Brad Strickland

After the slog of re-reading the Hobbit (sorry, not sorry, Tolkien), I needed a read that was guaranteed to be light, easy, and engaging throughout, so it was perfect timing that my interlibrary loan for the next novel in the Lewis Barnavelt series came in! I always enjoy visiting New Zebadee to see what new trouble Lewis has gotten himself into, but author Brad Strickland outdid himself with this adventure. He’s tackled ghosts, evil sorcerers, and cthonians from outer space before, and show more now he can check vampires off his mythical creatures list as Lewis discovers the tomb of the lamia in the woods outside of town and accidentally begins the process to awaken this deadly creature. Strickland plays a little loose with the vampire mythology, tying the life force of this undead woman to the priest who began her summoning centuries before with a magical whistle, but he uses enough of the traditional lore (blood, power promised to mortals for servitude, barred entry from thresholds, etc) to make this a fun riff on the genre. What I thought was most interesting in this narrative was that Strickland managed to tie the themes of power and temptation into the series in an unexpected way: by revisiting the themes around Lewis getting bullied (which have been light motifs since book 1), and using the lamia as a vehicle for giving him a negative and vengeful way to fight back. Of course, Lewis must learn to deal with his bullies in his own way, but his struggle to resist the lamia’s protection in exchange for his life force is one that adds great tension to the story and grounds it in realism. Lewis does triumph over the lamia in the end, with the help of his companions (another re-emerging theme of the strength of community), but it’s literally down to the final 10 pages before we get the final showdown - and it sure is a dramatic one! We’re almost done with the adventures of Lewis Barnavelt, with only 2 more books to go in the series, so I wonder what magical challenges Lewis and company will have to face down yet! show less

Just when we think that Lewis and Rose Rita have faced their biggest villain yet in the form of a cthonic demon from space, we’re right back where we started and facing the dastardly Izards and their doomsday clock once again! You would think it’s old hat for Brad Strickland to go back to the magicians who kicked off the series and it wouldn’t be possible for him to match the drama and intrigue of John Bellairs’ original novel, but he actually does a decent job of it! He sets the show more story at the exact opposite time of year, during Lewis and Rose‘s summer vacation, and sends them on an island adventure where they run into the (until now) unknown son of the Izards - who is up to just as much poor behaviour as his parents. After spending decades travelling the world collecting knowledge on folk magic from a multitude of cultures and seeding magical feeder groups of evil wizards, Ishmael Izard finally has his eye set on getting revenge on the Barnavelts and on killing everyone on earth so he and his cadre of sorcerers can rule the world. In typical fashion, Lewis and company kind of stumble upon his evil plan via the hidden island which is his home base, but through careful sleuthing and some luck they manage to foil his plans. Strickland writes some decidedly dark moments into this story - with frightful spectres to haunt Lewis and a gristly end being graphically portrayed for Izard and his crony - but the trick that finally defeats these villains is perfectly suited for Lewis and his quick wit and keeps the tone from getting too dark with its classic children’s story style. The action in this story is also extremely well done, as we get moments of sea-faring adventure balanced with small town mystery vibes, culminating in a story that measures up well to Bellairs’ original tale of magic. show less

When Uncle Jonathan and neighbor Mrs. Zimmerman are called to Florida because of a friend's death, Lewis is left in the care of old Mrs. Holtz. She only knows that Uncle Jonathan is interested in magic, not that he's a powerful magician, that Mrs. Zimmerman is an actual witch, or that their Michigan town is a hotbed of supernatural activity. So no one warns Lewis and his best friend Rose Rita not to go into the abandoned old opera house for their school project. Lewis discovers the music to show more an operatic masterpiece there, and news of the find brings a mysterious stranger to town who insists on staging the production at all costs, even shutting down the school. With nearly every adult suddenly wanting to sing opera, no one but Lewis and Rose Rita notice that their town has been cut off from the outside world by a thick fog that keeps them from leaving and anyone from getting in.

I really like Bellairs' books. They have just the right amount of scary for kids but plenty of plot for adults. It might be hard to see from the cover, but it depicts a scene of Lewis, riding his bike at night through the thick fog while ghosts attack him, biting and trying to knock him over. That would scare a kid. show less

Now this is what I’m talking about! With Strickland finishing writing the Lewis Barnavelt series that John Bellairs started, we’re back to wonderfully written and carefully crafted gothic horror for the children’s audience (and those of us who refuse to grow up). Lewis and Rose Rita are once again faced with a magical opponent when they find a cursed opera during a school project, leading to an adventure that rivals the creativity, suspense, and comedy of the book that started the show more series off. Tracing back into New Zebadee’s history, the pair are faced by another of the town’s dark wizards who was defeated by the magical consortium many years ago. While some of the adventure is structured exactly the same as the first novel (adults absent, Lewis conquering his fear, spooky graveyards, magical spells gone awry, etc), Strickland introduces new imagery and spellwork throughout to make this story stand out on its own and keep us on the edge of our seats as the situation grows dire for Lewis and Rose Rita. For a pair of relatively hapless kids, these two are slowly hitting their stride as they problem solve around the villain’s moves with more independence than previously, and it is their brilliant idea to heckle the magician out of performing his perfected cursed opera! Absolutely ridiculous as a finisher, but this kind of creative thinking that does the trick is a perfect way to end the story with a moment of laughter. show less