu

By: Sax Rohmer

Narrated by: John Bolen

"Imagine a person tall, lean and feline, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan, a close-shaven skull, and long magnetic eyes of the true cat green. Invest him with all the cruel cunning of an entire Eastern race, accumulated in one giant intellect. Imagine that awful being and you have a mental picture of Dr. Fu-Manchu."

Dr. Fu-Manchu, the terrorizing and macabre master of a secretive Oriental organization, is dedicated to conquering the world. Fu-Manchu's greatest nemesis, British investigator Nayland Smith, is one of the few people who can meet Fu-Manchu's gaze without falling under his hypnotic power. It is up to Smith and his faithful companion, Dr. Petrie, to foil Dr. Fu-Manchu's diabolical plot.

In The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu, the lethal "Zayat Kiss," a red mark resembling the imprint of painted lips, is found among cocaine needle tracks on the dead body of Sir Chrichton Davey. The power of Fu-Manchu is far reaching as he employs a giant poisonous centipede, deadly toadstools and lethal green mists to murder and kidnap the great minds of the West. Is the beautiful Karamaneh the key to uncovering the evil Doctor's lair, or is she a pawn leading Smith and Petrie to their deaths?

©2002 Tantor Media, Inc. (P)2002 Tantor Media, Inc.

Good v Evil

I can see the few reviews on here are quite harsh. However, the reality is this first in the lore of Fu Manchu Pulp Fiction is exactly what Pulp Fiction is all about.

A good guy versus a bad guy. This is very Sherlock/Watson/Moriarty and it works. Plot/story hard to follow? Only if you’re an idiot. 🙄

The whole point of this series is the sole fact that Fu Manchu is the SUPEREST of Super Villains! It’s stated a 100x’s throughout this book and every one that follows.

As for the narrator, I think he portrays the HYPED Smith and the RESERVED Petrie perfectly. The other characters are interesting as well.

Anyone who’s interested in the genesis of their favorite Pulp Fiction heroes or villains needs to thank Sax, Doyle, Charteris and Stout for showing you how a character or characters can captivate someone for many novels over many years. Whether it’s Sherlock Holmes, Nayland Smith, The Saint or Nero Wolfe; they all inspired thousands of writers to create their own ‘Good v Evil’ stories.

Fabulously Politically Incorrect

Gotta love early 20th century pulp fiction. I will make certain peoples hair stand on end. I am not prejudice at all. Find the difference in tines funny. Story a little hard to follow and a might predictable. Narrator hard to understand at times.

Nope

This book was terrible to read as great expectations by Charles dickens. The main character is a fool and can only be described as Sherlock Holmes meats Ernest Goes to school. There doesn’t seem to be a plot line, as the entire story is just Dr. Fu Manchu outwitting everyone time and time again. I’m glad this was included in my membership and that I did not pay for it. The voice actor also left a lot to be desired. I’ve never given a negative review before, but this is terrible.