Dark Shadows Audio Book - Bloodline

The continuing story of the Collins family has been kept alive by Big Finish Productions in these audio stories, and my love for the show, its stories, and its characters has waited impatiently for each new story to come long.  While I have not exactly enjoyed the latest offerings (where they put three or four short stories together on each audio), they finally got it right with the 13-part episodic tale, Bloodline, which picks up where the last mulit-part story, Bloodlust, left off - David Collins and Amy Jennings preparing for their wedding!

Now, before we begin, I do have to say that the first few episodes are a big jumbled - at least to me.  There are a number of new characters, new voices, and it gets a bit difficult to tell them apart and figure out who is who and what is going on.  I'm not sure if this is because the episodes are written by different people, which obviously creates a different feel for each episode, or if it's because there are a number of actors involved who are not from the original Dark Shadows cast, and so it takes a bit of getting used to in order to differentiate their voices.  Whatever the reason, once you get through the first three or so episodes, the story really starts to pick up the pace, the actors get into their groove, and it really begins to feel like Dark Shadows once again...

The story begins with David and Amy preparing for their wedding.  But, as we all know, things are not going to go exactly as planned.  Someone is out to ensure that Amy and David never get married.  Barnabas returns to Collinsport, with Dr. Julia Hoffman in tow!  Of course, Grayson Hall passed away years ago, so actress Julie Newmar (yes, THAT Julie Newmar) steps into the role, and those who listened to "The Curse of Shurafa" audio story will recall that Julia was transferred into another body - and Julie Newmar provides the voice of that new body!  It's a great way to bring back such a wonderful character (just as they did with Barnabas), and Newmar definitely provides listeners with the feel of Dr. Hoffman.

The first half of the story provides the build-up (including a hospital explosion that cuts of Barnabas' blood supply and results in the death of Cody's father), and while there are some subtle hints of things to come, it isn't until the second volume of Bloodline that things really hit full force!  Just as the wedding begins, David disappears - and no one at the wedding even remembers him!  Why was Amy wearing a wedding gown?  Why was everyone there?  And who in the world is David Collins?  It turns out that David was thrown into the past - back to when his ancestor, Quentin Collins, was about to be born.  But what happens when Quentin's mother suddenly falls in love with David - will he inadvertently change time?

It turns out, though, that David is not the only one who disappears and is forgotten.  One by one, members and friends of the Collins family begin to disappear.  Harry Cunningham is thrown back in time...as is Jacqueline Tate...and Lela Collins...and Cyrus Longworth-Jennings...and Vivian Bell...and Quentin Collins and Amy Jennings...and others!  Each is thrust into a different time, where they have to be careful to avoid entanglement with the people of that time so as to not alter the timeline and destroy their own future!  But what happens when Jacqueline is accused of murder and put on trial?  And Cyrus is haunted by the ghost of Jenny Collins?  And poor Harry, who finds himself in the hospital being treated by none other than Cody's father?  And Lela faces off against the misguided and vile Reverend Trask, who is hell-bent on condemning Victoria Winters as a witch?  And Quentin and Amy find themselves in the near past, where Amy has the opportunity to protect her son from harm?

Time travel was a big staple in the original series, so it fits in nicely that the writers use multiple levels of time travel in this story to create a huge central tale of vengeance on the Collins family.  It is also fun to see the return of Rosier, who first hides within Cody, offering him his heart's desire - but who is ultimately taken by Amy, who uses Rosier to try and put an end to all of the turmoil taking place at Collinwood.  But, it is ultimately Barnabas' own bloodlust that brings everything to a crashing resolution, as he not only feeds on Cody, but also brutually attacks, feeds on, and kills a young couple in Collinsport!  It is this feeding frenzy and Dr. Hoffman's desire to protect and help Barnabas that leads to the big revelation of who has been doing all of this....

