The Substitute

So who's heard of writer M.C. Sumner, sometimes known as Mark Sumner? Not too many folks, I bet. My favorite works of his are Devil's Tower and Devil's Engine, two peculiar fantasy westerns boasting a touch of folklore and catered more to grown-ups. Mostly, in the 1990s, M.C. Sumner made his mark with a very good run of Young Adult fantasy/sci-fi/horror novels. And then, for whatever reason, we just didn't see any more books from him. It's really too bad, because the man knew how to write gripping stories. Back in 1994 he unveiled a pretty nifty YA horror trilogy: The Principal, THE SUBSTITUTE and The Coach. But, right now, it's all about THE SUBSTITUTE. You're missing out some if you haven't read the first book in the series, THE PRINCIPAL, not only because it's a damn fine read, but also because it lends greater resonance to THE SUBSTITUTE, its sequel. Tallibeth McAlister (or just Talli) is the central character of THE PRINCIPAL and the harrowing times she underwent in that book transform her into the paranoid, reclusive creature she is in THE SUBSTITUTE. In this sequel, she still plays a very key role. But now she's sharing a spotlight. THE SUBSTITUTE starts out almost with an ominous Lost Boys vibe. Bookish 17-year-old Chris Delany and his awesome older sister (and fledgling schoolteacher) Donna arrive in Westerberg, looking for a fresh start after their parents' deaths. Expecting a quaint little town, Chris is disquieted by the abundance of missing children posters hanging on nearly all the telephone poles. But he perks up once he glimpses a stunning red-headed girl on the street. Ah, them teenage hormones... Of course this redhead is Talli McAlister, who's only about six weeks removed from her frightful encounter with the undead. Talli is a much quieter girl nowadays, prone to brooding and so suspicious of everyone now (being targeted by vampires will do that to you, as well as losing your best friend and your boyfriend to vampires). There's even talk going around that she's gone crazy. Unsurprisingly, when Chris and Talli end up as schoolmates and Chris makes clumsy overtures, Talli isn't too responsive. But Chris is a good guy at heart, and a voracious reader of mystery books. As Chris becomes intrigued by the alarming number of Westerberg kids gone missing and begins to nose around, Talli begins to thaw towards him. She desperately needs someone to confide in. M.C. Sumner never quite allows us to forget that, despite its hintings of juvenile romance, THE SUBSTITUTE is still very much a horror novel. He inserts brief passages featuring a vampire leaving a trail of murders as he steadily makes a beeline for Westerberg. This vampire happens to be Talli's (un)dead boyfriend, and he wants to be with her again. The great thing is that THE SUBSTITUTE doesn't fall prey to lazy Middle-Of-The-Trilogy-itis. In fact, with the introduction of Chris and his sister Donna, there's a new energy and a new dynamics to the series. THE SUBSTITUTE has pe

M.C. Sumner is a great writer for young adults, because his stuff is not too tame. There are quite a few adult themes in some of his books, such as this one and "Deadly Stranger," so it was nice to finally read dubbed "young adult" suspense books that actually don't come off corny and overwritten (unfortunately like RL Stine). This is a great one because it relies on the characters to carry the book through to the end. That means the main characters are very well written. They are easy to like, as well as feel for. This one is the best out of the trilogy. Talli has changed so much, she's much sadder, but you'll only know how much she went through if you've read the first one, "The Principal." But! All is not lost, and it's a glorious thing to see her rise up in the midst of more tragedy and haunts from the past. She's a great heroine, and you'll totally understand why I say so if you read the trilogy.