Is now available, and being advertised and reviewed with considerable enthusiasm.
The problem is: Nothing about the title or the reviews will give you so much as a hint that it's a Dark Shadows book.
S.E. Hinton, author of acclaimed novels such as
The Outsiders and
Rumble Fish has written her first book in 15 years, entitled
Hawkes HarborNowhere on the book jacket, or in the blurbs, is any mention made of Dark Shadows. None of the names will have the slightest ring of the familiar. But if you're a Dark Shadows fan, and, in particular, a fan of the character of Willie Loomis, it won't take long for you to realise that S. E. Hinton has written the story of Willie's life.
Beginning with his early childhood traumas (the death of a parent, his placement in the Orphanage from Hell) and on to the tales of his years at sea with his friend Kell, Jamie Sommers lives the life of Willie Loomis, in detail not even the most devoted fan would have conjured up.
We learn about his years among pirates and thieves in the South China Sea, the rich and famous off the coast of France, and especially with his Irish gun-runner friend, Kellan. Or is his name really Jason Maguire?
But we know where this young man is headed, and what (make that
who) lies in wait for him.
At first, I thought I'd finally over-dosed on Dark Shadows. I've just been to my first Fest and I spend an awful lot of time on this forum.....
I kept thinking.."okay...now you're seeing Willie Loomis in a novel by one of the best known authors in America."
But after Jamie ends up in a Psych Ward.....and we learn about his encounter with a Vampire.....well, I knew who Jamie Sommers really was, and so will you.
It will amuse you to recognize characters in spite of their unfamiliar names. Believe me, you'll have very few doubts about the major figures. You'll also recognize incidents from the beginning of the original storyline that lead to the arrival of 'Grenville Hawkes', and the direction Jamie's life takes from there.
And if you read the novel carefully, you'll notice the only time a name from the series appears in print.....but if you're not looking for it, it might slip right past you, it's so short. Almost as if S. E. Hinton was playing a game with fans of the show, to see if anyone caught on to the joke.
Imagine my astonishment and delight, to have purchased the book on a whim....knowing almost nothing about it at all.....only to find the ultimate "fan fiction" retelling of the relationship of Willie Loomis and Barnabas Collins.
Which leaves me wondering.....why on earth didn't any of us know about this already?