I'm certainly not going to spoil the big reveal - as it definitely ties in to a previous audio story; however, I will say that Big Finish give fans a HUGE payoff with this story by providing listeners and fans with something we never thought we'd see (or rather, hear!) again - the voices of Joan Bennett, Thayer David, Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, and Dennis Patrick!!!!  I can't even begin to tell you the giddiness that came over me as I heard their voices in the story.  Now, I'm not about to spoil anything by explaining how they play into the story, but I will say this - some are flashbacks in the past, while others are actually in the current story!  So, if you are a fan of the original series, this is the one audio drama that you cannot miss!

I understand that the producers have to introduce new characters to slowly take the place of the actors who are either getting too old to continue or who have passed on - so that the Dark Shadows legacy can continue in the years to come - but I do wish that more of the original cast had been used in this - Kathryn Leigh Scott was barely used at all, as was Lara Parker.  David Selby and Nancy Barrett probably saw the most screen time, which wasn't really all that much, with Marie Wallace and Christopher Pennock coming in a close second.  I still have more of the anthology audios to listen to, so hopefully the original cast will show up in more of those.

In any event, Bloodline was a successful continuation of the Dark Shadows saga, and I can't wait to see what Big Finish has in store for fans next!

RATING:  8 time-surviving tape recorders out of 10 for keeping these characters and stories alive with a true Dark Shadows feel for fans like me!

Hardy Boys Adventures, Book 19 - Dungeons & Detectives

I really hate the fact that the Hardy Boys books are better written than the Nancy Drew books these days.  I've always been more of a Nancy Drew fan, simply because the Nancy Drew books were more focused on mystery, while it seemed the Hardy Boys books were more about adventure.  And even though this new incarnation of the detective brothers is called "Hardy Boys Adventures," the stories are definitely more about the mystery, and the ghostwriters clearly put more time and effort into the plotting and execution than the writers of the Nancy Drew stories.

The latest HBA book, Dungeons & Detectives, is a prime example of what makes this series a step above the current Nancy Drew books.  First, it is not about sabotage.  While in recent years, the Nancy Drew books seem to all be stories about sabotage, the Hardy Boys books have offered up various mystery tropes - hidden treasures, kidnapped and/or missing people, revenge, hauntings, etc.  This latest book (which, surprisingly, has over 200 pages!  the first Hardy Boys Adventures book to offer such a high page count!) features the brothers hunting down a stolen comic book, all the while dealing with a comic store owner and comic book fans who all have secrets.   Throw in an old castle with a moat and hidden rooms, a Halloween costume party that offers up a myriad of ways for a crook to commit a crime, and a nosy high school reporter who is determined to solve this case before the Hardy Boys do, and you've got the perfect trappings for an exciting story!

Something that does surprise me about this book is how many pop culture references are in the book.  There are mentions of the actual Dungeons & Dragons game, the latest issue of Detective comics, Black Panther, Wonder Woman, Chewbacca, Wolverine, Bruce Wayne, James Bond, and even Captain Kirk from Star Trek.  Frank even dresses up like Sherlock Holmes at one point!  I have to say, though, that the top-notch, best pop cultural references goes to pages 106-07, when Frank and Joe meet the intrepid high school reporter, Charlene, in costume:

Her costume rang a bell, but I couldn't quite place it until I saw the HELLO MY NAME IS ... sticker she was wearing with the name Nancy written beneath it. 

"Nancy Drew!" I said.  Nancy was another real-life teen detective, and her master sleuthing had made national headlines a few times. We'd actually teamed up with her to solve a big case last Christmas and became friends--well, I mean, after she got over thinking we were suspects!

It was nice to see a nod to A Nancy Drew Christmas, the Nancy Drew Diaries special edition that was published last year, which featured the Hardy Boys.  This type of reference hearkens back to the olden days when the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books would reference previous mysteries that the teen detectives had solved.  Considering the length of this book and the reference, it makes me wonder if perhaps this mystery was originally intended to be a "special edition" for the Hardy Boys (considering the typical Hardy Boys book is about half the length of this one).  In any event, the reference was great to read!

As for the mystery itself, the brothers must help their local comic book dealer locate a stolen comic book that could potentially be worth tens of thousands of dollars.  Sabers & Serpents #1 was a comic created by the dealer's father and his partner back in the day, and it was based upon a role-playing game the two had created.  Unfortunately, circumstances led to not only the partnership dissolving, but nearly all of the first issues of the comic being destroyed in a fire!  It seems that rare first issue had a map to a treasure, but the partner, Filmore, had torn out the page that contained the map from every comic - well, at least from every issue except the one owned by the comic dealer!  Frank and Joe have to wonder if it was stolen by someone who knew about the treasure map and was determined to find that treasure in the old Scottish castle.

The hunt is on, and honestly, reading about the Halloween party at the old castle, the boys going through the hidden tunnels, finding captives in a dungeon, facing off against a knight in armor with a deadly ax to grind, and chasing after a ghostly menace who is determined to get to the gold - it reminded me of the 1970s' television episodes, "The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Meet Dracula," where the three attend a Halloween party at an old castle and make their way through the catacombs in search of a solution to their mystery.

Overall, the story was a lot of fun (especially for a comic book geek like me!) and the mystery was well-plotted.  Even I was surprised by the identity of the culprit behind everything.  Now to wait for the next book, when the boys return to Black Bear Mountain (the site of a previous mystery in this series)!

RATING:  10 lifeless bodies falling from the rafters out of 10 for proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew can still provide fantastic mysteries for kids today!

Draw the Line - an out of the ordinary super hero tale

Here is another one of those rare instances where I pick up a book that is NOT a series book - but the premise intrigues me enough that I step outside of my norm and give it a try.  The reasons I picked up this book are pretty obvious - first, it deals with a young man who loves super heroes and who writes and draws his own online comic; second, it has actual comic pages within the book (which, it turns out, are pages from the protagonist's online comic); and third, it deals with that age-old struggle of a young gay man who is afraid to come out in a community and at a school who is very much antagonistic towards gay men.  Bundle all three of these together, and there's a likelihood I will enjoy the read.  And, I did.

Draw the Line is the story of Adrian Piper, a young high school student in a backwater Texas town.  Adrian stays in the background, preferring not to be noticed.  While he secretly publishes an online comic about a gay superhero, he keeps his own sexuality a secret (except from his two closest friends).  Adrian expresses his dreams and fantasies through his comic book alter ego - but when a vicious hate crime happens right in front of him and his friends, Adrian does something he never thought possible - he stands up for the gay kid who was being attacked!

Author Laurent Linn tells a compelling story that is more than just a teenage coming out tale.  This is a story about choosing to stand up for what is right.  It's about conquering your fears and helping your fellow man, even when it could cost you everything.  It's about asking yourself where do you draw the line when it comes to discrimination and bigotry?  And considering this is Linn's first novel (which, by the way, he not only wrote, but he drew all of the illustrations found throughout the book!), I'd say he did an exceptional job!

As I reader, I easily found myself drawn into Adrian's world - identifying with his desire to just blend into the background, hoping to avoid all of the bullying and drama, while at the same time, wishing he could be that super hero that fights injustice, stands up for what is right, and is loved by everyone.  I definitely found myself rooting for Adrian when he finally did take a stand, and getting angry when the police department and school refused to believe him, because the bully was the start quarterback (whose father happens to be on the police force).  It's definitely a situation that occurs in the real world, where people are protected from the wrong-doing that they do simply because of their "star" status!).

What was not so real (but, which I realize was written simply for the storytelling aspect) was the fact that Adrian's crush happens to also have a crush on him - how many times in the real world does the little wallflower have a crush on one of the hottest guys in the class, and it turns out that the guy happens to also be gay and happens to also like the wallflower?  That is Hallmark movie material, not real world identification.  Yet, it does bring those "awwwwww" moments into the story and provides Adrian with a "reward" of sorts for all the trauma he faces once he decides to be honest with the world about who he is.  There is, however, a very much real-world aspect to the story and the bully, which I won't specifically reveal here, as it will spoil the story, but let's just say that the author definitely got that part right!

Kind of a shame this is only a one-off book, as I would love to read more of the adventures of Adrian and his friends!

RATING:  10 rounds of Teen Drag Queen Bingo out of 10 for giving the world a not-so-typical coming out story with comic books and super heroes, in every sense of the word!

Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys: The Case of the Missing Adults (a Dynamite Graphic Novel)

So, I recently took a cruise with some of the cast of the old soap opera Santa Barbara, so that has put me behind in my blog posting - however, the cruise gave me an opportunity to do some more reading, including the new Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys graphic novel from Dynamite Entertainment!

"The Case of the Missing Adults" is completely different from the prior two Dynamite forays into the Nancy Drew universe.  "The Big Lie" was set in a dark, pulp world, while "The Case of the Cold Case" (a/k/a "The Palace of Wisdom") was simply a modern take on the teen detective.  "The Case of the Missing Adults," however, takes Nancy, Frank, and Joe into a world for young readers to enjoy.  The three teen detectives are still in high school, with Nancy having just moved from River Heights to Bayport (what is it with Dynamite wanting to make everything in Bayport???) and beginning her first day of school at Bayport High School.  Needless to say, she runs into Frank and Joe and before you know it, the three are off to solve the mystery of what-in-the-world happened to all of the grown-ups?

The mystery is not complicated, and there are definitely a lot of childish jokes and silliness scattered throughout the story - but at its heart, writer Scott Bryan Wilson has captured the essence of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys - Nancy is single-minded and determined when it comes to solving a mystery and helping others, while Frank and Joe love to solve mysteries, but they also have a sibling rivalry going on that sometimes distracts them from the task at hand.  Nevertheless, all three of these junior sleuths are quick-thinking, skilled with deductive reasoning, and aren't afraid to get their hands dirty to solve a crime!

The mystery itself involves an entire city of adults who go missing on Nancy's first day of school.  The teachers are gone, the custodial and culinary staff are gone - heck, even the police are gone!  Where did all the grown-ups go?  While most of the kids in Bayport are loving the complete lack of supervision, Nancy, Frank and Joe know that something is afoot and start searching for answers. Could it have something to do with the upcoming science fair?  And why is it that the adults in the nearby town of Vansant (Bayport's bitter rival) are still around, and life over there seems as beautiful and as perfect as ever?  A come-to-life science skeleton, coded commercial, and a midnight van to Vansant provide Nancy and the Hardy Boys with the clues they need to find the culprit behind the mass kidnapping!

The art is somewhat rudimentary, as artist Bob Solanovicz creates a cartoony world where all of the teenagers, despite being high schoolers, all appear to be pre-teen in appearance.  I realize this is the artistic style that seems to be the "in thing" right now with children's books (look at Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dork Diaries, and similar books on the shelves right now, and you will see the very simplistic, somewhat childish art that graces the covers and interiors of those books), but this style of art does not truly appeal to me.  While I did enjoy this story, the art was a huge detraction for me.  That being said, with the art being what it is, and the story being so enjoyable (when read with a kid's perspective in mind), I could very easily see this graphic novel being made into a cartoon for television that would likely be very successful.  It has all of the elements that seems to appeal to children today, and quite frankly, it would offer some much-needed role models for the children to look up to (something that is sorely missing in most cartoons and children's books today!).

I'm guessing there are plans (hopes?) for Dynamite to do more in this series of graphic novels, as the book ends with the statement, "Nancy Drew & the Hardy Boys will return to crack cases, do homework, and break hearts."  The book also closes out with some character sketches by the artist, as well as some fun little "detective games," such as a crossword puzzle, a "spot the difference" game, a comic page to color, a connect-the-dots image, and a memory game.  While not particularly difficult (for an adult), the games offer some fun activities for the children and pre-teens at whom the comic is aimed.

