Review of Ghost Trackers: A Novel by Jason Hawes & Grant Wilson, with Tim Waggoner

Publisher:Gallery Books
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Buying Links:  Amazon     The Book Depository



Book Blurb (from goodreads):


In this spine-tingling new series, the stars of TV's GHOST HUNTERS introduce readers to a team of paranormal investigators who reunite to defeat a sinister force they unleashed long ago. . . . 


For fifteen years, Amber, Drew, and Trevor have barely been able to recall--let alone explain--what happened the terrifying night they decided to explore the old, abandoned Lowry House. According to local legend, the house was cursed by a dark past and inhabited by evil. It burst into flames on the night of their visit, leaving the friends traumatized and nearly dead with only vague memories of the frightening events they had witnessed inside. Now, on the eve of their high school reunion, they have gathered to reopen their investigation and figure out, once and for all, what took place that fateful night . . . before the supernatural entity they escaped threatens to overtake them again.

Reviewed by: Bea
 
My Thoughts:

This is the first fiction book by Hawes and Wilson, stars of the tv show, "Ghost Hunters", a show where they search for and try to explain paranormal incidents. They've taken their experiences and turned them into a new fiction series. Since the back cover touts it as a new series, I had little doubt while reading the story that there would be a happy ending, with no real damage to our heroes. That removed a lot of the suspense for me.

We meet the four main characters quickly and it quickly becomes apparent that one of them, Greg, is not normal. The action is quick to start with then the story slows down and the book is longer than necessary. All of the characterizations are simplistic, there's no depth, with one exception: Jerry, who was the school bully but he's changed and his change is believable. I actually felt for him. Unfortunately, that's the extent of the depth that we get. Most of what happens is predictable, the characters are stereotypes, and the pacing veers from between fast and slow.

Amber, Trevor, and Drew are all likable and with more depth and better pacing this would be a good start to a new series. If you enjoy the show "Ghost Hunters" and enjoy reading about paranormal investigations, you may want to give this a try.


I received a paperback from the publisher for review.

Review of "Ghost Files" by Jason Hawes & Grant Wilson with Jan Michael Friedman

Publisher: Gallery Books
Release Date:September 27, 2011
Buying Links: Amazon     The Book Depository

Book Blurb:

An omnibus edition of GHOST HUNTING and SEEKING SPIRITS, the real-life adventures of the paranormal investigators from Syfy's hit show Ghost Hunters.
 
My Thoughts:

I love reading fantasy, urban fantasy and fiction books with magic. I adore them. But when it comes to real life, I'm more skeptical, not inclined to believe in things supernatural or paranormal. I've never watched a full episode of the TV show "Ghost Files" in the Sci Fi channel (yes, I know it's now called Sy Fy but that's stupid so I use the better, old name) but I have watched a few minutes here and there while channel surfing. What little I saw didn't impress me. So when I was offered this book, I was uncertain. I'm pretty sure I'm not the target audience. Still, in the end, I decided to do it and I enjoyed it, somewhat to my surprise.

As mentioned in the blurb, the book is an omnibus edition, combining two earlier books. The first book, Ghost Hunting, gives a brief history of T.A.P.S., the organization that the ghost hunters work for and then we get chats about 42 cases from the early years. Some of the cases are from before they got their television show but most are from the show. The main narrator is Jason, with Grant offering a brief synopsis of his thoughts after each case file. Jason Hawes has a light, clear, friendly writing style, like he's talking with you over a beer or coffee. The written case files recap the episodes but also show us their thought processes and reasons for accepting or refusing a case. Hawes stresses repeatedly that when they take a case, they are trying to verify possible supernatural activity, using scientific methods. They don't promise that they will certify a place as haunted and have often come away from a case with negative results. In Hawes' words,

"Grant and I insisted on a more rational approach. Before we would ever say a place was home to a supernatural entity, we needed to have proof. It was a significant departure. And it was on that basis that we founded T.A.P.S.-both of us, because the idea was as much Grant's as mine."

The second book, Seeking Spirits, has more cases from their TV show and a few that didn't make it on the show for one reason or another. Hawes and Wilson take turns discussing the cases. Additionally, interspersed between cases, we get mini chapters, titled Ghost Hunters Manual. The mini chapters discuss various entities such as incubus and methods such as hunting at night. I appreciated those glimpses, and for me, they helped clarify some of the decisions they made during their cases. The back also has a glossary of technical terms.

The overall book is easy to read, enjoyable, and can be read out of order if desired. Hawes and Wilson present the evidence and leave it up to the reader to decide for themselves if it proves supernatural activity. I found it a good introduction to their work and may even check out their show. I think that readers who are already fans will appreciate the insights into the people who ghost hunt and their work.

I received the paperback from the publisher for review.