The Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey Series #1)

by Richard Paul Evans

Overview

New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans.

To everyone at Meridian High School, fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid who has Tourette’s syndrome. But in truth, Michael is extremely special—he has electric powers. Michael thinks he is unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor has the same mysterious powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up with their abilities, and their investigation soon brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric teens—and through them, the world.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans introduces a character whose risk-filled exploration marks the beginning of a riveting new series. With only his powers, his wits, and his friends to protect him, Michael will need all his strength to survive….

Michael Vey is the first title in Glenn Beck’s Mercury Ink publishing program.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781451658224
Publisher:	Simon Pulse/Mercury Ink
Publication date:	08/09/2011
Series:	Michael Vey Series
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	29,107
Lexile:	HL500L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Richard Paul Evans is the #1 best-selling author of The Christmas Box. His novels have each appeared on the New York Times bestseller list; there are more than thirteen million copies of his books in print. His books have been translated into more than twenty-four languages and several have been international best sellers. He is the winner of the 1998 American Mothers Book Award, two first place Storytelling World Awards for his children’s books, the 2005 Romantic Times Best Women's Novel of the Year Award, and two Wilbur Awards for Fiction (Book). Evans received the Washington Times Humanitarian of the Century Award and the Volunteers of America National Empathy Award for his work helping abused children. Evans lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Keri, and their five children.

Hometown:

Salt Lake City, Utah

Date of Birth:

October 11, 1962

Place of Birth:

Salt Lake City, Utah

Education:

B.A., University of Utah, 1984

Read an Excerpt

1
Chopsticks and Spiders

“Have you found the last two?” The voice on the phone was angry and coarse, like the sound of car tires over broken glass.

“Not yet,” the well-dressed man on the other end of the phone replied. “Not yet. But we believe we’re close—and they still don’t know that we’re hunting them.”

“You believe you’re close?”

“They’re two children among a billion—finding them is like finding a lost chopstick in China.”

“Is that what you want me to tell the board?”

“Remind the board that I’ve already found fifteen of the seventeen children. I’ve put out a million-dollar bounty on the last two, we’ve got spiders crawling the Web, and we have a whole team of investigators scanning global records for their whereabouts. It’s just a matter of time before we find them—or they step into one of our traps.”

“Time isn’t on our side,” the voice returned sharply. “Those kids are already too old. You know how difficult they are to turn at this age.”

“I know better than anyone,” the well-dressed man said, tapping his ruby-capped pen on his desk. “But I have my ways. And if they don’t turn, there’s always Cell 25.”

There was a long pause, then the voice on the phone replied darkly, “Yes. There’s always Cell 25.”

© 2011 Richard Paul Evans

Editorial Reviews

Until now, teenager Michael Vey's only claim to fame (if you can call it that) is that he has Tourette's syndrome. That changes when he discovers that he possesses special electric powers. And, surprisingly, he is not alone: Taylor, a cheerleader classmate, also has this rare ability. Something, however, is not right about this gift. Michael, Taylor, and their friend Ostin know that they have they have to search for its origin. Their investigations lead to a scary conclusion: A diabolical conspiracy want to control them—and through them, the world. A Barnes & Noble bestseller; now in trade paperback and NOOK Book.

Gr 5–9—Michael Vey, 14, has problems. Not only does he suffer from Tourette's syndrome, but he also has electricity coursing through his body. He can shock people without rubbing his feet on the carpet; he can jump-start his mother's car by holding the battery connectors and "surging," and he can knock bullies who attack him off their feet. Michael and his mother have moved to Idaho because there was an "incident" in his former town, and now he discovers that the prettiest girl in his new school has powers, too. Taylor can read people's minds. Ostin, Michael's best friend, doesn't have powers, but he is wicked smart and helps them to figure out that there is more to the mystery than the fact that they were born in the same hospital within days of each other. Soon there is a terrifying adventure afoot when they are captured and introduced to others with powers who, under the lead of the sinister Hitch, have kidnapped Michael's mother and have evil plans for the world. The dialogue and interactions among the teens seem more like they belong in the 1950s rather than today, but the fast-paced action and cool powers will probably outweigh any negatives.—Jake Pettit, Thompson Valley High School, Loveland, CO

School Library Journal

Evans (The Christmas Box) enters the YA market with this fast-paced, if predictable tale of a teenager with superpowers and the conspiracy that created him. Years ago, a medical equipment accident killed dozens of newborns and left 17of them with assorted "electrical powers." In present-day Idaho, 14-year-old misfit Michael Vey, who can create electricity and has Tourette's syndrome, is one of the last two living outside of Pasadena. Coincidentally, the other "electric child" is Michael's crush, cute cheerleader, Taylor who is able to mentally "reset" people's brains. When a mysterious organization called Elgen kidnaps Taylor as well as Michael's mother, Michael, his best friend Ostin, and a pair of school bullies venture on a cross-country trip to rescue them. Taylor, meanwhile, learns that Elgen is just as dastardly an organization as she'd feared. Evans delivers a pair of believable lead characters—Taylor has wits and personal integrity, while Michael's Tourette's syndrome, coupled with an emotional jolt from his past, adds dimension—but generic dialogue and lackluster villains result in a by-the-numbers thriller. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Ninth grade can be brutal, especially if you are an undersized boy dealing with Tourette's syndrome. Add bullies, disingenuous authority figures, a geeky best friend, a loving but financially strapped parent, and you have a relatable protagonist who just happens to have an amazing superpower. Michael Vey can zap people with electricity. With his mother's help, he has been able to keep his "mutation" a secret until the eventful day when popular cheerleader, Taylor, witnesses him defending himself against three tormentors. This event sets into action a chain of discoveries, deceit, and destruction that brings together an unlikely group of young people who must work together to save themselves and others. Throughout these adventures, the author interweaves a plausible scientific explanation for Michael's powers: sixteen years ago, seventeen babies were inadvertently given special abilities. Now, evil powerbrokers want to use these young people to cause international mayhem and gain wealth through extortion. Short chapters with intriguing titles, excellent writing, and engaging characters make this action-packed story a compulsively entertaining read. The tale progresses with altering points of view. Michael tells his story in first-person and Taylor's tale is narrated in third-person. This first book of a planned series has a satisfying conclusion but leaves the reader determined to discover what the next book, Rise of the Electroclan, has in store for our young hero and his friends. Though contemporary and edgy, this book contains no bad language, sex, or gratuitous violence. This is a book Rick Riordan's fans will want to read. Reviewer: Lynne Farrell Stover

VOYA - Lynne Farrell Stover