Alias Hook (Snowbooks Fantasy Originals)

by Lisa Jensen

Ralph Lister (Narrator)

""Every child knows how the story ends. The wicked pirate captain is flung overboard, caught in the jaws of the monster crocodile who drags him down to a watery grave. But it was not yet my time to die. It's my fate to be trapped here forever, in a nightmare of childhood fancy, with that infernal, eternal boy." Meet Captain James Benjamin Hook, a witty, educated Restoration-era privateer cursed to play villain to a pack of malicious little boys in a pointless war that never ends. But everything changes when Stella Parrish, a forbidden grown woman, dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan's rules. From the glamour of the Fairy Revels, to the secret ceremonies of the First Tribes, to the mysterious underwater temple beneath the Mermaid Lagoon, the magical forces of the Neverland open up for Stella as they never have for Hook. And in the pirate captain himself, she begins to see someone far more complex than the storybook villain. With Stella's knowledge of folk and fairy tales, she might be Hook's last chance for redemption and release if they can break his curse before Pan and his warrior boys hunt her down and drag Hook back to their neverending game, in this beautifully and romantically written adult fairy tale perfect for fans of Gregory Maguire and Paula Brackston"--

• ISBN10: 1483025608
• ISBN13: 9781483025605
• Publish Date: 8 July 2014 (first published 1 May 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Blackstone Audiobooks
• Format: Audiobook (CD)
• Duration: 13 hours and 30 minutes
• Language: English

Reviews

[inlibrisveritas]

Alias Hook took my by surprise. I love Peter Pan, but I’ve never had much of a desire to get to know Hook better because he seemed fairly cut and dry. Crazy pirate who battles a kid, kidnaps Wendy, and fears a ticking Crocodile. However my curiosity piqued when I decided to try out my library digital library and found the audio book, Kimba’s review over at the Caffeinated Reader sprung to mind and I downloaded it. I couldn’t be happier I took the chance because this is now on my favorites shelf.

Alias Hook takes us in Neverland and shows us a side of it as we’ve never seen before. The land of eternal childhood and whimsy is far from being the innocent place we dream it to be, and the reality of the place is rather haunting. I don’t want to say too much because some of it is better if you go into it blind, part of the fun is in the revelations. We get to see Captain James Hook in a new light. We know his past and how he came to be in Neverland, and why he stays. I loved all of the background story and seeing how Hook changes as a person the longer he stays in Neverland. We are even treated to a nice touch of romance that really tugged at my heartstrings and made the story even even better.

I adore James and his new companion Stella. James is well spoken and well mannered, but retains the ability to charm and manipulate his way out of trouble. He’s quick witted and a bit tortured. Combined him with Stella’s sharp tongue and brilliant mind, and you have two main characters worth falling in love with. I simply couldn’t get enough of James, and was sad when the book finally came to a satisfying end.

Ralph Lister is an excellent narrator and really brought James and the other characters to life. I loved the voices he chose for James and Peter, and combined with the excellent writing it made for a really absorbing listen.

If you enjoy Peter Pan and retellings then this one is worth checking out. The summary says that it’s great for fans of Gregory Maguire and I wholehearted agree. It has a similar feel to books like Wicked and Mirror, Mirror…though the writing is much easy to get lost in.

[ellieroth]

También en: El Extraño Gato del Cuento

¿Se acuerdan de mi amigo no tan querido Peter Pan? Una historia que como libro no me convenció tanto pero como personaje hubo uno que resaltó de todos, mi querido Capitán Hook. Ok, quizá en los últimos años se volvió deseado gracias a Colin O'Donoghue en una de mis series favoritas Once Upon a Time.

En el libro original y los entendidos de éste, ponen al Capitán Garfio como todo lo que un niño teme: la responsabilidad, crecer, envejecer. No sé tú, pero yo siempre me pregunté cómo es que nuestro Capitán llega a Nuncajamás o el porqué de ese lugar. O cómo es que casi nadie ve la crueldad del mocoso volador. Alias Hook, como habrás podido adivinar por el nombre, se centra en el capitán, este hombre supuestamente cruel y malvado que lo único que quiere es acabar con la alegría y diversión de Peter Pan. Pero ¿por qué? ¿Por qué tanto odio? ¿Alguna vez lo has pensado?

Voy a ser sincera, Alias Hook es un libro que se está haciendo difícil de reseñar, me gustó mucho la manera en la que la escritora Lisa Jensen junta la historia del libro original y este, es muy interesante. O como es que podemos ver la inocencia de Peter como en realidad es, cruel y sanguinaria. Lo que me hizo recordar a otro libro, The Detainee, libro dónde también la extrema inocencia llega ser sanguinaria y cruel.

Sé que no me estoy explicando mucho, este es uno de esos libros que para mí son interesantes de leer pero difíciles de reseñar pero aun así no quería dejar en el olvido Alias Hook, si no quedaron muy contentos con como terminar el Capitán en Peter Pan o quieran saber más sobre él, Alias Hook les dará muchísimo más de lo que buscan.

