Tunnels (Tunnels Books (Quality)) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ Brian Williams (Author), (Author)
Key Phrases: light orb, helmet lamps, Second Officer, Uncle Tam, Auntie Jean (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Positing not just one secret civilization beneath London’s streets but many, this compelling doorstopper debut in a new series (apparently to be called Tunnels) pits two teens digging into the disappearance of one’s father against a subterranean colony kept in Victorian squalor by the advanced science and ominous preaching of a mysterious semireligious body called The Styx. Though a tad slow off the mark, the plot quickly picks up speed as Will and Chester discover chains of inhabited or once-inhabited caverns down below, while enduring both physical and psychological torture in the course of multiple chases, captures, separations, and escapes. After learning the shocking truth about Will’s supposed sister, Rebecca (who may play a larger role in future episodes), the pair, plus a local ally, are last seen hiding aboard a train chugging its way into even deeper unknown realms. The authors add distinctive, vivid touches to the somewhat trendy “towns down below” premise (frequent references to digging, disturbing odors, and dirty clothing), and the murderous, refreshingly competent Styx makes an uncommonly challenging adversary. The illustrations were seen only in placeholder samples, but by all other accounts, this appears to be a very promising series kickoff. Grades 6-9. --John Peters --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

14-year-old Will Burrows has little in common with his strange, dysfunctional family. In fact, the only bond he shares with his eccentric father is a passion for archaeological excavation. So when Dad mysteriously vanishes, Will is compelled to dig up the truth behind his disappearance. He unearths the unbelievable: a secret subterranean society. "The Colony" has existed unchanged for a century, but it's no benign time capsule of a bygone era--because the Colony is ruled by a cultlike overclass, the Styx. Before long--before he can find his father--Will is their prisoner....

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; Reprint edition (February 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545078814
• ISBN-13: 978-0545078818
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #164,694 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Digging Deep, October 27, 2007

By	Dave Jeffery "Author" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tunnels (Book 1) (Tunnels Books) (Hardcover)

The strength of Tunnels lies in its potential scope: a subterranean world, trapped by earth and time, a concept that pays subtle homage, intentionally or not, to Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Gordon and Williams have crafted a detailed, albeit unsettling, vista for the wayward reader. Yet, as with the murky surrounds of The Deeps, it is not only the labyrinthine world that is dark, the themes and concepts contained within the book are equally so. There are scenes of torture, drug references and violence that nudge this book away from the comfort zone of the average teenager, or adult for that matter. Parental caution is advised for younger readers.

Sadly, the problem with `Tunnels' lies not within the inventive and fascinating storyline, but in the narrative and aspects of character development. The first third of the book lacks pace, and runs the risk of losing all but the resilient by the time young Will Burrows finds The Colony on page 171. Another anomaly is the presence of two clear writing styles. This often leaves the reader off-kilter. And despite a book that runs for 460+ pages, the characters lack depth. In fact, it is difficult to connect to most of the characters, including the protagonist.

So, you may well ask why is this reviewer giving Tunnels three stars? Well, I can see massive potential and clear scope in subsequent books. I suspect that by the end of this story people will gauge the whole rather than individual parts. I will be in line to read book two. Only then will one be able to judge, inexorably, just how deep Tunnels will really go.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Next Harry Potter? No. But the next "Tunnels"? Yes!, January 17, 2008

By	Michael Mihalik "Author, Debt is Slavery and ... (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tunnels (Book 1) (Tunnels Books) (Hardcover)

Barry Cunningham is best known for being the publisher who brought Harry Potter to the world by signing then unknown writer J.K. Rowling after she had been rejected by numerous other publishers.

Since then, I'm sure he's been on the lookout for the "next big thing". Apparently the wait is over. In what's touted to be the "next Harry Potter", Mr. Cunningham has signed another unknown author, or rather pair of authors, Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams. Gordon and Williams had previously self-published their book as "The Highfield Mole". After what I'm sure was exhaustive marketing analysis, the book's title has been changed to "Tunnels".

