Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus
£14.20£20.90 (-32%)
Two years before the events of Stranger Things Season 4, Eddie Munson-Hellfire Club leader, metalhead, and Hawkins outcast-has one shot to make it big.
Hawkins, Indiana-for most, it’s simply another idyllic, manicured all-American town. But for Eddie Munson it’s like living in a perpetual Tomb of Horrors. Luckily, he only has a few more months to survive at Hawkins High. And what is senior year, really, but just killing time between Dungeons & Dragons sessions with the Hellfire Club and gigs with his band?
It’s at the worst dive bar in town that Eddie meets Paige, someone who has pulled off a freaking miracle. She escaped Hawkins and built a wickedly cool life for herself working for a record producer out in Los Angeles. Not only is she the definition of a badass-with a killer taste in music-she might be the only person that actually appreciates him as the bard he is instead of the devil incarnate. But the best thing? She’s offering a chance for him to make something of himself, and all he needs is to get her a demo tape of Corroded Coffin’s best songs.
Just one problem: Recording costs money. Money Eddie doesn’t have. But he’s willing to do whatever it takes: even if that means relying on his old man, Al Munson. His dad just stumbled back into his life, with another dubious scheme up his sleeve, and yet Eddie knows this is his only option to make enough dough in enough time. It’s a risk, but if it pays off he will finally have a one-way ticket out of Hawkins.
Eddie can feel it: 1984 is going to be his year.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Del Rey (31 Oct. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 288 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1529150264 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1529150261 |
| Dimensions | 16.2 x 2.8 x 24 cm |
by Lindy
If TV’s Most Pointless Death hasn’t finished your heart off allow me to introduce you to a book that will take a baseball bat to your emotions and turn them into dust.
However, if you like your heart left in one piece, or if you’ve only just recovered from Eddie’s death, steer clear of this.
I want to start this review by saying that Eddie Munson represented a lot of people. Whether you’re 19, 29, 39, 49, 59, or whatever and have always lived on the fringes of society then you saw something in Eddie. He was us and we were him. He wasn’t a caricature. He was a well-rounded and fleshed out character who, for maybe the first time in TV history, showed people that we’re not all dark and spooky. Most of us have hearts of gold and just want to be loved in return. His death took a little part of us with him, which is one of the reasons that he’s become universally loved by so many.
I’m also going to say that many of the Stranger Things tie-in books are listed as being for readers aged 12+. This one I’d say is for readers who are a little more mature as it includes topics such as drug use and distribution, unhealthy relationships (family, work, and sexual) with a side helping of criminal activity. These topics don’t bother me but I know that other people may not particularly want to read them.
So we all know what happens to Eddie. This is the prequel, set 2 years before his death. He’s offered the chance to audition for a big record label out in LA by Paige, who just so happens to be visiting Hawkins in order to set her deceased grandmother’s affairs in order. In an obvious move, her and Eddie “fall in love”, a term which I’m using loosely because, as the novel draws to a close, you see that it’s more them using one another in order to reach their respective goals (Paige will get a promotion if she brings someone back who the label owner likes). He also has to go without his band because the owner only wants to see him.
The problem is, it’s going to cost Eddie money to get to LA. His Dad suddenly reappears with an amazing idea to steal drugs that are being transported across country via truck. They successfully pull it off, sell the drugs, and, ta-da, Eddie has his money to drive to LA.
But it’s not that easy. It never is in Eddie Munson’s life. Turns out that his Dad knew the guys driving the drugs across country and they come back to collect what was stolen. Cue a near-death experience for both Eddie and Al, their house being burned down, and Eddie being arrested when he stays with a police officer that was shot by one of the returning drug runners.
He ends up in jail and the rest, well, you can guess the rest.
This is an easy read. The language is around a high school level so there’s nothing too strenuous. There’s pretty much one plot line to follow so, again, nothing too difficult. There is some new information in there and the books builds on the Hellfire Club, the beginnings of the Satanic Panic surrounding Eddie, and Corroded Coffin as well as learning that his life was never going to be an easy one. Eddie knew that he was going to die. Whether that was in the Upside Down or in the state’s electric chair was a decision that only he could make.
If you loved Eddie and you want to know a little more about his life, give this one a read. However, be prepared to have your heart broken all over again.
by Lindy
I haven’t read it yet as it has just arrived! I’ve been so excited for this book to be released I can’t wait to read it
by Rebecca Asquith-Jepson
10 Chapters in, Hard to read if you headcanon eddie as gay but he’s in character and the story so far is compelling