TOM CORBETT: SPACE CADET - DANGER IN DEEP SPACE -- Carey Rockwell

Grossett & Dunlap -- hc
New York - ©1953 -- 209pp
Book 2 in the 1950's adventure series
Willy Ley, technical advisor
Louis Glanzman, illustrations

The new space cadets, Tom Corbett, Astro, and Roger Manning, are asked to go on a new adventure, but Roger abandons the team after being found guilty of allowing an accident to happen.

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It surprises me that my boys manage to enjoy these older adventure books, but they do!

What I find when I read these kinds of books is that they are big on exposition, which tends to slow the pace down. However, apparently my boys, ages 10 and 12, seem to have learned how to listen to this kind of exposition.

I read this book aloud to them, at bed time, a chapter a night. They remembered what happened the night before and would often ask for a second chapter each night.

There's just enough plot here to keep the interest. One member of the three-person cadet crew is unjustly accused of allowing an accident, and through the careful conniving of the two men who are actually responsible, the cadet joins forces with them, becoming an outlaw himself. This sets up a nice conflict and obstacle. Cadets and outlaws are racing to the same goal, arrive about the same time, and in typical fashion, square off.

There is some excitement in this adventure, enough to keep us reading, but I still find them generally boring. A little goes a long way, so while we likely WILL read the next book in the series, it will be awhile before we get to it.

MORALITY PLAY -- Barry Unsworth

Nan A. Talese -- hc
©1995 -- 206 pp
ISBN: 0385479530

A troupe of players puts on a new play, the story of a recent murder in a local town, in 14th century England.

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This book was recommended to me based on my interest in medieval theatre. I enjoy reading (and teaching) the old morality plays. I am not generally a fan of the mystery genre ... though I'm certainly not opposed to it, either.

I thought the book seemed well researched, though I also felt it spent too much time setting up the characters and era and style. I also didn't particularly care for the narrator. He seemed generally annoying, though I understand why his vacation was chosen -- it made it possible to do many things that otherwise wouldn't have been open to the people of the time.

Once the actual mystery got going, I was enthralled. A surprise or two for me along the way always makes for a better read than something that I anticipate early.