Virals #1
Kathy Reich, Brendan Riches
November 2nd, 2010
Razorbill
448 pages
Amazon/Book Depository/B&N
Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.
As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.
Fortunately, they are now more than friends they're a pack. They are Virals.
My friend Emelia has been tweeting about Bones as she watches all the episodes on Netflix. That has me rewatching the series and gobbling up the rest of Kathy Reichs' bibliography.
This book was pretty good, overall. Tory holds some of the same antisocial qualities that Temperance has, despite being surrounded by a posse of young boys willing to do her bidding. I know this was Reichs' first attempt at YA and despite a few nitpicky things on my part (I'm still convinced that no one can whistle the South Park theme) she did a really good job. The science was explained well, without making the reader feel they were either mentally challenged or unable to ever understand it. The cold case, crime, and coverup were all great. The last fifty pages were pretty straightforward, after the big reveal of who the baddie really was.
The extra powers, a bit over the top, but appealing in it's own way. The tone reminded me of the Animorphs books I used to read, with a bit less aliens and a bit more dead bodies. It was fun, educational, and easy to digest. I'll be picking up the next one.
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