It's an unfair comparison to call a new book the "next Harry Potter". It's akin to saying a company is the "next Microsoft" or an up-and-coming band is the "next Beatles". There is no way any book will live up to the hype. And this book should not be compared to Harry Potter. It is its own animal. And it's pretty good.

"Tunnels" is interesting and entertaining - eventually. I won't recap the plot here because you can read the official description above. The problem is that it takes 170 pages before anything happens. I almost gave up on it. None of the characters introduced in the first third of the book are compelling. They just don't come to life.

Also, the writing in the first part of the book isn't that great. It's too wordy and over-laden with adjectives. It also suffers from "adverb disease" ("Will said quietly", "Rebecca said triumphantly", "Chester said awkwardly"). It's a chore to read.

Then Will and Chester go underground. The writing improves in the second half of the book as things begin to happen and some interesting characters emerge.

"Tunnels" is good, but you're left hanging at the end, waiting for Book 2, which is supposed to be published in 2008.

I predict that "Tunnels" will find its audience, but it will not be a huge success. The universal appeal of Harry Potter was its magical world, co-existing with the regular world, but hidden from us Muggles. The magical world was whimsical, mysterious and fun. Readers escaped into that world and, when they were finished reading, couldn't wait to visit again and again and again.

"Tunnels" also has a hidden world, but there's nothing magical about it. It is mysterious, but it is also brutal and violent. People are tortured and killed. Vicious dogs attack with intent to kill. Even the regular world depicted in "Tunnels" is bleak. Here is a sample description of a neighborhood near Will's house:

"It was also the favoured spot for kids on their track bikes and, increasingly, stolen mopeds, the latter being run into the ground and then torched, their carbon-black skeletons littering the far edges of the Pits, where weeds threaded up through their wheels and around their rusting engine blocks. Less frequently, it was also the scene for sinister adolescent amusements such as bird- or frog-hunting; all too often, the creatures were slowly tortured to death and their sorry little carcasses impaled on sticks in sadistic youthful glee."

Yuck.

One of the main characters, Chester, whiles "away the time...by swatting bluebottles and wasps with an old badminton racket, easy targets as they grew lazy in the noonday heat." Later, he flicks "the mutilated remains of a large fly off the frayed strings of his racket."

Yuck again. Does this sound like someone you'd want your kids to hang out with?

Finally, I couldn't help feeling a sense of déjà vu while reading "Tunnels". It evoked memories of Jeanne DuPrau's "The City of Ember".

I recommend "Tunnels", but be aware of what you're getting yourself into - bleakness, darkness, dirt, grime and violence - with the promise of a rip-roaring adventure story.

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Michael Mihalik is the author of Debt is Slavery: and 9 Other Things I Wish My Dad Had Taught Me About Money. Learn how to gain control of your finances, pay off your debt, and create financial security!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous idea; horrible writing, June 16, 2008

By	Julie S. (Norman, OK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tunnels (Book 1) (Tunnels Books) (Hardcover)

As an editor, I see all kinds of writing. The writing in Tunnels is perfectly serviceable--for a historical monograph or a book on gardening! The character development simply falls flat time and again. It's as though pre-teen boys are an alien concept to these writers. But the problems don't stop there. Even the beloved father is as cardboard as they come! Nearly all attempts at humor fall horribly flat. I yawned through "tense" escape scenes that dragged on and on. There are only a few bright spots, but they're all minor characters that we're not likely to see in the sequels.

The hype says this book is the next Harry Potter. Don't believe the hype! If you want to truly compare the books, they'd be a great English lesson on writing: Rowling is an author to emulate, whereas Gordon and Williams show us how to do everything wrong.

If you like the premise of Tunnels, then check out Dragonfly. The title and the cover are a bit misleading--Dragonfly is a fantasticly spooky and beautifully written story about Harvest Moon, a creepy kingdom underneath Uncle Henry's basement. Copies might be hard to find, but this book definitely delivers the chills and thrills that are sorely lacking from Tunnels!