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Flesh and Blood is one of my favorites in The Hardy Boys Casefiles. Callie Shaw plays a pretty big supporting role in this one and we also have Liz Webling showing up (who, years later, would go on to also appear in The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories- kinda neat to have a Casefiles-original character become a crossover character back to the original series.)
And the thing I probably found most intriguing was both the threat on Fenton Hardy's life (though with The Hardys, threats on someone's life certainly aren't new- lol ;D)- but this whole bit about the person who is intent on killing Mr. Hardy may just turn out to be one of the Hardys' oldest and most trusted friends- wow, that was pretty shocking reading it for the first time.
I also recall that the book starts with The Hardy Boys helping in clean up efforts after a hurricane- always nice to see Frank and Joe involved in such humanitarian causes. If I remember correctly, this book was released somewhere in 1989 or 1990, I think- and I feel this was probably a response to Hurricane Hugo that hit America pretty badly (and other places too, I'm sure) in the fall of 1989 (I remember this happening when I was a kid.)
And it is always great to have exciting cover art that reflects a suspenseful moment in the book- Frank and Joe trying to free Callie and escape from a room before a bomb kills them all. This is definitely one of the most explosive (pun intended ;)) covers of all.
And it has an equally explosive story to go with it, as always tinged with just enough humor to keep things at a good steady pace. Overall, it's a great book and one of my favorites.
Well, one thing you can say about Flesh And Blood is that there is no way you'd see any similar covers on the more recent Hardy Boys books! But it is probably one of the best all-time covers!
Agreed.
I was just reading Chapter 1 last night and I had to laugh when Frank told Chet to use the CB instead of the cellular phone, because the cell tower had been destroyed. Even in1990 the boys had a cell phone, but they had to rely on old tech to get a message out.
Well, it does happen sometimes- that's why it is good to be familiar with different types of communication. As recently as this last year, when Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy hit, people in NY couldn't use their cell phones and many had to stand in line to use a pay phone (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203707604578091141769109974.html) to communicate with loved ones. There are times when it is good to have other and even older technology available. Of course, this is one reason why it's good to have a landline telephone at home as well, as they can still work even when the power is out.
Quote from: tomswift2002 on April 18, 2013, 06:48:46 AM
I was just reading Chapter 1 last night and I had to laugh when Frank told Chet to use the CB instead of the cellular phone, because the cell tower had been destroyed. Even in1990 the boys had a cell phone, but they had to rely on old tech to get a message out.
I liked the book, but what was a CB radio? ???
Quote from: MacGyver on April 18, 2013, 08:13:58 AM
Well, it does happen sometimes- that's why it is good to be familiar with different types of communication. As recently as this last year, when Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy hit, people in NY couldn't use their cell phones and many had to stand in line to use a pay phone (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203707604578091141769109974.html) to communicate with loved ones. There are times when it is good to have other and even older technology available. Of course, this is one reason why it's good to have a landline telephone at home as well, as they can still work even when the power is out.
Never had to used a payphone. If it wasn't for that article I would have never have known what it was. I freak out if my internet goes even for a second. :-[
Quote from: Katie on April 18, 2013, 08:44:05 PM
I liked the book, but what was a CB radio? ???
A Citizen's Band Radio, which is basically a short-distance communication device. :) Looks like this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CB_Base_Station.jpg). :D
Quote from: AlwaysAJoefan on April 18, 2013, 09:00:21 PM
A Citizen's Band Radio, which is basically a short-distance communication device. :) Looks like this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CB_Base_Station.jpg). :D
They had
that in their car, yikes! :o
What's "yikes" about that? A CB radio was cutting edge technology at one time, after all. :)
But if you're not used to it, I guess I can understand how that looks like a lot to deal with when it seems much easier to have a smart cellphone handy instead today.
But even today, there are still CB radio enthusiasts who enjoy using it. There are a number of people who enjoy using what's now considered retro technology just for fun.
QuoteNever had to used a payphone. If it wasn't for that article I would have never have known what it was. I freak out if my internet goes even for a second.
You've never used a payphone? Wow. Well, there aren't as many around nowadays but there are still some here and there- usually at gas stations and perhaps laundromats, etc. But you've never heard of a payphone before seeing that article? ........
Well, being familiar with some older technology should make us all all the more thankful for newer technology that is generally more efficient and perhaps easier to use as well. (Though some folks would argue they'd prefer something simpler rather than the more complicated newer technology items.)
And for the record, I have used a payphone at various times- but particularly most recently about a year or so ago, I was using a payphone for a while because my cell phone had broken and I had to wait until I had the money to replace it (and I had earlier disconnected my landline phone only because it was a cost-saving measure.)
So yeah- there is still a use for them.
