J. Randolph Cox (1936–2021)

Dime novels were the popular fiction of the late 19th and early 20th century USA. They were cheap, disposable, addictive stories targeted at a mass market, and can still be a bit of tacky fun, if you're in the mood for them. This anthology contains five dime novels from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These tales all have an extremely strong emphasis on plot, episodic structure with a 'cliff-hanger' type ending and a Hero who is too perfect to be human.
J. Randolph Cox's introduction is excellent, detailing the conventions of each story type, and providing potted biographies of popular dime novel authors and publishers. Cox explains the literary limitations of the genre very well, but chooses to emphasise their sociological and historical interest. He also acknowledges the racism and misogyny of some of the stories, a reflection of the times but jarring and unpleasant to a modern reader.
The stories are:
1. Dashing Diamond Dick; or, The Tigers of Tombstone, by W.B. Lawson (a western);
2. Over the Andes with Frank Reade, Jnr., in His New Air-Ship; or, Wild Adventures in Peru, by ‘Noname’ (adventure/science fiction);
3. Frank Merriwell’s Finish; or, Blue Against Crimson, by the author of “Frank Merriwell” (school/sports);
4. The Liberty Boys of ’76; or, Fighting for Freedom, by Harry Moore (historical);
5. Dr. Quartz II, at Bay; or, A Man of Iron Nerve, edited by the author of “Nick Carter” (crime).
It's interesting to see what thousands of people enjoyed reading a hundred or so years ago, and some of the plotting can be funny, but the stories themselves are only somewhat enjoyable.… (mere)