Anyone who's seen Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein knows it trampled a bit on tradition by letting Dracula's reflection show in a mirror and allowing vampire and werewolf to die by drowning. If Universal hadn't been so cheap not to continue the series with both of the groups that took them out of receiver's shift, the Universal Monsters and A&C, Wolfie, Drac and Frankie would have picked right back up in 1949. But alas, they all ended as soon as WWII did. But thanks to longtime Universal Monsters afficianado Jeff Rovin, the story picks up in La Mirada, Florida in June of 1998.

The story begins with a prologue where the Wolf Man's human counterpart Lawrence Talbot, meets back up with Joan Raymond, the insurance investigator from the previous film. Together, they defeat Dracula and the Monster again, and it picks up fifty years later with Miss Raymond's passing and revelations that she was a horror novelist prior to her death. Her great-niece Dr. Caroline Cooke, accidentally uncovers Larry and the others and befriends Talbot. Unlike all the other scientists in the pictures, she tries to help him against his rivals and promises once and for all she will rid him of his curse and help him enjoy the rest of his natural life. It's also kind of humorous the passages Rovin puts about Chick Young and Wilbur Grey (A&C's characters) coming back and telling stories of monsters and Talbot's amazement learning about answering machines, microwave ovens, cell-phones, mini-skirts and boom boxes that play rap music.

The author, Jeff Rovin, like my twenty-year old self, is a true Universal Monsters fan, and I felt like I was watching an old Universal with Karloff, Lugosi and Chaney the whole time I read this. Now, how about a movie Universal?

I love the Universal Monsters, and it's obvious from "Return of the Wolf Man" that Jeff Rovin does too. Almost every page contains a veiled reference or in-joke, and yet the whole tells a compelling story, one which treats the characters with respect, rather than reducing them to charicatures (as the follow-on books by David Jacobs have done). Rovin is a skilled storyteller, and his passion for the classic movies shines out of every page. I continually found myself laughing in delight at finding a new movie reference or joke, and found my imagination fired by Rovin's pacing, drama and deft prose. The story is very self-contained, so even though this is part of a series, there is no need to buy the sequels (and believe me, you don't want to). If you love the old movies, do yourself a tremendous favour and buy this book. You won't regret it for an instant.

I have always been a huge Universal classic horror fan. ...Picking up where we last saw the Wolf Man, Dracula, and the Frankenstein Monster, Rovin continues the legendary saga and carries it into present day Florida. The Wolf Man and the Monster are revived by accident when the heir to Mornay Castle attempts to discover what is in the sealed off basement. Dracula, who has been in hiding for 50 years, learns of this, and is determined to give the Monster a pliable brain he can control, as well as eliminate his nemesis :the Wolf Man. The result is an amazing adventure filled with thrills and chills. Rovin's writing is superb, and his characterizations of his monster characters are exactly what monster fans will expect. The most intriguing scenes are between Dracula and Talbot/the Wolf Man. The book is also wrought with inside jokes, and some character names are taken from the movies. There is also an amusing parody of Lugosi's immortal Dracula line," I never drink - wine." Talbot says " I never eat - chicken." I have read this book three times already, and it never gets tiring. If you love the classic monster films of Universal or are simply interested, buy this book. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Nicholas Van Orton is millionare that lives in a very rich mansion that has been passed down through the generations, he has everything a bisuness man could want but one thing he doesent have is enrollment in a mysterious recreational company called Consumer Recreation Sirvices. A few weeks after a series of tests at CRS headquarters, Nicholas is called and told that that his test was turned down. When he is not sure wether his game has started or will start, everyone around him wont stop talking about there game,( the is the period of time that they stalk him) When he finds out that these CRS Lunatics mean bissuness, he not only wants to stop them he wants to beat them, at thier own little game.

I found it better than the movie

I found this book to be just as thrilling and exciting as the movie. The way the author writes, in short little chapters, with cliffhangers at the end of each one, keeps the reader interested and on their feet until the very end. A great for anyone who likes thrillers.

The only thing I had trouble with this book was SMB #1 World 8-4 in which pipe to take. Plus, It could have had SMW and SMB2 The Lost Levels for the SMB All Stars Release. Otherwise than than, it's been very helpful.

Without this book, My friends would never have called me the 'Super Mario Champ'. The book tells everything, on the first three games, (I only it told you how to beat SMB2LL)

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This book is full of information of Jackie's life as a kid and adult. It has twenty-or-so black and white pictures. This book has lots of information on most of his movies. It includes all of bad things that have happened, bones that he has broken and other ways he has hurt himself over the years. I am a big Jackie Chan fan and found this book very interesting and imformitive.

Its not Faulkner or Shakespeare, but its a great little book about Jackie Chan. If you are a Jackie fan you will never get bored with this book. Its got great information, reviews, profiles, and pictures. If you love Jackie get this book.

