Book Review: The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril by Paul Malmont - Page 2

The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril is a pulp at heart, though, and Malmont wallows in the possibilities of the genre. There are subplots involving Chinatown's Tong Wars of the early 20th century, chemical weaponry of mass destruction left over from WWI, mutated, lumbering zombies, madman motivations, and nightmare visions. There are outrageous escapes, six-shooter gun battles, sword fights, treasure hunts, and the obligatory femme fatale — in this case, a psychic with a pet chicken.

Where Malmont is at his best, however, is in his ability to breathe genuine life into his characters. They all have a compelling backstory, from Gibson and Dent, to the "villain" Zhang Mei, and Malmont skillfully interweaves those pasts into the context of the plot. While it does make the novel a bit longish (371 pages), it puts the reader into a universe that is immersive and irresistable. In fact, this is a novel that reads like a movie looks. Dissolves and intercuts abound in the story in a cinematic prose style that cries out to be made into a film.

As an action-adventure novel, The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril is a thrill ride the likes of which are rarely seen in mainstream publishing. As an homage to the guys who wrote those thrilling tales that influenced all pop culture to come — and did so for a penny a word — it's a testament to the power of a ripping good yarn.

Article Author: Ray Ellis

Ray Ellis is a freelance writer who has been dissecting pop culture and its effect on how we view ourselves for over twenty years, ruffling feathers and dragging unsuspecting pedestrians along for the ride whenever possible.

Visit Ray Ellis's author page — Ray Ellis's Blog