Customer Reviews

The Bell, the Book, and the Spellbinder (Johnny Dixon)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a loyal and long-time fan of Bellairs' works. When he died, my heart broke at the thought of his characters being forever retired. My hope was rekindled when I discovered a copy of "The Drum, the Doll, and the Zombie" and found out that Strickland was attempting to step in for the late author. With "Drum," he succeeded, but only because he was writing a book based on a plot concept of Bellairs'. When left to forge his own stories, he produces dull, cheesy books that shy away from the terror and suspense Bellairs mastered. In this story, Fergie becomes the main player, which is a poor decision in itself, as the Fergie character can't carry a story the way Johhny and the Prof can. Secondly, the tale of an evil man out to steal Fergie's youth could work, but it is poorly executed. The concept of an evil book with Fergie's name embossed on it and the power to reapear after being discarded is both hokey and hackneyed. I'm sure that Bellairs would've appreciated Strickland's gesture, but would have preferred he let it go.

There are two books with this exact same plot.

In one, Fergie goes and swipes a book from the library, unwittingly putting himself under the spell of an ancient evil warlock who pushes him to use the book's diabolical power to hurt those who wronged him. In the other, Rose Rita steals a scroll from a museum, unwittingly putting herself under the spell of an ancient evil witch who pushes her to use the scroll's diabolical power to hurt those who wronged her. In each case, the spellbinders in question entomb the ensnared protagonist in the same place that they themselves were buried long ago. The stories read the same, as if the author created a template and merely filled in different names and applicable pronouns, which is kind of a gyp since I had to pay for both books.

Jarmyn Thanatos was the only thing that really stood out about this book. A master spellbinder who hob-nobbed people like Cogliostrio and John Dee, he has a lot of tricks up his sleeve and he didn't make it easy for Professor Childermass, Johnny, Father Higgins, or Sarah.

One of my favorite scenes was when he conjured an army of insects to guard his fortress of doom. Seems pretty bland, right? But it turns out these insects were the mummified remains of billions of dead flies that he swoop down on Johnny and the Prof, filling their noses and mouths with their decaying corpses. That was just nasty right there.

That was one of the more inspired tactics of a villain who actually thinks that rearranging his rather peculiar name (Jarmyn Thanatos into Thomas Jannatry) would totally deceive a team of experts like Professor Childermass and Dr. Coote. He was kind of clever at times with the names but eventually you wonder how he got away with that kind of garbage throughout the years.

You have to feel sorry for Jarmyn Thanatos though. He's the villain of a book that's a retread of at least one other by the same author, he has a pretty lame motivation ("I want to live forever!" "Uh, why?") and his last name was THANATOS.

When Fergie takes the mysterious book from the library he doesn't know what he's getting himself into. His whole life starts changeing when he gets brainwashed by the evil spellbinder Jarmyn Thanatos. Until his friends discover what was really going on and save his life.

This book was REALLY GOOD! I <3 John Bellairs books, and I reccomend other John Bellairs books. It has an adventurous plot and is impossible to put down! You never know what's going to happen to Fergie next. I also reccomend The Curse of the Blue Figurine, The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull, and The Mansion in the Mist. Read it!!!!!

This book was well thought out and had a good plot to it. When Fergie takes an evil book from the library, his life is taken over by an evil Spellbinder