New Thunderbirds Novel

mack29 · 17-02-2009, 07:42 AM

Just finished the new Thunderbirds novel, "Action Alert!" and the most polite way of putting it is that the book is disappointing.

Ms Verba's first Thunderbirds book, whilst hardly great literature, was entertaining in a join the dots kind of way: linking together what back story elements were shown on the televsion programme with some reasonable extrapolation between.

In my humble opinion, this new book misses the point entirely and does something I did not think possible: create a boring Thunderbirds story. The main thread running throughout the book is Jeff's concern over Scott's work related stress. However the only effect stress appears to have on Scott is for him to forget to take off his cap before going into the lounge from a rescue and stopping off to buy some apples for a pie on his way home. Jeff's response to this: get Scott to take a reaction test before going out on a rescue - a test Scott never fails, but would surely put him under more stress as he knew his father would be testing him everytime he went out on a mission. Ms Verba treats the subject of stress related illness with all the sensitivity of a brick, summed up by Alan's crass remark to his Dad: "Is Scott cracking up?" following the aforementioned shopping trip.

I must admit I lost count of the number of rescues in the book, because, frankly, I stopped caring. Each rescue lasts a couple of pages and lacks any form of drama or excitement in their brief description. In fact Ms Verba's description of Scott and Vigil going to the Barbers for a shave and haircut lasts longer than some of her rescues. Of which, please do not get me started on IR's "Cement-Thrower" rescue vehicle.

In fact the bulk of the book focuses on Kyrano's attempt to win a cooking competition: at least we now know who picked the cover image for the Thunderbirds Blu-ray release.

Should Ms Verba write a third Thunderbirds novel, perhaps she should sit down and watch the programme again before returning to her keyboard. And perhaps someone should mention to her that not all book titles need to have an exclamation mark in them.

DX-SFX · 17-02-2009, 07:51 AM

Haven't read it but it sounds like one to miss.

Masterspy · 17-02-2009, 08:42 AM

Joan Verba is unfortunately part of a bizarre group of women, who obsess over the character side of things, in a Mary Sue kind of way. They used to be found gathering on the Tech TV boards many years ago and I bumped into some of them at the San Diego Comic Con - weird is putting it gently.

I do wonder if it's the same group of women (not girls!) who keep updating the Wikipedia pages with absolute drivel.

I mean each to their own, and I love this stuff, but Thunderbirds was hardly great chatacter driven drama, was it?

DX-SFX · 17-02-2009, 10:21 AM

Certainly not in a soap opera sort of way which is what this book seems to fixate on by the description.

**Bishop** · 17-02-2009, 10:30 AM

Fanfic has lots of character stuff in it. Some is good, quite interesting, but some, especially in some shows, just doesn't even fit. Something like S99 has huge potential for human interest, who feels what and who feels whom sort of stuff in the midst of trying to survive in space, where as the Thunderbirds was about the Thunderbirds... they are the characters, the Tracys are essentially just the guys who fly them. Less stress tests and more cool rescues is definitely the way to go in such a case.

Conrad Turner · 17-02-2009, 12:14 PM

Oh my, now there's a disaster Gerry missed. Work-related Stress! What next? Fireball XL5 and the Credit Crunch! A daring story where Fireball cannot lift off as Space City cannot afford the fuel, but the XL5 crew are being charged rent on their landing pad. The only way out of their dilemma is to turn Fireball into a passenger craft and set up their own budget airline!

**Bishop** · 17-02-2009, 12:29 PM

Put stripes on it and it could be Fireball XL-TIGER

Spacecraft Guy · 03-03-2009, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mack29

Just finished the new Thunderbirds novel, "Action Alert!" and the most polite way of putting it is that the book is disappointing.

Ms Verba's first Thunderbirds book, whilst hardly great literature, was entertaining in a join the dots kind of way: linking together what back story elements were shown on the televsion programme with some reasonable extrapolation between.

In my humble opinion, this new book misses the point entirely and does something I did not think possible: create a boring Thunderbirds story. The main thread running throughout the book is Jeff's concern over Scott's work related stress. However the only effect stress appears to have on Scott is for him to forget to take off his cap before going into the lounge from a rescue and stopping off to buy some apples for a pie on his way home. Jeff's response to this: get Scott to take a reaction test before going out on a rescue - a test Scott never fails, but would surely put him under more stress as he knew his father would be testing him everytime he went out on a mission. Ms Verba treats the subject of stress related illness with all the sensitivity of a brick, summed up by Alan's crass remark to his Dad: "Is Scott cracking up?" following the aforementioned shopping trip.

I must admit I lost count of the number of rescues in the book, because, frankly, I stopped caring. Each rescue lasts a couple of pages and lacks any form of drama or excitement in their brief description. In fact Ms Verba's description of Scott and Vigil going to the Barbers for a shave and haircut lasts longer than some of her rescues. Of which, please do not get me started on IR's "Cement-Thrower" rescue vehicle.

