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Alex Van Helsing #1
Vampire Rising
The Van Helsing name rebornFourteen-year-old Alex has no idea that he's descended from the world's most famous vampire hunter, but that changes fast when he arrives at Glenarvon Academy and confronts two vampires in his first three days. Turns out Glenarvon isn't the only school near Lake Geneva. Hidden deep underground lies an ancient university for vampires called the Scholomance. And the deadly vampire clan lord known as Icemaker? You might say he's a visiting professor.
When two of Alex's friends are kidnapped by Icemaker, it's up to Alex to infiltrate the Scholomance and get them back—alive. Assisted by the Polidorium, a top-secret vampire-hunting organization with buried ties to the Van Helsings, Alex dodges zombies, bullets, and lots—and lots—of fangs on his way to thwarting Icemaker's plans and fulfilling his family destiny.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2010
40 people are currently reading
4134 people want to read
About the author
Jason Henderson
109 books163 followersI've been writing for a long time-- comics, games (like Destiny 2), books-- there's always *something.* But lately I've gotten into modern-day YA novels with the Alex Van Helsing series and now middle grade with the new Young Captain Nemo series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
June 14, 2010
Alex Van Helsing #1: Vampire Rising, by Jason Henderson
Readers first meet Alex when he's running through the woods, having heard a scream in the night air. Seconds later he's fighting a vampire, guided by both the instincts of his heritage (yes, his name does mean what you think it does!) and his survival/rescue training. In "Vampire Rising," the action is fast from the start, and never lets up.
Fourteen year old Alex is a newcomer at Glenarvon Academy; he was sent there after an incident at his last boarding school. There are a few interesting people at Glenarvon, my favorite being Mr. Sangster - a no nonsense literature teacher who loves Shelley's
"Frankenstein." But before he has a chance to settle in at his new school, Alex is embroiled in a deadly mess of secret organizations, vampires, demons, and life-or-death situations.
There's a lot to like about "Vampire Rising." It's a book aimed at teenage boys, and one I think is good for fans of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" or "Harry Potter." And while intended for boys, girls will like this too, especially the strong female character Minhi. As I said before, the author keeps the action very thick and fast, with Alex rushing from one perilous situation to the next. There are a few things I found unrealistic, but then I'm above the intended age for the book.
However, there were enough things I really liked that kept me glued to the pages, from the vampire school Scholomance, to Mr. Sangster, to the inclusion of "Frankenstein." I enjoyed how Henderson used history and literature as an integral part of the story; hopefully this will encourage readers to try some classics. I personally plan on doing some research into the Haunted Summer that led to the writing of "Frankenstein." The Polidorium (vampire hunting organization) was well thought out, and I'm eager to learn more about it and the Van Helsing Foundation. I laughed when I thought of vampires looking for non-smoking roommates; I would have liked to see more of Scholomance - hopefully it will show up in later books?
I'm between 3 and 4 stars for "Vampire Rising," but I'll go with 4 since I have thought about it a few times since reading. I'll be looking for more adventures of Alex Van Helsing.
4/5.
Readers first meet Alex when he's running through the woods, having heard a scream in the night air. Seconds later he's fighting a vampire, guided by both the instincts of his heritage (yes, his name does mean what you think it does!) and his survival/rescue training. In "Vampire Rising," the action is fast from the start, and never lets up.
Fourteen year old Alex is a newcomer at Glenarvon Academy; he was sent there after an incident at his last boarding school. There are a few interesting people at Glenarvon, my favorite being Mr. Sangster - a no nonsense literature teacher who loves Shelley's
"Frankenstein." But before he has a chance to settle in at his new school, Alex is embroiled in a deadly mess of secret organizations, vampires, demons, and life-or-death situations.
There's a lot to like about "Vampire Rising." It's a book aimed at teenage boys, and one I think is good for fans of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" or "Harry Potter." And while intended for boys, girls will like this too, especially the strong female character Minhi. As I said before, the author keeps the action very thick and fast, with Alex rushing from one perilous situation to the next. There are a few things I found unrealistic, but then I'm above the intended age for the book.
However, there were enough things I really liked that kept me glued to the pages, from the vampire school Scholomance, to Mr. Sangster, to the inclusion of "Frankenstein." I enjoyed how Henderson used history and literature as an integral part of the story; hopefully this will encourage readers to try some classics. I personally plan on doing some research into the Haunted Summer that led to the writing of "Frankenstein." The Polidorium (vampire hunting organization) was well thought out, and I'm eager to learn more about it and the Van Helsing Foundation. I laughed when I thought of vampires looking for non-smoking roommates; I would have liked to see more of Scholomance - hopefully it will show up in later books?
I'm between 3 and 4 stars for "Vampire Rising," but I'll go with 4 since I have thought about it a few times since reading. I'll be looking for more adventures of Alex Van Helsing.
4/5.
August 28, 2010
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The writing and references are very clever, there are frequent mentions of classic writers and novelists throughout the book and incorporated in the plot, which is to be expected with a name like Van Helsing. The copy that is going around for review has comments from the author in the margins, which is very cool. I loved reading the fun little facts that the author included. There are a lot of references and cultural facts that not everyone, especially young adults might not understand. The plot also moves a bit slow in the beginning and then speeds to hyper-speed the rest of the book, it moves just a tad too fast to for the story line. The idea of the character is great as is Alex, I think he is very cool, I would be his friend.
I like this new thing among authors, whether intentional or not, to include references to some of the world's classics. I think that if teens see some of these books in their modern favorites it will inspire them to give them a try outside the classroom. I just read an article about the impact from the mentioning of Wuthering Heights in Twilight has had on sales of Wuthering Heights. It makes me want to clap and cheer. I hope the trend continues. Pretty good, quick read.
I like this new thing among authors, whether intentional or not, to include references to some of the world's classics. I think that if teens see some of these books in their modern favorites it will inspire them to give them a try outside the classroom. I just read an article about the impact from the mentioning of Wuthering Heights in Twilight has had on sales of Wuthering Heights. It makes me want to clap and cheer. I hope the trend continues. Pretty good, quick read.
March 19, 2010
Jammed packed with adventure and intrigue, Alex Van Helsing is an upcoming series that can be compared to the popular Alex Rider series. My librarian mind went straight to that thought when about halfway through the novel. Only - add in a few vampires and some wooden weaponry.
I must say, I love how this novel throws you right into the action. The first day Alex arrives at his new boarding school, he finds himself in danger and staking his first vampire. It only escalates from there, leaving enough room for friendly introductions to Alex's human friends and enemies and then throws you right back into the action.
This is a book for when you really need something that moves quickly and involves paranormal elements. It was a quick read and definitely more of a middle grade audience - just like the Alex Rider series.
I must say, I love how this novel throws you right into the action. The first day Alex arrives at his new boarding school, he finds himself in danger and staking his first vampire. It only escalates from there, leaving enough room for friendly introductions to Alex's human friends and enemies and then throws you right back into the action.
This is a book for when you really need something that moves quickly and involves paranormal elements. It was a quick read and definitely more of a middle grade audience - just like the Alex Rider series.
June 14, 2010
Alex's life is beset by problems. First, he's starting at Glenvaron Academy a few weeks into the school year because he was expelled from his previous school. Second, the Merrill brothers, his brutish roommates, are doing everything in their power to get Alex out of their room. This includes putting a dead mouse in his bead. Third, Alex finds a dead painter lying in the woods when he flees his dormitory for a middle of the night walk. Fourth, he is not alone in the woods with the dead body; he finds himself under attack by a female creature that might be a vampire.
Shaken by what happened, Alex goes back to school. He soon finds himself a date for fight with the Merrill brothers in the nearby village of Secheron. He moves out of their room before the fight and into that of his two new friends Sid and Paul. At the fight, Alex is saved from a thorough beating by Minhi, who goes to the all girls' school across the lake.
Even with new friends and a new room, Alex's life doesn't settle down to where his only concerns are battling his painful contacts, dealing with headaches and reading Frankenstein for class. Instead, he's finding out about an organization known as the Polidorium, an organization to which his teacher Mr. Sangers belongs. It seems that unlike what Alex's father says "such things do happen" and there is more to the family surname than a coincidental sharing with a Dracula character. The tension escalates with the kidnapping of Paul and Minha.
This was an action-packed adventure book. At times witty, the story and characters were a diverting read. The sequel is due out in 2011.
Shaken by what happened, Alex goes back to school. He soon finds himself a date for fight with the Merrill brothers in the nearby village of Secheron. He moves out of their room before the fight and into that of his two new friends Sid and Paul. At the fight, Alex is saved from a thorough beating by Minhi, who goes to the all girls' school across the lake.
Even with new friends and a new room, Alex's life doesn't settle down to where his only concerns are battling his painful contacts, dealing with headaches and reading Frankenstein for class. Instead, he's finding out about an organization known as the Polidorium, an organization to which his teacher Mr. Sangers belongs. It seems that unlike what Alex's father says "such things do happen" and there is more to the family surname than a coincidental sharing with a Dracula character. The tension escalates with the kidnapping of Paul and Minha.
This was an action-packed adventure book. At times witty, the story and characters were a diverting read. The sequel is due out in 2011.
May 17, 2010
I thought this book had lots of potential to be pretty good, but it fell a little short for me. I've never been a big fan of third-person narration and this book confirmed why. There was an emotional disconnect with the characters and the story. I hate to write "emotional," because I don't want it to sound like I get all weepy or anything like that every time I read. Nevertheless, I feel that the reader needs to attach themselves to something towards the characters or the story in order to continue reading or to want to read more.
I'm a huge fan of SciFi-fantasy. In this book, I can't help thinking some of the content was a bit ridiculous. I sort of had to roll my eyes at a few parts. Plus, I've never had this happen before, but I seriously heard "dundundun" when a certain part came up in the book, like one of those old mystery movies and that music comes on. I had to crack up...
In my opinion, Jason Henderson really tried to make the dialogue sound like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (you know, when she would get all snarky when slaying vampires), but come on, there was only one Buffy and I loved her. So, sorry Henderson, your attempt failed. At least, if that was who you were really trying to emulate.
This book did have a few action sequences that teen-boys would probably love though. I liked the action parts better than anything else in this book. At least I had that...
I'm a huge fan of SciFi-fantasy. In this book, I can't help thinking some of the content was a bit ridiculous. I sort of had to roll my eyes at a few parts. Plus, I've never had this happen before, but I seriously heard "dundundun" when a certain part came up in the book, like one of those old mystery movies and that music comes on. I had to crack up...
In my opinion, Jason Henderson really tried to make the dialogue sound like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (you know, when she would get all snarky when slaying vampires), but come on, there was only one Buffy and I loved her. So, sorry Henderson, your attempt failed. At least, if that was who you were really trying to emulate.
This book did have a few action sequences that teen-boys would probably love though. I liked the action parts better than anything else in this book. At least I had that...
February 19, 2012
My Review:
Fourteen- year old Alex has had weird things happen to him, and has been kicked out of schools with no idea why these things happened to him. His father sends him to Glenarvoun Academy hoping that Alex will not know the truth about himself, that Alex is a descended from the world’s famous vampire hunter, Van Helsing. But that all changes fast when he arrives at Glenarvon, and confronts two vampires in his first three days there. Turns out that there is another school near Lake Geneva, hidden deep underground an ancient University for vampires called the Scholomance. And the deadly vampire clan lord known as Icemaker. When two of his friends are kidnapped by Icemaker, it’s up to Alex to infiltrate the Schoolmance and get them back- alive.. Assisted by the Polidorium, a top secret vampire hunting organization with buried ties to the Van Helsings. Alex dodges zombies, bullets, and lots and lots of fangs, on his way to thwarting Icemaker’s plans and fulfilling his family’s destiny......