Y ya que al inicio te hable de mi obsesión...



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[kimbacaffeinate]

Five reasons to grab your ear-buds and listen to Alias Hook

1. The writing is simply wonderful from the way that it flowed to the vivid details of Neverland. This is meant for adults and the language can get colorful, but it also offered a unique perspective casting Hook and his crew in a whole new light.

2. Captain James Benjamin Hook. Ralph Lister did an excellent job of giving him voice and Jenson truly fleshed him out making me see this pirate in an entirely new light. Gone are the images from movies and the Disney animation. Jensen gave us his back story and I found all of the details delightful. We sees his flaws, frustrations and yes his fear of the croc.

3. Stella Parrish is a grown woman who makes her way to Neverland and forever changes James. I adored this snarky, clever woman. She says what she thinks, and it was often hilarious. Her reasons for dreaming her way to Neverland were interesting, and her role in the tale was well dome.

4. It is Neverland! There are battles with the Lost Boys, secrets, fairies and of course Peter Pan. Jensen brought the ship and island to life in vivid 3-D.

5. Alias Hook while based on Peter Pan completely stands on its own and offers a new twist on Neverland.. Lessons were learned, a romance developed, and both Jenson and Lister weaved their magic making me lose myself in the story.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Cocktails and Books]

3.5 Stars

Peter Pan and the Lost Boys weren't all about fun and games...at least not when it came to Captain Hook and his crew. Instead we find a very tortured Captain Hook beaten down by the things that Pan has done. The author creates a James Hook that you can't help but empathize with. He's basically been kidnapped and beaten down by a band of savages who live with no rules and force James to play their twisted game. But when librarian Stella finds her way into Neverland and to James, he begins to find a reason to fight back like he never has before.

I really enjoyed this very unique perspective of Captain Hook. Lisa Jensen took a favorite fairy tale and put a very adult spin on what it was like for James Hook in Neverland. You can't help but like James. He never had a easy life and you wanted him happy and to find a way to win. Never, in all my years, would I have ever imagined I would want Captain Hook to defeat Peter Pan. But as you read this fractured fairy tale, you can't help but root for the underdog captain.

A great summer read. If you're looking for something slightly different, definitely think about giving this one a try.

[Rinn]

I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Also posted on my blog, Rinn Reads.

Forget what you know about Neverland, and what you know about the story of Peter Pan.

Opening with a scene of carnage, akin to nothing like we know from J.M. Barrie’s tale, Alias Hook takes the traditional story of Peter Pan and turns it on its head. It’s not a retelling as such, but an extension of the original from a different point of view. For starters, it’s set about forty years after Wendy, John and Michael have left Neverland. It’s also told from the point of view of the infamous Captain Hook.

From the very beginning Hook feels like a real person, albeit a rather unfortunate one, whose mistakes have led him to where he is now. He’s nothing like the nasty pirate captain we know, but instead he is resigned to this eternal life that never moves forward. A well-rounded and deep character, we learn more of his history as the book goes on, thanks to chapters set in London, Bristol and Jamaica – these also serve to remind us that perhaps Hook, or James as he should really be known, is not the villain here.

In fact, the most villainous character was Peter himself. Constantly taunting Hook, commanding his boys to kill Hook’s men whilst he himself watches and laughs, killing Hook again and again with glee, Peter is a malicious and spiteful little brat that you feel absolutely no sympathy for. He is a coward (a codfish!), attacking and taunting when and where he knows Hook is weakest. Lisa Jensen has brilliantly reversed the roles, and as a reader you really begin to feel for Hook, whilst hating Peter – who is quite frankly a little bit creepy.

Everything changes in Hook’s life when a grown woman suddenly appears in Neverland. Stella has no idea how she got there, or why she is there, but her very presence changes Hook’s outlook. Their relationship had its odd moments, but there was a scene where they were discussing swearing – ‘God’s wounds’ and the like being very offensive in Hook’s day, Stella explains modern (or rather 1950s) swearing whilst claiming that it’s no longer inventive – that I really enjoyed. I have to say that was one of my favourite scenes, with its contrast between the two time periods, and these two people from such different eras bonding over something like cuss words!

As you’ve probably guessed by now, this is definitely an adult retelling – Hook wonders through the forest and finds fairies having orgies, indulging in drugs and generally doing the sort of things you might see in town on a typical Friday night… But this sudden shift of the traditional tale from children to adults allows for so much more; it opens up a chance for a real exploration of the darker elements of Neverland, a land built from the imagination of children, yet very adult in appearance.

Although the story is quite slow-paced, with a lot of reminiscing, and not particularly hugely eventful, it really drew me in with its solid character building and play on a well-loved story. It was a really interesting perspective, filled with all the familiar denizens of Neverland. Unfortunately the conclusion, whilst satisfying, wasn’t quite what I wanted – but not all fairytales have that perfect, happy ending.