One final saving grace for the book is the fact that it comes in hardcover, with a glossy finish - making it perfect for shelving with the Nancy Drew books.  I was expecting soft cover, so was surprised when it arrived and was hardcover format.  A definite plus for the book!

RATING:  7 bowls of cold chili with corn chips out of 10 for bringing Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to yet another new audience with a cute little story that any age can enjoy!

Unsettled Things - A Pameroy Mystery in Kentucky

I will be the first to admit - I have been pretty lucky in the past when I've picked up new series to read. For the most part, I have enjoyed the books, and I have gone on to continue collecting and reading the various series.  Some have been better than others, but only a very few have been so bad that I just decided to put a stop to it after finishing the first book. Unfortunately for the Pameroy Mystery series, this happens to be one of those very few cases.

Unsettled Things, which is the first Pameroy Mystery, caught my attention for two reasons - first, it featured a young protagonist who had supernatural intuition and could see and interact with ghosts; second, this first mystery is set in Kentucky, which is my home state where was born and raised. With these two things going for it, I pretty much figured I couldn't go wrong. Well, no bones about it - I was wrong!

The protagonist for the series is Lillia Pameroy - a twelve-year old girl with the knack for not only seeing ghosts, but also becoming immersed in visions of the past.  Growing up, she was made to believe it was all in her imagination.  An "imagining," she calls it.  But for the first time, she is made to believe that these imaginings are more than just in her head.  A visit with her grand aunt in the heart of Kentucky opens up a whole new world when Lillia sees a ghost, who appears to be leading her on a path that will not only put a restless spirit to rest, but also reunite long lost relatives.  With the help of newfound friend Zoe, as well as some unexplained moments with the older Miss Margaret, Lillia faces not only the truth of her own abilities, but the truth about her family and how she fits in.

All in all, the plot to the book sounds like a great mystery. Unfortunately, author Brenda Felber does not succeed with the execution.  First, and probably the worst part, is the fact that Lillia is not a likable character at all. She whines throughout the entire story, and none of her conflicts come across as real.  Maybe it's me reading this from an adult perspective, but I didn't find anything at all complex or sincere about Lillia, and I felt absolutely no empathy for her predicament. Rather, she is written more as a spoiled little brat rather than a sympathetic young girl with the ability to see ghosts and into the past.  I try and remember back to my younger days of reading, and even then, I don't see myself actually finding any redeeming qualities about Lillia that would have made me like her.  In fact, I found Zoe to be a much more fascinating and rounded-out character in the story.

Second, the mystery itself felt very second-place to the story of Lillia and her family issues.  It seems Lillia's mother previously lost a child, and Lillia was able to sense it, even as a small child.  So, that creates some tension between Lillia and her mother; and when her father drops her off at her grand-aunt's house while he takes her younger brother on a trip, it leaves Lillia feeling more left out.  And while these things might create a subtle undercurrent with most stories, they seem to always be thrown into the forefront of this book.  There is actually very little of the mystery itself in the first half of the book, and there is no real active mystery-solving until the last one-fourth of the book, which made it difficult for me to keep pushing through, wondering when the mystery would actually begin.

Finally, the constant shifts between first-person point of view and third-person point of view were a bit jarring and clunky.  The story would have been a much smoother read if Felber had simply maintained a consistent POV throughout the entire book.  I personally think the third-person point of view would have read nicely, but I'm guessing the author felt it necessary to use first-person voice in order to give readers some insight into Lillia's mind.  Unfortunately, it made the book more difficult to read.

Once the mystery starts, however, there are some good moments, such as when Lillia begins to see spirits from the past, and when she finds herself immersed in the home of one of the ghosts - for this moment reveals to her a secret connection to one of the townspeople who she and Zoe had agreed to help!  Just wish there had been more great moments like this throughout the book, as it would have made it a much better read.