My Thoughts:
-I love how Henderson created a fascinating world of vampires, and used the legendary vampires we know and love and ties it with the classic literature stories, such as Stoker's Dracula, Shelley's Frankenstein and the poet Lord Byron.
-I also enjoyed Alex’s curious and brave character, but most of all.. I love the mysterious and creepy vampire school Scholomance, that was full with deadly vampire enemies, and around every corner was a secret to uncover. This book definitely caught my curiosity level, and I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series and more..
So was this a enjoyable book? YES!
And should you go pick up a copy and read it? YES!
So there you go..
-I definitely recommended this book to any Van Helsing and vampire fans will enjoy this book...
-And I give this book 5/5 stars...
Fourteen- year old Alex has had weird things happen to him, and has been kicked out of schools with no idea why these things happened to him. His father sends him to Glenarvoun Academy hoping that Alex will not know the truth about himself, that Alex is a descended from the world’s famous vampire hunter, Van Helsing. But that all changes fast when he arrives at Glenarvon, and confronts two vampires in his first three days there. Turns out that there is another school near Lake Geneva, hidden deep underground an ancient University for vampires called the Scholomance. And the deadly vampire clan lord known as Icemaker. When two of his friends are kidnapped by Icemaker, it’s up to Alex to infiltrate the Schoolmance and get them back- alive.. Assisted by the Polidorium, a top secret vampire hunting organization with buried ties to the Van Helsings. Alex dodges zombies, bullets, and lots and lots of fangs, on his way to thwarting Icemaker’s plans and fulfilling his family’s destiny......
My Thoughts:
-I love how Henderson created a fascinating world of vampires, and used the legendary vampires we know and love and ties it with the classic literature stories, such as Stoker's Dracula, Shelley's Frankenstein and the poet Lord Byron.
-I also enjoyed Alex’s curious and brave character, but most of all.. I love the mysterious and creepy vampire school Scholomance, that was full with deadly vampire enemies, and around every corner was a secret to uncover. This book definitely caught my curiosity level, and I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series and more..
So was this a enjoyable book? YES!
And should you go pick up a copy and read it? YES!
So there you go..
-I definitely recommended this book to any Van Helsing and vampire fans will enjoy this book...
-And I give this book 5/5 stars...
January 25, 2012
On this subject of the 5th grade boys' book club I run, my favorite part is finding books that I love and that the boys love. Like this one that I picked for our next book meeting.
ALEX VAN HELSING: VAMPIRE RISING by Jason Henderson (Harper, May 4th, 2010)
What is this book? Well, the best thing I can come up with is ALEX VAN HELSING is what happens when Vladimir Tod meets Percy Jackson. Yes, there are vampires in the books. But from the very first sentence until you set the book down late in the night, there is non-stop action, adventure, and a huge dose of vampire mythology. I can already see the movie in my mind.
Five reasons you (or your kid) should read ALEX VAN HELSING:
1) You like young adult books, but you prefer those on the younger end of the scale where heavy romance, bad words, and sexual innuendos have not yet taken over. ALEX VAN HELSING was totally appropriate for 5th grade boys.
2) You love a hero that doesn't automatically know everything. Alex learns along with the rest of us, and I adore his innocent nature.
3) You liked Percy Jackson and are looking for other great books for boys. That said, girls will equally enjoy this series!
4) You think Jason Henderson is cool and enjoy listening to his wacky podcast. Wait, you don't listen? What better time to start than now?
5) You like edge-of-your-seat action and heroes that take big chances with big consequences.
So what are you waiting for? Seriously! Highly recommended!
Source of book: Purchased
ALEX VAN HELSING: VAMPIRE RISING by Jason Henderson (Harper, May 4th, 2010)
What is this book? Well, the best thing I can come up with is ALEX VAN HELSING is what happens when Vladimir Tod meets Percy Jackson. Yes, there are vampires in the books. But from the very first sentence until you set the book down late in the night, there is non-stop action, adventure, and a huge dose of vampire mythology. I can already see the movie in my mind.
Five reasons you (or your kid) should read ALEX VAN HELSING:
1) You like young adult books, but you prefer those on the younger end of the scale where heavy romance, bad words, and sexual innuendos have not yet taken over. ALEX VAN HELSING was totally appropriate for 5th grade boys.
2) You love a hero that doesn't automatically know everything. Alex learns along with the rest of us, and I adore his innocent nature.
3) You liked Percy Jackson and are looking for other great books for boys. That said, girls will equally enjoy this series!
4) You think Jason Henderson is cool and enjoy listening to his wacky podcast. Wait, you don't listen? What better time to start than now?
5) You like edge-of-your-seat action and heroes that take big chances with big consequences.
So what are you waiting for? Seriously! Highly recommended!
Source of book: Purchased
March 14, 2012
Vampire Rising is a great supernatural adventure with the sort of protagonist that young adults can look up to and an extremely clever, breathlessly paced plot line that mines existing lore and literature in inventive, startling ways. The identity of the 'big bad' is an awesome reveal, as is his end-game for this volume. Horror geeks and literature buffs will be rewarded by the references and other tidbits that Henderson includes.
Of course, as the first volume in a series, Vampire Rising doesn't delve as deeply into Alex and his friends as it could, but readers are given enough tantalizing hints at their complexities to make the prospect of exploring their personalities in future books a major selling point. I'm particularly interested in learning more about (and meeting) the Van Helsing family and discovering what Sangster's big secret might be.
