Customer Reviews

Doc Wilde and The Frogs of Doom

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sometimes the twist and turns of fate can make you sit back and ponder those magical things we call coincidence. Early yesterday morning, via the internet, I learned that one of our finest fantasy, science fiction writers had died; Philip Jose Farmer. Amongst his many popular works, Farmer had invented a strange heroes mythology wherein he surmised not only were all the great literary heroes of the late nineteenth and twentieth century based on real people but that they were also related in one fashion or another. This was called his Wold Newton Mythology.

In this fanciful theory, Farmer postulated that there had actually been a 1930s globe trotting adventurer who was the basis for the pulp hero, Doc Savage. Farmer also suggested this man was related to the jungle lord we call Tarzan. Amongst his elaborate genealogy of heroes, Farmer several times replaced the name Savage with Wilde, again to indicate historical personages and their fictional disguises.

So why bring this all up now? Simply because on the day I learned of Farmer's passing, this book arrived on my doorstep; DOC WILDE AND THE FROGS OF DOOM by Tim Byrd. In his action-packed story, Byrd tells us this Doc Savage figure not only existed, but that he went on to marry and have a son and grandchildren. The son is one Doctor Spartacus Wilde, a golden hued chip off the old block. Like his dad, now ninety-nine but still fit as an Olympian athlete, he is a famous scientist, inventor and world traveler. He is also a widower raising two fantastic kids, Brian and Wren, both of whom have inherited the family adventuring genes.

As the book opens, Doc and his children learn that Grandpa Wilde has disappeared at the same time they are attacked by a variety of bizarre, hybrid frogs. Surviving these bizarre assaults, Doc, Brian, Wren and Doc's aides, take up the search from the Empire State Building, where they interview Grandma Pat Wilde to the halls of Harvard. Oh, and the two aides I mentioned are a red-headed Irishman named Declan mac Coul and a natty, debonair lawyer named Phineas Bartlett. (Of course any self-respecting pulp fan will recognize them immediately.)

The trail of the missing senior Doc leads our group to the South American jungles of Hidalgo, as yet another well known name from the Savage canon. The innocent fun of this book, which is a Young Reader's offering, is that it does not attempt to shy away from its origins and is a worthy pastiche for all Doc Savage enthusiasts. Byrd is having a grand time offering us a satisfying what-if adventure that rings true from start to finish and left me wanting more. All the trappings and clichés of the hero pulps are here, but presented in such a fresh and carefree manner, the reader will be swept away by the outlandish exploits performed by this one-of-a-kind family. The Wildes are old fashion heroes in the best sense of the word and their adventure is sure to thrill pulp fans, both old and new.

Mr. Byrd has done what I would have thought was impossible. He has written an adventure story with almost no internal conflict whatsoever. And it works.

The Wilde family is a world-famous family of adventurers. Doctor Spartacus Wilde is the dad; tall and golden, with a muscular physique, the brains of a scientist, and so cool that he can handle anything--even the sight of his ten-year-old son plunging off the side of the Empire State Building. Throughout the story, nothing ruffles him. Well, one thing does. But only for a few minutes. He is an expert in everything he does--martial arts, marksmanship, foreign languages, nanotechnology--you name it.

His children, Brian and Wren, are his carbon copies, but each has their own personality. They can think quickly while plunging off the side of a building, or while being dragged through underwater caves by mutant frogs. Their training is over-the top, and then back over it again. When they argue, they switch languages to try to trip each other up. And they love each other to pieces.

The Wilde family is assisted by two trusty employees, Declan mac Coul and Phineas Bartlett. Declan is a bearlike Irishman, and Phineas is a proper British majordomo. They insult each other mercilessly, but are the best of friends.

And then there's grandpa. He's gone missing. Again. The kids' reactions?

Cool!

For naturally, it's time for an adventure.

The adventure is a blend of Cthulhuian gods and a 10-year-old boy's passion for all things squishy--like frogs. I mean, who can possibly find a frog anything but harmless? If anything, there a bit icky, but they don't even have claws! They have little suction-cup thingies. They're kind of cute . . . in an amphibian kind of way.

Not Mr. Byrd's frogs. They are green menaces! They have claws and gnashing teeth! And tentacles!

It's fun. It's also smart. There's all sorts of interesting stuff in this little novel, like dark matter, nanotechnology (in a rather over-the-top way) and a smattering of Latin.

I can't finish this review without some remarks on the typography. It's partially straight-up novel, but interspersed throughout the text are comic-book effects, that make it even funner.

It's only fault is that it's too short. Way too short. So short, that I wonder why they made it a hardcover. But like all juvenile hardcovers, the price is reasonable, especially considering all the great typographic effects.

Fun for everyone, age 10 and up!

