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3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Canadian Justice! Jan 24, 2010
By Geoffrey Thorne
"What one man can do, another can do. - David Mamet"
Mr. Taylor is one of those incredibly irritating talents that crop up from time to time to make the rest of us look bad. he's gifted. he's prolific and he has that smidgen of pirate in his soul that always marks a visionary. I felt like i was being welcomed home to my favorite old stomping grounds when I discovered his AMAZING "radio" series and I feel precisely the same way now that he's working in prose.
If you have even a passing interest in old-school heroics, smatterings of screwball comedy and two-fisted action/adventure peopled with crazed villains, mad scientists and malevolent mystics bent on global conquest, you will be doing yourself a massive disservice passing up Mr. Taylor's works.
FIve stars. because they won't let me give six.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Another bullseye for Master Taylor Mar 05, 2010
By Zapatos
You would think that a man so vehemently allergic to origin stories might have trouble writing one, but you would be most wrong in the case of one Gregg Taylor. Taylor skillfully weaves together a fantastic adventure with long untold backstory, and the end result is The Mind Master, a superb addition to the Red Panda Universe.
The Mind Master is the second in the Tales of the Red Panda series of novels, which are, in turn, based on the wonderful audiodrama series The Red Panda Adventures. Both tell of the exploits of the Red Panda and the Flying Squirrel, a pair of superheroes fighting to keep Toronto safe in the dark times of the Great Depression, and both are written with a great love and appreciation of both the audiodrama and the pulp genres. The Mind Master carries on the tradition with a strong plot, snappy dialog, and some of the best romantic banter this side of Metropolisville. It builds and improves on its predecessor, The Crime Cabal, with a far creepier villain and an even better finale.
Finally: most stories in the Red Panda Universe focus equally on our two superheroes, and if one is ever given the spotlight over the other, it's usually Kit. The Mind Master is a bit of a rarity, in that it is truly a "Red Panda" story; it's about his past, his problems, his rival. This is to its credit, I feel; the Red Panda, beloved though he may be, has always been almost as mysterious to listeners as he is to the bad guys. Now, 5 years after we've met him, it feels immensely satisfying to get to know more about him as a person, rather than just a hero.
The only bad part of the book? Getting to the end. The wait 'til the next one's going to be long indeed.
4 of 5 found the following review helpful:
 Another Thrilling tale.... Dec 20, 2009
By M. C Wallace
"CryptoSenex"
Kit Baxter and her boss are back. The Mind Master includes much of an origin story for the Red Panda, a plot to take over the world, and the growing relationship between Canada's two greatest superheroes.
Mr. Taylor has always had a talent for economical but effective characterization. This time around he has a stronger narrative drive and a more complex plot. Although the tone and language is true to the pulp roots, the plot is, I think, stronger. Yes, the villain wants to take over the world, but the conflict and tension derive from the character and motivation of the adversary. The world and free will are just game counters in the contest between two men's vision of what should be done with power and privilege.
The last book had some problems with typesetting and layout; mostly solved this time. Kit Baxter still stands out as the most three dimensional character, and we get some deeper insight into some other Agents of the Red Panda.
If you liked the Crime Cabal, I think you'll be quite pleased. If you were put off by the rough unpolished edges of the first book, I'd urge you to give it a try.
(or you could read it because it is fun).
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Classic Adventure Mar 05, 2010
By Peter Olson
"pjolson"
For anyone who has ever indulged in programming from the Golden Age of Radio, this book is a delightful and fun throwback to those times when high adventure could be had over the airwaves. Taking his story out of the realm of podcasts and putting it onto the page works for Gregg Taylor. This novel, sequel to the wonderful "Tales of the Red Panda: The Crime Cabal", is an excellent read. The only problem with it is that you are finished with it way too soon. I highly recommend picking it up today.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Another "Yes Boss" adventure Feb 23, 2010
By M. De Jong
"MadJo"
This story is basically an expose to Red Panda's origin.
The vilain, a man who calls himself Ajay Shah, is someone from the Red Panda's past, and he's bent on destroying the one person who could identify Shah.
It's a thrillride, this novel.
It's also a great addition to the podcast series. You can read it without knowing much about the Panda, but it helps if you know the universe a little.
And if you haven't read it yet, go ahead and get the package deal to also read Tales of The Red Panda: The Crime Cabal. You won't regret it.
Disclaimer, I have a huge crush on the Flying Squirrel.
See all 15 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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