Alex Van Helsing: Voice of the Undead

by Jason Henderson

Overview

Now that Alex is in the know about the deadly vampires that live—and hunt—around his boarding school, everything is different. Putting his talents to use, Alex is training with the Polidorium to become a vampire hunter, just like his Van Helsing ancestors. Sure, he’s only fourteen, but c’mon: This runs in his blood.

But Alex is wondering if he’ll live long enough to succeed. His archnemesis Elle, a vampire whose youthful appearance and blond hair disguise a rage that’s directed at him, is out to get him before a powerful leader called Ultravox arrives on the scene. Ultravox specializes in assassinations, but who is he targeting? As he dodges Elle’s attacks, Alex is on a mission to uncover Ultravox’s deadly plan before his friends and his school become collateral damage. There’s no time to report back; innocent lives hang in the balance, and it’s on Alex to act now—or else.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061951015
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	07/26/2011
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.10(d)
Lexile:	800L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 Years

About the Author

Jason Henderson is the author of Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising, which was named Best of 2010 by VOYA, and Alex Van Helsing: Voice Of The Undead. He has written for games and comic books, including the Activision game Wolfenstein, the vampire action comic series Sword of Dracula, and the manga series Psy-Comm.

Editorial Reviews

This eagerly awaited second title in the Alex Van Helsing series continues the story with more compelling action, more character development, more worldbuilding, and more thrilling horror elements that meld together seamlessly. Readers will not be able to put it down. This excellent book is a must-have.

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (Starred Review)

Praise for the Alex Van Helsing series: “Engaging and suspenseful.

Associated Press Staff

This eagerly awaited second title in the Alex Van Helsing series continues the story with more compelling action, more character development, more worldbuilding, and more thrilling horror elements that meld together seamlessly. Alex Van Helsing learns more family secrets and begins his possible new career with the Polidorium, fighting vampires' evil, ever-developing secret plans. Alex learns more about his unique ability that forms as "static" in his head, and his friends start to form a "Scooby-like" gang reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His literature teacher, Sangster, is now his mentor and trainer for the Polidorium. Alex's archenemies in this novel are a mysterious vampire called Ultravox and old enemy Elle from the first novel. Ultravox has the ability to speak and make people do whatever he wants, as well as plant a hidden "virus" in words to slowly brainwash people. This book, like its predecessor, will engage readers easily, and many will not be able to put it down. This excellent book is a must-have purchase for all libraries, especially where horror fiction is hot. Characters and plot continue to be very strong, and the further development of fresh twists on Van Helsing lore mixing with traditional folklore, history, and literature is appealing and refreshing. Readers will eagerly anticipate the next in the series. Reviewer: Karen Sykeny

VOYA - Karen Sykeny

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

School Library Journal

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)

Kirkus Reviews