Got started on my L. Ron kick with Battlefield Earth, which led to this. Not a bad read. ( )

So, the Scientologists at BEA like to interview convention-goers about their opinions on ol' Elron.

I told them, truthfully, that I'd read one of his books, thought it was godawful, and declined the opportunity to read any more.

Naturally, they wanted to know which book I'd read, and I couldn't think of the name of it right off the bat. I did however, say something to the effect of: "It featured a super-powerful Golden Age manly hero who went around saving the day."

However, even for Golden Age manly heroes (who, I admit, are not really my thing) this book is godawful. It's actually a series of short stories, originally produced for magazines. Our Hero, Ole Doc, is a Soldier Of Light, who's sort of a Super-Doctor of the Universe. He has an alien slave sidekick, who, of course, loves being enslaved. The tone aims for socially-relevant humor, but for me, it fell flat. The writing is stilted and unexceptional, and for ostensibly 'action-packed' stories, the overall effect was pretty boring.

My Scientologist interviewer allegedly couldn't figure out what I was talking about, and weakly exhorted me to read the Battlefield Earth series. (I could tell he didn't think there was much of a chance that I would.)
( )

Quintessential collection of L. Ron Hubbard’s Ole Doc stories in a new trade edition with a knockout cover. A long time favorite of mine, read about Doc’s adventures with his multi-armed alien friend Hippocrates. Doc is a Soldier of Light in a galaxy far, far away. He’s incorrigible, intelligent and daring and this is classic science fiction at his best. All of these stories were originally published in the pages of Astounding Science Fiction magazine under Hubbard’s pseudonym Rene Lafayette. The stories are:
Ole Doc Methuselah [as by René Lafayette] • Astounding Oct ’47
Her Majesty’s Aberration [as by René Lafayette] • Astounding Mar ’48
The Expensive Slaves [as by René Lafayette] • Astounding Nov ’47
The Great Air Monopoly [as by René Lafayette] • Astounding Sep ’48
Plague [as by René Lafayette] • Astounding Apr ’49
A Sound Investment [as by René Lafayette] • Astounding Jun ’49
Ole Mother Methuselah [as by René Lafayette] • Astounding Jan ’50
Highly recommended ( )