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beastreader's review
4.0
Secret Service Agents, Pete Lattimer and Myka Bering have just come back from retrieving Anne Bonny’s cutlass. There was almost more of Pete than he would have liked. But he and Myka survived.
The brainy Artie has a lead on what could be another paranormal mission. The Whitman Brothers Carnival is in town. It seems that the carnival’s biggest claim to fame is Princess Nefertiti. Princess Nefertiti. When Pete and Myka discover where Princess Nefertiti’s healing powers come from, they must stop her before it is too late.
I have not watched Warehouse 13, though I have seen previews and wanted to check it out. After reading this book, I now more than ever really want to check this series out and plan to watch. I could tell that Mr. Cox really was excited to want to write a novel based on this series. This book read like the series than just a book based on the series. I started this book on my lunch and was already half way over before I realized that it was time to go back to work. Pete and Myka work well together. I would have to say though that I think Pete is more of the muscle and Myka is the brains. Not to take anything away from Pete as I liked him as well. Artie was fun. When he would get really excited about something and start talking in his own “Artie” language that was funny. Warehouse 13: A Touch of Fever is worth both your time and money!
The brainy Artie has a lead on what could be another paranormal mission. The Whitman Brothers Carnival is in town. It seems that the carnival’s biggest claim to fame is Princess Nefertiti. Princess Nefertiti. When Pete and Myka discover where Princess Nefertiti’s healing powers come from, they must stop her before it is too late.
I have not watched Warehouse 13, though I have seen previews and wanted to check it out. After reading this book, I now more than ever really want to check this series out and plan to watch. I could tell that Mr. Cox really was excited to want to write a novel based on this series. This book read like the series than just a book based on the series. I started this book on my lunch and was already half way over before I realized that it was time to go back to work. Pete and Myka work well together. I would have to say though that I think Pete is more of the muscle and Myka is the brains. Not to take anything away from Pete as I liked him as well. Artie was fun. When he would get really excited about something and start talking in his own “Artie” language that was funny. Warehouse 13: A Touch of Fever is worth both your time and money!
misterjay's review
3.0
Good tie-in novels are hard to come by. The author has to find that perfect balance between the new and the familiar; he or she is denied the luxury of introducing new principal characters and is limited in both setting and scope. Anything said by the characters cannot sound too different from a given actor or actress' cadence and rhythms. Any props have to realistically fit into the mythology and feel of a show.
At the same time, readers expectations are perhaps higher than they would be for a stand alone novel by the same author. We know what we want to read (see), we know these characters. We know what they look like and what they sound like. Further, we have a carefully nurtured feeling for the time and place of the show. Because of this, anything that is even slightly off begins to feel forced and unnatural.
Greg Cox's Warehouse 13 novel suffers from none of these problems. This is the Warehouse crew; this is a Warehouse story. Pete, Myka, Artie, Claudia, and even Lena sound just like they should, especially when bantering with each other. The side characters and artifacts introduced fit into the established world of the Warehouse with ease and the novel bounces between the A plot and the B plot just as the t.v. show does. In short, this novel reads like the script of an episode of the show.
Thus, my expectations were met and the novel was a good read.
Except...
The other expectation from media tie-in novels is that they can cut loose. A novelist does not have to deal with budget constraints or shooting schedules. The author can ratchet the action and absurdity up to eleven without fear of being reigned in by anything as mundane as the realities of modern television production.
And, as much as I enjoyed this novel (and I did), it was not enough. I could see everything happening exactly as it would in an episode. Not even the inclusion of the Red Baron's Fokker tri-plane prevented me from easily imagining this novel on t.v.
There was plenty of room, within the context of the story, to crank up the action and, more importantly, the interaction of the characters beyond something we could see on t.v. There could have been more time (and words) given to the scenes we often can't see on t.v., the scenes that get cut short to make way for commercials and broadcast times, the scenes that are too effects heavy to make it through the scripting process.
This was a good novel. Light, easy to read, fun, and true to the series that spawned it. But it could have been so much more.
At the same time, readers expectations are perhaps higher than they would be for a stand alone novel by the same author. We know what we want to read (see), we know these characters. We know what they look like and what they sound like. Further, we have a carefully nurtured feeling for the time and place of the show. Because of this, anything that is even slightly off begins to feel forced and unnatural.
Greg Cox's Warehouse 13 novel suffers from none of these problems. This is the Warehouse crew; this is a Warehouse story. Pete, Myka, Artie, Claudia, and even Lena sound just like they should, especially when bantering with each other. The side characters and artifacts introduced fit into the established world of the Warehouse with ease and the novel bounces between the A plot and the B plot just as the t.v. show does. In short, this novel reads like the script of an episode of the show.
Thus, my expectations were met and the novel was a good read.
Except...
The other expectation from media tie-in novels is that they can cut loose. A novelist does not have to deal with budget constraints or shooting schedules. The author can ratchet the action and absurdity up to eleven without fear of being reigned in by anything as mundane as the realities of modern television production.
And, as much as I enjoyed this novel (and I did), it was not enough. I could see everything happening exactly as it would in an episode. Not even the inclusion of the Red Baron's Fokker tri-plane prevented me from easily imagining this novel on t.v.
There was plenty of room, within the context of the story, to crank up the action and, more importantly, the interaction of the characters beyond something we could see on t.v. There could have been more time (and words) given to the scenes we often can't see on t.v., the scenes that get cut short to make way for commercials and broadcast times, the scenes that are too effects heavy to make it through the scripting process.
This was a good novel. Light, easy to read, fun, and true to the series that spawned it. But it could have been so much more.
deranged_pegasus's review
5.0
A beautiful addition to the television show. I love how well character's voices were spot on. The little jokes of Pete and Myka's nearly strict though processes were wonderful to read.
bkworm4life4's review
5.0
If you love the tv show, you will love the book. It reads just like one of the episodes.
ash24314's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
nigelbaker's review
4.0
It's a good read for fans of the show. You get a bit more insight into the characters and a more developed story. Recommended.
sarahthornton's review
3.0
Is it cute? Yes.
Good vibes? Indeed.
Does it fit the tone of the show? Yep.
Did the author clearly watch the show? They did.
Is there an endless string of cliches traipsing through the story like daisies in a field? Millions.
Read it during a migraine so my criteria was 'easily digestible fiction for an existing series' and it did the trick. The plot was like an episode and everything the characters said was in line with the tv show attitudes. It just felt... lowest common denominator.
It's not a bad book by all means, but without the tv show I doubt I would have found it read it.
Good vibes? Indeed.
Does it fit the tone of the show? Yep.
Did the author clearly watch the show? They did.
Is there an endless string of cliches traipsing through the story like daisies in a field? Millions.
Read it during a migraine so my criteria was 'easily digestible fiction for an existing series' and it did the trick. The plot was like an episode and everything the characters said was in line with the tv show attitudes. It just felt... lowest common denominator.
It's not a bad book by all means, but without the tv show I doubt I would have found it read it.
lahariel's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
maureenky's review
5.0
I absolutely LOVE the series. This book characterizes everyone well and has a few interesting artifacts. Thrilling and suspenseful.