Departmet 19: The Rising
Author: Will Hill
Retail Price: £12.99 (Hardback)
Publisher: HarperCollins
UK Publication Date: 29th March 2012
Blurb/Synopsis
The policeman looked round at the dimly lit road, on the factory wall opposite, in black paint dripped all the way to the tarmac, someone had sprayed two words:
HE RISES…
After the terrifying attack on Lindisfarne at the end of the first book, Jamie, Larissa and Kate are recovering at Department 19 headquarters, waiting for news of Dracula’s stolen ashes.
They won’t be waiting long.
Vampire forces are gathering. Old enemies are getting too close. And Dracula… is rising.
Review
This is an awesome follow-on to Department 19 and I personally found this book even more exciting. The story is set three months after Lindisfarne. Jamie’s character develops giving us an insight into the way he thinks. At times he is a typical teenager and comes across as being quite arrogant. The flaws help to make him a more interesting protagonist. Kate and Larissa are there to support Jamie, although keeping secrets can put a strain on the best of friendships.
***If you have not read the first book and don’t want to know what happened, this may be the time to stop reading the review as there are spoilers of the first book to follow. If you’ve read Department 19 – keep reading***
Jamie’s mum was turned into a vampire towards the end of the last book and is now residing in the basement of department 19. Their relationship is very much that of any teenage boy and his mother, Will Hill shows that he has great insight or a very good memory of how this demographic works.
As the blurb indicates the story revolves around the return of Dracula and is counting down until the day he rises, zero hour. In the first book Jamie killed Alexandru Rusmanov, one of the three original vampires turned by Dracula and now his two brothers are coming to the Blacklight headquarters looking for Jamie. The author creates a very interesting backstory on how vampires came into being, there is also a twist as these vampires are a little different from all the others I have ever read about. You will have to read the book to find out in what way this is.
Will Hill weave’s his story taking us on a non-stop trilling ride through the classic genre of horror to the modern world of vampire hunters, and he does it brilliantly. The action sequences are well written with plenty of gore and enough detail to keep you gripped within the story. I could not put this book down. I would like to say more about this riveting story but do not want to give any of its secrets away. If you like a fast paced, exciting, mind blowing story you need to read this book.
Star Rating:
I give this book 5 out of 5.
About the author
Will Hill worked in publishing for several years before leaving to write full time.
Other books by this author:
- Department 19 – click to read a review
If you like this book, you may also like:
- The Gone series by Michael Grant
- The Saga of Larten Crepsley by Darren Shan
- The Demonata Series by Darren Shan
- Beast by Ally Kennen
- Bedlam by Ally Kennen
- Berserk by Ally Kennen
- Quarry by Ally Kennen
Review by JC