The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers: The New Case Files

[Olivia]

5. Olivia, thanks for your input and responses. Also, thanks for clarifying the boyfriends of Bess and George too.

You're welcome and thanks for your discussion, too

but I find it funny that some people on there were having pretty much the same discussion about The Hardy Boys Casefiles series as many of us were having about The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers series (i.e. both getting looked at with disdain for their departure from the original series).

Really? Interesting. I get it but at the same time, the Casefiles were just HBs intensified. The UBs, on the other hand, seem to sometimes dumb them down.

[SDLagent]

And even more drastic changes to characters than the Casefiles.

[hardygirl847]

But I actually LOVE the Casefiles where as the UBs....not so much.

Casefiles might be different but I think they were good for the boys. I'm not sure I can say that about all of the UBs though.

[SDLagent]

Well, the thing is the Casefiles did change the boys but mostly just to modernize the them. The UB modernized the boys, too, but changed a lot of other stuff that didn't need to be changed.

[hardygirl847]

Well, the thing is the Casefiles did change the boys but mostly just to modernize the them. The UB modernized the boys, too, but changed a lot of other stuff that didn't need to be changed.

Well put. Some of the modernization in the UBs give them traits we don't necessarily want to see in our boys. And of course changing a lot of other elements as well.

[hardygirl847]

Oops I forgot where our discussion about The Last Resort was.  Thanks to Mac, I found it again.

I read it over the holidays and have been meaning to post about it.

OK....

1. The author REALLY made Nancy seem over the top with her feelings for Frank. I realize that in different books it might have been more or less. I honestly don't know for sure because I've only read a few ND/HB SuperMysteries. I just thought it was a little much...ESP since she had Ned.

2. Frank could find Nancy attractive and smart and have things in common, but he didn't have the same reaction or internal dialog as Nancy. Although, sadly Nancy seemed to dominate the pages leaving less room for Frank and Joe's thoughts.

3. The kiss was during a life or death situation. I would probably have felt similarly. I'm just glad the author didn't have them get undressed and use their body heat to keep warm.   

4. I was very glad that both Frank and Nancy decided NOT to do anything about it, keep it a secret, and move on with Callie or Ned. They both said it was a mistake. Therefore, I think the earlier parts with Nancy thinking about Frank were just there to make it more dramatic when they kissed in the cabin. Furthermore, I believe that Callie would have been ticked but understood. Ned saw them hugging and asked Nancy about it. Luckily she was swooning and drooling over Ned, so it was all okay too. I'm sure he would have understood the circumstances as well.

5. The book itself was actually really good. I felt like Frank and Joe got almost enough "screen" time. I would have liked less Nancy but what are ya gonna do...oh well.  Just like Nancy's feelings for Frank, Joe's feelings for Roseanne or whatever seemed a bit much for just meeting her. I don't know...sometimes I thought it was just being laid onto a little bit thick...especially for a ND/HB book. ND might have more romance in it, but HB not so much. Fanfic-yes...canon-very little.

6. I would like Chester Peabody to solve all of my problems. He was a handy guy to have around.

7. This book just confirmed all of my reasons for NOT skiing. lol

I give it a 3.8/5 or maybe a solid 4. Hmm...

[MacGyver]

Just to address a few things- I really enjoyed The Last Resort and thought it was handled well. A large part of the drama was the romantic tension that had been slowly building between Nancy and Frank over the course of the books and it kinda hit its crescendo here. But I'm glad Frank and Nancy both addressed it and agreed that it was a mistake - Frank has Callie and Nancy has Ned.
I don't think it was over the top necessarily- but then I think it's hard for much of anything to go over the top for me. (I guess I just like a lot of that kind of stuff.)

I just thought it was a little much...ESP since she had Ned.

I knew Nancy was a smart detective, but I didn't know she had Extra Sensory Perception! No wonder she solves all those cases so easily!

I'm just glad the author didn't have them get undressed and use their body heat to keep warm.

That would NEVER happen.
(but don't worry- I know it was just a joke.)

Regarding points 2 and 5 in your post- keep in mind that the book series Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys Supermysteries credits Nancy Drew first in the title- I don't know if that's just a polite "ladies first" thing, but I think it's more than that. Also, the book is authored by Carolyn Keene alone- NOT Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon (as has been the case with other crossover books previous to this series.) And this is important to remember- the Nancy Drew books are aimed at girls and most feel that this series was largely aimed at girls although I think boys can appreciate it too. But since Nancy Drew was kinda given the lead to some degree, the romance comes on a bit stronger sometimes. But all of the books still have a great mystery and good levels of action and adventure- I don't think that's ever lost along the way. Of course, I like Nancy Drew so I don't have any problem with her being in there a little bit more- I find the whole series very enjoyable- I love reading them! And they're set in the Casefiles/Files universe, so that's cool too.
And honestly, I think The Hardy Boys Casefiles books (while not nearly as much as The Nancy Drew Files) had a fair amount of romance mixed in there every now and then. But in both series, the mystery is never lost and the action and adventure is still there in spades.
Now if you try reading some other spinoff series, like say- River Heights (in which Nancy Drew pretty much makes cameos here and there from what I understand)- there's absolutely no mystery and all romance and drama. And then there's Nancy Drew on Campus, which still seems to maintain a slight bit of mystery, but I would say it's close to 90% romance/drama and maybe 10% mystery/action/adventure. (This series also had Nancy Drew breaking up with Ned Nickerson after a phone campaign for votes from fans. I have the first book in this series, but I doubt I would ever get the rest of them. I haven't bothered to pick up any copies of the River Heights books and probably won't. I do like Nancy Drew though and have a small collection of various titles from some of the different series- but I'm primarily a fan of The Hardy Boys (being male and all ) so I mainly just collect those. But overall, they're all pretty good.

[Olivia]

Now if you try reading some other spinoff series, like say- River Heights (in which Nancy Drew pretty much makes cameos here and there from what I understand)- there's absolutely no mystery and all romance and drama. And then there's Nancy Drew on Campus, which still seems to maintain a slight bit of mystery, but I would say it's close to 90% romance/drama and maybe 10% mystery/action/adventure. (This series also had Nancy Drew breaking up with Ned Nickerson after a phone campaign for votes from fans.

Yeah, I have a few River Heights and Nancy Drew on Campus. It's more drama, but from what I've seen and read, River Heights does high school well and actually makes it interesting, not cliche. I think I have a topic for these somewhere in the ND section.

[hardygirl847]

Mac,

I just thought that a lot of Nancy's thoughts were about Frank. I kept reading it going "really? She's thinking about him AGAIN?" and Frank never really thought about her. Of course it was more from her POV because Carolyn Keene was the author...but still. I'm glad they're not together and I'm REALLY glad they didn't warm each other up with  their body heat. LOL Yes, that was definitely a joke before. Glad you got it.

I guess I should get Nancy a chance. I have read some crossovers and she's okay in those unless she takes over. However, I'm primarily and MOSTLy a Hardy Boys fan, despite my lack of maleness. lol

I think this book got the Frank/Nancy fans happy that they at least kissed but allowed for them to continue to just be work partners. I think that's a good thing. Give the people what they want but not too much.

Yeah, I have a few River Heights and Nancy Drew on Campus. It's more drama, but from what I've seen and read, River Heights does high school well and actually makes it interesting, not cliche. I think I have a topic for these somewhere in the ND section.

I have yet to read or see a high school that's not cliche. Interesting.

[MacGyver]

I just thought that a lot of Nancy's thoughts were about Frank. I kept reading it going "really? She's thinking about him AGAIN?" and Frank never really thought about her. Of course it was more from her POV because Carolyn Keene was the author...but still.

From a male point of view (and I don't mean this in a crude or lewd way of course), but I can assure you Frank was thinking about Nancy and their relationship too. In fact, the book makes that clear as Frank approaches to Nancy to clear up the matter just as Nancy is coming to tell him the same thing.
But yes, since those books were a bit more aimed at the mostly female fans of Nancy Drew, there may have been more emphasis on Nancy's thoughts than Frank's. It is kinda funny that you being a girl don't seem to be a big fan of Nancy Drew, while I being a boy actually enjoy Nancy Drew's exploits pretty well (though I would also say I'm primarily a fan of The Hardy Boys- but I've read some Nancy Drew and I know she is essentially Frank and Joe's literary sister and literally their sister series, so I kind of have to accept both anyway.)
Of course, that mainly just goes to prove that everyone is different and we can't just assume things because of certain characteristics.
   And another thing to keep in mind is that it becomes really hard to balance all the characters, as the authors point out in Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys: Super Sleuths series. Thus, in order to make sure fans of Nancy and fans of Frank and Joe (and hopefully, fans of both) were all satisfied, there are some stories where Nancy might be the one to contribute the most and others where it's mainly Frank and Joe contributing. But I think they did a pretty good job of balancing those things for the most part throughout the Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys Superymystery series.

[SDLagent]

The funny thing is the only fans I ever seen that actually dislike Nancy Drew are women. Most male fans are indifferent and some like her.

[MacGyver]

Yeah, I'm starting to notice that too. It's not that I'm a huge fan of Nancy Drew or anything- I'm still primarily a fan of The Hardy Boys first. But I've read some Nancy Drew books and I like her just fine too.

[SDLagent]

http://www.papercutz.com/hb/hbvideo.html

Papercutz has made a Hardy Boys video.

[MacGyver]

Nice- thanks for the heads-up.

[Olivia]

I have yet to read or see a high school that's not cliche. Interesting.

Yep. Obviously you can sort of put the characters into categories ("mean girl", "snobby guy") but it has well-rounded characterization and you really understand the perspectives...especially if you read more than one book.