[jnikkir]

This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved...

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For some time now, I've been on the lookout for retellings of any sort. I love them to death and cannot seem to resist them. Retellings of classics, retellings of fairy tales -- you name it, I want to read it. One retelling that I've been dying for is a good retelling of Peter Pan. I want a fresh take on Neverland, something that surprises me and gives me some darkness, but that also maybe retains some of the sparkle of the original. These are big shoes to fill, but hey. I can dream.

Now, Alias Hook is not technically a retelling of Peter Pan. It's more like a continuation of the original fairy tale, an expansion, a reimagining of what Neverland is all about.

Alias Hook is told from Hook's (James Hookbridge's) perspective, and paints a very different picture from the Hook we all know. Hook has been trapped in Neverland for 200 years, fighting the same unwinnable fight over and over. Hook's curse is that, somehow, he can't be killed. But his crews die off and are replaced with new ones (previous Lost Boys who dream themselves back after they grow up), time and time again.

Hook's "present-day" narration is interspersed with flashbacks to his past, when we learn that he grew up a gentleman, fond of music and building toy ships. He becomes a privateer, but after a series of unfortunate events (what, I don't want to give any details away!), he takes to piracy, and eventually finds himself in Neverland -- where he's faced with failure after failure, fight after fight, and let's just say time hasn't been very kind to him.

Is it any wonder I so often tried to kill him? Would not his death break the enchantment of this awful place and release us both? But I can never best him. He flies. He has youth and innocence on his side, and the heartlessness that comes with them. I have only heartlessness, and it is never, ever enough.

I really liked the first 30-40% of the book, where we learn about Hook's past, and see his "descent" into piracy before coming to Neverland. He's very aptly painted as a sympathetic villain, and I definitely have a soft spot for those types of characters. I was never bored, and found all the backstory really interesting and believable, for the most part. It's darker, and not YA-type material, and I enjoyed it as a change of pace from my "norm" of YA retellings.

Even though Hook is the main character and protagonist of Alias Hook, Peter Pan - oftentimes portrayed as Hook's "opposite" - isn't made to feel like a complete villain himself, which I found surprising and interesting. Yes, Pan is Hook's nemesis and he's definitely not the shining innocent hero of the fairy tales, but there's some depth and complexity and "grey areas" explored which I appreciated (and actually would've liked to see more of).

My issues, however, started when Stella Parrish, a governess from 1950's London, arrives in Neverland. I was all for a bit of romance for Hook, and was really looking forward to seeing how Stella could change him, and how they would figure out a way to escape Neverland together. Stella shows up about 20% into to the book, and from there until about 60%, I quite liked her and Hook's interactions. Stella wasn't the most interesting character ever; I didn't dislike her, really, but she did come across as a bit flat. And by 60%, I hadn't felt any chemistry between her and Hook - maybe it was a slow burn, would I would've been totally on board with. ...But nope, that wasn't it.

At that point, they jumped straight from "allies" to "in love", and from there on out, I just couldn't understand why. They became that "I don't want to live without you" sort of couple, which is all well and good when there's some kind of buildup. I just felt like their feelings dropped from the sky out of nowhere, which made it feel forced and unbelievable to me. Which was especially unfortunate, because this totally undermined Hook's character development for me - yes, Stella changed him, but when I never saw any real chemistry or depth of feeling between them, the reasons for that change never made sense.

Now, maybe all this could've been overlooked, or at least less of a prominent issue, had the plot in the last 40% of Alias Hook been as interesting and compelling as the first 60%. Unfortunately, the last half was just... really, really not my thing. So many things are packed into the last sections of the book, it felt to me like the characters were going in circles trying and then failing and then trying again to find a way out of Neverland. It didn't feel like a build-up to a climactic and satisfying ending - it felt like one of those fairground rides that spins you in horizontal circles and it's fun for a while, but then you just want it to be over, and getting off is the best part. =S

Argh, that sounds so harsh, but that's really the best way to explain how I felt. The last 40% felt endless, and it could've been shortened immensely in order reach a resolution sooner. And while those sections could have been shortened, I felt like the epilogue could've actually been expanded a bit, because where we're left is a little too open-ended for my liking - but maybe that's just my preference for loose ends to be tied up, especially in a standalone.

 
In conclusion...

For the most part, I liked this book. I really enjoyed the picture we got of Hook as a sympathetic villain, and all of the flashbacks to his past were really interesting. Where things fell apart for me were in his and Stella's relationship, and while I was ultimately satisfied with where things ended up, I would've liked a tighter resolution and a bit more of a solid, not-open-ended conclusion.

I'd still recommend checking out Alias Hook if you're a fan of Peter Pan/Hook and are looking for a more adult take on the fairy tale.

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There were books involved...