The book jacket for Georgia author Tim Byrd proclaims that he is interested in everything. Damn straight. How else to explain his judicious use of quotes from such diverse sources as H. P. Lovecraft, Henry David Thoreau, and (my personal favorite), Dr. Seuss? How else to explain references to classic automobiles, dark matter universes, amphibian biology, Japanese meditation techniques, and South American topography? Not only are all these elements, and countless others, interwoven into this novel, they work together in such a seamless manner that the reader is left both breathless and awed.

This roller-coaster ride of a story is one to be enjoyed by all. Byrd's family of adventurers, the Wildes, are a fascinating group who endeavor to save the world from mutant frog-men while at the same time remaining steadfastly loyal to one another. The characters are as exciting as their adventures, yet they never lose sight of the love and learning that binds them to one another more strongly than the sticky goo on the underbellies of the spy-frogs. Yes, it is a swashbuckling great read. But it is also a story of unconditional love, empowering optimism, and the value of learning.

The gross frogs and insane gadgets are pretty cool, too.

Fans of American/Michigan Chillers are sure to enjoy Doc Wilde's adventures. DOC WILDE AND THE FROGS OF DOOM is perfect for action-loving readers in the middle grade age group.

Doc Wilde teams up with son Brian and daughter Wren for a wild experience in the jungles of South America. The action starts high on the side of a skyscraper when creepy-crawly looking frogs plaster themselves to the window of the family offices. Are these bloated monsters related to the disappearance of the kids' Grandfather? All they can hope to do is gather a specimen or two and use scientific research to test out their theory.

Capturing one of the creatures puts first Brian and then his father in near-death situations. Using cool James Bond-type special effects, Brian dangles high over the streets of the city and attempts to pry the sticky, icky frogs from the skyscraper window. When things go heart-stoppingly wrong and it seems almost guaranteed that Brian's life is over, his father sweeps in to the rescue.

The action doesn't stop there as the family packs their scientific bag of tricks and heads to the tiny, mysterious South American country of Hidalgo. Even using their vast research capabilities, they are only able to discover the bare minimum about the place. But all the information they have about their missing Grandfather points in that direction.

DOC WILDE AND THE FROGS OF DOOM offers non-stop excitement, terrific special effects, and tons of science/geek information. Just over 180 pages with 60 chapters perfect for short reading stints, this book promises to be a hit with the younger tween set.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

I was impressed with the story of Doc Wilde and his kids. Tim Byrd has an author's voice for high adventure, that's for sure. It felt like a book for pre-teens, but I think that adventure fans of all ages should enjoy it.

Pulp adventure with a Lovecraftian menace as the main antagonist. Brian and Wren are delightful as adventurers-in-training, and are full of educational sidebits. I found the literary quotes and the brief lessons in geography, language, history, and science to be very enlightening. A kid should enjoy those parts without even realizing that they are learning something.

The only negative I would attach to the book is that I felt it ended rather abruptly. It built to a climax rather nicely, and the resolution of the main plot was just fine, but it seemed that it wrapped up in a hurried manner. Perhaps this is a pulp adventure trait; I've not read much in the genre. It did answer questions I had, it just seemed to brush over them rather quickly. It's not really a complaint, since it did work, but I did feel like I was slamming on brakes there at the end. Maybe that was by design, so I won't be too critical of that.

Very nice work, Mr. Byrd. I would be interested in seeing more adventures of Brian, Wren, and Doc. And I had to say that I very much enjoyed the banter/rivalry between Declan and Bartlett, Doc Wilde's hired help.

I bought the book for two reasons: to support a local author, and to give my child something fun to read. I had no preconceived idea of the book, or its plot or style. Imagine my surprise when I read it AND LOVED IT !!
I grew up reading fantasy books like THE DARK IS RISING seies by Susan Cooper. I wanted my 10 year old daughter to have the same sort of experience. To be completely immersed in the story, and carried along by it. She read it all in one day, and only put it down to participate in required activities. I, on the other hand, read it very slowly, to enjoy it, and to understand the nuances. It stood up very well to both tests!!
I am an avid reader but often find myself reading books and criticizing either a plot turn as predictable, or character development as being lacking, or worse yet sometimes the language usage or vocabulary is repetitive.
But in this case, I cared about these characters! Since my degree is in science, and I have a doctorate, I was pleased that an author could write such a plausible work of fiction about frogs as the "enemy" and include so much detail about the Wilde family's curious inventions. Willing suspension of disbelief aside, I fell for it all: hook, line ,and sinker !! Even gasped out loud at the two BIG plot twists !!
My only complaint is that I wanted to find out what happens next in the series... and that's what Doc prescribed, right? keep 'em wanting MORE!!

