Michael Potts's Blog: Bits and Pieces: Book Reviews and Articles on Writing, Horror Fiction, and Some Philosophy - Posts Tagged "barnabas-collins"

Some novels have a traditional plot structure, and others are character studies. Cormac McCarthy's "No Country for Old Men" is a well-known character study and a fine novel. "Hawkes Harbor" may not be as literary as McCarthy's novel, but it is a solid piece of work. Hinton was under legal restrictions and had to change the names, but his main character, Jamie, is clearly based on the character from "Dark Shadows," Willie Loomis. The novel gives his backstory concerning his sea voyages and carries on the story from where the TV series left off to cover "Jamie's" entire life, his dealings with "Granville" (Barnabas Collins), and the changes in character he undergoes throughout his life. It is an interesting story, and adventure story, a fictional biography, and a personal and spiritual journey tied into one work. This may not be the book for those into traditional plots, but for someone interested in seeing a person develop in interaction with others and for Dark Shadows fans, this is the perfect book.