tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post6430463362059690710..comments2024-03-28T18:21:09.285-05:00Comments on Rough Edges: Forgotten Books: Station Six - Sahara -- Michael AvalloneJames Reasonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-65140028737501310642018-02-18T18:15:25.785-06:002018-02-18T18:15:25.785-06:00My guess is that Avallone and the screenwriters sh...My guess is that Avallone and the screenwriters shred the copyright either because <br />— the deal was crafted in league with a British publisher — until very recently, and even now in some instances, British tie-in novelists retained the copyright to their work, even though there might have been a separate copyright for the source material;<br />and/or<br />— because the screenwriters held the publication rights, and even if the deal was made through the movie studio, the studio had to honor its contract with them. I haven't (yet) seen evidence of a British edition, but I imagine there was one, or at least one that was planned and cancelled. Pelaphushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10525399094995683291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-45626742548781370092011-01-23T15:07:05.391-06:002011-01-23T15:07:05.391-06:00First time I've seen the cover and agree it is...First time I've seen the cover and agree it is still a winner.<br /><br />(Evan's comment was a good chuckle)David Cranmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-63186374538584476952011-01-21T16:42:48.131-06:002011-01-21T16:42:48.131-06:00Pretty nice cover for us 12 year-olds, too.Pretty nice cover for us 12 year-olds, too.Evan Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07620731784654779358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-23433079932156007452011-01-21T15:19:07.590-06:002011-01-21T15:19:07.590-06:00I've had a number of Internet arguments with a...I've had a number of Internet arguments with another writer who was acquainted with Terry Carr, who edited those U.N.C.L.E. novels for Ace. This fellow says that Avallone's book was so terrible that Carr was forced to rewrite the entire thing in a weekend and has also expressed a belief that ALL of Avallone's books were heavily rewritten by their editors. I just don't buy that at all. If that was true (my argument goes), then why do all of Avallone's books read pretty much the same, regardless of when and where they were published and who edited them? It's his voice, for good or bad, that's in them, not the voices of a score of different editors.<br /><br />But of course, as all Internet arguments go, it ended up a stalemate.James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-3528681784283885442011-01-21T15:13:50.677-06:002011-01-21T15:13:50.677-06:00Avallone wrote the two Girl From U.N.C.L.E. novels...Avallone wrote the two Girl From U.N.C.L.E. novels that Signet published. I think there were some other Girl From U.N.C.L.E. novels published in England that never made it to the U.S., but Avallone didn't write any of them.James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-7434977695918205782011-01-21T14:26:02.662-06:002011-01-21T14:26:02.662-06:00Lynley may have been better looking than Baker, bu...Lynley may have been better looking than Baker, but not as sexy. Guess that Ice Princess persona--Lynley, Grace Kelly, Dina Merrill--didn't appeal to me. But still a great cover.<br /><br /> Avallone wrote only the first Man from UNCLE book, but also did things like Hawaii 5-0 and Felony Squad.<br /><br />RJRRJRnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-60144554072834748942011-01-21T13:14:41.846-06:002011-01-21T13:14:41.846-06:00I've never read any of Avallone's sleaze n...I've never read any of Avallone's sleaze novels. I've got to do that.James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-58183057305945029212011-01-21T13:13:59.029-06:002011-01-21T13:13:59.029-06:00Yeah, I always thought Carol Lynley was better-loo...Yeah, I always thought Carol Lynley was better-looking than Carrol Baker, too.James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-5468302021158870572011-01-21T13:00:17.893-06:002011-01-21T13:00:17.893-06:00I almost rose to Baker's defense...until I rea...I almost rose to Baker's defense...until I realized I was conflating her with Carol Lynley. But BABY DOLL was pretty right for her in every way...<br /><br />Perhaps the discipline imposed on Avallone's imagination and craft by such adaptations tended to help...Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-71131428013377649462011-01-21T10:13:56.902-06:002011-01-21T10:13:56.902-06:00That cover art is so distinctive from that era.That cover art is so distinctive from that era.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-52227458986301222012011-01-21T10:05:08.589-06:002011-01-21T10:05:08.589-06:00STATION SIX - SAHARA, as penned by Avo, was one of...STATION SIX - SAHARA, as penned by Avo, was one of those rare cases where the novelization was far better than the material it was based on. With what he had to work with, Avallone made the storyline far more suspenseful and "racier" (once the Baker character showed up)than the movie. The movie, which I had the misfortune of seeing somewhere along the way was just plain boring and about as sexy as stale bread. Much as I enjoyed most of the Noon books, I have long maintained (and I shared this with Mike when I wrote a Foreward for the re-pub of his novel MITZI)that he actually did his best writing in some of his movie tie-ins and some of the titles he wrote for the "adult/ sleaze" market. STATION SIX was a prime example. And let's be honest, in spite of all the hype for HARLOW, CARPETBAGGERS, STATION SIX, etc., did *anybody* really buy Carol Baker as a sexpot on film? She looked great in still photos and publicity poses, but on screen she was scrawny, flat-chested, and had a tinny, fingernails-on-chalkboard voice that only Roseanne Barr could equal. Still ... that movie poster/book cover for STATION SIX sure was something, wasn't it?wayne d. dundeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-32880851702197901242011-01-21T09:48:10.087-06:002011-01-21T09:48:10.087-06:00Mike Avallone, despite his faults, was a reliable,...Mike Avallone, despite his faults, was a reliable, professional writer for most of his career. Avallone's ACE DOUBLE is a favorite of mine.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04546161337366365635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-29820305397162763902011-01-21T06:56:53.057-06:002011-01-21T06:56:53.057-06:00It's still a great cover. When I was around 1...It's still a great cover. When I was around 14 years old, my Carol Baker moment was <i>Baby Doll</i>.mybillcriderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02350478005243505108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-6180171394376056582011-01-21T06:32:53.138-06:002011-01-21T06:32:53.138-06:00That brings me back, Mike Avallone penned several ...That brings me back, Mike Avallone penned several of the Novelisations of the Man From UNCLE books whihc I devoured in my youth, thanks for the memoryAli Karimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00640079406581573368noreply@blogger.com