Jamie Carpenter’s world hasn’t been the same since he saw his father killed and posthumously accused of treason. Now, his mom has been kidnapped and Frankenstein - bolts in the neck and all - shows up to recruit him to join DEPARTMENT 19. Jamie is willing to do whatever it takes to find his mom… even if it means he must battle monsters to do so.
 
DEPARTMENT 19 is the first in a series aimed primarily at teenage boys. The action is nonstop as Jamie faces vampires of the dark and creepy kind (no sparkly vampires here!).  Will Hill blends together the mythology of DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN, while incorporating real life individuals such as Bram Stoker. The result is an interesting mix and one that will hopefully send teenagers to the classic novels to see how all the pieces fit together. 
 
Will Hill seamlessly shifts from one time period to another, as the reader is drawn into the current storyline even as we learn about the past. The back history adds the necessary depth to the tale. Readers should note that DEPARTMENT 19 doesn’t shirk away from violence as the vampires are amassing to perpetrate horrific evils. Some of the scenes are nothing short of gruesome.
 
Jamie is the sort of hero that adolescent males will appreciate. Yes, he learns how to fight and use his weapons far too easily to be believable- but his impulsivity is pure teenager!  What DEPARTMENT 19 lacks in realism, it makes up for in sheer entertainment. From the very first page, DEPARTMENT 19 hooks the reader and doesn’t let go. Superb!

Publisher: Razorbill  (April 2011)

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