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Children of the Stones #2
Return To The Stones
The long-awaited sequel to 'Children of the Stones'.
Thirty years later, Matthew Brake, now an astrophysicist, father and recently divorced, brings his young American son Tom back to Milbury, where his father Adam now lives, and a new enemy awaits.
Thirty years later, Matthew Brake, now an astrophysicist, father and recently divorced, brings his young American son Tom back to Milbury, where his father Adam now lives, and a new enemy awaits.
231 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2012
11 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Burnham
8 books1 followerJeremy is a British screenwriter, actor and author who has appeared in, and written for the TV series ‘The Avengers‘, he has also written for many British TV programmes including ‘Minder‘ and ‘Inspector Morse‘. Jeremy made an appearance in many west-end plays, including ‘Hippo Dancing’ and ‘The Rehearsal’, he is also a co-author of ‘Children of the Stones‘, and has recently published a ‘Return to the Stones‘.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 16, 2022
I didn't enjoy this at all, unfortunately, and ended up skimming the last third of it just so I could put it down. This book has none of the folk horror charm of its predecessor, instead giving the story over to aliens and computers. A bit too far away from the original concept for me.
February 25, 2017
Well worth the thirty year wait! I loved this. If you've read Children of the stones you need to read this!
March 20, 2018
Whilst the original, 'Children of the Stones' remains disturbing and unsettling with its hypnotised locals very much in the vein of the brilliantly bonkers 'Wicker Man', this is simply slightly daft sci-fi with very little of the horror of the original still in place. Freed of the malign influence of Hendrick, presumably zapped at the end of CotS, Milbury is another slice of the fictional England beloved by film makers and TV producers aimed firmly at the middle class. Thirty years on, Adam Brake is now established as a self-appointed guardian and owner of Hendrick's manor house (who'd have thought astrophysics could create a multimillionaire) and Matthew is also an astrophysicist and newly divorced. Back in Milbury with his teenage son, Tom, the Brakes are reunited with some of the original players, Welsh poacher Dai, transformed into a shamaneque characters, housekeeper Mrs Crabtree, Jimmo Browning (miraculously now a DI) along with Bob and Kevin, former school friends. The ubiquitous Happy Day has long gone but all is not well.
This time Tom seems to be possessed by the spirit of the mysterious Professor Jarman/Count St Germaine an apparently immortal incarnation of an ancient alien who seems to be half man half fish. The Brakes, of course, are still the cleverest people in the village, although Sandra (who, from what I recall of the original TV series ended up as a rock) and her adopted daughter Su run them a pretty close second and the mystery is solved.
The final denouement owes more than a small nod to the brilliant Powell and Pressburger's 'A Matter of Life and Death' but without the charm and easy grace of David Niven and Roger Livesey. Having said that, the final lines of a stranger arriving at the house and wishing all a 'Happy Day' is a clear echo of the ending of the TV series and an indication that a third instalment may be on the horizon. Let's just hope that Burnham doesn't make his readers wait another thirty years for it.
This time Tom seems to be possessed by the spirit of the mysterious Professor Jarman/Count St Germaine an apparently immortal incarnation of an ancient alien who seems to be half man half fish. The Brakes, of course, are still the cleverest people in the village, although Sandra (who, from what I recall of the original TV series ended up as a rock) and her adopted daughter Su run them a pretty close second and the mystery is solved.
The final denouement owes more than a small nod to the brilliant Powell and Pressburger's 'A Matter of Life and Death' but without the charm and easy grace of David Niven and Roger Livesey. Having said that, the final lines of a stranger arriving at the house and wishing all a 'Happy Day' is a clear echo of the ending of the TV series and an indication that a third instalment may be on the horizon. Let's just hope that Burnham doesn't make his readers wait another thirty years for it.
April 14, 2025
[Fantom Publishing] (2015). SB. Reissue. 231 Pages. Purchased from Amazon.co.uk.
A coherent 2013 sequel to H.T.V.’s 1977, moody, strange, unsettling seven part series - shot in Avebury (Wiltshire) - during the baking hot summer of 1976. I was glued to it in my youth, when first transmitted. It’s still available on YouTube - familiarity with the drama greatly enhanced my reading experience, as did a recent trip to the filming location. A composite **. Standalone, 0/10.
Adam and Matthew return to Milbury.
Stuart Manning’s cover art is poor, though a good few notches up from Kinuko Craft’s dire contribution to the Scribner’s First Edition (1977). Acorn Media’s 2009 DVD sleeve, for example, is vastly superior
A coherent 2013 sequel to H.T.V.’s 1977, moody, strange, unsettling seven part series - shot in Avebury (Wiltshire) - during the baking hot summer of 1976. I was glued to it in my youth, when first transmitted. It’s still available on YouTube - familiarity with the drama greatly enhanced my reading experience, as did a recent trip to the filming location. A composite **. Standalone, 0/10.
Adam and Matthew return to Milbury.
Stuart Manning’s cover art is poor, though a good few notches up from Kinuko Craft’s dire contribution to the Scribner’s First Edition (1977). Acorn Media’s 2009 DVD sleeve, for example, is vastly superior
June 22, 2022
Redraft needed!
Much of the book is a great successor to Children of the Stones, but but not all of it - why choose ‘fish people’ when the physiology and anatomy of fish to mammals is so different! Keep the basics plausible and the fantasy becomes that much easier to accept. Similarly, some of the science was spot on, some was awful - describing a star as non-habitable and totally ignoring the speed of light in the final denouement.
The finale was heavy handed and frustrating, but the final sentence led me to hope that there might well be more to come.
Much of the book is a great successor to Children of the Stones, but but not all of it - why choose ‘fish people’ when the physiology and anatomy of fish to mammals is so different! Keep the basics plausible and the fantasy becomes that much easier to accept. Similarly, some of the science was spot on, some was awful - describing a star as non-habitable and totally ignoring the speed of light in the final denouement.
The finale was heavy handed and frustrating, but the final sentence led me to hope that there might well be more to come.
January 20, 2024
It was fun to return to the characters and the locale of the mini-series that has haunted me for years. Would have liked to have the story more directly mirror the endless time bubble from the first story, however.
October 3, 2019
Return to Milbury
A great, well plotted sequel to the terrifying Children of the stones
Set in the modern world, Tom.Matthew and Adam face a new evil in the terrible village!
A great, well plotted sequel to the terrifying Children of the stones
Set in the modern world, Tom.Matthew and Adam face a new evil in the terrible village!
February 28, 2017
Per quanto avevo gradito, sull'onda dei ricordi, la novellizzazione di "Children on the stone", tanto ho trovato pessimo il suo seguito.
Dopo 30 anni i personaggi della prima avventura tornano a Milbury, invecchiati e con a seguito una nuova generazione.
Nonostante Mattew abbia trascorso solo una stagione a Milbury, dopo 30 anni tutti si ricordano perfettamente di lui. Passi per il padre Adam, che si è trasferito nel paese, ma di Mattew una persona normale non avrebbe che un pallido ricordo... invece per tutti sembra che sia passato dal paesino appena una settimana prima.
I personaggi sono piatti e ripetono in continuazione le stesse situazioni, spesso al limite dell'assurdo e noiose già dopo la terza descrizione.
"Mi piace, le piacerò?" per quanto riguarda il lato romantico della storia. Le due coppie, genitori vedovi/separati e figli, si rincorrono e non parlano... il più della volte con scuse assurde. Compreso il finale totalmente assurdo e sbrigativo.
"Abbiamo avuto a che fare con qualcosa di paranormale, ma solo la scienza può avere ragione" per poi lasciarsi andare a premonizioni e letture psichiche degli oggetti come se non ci fossero problemi.
Le teorie sulle nuove problematiche insorte nel circolo di pietre vengono descritte, rivalutate e spiegate ogni due o tre paragrafi. Giungendo a conclusioni che poi vengono smentite, rivalutare e confermate... per tutta la durata del libro.
Le povere creature responsabili di tutto questo sconvolgimento vengono identificate fin dall'inizio. Ci vengono descritte leggende e motivazioni più volte e, tutte le volte, non appena stabilito che sono loro... si riparte da capo, rielaborando e rispiegando le teorie descritte sopra.
Dopo 4/5 del libro passati a ripetere le stesse cose, il finale rasenta il ridicolo, concludendo qualcosa che sarebbe dovuto essere epico in poche righe senza senso.
Il peggio viene raggiunto dalla parte scientifica, il campo di riferimento è ininfluente, che spara assurdità a raffica. Al confronto le incongruenze del primo libro meriterebbero un Nobel.
La cosa peggiore è il finale aperto, che lascierebbe intendere che la storia stia per ripetersi, ripartendo da 30 anni prima.
Vista la poca diffusione del secondo volume, si spera che l'autore si dedichi ad altro.
Dopo 30 anni i personaggi della prima avventura tornano a Milbury, invecchiati e con a seguito una nuova generazione.
Nonostante Mattew abbia trascorso solo una stagione a Milbury, dopo 30 anni tutti si ricordano perfettamente di lui. Passi per il padre Adam, che si è trasferito nel paese, ma di Mattew una persona normale non avrebbe che un pallido ricordo... invece per tutti sembra che sia passato dal paesino appena una settimana prima.
I personaggi sono piatti e ripetono in continuazione le stesse situazioni, spesso al limite dell'assurdo e noiose già dopo la terza descrizione.
"Mi piace, le piacerò?" per quanto riguarda il lato romantico della storia. Le due coppie, genitori vedovi/separati e figli, si rincorrono e non parlano... il più della volte con scuse assurde. Compreso il finale totalmente assurdo e sbrigativo.
"Abbiamo avuto a che fare con qualcosa di paranormale, ma solo la scienza può avere ragione" per poi lasciarsi andare a premonizioni e letture psichiche degli oggetti come se non ci fossero problemi.
Le teorie sulle nuove problematiche insorte nel circolo di pietre vengono descritte, rivalutate e spiegate ogni due o tre paragrafi. Giungendo a conclusioni che poi vengono smentite, rivalutare e confermate... per tutta la durata del libro.
Le povere creature responsabili di tutto questo sconvolgimento vengono identificate fin dall'inizio. Ci vengono descritte leggende e motivazioni più volte e, tutte le volte, non appena stabilito che sono loro... si riparte da capo, rielaborando e rispiegando le teorie descritte sopra.
Dopo 4/5 del libro passati a ripetere le stesse cose, il finale rasenta il ridicolo, concludendo qualcosa che sarebbe dovuto essere epico in poche righe senza senso.
Il peggio viene raggiunto dalla parte scientifica, il campo di riferimento è ininfluente, che spara assurdità a raffica. Al confronto le incongruenze del primo libro meriterebbero un Nobel.
La cosa peggiore è il finale aperto, che lascierebbe intendere che la storia stia per ripetersi, ripartendo da 30 anni prima.
Vista la poca diffusione del secondo volume, si spera che l'autore si dedichi ad altro.
October 9, 2013
I read "Children of the Stones" as a child and was deeply affected by it. Return of the Stones revisits the same characters many years later. While I found the "new adventure" a little less compelling than the original story, it was a true delight being able to return to Milbury and see Matthew and Sandra as adults. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews