Deprivation House
Book 1 in the Murder House Trilogy
Published May 2008
Plot: When ATAC assigns the Hardy Boys to find out who is sending death threats to contestants on the set of a new reality TV show, "Deprivation House", the Hardys are thrust into a mystery that could possible leave them dead on television.
Review: Since 2003 we've had quite a few reality-show and superstar based Hardy Boys books with "Warehouse Rumble", "Wreck and Roll", "Top Ten Ways To Die", "Blown Away", "Death and Diamonds", "Bayport Buccaneers", "Feeding Frenzy", "Mad House", and "The Deadliest Stunt", so I wasn't expecting a great plot and it turned out to be a very boring plot.
How many Hardy Boys books do $&$ have to write where it is a murder on a reality show? Come on! This plot is getting flogged more than the dead horse. Since as I was reading the book I felt like I was re-reading a mix of "Bayport Buccaneers" and "Feeding Frenzy". Seriously it felt like someone had taken the manuscripts to those two books, cut sections out from different chapters, pasted them together on a couple of pages, wrote the names of characters and then sent it to the editors and printers.
And then, after the Hardy's had done their less than spectacular capture of the PA Mitch, the author needed to introduce a new character to replace the person who had been booted off? I thought the point of reality shows was to get to the last person standing, not to keep introducing new characters. That was a really illogical and pointless plot point just to introduce a continuing hook into a story that was over and really had no continuing story.
Rating: 1.5 out of 10.
F+
I agree with you for the most part, I'd probably give the book a 5 though.
*cringes* I really don't like Bayport Buccaneers. I know that's not what we're talking about, but I had to say that.
Is there going to be some kind of vote on what's the worst UB? Unless it's already been done or something. I know there's a discussion about the worst books in the series.
***
What I really don't like about the trilogy so far is all the cliche plot points. Like dead bloody birds or girls screaming every other chapter. I don't even know if I got those details right because at this point, the random horror-type gestures is just a blur to me.
Also I'm finding that there is really nothing making you go "What the----!" is surprise. And the characters are getting really annoying since in every reality show Hardy Boys book that has been out I've read the exact same character just with a different name and a tiny change in their personality, but it is still the same character. There's always the guy that keeps saying he's going to win the prize while acting like a dork, then there's the girl who rarely speaks, as well as the macho guy who is always picking on the other people, etc.
That's true. Some of the characters start to blur together, except the one or two or three that are really outspoken.
I mean, I don't even remember or understand "Olivia's" personality anymore. And I'm not just picking it because we have the same name - she is honestly a character that starts to fade out into the background without any distinguishing features.
I just know the one macho guy and then the guy with the blue hair and his blog (which completely reminds me of Perez Hilton, not that I know much about him either).
Actually, I can sort of tell them apart, but that's only because they point out like, one characteristic per person.
For example, James the tough guy. Bobby T (is it?) and his blue hair and blog. Brynn, because Joe pays a lot of attention to her. Um, Mary being quiet and omish-ish? Ripley being the rich socialite. etc.
i would give it a 5
well the book wasn't very bad . it wasn't worth 1.5/10. i changed
my mind i woulld give the book a 5/10 . i would give it 3.5/10
You mean wouldn't give it a 5/10
Quote from: 003Robin457 on November 26, 2008, 06:56:41 PM
it wasn't worth 1.5/10 it was worth 3.5/10, it was so unrealistic
Quote from: NZone on November 26, 2008, 05:58:07 PM
You mean wouldn't give it a 5/10
no it wasnt worth it
I'd give it a 7.5/10.
10 of 10! 8) Okay fine 8 of 10.