Voice of the Undead

July 1, 2011

Wisecracks, gadgets and fast-paced action sequences abound in the second book about Alex Van Helsing, a 14-year-old boy with a supernatural gift for sensing evil.

The evil, in this case, is old-fashioned malevolent vampires, headquartered in the Scholomance, "a school and a research facility and a massive organization all rolled into one," hidden under Lake Geneva. Nearby are Alex's all-boys' boarding school, Glenarvon Academy, and a central office of the Polidorium, an international vampire-fighting agency with which Alex is slowly becoming involved. Action is the main focus here, and Alex's two vampire nemeses pose constant threats. Elle, who menaced Alex and his friends in book one, toys with Alex with the elaborateness (and propensity for being foiled at the last minute) of a Bond villain. Ultravox, the new bad guy, is subtler: His genuinely unsettling powers of persuasion can convince humans to attack others or to harm themselves. Astute readers will figure out the vampires' secret M.O. and notice traps before Alex does, and a few references, like a Polidorium agent's horror that Alex hasn't heard of New Wave music, seem thrown in for adults.

Still, humorous dialogue and harrowing escapes will keep action-oriented readers mostly entertained. (Supernatural action. 12-14)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2011

Gr 7 Up-Alex Van Helsing not only has a legendary name but also possesses a rare gift that has been absent from past generations. His ability to sense vampires has led to his recruitment by a secret organization of vampire hunters. The Polidorium is on high alert, aware that an assassin called Ultravox is on his way to the vampire stronghold-Scholomance. Alex's special talents are needed to capture Ultravox and reveal his plans but events quickly spin out of control, putting the teen in terrible danger. The situation becomes more complicated when the students at his school begin behaving in a bizarre and hypnotic manner. As he did in Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising (HarperCollins, 2010), Henderson continues to spin a James Bond-type of action adventure story with a supernatural twist. It's an entertaining read that is full of suspense and intrigue, although the ending does seem a bit rushed. Still, fans will eat it up and look forward to the next chapter is this exciting series.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2011
Grades 5-8 Anyone who thought Alex Van Helsings adventures were finished with Vampire Rising (2010) doesnt know much about bloodsuckers. The underground vampire academy is preparing for the arrival of Ultravoxa vamp with special powers of voice. An opening motorcycle chase leads to monstrous worms, which lead to the fiery destruction of Alexs school, which leads to meeting a mysterious new girl, Vienna. Its fairly boilerplate but certainly exciting, and the conclusionset at a debutante ball aboard a cruise shipmakes it clear Alex will live to fight again.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2012
In his second supernatural adventure, Alex, descendant of the great Van Helsing vampire-hunter line, is embroiled in another fight between good and evil. He and his friends are again attacked at their boarding school, facing off against an insidious new enemy (and a few old ones as well). The occult and modern technology are well combined in this action-packed (if familiar-seeming) tale.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)