Quote from: MacGyver on April 19, 2013, 08:36:17 AM
What's "yikes" about that? A CB radio was cutting edge technology at one time, after all. :)
But if you're not used to it, I guess I can understand how that looks like a lot to deal with when it seems much easier to have a smart cellphone handy instead today.
But even today, there are still CB radio enthusiasts who enjoy using it. There are a number of people who enjoy using what's now considered retro technology just for fun.
You've never used a payphone? Wow. Well, there aren't as many around nowadays but there are still some here and there- usually at gas stations and perhaps laundromats, etc. But you've never heard of a payphone before seeing that article? ........
Well, being familiar with some older technology should make us all all the more thankful for newer technology that is generally more efficient and perhaps easier to use as well. (Though some folks would argue they'd prefer something simpler rather than the more complicated newer technology items.)
And for the record, I have used a payphone at various times- but particularly most recently about a year or so ago, I was using a payphone for a while because my cell phone had broken and I had to wait until I had the money to replace it (and I had earlier disconnected my landline phone only because it was a cost-saving measure.)
So yeah- there is still a use for them.
Never heard of it. Don't see them where I live. :-\
The Hardy's used CB radio's quite a bit in the original series continuity (not to mention, if you watch the first episode of the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries you can see the boys, Fenton Hardy and Aunt Gertrude using a CB), plus the story "The Short-Wave Mystery" is all about stolen CB radio parts. Airplanes and boats still use the CB today because of fears over cell phones fouling up instrumentation, and when you are in the middle of the ocean, there is no cellphone reception.
But with older technology, yeah, lot of people still have it or have pieces of it. With my business, I'm still surprised at how many people want BETAMAX transferred to DVD.
Quote
Never heard of it. Don't see them where I live.
Here is a picture of a typical payphone booth.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Working_pay_phone,_Jensen_Beach,_Florida,_September_4,_2012_001.JPG) (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Working_pay_phone,_Jensen_Beach,_Florida,_September_4,_2012_001.JPG)
QuoteBut with older technology, yeah, lot of people still have it or have pieces of it. With my business, I'm still surprised at how many people want BETAMAX transferred to DVD.
Some people are enthusiasts and some are just older and still have some of the technology they used to record family memories at the time when that medium was popular- probably in the late '70s and early '80s. But yeah- a lot of the old technology has come back and is now like, retro cool. For instance, despite rumors to the contrary, VHS isn't dead.
http://twitchfilm.com/2011/07/things...ture-corp.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/mo...tape.html?_r=0
http://www.vhscollector.com/
http://www.lunchmeatvhs.com/
And of course, vinyl records- LPs, 45s, 33 1/3s, etc. have definitely made a comeback too- in fact, tomorrow is National Record Store Day (nationalrecordstoreday.com) :) 8)
Quote from: MacGyver on April 19, 2013, 02:57:28 PM
Here is a picture of a typical payphone booth.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Working_pay_phone,_Jensen_Beach,_Florida,_September_4,_2012_001.JPG) (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Working_pay_phone,_Jensen_Beach,_Florida,_September_4,_2012_001.JPG)
Clark Kent sure can't change in that booth!
Quote from: tomswift2002 on April 19, 2013, 02:50:15 PM
The Hardy's used CB radio's quite a bit in the original series continuity (not to mention, if you watch the first episode of the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries you can see the boys, Fenton Hardy and Aunt Gertrude using a CB), plus the story "The Short-Wave Mystery" is all about stolen CB radio parts. Airplanes and boats still use the CB today because of fears over cell phones fouling up instrumentation, and when you are in the middle of the ocean, there is no cellphone reception.
But with older technology, yeah, lot of people still have it or have pieces of it. With my business, I'm still surprised at how many people want BETAMAX transferred to DVD.
There's not? I thought there was. TV shows do it all the time.
Quote from: MacGyver on April 19, 2013, 03:14:01 PM
Some people are enthusiasts and some are just older and still have some of the technology they used to record family memories at the time when that medium was popular- probably in the late '70s and early '80s. But yeah- a lot of the old technology has come back and is now like, retro cool. For instance, despite rumors to the contrary, VHS isn't dead.
http://twitchfilm.com/2011/07/things...ture-corp.html (http://twitchfilm.com/2011/07/things...ture-corp.html)
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/mo...tape.html?_r=0 (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/mo...tape.html?_r=0)
http://www.vhscollector.com/ (http://www.vhscollector.com/)
http://www.lunchmeatvhs.com/ (http://www.lunchmeatvhs.com/)
And of course, vinyl records- LPs, 45s, 33 1/3s, etc. have definitely made a comeback too- in fact, tomorrow is National Record Store Day (nationalrecordstoreday.com) :) 8)
People still use those? Interesting... :-\
Quote from: Katie on April 20, 2013, 10:23:16 AM
There's not? I thought there was.
