Between Books - The Deadliest Cast Member: Season Two

I often judge an episode of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. by my tension level.  The more tense I am by the end of the episode the more I liked it due to the action and suspense.  So when I received my review copy of the latest installment in the Deadliest Cast Member saga I shot off an email to the author noting my worry he would kill off a character or two like he has done in the earlier offering. Before I even cracked the cover I was worried!

The Deadliest Cast Member: Season Two by Kelly Ryan Johns takes hero Jack Duncan and his partner Kendall Shepherd back to 2005.  Johns walks his readers through the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland, the day in which Duncan lost his wife and became a true national hero when former Soviet spy Nikolai Grusov held the park hostage.  Readers follow Jack throughout his day as he attempts to both protect the park and his family.  And as readers know the price is high since Duncan's life was changed forever this day.  The conspiracy against the park and the Duncan family is more complex than one might believe.  Along with following our heroes, readers also join guests and media being held hostage in the park.  While Jack and Kendall try to protect Disneyland and its guests, two pairs of time travelers also work to impact the final outcome.  One pair, Jack's father Stan and a companion close to the history of the park worry that changing the events of the fateful day could leave a larger scar on the timeline.  And the others, a pair of highly trained operatives from the future use futuristic gadgets and weapons to make a change that could have ramifications for the Duncan family in the far off 2035.

Early in this installment of the franchise the science fiction element is laid out.  While there is an action story being played out in front of us, there are time travellers in the park which are attempting to change or not change the story.  One of these characters is an adult version of one of the kids from the Voyageers' series of books by Johns.  And you do feel like this could be the grown-up character as you watch their personality and determination in action.  The other is one you start to believe has a more complex back story than time traveling criminal, and of course he does!

Really it is Jack and Kendall that I find myself most attracted to when I grab this book.  And this Jack seems more violent and less fatherly than the version that we met in the first installment set in the future.  That Jack is a father who has been raising his kids alone as a widower.  This Jack is freshly out of the military and just now starting a new job at Disneyland.  He literally has no idea who he can can trust other than a close circle that includes Kendall and his father.  He is focused and willing to do everything he can to protect his family and his beloved Disneyland.  Basically you can see this Jack as a earlier version of what we saw in the first volume.  One can see how the Jack we were introduced to grew from this man.  Of course Kendall is Kendall, he is solid, caring, and the best friend one can have.

Overall the book is easy to read and clear.  The story is written as an hourly log of events.  It did take me awhile to get myself into the book, or would that be hours as one reads it.  I was distracted by trying to keep track of who was who and trying to remember who I was introduced to before.  Though even when this was happening I was still able to enjoy the book while reading it at a fast pace.  But by the time I got into the last 40 percent, tension had risen.  I found I could no longer put the book down without being frustrated by my need to end the tension and find out what was happening next.  For a book that should have a set outcome I knew was going to happen, Johns found ways to bring me doubt to my certainty.

Will Jack Duncan return?  Johns makes it clear that is up to the fans and how they receive the story.  I for one hope to see a sequel to The Deadliest Cast Member: Season Two as Johns has some unfinished business for all his characters.  And I would really like to see if Jack Duncan or the man from 2035 is the greatest warrior of all time! 

Oh and yes, look for the post-credit scene Marvel Cinematic Universe fans!

Review Copy Provided By Author

Between Books - Voyageers: The Great Storyteller

There is power in storytelling.  It is storytelling that has allowed us to maintain our history, shape our values and craft our culture.  Kelly Ryan Johns paints a world, or a Disneyland, where storytelling shapes the physical world.  And when the world's greatest storyteller is absent there are dire consequences.  

In this second Voyageers book offered by Kelly Ryan Johns, Voyageers: The Great Storyteller, the readers see how one man's stories can impact the world.  Walt Disney receives a mysterious call and disappears.  His absence appears to have changed Disneyland, which is now dirty and superficial.   And United States' history is impacted as the the Cold War is still in full swing during present day.  And there are no Mickey Mouse's in Disneyland, instead Oswald the Lucky Rabbit has taken his place.  The Voyageers must travel through time including Disneyland's Opening Day to find Walt Disney and discover what has gone wrong with his greatest storytelling creation.

