I read a book about a man who was wrongly sent to a penal colony operated by the US Gov’t. I think the book was called Pen Island, but I can’t be sure and thus far my searches online have yielded nothing.
The book was kind of a pulp novel, prolly written between 1965-1985. Both men and women lived on the island, and there was a peculiar and very violent sport that was played, kind of a really rough cross between American football and rugby. Eventually, the protaganist is able to devise a plan to escape from the island, by swimming way out to one of the guard towers and perhaps stealing a boat.
I read this in a regular paperback, and am almost positive it was not published in any other form (no hardcover, no trade paperback, etc.).
I would love to get my hands on a copy, but I can’t even say for sure that I have the title right. Can anyone help me identify it, and maybe secure a copy?
No, but thanks for trying. This is a “pulp” novel. It’s a fast read and really has no intellectual value. It’s not a historical novel; it has nothing to do with any real life penal colonies like Devil’s Island or anything.
The thing that really stands out is the sport. Imagine football but played Longest Yard-style by both teams. Rollerball on the football field. They had teams and a league and games were on Sundays. IIRC the protaganist had a grudging friendship with the guy who was the best football player on the island (best until our hero showed up) and the hero also eventually became involved with a woman who had been #2 guy’s woman.
It’s also not The Penal Colony by Richard Herley, that novel they based the movie No Escape on.
I’ve been trying to remember/find this book since I read it 20+ years ago. It was just a cheap paperback, but I found it very entertaining.
I called a good used book store here in Vegas that specializes in first editions and things, and the guy there spent an hour or two looking through things, but the only book he could come up with was Penguin Island, which is completely different (LOL).
I’ve googled, searched amazon.com, etc. but I haven’t had any luck. I’ve tried Pen Island, Penitentiary Island, The Island… I can’t come up with anything.
Does anyone know of a resource like Phonolog, but for books? (Phonolog is a catalog of pretty much every recording available in America, btw.)