It's a weird mix of material. It's not meant to be a comprehensive encyclopedia of myth, fantasy, folklore, comic books, and the like, but rather it provides interesting examples of each and is HIGHLY readable. I read and re-read this material, then years later each of my kids discovered it and found themselves drawn into it. Rovin really grabs you.

I bought a copy of this fantastic book through Amazon's zShops. I remember borrowing this from the school library until it was stolen. that was about 5 years back. nowadays THE FANTASY ALMANAC seems a bit dated, but it's a good resource on some obscure topics. I'd give it a 4 1/2 if I could.

1001 Jokes are alot to look at. None the less on a quiet evening one can find a slight majority of them fairly amusing. Its a little intimidating to read all in sequence. None the less, the book is organized by subject matter so the reader can easily glance thru the sections of his or her choice. The varying lengths of each joke help the overall presentation.

Slasher films aren't generally regarded for their sense of logic. APRIL FOOL'S DAY takes the typical ... teens, bizarre killings, and oddly-costumed killer of the genre and adds some decent characterization and a plot filled with more twists than a corkscrew.

The story focusses on a group of friends invited to an island mansion for the weekend. It's not long before an unseen killer starts picking them off one by one. Is it real, or just another prank on April Fool's day? Read the book and find out - provided you can find a copy.

Jeff Rovin's wonderful prose digs into the characters' heads and slowly builds tension before a hair-raising climax that's only the beginning of the end. Several more chapters follow, adding a new twist to the story.

Is the film good? Can't say. I haven't seen it. But the book reads like the teen thrillers of Cristopher Pike or R.L. Stine. So, if your a fan of thrillers, chillers, or just plain blood spillers, I'd definitely recommend a read.

The story may not be all that original: giant bats try to take over New York city and the only two people that can stop them are both disfunctional characters. So, it won't win an major awards for it's plot, but if you are a fan of Hitchcock's "Birds", Disney's "Arachnapobia" and "Mimic", then this is a book for you. And no wonder that it has already been picked up by Touchstone (again, Disney).

The author takes you on a rollercoaster ride of thrills and violence while providing an education on the modern bat and NY's history. The main character's aren't all that interesting themselves, but the fast-pace and action make up for it. Like Crichton and Preston, Jeff Rovin uses his knowledge of science and history to win his readers over by making his plot more realistic and believable. This paperback is worth it, especially if you need a quick summertime read.

I collect vampire fiction. I'll tell anyone who listens that I'll buy anything in a bookshop if it has a bat on the front cover, or looks like it vaguely resembles a vampire book..

And this is one of them!

I'll often pick up four or five books at a time and many of them will sit in my bookcase un-read until I actually have the time and the inclination to read them.

Or, I'll start reading every one of them simultaneously, which is bad. I'll read one on the train on the way to work, another during my lunch hour, and another at night before bed..... Yes you're right, they do all tend to blend into one big book!

Bad habits aside, out came Vespers from my book case. I knew it would either be totally non-vampire related or an attempt to put vampires or vampirism into a modern day context (which is an achievement, so far, only Mick Farren has done sucessfully).

It's probably a good thing that this book was neither. In fact, it's not a vampire book at all, it's a real good fun sci-fi about giant killer bats invading New York!

Set in modern day New York, an investigation is commenced into various 'bat' attacks throughout the city. These are treated as pretty much routine (and amusing - ever sniffed Guano?) until whole bodies begin vanishing. A Bat expert is enrolled from the local Bronx Zoo to examine their behaviours and whether something more sinister is behind the disappearances.

The action hots up. It turns out that a Doctor returning from a Nuclear disaster in Russia accidentally brought back with him a contaminated bat. It disappeared into the wild and was found dead but it seems the bat gave birth before it died from it's poisoning.

Resulting in a giant, bull sized bat being alive and well in NYC and picking off whole deer, sheep and people for lunch. It commands the local bats, 'the vespers' who in effect protect it by attacking anything that comes within reach or threat of the giant.

It has plans, another giant is on the horizon. Tens if not hundreds of thousands of bats swarm over the Hudson River to welcome the "Queen" - even a Helicopter is attacked.....

An all out battle ensues and- nah, 'shan't tell you the ending. Wouldn't that just spoil it!!

A good, easy, entertaining read!!

Back to my vampires....

If you want a book that's well-researched, has good characterization, and has a great hook-line...Giant bats and their buddies taking over New York... then, by all means, pick up a copy of "Vespers"! I'd give it 4 and 1/2 stars, but Amazon.com does not permit that kind of rating.

This was the first book that I've read by Jeff Rovin, but it won't be my last. He's a very good story-teller who's done his homework. "Vespers" contains great action, a descriptive tour of New York and a lot of information about bats that I'm sure most people never knew before. The story nevers bogs down because Rovin skillfully weaves a number of little sub-plots throughout the book.

Not one to give away much of the plot, let me just say that the story is set in present-day and contains more than a few unnerving scenes of violence. Giant bats have begun to breed and multiply after an accident involving radiation affects the growth pattern of one of the bats. A gutsy "batologist" and a brave detective are all that stand between New York and annihilation.

