Bugs.  Lots of people hate them.  And it’s not just because they’re so damned creepy and weird looking.  No, it’s like their entire existence is alien to our nature and experience as humans.  Take for example the social conformity in the termite mound.  Consider the predatory sexual habits of the black widow spider.  Then there’s the militaristic expansionism of red army ants.  Clearly as the highest order of life on the planet, us humans would never engage in any of these practices.  Right?  Right?

Anywho, all of this is masterfully depicted in the 1971 fictional documentary (or mockumentary, if you will) The Hellstrom Chronicle.  This semi-apocalyptic thriller features Dr. Nils Hellstrom, portrayed by actor Lawrence Pressman who brilliantly straddles the line between evil genius and high school science teacher.   There’s an ecologically driven message to the film which basically says if we keep f**king up the planet, bugs are taking over.

Now, you might be saying “hey HPL, I thought you were here to talk about old paperbacks, not kooky documentaries.”  Correct!  Enter Frank Herbert.  Mr. Herbert wrote a little sci fi novel called “Dune”.  You might have heard of it.  It’s quite popular.  But a few years before “Dune” was published in 1975, Frank Herbert wrote “Hellstrom’s Hive”.  

“Hellstrom’s Hive” builds upon the mythos of Dr. Nils Hellstrom from The Hellstrom Chronicle and weaves a dark conspiratorial tale that pits a secret society of insect people plotting the overthrow of humanity against a covert government agency of ruthless power seekers.  Sooo … it pretty much just mirrors Donald Trump’s America.  

Without giving away any spoilers, “Hellstrom’s Hive” is somewhat disjointed and lacks any compelling characters.  There’s a reason why “Dune” is Herbert’s claim to fame and not “Hellstrom’s Hive”.  And yet, this is a fun and quirky little novel that exudes enough weirdness to make it worth your while.  It’s like a deep cut on your favorite record (anyone remember those?).  It may not be Herbert’s best work, but it’s definitely not forgettable.  Give it a read if you’re looking for some entomological escapism.  And to fully enhance the experience, pair it with a viewing of The Hellstrom Chronicle.  Both are out there and easily accessible.  

Thus, I hereby decree “Hellstrom’s Hive” worthy of exhumation from the Paperback Graveyard and urge you, humble reader, to go forth and find it.  As always, thank you for reading and please feel free to leave any thoughts or comments you find relevant.

Until next time … I remain your humble pulp literary servant.