by Christopher Golden & Tim Lebbon & illustrated by Greg Ruth ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 28, 2012
An odd but well-executed idea.
Young Jack London continues his supernatural adventures as the authors soup up London’s original The Sea Wolf to fit the current paranormal craze.
In this second installment of their new series, Golden and Lebbon use the major plot points of London’s 1904 adventure as a loose framework for a new story that features a teenage Jack fighting werewolves. Most of the names remain the same (but alas, they exclude Oofty-Oofty), although they switch a few—here, this ship is the Larsen and the captain is called Ghost. London and the brutal captain have philosophical arguments about the virtues of human versus animal nature. Of course, young Jack will wind up fighting the crew of werewolves and Ghost himself. Whatever one may think of the worth of the authors’ concept, they produce an exciting tale that’s written with considerable oomph, and Ruth’s bold, charcoal drawings brilliantly capture the book’s action. However, their captain doesn’t linger in the mind as does London’s original Wolf Larsen, and their adventure, although suspenseful, pales against London’s efforts. Yet their romance passages trump London’s antiquated romance subplot, with the introduction of a witch who captures young Jack’s heart. Certainly the writing quality here surpasses that of most paranormal adventures today. And perhaps it might win London a new readership.
An odd but well-executed idea. (Paranormal adventure. 10-16)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-186320-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
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by Ransom Riggs ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 7, 2011
A trilogy opener both rich and strange, if heavy at the front end.
Riggs spins a gothic tale of strangely gifted children and the monsters that pursue them from a set of eerie, old trick photographs.
The brutal murder of his grandfather and a glimpse of a man with a mouth full of tentacles prompts months of nightmares and psychotherapy for 15-year-old Jacob, followed by a visit to a remote Welsh island where, his grandfather had always claimed, there lived children who could fly, lift boulders and display like weird abilities. The stories turn out to be true—but Jacob discovers that he has unwittingly exposed the sheltered “peculiar spirits” (of which he turns out to be one) and their werefalcon protector to a murderous hollowgast and its shape-changing servant wight. The interspersed photographs—gathered at flea markets and from collectors—nearly all seem to have been created in the late 19th or early 20th centuries and generally feature stone-faced figures, mostly children, in inscrutable costumes and situations. They are seen floating in the air, posing with a disreputable-looking Santa, covered in bees, dressed in rags and kneeling on a bomb, among other surreal images. Though Jacob’s overdeveloped back story gives the tale a slow start, the pictures add an eldritch element from the early going, and along with creepy bad guys, the author tucks in suspenseful chases and splashes of gore as he goes. He also whirls a major storm, flying bullets and a time loop into a wild climax that leaves Jacob poised for the sequel.
A trilogy opener both rich and strange, if heavy at the front end. (Horror/fantasy. 12-14)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59474-476-1
Page Count: 234
Publisher: Quirk Books
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2014
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by Ransom Riggs ; illustrated by Andrew Davidson
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by Ransom Riggs ; illustrated by Jim Tierney
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by Ransom Riggs ; illustrated by Andrew Davidson
by Ben Philippe ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 8, 2019
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.
A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.
Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018
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