The only downside to the brisk pacing and shorter length is that the behavior of Minhi and Paul during the rescue scene occasionally strains credulity, but seeds have been laid earlier that help the reader swallow the idea that they'd keep their composure to that extent. And frankly this is a minor issue. Overall, this title is more respectful of lore, tradition and geekdom than most other YA vampire novels I've read, and my hat goes off to Henderson for a job well done.
On to book 2!
Of course, as the first volume in a series, Vampire Rising doesn't delve as deeply into Alex and his friends as it could, but readers are given enough tantalizing hints at their complexities to make the prospect of exploring their personalities in future books a major selling point. I'm particularly interested in learning more about (and meeting) the Van Helsing family and discovering what Sangster's big secret might be.
The only downside to the brisk pacing and shorter length is that the behavior of Minhi and Paul during the rescue scene occasionally strains credulity, but seeds have been laid earlier that help the reader swallow the idea that they'd keep their composure to that extent. And frankly this is a minor issue. Overall, this title is more respectful of lore, tradition and geekdom than most other YA vampire novels I've read, and my hat goes off to Henderson for a job well done.
On to book 2!
July 20, 2012
3 1/2 stars
Good action and a good story. I like how this book went back to vampires being vampires, and people slaying them to keep the normal population safe.
Good action and a good story. I like how this book went back to vampires being vampires, and people slaying them to keep the normal population safe.
September 3, 2013
If you like the Alex Ryder novels you'll probably like this action-packed thriller with vampire villains in place of international criminals.
April 6, 2020
This review and more can be found at:
Reading Under the Covers
I actually liked this book from the second I started reading it!
I loved the concept of it was good action packed. Alex Van Helsing is our main character and yes it sounds extremely familiar, that being the last name, and it should. This is one of those books where it is based on legends. That being Abraham Van Helsing and Dracula. Alex Van Helsing is a descendant of Abraham Van Helsing, Vampire Hunter and he has know idea.
I feel like this was a “coming of age book” for the main character where he learns who he truly is and all the weird things that are happening to him are happening for a reason. It isn’t your typical “coming of age book” and that isn’t what I meant! I meant it just had some aspects of that.
The only problem I had was the writing. It felt like it was written for kids and it probably was but that was my only problem.
Alex was a good main character for this book. He fit this book and that is always a good thing, when the author gets their main character right!
The book is action packed, has secrets and lies, action/ combat, oh and Vampires. What more could you want?
Reading Under the Covers
I actually liked this book from the second I started reading it!
I loved the concept of it was good action packed. Alex Van Helsing is our main character and yes it sounds extremely familiar, that being the last name, and it should. This is one of those books where it is based on legends. That being Abraham Van Helsing and Dracula. Alex Van Helsing is a descendant of Abraham Van Helsing, Vampire Hunter and he has know idea.
I feel like this was a “coming of age book” for the main character where he learns who he truly is and all the weird things that are happening to him are happening for a reason. It isn’t your typical “coming of age book” and that isn’t what I meant! I meant it just had some aspects of that.
The only problem I had was the writing. It felt like it was written for kids and it probably was but that was my only problem.
Alex was a good main character for this book. He fit this book and that is always a good thing, when the author gets their main character right!
The book is action packed, has secrets and lies, action/ combat, oh and Vampires. What more could you want?
February 16, 2019
A fast paced adventure which would appeal to the Vampire story lovers
Since it was fact paced, the story took a hit when it came to the nitty gritty details of the narration. I felt that the final few chapters of the book rather looked rushed and had the action sequences been a bit more detailed, it would've registered on my mind quite well. But this minor let down certainly won't tarnish your reading experience. The unexpected twist at the end would certainly leave you wanting for more. Also, it has this Gothic element which I feel, would appeal to all the readers who liked the twilight series.
Since it was fact paced, the story took a hit when it came to the nitty gritty details of the narration. I felt that the final few chapters of the book rather looked rushed and had the action sequences been a bit more detailed, it would've registered on my mind quite well. But this minor let down certainly won't tarnish your reading experience. The unexpected twist at the end would certainly leave you wanting for more. Also, it has this Gothic element which I feel, would appeal to all the readers who liked the twilight series.
November 26, 2012
Do you enjoy books that are paranormal? If you do then the book Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising is for you. Alex Van Helsing isn’t my favorite book in the world, but it was enjoyable. This book has great action and it’s an easy read, even though the beginning is a little slow. This book is enjoyable because of the action in the plot and the interesting characters; the setting, on the other hand, wasn’t the best.
The setting of the story is very average because there isn’t anything special about it. It takes place in modern-day England in the suburbs at Glenarvon Academy, a boarding school. This book also takes place in a forest, where vampires start to appear. These parts of the setting were typical because a lot of other books have settings like it. Some examples are Harry Potter and Twilight. Those books both have a forest and a school as part of the setting. In my opinion, the most interesting part of the setting is the Scholomance, a school for new vampires. This was quite unique. I have never read a book that has a vampire school like it.
The characters of Alex Van Helsing were very interesting. Each of them had their own unique personalities and interests. Most of the characters also seemed very realistic because of their personal traits and interests.
The most important characters in the story are Alex and Mr. Sangster. Alex is very brave and without knowing it, has been trained to fight vampires all his life. I really like that Alex is the hero of the story. His traits of being brave and strong fit him well and I could imagine doing the same things he did throughout the story. Mr. Sangster, on the other hand, seems very cool and understanding. He probably has these traits because of the line of work he’s in. Mr. Sangster is a teacher during the day and a vampire hunter at night. Also I would love to have Mr. Sangster as a teacher because of all the neat things he could teach me.