I don't quite get what you mean.
Quote from: tomswift2002 on April 20, 2013, 01:37:01 PM
I don't quite get what you mean.
They're always on their mobiles in the middle of the ocean on
Hawaii Five-0.
QuoteClark Kent sure can't change in that booth!
Lol- nice! Superman still finds a way. But yeah- the glory days of the actual payphone booth are long gone, sadly.
As I'm sure you probably know,
Superman: The Movie made a joke about this when Clark Kent was looking for a place to change (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN7OBEd5hRM) into his Superman uniform.
(http://www.supermanhomepage.com/images/phonebooth/sunday-strip.jpg) (http://www.supermanhomepage.com/images/phonebooth/sunday-strip.jpg)
Quote from: Katie on April 20, 2013, 04:03:13 PM
They're always on their mobiles in the middle of the ocean on Hawaii Five-0.
I haven't seen an episode of Hawaii Five-O in about a decade, but from what I remember they used CB's in that series whenever they were on the water.
Quote from: tomswift2002 on April 21, 2013, 06:30:32 AM
I haven't seen an episode of Hawaii Five-O in about a decade, but from what I remember they used CB's in that series whenever they were on the water.
The new Hawaii Five 0, I mean. But yeah, I guess when you didn't know any different it was fine.
I was just reading chapters six and seven, and while in some parts the book is still upto to technological standards of today (scanning photo.s into computers and sending them over the Internet via a phone or cable modem) other parts are clearly remnants of 1990, and 23 years later (for the most part, since some people who live in the country still have dial-up)you have to laugh. On page 68 the Callie's dad mentions how Callie went to WBAY, the TV station in Bayport, and she had tried to call the Hardy home, but got a busy signal, and Frank assumes that she was trying when the modem was receiving the email with the picture, and the line was busy because of it. (In my area, some of the people who live in the country still have dial-up and I think sometimes when you try to call them and they're line is busy, it is not because they are talking on the phone, but they are checking their email---but I remember back around 1999/2000 a lot of people still had dial-up and you'd try calling them and they wouldn't answer, but later you'd find out that one of the kids has been on the Internet doing research for a school project and had tied up the line-----this was years before Internet by cable).
Even before the popularity of the Internet at home, you still had a similar issue with telephones when on the party line system.
I just read the part at work today where Chet bring's Callie's camera to them and Frank just pops the tape into the VCR (I don't think WBAY would be shooting on VHS, or even allow a co-op student shoot on VHS, as that's not broadcast quality; WBAY probably had a VHS VCR around so that they could review people's resume reels, or sample tapes of shows that they might want to air, but I don't think you'd find a VHS Camera on the property). Obviously the author had very limited knowledge of what videotapes formats are used professionally, so either the Hardy's have a ton of professional video equipment sitting in their living room, or WBAY and Callie just happened to use one of four formats that both broadcast and consumer's used in the past: Hi8 (there were VCR's released for this format, but they were scarce), S-VHS (uses same tape as VHS, and after 2001 all VHS VCR's made could playback S-VHS at VHS quality, but prior to 2001 there were a couple of VHS VCR's released, but if you wanted to play S-VHS you really needed a S-VHS player, and S-VHS players were all backwards compatible), U-Matic 3/4 (released in early 70's to both consumer and broadcast/pro markets, but it was quickly discontinued on the consumer level), Extended Definition (ED) Betamax (released in very late 80's to consumer market, but many broadcast and professionals bought these up as they provided quality that was equal to Betacam SP, one professional variant of the BETA format that cost more---Sony shot themselves in the foot twice with ED Beta, as consumers found the $3,000 USD price tag too expensive, but on the Pro level, that was cheap, compared to a Betacam SP VCR that would cost anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000 depending on the deck. Sony quickly discontinued ED Beta by 1990.)
Well, while good research is always encouraged for any book being written, there are some times where you just have to overlook some technical inaccuracies in order to enjoy the overall story.
Well, while we're speaking on Flesh and Blood, I just ran across a random interesting trivia fact. Parker Stevenson (Frank Hardy on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries) played a role in an episode of a 1991 TV series (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1150597/) called Flesh 'n' Blood- of course, I'm sure it had nothing to do with the book, but still a fun and random bit of trivia. :) 8)
I also just discovered that there was also a 1985 movie called Flesh+Blood that Anne Lockhart appeared in. (And she of course played two different roles on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries- Sarah Masters in "The Mystery of the African Safari" and Jess in "The Last Kiss of Summer" (Parts 1 and 2).)
And her mother, June Lockhart, made an appearance in the "Dangerous Waters" episode as Mrs. Migley, as well.
In the book you can tell by 1990's standards Fenton Hady's Detctive business is still doing well, considering that the Hardy's have a 52" Stereo TV in their living room!