Emperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister Brain

With this flashy tale of alien invaders and an evil, time-hopping brain, Martinez (Chasing the Moon) delivers space opera straight out of the pulp era. Emperor Mollusk, benevolent ruler of Earth, has given up his old serial-conqueror lifestyle to settle down as “a de facto god” and “hero of Terra.” When assassins from the Celebrants of Oblivion come calling, he’s forced to take refuge at his stronghold on Dinosaur Island with Snarg, his loyal pet ultrapede, and weapon-toting Venusian commander Zala. Mollusk is pursued by the jar-inhabiting Brain, a villain bent on ruling the universe with the help of a brain gang called the Council of Egos. There’s not much plot to speak of, but killer plants, insane robots, and a dastardly plot to steal the Eiffel Tower provide plenty of slapstick action to entertain readers comfortable with the idea that nearly anything can be fixed by reversing the polarity. Agent: Sally Harding, the Cooke Agency. (Mar.)