Alex’s friends add to the story a lot, they are so understanding and loyal to Alex. One of Alex’s friends is Sid. He’s obsessed with vampires. That's pretty much all he talks and reads about. Another one of Alex’s friends is Minhi. She knows Kung Fu and is really good at it. Finally Paul is connected with Alex and Sid at school. His personality is really hard to figure out, but he’s a good friend to Alex. I feel all these character besides Paul are good friends to Alex. They seem like they’ll stick by his side no matter what.
Icemaker, the leader of all vampires, was introduced to Alex: “That was the arriving caravan of a clan lord, a big boss, that we call Icemaker.” He seems very smart and alert, qualities necessary as the leader of vampires, so when he senses attacks from vampire hunters he can easily make a plan to divert the attack. Icemaker is definitely the villain of this story. Whenever he was about to do something it was like I just wanted to know what he was going to do next. I’m so glad that Alex didn’t end up being captured by him.
Parts of the story had so much action that you could visualize the scenes and feel what the characters were going through. This comes to life at the climax of the story, when Alex infiltrates the Scholomance to save Paul and Mihni from Icemaker, who was planning to use them for a ceremony as sacrifices. It is also true when Alex gets caught in a vampire fight and learns of his destiny when Mr. Sangster tells him that Alex’s father has been preparing him his entire life to be a vampire hunter by saying, “He’s been preparing you. All your life. Self-Defense. Mountain rescue. Whether he likes it or not, he knows what you’re going to be.”
Even though the setting wasn’t the greatest, the characters had a lot of spunk in them and the plot was full of action. Overall, I definitely enjoyed it. I thought this book was a good fiction story that showed a different angle on vampires, since vampire books are usually focused on vampires themselves instead of vampire hunters. Also, since this book is a trilogy, it’s safe to say that that I would read more books in the series.
March 13, 2012
This YA book is more on the level of the Percy Jackson books (i.e. good for the younger crowd). The plot is simple but someone really did their homework with it. Young Alex Van Helsing (no, not THAT Van Helsing according to his father) has been sent to an exclusive all boys boarding school in Geneva Switzerland after something bad happened at his last school but we don’t learn that immediately. The book opens in media res with Alex finding a dead man in the woods and is attacked by a vampire. He dusts her by accident.
Another appears at his school the next night but Alex is half refusing to believe it’s real because his father insists stuff like that is only in the movies. He has more immediate concerns. He’s been housed with Steve and Bill Merrill who are out to make his life miserable up to and including setting up a time for a schoolyard fight. Alex does have friends, Paul a larger British boy and Sid, the vampire aficionado. They’re even studying vampires and Frankenstein in their literature class ran by Mr. Sangster. Also plaguing Alex is the fact that he can’t get used to his new contacts (a point that gets rather belabored).
At the scheduled beat down, Alex is helped by Minhi, a Hindu girl who has studied Martial Arts. Later he gets invited with Paul and Sid to a performance at her all-girl school but before that can happen, more vampires attack and it turns out one of the teachers is actually a member of the Polidorium, a secret society of vampire hunters and that he is stunned that Alex, while heavily trained in sports, mountain climbing and rescue, is completely unaware of the society in spite of his parents former involvement.
Alex is caught between wanting in on the monster hunting and not upsetting his parents but when things go badly at the performance and the Icemaker, a vampire lord, seems to be winning, Alex has to make a choice.
Over all, the story is fun. Alex and his friends are likeable enough though a bit of a trope at this point. There can certainly be many parallels drawn between this and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I did like that Henderson obviously knows a lot about vampire literature and creates a slightly AU history for John Polidori (and one I hope gets readers to do their own exploring in this area). Polidori was, as far as modern literature teachers are concerned, was a bit of a hanger on of Lord Byron and Shelley. He was present at the Haunted Summer where Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein. A few years later he was ostracized from their group, destitute and did write one of the very first vampire stories, which is considered a scathing look at Lord Byron’s user personality. In this story, Polidori allowed himself to be bowdlerized, faked his own death and became a monster hunter. I’d read the next one in the series.
Another appears at his school the next night but Alex is half refusing to believe it’s real because his father insists stuff like that is only in the movies. He has more immediate concerns. He’s been housed with Steve and Bill Merrill who are out to make his life miserable up to and including setting up a time for a schoolyard fight. Alex does have friends, Paul a larger British boy and Sid, the vampire aficionado. They’re even studying vampires and Frankenstein in their literature class ran by Mr. Sangster. Also plaguing Alex is the fact that he can’t get used to his new contacts (a point that gets rather belabored).
At the scheduled beat down, Alex is helped by Minhi, a Hindu girl who has studied Martial Arts. Later he gets invited with Paul and Sid to a performance at her all-girl school but before that can happen, more vampires attack and it turns out one of the teachers is actually a member of the Polidorium, a secret society of vampire hunters and that he is stunned that Alex, while heavily trained in sports, mountain climbing and rescue, is completely unaware of the society in spite of his parents former involvement.
Alex is caught between wanting in on the monster hunting and not upsetting his parents but when things go badly at the performance and the Icemaker, a vampire lord, seems to be winning, Alex has to make a choice.
Over all, the story is fun. Alex and his friends are likeable enough though a bit of a trope at this point. There can certainly be many parallels drawn between this and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I did like that Henderson obviously knows a lot about vampire literature and creates a slightly AU history for John Polidori (and one I hope gets readers to do their own exploring in this area). Polidori was, as far as modern literature teachers are concerned, was a bit of a hanger on of Lord Byron and Shelley. He was present at the Haunted Summer where Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein. A few years later he was ostracized from their group, destitute and did write one of the very first vampire stories, which is considered a scathing look at Lord Byron’s user personality. In this story, Polidori allowed himself to be bowdlerized, faked his own death and became a monster hunter. I’d read the next one in the series.
