#94 Breakdown In Axeblade (31st Anniversary Review)

[tomswift2002]

Published: February 1989
Publisher: Minstrel Books (1989-199?)
Author:  Unknown as of November 2020
Reading Level: 4.8

Plot: The Hardy's are on a vacation, and are camping in all the national parks.  However, their van develops engine trouble, and the closest garage is in Axeblade, Wyoming, a place that doesn't want visitors.

Review:  First off, this was published in February 1989, one month after Casefiles #23 Disaster for Hire (January 1989) and it's interesting how similar the stories are!  There's the environmental issue---in Axeblade it's illegal dumping of toxic waster, in DFH it is a bioengineered virus.  Both stories take place in small towns.  And the police chief in both towns is on the crooks payroll!

But reading Breakdown In Axeblade this time made me realize how this book feels like a Casefile.  I don't know for sure, but this book really felt like it was written to be in the Casefiles series, but was slightly edited to work as a Mystery Stories book.  From the way Frank and Joe talked and acted, to finding out that the criminals, over the 30 years that they had been dumping the toxic waste in the national park, had already murdered 2 people who had gotten too close to bring a criminal case against them.  And I know that I brought this up in the Shield of Fear https://www.hardyboyscasefiles.com/forums/index.php?topic=3033.0 & The Shadow Killers https://www.hardyboyscasefiles.com/forums/index.php?topic=3034.0 review threads, but it makes me wonder if Mega-Books were runnning out of stories for the Mystery Stories, or had stories that wouldn't be ready on time, that they edited a couple of stories that had been bought for the Casefiles into Mystery Stories.   And Breakdown In Axeblade, I could see them having a toss-up between Breakdown In Axeblade & Disaster for Hire as to which one went in the Casefiles series and which went in the Mystery Stories series, as both books are very similar.

I also like the cover art on this one, with Frank and Joe on the cliff face, and the helicopter swooping in, as it occurs late in the story.  Very dramatic and very high energy!

Of course, in terms of plot, this book really had the poorest excuse for the Hardy's getting on the case.  All they wanted to do was get their van fixed, and stay at the motel a few days, or camp in the national park, but, nope, they bad guys need to give away their hand and drive the Hardy's out into the middle of nowhere, without their van, and hope that the Hardy's will just walk to the next town!  That is really ridiculous.  The bad guys could've gone unnoticed had they just left the Hardy's alone.

Also, another thing that I like about Breakdown In Axeblade is that it is an environmental book, but the author didn't get all in your face about protecting the environment and being like an unwelcome guest who has overstayed their welcome.

Rating: 9.5/10

[MacGyver]

This one I recall pretty well. I feel like I've read this a few times. I think I just like the small town atmosphere and the feel of being out in the wild with The Hardy Boys. Breakdown in Axeblade has long been a favourite.

[Bigfootman]

Published: February 1989
Publisher: Minstrel Books (1989-199?)
Author:  Unknown as of November 2020
Reading Level: 4.8

Plot: The Hardy's are on a vacation, and are camping in all the national parks.  However, their van develops engine trouble, and the closest garage is in Axeblade, Wyoming, a place that doesn't want visitors.

Review:  First off, this was published in February 1989, one month after Casefiles #23 Disaster for Hire (January 1989) and it's interesting how similar the stories are!  There's the environmental issue---in Axeblade it's illegal dumping of toxic waster, in DFH it is a bioengineered virus.  Both stories take place in small towns.  And the police chief in both towns is on the crooks payroll!

But reading Breakdown In Axeblade this time made me realize how this book feels like a Casefile.  I don't know for sure, but this book really felt like it was written to be in the Casefiles series, but was slightly edited to work as a Mystery Stories book.  From the way Frank and Joe talked and acted, to finding out that the criminals, over the 30 years that they had been dumping the toxic waste in the national park, had already murdered 2 people who had gotten too close to bring a criminal case against them.  And I know that I brought this up in the Shield of Fear https://www.hardyboyscasefiles.com/forums/index.php?topic=3033.0 & The Shadow Killers https://www.hardyboyscasefiles.com/forums/index.php?topic=3034.0 review threads, but it makes me wonder if Mega-Books were runnning out of stories for the Mystery Stories, or had stories that wouldn't be ready on time, that they edited a couple of stories that had been bought for the Casefiles into Mystery Stories. 

This was likely happening with the Nancy Drew digests at the time as well. "The Search for Cindy Austin" was written by a ghostwriter who's only other Nancy Drew books were Files books, and it read a lot like a Nancy Drew Files book.