M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales
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M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales is a series of fictional children's novels by M. T. Anderson. It is part satire of, part homage to classic science-fiction and horror stories, comic books, and children's adventure stories of the 1930's, 40's, and 50's. In particular, it references children's mystery series of that era such as The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.
The first books in the series, Whales on Stilts, was published by Harcourt, Inc. in 2005. It was followed by a sequel, The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen, in 2006. A third volume, Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware, is scheduled to be released in August of 2008.
The stories follow the bizarre, exciting, and hilarious adventures of three close friends, Lily Gefelty, Katie Mulligan, and Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut. Each of these friends is very different from the other. They constantly find themselves solving dastardly mysteries and preventing madmen from gaining control of the world.
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[edit] Major Themes
Despite the constant use of clever, sometimes random comedy, the series does not lack serious, reflective moments. Friendship is a major theme, and much attention is given to the development of the three major characters. There is also an inherently nostalgic, bittersweet element. Other specific themes include timelessness, the passage of time, immortality, eccentricity vs. conventionality, and down-to-earth earnestness vs. fame and high society.
The villains in the stories are often too comedic or eccentric to be truly frightening. While physical conflict plays a large role, cleverness and gaining understanding of other persons and species also help save the day. The books are recommended for ages ten and up.
[edit] Setting
While the books would appear to be set in the contemporary United States, the world they portray is one where the bizarre and fantastic are constantly present and nearly overpower the "normality". Most of the wacky humor is built around this situation.
[edit] References
[edit] Text
1. Anderson, M. T. 2005. Whales on Stilts. Harcourt, Inc.
2. Anderson, M. T. 2006. The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen. Harcourt, Inc.