March 5, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. I was a little skeptical at first, because vampire hunters just didn't seem that interesting to me. Right in the beginning, it starts off with action. Alex is attacked twice by vampires - things he were told "don't happen." Next thing he knows, his own teacher seems to be some kind of agent for some kind of organization. And his two new friends are kidnapped by a super powerful vampire.
Loved the characters in this book. Minhi was really cool (plus she's tough), and Paul and Sid were amusing. Loved Alex. He seems like a good guy. He's funny, and I would like to be his friend. At least, I definitely don't want to be his enemy. He can kill things pretty well. Also really liked Sangster. He's just, you know, your typical literature teacher that also hunts vampires and is a secret agent for a top-secret monster hunting organization.
While the book started off fast, it kind of slowed down after that, but near the end it rushed by so fast. Sadly, I never read any of the classics mentioned in this book, so half the time I got a little confused by all the authors and books mentioned. I'm sure older readers would enjoy all the classical references in this one.
What I really liked about this book was how the vamps weren't sexy, attractive, sparkling, inhuman beings that you fell in love with. They were actually what they were originally written as. Monsters.
I also really liked the secret agent stuff. I've always been into James Bond type things. I compared this book right from the beginning to the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, another of my favorites. Percy Jackson and Ranger's Apprentice lovers will like this book, just like I did. It was a fun, adventurous read that I ate up and made me want more.
Loved the characters in this book. Minhi was really cool (plus she's tough), and Paul and Sid were amusing. Loved Alex. He seems like a good guy. He's funny, and I would like to be his friend. At least, I definitely don't want to be his enemy. He can kill things pretty well. Also really liked Sangster. He's just, you know, your typical literature teacher that also hunts vampires and is a secret agent for a top-secret monster hunting organization.
While the book started off fast, it kind of slowed down after that, but near the end it rushed by so fast. Sadly, I never read any of the classics mentioned in this book, so half the time I got a little confused by all the authors and books mentioned. I'm sure older readers would enjoy all the classical references in this one.
What I really liked about this book was how the vamps weren't sexy, attractive, sparkling, inhuman beings that you fell in love with. They were actually what they were originally written as. Monsters.
I also really liked the secret agent stuff. I've always been into James Bond type things. I compared this book right from the beginning to the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, another of my favorites. Percy Jackson and Ranger's Apprentice lovers will like this book, just like I did. It was a fun, adventurous read that I ate up and made me want more.
February 10, 2012
Alex Van Helsing has just been transferred from one boarding school in the states to another one in Switzerland because of a fight he had with another student. This school doesn't appear to be much better for him since his two roommates harass and bully him. To top that off, Alex begins to get suspicious of the area when he chases a pale person in a white robe into the woods one evening and, with mad skills, kills her. Soon after, he chases another pale person that he finds staring into his dorm room. There isn't anyway his last name is synonymous with vampires....right? Wrong, actually.
This is a family trait that Alex's father has conveniently denied throughout Alex's whole upbringing.
When one of Alex's friends, and Mihni, the girl who "saves" Alex from a fight initiated by his roommates, get kidnapped by Icemaker, head vampire of the underwater lair of Scholomance, Alex and his teacher Mr. Sangster jump into rescue mode. Sangster is an agent in secret group that hunts vampires and not just a teacher at the boarding school. And, to Alex's surprise, this is the organization that Alex's father is a former member of.
This YA novel was full of action, whether it was Alex avoiding his roommates and their bullying ways, or trying to rescue his friends from the head Vamp, Icemaker. There were literary references to Bram Stoker's "Dracula," Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," and Lord Byron, a poet that gave the novel a unique twist on vampires; the undead man, the myth, the legend. The book flowed well through most parts and will definitely keep the interest of lovers of young adult novels about vampires. I enjoyed reading the book from start to finish.
(Borrowed from the library)
This is a family trait that Alex's father has conveniently denied throughout Alex's whole upbringing.
When one of Alex's friends, and Mihni, the girl who "saves" Alex from a fight initiated by his roommates, get kidnapped by Icemaker, head vampire of the underwater lair of Scholomance, Alex and his teacher Mr. Sangster jump into rescue mode. Sangster is an agent in secret group that hunts vampires and not just a teacher at the boarding school. And, to Alex's surprise, this is the organization that Alex's father is a former member of.
This YA novel was full of action, whether it was Alex avoiding his roommates and their bullying ways, or trying to rescue his friends from the head Vamp, Icemaker. There were literary references to Bram Stoker's "Dracula," Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," and Lord Byron, a poet that gave the novel a unique twist on vampires; the undead man, the myth, the legend. The book flowed well through most parts and will definitely keep the interest of lovers of young adult novels about vampires. I enjoyed reading the book from start to finish.
(Borrowed from the library)
March 15, 2017
Alex Van Helsing is Alex Rider with supernatural creatures instead of spies. It's fast moving with tons of suspense and danger. Alex doesn't realize this family's background and never questioned why his Dad made sure he and all his siblings were trained in so many survival and self-defensive skills. While Alex brings this impressive physical skill set to bear on the problem of the vampires and the kidnapping, he also uses the mental skills he has learned and they are equally as cool. We get looks into Alex's mind as, in the midst of a crisis, he assesses himself and the situation. When trapped in a vampire's grip he asks himself "What do I have? What can I use?" I found this analysis and the fact that Alex's mental skills and his abilities (such as knowing archery) saved him rather than luck or guns. I appreciated that he wasn't just a cartoon agent using karate or other mad fighting skills to defeat vampires. He's cool and badass but not unbelievable. He hooks up with a great secret organization and a sort of mentor, all behind his Van Helsing father's back. Dad may be out of the family business, but Alex is all in. But the story isn't all Alex's. He has some great friends who are smart and have skills of their own. One very interesting thing about the story is how so much of it comes from clues in the preface of one of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein editions. I won't spoil any of it here, but it was very neat and inventive of the author. I'm now dying to read the next one but my library and local used bookstore (where I picked this one up) doesn't have it. Never fear, this is what interlibrary loan and Amazon are for, because I've got to have it. Alex is now an addiction.
