THE MONSTER MEN

New York: Ace Books, Inc., 1963. Mass Market Paperback. About Very Good. Vintage Paperback -- Ace F-182: Burroughs is best known today as the creator of Tarzan and of the science fiction adventure series featuring John Carter of Mars but he also wrote many other sci-fi adventure novels. "The Monster Men" is a novel about scientists on an isolated island in the Indian Ocean creating a "perfect" man from lifeless chemicals in their secret laboratory. They have no success, creating only mishapen monsters, until their 13th experiment produces what they are looking for except "Jack" appears to have no soul. By that time, the scientists are falling out over the beautiful daughter of one of them, which the other wishes to marry. The daughter herself has fallen in love with Jack. There are also pirates, the other dozen monsters and other complications. First printing, first paperback edition (originally published in the November, 1913, issue of "All Story" magazine and in hardcover in 1929). Mass market paperback, About 4 x 6 3/8 inches, 159 pages plus 1 page of publisher's ads. Cover art and title page illustration by Frank Frazetta. Pictorial front wrapper shows a "monster man" carrying a beautiful woman in red gown through a green swamp against a light blue sky. Wrappers show light reading crease, minimal other surface and edge wear. No major tears or other flaws. Text shows only light age-tanning, o/w complete, clean and unmarked. Not Burroughs' best work but certainly an entertaining read and a piece of sci-fi history.