I'm planning to keep this book, simply because it is set in Kentucky, so I will keep it with my other series book set in my home state - however, I won't be picking up any more books in this series, as neither the character nor the writing are enough to hold my interest.  Ah well, you win some, you lose some...

RATING:  3 servings of homemade mac and cheese out of 10 for the supernatural elements and the Kentucky setting.

Scotty Bradley Mysteries No. 8 - Royal Street Reveillon

Scotty Bradley and his very non-traditional family are back for an eighth book in this mystery series by Greg Herren. I am so glad that this series has continued, as I honestly never thought it would make it this far. Herren's Chanse McLeod series has had seven books, and now the Scotty Bradley series has surpassed it (even though I found the Chanse McLeod books first).  Where McLeod is a more traditional gay detective, Bradley is a think-outside-of-the-box, fly-by-the-seat-of-your pants detective with a rather unusual family - two husbands, a live-in nephew, and parents who are open to just about anything and will do everything they need to in order to protect their family...

Royal Street Reveillon finds Colin gone, off on a mission he can't talk about, and Frank is doing a show in Montgomery - leaving Scotty to care for his nephew, Taylor. And what better way to keep a young man busy than to take him to the grand premier of Grand Dames: New Orleans! I have to give Herren credit for his continuity here, as he builds this mystery around the reality television show that was mentioned in the previous book - a bunch of rich women in a particular city who snipe, gripe, and basically backstab one another every chance they get. (Real Housewives, per chance?) For Taylor, it turns out to be a fantastic night, as the creator/producer of the show only has eyes for him - and invites him back to his hotel room to prove it!  For Scotty, though, murder turns out to be on his menu for the evening....

First, he returns home to discover Colin standing over a man that he has clearly just murdered. After helping him clean up the evidence and dispose of the body, Scotty gets a phone call. From Taylor. Saying he doesn't feel so good, he woke up in Eric's suite naked, and, oh, yeah, Eric is dead.  Tis the season to the jolly, right?

Herren offers up a well-plotted murder mystery with lots of suspects, lots of motives, and a lot of red herrings (which frustrate me, but at the same time, add to my enjoyment of the book, as it keeps me from guessing the murderer's identity way too soon).  I will admit, I did guess the killer pretty early on in the story, but not for the reasons I first thought, and not because of any particular action or words of this person - rather, with as many mysteries as I have read over the years, I've come to the realization that 9 times out of 10, the killer is someone who keeps to the background and seems innocent enough without any real involvement - but who is ultimately revealed to have connections to all the victims.  Such is the case here.  However, Herren did have me wavering from time to time, thinking perhaps I was on the wrong track, offering up one after another potential suspects who had more than enough to hide.

On top of all that, throw in the whole Colin and Russian terrorists subplot, the car accident that wasn't really an accident, and Taylor's kidnapping - well, it's easy to see that there is quite a lot going on in this book.  NOPD officers Venus and Blaine are on the case (cases?), and at every turn they tell Scotty and Frank to keep out of their investigations. But when not only their lives, but Taylor's life, are on the line, how can they stay out of it?  Plus, let's face it - a gay man will have an easier job getting information out of upper-class, uppity rich divas than a police officer any day of the week.

The only problem I have with the book is the same problem I had with the last one - Herren has a habit of repeating himself - often! His descriptions of characters and their backgrounds are repeated in detail several times throughout the story - and after two or three times, it leads one to wonder if he either has forgotten he already provided all of those details, or if it is simply padding to fill out the book to a certain page count.  As with the last mystery, it wasn't enough to really ruin my reading of the book, but it was enough to be noticeable and distract me from the story.  Hopefully, in future books, he will shy away from the repetition.

And speaking of future books - when are we going to see a team up between Scotty Bradley and Chanse McLeod???

RATING:  8 highly sophisticated Russian tracking devices out of 10 for keeping the New Orleans mysteries coming and keeping the readers on their toes in trying to solve the mystery!