Tale of the Mogul Monster (Are You Afraid of the Dark?) by David Cody

Are You Afraid of the Dark? #22

by David Cody Weiss

Alone With a Monster!Dmitri--or Dee as he's better known--has a secret. An orphan with a lot of money waiting for him in a trust fund, Dee enjoys everything money can buy, including cool snowboarding gear and a fantasy X-treme sports vacation.So what's Dee's worry? He hates to be alone.That's why he's in huge trouble when a wild avalanche roars down the some big slopes. Separated from the other snowboarders, Dee notices some big, big footprints in the snow. Strange. They look too big for a wolf, too big for a bear. Dee can feel He's being watched. Something big and dark and hairy is looming behind him, and it's getting closer, and closer....

Unknown Binding

About the author

David Cody Weiss is a published adapter, author, and an editor of children's books and young adult books. Some of the published credits of David Cody Weiss include Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Phonics Comics: Hiro Dragon Warrior - Battle at Mount Kamado (Phonics Comics), Groovy Tube Books: Monsters (Groovy Tube Books), and Phonics Comics: Hiro - Level 2: Dragon Warrior (Phonics Comics).

He was a Writer and letterer who worked for DC and Marvel during the 80s. Weiss is credited in 248 issues for DC Comics.

Reviews

[Alejandro Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s seems to be a staple of Sasquatch horror books for younger folks to have the supposed threat be of the contrary, and this is no exception. Mogul Monster is one of the last book in the Are You Afraid of the Dark? book series of the 90s, and I’m fairly mixed on it. The main character—Dmitri (pronounced the-MEE-tree)—was of niche variety for middle-grade horror; he’s a rich kid without any parents, who is also a fantastic snow-boarder. He’s got some depth I liked and good dynamics with the characters, which helped the solid writing and great dialogue of the story shine. I liked him a lot and his arc was done well. The big reveals in the final few chapters of the book saved it from being point-blank mid in my eyes, with the advertised creature coming into play amongst an extremely obviously set up reveal of a certain character. It’s great stuff, and I found it to be charming and interesting. There’s some mildly riveting moments (mildly, I say, since they ain’t gonna kill kids [duh]) throughout that helped keep the story interesting and the ending is a good send-off. What weighed the story down for me was the fucking snowboarding. It’s of unwelcome nature, taking up far too much of the story in my opinion. It’s boring as shit, too, and drug on for at least thirty pages total of a 114 page story. A lot of folk appear to have this same issue and I completely see and agree with it: it’s boring and takes up too much space. The pacing is also noticeably uneven and hindering when the snowboarding is taking place, and for some reason, the book shoots up twenty mph when the final three chapters kick in, which bothered me. And all-in-all, it took way too long to get to the point, the meat, the GOODS if you will. We only reach such around page 90, which is bullshit in my eyes. Overall, 6/10. It’s got some great stuff but was hindered by pace, snowboarding (of all things), and so on. Not one I really recommend outside of the more interesting protagonist for once. Fuck the mogul monster, I want the ridge reaper.

[Lacy Lovelace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting through most of this book because it was all about snowboarding which I have no interest in! Once again, Tucker is telling this story and I would agree that he’s good for it plus this is in 1998 when the newer cast would be. If I had to guess, Tucker is going to be with the last book as well.

It was a good story when you got down to the meat of it. The moral being to love who you are. It’s all about a journey of self-discovery and that’s what Dmitri will find when he disobeys the warning and goes on the North Slope of the mountain. He wants to be like his idol snowboarder, Brushy Kelly. He’s rich so he thinks money will buy everything! He doesn’t realize the danger he will run into and the choice he will have to make to help save a friend. He also doesn’t know who or what might be lurking in the woods!

[Nader Nate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cannot deny that I did not enjoy this book at all. I liked the characters and the snowy atmosphere of the story, but my main problem was that I had a hard time getting through most of this book because it was all about snowboarding with its details Which may have taken about two chapters of the story which I have no interest in it, The last chapters of the story are the most enjoyable for me despite the main plot of the book is delayed until the last pages.
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#VERDICT
(6.5/10)

[Wolverinefactor · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just annoying. It’s 90% all about snowboarding, filled with longing looks and information you don’t care about. The lead is awful (hence the title) and I’m sure you’ll see where this is going before they even reach the mountain