Monster

The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim #2

by Shane Peacock

Edgar Brim is a sensitive orphan who, exposed to horror stories from his father as a young child, is afraid of almost everything and suffers from nightly terrors. His stern new guardian, Mr. Thorne, sends the boy to a gloomy school in Scotland where his dark demons only seem to worsen and he is bullied and ridiculed for his fears. But years later, when sixteen-year-old Edgar finds a journal belonging to his novelist father, he becomes determined to confront his nightmares and the bullies who taunt him. After the horrific death of a schoolmate, Edgar becomes involved with an eccentric society at the urging of a mysterious professor who believes that monsters from famous works of literature are real and whose mandate is to find and destroy these creatures. With the aid of a rag-tag crew of friends, the fear-addled teen sets about on his dark mission, one that begins in the cemetery on the bleak Scottish moors and ends on the stage of the Royal Lyceum Theatre in London with Henry Irving, the infamous and magnetic actor, and his manager, Bram Stoker, the author of the most frightening and sensational novel of the day, Dracula. Can Edgar Brim truly face his terror and conquer his fears?

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical, Gothic, Historical Fiction

273 pages, Hardcover

Published January 2, 2018

About the author

Shane Peacock was born in 1957 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, one of four brothers. He attended school in the northern town of Kapuskasing, Ontario, before attending university, where he studied History and English literature. A biographer, journalist, and screenwriter, he is also the author of eighteen novels, a picture book and three plays, and has been won and/or been nominated for numerous awards including two Arthur Ellis Awards for crime fiction, the Geoffrey Bilson Award for historical fiction, the Violet Downey Award, the Libris Award, seven times honored with Junior Library Guild of America selections, and has been on three shortlists for the Canadian Children's Literature Award, and one for the Governor-General's Award. His books have been published in 20 languages in 18 countries. He and his wife, journalist Sophie Kneisel live in Cobourg, Ontario and have two daughters and a son.

Series:
* The Dylan Maples Adventures
* The Boy Sherlock Holmes
The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim
The Seven Series

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2008): Eye of the Crow
The Arthur Ellis (2013)
The Violet Downey Award
The Libris Award
The Geoffrey Bilson Award
The Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Award
Anne Izard Storyteller Choice Award
Junior Library Guild of America Selection (7 times)
Governor-General's Award (shortlist)
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award (shortlist)

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NETGALLEY for an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.

Edgar, his friends Jonathan, Lucy, and Tiger find themselves among authors like H.G.Wells and descending into the world of Frankenstein. I will put a bit of warning that there is some cruelty to animals in this book which I found myself skipping over. The writing was a bit better in this one and there certainly was a lot of action.

[Marissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second installment in The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim series. I did not read the first book before picking up this one, but didn't find myself too lost. The series follows Edgar Brim and his crew of unusual friends who get themselves tied up in good versus evil situations with characters from horror literature. In this installment, Edgar begins working in a hospital in Victorian London with Dr. Godwin, a mysterious vivisectionist. An evil monster rears its ugly head in the meantime, threatening Edgar and those closest to him. This particular one is especially seemingly difficult to defeat with resources currently available to the group. Might be nice to go back and read the first book just to get to know and understand the characters a bit better. There are lots of scenes of horror and graphic violence, so this book is not for the faint of heart. Overall, I didn't really enjoy the writing. I felt like the author was trying too hard to squeeze too many literary references in one book. Also, the pace was really hard for me to keep interest in, especially towards the end when things were just way too drawn out.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

[Lily McDevitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is book 2 in the Edgar Brim series, and after reading this book I know it will be the last of the series I pick up. The plot and characters were new and intriguing but the horror throughout this book was too much for lil ol' me.

If you like graphic horror novels with captivating characters you will love this book. I unfortunately, don't.

Thanks to the author, published and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my review

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fearing that his father’s theory that fictional monsters, may indeed, have some truth to them, Edgar Brim and his friends set out to destroy a vampire-like creature in book #1, The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim. Having succeeded in their quest, they are now terrified when another evil has been set upon them and killed their beloved professor Dr. Lear, who is the grandfather of Lucy and Jonathan. When the foursome investigates further, Edgar’s adoptive father, Alfred Thorne is killed. Yes...now another Monster has come to life out of the pages of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. But, who is it? Where is it? How do they destroy it?

Another spine-chilling race to rid an evil is set before us in Monster. When the truth finally is revealed and the four, Edgar, Tilly, Lucy, and Jon figure out who it is, they find themselves in imminent danger. Yet, they know that they, and they alone, have to destroy it or die trying. Following the abomination to the far reaches of the Arctic, they are in a desolate place where no one can help them but themselves as they face this evil personified.

Once again, exceptionally well-written, with creepiness abounding, and terror at every corner, this second book in the series is just as riveting...and the ending hints at more evil to come....cue the dark music, once again.

I give this book 4 1/2 stars.

Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers, Tundra Books, and Shane Peacock for this ARC.

[William Stanger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Early Reviewers at LibraryThing. Being the second book in a series, I borrowed the first one from the library and read it, just in case I found this one confusing or hard to follow. I needn't have worried as this one could stand alone, although it probably did help a little.

The story follows Edgar Brim and his friends as they descend into the world of Frankenstein. The action is mainly in London, but eventually ends up in the Arctic, via Orkney. The characters are well-written and the plot moves along fairly well. The book is filled with literary clues and pays homage to some of the classics and writers of the late 19th century. Even a young H.G. Wells makes an appearance at one point. The book could be a good way of introducing some of these classics to the younger reader, at whom this book is aimed.

Now that I've read the first two books in the Dark Missions series, I will definitely have to read the third instalment, as this one ended with many questions left unanswered.

[Michelle Gath she-her · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't read the first book in this series but was able to catch on quickly. I would have given it a 3.5 because it was a very fast-paced adventure BUT I couldn't get over some of the gruesome descriptions during the surgery scenes (that's just me / others might totally dig that). I might have lost some of the character development from the first book in this series but I was still able to enjoy the thrill and mystery of this story. A couple of the clues made parts of the story a little too predictable.

It was interesting how they played on the Frankenstein story and other fictional stories, characters and names. The main character is named Edgar - made me think of Edgar Allen Poe... Another character is Lear and of course "Little" William Shakespeare. (Again maybe these connections or other connections and details were written about in the first book.)

Also, the ending leaves me wanting to read the 3rd book.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenges: Complete-a-thon/Continue Complete Series - Continuing a trilogy (2/3 books); Reading Goal Posts/Stacking the Series - Priority Four/Tier One. Some scenes in this book are hard to take, but what would you expect from a story that includes visions of Dr. Moreau, the Invisible Man, Mr. Hyde, and inevitably Dr. Frankenstein and his monster. Not merely a series whose main character and his friends must deal with monsters in books who come to life but must deal with the monsters the books are based on. Brim and his friends are on the cusp of adulthood, and grapple with new feelings they have for one another during their later teens while they risk their lives to save one another and those they care about. Trope examination of being a creature with a soul or the lack thereof; that pure science can be heedless of the consequences. A very original sequel retelling to those who have read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I would like to state that I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity and honor in being able to read this book. When I received this book I began reading it at once. I really enjoy the authors writing style, the author pulls you into the book from the very beginning and makes it so you don't want to put the book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat reading from cover to cover. This book was a very interesting read. The author kept you interested from the first chapter to the very last. It pulls you in quickly and keeps you hooked wanting to read and find out what is happening. I would recommend this to anyone.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book in the Dark Missions of Edgar Brim series. I have not read the first, so wanted to see if it could stand alone. I feel it does, but the character development among the four teen sleuths is lacking, probably because it was integrated into the first book. This one is a loose retelling of Frankenstein and a good intro to that classic for upper middle grade and teens. However, it does have some gruesome, literally nauseating parts, which horror lovers will enjoy and others find repulsive. I will definitely purchase this series for my library, but recommend it to a select group of readers, and to be read in order, of course.

[Zachariah Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know what Shane Peacock did for this second book in his trilogy, but my hat goes off to him. He has truly magnified his genius, from the first book to the second. Loved the book, can’t wait for third book.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrifying book! Although this book stands alone, it is the second of the series and I think your reading pleasure would be enhanced by reading the first in the series, which I intend to do.
Definitely a scary read!

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more... involved, enjoyable, intense than the first installment in this series (but I may be a little biased as the monster is one of my favorite ever written).
Cannot wait for the next book.

[EC Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was just as good as the last one. I really liked how the dr ended up being the villain. I knew I didn’t like him.

[Chelly]

DNF @ 14%

Not a big fan of present tense and it didn't work for me here.