Bad Machinery, Vol. 1: The Case of the Team Spirit (Bad Machinery, #1)

by John Allison

[Quirky Cat]

As a long time fan of John Allison, I'm ashamed to admit that I've never actually read Bad Machinery. Really, I found (and fell in love with) his work back during the Giant Days era, so I missed all of the series that came before it.

Now it's time to remedy that mistake! Starting with Bad Machinery, Vol. 1: The Case of the Team Spirit. This series focuses heavily on Shauna, Charlotte, Mildred, Jack, Linton, and Sonny, and the many adventures and mysteries set to head their way.

Shauna, Charlotte, and Mildred are caught in one series of events; they're seeking to help a little old woman keep her house. Despite all the efforts of those trying to tear it down, naturally. Meanwhile, Jack, Linton, and Sonny are investigating a curse surrounding the local football stadium and its owner.

It probably goes without saying that there are plenty of side quests, adventures, and jokes along the way. This is a group of friends that can be easily distracted, given the right set of circumstances.

One of the charming things about John Allison's writing is just how human it feels. His characters feel real, and even when they're dealing with something fairly out of the ordinary, it still all feels so grounded.

That is also true for Bad Machinery, I'm happy to report. These six kids all have their own personality traits, the good and the bad, and it shows. There's SO much banter and quips to fill the pages, it almost feels overwhelming at times. Almost.

I'll confess that I had more trouble than I expected, getting into this series. I expected to be able to dive right in, much like I did with Giant Days. That wasn't exactly the case, and instead, I found myself constantly getting distracted by other things in my life, and having to keep coming back to read a few more pages. That's not like me.

Still, I'm glad to have given it a chance, and to have read it through all the way to the end. I enjoyed both mysteries, not to mention it's nice to see the world a little bit more fleshed out (in case you didn't know: the world and characters are shared for both Giant Days and Wicked Things).

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks