Nancy Holder

Originally, Lionel considered letting Lex in on the Project, but decided against it. Lex had a strange moral streak. Sometimes it operated, sometimes it didn’t. — From Smallville: Silence

Nancy Holder can be either hit or slight miss for me when it comes to her book series entries based on popular television shows, but unlike Hauntings, where it seemed to me as though any group of teenagers could have been plugged in, this one very much feels like a huge Smallville story, perhaps a double-episode, and it’s fabulous. Holder hits this one out of the park.

This one is big by Smallville book standards, at just over 300 pages, but it’s big in every other way as well. It’s a rich tapestry with intersecting tentacles. Holder has the reins firmly in hand this time out, keeping each thread connected to Smallville and the characters we love. Silence really feels like Smallville, and despite the zombies, which are not a favorite of mine, it’s not only entertaining but rings true, both in characterization and tone.

Silence opens on a genuinely eerie note, with an exciting scene of young Marica Lopez’s humanitarian efforts in Haiti becoming a nightmare of peril as she races for her life from the undead. It reminded me of scenes from Woolrich’s Black Alibi in some ways — though it doesn’t quite reach the literary terror that Woolwich could so inspire. But just reminding me of it tells you how well it’s done — and in a young adult novelization based on a television show to boot.

What’s turning people into zombies may be an experiment gone wrong, and it could have something to do with a crop fertilizer produced by — you guessed it — Luthorcorp. If you’re even remotely familiar with Smallville, you can just about guess one of the ingredients in the fertilizer. When Lex is confronted with evidence of such, it will pit him against his father, even as he finds himself romantically attracted to the person doing the confronting.

Meanwhile, Chloe’s nose for news and passion for a story has tragic consequences that throw her into a tailspin of regret. The story, involving a family and a father keeping a secret, and a son filled with anger over the events leading to a tragedy from which his family might never recover is as weighty and riveting as the main story, which turns out to have tentacles of its own.

Then there is the new girl at Smallville High, Rebecca. She’s sweet and endearing, but hiding a secret concerning her father. Struggling to find a home and stability with her widowed father, it rings true of the age and struggles of teenagers, especially in her interactions and growing friendships with Clark, Chloe, Pete and Clark. She begins to wonder about her father’s strange disappearances.

Robberies, zombies, intrigue and thefts, corporate/military collusion, Clark doing Clark things while taking measures to make sure no one who doesn’t already know of his abilities finds out, and the spot-on characterization of the cast, including Lex, make this a fabulous time for any Smallville fan. Even Clark’s parents have a few nice moments here, as Martha falls strangely ill at one point and has to be hospitalized.

Holder has done a wonderful job here of making Silence an exciting page turner while at the same time keeping it grounded in the Smallville atmosphere beloved by fans. Silence is an immensely readable and enjoyable visit to Smallville, with some atmospheric side trips to Haiti. The entire cast is wonderfully rendered, with each having nice moments that make them feel true to character.

This one was fabulous, but definitely feels like it’s part of the second series, for older young adults. The story-line of teenager Rebecca trying to fit in but fearful of her new friends discovering her father was in prison is sweet and tender; it becomes more relevant to the main plot as we reach a thrilling conclusion which involves a fire at the author mansion, and Clark going to Haiti and witnessing some very creepy things before returning to a Smallville graveyard overrun by zombies. What’s in the fertilizer has a terrible effect on Clark of course, but Lana and Chloe are there to help. Pete has his own problems, and it’s one of the reasons for Clark’s trip to Haiti near the end.

Nancy Holder deftly ties up all the many tentacles and side stories in Silence — and there’s a lot — leaving the reader feeling like they’ve just watched a big two-part-episode of the show that for some reason never aired. No fan can ask for more than that from a novelization of a television franchise.

A big five-star recommendation for Silence, which should please any true Smallville fan. Up next for me is the much slimmer and no doubt lighter toned Sparks, a hard to find one I just picked up.… (more)

Mick's Rule #2:
People show their true faces when the chips are down."

A true horror movie story. I could picture it all going down just like it was a movie. Highly addictive, once you start, this book is nearly impossible to put down.

There is a pretty big cast of characters - all playing a scavenger hunt on a mission to win their own personalized high price rewards. But don't let the big cast scare you away - they are worked down soon enough to a manageable number and it will all leave you wondering - Who is the killer?

a wonderful game of who done it - I guessed it early but still loved the story!… (more)