In fact the bulk of the book focuses on Kyrano's attempt to win a cooking competition: at least we now know who picked the cover image for the Thunderbirds Blu-ray release.

Should Ms Verba write a third Thunderbirds novel, perhaps she should sit down and watch the programme again before returning to her keyboard. And perhaps someone should mention to her that not all book titles need to have an exclamation mark in them.

I enjoyed the first book, I thought it was a fun read. Sorry to hear that the second one was disappointing.

It seems that Thunderbirds never seems to get a break - the format has such great potential for a book series, I always wondered why Granada or Carlton never acted on it sooner.

17-02-2009, 07:42 AM	#1
mack29 Astrophysics Technician Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 286	New Thunderbirds Novel Just finished the new Thunderbirds novel, "Action Alert!" and the most polite way of putting it is that the book is disappointing. Ms Verba's first Thunderbirds book, whilst hardly great literature, was entertaining in a join the dots kind of way: linking together what back story elements were shown on the televsion programme with some reasonable extrapolation between. In my humble opinion, this new book misses the point entirely and does something I did not think possible: create a boring Thunderbirds story. The main thread running throughout the book is Jeff's concern over Scott's work related stress. However the only effect stress appears to have on Scott is for him to forget to take off his cap before going into the lounge from a rescue and stopping off to buy some apples for a pie on his way home. Jeff's response to this: get Scott to take a reaction test before going out on a rescue - a test Scott never fails, but would surely put him under more stress as he knew his father would be testing him everytime he went out on a mission. Ms Verba treats the subject of stress related illness with all the sensitivity of a brick, summed up by Alan's crass remark to his Dad: "Is Scott cracking up?" following the aforementioned shopping trip. I must admit I lost count of the number of rescues in the book, because, frankly, I stopped caring. Each rescue lasts a couple of pages and lacks any form of drama or excitement in their brief description. In fact Ms Verba's description of Scott and Vigil going to the Barbers for a shave and haircut lasts longer than some of her rescues. Of which, please do not get me started on IR's "Cement-Thrower" rescue vehicle. In fact the bulk of the book focuses on Kyrano's attempt to win a cooking competition: at least we now know who picked the cover image for the Thunderbirds Blu-ray release. Should Ms Verba write a third Thunderbirds novel, perhaps she should sit down and watch the programme again before returning to her keyboard. And perhaps someone should mention to her that not all book titles need to have an exclamation mark in them.

17-02-2009, 10:30 AM	#5
Bishop Chief Science Officer Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Australia Posts: 11,796	Fanfic has lots of character stuff in it. Some is good, quite interesting, but some, especially in some shows, just doesn't even fit. Something like S99 has huge potential for human interest, who feels what and who feels whom sort of stuff in the midst of trying to survive in space, where as the Thunderbirds was about the Thunderbirds... they are the characters, the Tracys are essentially just the guys who fly them. Less stress tests and more cool rescues is definitely the way to go in such a case. __________________ "I saw Avatar last weekend, it was so awesome, I wish the whole world was in 3D"

17-02-2009, 12:29 PM	#7
Bishop Chief Science Officer Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Australia Posts: 11,796	Put stripes on it and it could be Fireball XL-TIGER __________________ "I saw Avatar last weekend, it was so awesome, I wish the whole world was in 3D"

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17-02-2009, 07:51 AM	#2
DX-SFX Chief Medical Officer Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,094	Haven't read it but it sounds like one to miss.

17-02-2009, 08:42 AM	#3
Masterspy Eagle Pilot Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 559	Joan Verba is unfortunately part of a bizarre group of women, who obsess over the character side of things, in a Mary Sue kind of way. They used to be found gathering on the Tech TV boards many years ago and I bumped into some of them at the San Diego Comic Con - weird is putting it gently. I do wonder if it's the same group of women (not girls!) who keep updating the Wikipedia pages with absolute drivel. I mean each to their own, and I love this stuff, but Thunderbirds was hardly great chatacter driven drama, was it?

17-02-2009, 10:21 AM	#4
DX-SFX Chief Medical Officer Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,094	Certainly not in a soap opera sort of way which is what this book seems to fixate on by the description.

17-02-2009, 12:14 PM	#6
Conrad Turner Communications Officer Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Duxford, Cambs Posts: 1,369	Oh my, now there's a disaster Gerry missed. Work-related Stress! What next? Fireball XL5 and the Credit Crunch! A daring story where Fireball cannot lift off as Space City cannot afford the fuel, but the XL5 crew are being charged rent on their landing pad. The only way out of their dilemma is to turn Fireball into a passenger craft and set up their own budget airline!