Saturday, 4 March 2023

Rise of the Rabbits - Barry Hutchison

Rise of the Rabbits
RedZone Books
ISBN 9781847156730


Several months before reading this I encountered the works of J.D. Kirk I also discovered that Kirk publishes children’s books as Barry Hutchison, and other adult fiction as Barry J. Hutchison. I have read 20 stories published under the Kirk Name and I am now branching out to the ones under the Hutchinson names, this is the 6 under that name. He is coming up on 175 books across the three pen names. If I had known that or I might not have picked up this first one. But I am very thankful I did. Friends call me a ‘completionist’ in that when I find an author I like, I try to read everything they have published. I have enjoyed all I have read from his pen and this one was no different. This is one of two volumes Hitchison did for Fiction Express which is a live interactive writing process. And I belive that these two are the only ones I am aware of that do not have eBook editions. 

The description of this story is:

“When twins Harvey and Lola are given the school rabbit, Mr Lugs, to look after for the weekend, they’re both very excited. That is until the rabbit begins to mutate. Becoming larger, stronger and much more intelligent, Mr Lugs decides the time has come for the bunnies to rise up and seize control. It’s up to Harvey and Lola to find a way to return Mr Lugs and his friends to normal, before the mutant menaces sweep across the country – and then the world! Will they succeed before the rabid rabbits reach your home town? You decide!”

The last part of that description is based upon the fact that at the time it was written readers could choose the direction of the next chapter and within a week the author would write it. The chapters in the book are:

Rabbit on the Loose
The Fast and the Furry-ous
We’re Going On A  Bunny Hunt
Rise, Rabbits, Rise!
Big Bully Bunny

This story was a lot of fun. It is a story about a brother and sister against a giant mutant Rabbit. A Rabbit that has spent years as a classroom pet. And after munching on something exotic goes through a transformation. They need to rescue their parents and maybe the whole world. It they work together they just might be able to thwart the dastardly plans of Mr. Lugs. 

I was unaware of how the story was written until I got to the end of the book and read bout Fiction Express and the whole process. This book was released by RedZone Books which I believe is or was a division of Lerner Books. It does not appear that the second volume Hutchison wrote for Fiction Express, The Tooth Fairy MurderS was every available in print. But it is still on the Fiction Express site.  This is a very fun read a great early chapter book or Middle grade read. I am glad I was able to lay my hands on a copy, and wish it and the other volume from Fiction Express by Hutchison was available as eBooks. If you can track this down I highly recommend it, and if you have school access to Fiction Express give it a read, it is a highly entertaining story. 

Books by J.D. Kirk:

DCI Logan Series:

Robert Hoon Thrillers:

DI Heather Filson Series:

Contributed to:
Everyday Kindness: A Collection of Uplifting Tales to Brighten Your Day

Books as Barry J. Hutchison:
Dan Deadman Space Detective Series:

Space Team Series:
The Search for Splurt 
Song of the Space Siren 
The Guns of Nana Joan 
Return of the Dead Guy 
Planet of the Japes 
The Time Titan of Tomorrow 
The King of Space Must Die 
Sting of the Mustard Mines 
Sentienced to Death
The Hunt for Reduk Topa
A Lot of Weird Space Shizz: Collected Short Stories

Sidekicks Initiative Series:

The Bug Books Series:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Complete Season One

Other Books:

Children’s books as Barry Hutchison:
Invisible Fiends Series:
The Crowmaster 
Doc Mortis 
The Beast 
The Darkest Corners 

Afterworlds:
The Missing Remote of the Apocalypse
The Book of Doom 
...

Benjamin Blank Series:

Beaky Malone Series:

Generator Rex Series:

Living Ted Series:
Revenge of the Living Ted
Invasion of the Living Ted

Spectre Collectors Series:
Too Ghoul for School
A New York Nightmare!

Other works:




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