Friday, September 9, 2016

Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers Super Editions Wanted and Kidnapped

Unfortunately, early in my reading of the Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers series, I purchased the two Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers super editions to read.  As I neared the end of the series, I wished that I hadn't.  Now I must live with the consequences of that decision.

In the first super edition, Wanted, a bank robbery is committed by two teenage boys who use the names Frank and Joe.  The boys even resemble Frank and Joe.  ATAC notifies the Hardys, telling them to run and not to try to solve the case.

Say what?  This makes no sense!  Why tell the boys to run?  They have been accused of crimes before, and they were able to solve the case without running from the police.

Of course Frank and Joe decide to work on the case.  In one scene, the boys behave shamefully during a parade.

This is an overall good story, but it has many problems and is rather annoying.  I skimmed the last few chapters, which cover a very lengthy chase.

In the second super edition, Kidnapped, Frank and Joe investigate the disappearance of Katie Boutry.  Katie is a college reporter who was investigating a casino.  Frank and Joe head to the casino to look for clues.

This book is decent, but I did not enjoy it very much.  The Undercover Brothers series wore on me as I read through the trilogies, and my stress level became quite high as I forced myself to finish the series as quickly as I could. By the last trilogy, I felt like I was being tortured.

Super editions are a money grab.  The publisher creates a special edition that is marketed as a better, special story.  These stories aren't special.  This was just an easy way to make money.  The publisher couldn't even bother to create decent cover art.

I did not purchase the Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers special edition, Haunted, which features the boys investigating supernatural events.  I have no idea if I missed out on a good story, but somehow, I don't care.  I probably dodged a bullet.

1 comment:

CvilleTed said...

You dodged a bullet. Wow, amazed you made it through the Undercover Brothers series. I would be curious to one day speak with the editors and asked what were you thinking? I guess the pressure of coming out with several different series and basically a title a month or more was too much for them!