DOC WILDE AND THE FROGS OF DOOM
TIM BYRD
Action/Adventure Middle Grade
G.P Putnam's Sons
ISBN# 978-0-399-24783-5
192 Pages
$15.99
Hardcover--Available May 19, 2009

Rating: 4 Enchantments

DOC WILDE AND THE FROGS OF DOOM is a very imaginative adventure tale that boys will be sure to love. When Grandpa Wilde goes missing and the only link is a photo of him, Doc Wilde along with his two children, Brian and Wren, must go on a search that will take them from New York to Boston to the small country of Hidalgo to try and find him. Along the way, the family finds themselves targeted by several unusual breeds of frogs that haven't been seen before.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started DOC WILDE AND THE FROGS OF DOOM, but the story quickly drew me in within a few pages. Immensely detailed, it soon felt like I was on the trail of Grandpa Wilde right along with the family. The mystery element was strong throughout the entire book and the characters of Doc Wilde and family are bigger than life. I especially enjoyed the scenes where Brian was dangling off the Empire State building trying to collect one of the mysteriously appearing spying frogs, not to mention when the family finally arrives in Hidalgo, and goes deep into the forests in search of grandpa. An interesting start to what should be a very entertaining series, readers looking for something different will no doubt enjoy this tale.

Tim Byrd lives with his adventurous son and a treacherous cat near Atlanta, Georgia. He is often barefoot, prone to irony, and interested in everything. He knows how to tie a tie, but doesn't care to. He has been a dishwasher, shoe salesman, waiter, soldier, game designer, independent filmmaker, and outdoor guide. He wants to be a kid when he grows up. Check out the website for the series at www.docwilde.com


Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
April 2009

DOC WILDE AND THE FROGS OF DOOM is nothing more than a modern pulp novel, which is a good thing. The author's obvious love of the old pulps(as I do) shines through.

You have the father, a physically and mentally perfect giant, a widower with two kids who are being trained as their father and his father was before him in every science and discipline imaginable. But Brian and Wren are first and foremost kids, as well as competitors, doing kid things.

Though a pulp story, the science here is modern(nanobytes are used).

Grandpa has gone missing and the family are set upon by frogs at their eight-sixth floor headquarters(?) at the same time. Clark Wilde, Jr. Any fan of the old pulps automatically suspect's who grandpa really is. The family sets out to find the head of the family, who at ninety-nine, is still every bit the physical specimen his son is.

The author mentions Lester Dent and H. P. Lovecraft as influences. I'm not as up on Lovecraft as Dent. I read some years ago, but not a lot and I wasn't that big a fan myself.

A good read for young and old. This one might be a sneaky way to get kids reading. It can't miss.

Twelve-year-old Brian and his 10-year-old sister Wren are just your average kids -- except for their martial arts and survival training. Except that they live in a huge mansion on a high wooded hill with their father's amazing scientific workshop underneath it. Doc Wilde, their father, is the world's greatest adventurer; he and the kids are always ready at a moment's notice to leave for another adventure.

"Your grandfather has disappeared again!" Cool! Wren flips down from her trapeze, Brian grabs his backpack, and they slide down the spiral slide to the basement. This adventure takes them to the Amazon rain forest and some mysterious human-sized frogs. Brian, Wren and Doc Wilde leap from one narrow escape to the next with amazing physical and mental skills.

Chapters are short, with adventures on every page. The frenetic action gives you no time for character development, so don't expect it -- just enjoy the nonstop Superman-style adventures. Great for reluctant readers, or any adventure-lovers, ages 8-13.

Grandpa Pat informs her son Dr. Spartacus Wilde his nonagenarian father vanished after giving a talk at a forum at Harvard. The widower accompanied by his twelve year old son Brian, his ten year old daughter, associate Phineas Bartlett and driver Declan mac Coul plan to search for the missing Wilde. However, before they can begin, they are attacked by mutant frogs in their family abode in the Empire State Building.

Next stop for the intrepid warriors is Harvard, which soon leads them to Hidalgo in South America. From there they enter the jungle heading to a remote region with mutant frogs of all sorts attacking them until they reach a cave whose opening is shaped like the mouth of a giant frog. Inside they continue the quest learning that the dark God Frogon, who destroyed his universe, is seeking entrance to this one to destroy it too. As Mac is turned into a Man-frog, the Wildes battle saber-tooth frogs and other species of mutated frog while Frogon begins the ritual to enter the Wilde universe.

DOC WILDE AND THE FROGS OF DOOM is a fun pulp adventure that pays homage to Doc Savage while targeting the tweener crowd. The story line is fast and lighthearted as the heroes battle mutant fogs. With literary quotes ranging from Seuss to Lovecraft and beyond, Tim Byrd avoids dumbing down his novel. Young readers will relish the escapades of the Wilde family and friends as they struggle to save the world one croak at a time.

Harriet Klausner