Book Review: Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising by Jason Henderson
I was hooked from the first sentence!
From the very beginning Alex Van Helsing is destined to be a great vampire hunter. Only problem is he doesn’t know it. That changes when he arrives at a private boarding school in Switzerland and weird things begin to happen, like encountering and killing vampires. Things that his father would say, “just don’t happen.” Through a series of events he learns of his ancestral heritage, that of famous vampire hunters and joins forces with the Polidorium to rid the world of vampires.
I like reading stories that are based on historical events and especially ones that add supernatural twists to them. This story is rooted in the infamous party at Villa Diodati, where Lord Byron, Mary Shelley and John William Polidori (among others I assume) passed the time by scaring each other with spooky tales and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Though Dracula was not born out of that well-known party, it adds the flare to the story.
Alex is an extremely likable character, with cool survival skills. I mean, at fourteen he can kill a vampire, single-handedly, with only crude weapons. He is also extremely instinctual; he can come up with plans within seconds after a problem arises. I think of him as the Macgyver of vampire hunters. Though, I would have liked to see/hear more of his emotions, his internal struggles.
The other characters in the book seemed like major secondary characters, with the exception of Sangster. Sangster was one of his professors from his school, who used his position at the school as a front for his real job. We don’t learn much about him, but enough to know that he is tough and there is more to him than meets the eye.
The book is well equipped with witty one-liners, down to earth yet nerdy friends and a girl that could possible be a love interest…for someone.
I like the cover, though the green light at the bottom reminds me more of aliens and science fiction stuff than a vampire fantasy book.
I give this book 3.5 out of 5 STACKS
Stacy, who is happily at home admist her STACKS!
I’m really looking forward to this, it sounds so much fun!
I’ll have to look into it! I’m always looking for good books for boys, and this sounds like one that would work!
@Jenny, that is exactly what this book is, fun!
@amber perfect for boys!!
[...] read our review of Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising here. [...]
Can u give me the physical description of Alex. The theme and a descriptive setting thnx.^_^
[...] adventure, and a totally cool read for both moms and teens. Yep, see what we had to say about Vampire Rising. Who doesn’t love teenage angst, possible budding romance and vampire slaying? [...]