Frank and the Chamber of Fear

by Livi Michael

160 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

Reviews

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Pegged to the line, like some macabre Christmas decoration, were a log row of hamster skins."

This is a dark, epic and exhilarating sequel to Frank and the Black Hamster of Narkiz. Everything that happens is more extreme, more intense, and often more deadly. Frank is compelled to rescue his kidnapped friends George and Elsie (and the ridiculous Mabel, of course) from the clutches of a depraved dosser whose lack of proper employment has driven him to butchering hamsters as an urban domestic big game poacher. The repulsive Uncle Vince unveils a machine for disembowelling live hamsters, George and Elsie are chased through a U-bend by sodium bicarbonate, Mabel's ample backside nearly kills another hamster, a prissy hamster falls in love with a sewer rat, and Frank walks through a parted Dead Sea of sewage like the badass he is. "'So much for help', Frank thought, and prepared himself to drown." All is told with great humour, but the narrative had my heart in my mouth throughout.
The returning characters are unique and vibrant as in the first instalment. Frank is learning to take responsibility for the others and use his powers for good. "'If you want the hamsters to be free, treat them as if they are free.' Not just to make Guy flush his cheese and chutney sandwiches down the loo. There is a heart wrenching interaction between the newly more self-sufficient George and Elsie who needs him more than she had realised. I loved reading this aloud with all the old silly voices, and many new ones. I'm sure my husband will be terrified sleepless for years by my maniac Cockney Uncle Vince. And it was great to see so much diversity amongst the new characters including disability "For a hamster to draw attention to a wound or disability in another hamster is the worst breach of etiquette."
And the mysterious purpose of the Black Hamster is becoming increasingly spiritual. In the first book, he had an ethereal presence similar to a racial memory, but here there is something defiantly wilful about the Black Hamster. "There, behind Uncle Vince, and towering above him, was an enormous black hamster." And he leaves an enigmatic message for Frank, after showing him the ruin of the once great Syrian hamster civilisation. "'What happened here?' Frank asked again. The Black Hamster looked at him. 'Man.' he said." I'm really interested to see where this goes in the latter books of the theory. And even more importantly, will Guy eventually get with Jackie?

'Where's my hamster?' Guy shouted. Very red in the face.

[Parker Carter]

:)

[Christine Chong yi jing · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warning to everybody!! Please lock up your hamsters in case they get ham-napped!!

This book is really comical, original and exciting. In shorter words, I really liked this book. Frank is an unusually brave hamster, which is lucky because the hamsters of Bright Street are in big trouble, all of his friends have gone missing, and because of that, he bravely goes on a frightening adventure to save his friends. Luckily, Frank's motto is 'Courage!' and he knows a cunning way to get out of his cage, but could he be able to save his friends from a fur-rising fate?

[V]

it was a nice but scary book, fll of hilarious jokes and it was funny how the hamsters communicated with each other and how they escaped from the evil Uncle Vince.