Storytelling is a constant theme throughout the book, with Walt Disney being the greatest storyteller of all.  We discover that Voyageers Christa and Thomas also have this gift, a super power one might say.  But they are not the only storytellers needed to fix Disneyland.  And I will admit I gave a fanboy laugh as two living legend storytellers entered the scene!  I do think that storytelling is a great theme for a book about Walt Disney and his parks since one really does feel like they have entered a story when passing through the gates.

This second book in the series kept my interest more than the first.  I believe this happened because to me Voyageers: The Great Storyteller often felt like Jack Duncan's book and as a more direct sequel to The Deadliest Cast Member than the first Voyageers book.  Stan Duncan is an important character to the story.  Duncan's children and support staff are mentioned.  Jack is very much in charge of the action as we get to see him rush into action again.  And we get to see character development in his best friend Kendall, an action hero I really like and look forward to seeing how he is used in the Deadliest future books.

Here we go again learning Disney history in a fictional book.  Johns uses Charles Mintz and George Winkler in the story as men who provided obstacles to young Walt.  And you have to applaud Johns' depiction of them as men not bigger than life monsters.  And I was hoping to catch Johns in some historical inaccuracy as he introduces Roger Broggie to the story.  As I read this tail of a son of the original Imagineer I thought surely he is discussing Michael.  I mean seriously I have his book right here.  No, in the end I was shamed with my lack of knowledge of Roger Broggie Jr. and all the things he did for Walt Disney.  And his use in the story filled the needs of the moment, since the problem involved his real world expertise.  

This is a book for kids.  And though Duncan has a greater role in the book it is usually through the eyes of the Voyageers we see the action.  The tale does give a youngster opportunity to consider what courage means, the power of second chances, and love.  And I never thought of the kids being in overly great physical danger with the Prince often accompanying the Voyageer teams on missions.  So despite the fact that all of Disneyland could have been removed from history, I worried less since the Prince was on the scene. 

Voyageers: The Great Storyteller is a science-fiction action story for youngsters, and the young at heart, that love Disney History.  As the kids jump through time however there are other lessons to be learned especially about forgiveness and the power behind a story.  Stories build, and hopefully your stories will build great and wonderful things.



Review Copy Provided By Author For Purposes of Review  

Between Books - Voyageers: The Multiplaner

Who would not love to live in Disneyland?  And who would not want their childhood to be defined by Disneyland?  Kelly Ryan Johns in The Deadliest Cast Member provided a fictional account of an adult living within the Disneyland Resort.  In Voyageers: The Multiplaner, Johns moves his characters onto Main Street and provides the childhood fantasy of living within the Disneyland Park right there on Main Street U.S.A.. 

In Voyageers: The Multiplaner Kelly Ryan Johns introduces young readers to Christa and Thomas two sibling orphans who have had a rough go since their parents passed away.  The duo are recruited into the Voyageers program, a secret society created by Walt Disney, where the children are trained to be cast members who make magic for guests and correct the wrongs within the park throughout time. The children enter a world where they interact with Disney Legends, many who have passed away in our world, and the Protector himself Jack Duncan from The  Deadliest Cast Member.  The kids are recruited for a time hopping mission that takes them into their past in Disneyland to reclaim Walt Disney's greatest innovation the Multiplaner from a terrorist who has evil plans that go beyond the resort.  Can the kids save the day or will their actions disrupt time itself?

First of foremost this is a book for tweens and teenagers.  It is clear and easy for a teen reader to dive into.  And I think the story is one that a young Disney fan, like the Between Tween, would enjoy.  It is speculative fiction that makes a young Disney fan ask what if.  For an adult it is a nice adventure, but is not as tense or as adult as Johns' earlier work.  Johns really is reaching the audience he intended to.   

Probably one of the most interesting aspects is the fact that this text is part of a shared universe with The Deadliest Cast Member.  Events for Johns' earlier book are referenced.  And though Jack Duncan does not appear often, his presence is felt as the Protector.  And if the kids entered a dangerous situation knowing Duncan's abilities and character does help put a reader slightly at ease when considering the possible fates of the children.  Additionally, this story feels like a continuation of the Duncan story since it mentions items from the end of the earlier book.  It feels like this story includes part of the next steps of Duncan's world since he was not the Protector in his original story.  Though I will admit it did take me some time to re-orient myself into Johns' fantastical universe.