September 4, 2011
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. Though not the best vampire book I've ever read, it was fun, especially because the vampires are the bad guys. Alex Van Helsing is related to the Van Helsings, except he doesn't know it. One of favorite things about the story is the historical mentions. I absolutely love it when authors add historical references to their books and then give them a creative spin to add something unique to their story. Jason did just that with his mentions of the Villa Diodati group, which consisted of few well known writers like Lord Byron, Mary Shelley and Byron's doctor friend John William Polidori, whom are all apart the story's history. One of the most intriguing aspects of the story is the way Jason integrated Mary Shelley's famous story Frankenstein in Alex Van Helsing. This not only created a rich back story, but it provided the story with some key elements and a great historical setting. What I really liked about this book was how the vamps weren't sexy, attractive, sparkling, inhuman beings that you fell in love with. They were actually what they were originally written as. Monsters.
September 23, 2012
This is one of those books that you hope for more than you expect. But expect more than you actually got.
The plot was very simple and straight forward. There wasn't any big twist or turn. The action scenes were decent. Though, Alex kept asking those questions and that got really annoying after awhile.
What's going on? A vampire is trying to kill me. What do you have? Nothing. What do you have? I have me.
Really? Did we really have to read that, like, four times. And we didn't need Alex to say this doesn't happen or this did happen ten times either. Another thing, they never explained what was so special about being a Van Helsing. Yeah, so he's related to the Vampire hunter from Dracula and he gets a feeling anytime he's near a monster, but he never did feel that special.
Alex, as a character, wasn't anything special, either. He just felt like a typical fourteen-year-old. The supporting characters were just that, supporting characters. They never took the spotlight and they never really got my interest. The best thig I can say about the characters is that they fit what the story is. It's about Alex fighting Vampires and even though Alex wasn't great, he was the main character.
The book wasn't bad and it has potenal. Will I read the next one? Yeah, if the library has it. Like I said before, I had a lot higher hopes for this than I got and I just wish it got a little closer to my hopes then it did.
Originally posted at http://paranormalsisters.blogspot.com/
The plot was very simple and straight forward. There wasn't any big twist or turn. The action scenes were decent. Though, Alex kept asking those questions and that got really annoying after awhile.
What's going on? A vampire is trying to kill me. What do you have? Nothing. What do you have? I have me.
Really? Did we really have to read that, like, four times. And we didn't need Alex to say this doesn't happen or this did happen ten times either. Another thing, they never explained what was so special about being a Van Helsing. Yeah, so he's related to the Vampire hunter from Dracula and he gets a feeling anytime he's near a monster, but he never did feel that special.
Alex, as a character, wasn't anything special, either. He just felt like a typical fourteen-year-old. The supporting characters were just that, supporting characters. They never took the spotlight and they never really got my interest. The best thig I can say about the characters is that they fit what the story is. It's about Alex fighting Vampires and even though Alex wasn't great, he was the main character.
The book wasn't bad and it has potenal. Will I read the next one? Yeah, if the library has it. Like I said before, I had a lot higher hopes for this than I got and I just wish it got a little closer to my hopes then it did.
Originally posted at http://paranormalsisters.blogspot.com/
August 1, 2013
Vampire Novel 101.
Every novel, whether paranormal or just fantasy, it has its own unique mythology.
The most important role of every author is to make their readers learn the whole mythology of the novel.
This novel has the easiest mythology to learn
WRITING STYLE:
It is so simple that you'll think that it is for young readers (Do not misunderstand me, because I love children's books). Everything is basic; no complexity. Very reader friendly.
PACE:
The chapters are short ad go by fast, but the plot is not in sync with the chapters.
I think what Mr. Henderson is trying to do is to not make his readers bored. And I say it works.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:
Simple. Nothing much happens here, but Mr. Henderson will give you bits of the character to help you understand what is going on.
PLOT:
Very simple. It's like a Disney movie where you will see everything coming, but I will give it to the author that the ending is very nice.
MY VERDICT:
If you feel like exploring the paranormal genre, try this. Very basic and you might like it, especially that the mythology is very easy to learn.
RATING BREAKDOWN:
WRITING STYLE: +1 STAR(S)
PACE: NO STAR(S)
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: NO STAR(S)
PLOT: +1 STAR(S)
MY VERDICT: +1 STAR(S)
Every novel, whether paranormal or just fantasy, it has its own unique mythology.
The most important role of every author is to make their readers learn the whole mythology of the novel.
This novel has the easiest mythology to learn
WRITING STYLE:
It is so simple that you'll think that it is for young readers (Do not misunderstand me, because I love children's books). Everything is basic; no complexity. Very reader friendly.
PACE:
The chapters are short ad go by fast, but the plot is not in sync with the chapters.
I think what Mr. Henderson is trying to do is to not make his readers bored. And I say it works.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:
Simple. Nothing much happens here, but Mr. Henderson will give you bits of the character to help you understand what is going on.
PLOT:
Very simple. It's like a Disney movie where you will see everything coming, but I will give it to the author that the ending is very nice.
MY VERDICT:
If you feel like exploring the paranormal genre, try this. Very basic and you might like it, especially that the mythology is very easy to learn.
