Arthur J. Burks (1898-1974) was a very prolific pulp author who is generally overlooked today. I think this was due to him working in a wide range of genres (science fiction, fantasy, aviation, horror, weird menace, and detective), but having few outstanding stories or series.
He did write the well-done Dorus Noel stories, which I’ve covered, and the interesting pair of novels, “Survival” and “Exodus,” that was recently reprinted in Pulp Adventures #16.
Another interesting pair of stories has been reprinted by Wildside Press: ”Manape the Mighty” and “The Mind Master” as the book “Man-Ape: Two Tales from the Pulps.” These appeared in two issues of Astounding Stories (June 1931 and February 1932). The cover art chosen for the book was pretty appropriate. No idea the source, as I don’t think it was a pulp cover.
The early part of “Manape” introduces us to the hero and heroine of the story: Lee Bentley and Ellen Estabrook. Stranded on the coast of Africa when their ship is sunk in a sudden storm, they met the third character in this story: Professor Caleb Barter. But Barter is a mad scientist with a strange scheme: surgically exchanging the brains of Lee with an ape he has: Manape. Lee, as Manape, must manage as best he can for a time before Barter returns their brains to the right bodies. A good chunk of the story is told from the viewpoint of Lee in the body of Manape as he tries to cope. At the end, it seems that Barter is killed by the local apes who leave Lee and Ellen alone, and let them return to civilization.
“The Mind Master” is set a few months later, when they return to New York and find the city menaced by a mysterious person who is planning on killing several individuals. As it appears there is a connection to apes, which makes Lee and Ellen take notice. Barter was killed, wasn’t he?
But it turns out that Barter is alive and moving forward to phase two of his master plan, of replacing the brains of several apes with certain individuals, and leaving them in the ape bodies, destroying their human bodies. Soon Lee and Ellen are confronting him and being menaced by Barter. Can Lee overcome Barter, or will Barter succeed? Read, and find out the reasons for Barter’s mad scheme.
These were an interesting pair of stories. If you enjoyed his prior stories, or even if you haven’t read his works before, check them out.
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