this post was submitted on 31 Jul 2023
11 points (100.0% liked)

Public Domain

318 readers
11 users here now

Share and discuss writing, music, film, and other files, documents, and stories that are in the public domain.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Nelson S Bond wrote what I would describe as, "space opera western" short stories for a pulp fiction publication called Planet Stories in the 1940s. I usually enjoy his descriptions, but none have been as fun as how he described "Salvation" Smith.

The old man's lips etched a straight line, reminding Chip that Salvation Smith was not one of those milk-and-water missionaries who espoused the principle of "turning the other cheek" to evildoers. Salvation was not the ordained emissary of any church. A devoutly religious man with the heart of an adventurer, he had taken upon himself the mission of carrying to outland tribes the story of the God he worshipped.

That his God was the fierce Yahveh of the Old Testament, a God of anger and retribution, was made evident by the methods Salvation sometimes employed in winning his converts. For not only was Salvation acknowledged the most pious man in space; he was also conceded to be the best hand with a gun!

Earth's softhanded ecclesiastics did not altogether approve of their wayward missionary's reputation.

Out of the works I have read so far, he has shown up in "Shadrach" and "The Lorelei Death"

top 2 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[โ€“] shertson 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This going on my to read list. I love crappy pulp stories. Thanks for sharing!

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

My pleasure.