This is a very quick read and is great escapism. I heartedly recommend it to those who grew up when the great old "B" movies of the 50's and 60's told of man's encounters with radioactive ants ("Them"), 8-foot tall "carrot-men" from another world ("The Thing") and giant Japanese monsters (Godzilla).

I remember watching Batman when it originally came on TV in the late 60's. I loved everything about it: the fight scenes, the gadgets, the Bat Cave, the little 'pearls of wisdom' scattered throughout the shows. In particular, I was a big fan of Batman. When I read this book, it was a pleasant surprise to see that the actor who played Batman seemed to have a personality similar to the character he played. I enjoyed reading about Adam West's life before the show, the many exciting, stressful, fun, and memorable things that happened during the show, and Adam's life after the show ended. The only thing that disappointed me was how quickly the last chapter ended. It would down rather quickly, without going in to a lot of details about the past few years. However, I reckon that is ok, because the book is titled 'Back to the Batcave'. Also, a few more photos would have been nice.

Bottom line: I really enjoyed this book. It is a must for any fan of the original Batman TV show.

Those of us who were kids growing up during the first Batman "craze" in 1966 are happy that Adam West has decided to take his cowl off and speak. West's loyalty and devotion to the character despite justified reservations about how it might have typecast him and limited opportunities elsewhere is heartening as is his affirmation that he would do it all over again if given the choice. Though West knew that he was doing comedy (it is a revelation that Neil Hamilton, who played Commissioner Gordon on the show, never realized this), he actually appears to have taken his character TOO seriously. His discussions of the TV character and of the TV episodes, particularly as these relate to the Batman comic strips are very thoughtful and analytical. I especially loved his treatment of the issue of "camp". Typical of much of what comes from Hollywood, the book also suffers from a surfeit of political correctness. "Conservatives" were obsessed with the possibility that Batman and Robin were gay? While West rightly recognizes that the show had lost its energy in its third and last season, his vocabulary won't allow him to discover why. He says only that he didn't mind sharing the spotlight with Yvonne Craig's Batgirl, but the lack of an additional superhero was not why the show was losing its steam... I also would have liked to learn more about the supporting cast, but the book is short on insight there too, though Hamilton's unshakable belief that he was doing serious drama is amusing. His character HAD to be played on the level in order for the humor to work, and his notion that he was doing serious drama is no doubt why he did it so well. West explains that he was too busy to socialize to know the other participants very well. There's only one well-known person that West "slams" in the book, and I will leave it to the reader to find out who that was. There are also some good "on the set" war stories and some fascinating descriptions on the devotion that went into making the show, including the special effects and the world-famous Batcave. The subject matter and West's devotion to it prevail to make this an overall worthwhile book, especially to those of us who witnessed the Creation from TV land.

If your a fan of the Batman TV show as I am you will enjoy this book by the only Batman that matters, Adam West. I have waited 20 years for this book and really enjoyed reading all about the show, from casting to cancellation. West talks about his life, co-stars, costumes, and the extraordinary bat-vehicles. As nice as this book is it does have a disappointing aspect, there are only B/W photos and they are used more than once. This book however, is a must for ALL bat fans. Also, check out the release of the 1966 movie on video. It's the best bat-film by far!!!

I am a 12 years old reader who before this book has never read anything more than 180 pages but I semmed not to be able to put this book down. I highly recomend this book although it slows down a bit during the middle. Anyway it is about a senator gets poisoned and the only person who was investigating the case is thought to commits suicide then a group of millitary elite decides to investigate. I highly recomend this book.

Hot didy'de dog!!! Smok'n!!! Holy molly!! Peoples, peoples, PEOPLES!!! You have got to read this book. I can't bare to put this book down. Jeff, you are the best writter I've ever seen. This book has everything, from Beretas, Automatic Machine guns, knives to SFU's (Stealth Field Uniforms). I love new technology, so this is why I love this book. It has Conspiracy's, Assassinations, Poisoning, Killing, you name it, this book has it!!! Now if you like action then this is the book for you. Please people, you have got to read this book. If anyone diss's this book, they are going to DIE!!! But it ain't going to be quick, like what happen to Senator Hoxworth. It's going to be slow and painful. So if I were you, I wouldn't diss this book. GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really enjoyed this book, i have not oe tihng against itexcept it was too short, but i feel that way abotu all books, hell, iread R6 all the way throug and i was still elft i nthe open! but if you want a shorter book, not so explicit and a little less profanity than Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6 (which is an outstandingly delicious book) than get this!

I mean this is totally realistic, yeah, ppl becoming invisible is kinda off the wall, be hell, this is the United States, we've got to have lots of Tech that the bland one sided tax payer doesn't know!

and i really enjoyed the conspiracy, some of the concepts ofg the Huntsmen i couldn't understnad liek killinfg JFKm, cause i liek JFK, but really, this was a great book...

If you're really interested in Counter-Terrorism like books with new age tech and a twist of Conspiracy, this has got ot be the book! END