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Johnny Dixon #10
The Hand of the Necromancer
When Mattheus Mergal attempts to get his hands on a piece of an artifact in order to raise the dead, Professor Childermass and his student, Johnny, must do all they can to prevent it from happening. Reprint.
176 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1996
24 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Brad Strickland
135 books107 followersWilliam Bradley Strickland (b. 1947) is the author (or co-author) of over 60 novels and over 60 pieces of short fiction and poetry.
Born in New Hollard, Strickland earned his Ph.D. in American literature from the University of Georgia. He has taught English courses at the University of Georgia, Oglethorpe University, Truett-McConnell College, and, since 1987, at Gainesville State College.
His first novel was 1986's To Stand Beneath the Sun, followed quickly by the books in the Jeremy Moon trilogy.
Strickland has shared co-author credit on many of his books: with his wife, Barbara, on stories in the Star Trek and Are You Afraid of the Dark? properties; and with the late author Thomas Fuller, books in the Wishbone series, involving the popular Jack Russell Terrier from the Public Television series of the same name. Strickland and Fuller also collaborated on numerous original works, including the Pirate Hunter series, the Mars: Year One series, and the comedic mystery for adults, The Ghost Finds a Body.
After the death of John Bellairs, Strickland was approached by John’s son, Frank, to complete the two books his father had already started; these unfinished manuscripts became The Ghost in the Mirror and The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder. Strickland also wrote two books based on brief plot outlines left by Bellairs: The Drum, the Doll and the Zombie and The Doom of the Haunted Opera. Beginning in 1996, Strickland has kept Bellairs' legacy alive by writing the further adventures of Johnny Dixon and Lewis Barnavelt. Books in the corpus include The Hand of the Necromancer (1996); The Tower at the End of the World (2001); The House Where Nobody Lived (2006); and his most recent title, The Sign of the Sinister Sorcerer (2008).
In 2001, Strickland won received the Georgia Author of the Year Award, Children's/Young Adult Division, for When Mack Came Back, set in WWII-era Georgia. Strickland says the story "is based on the farm owned by [his] grandfather, where [I] often visited when [I] was a child." Kong: King of Skull Island was released in 2005, an illustrated tale by Strickland, author John Michlig, and fantasy artist Joe DeVito that serves as both a prequel and sequel to the epic story of the legendary ape.
Strickland is an active member of the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company, where he writes and performs in numerous audio drama projects. He was awarded the ARTC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. He is married to the former Barabara Justus and has two grown children.
Born in New Hollard, Strickland earned his Ph.D. in American literature from the University of Georgia. He has taught English courses at the University of Georgia, Oglethorpe University, Truett-McConnell College, and, since 1987, at Gainesville State College.
His first novel was 1986's To Stand Beneath the Sun, followed quickly by the books in the Jeremy Moon trilogy.
Strickland has shared co-author credit on many of his books: with his wife, Barbara, on stories in the Star Trek and Are You Afraid of the Dark? properties; and with the late author Thomas Fuller, books in the Wishbone series, involving the popular Jack Russell Terrier from the Public Television series of the same name. Strickland and Fuller also collaborated on numerous original works, including the Pirate Hunter series, the Mars: Year One series, and the comedic mystery for adults, The Ghost Finds a Body.
After the death of John Bellairs, Strickland was approached by John’s son, Frank, to complete the two books his father had already started; these unfinished manuscripts became The Ghost in the Mirror and The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder. Strickland also wrote two books based on brief plot outlines left by Bellairs: The Drum, the Doll and the Zombie and The Doom of the Haunted Opera. Beginning in 1996, Strickland has kept Bellairs' legacy alive by writing the further adventures of Johnny Dixon and Lewis Barnavelt. Books in the corpus include The Hand of the Necromancer (1996); The Tower at the End of the World (2001); The House Where Nobody Lived (2006); and his most recent title, The Sign of the Sinister Sorcerer (2008).
In 2001, Strickland won received the Georgia Author of the Year Award, Children's/Young Adult Division, for When Mack Came Back, set in WWII-era Georgia. Strickland says the story "is based on the farm owned by [his] grandfather, where [I] often visited when [I] was a child." Kong: King of Skull Island was released in 2005, an illustrated tale by Strickland, author John Michlig, and fantasy artist Joe DeVito that serves as both a prequel and sequel to the epic story of the legendary ape.
Strickland is an active member of the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company, where he writes and performs in numerous audio drama projects. He was awarded the ARTC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. He is married to the former Barabara Justus and has two grown children.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 28, 2010
The central concept of Hand of the Necromancer is somewhat less interesting than that of other Bellairs books. The image of the wooden hand seems rather mundane in a series that has a consistent streak of subtle weirdness. Strickland executes the plot well, however, with some good tension and jeopardy, the sneakiest nightmare scene in the whole series, and a creepy snowglobe. The solution came out of the blue somewhat, but that certainly isn't unprecedented in Bellairsland.
Hand is perhaps most notable not for the plot, but for the character development. Here, Strickland is clearly trying to bring Johny Dixon into a more modern age. The professor is trying to quit smoking, there's a lot less drinking going on, and Johnny has a new friend named Sarah. I'm ambivalent about Sarah. On the one hand, I think we needed to see Johnny's world open up to include girls. On the other, it seems somewhat contrived to give Johnny, the quintessential nerd/outcast, a popular, sporty friend. He also seems to have developed an ability to play baseball rather suddenly.
I don't see what Sarah and Johnny have in common to forge their friendship, but I think it is an important step forward for Johnny's character and for the series, despite being a slightly clumsy step.
A good read, but not the best the series has to offer.
Hand is perhaps most notable not for the plot, but for the character development. Here, Strickland is clearly trying to bring Johny Dixon into a more modern age. The professor is trying to quit smoking, there's a lot less drinking going on, and Johnny has a new friend named Sarah. I'm ambivalent about Sarah. On the one hand, I think we needed to see Johnny's world open up to include girls. On the other, it seems somewhat contrived to give Johnny, the quintessential nerd/outcast, a popular, sporty friend. He also seems to have developed an ability to play baseball rather suddenly.
I don't see what Sarah and Johnny have in common to forge their friendship, but I think it is an important step forward for Johnny's character and for the series, despite being a slightly clumsy step.
A good read, but not the best the series has to offer.
August 16, 2024
Not that interesting, only really able to understand if you read the series from John Bellairs’ series before you can go onto this one, way too much commitment for me just to read a book about necromancers.
February 24, 2025
This book was so scattered! I really wanted to like it, but found it so hard to follow.
April 23, 2018
Strickland's first solo outing in the Johnny Dixon series, already one major change has occurred: there's a principal female character, and a hero at that. Bellairs certainly wasn't a misogynist or a chauvinist- two of the main heroes in his parallel Lewis Barnavelt series are women- but the Dixon stories were primarily built in homage to the uncanny gothic horror of Brits like M. R. James and E. F. Benson, both of whom wrote from an extremely masculine point of view and included few female characters. Nothing much changes with this addition- in fact, Sarah reads at times like a distaff version of Fergie with relatively little difference. What IS different, though, is that Ray Bradbury now feels like the primary inspiration, rather than the British Edwardians. There's a distinct ribbon of "Something Wicked This Way Comes" threaded through this one.
July 12, 2019
It wasn't bad. Enjoyed Bell, Book, and the Spellbinder more. There were several points especially towards the end that could have been flushed out longer to add to the story so I felt this was a missed opportunity. 3.75
July 12, 2018
Having missed the boat on Strickland's assuming of the Bellairs' Estate mantle the first time around, my first read of his work felt a lot like catching up with an old college pal after years of distance. The cadence and the nostalgic warmth are familiar, but there's quirks and growth that you're experiencing from a fresh vantage: elements such as the inclusion of a female character who isn't eighty years old and trying to kill our hero are certainly welcome, as is the fact that--for the first time since the two-part "New Zebulon" arc in books three and four--our protagonists actually acknowledge the fact that they've been in a constant state of horrifying absurdity for the last two years.
Oddly, Bellairs never seemed at peace with allowing his Duston Heights characters to simply exist and breathe, instead favoring to batter them with a constant parade of sadistic frights and conflicts: compared to the familial dynamic of Louis Barnaveldt, Johnny often comes off like an inert cipher who learns nothing, and never has a chance to simply be a kid, past the occasional chess game or bike ride with his best bud. That Strickland addresses that through simple flourishes such as the awesome baseball scene (And even brings back Eddie!) and something as mundane as giving young Mr. Dixon a summer job does more to imbue him with character than Bellairs seemed to bother with in the greater course of his original canon... while it's just essential YA-style action, it also demonstrates just how much Strickland clearly loves these books, and nudges their cozy little world ahead just enough to make it his own.
Oddly, Bellairs never seemed at peace with allowing his Duston Heights characters to simply exist and breathe, instead favoring to batter them with a constant parade of sadistic frights and conflicts: compared to the familial dynamic of Louis Barnaveldt, Johnny often comes off like an inert cipher who learns nothing, and never has a chance to simply be a kid, past the occasional chess game or bike ride with his best bud. That Strickland addresses that through simple flourishes such as the awesome baseball scene (And even brings back Eddie!) and something as mundane as giving young Mr. Dixon a summer job does more to imbue him with character than Bellairs seemed to bother with in the greater course of his original canon... while it's just essential YA-style action, it also demonstrates just how much Strickland clearly loves these books, and nudges their cozy little world ahead just enough to make it his own.
January 13, 2020
Oddly, I think it's Brad Strickland's decision to add a female character to this series. And it really does help out. We do find in this story that Fergie is off tending to an ailing relative, so we get Sarah as a stand-in. She's a nice balance of a courageous, but skeptical foil to Johnny without Fergie's foolhardiness.
Otherwise, this story tends to follow the typical formula wherein Professor Childermass is somehow associated with a mystical object that is desired by some evil forces.
But the Johnny Dixon books were feeling a little overly repetitive, so by adding Sarah, it injects some new life into things.
Otherwise, this story tends to follow the typical formula wherein Professor Childermass is somehow associated with a mystical object that is desired by some evil forces.
But the Johnny Dixon books were feeling a little overly repetitive, so by adding Sarah, it injects some new life into things.
August 24, 2023
Despite being written by Brad Strickland, this felt like it was written by Bellairs. Another exciting installment of the series, although one that felt a bit quicker/shorter than the others. I thought the climax could have been a little longer, too.
This is the book that introduces Sarah. I like her well enough as a character, but I'm a little concerned about how she'll affect the dynamic between Johnny and the rest of his friends.
This is the book that introduces Sarah. I like her well enough as a character, but I'm a little concerned about how she'll affect the dynamic between Johnny and the rest of his friends.
August 25, 2020
The book suffers a little from pacing issues, but it's not bad for Brad Strickland's first solo offering. The introduction of a girl to be a friend of Johnny's is a welcome change, even if she is a little too much like Fergie to really be her own character. The book is overall not very scary, there are some weird happenings but not much horror, however, the action at the end is brisk, smooth and a bit breath catching, even for an adult.
December 29, 2016
I blame Brad Strickland for the terrible ending of "The Doom of the Haunted Opera", a Bellairs manuscript that Strickland completed. John Bellairs wrote young adult fiction but his writing never condescended to his young audience, which is probably why I can still enjoy his books as an adult. Take for example "The Mummy, the Will, and the Crypt", one of my favorites. The story begins with Johnny learning that his grandmother has a brain tumor - and how he discovers that is a chilling scene - but seriously, a brain tumor! Bellairs was not afraid to discuss these things. He treated his young readers with respect by challenging them to face such real world horrors. At least that's what I think. But as soon as Brad Strickland got his hands on the books he made them silly. The Haunted Opera ends with the characters heckling the evil director. Give me a break. That's why I was reluctant to read this one.
All the familiar dressings are here, right down to the typical Bellairsian title and the cross-hatched Gorey illustrations. Strickland explores the characters and the town at lot more, and this detail seems to have inspired Gorey's illustrations because it is the first time I have seen Johnny's face illustrated (see the frontispiece). Usually the characters faces are shown in profile, leaving the details to be imagined.
