Review: Not just for kids
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 29, 2013
As with normal serials, each piece is a story into and of itself, but there is a larger overarching story that slowly reveals itself during the course of the serial.Peter and the Vampires is young adult fare - but don't let that detour you. Even adults can enjoy these stories. I'm well into my thirties and I loved this whole collection.This is my first review of a serial, so bear with me. To make this easier I'm going to write a little mini-review for each story:Peter and the Dead Men - This story introduces the main characters - Peter - who has just been moved by his mother from CA to the small town of Duskerville. They are moving in with Peter's grandfather, who Peter has never met. Things are not as peaceful as they seem, as Peter finds out when he and the neighbor boy, Dill, find charred dead men wandering Peter's backyard.While I didn't exactly dislike this story, it didn't really hook me in or make me want to keep reading. In fact, I struggled to finish it. The story does have a good mystery, but at the end left too many things unexplained.Peter and the Vampires - This story starts with Peter falling ill and missing a week of school. The night before he returns, he sees a girl who he knows from the bus, standing in the yard in the middle of the night. The next day he finds out that girl died the week before, the day after Peter fell ill. Other children disappear, and Peter takes it upon himself to stop the vampire menace before its too late.This is the story that really hooked me. Several parts are laugh out loud funny - like when Dill and Peter go to the church to steal vampire hunting supplies. their interactions with the priests are perfect. The ending is a bit mushy/happy for a vampire story, but it works with the young adult themes and setting.Peter and the Changling - While hanging out at home, Peter's mom ropes him and Dill into babysitting Peter's little sister Beth. Things quickly go wrong when Beth grows fangs and starts munching on the furniture. Peter and Dill must fight off the changling while searching for the truth about what happened to the real Beth.Anyone who has ever babysat a little terror can relate to this story. The antics of the Changling Beth as she terrorizes Dill and Peter are perfectly over-the-top funny. And you'll be dying at the end, when Changling Beth meets her nemesis - real Beth!Peter and the Swamp Monster - Peter and Dill decide to enjoy one of the last nice days of summer by inter-tubing down the river to the lake. Unfortunately, their peaceful day is interrupted by a monster attack. Two kids are taken, with Peter and Dill as the only witnesses. But when the adults don't believe them, its up to Peter and Dill to save their classmates.This story was my favorite of the collection. Peter and Dill are outside their element in the forest, and I loved it. I also really liked how Peter and Dill's interactions have evolved over the course of the stories. This story also sets off how the two characters have grown. Although the overall arc of this story reminds of the Korean monster movie `The Host,' the authors unique take still make this an original and engaging tale. I won't spoil the ending, but its absolutely hilarious how the boys end up defeating the monster.Overall Serial Arc - I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but Peter's Grandfather has some dark secrets - some of which tie into their family. Its hinted that even perhaps Peter is fated to draw dark forces to him, which is why he runs into so many monsters. I'm intrigued to say the least.