Probably one of the more interesting aspects of this book is the merging of fact and fiction.  Disney Legends interact with the kids, such as Ray Van de Warker.  The use of this character did lead me to do some quick research to confirm that he was both real and discover why he had a Main Street window.  I love how Johns' work leads me to look more deeply into Disneyland history. Van de Warker and other late legends interact with the kids in the very fictional Voyageers realm.  It is a fantastic place, right above our eyes, in the real park.  Though this place does not exist one really does feel like it is the sort of magic that should exist in a Disney park.  And the blending of fact with fiction helps the reader go with Johns in his fictional tale. 

Voyageers: The Multiplaner is a part science-fiction and part magic.  It would be a good reading option, especially in summer, for youth who enjoy Disneyland and Disney history.  In the end it is a fun romp with fantastical elements that helps one believe in the real Magic of Disney.

 Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Between Books - The Deadliest Cast Member: Season One

Jack Duncan is your typical Disney Parks fan. He enjoys spending time with his family at Disneyland. He visits as often as possible, which for him is a lot. He knows to savor the background and setting established by the Imagineers. His mind holds a wealth of Disney history and trivia. And he is a Special Forces trained security expert that is our only hope against a terrorist plot that would wipe Disneyland off the map and kill many in the area. So yeah, typical Disney fan.

The Deadliest Cast Member: Season One by Kelly Ryan Johns collects the previously released Season One installments of this story that had been released as e-books. Johns introduces us to Jack Duncan, a father, widower and the guardian of Disney’s security. Duncan’s father was a close friend and associate to Walt Disney and had created Disneyland’s elaborate security system. Jack spends most of his year living in a suite at Disney’s Grand California Hotel & Spa. Duncan had left his role as a Navy Seal to follow his father’s footsteps in the parks. Jack is also a celebrity, having completed an unexplained heroic act in the parks a few years ago. Additionally, his wife passed away in an undisclosed fashion due to the actions of his and his father’s nemesis, Nikolai Grusov. Grusov, despite Jack believing he had killed the villain earlier, is back and holds the Disneyland resort hostage with a dirty bomb. Duncan takes the lead in a story that incorporates mystery, action, speculative technology, Disney history, and maybe magic (or is that science by another name).

There are a lot of layers to pull back on this story when breaking it down.

First, as a Disney fan, this story is a dream come true. Jack and his kids basically live at Disneyland. He has a fantastic suite at the Grand Californian. And when he has to move out of his lodgings, for Johnny Depp who Jack is friends with, he moves temporarily into the Dream Suite! That just does not seem fair! Really who among us would not enjoy this lifestyle! The Duncan’s eat at Club 33 and can exclusively use rooms in the club. He can access back exits and hidden tunnels to get around in the park. He is tied to the history of the park through his father, who was Walt Disney’s “greatest friend”. It really is a dream life. And Johns knows the park, so as you are jealous of Duncan and his lifestyle, the park serves as a character within the book.

Second, this is an action story. This is a 24 type anti-terrorism story set in Disneyland. There are guns, bombs, martial arts and fighting. There is a goal of finding and defusing a bomb before an entire community is harmed. And at the center of it all is Jack the experienced and capable military operator. And I feel it worked on this level. In fact, I may never look at the park the same way again. Could a gunman be behind that corner?

Third, this story is a mystery or a puzzle. Much like a book with a very different tone, In the Shadow of the Matterhorn, readers are provided a mystery within the park. And the story is built around real locations and fake clues within the park. For Disney fans, this mystery goes back to Walt Disney himself and his hopes for his Park.

Finally, The Deadliest Cast Member: Season One is a work of speculative fiction. It is filled with Sci-Fi science, or magic, that we do not use in our world. But they do help to show how fictional magic exists within Disneyland. This element is probably the one I expected the least, and probably needed the least. This final element probably most reminded me of Midlife Mouse, yet another very different book. And despite the fact that there is a lot going on in this story, the book still worked for me with this element mixed in.

Cost wise this book sells for $4.99 on Kindle, which seems like a competitive price point. It collects 6 separate segments which sell for 99 cents to $2.99 a piece so you do save in buying the compiled version. At that price I do not believe that you are taking a huge risk in buying the novel. And if you have concerns you can sample for less than a dollar.

Overall, I enjoyed The Deadliest Cast Member: Season One by Kelly Ryan Johns. It is an escapist action adventure with a touch of sci-fi that caters to Disney fans. I will admit this is one of the first books I have ever read that has Johnny Depp as a fiction character. But in the end, I found myself joining Johns in his enjoyable story. And I for one would like to see a season two at a later date.

Review Copy Provided for Purpose of Review