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The Blackgaard Chronicles #7
Scotch Game
208 pages, Hardcover
Published July 7, 2026
About the author
Phil Lollar
25 books18 followersPhil Lollar has created, written, produced, and performed in dozens of audio and video series, including Adventures in Odyssey, The Little Angels, Jungle Jam and Friends, Iliad House, Little Dogs on the Prairie, 3,2,1 Penguins, The Wubbulous World of Dr Seuss, The Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi Show, The Mr. Men Show, Olivia!, Tom & Jerry, and Space Racers, to name just a few. Two of those series have been credited with re-inventing the art of audio drama: Jungle Jam and Friends, and Adventures in Odyssey. A three-time Seneca Award winner for Excellence in Audio Drama, Phil has also written 20 books. He took a double BA in Radio/TV/Film and Philosophy from California State University Fullerton, and an MFA in Dramatic Writing and Video Production from California State University Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
April 28, 2026
I’ve enjoyed Adventures in Odyssey for many years, and the "Backgaard Chronicles" story arc holds a special place in my heart as AIO’s first—and still longest‑running—saga. Over its six years on the air, characters were introduced, revealed to be part of a then-unknown larger plot, disappeared without explanation, and then resurfaced dozens of episodes later to push the drama forward. All the while, our beloved Odyssey family continued to grow in faith and character.
This saga masterfully weaves together seemingly disconnected events and characters across more than twenty albums’ worth of episodes, arranging them into an impressively grand scheme, and giving our heroes the means to thwart it.
This book adaptation is very faithful, often preserving dialogue word‑for‑word while convincingly fleshing out characters’ thoughts, feelings, and backstories. The main drawback is that this added depth sometimes comes at the expense of other character arcs. Large time jumps in the original series create stretches of “dead air” that, on the page, make the story feel too condensed and slightly diminish its originally epic scale.
Another unavoidable disappointment comes from the simple fact that written dialogue cannot fully replace the beautifully delivered performances of talented actors and actresses. Without the vocal nuance, immersive sound effects, and music score of the audio series, some lines and conversations feel comparatively muted. This isn’t the author’s fault—just the inherent challenge of translating a rich, colorful soundscape into plain text.
A few story‑specific notes: Nicholas Adamsworth’s continued involvement beyond the college scam felt out of place given his established character. I also would have appreciated more explanation of how Bart Rathbone came to be employed by him, as well as a clearer depiction of Butch’s change of heart.
On the positive side, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about what Whit was up to while away from town. This installment also strengthens the connections to the Young Whit book series, which was a welcome addition.
All in all, this is an excellent adaptation—if somewhat lacking the magic of the audio series. I hope it introduces many new readers to the show itself.
This saga masterfully weaves together seemingly disconnected events and characters across more than twenty albums’ worth of episodes, arranging them into an impressively grand scheme, and giving our heroes the means to thwart it.
This book adaptation is very faithful, often preserving dialogue word‑for‑word while convincingly fleshing out characters’ thoughts, feelings, and backstories. The main drawback is that this added depth sometimes comes at the expense of other character arcs. Large time jumps in the original series create stretches of “dead air” that, on the page, make the story feel too condensed and slightly diminish its originally epic scale.
Another unavoidable disappointment comes from the simple fact that written dialogue cannot fully replace the beautifully delivered performances of talented actors and actresses. Without the vocal nuance, immersive sound effects, and music score of the audio series, some lines and conversations feel comparatively muted. This isn’t the author’s fault—just the inherent challenge of translating a rich, colorful soundscape into plain text.
A few story‑specific notes: Nicholas Adamsworth’s continued involvement beyond the college scam felt out of place given his established character. I also would have appreciated more explanation of how Bart Rathbone came to be employed by him, as well as a clearer depiction of Butch’s change of heart.
On the positive side, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about what Whit was up to while away from town. This installment also strengthens the connections to the Young Whit book series, which was a welcome addition.
All in all, this is an excellent adaptation—if somewhat lacking the magic of the audio series. I hope it introduces many new readers to the show itself.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review