RATING BREAKDOWN:
WRITING STYLE: +1 STAR(S)
PACE: NO STAR(S)
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: NO STAR(S)
PLOT: +1 STAR(S)
MY VERDICT: +1 STAR(S)
July 9, 2017
Alex has been sent to another boarding school after an incident at the last one. Then, as he's walking through the woods one night (yeah, he breaks the rules sometimes) he hears a scream. He finds a dead body and what appears to be a vampire. Not sure how, he stakes her and watches as she turns to dust. Now Alex starts to wonder if the stories about Van Helsing are true. And if there really are vampires, is he destined to fight them? His friends are kidnapped and he knows he has no choice, he must charge into the lair of vampires and save his friends.
An interesting premise and story. The story waivers a little, but the action is solid and pretty believable. No romance here, just vampire hunting and plenty of it.
An interesting premise and story. The story waivers a little, but the action is solid and pretty believable. No romance here, just vampire hunting and plenty of it.
January 17, 2016
I don't even know where to start with this book. I picked up wanting a different point on vampires and imaging Edward being hunted down was a nice plus. I couldnt get into the story whether that was because the 3rd person story telling, Alex himself, or the plot, or even all three. I just couldnt get into the story and I really tried for 100 pages after then I was just torturing myself. Though it was nice to pick up a vampire book and not have romance bursting at the seams for once. I just couldnt get into the book and I am not planning on trying to read the 2nd in the Alex Van Helsing series.
August 27, 2013
I was not impressed by this book at all. The characters were all basically carbon copies of one another with no defining features to make them unique, the teacher didn't even speak like a teacher, and the author tries to hard to be clever.
The only credit I can give the author is that he clearly knows his stuff about Byron. There are facts in here that many people don't know about and I was impressed by that as a Byron aficionado myself.
Overall, I will most likely not read the next book in the series.
The only credit I can give the author is that he clearly knows his stuff about Byron. There are facts in here that many people don't know about and I was impressed by that as a Byron aficionado myself.
Overall, I will most likely not read the next book in the series.
July 1, 2016
A good book, but there are some things that are not done well. Alex wears contacts, and it must be important at some point in the series, because it is so blatantly inserted into this first book (and not in a good way). Also, it's a little TOO unbelievable that a boy who only a few days ago didn't know that vampires existed would willingly enter a den with hundreds or thousands of vampires. Alex as a main character isn't developed nearly enough.
However, all that said, I still really liked it. I'm just hoping that the second book is better.
However, all that said, I still really liked it. I'm just hoping that the second book is better.
March 25, 2011
I started reading this for work but couldn't even get through the end.
Yes, it was action-packed and had good references to literature and history but the characters lacked depth and dimension. Most of the time I felt like I was reading a script rather than a novel.
Good alternative for Cherub lovers, I guess, but definitely not for me.
Yes, it was action-packed and had good references to literature and history but the characters lacked depth and dimension. Most of the time I felt like I was reading a script rather than a novel.
Good alternative for Cherub lovers, I guess, but definitely not for me.
January 14, 2021
This is a young adult novel about Alex Van Hessling, a 14-year-old (does that mean it does or doesn't qualify as a young adult, not sure what the cutoff is) who is a descendent of the ancient vampire-fighting family, only he does not know that at the beginning. He goes to a school close to Lake Geneva in Europe and although, not knowing that vampires even exist ends up battling them twice within the first two or three days of arrival.
It goes on to a vampire school that is under the school he has been sent to. Finally, he not only gets involved, he gets involved in a big way and ends up fighting a whole nest of vampires.
I like vampire stories but usually with the vampire a bit more sympathetic than this are, plus the bood ended up being a bit too elementary for me. This suggests that maybe it is an elementary (or whatever a 14 year is considered these days) rather than a young adult which I really usually enjoy a bit more than I did this one. Although it was certainlyi good enough for the finish it.
It goes on to a vampire school that is under the school he has been sent to. Finally, he not only gets involved, he gets involved in a big way and ends up fighting a whole nest of vampires.
I like vampire stories but usually with the vampire a bit more sympathetic than this are, plus the bood ended up being a bit too elementary for me. This suggests that maybe it is an elementary (or whatever a 14 year is considered these days) rather than a young adult which I really usually enjoy a bit more than I did this one. Although it was certainlyi good enough for the finish it.
February 11, 2020
This is one I reread when I don't have anything else to read. Its good, short, so doesn't take long to read and in my favorite genre - fantasy fiction. Some parts are a little unbelievable - like how the young teens are not totally freaked out at the presence of vampires, but hey, its modern day. lol But I still enjoy it.
August 13, 2020
The details of the vampire world are fascinating, and there's a lot of "putting vampires in a modern setting" tricks that are neat. But a lot of moments happen too quickly and don't feel at all earned. Mysteries are uncovered and friendships formed in the course of a few pages. Perhaps the author wanted to keep the page length down, but it makes the narrative seem very low stakes.
Read
May 20, 2022This is all action. Alex Van Helsing has recently discovered that he comes from a family of vampire hunters. He hasn't even had time to make peace with this when two of his friends are kidnapped by an ancient vampire known as the Icemaker. Fighting evil without proper training, Alex will stop at nothing to save his friends.
September 29, 2024
3⭐
Alex Van Helsing was always teased for his last name and its "origin"; until Alex learned the stories were true. Alex takes on the original vampire, Ice Man aka Lord Byron. He learns of his vampire hunting history quickly and takes on the job. What will his father say when he learns Alex took up the family business? What more will the business bring to him?
Alex Van Helsing was always teased for his last name and its "origin"; until Alex learned the stories were true. Alex takes on the original vampire, Ice Man aka Lord Byron. He learns of his vampire hunting history quickly and takes on the job. What will his father say when he learns Alex took up the family business? What more will the business bring to him?
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