But overall it was a good story and well written. I actually liked professor Childermass a bit better here; his dialogue actually made me laugh a few times. Johnny seems a bit less of a wimp and he even asks a girl for her phone number - thataboy! The Johnny character was depicted in a very personal way when Bellairs was writing, so it's probably for the best that Strickland didn't try to imitate this. One thing I didn't like, was that Johnny references previous books in this story. He talks about previous encounters with witches, zombies, etc. This is a mistake. Referencing these stories out of context just makes them seem silly, as all horror fiction does if you try to sum it up in a few words. Let the previous stories exist as if in their own universe.
I don't think it happens often that another author will come along and pick up the series so I should be grateful that these characters get to live on and it was nice to revisit them.
All the familiar dressings are here, right down to the typical Bellairsian title and the cross-hatched Gorey illustrations. Strickland explores the characters and the town at lot more, and this detail seems to have inspired Gorey's illustrations because it is the first time I have seen Johnny's face illustrated (see the frontispiece). Usually the characters faces are shown in profile, leaving the details to be imagined.
But overall it was a good story and well written. I actually liked professor Childermass a bit better here; his dialogue actually made me laugh a few times. Johnny seems a bit less of a wimp and he even asks a girl for her phone number - thataboy! The Johnny character was depicted in a very personal way when Bellairs was writing, so it's probably for the best that Strickland didn't try to imitate this. One thing I didn't like, was that Johnny references previous books in this story. He talks about previous encounters with witches, zombies, etc. This is a mistake. Referencing these stories out of context just makes them seem silly, as all horror fiction does if you try to sum it up in a few words. Let the previous stories exist as if in their own universe.
I don't think it happens often that another author will come along and pick up the series so I should be grateful that these characters get to live on and it was nice to revisit them.
April 25, 2020
A good book! This is a kid's book. The main character is 12 years old. It is a mystery/horror story, that includes magical events. The characters are great, the story pulls you right in, and it has a good, satisfying ending.
This is one of a series of books that were first written by John Bellairs. After the death of John Bellairs, there were a few that had been started by John Bellairs and then completed by Brad Strickland. This is the first one (I think) that was totally written by Brad Strickland. He gives plenty of credit to John Bellairs for creating the series. In my opinion, the Brad Strickland books are just as good as the John Bellairs books and seem to continue the characters and atmosphere just fine.
This is one of a series of books that were first written by John Bellairs. After the death of John Bellairs, there were a few that had been started by John Bellairs and then completed by Brad Strickland. This is the first one (I think) that was totally written by Brad Strickland. He gives plenty of credit to John Bellairs for creating the series. In my opinion, the Brad Strickland books are just as good as the John Bellairs books and seem to continue the characters and atmosphere just fine.
July 27, 2011
This was a fun little book based on a John Bellairs character, but written by Brad Strickland. Johnny Dixon is always getting mixed up with the supernatural, and this time it was witchcraft. This book is written for a young audience, but it had some genuinely creepy moments in it. I really like the characters of Johnny and the Professor, but Johnny's little girl friend was annoying to me and I could have done without her. As in a John Bellairs book, there was lots of deliciously spooky atmosphere, which I crave. And the Edward Gorey illustrations (not pictured) are always a pleasant bonus!
August 8, 2010
might've dug this when i was but a wee lass, but reading it now with my batch of ultra-cheap children's mystery stories, i am unimpressed. very neat and tidy and predictable. i didn't realize til i looked at the cover halfway through, wondering what was wrong, that this wasn't actually written by john bellairs. boo on you, brad strickland.
December 12, 2008
While I can say that I enjoyed the story, and loved my favorite set of Bellairs characters continuing in yet another adventure, there's something off about it. Strickland's work just doesn't have the "push" Bellairs' stories did, although they're still great on their own.
June 16, 2012
An appealing little story, with just the right amount of historical awareness.
September 22, 2023
A descriptively creepy novel, very well-written and entertaining.
September 30, 2008
I loved the series growing up, unfortunately Strickland doesn't do justice to the Bellairs series.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews