'1812' by David Nevin (1996)

This is my second David Nevin novel, after Eagle's Cry (see June 22 review). 1812 skips over the years between the end of Eagle's Cry in 1804 and 1812, which included the second term of President Jefferson and the first term of President Madison. Madison, one of the fictionalized historical heroes of Eagle's Cry, returns as the President who presides over the 'second war of independence' against Great Britain. First lady Dolley Madison also plays a major role. A more mature Andrew Jackson returns, joined by youthful new hero Winfield Scott, whose battlefield prowess vaults him from Captain to General in two years of war. Jackson and Scott eventually reward Madison's frustrating search for able military commanders, strikingly similar to Lincoln's situation in the Civil War. Jackson's involvement in the Creek War of 1813-14 is also included in the narrative, prior to the climactic Battle of New Orleans. The fictional Sally McQuirk, daughter and heir of a newspaper publisher, provides a romantic interest for young Scott (Maria Mayo, the woman Scott married, makes an appearance later in the story).

A note about the Wikipedia links; I don't vouch for the quality and/or accuracy of all these articles, but they are handy for quick reference. I'm a WP editor myself and frequently expand, clarify and correct articles I read, especially when I've just finished a work of history or biography. I urge others with an interest in history to do the same. Wikipedia is a democratic collaboration, so the larger the number of editors involved, the better the article tends to be. For serious research, of course, full histories and biographies are necessary.

No need to reiterate Nevin's political slant; that's discussed in the Eagle's Cry review. Let's move on to the five criteria:

1. Did the novel inspire me to further historical research?

Yes. I haven't read too much about the War of 1812 or about the Creek War. Score = 4

2. Did the novel include enough history to make it an interesting historical story?

Nevin includes the main documented historical events, told with plenty of detail. Only a half-hearted attempt is made to explain the causes of the war, which is understandable since the novel focuses on the heroic, courageous soldiers, while President Madison fumes about his and his administration's shortcomings. Score = 4

3. Was the depiction of historical events accurate?

Nevin adheres closely to the facts of documented historical events. Conspicuous omissions are absent as well, other than the lack of any in-depth British perspective. Unfortunately, no 'Author's Note' or list of sources is included this time. Score = 4

4. Was the depiction of historical characters accurate?

Nevin, unlike many historical novelists, includes historical persons as major dramatic characters. Since the romanticization (is that a word?), simplification and polarization of characters is a feature of most historical novels, an experienced reader of the genre should not be surprised that Madison, Scott and Jackson come off better than they probably were. In like manner, the novel's historical villains, especially Secretary of War Armstrong, Senator Daniel Webster and British General Cockburn, probably come off worse. Creek leader William "Red Eagle" Weatherford gets a respectful, though brief treatment. Score = 3

5. Would I read another novel by this author, continuing in this historical period, with these characters (or new ones)?

Yes; at some point Dream West will be read and reviewed. Score = 4.

'Lydia Bailey' by Kenneth Roberts (1947)

Lydia Bailey is the name of the fictional heroine of this later novel by Kenneth Roberts. The time period is 1798 to 1805, and encompasses several major events in US history. The same cautionary note applies to this novel as to Roberts' previous works - that is, his fictionalized historical character portrayals are very black-and-white, either much more heroic or villainous than they could possibly have been in real life. Also, government officials in general tend to be small-minded, conniving, dishonest and cowardly, among other faults. Their actions continually frustrate the patriotic and altruistic designs of Roberts' noble heroes. Given that large grain of salt, Roberts invented a clever and exciting plot that takes fictional hero Albion Hamlin on a wide-ranging journey from his home in Portland, Maine. Young attorney Hamlin first travels to Boston to defend a newspaper publisher on trial in 1798 for violations of the infamous Sedition Act. The judge turns out to be the Federalist Samuel Chase (future Supreme Court justice and enemy of President Jefferson), the novel's first black-hearted villain. While there, Hamlin falls in love with a portrait of Lydia Bailey and sets out to find her and save her inheritance from an unscrupulous cousin. This quest takes Hamlin first to Philadelphia (still the US capital in 1798), where he meets the novel's central villain, State Department functionary Tobias Lear. Nearby, Hamlin meets botanist John Bartram. Further plot twists take him into the middle of the Haitian Revolution and on to the Mediterranean, ending up in Tripoli on the eve of the first Barbary War. Along the way, he meets good guys Toussaint Louverture and William Eaton, along with bad guys Charles Leclerc, Yusuf Karamanli and William Bainbridge The five criteria:

1. Did the novel inspire me to further historical research?

Yes. Many of these historical events were relatively unexplored by by historical reading, so the novel opened up some new vistas. Score = 4

2. Did the novel include enough history to make it an interesting historical story?

Definitely. As noted above, Roberts' clever plot manages to bind many geographically remote historical events into one story. Score = 4

3. Was the depiction of historical events accurate?

Pretty much. As with virtually all historical novels, there's a certain amount of exaggeration for dramatic effect. I found no outright fabrications or willful distortions. Score = 4

4. Was the depiction of historical characters accurate?

Characters are always more subject to the novelist's manipulation than events. Roberts, as noted in the opening section above, uses that sort of artistic license to fit characters into his good vs. evil sort of historical outlook. He did plenty of research, however, and included a brief list of sources at the end - always a plus in my scoring system. Score = 4

5. Would I read another novel by this author, continuing in this historical period, with these characters (or new ones)?

Unfortunately, I've just about reached the end of Roberts' novels, and he won't be writing any new ones. I wish there were more. Score = 4.

'Northwest Passage' by Kenneth Roberts (1936)

After finishing Rabble In Arms, I thought I was done with Kenneth Roberts for a while. Then I discovered that my local library had a copy of Northwest Passage. It's main historical character is Robert Rogers, creator of 'Rogers' Rangers'. This irregular force of colonial soldiers fought alongside the British army in the French and Indian War (1754-63). Rogers specialized in Indian-style forest tactics, as opposed to the strict British open-field formations that proved disastrous in the early stages of the war. In Rogers, novelist Roberts found another example of a brilliant leader and out-of-the-box thinker who was opposed and dragged down by the jealousy and envy of lesser men. Ayn Rand made her literary debut ten years later with another hero in this mold, in The Fountainhead. So, when reading Roberts, one should remember that the historical characters were almost certainly not as heroic or despicable as their fictionalized counterparts.

The novel's title was the quest undertaken by Rogers after the war. Thwarted by his enemies, Rogers got no further west than Fort Michilimackinac (at the strait between Lakes Huron and Michigan). His life after that was a series of ups and downs, ending in alcoholism and destitution. Roberts' fictional main character is another man from northern New England, named Langdon Towne. Towne is a relative of the fictional Nason family of Arundel, and shares a friendship with the irrepressible Cap Huff. Towne becomes one of Rogers' Rangers and an aide to Rogers himself. He is thus in a position to observe and comment on the leader's actions. The fictional Steven Nason had a similar relationship to Benedict Arnold in Arundel.

The five criteria:

1. Did the novel inspire me to further historical research?

Yes. I haven't read much on the French and Indian War, so this novel opened up some new territory. Also, Roberts used some recently discovered (at that time) material about Rogers' career to flesh out his account. An author's note referred to a bibliography, which unfortunately was not included in the edition of the novel that I found. I always love it when historical novelists include bibliography. Score = 4

2. Did the novel include enough history to make it an interesting historical story?

Yes. As usual, Roberts includes a wealth of historical detail. Score = 5

3. Was the depiction of historical events accurate?

Yes. Roberts is always scrupulous in adhering to historical facts. Only his interpretation of those facts might be questioned. Score = 4

4. Was the depiction of historical characters accurate?

As noted above, there is undoubtedly some exaggeration to make the 'good' characters better and the 'bad' characters worse. This tendency made me wonder, at times, whether a particular historical character really did something he does in the novel. These are, however, always minor actions that don't contradict known facts. As long as the reader keeps that in mind, it's not a big problem. Score = 3

5. Would I read another novel by this author, continuing in this historical period, with these characters (or new ones)?

Definitely. I just found Lydia Bailey, and will read it soon. Score = 5.

'Rabble In Arms' by Kenneth Roberts (1933)

Rabble In Arms is the second novel of a Revolutionary War trilogy by Kenneth Roberts, following Arundel. The two novels have the same publication date, but it's unclear whether they were written in the same year. They have very different first-person narrative styles. Steven Nason, the fictional woodsman of Arundel, has an archaic, plain-spoken manner meant to invoke that particular time and place. Nason returns as a character in Rabble In Arms but the narrator this time is another fictional resident of the little town of Arundel, Maine. Peter Merrill is the son of a shipbuilder and a fourth-generation native son. Peter uses none of the archaic terms, stilted speech and provincial attitudes of Steven Nason, making the Merrills seem both more contemporary and less authentic. Another returning character from Arundel is Nason's rough-and-ready friend Cap Huff, who has lost none of his fractured syntax, sideways reasoning and light-fingered ways. I did, however, miss Nason's commentary on his friend's idiosyncrasies.

As the novel opens in March 1776, Peter and his younger brother Nathaniel are in London on a mission to sell one of their father's ships. A letter from home tells of the hardships suffered by those in Arundel who seem to lack zeal in support of the Revolution. The elder Merrill asks his sons to return as soon as possible, as their stay in London has aroused the suspicions of the local Patriots. Upon their return, they are persuaded to join Nason and Huff in a company preparing to march from Arundel to reinforce General Benedict Arnold's little American army in resisting a British invasion from Canada.

The brothers are not entirely convinced that taking on the British army is a good idea, but realize that their family will be safe from patriotic persecution only if the Merrills join the cause. Their story joins with Arnold's from the strategic retreat from Canada through the climactic American victory at Saratoga, New York. In addition to the excitement of the historical story, Roberts adds romance, espionage and comic relief from the irrepressible Cap Huff. I felt that the fictional characters were not as well-drawn as in Arundel, but still engaging.

The five criteria:

1. Did the novel inspire me to further historical research?

Not as much as Arundel, since I knew more about these events before reading the novel. Still, Roberts' portrayals of Arnold and other historical characters makes me want to read more about them, and about those world-changing years. Score = 4

2. Did the novel include enough history to make it an interesting historical story?

Yes. The Saratoga campaign culminated in the victory that ended the British threat in the north. Roberts includes extensive historical detail; military, political and personal. Score = 5

3. Was the depiction of historical events accurate?

Yes. Once again, Roberts is scrupulously faithful to historical sources. Details of battle scenes and military life are certainly somewhat fictionalized, but have an authentic feel. Score = 5

4. Was the depiction of historical characters accurate?

Roberts casts most of the historical characters as heroes or villains, without much in between. Hero-in-chief is once again Benedict Arnold. Principal villains are Horatio Gates and James Wilkinson. Each of these men was certainly more complex than Roberts' fictionalized portrayals, but the novel does not attempt nuanced character studies of historicals. In the next to last chapter, Roberts (speaking through Peter Merrill) postulates a somewhat fantastical justification of Arnold's later treason. However, other than that speculative bit and the good-vs-evil simplification, the historical characters' actions seem to be accurately described. Score = 4

5. Would I read another novel by this author, continuing in this historical period, with these characters (or new ones)?

Definitely. The third volume of the trilogy is The Lively Lady. My library doesn't have it, so I'll have to buy it at some point. Score = 4.

'Arundel' by Kenneth Roberts (1933)

Yet again, the great historical novel site HistoricalNovels.info has facilitated my discovery of a very fine historical novel author, Kenneth Roberts. Arundel is the first in a Revolutionary War trilogy, following the adventures of several fictitious residents of what later became the state of Maine. The novel's first-person narrator Steven Nason and his family are traders and proprietors of an inn serving the little town of Arundel, later renamed Kennebunkport (today's Arundel lies further to the north). Steven has become an accomplished backwoodsman by the time he reaches adulthood, knowledge he gained by accompanying his father on trading trips among the Indians. Steven joins Colonel Benedict Arnold's small expeditionary force in the fall of 1775 to help guide him through the northern wilderness to attack British-held Quebec.

Being written in 1933, the writing style of Arundel sometimes seems quaint, but never dated. Steven's narration and private thoughts are related in a convincingly provincial and straightforward style, without condescension. I had fun finding definitions for some of the archaic words and activities.

The five criteria:

1. Did the novel inspire me to further historical research?

Yes. For the first time since I began this blog, I had a straight history at hand to consult when in doubt about historical details. Willard Stern Randall's Benedict Arnold: Patriot and Traitor helped to provide context for the novel. Google Earth also came in handy for viewing the country described and the route of Arnold's expedition. As he notes following the end of the novel, Roberts' sources included several journals kept by officers in Arnold's little army. These first-person accounts supply many of the day-to-day details that make the story compelling. Plus, I always appreciate it when writers of historical fiction acknowledge their sources. The only shortcoming is that, because the events occur in such a short time period and are related so thoroughly in the novel, there's not that much research left to do. Score = 4

2. Did the novel include enough history to make it an interesting historical story?

Yes. Arnold's expedition was probably the most amazing feat-of-arms performed by any military force during the Revolutionary War, even though it ended in failure. The story doesn't need much fictional 'spice' to make it a riveting tale. Score = 5

3. Was the depiction of historical events accurate?

Yes. The novel is full of historical detail, much of it drawn from the journals and correspondence of the principal actors. Some of the details are still argued over by historians today, but nothing was intentionally altered. Roberts' faithfulness to historical sources contrasts with the liberties taken by most novelists for the sake of dramatic effect. Score=5

4. Was the depiction of historical characters accurate?

Roberts' descriptions of Arnold's physical prowess are unlike anything I've read elsewhere, and are perhaps exaggerated. Likewise the other-worldly woodcraft of the Indians. The personalities and actions of the historical characters are consistent with what I've read elsewhere. Among the 'historicals', Arnold gets the largest role, but many others get significant dialog time, including Henry Dearborn, Reuben Colburn, Daniel Morgan and Aaron Burr. Score=4

5. Would I read another novel by this author, continuing in this historical period, with these characters (or new ones)?

I have already begun Rabble In Arms, the sequel to Arundel. Can't wait to see what Steven and his friends do next. Score = 5.

'City of Dreams' by William Martin (2010)

After a short detour to discover David Nevin, I returned to William Martin and his danger-is-my middle-name antiquarian Peter Fallon. This time, however, Fallon leaves his native Boston for the bright lights of New York City. City of Dreams follows Peter and fiancée Evangeline as they track down a long-lost stash of government scrip - called "New Emission Money" - from the Revolutionary War. Of course, a variety of other characters are also looking for the money; for reasons good, bad and ambiguous. This plot line gives City of Dreams an action-thriller movie feel, a bit like National Treasure, perhaps.

Where Cape Cod centered on a place and The Lost Constitution focused on a document, City of Dreams does both. A similarity with both earlier Martin novels is the way the story jumps back and forth from present to past, in alternating chapters. The action all takes place in NYC but skips through the city's history, stopping infrequently and briefly to follow the movements of the missing bills. A comparison with Edward Rutherfurd's beefy New York: A Novel finds very few historical events or characters in common. Indeed, there is much less history overall and much more action to be found in City of Dreams. Partly, that's because there's a substantial contemporary plotline running throughout - a commentary on the history and philosophy of the national debt. When Martin was planning this novel, one suspects that the national debt angle came first, followed by the historical story of the financial industry and the debt; which of course was and is centered in New York.

Historical characters chosen for inclusion in the story also tend to have something to do with that history: Alexander Hamilton and J. P. Morgan are the most prominent. The main fictional characters in the historical sections belong to several generations of the same family, imparting a little of the Michener/Rutherfurd feel.

So, on to the five criteria:

1. Did the novel inspire me to further historical research?

Not so much this time, as I've already read several other books covering the same historical turf. The novel did, however, introduce me to Haym Solomon, a fascinating character who, along with Robert Morris, found the money to finance the American Revolution. Score = 3

2. Did the novel include enough history to make it an interesting historical story?

Yes. In the end, however, I felt that the treatment of the country's financial history was pretty shallow. It is a novel, of course, but some of the later events seemed to be chosen more for dramatic effect than historical relevance. For instance, two of the modern fictional characters are inside one of the World Trade Center towers when the planes hit on September 11, 2001. They both survive, and the presumed death of one contributes to her role in the plot later on, but the incident has no relation to the story of the new Emission Money and/or the national debt. A talented writer like Martin could have made much more of the financial narrative by including a little history of the Federal Reserve or the Glass-Steagal Act. Score = 3

3. Was the depiction of historical events accurate?

Once again, Martin gets high marks for historical accuracy. For instance, the novel's account of New York City events during 1775 and 1776 squares with the straight history of Divided Loyalties, by Richard M. Ketchum. As noted above, my quibbles have to do with quantity, not quality. Score = 3

4. Was the depiction of historical characters accurate?

Yes - but there aren't many, and those who appear are just cameos, except for a bit of Hamilton and the remarkable Haym Solomon. Score = 3

5. Would I read another novel by this author, continuing in this historical period, with these characters (or new ones)?

Definitely. I'm still planning to read Citizen Washington, as soon as the hardcover remainders show up at Amazon (my library doesn't have it yet, so I'll buy a discounted hardcover and donate it when I'm done - as I did with City of Dreams). Score = 4.

'Eagle's Cry', by David Nevin (2000)

Instead of another William Martin book, as promised last time, the subject of this critique will be Eagle's Cry, by David Nevin. This novel of early United States history concentrates on causes and effects of westward expansion in the opening years of the 19th century. Eagle's Cry opens with George Washington's death in 1799 and concludes in 1804, following the Louisiana Purchase. Most of the characters are historical figures, from Jefferson, Madison, Burr and John Quincy Adams to Meriwether Lewis, Andrew Jackson and (briefly) Napoleon Bonaparte. These characters' differing narrative viewpoints on the events of those fateful years are presented in alternating chapters. Historical names are supplemented by fictional characters Danny Mobry, the French Louisiana-born widow of an American trader, and her two married black slaves Tom and Millie. A brief 'Author's Note' following the novel explains some of Nevin's historical thinking, although the somewhat ambiguous title is not explained.

The five criteria:

1. Did the novel inspire me to further historical research?

Yes; especially some events less familiar to me, such as the Haitian Revolution. Score = 4

2. Did the novel include enough history to make it an interesting historical story?

This novel is composed almost entirely of documented historical events, told in a highly entertaining style. Score = 4

3. Was the depiction of historical events accurate?

Quite accurate as far as it goes, though biased and not always complete. The 'Author's Note' confesses some of Nevin's sins, like referring to Jefferson's party as "Democrats". Some omissions, such as a failure to mention the Barbary Wars begun during Jefferson's presidency, were probably intentional, limiting the novel's scope to western-related events. Another major omission is the lack of any native American voice. Not surprising, perhaps, in a novel that lionizes Jefferson, Madison and Jackson. Score = 3

4. Was the depiction of historical characters accurate?

As noted above, Jefferson, Madison and Jackson come off better than they probably were. As Nevin notes, "Burr apologists" will take issue with their man's portrayal. Lewis' character seems much more detailed than historical evidence allows. For instance, during a visit to Jefferson at Monticello, he meets Sally Hemings and speculates inwardly on the ambiguous nature of her behavior toward her master. I don't know enough about Jackson to comment on his fictionalized character; a good biography will be placed on my non-fiction reading list. Score = 3

5. Would I read another novel by this author, continuing in this historical period, with these characters (or new ones)?

Yes; I plan to read 1812 sometime soon. Score = 4.

'The Lost Constitution' by William Martin (2007)

As promised before I got sidetracked with text searches in Google Books, the subject this time is The Lost Constitution, another New England historical by William Martin. The title gives away one big difference between this book and Cape Cod. The focus of this story is a document rather than a place. That difference releases the action from restriction to a small geographical area. Martin takes advantage of that release to let his story roam all over New England. Another thing the title tells you is that the earliest historical period in this novel will be close to 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia to produce a new form of government for the United States. In fact, the historical story begins in 1786 with Shays' Rebellion. Martin describes those events as illustrating the need for a stronger national government to replace the weak Articles of Confederation.

The fictional element of the story takes the form of a quest for a semi-legendary 'lost' copy of the first draft of the Constitution belonging to Massachussets Convention delegate Rufus King. This plot line is similar to one in Cape Cod, which included a lost ship's log purportedly written by the captain of the Mayflower. The action shifts back and forth from the present to a sequence of historical periods and places, as a modern antiquities dealer attempts to trace the movements of the missing document through the years and generations. A collection of shady and/or dangerous characters are also pursuing the document, for a variety of reasons. This plot line gives The Lost Constitution a historical-thriller feel, a la Da Vinci Code. OK, no spoilers; let's move on to the five criteria:

1. Did the novel inspire me to further historical research?

Yes. A large number of historical people are incorporated into the novel, from the aforementioned Daniel Shays and Rufus King to Harriet Beecher Stowe and Joshua Chamberlain. Interesting places too, such as Crawford Notch and Newport, R.I. during the Gilded Age. Plenty of inspiration here. Score = 4

2. Did the novel include enough history to make it an interesting historical story?

Yes. The historical story traces the political, social and economic evolution of New England, including longer-term trends such as the rise and fall of the textile industry. Score = 4

3. Was the depiction of historical events accurate?

As in Cape Cod, Martin seems to be very strong on historical accuracy. Score = 4

4. Was the depiction of historical characters accurate?

Again similar to Cape Cod, historical characters are either mentioned only in passing or given small supporting roles. The biographical information given about these characters is accurate; there's just not much of it. Score = 3

5. Would I read another novel by this author, continuing in this historical period, with these characters (or new ones)?

Definitely, although none of Martin's novels are written in series. I might give New England a break and read Citizen Washington next. Score = 4.

A tip for better Google Books text searches

I've been reading Champlain's Dream (not a novel, I know), by David Hackett Fischer, and was curious about a colorful character known as "Captain Provençal"; Champlain's swashbuckling uncle. I typed the name into the Google search box but was disappointed to get only two relevant hits. I looked again at the search box; oops, I had typed "captain provancal". Correcting my spelling yielded much better results. Even the misspelling, however, led me to Champlain's Dream in Google Books. I decided to do some search engine testing there, since I already knew that the Captain was mentioned many times.

In case you haven't used it, Google Books has a great search feature that will search within a book and show snippet views of passages containing your search terms. I was puzzled, though. A search usually highlights instances of the search words. My search showed only a page of the book, without any highlighted words. That was when I discovered my spelling error. Correcting the spelling improved my results in the regular Google Search, but still no highlights appeared in the Google Books text search results. Maybe capitalization is important? I tried searching on "Captain Provencal" - still no highlights. It was only when I replaced the regular "c" with the French "ç" that the search found and highlighted the name "Captain Provençal" inside Champlain's Dream. It seems that the search engine inside Google Books is much less "fuzzy" than regular Google Search. So, to find exactly what you're searching for, don't forget those diacritical marks.

'Cape Cod' (1991) by William Martin

Cape Cod is, on one level, a multi-generational study of the well-known historic place and several families that lived there, somewhat in the style of Michener or his younger admirer Edward Rutherfurd. On another level, it's a behind-the-history detective story, adding a present-day plot line featuring descendents of early families and a search for a legendary lost document. The mystery plot reminds me of Stone's Fall, by David Liss. Add the two together and you get a novel that's highly entertaining yet packed with historical detail.

The five criteria:

1. Did the novel inspire me to further historical research?

Most definitely. From cryptic clues to past visits by Vikings of Vinland and early European explorers (Hudson and/or Champlain?) to the native American tribes awaiting the arrival of the Pilgrims, to fishermen, privateers, smugglers, whalers, runaway slaves and reclusive writers; Cape Cod is full of potential side trips into historical study. Score = 4

2. Did the novel include enough history to make it an interesting historical story?

As noted above, the history content was high throughout the novel. Although there is some interesting historical speculation, I didn't find any distortions, errors or significant omissions. Recently, I've been searching out novels that include events leading up to and during the Revolutionary War, and was not surprised to find that it was a time when not too much happened on Cape Cod other than coastal smuggling. The major events occurred in nearby Boston and elsewhere, but one interesting event is included - the shipwreck of HMS Somerset in 1778. Score = 4

3. Was the depiction of historical events accurate?

Judging from the follow-up study I've done, events and historical characters included in the novel seem to be presented accurately. The story includes some interesting fictional speculations, such as the story of what really caused the wreck of the Somerset. In future, I'm going to find one or more straight history texts and/or biographies to read in conjunction with historical novels, but Martin seems to be very good on historical accuracy. Score = 4

4. Was the depiction of historical characters accurate?

Most historical characters are only mentioned in passing, but a few have a bit of dialog, including pre-Revolution era lawyer James Otis (born on Cape Cod) and a beach-wandering Henry David Thoreau. Young Senator Jack Kennedy does a cameo in a telephone conversation. Score = 3

5. Would I read another novel by this author, continuing in this historical period, with these characters?

Definitely; in fact, I already have. Next post will be The Lost Constitution. Not a sequel, but set in New England. Score = 4.