Voice of the Undead

Alex Van Helsing #2

by Jason Henderson

Now that Alex Van Helsing knows about the deadly vampires that live--and hunt--around his boarding school, he's decided to train with the Polidorium to become a vampire hunter, just like his ancestors. Meanwhile, Alex's arch-nemesis Elle, a vampire whose youthful appearance disguises a vengeful rage, is out to get him before a powerful leader called Ultravox arrives on the scene. The situation is grave, as innocent lives hang in the balance, and it's on Alex to act now--or else.

Genres: Vampires, Fantasy, Young Adult, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Adventure

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 26, 2011

About the author

I'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.

Reviews

[Ernest Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Disclosure: The author of this novel, Jason Henderson, is an old friend of mine, and I’m a longtime fan of his work. But rest assured, if this book sucked, I would still have to be honest and tell you. Luckily, this book totally kicks ass. No small feat, considering the glut of vampire books in the past few years. It's made me miss the good old days, when vampires were just unholy undead abominations that needed to be destroyed.

And that’s why I love this book. It’s not just another “teen vampire story.” It’s a “teen vampire hunter story." Which means the vampires in it aren’t angst-ridden teenagers who put too much mousse in their hair and write bad poetry while they listen to The Cure and pine over their human girlfriend. The vampires in Voice of the Undead are evil bloodsucking fiends without pity or remorse, and they all deserve a wooden stake through their black, bloodless hearts. (Well, nearly all of them do.)

Enter Alex Van Helsing, a fourteen year old descendant of the famous vampire hunter who faced off against Dracula. Alex has heightened senses that can alert him to the presence of evil, but he still has a tough time understanding girls. Don't these ladies realize that he's a kick ass vampire slayer with a motorcycle and some really sweet weapons?

I dug the first book in this series, but Voice of the Undead totally ups the ante. The action doesn’t stop, the villain is as clever as he is wicked, and the story is filled with stuff that made my inner-teenage-boy very happy: Funny dialogue. A bad-ass-but-flawed mentor. Cool James Bond style gadgetry. Secret organizations with names like “The Polidorium” and “The Scholomance.” And lots and lots of bloodsuckers getting what they deserve. I really, really enjoyed it.

[Qt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the first book in this series, and I think I liked this second one even better. It's fast-paced and has plenty of action and humor.

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woah, if I'd known how much improved Voice of the Undead is compared to Vampire Rising, I wouldn't have waited a year to read this. I'm going to throw around the word better a lot, but it's all true - this book is better plotted, better paced, better developed, better everything. But most importantly, not only does this sequel totally blow the first book out of the water, it's also a really good book in its own right.

From the very first page, I just knew this was going to be a wild and totally different ride. There's no slow buildup or mythology dump before the vampires really make their move, nope, from the very first awesome motorcycle chase scene I'm thrown straight into the action. Henderson really stepped up his game - while Vampire Rising was pretty straightforward and mostly withheld the action until the Scholomance scenes, here, there's actually a fairly complex plot at work and the action's pretty well interspersed throughout the story. I never knew when evil vampire Elle would pop up, or Alex or one of his friends would be in danger. And the main villain, Ultravox, nasty plans that one.

Another part of it's also how well the boarding school scenes tie into the vampire slash action scenes this time around. I don't mean just the bloodsucking worm attack at the beginning - although that too was one hell of a scene, very creative - but the chapters spent following Alex's Glenarvon Academy friends and classmates around are way more than just side plots like they were before. The Merrill brothers got to be more than typical boarding school bullies. Best friend and resident vampire expert Sid got something to do - yes, really, just be patient, it'll make sense. And actually, besides one weird incident involving chalk and contacts, the entire plot came together really really well, I never felt like the action jumped around at all.

But best of all, the villain, Ultravox aka Jonathan Frene, he's just insidious in a way that Icemaker could never be. Without giving away his specific powers and plans, there's a reason this book's titled Voice of the Undead. And I especially like how his conflict with Alex touches on so many other aspects of Alex's character, his family legacy as a Van Helsing, his relationship with his parents, his expectations of being a vampire hunter - Ultravox's not just a really good villain, he's a great foil for some really good character development.

Vampire Rising was only a so-so book for me, but Voice of the Undead really steps it up a notch, I really like it, great writing and a lot of undead staking fun. Can’t wait to see what the third book has in store.

[Beagle Lover (Avid Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I read this book about 2 years ago and I remember it as being quite good. The first in the series was equally as good.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book was much better than the first in my opinion. The plot was more involved and the balance between action and character development was much better. As a YA adventure novel the plot is not all that complex and the characters are not particular deep but the story develops nicely and the tension builds with some nice side stories.

Looks like this is turning into a nice series for those looking for action adventure with a vampire twist.

[E.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex continues his adventure in with the Polidorium in this action packed sequel to the Vampires Rising. The way Jason Henderson uses literature to weave a story was fun and interesting. You love this kid, Alex, right from the start. He's a regular kid with contacts. Then he starts on this adventure and you are brought along to see all of it. It's a great read and I'd love to see a fourth book!

I've already read the series twice. :)

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Vampire Rising so much that I nominated it for the Cybils Awards.The second book is a textbook example of how to write for the Adrenaline rush: Alex is chased by two cars, has blood sucking leeches thrown at him by Elle, is attacked by the leeches again in his dorm room, and then the dorm catches on fire. That's just the first two chapters! The boys from Glenarvon have to move in with the girls at LaLaurie school until repairs are made. Shades of Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy!) From there, we find out that the vampires are still trying to take out Alex, so Elle makes several more attempts on his life, and a character named Ultravox is brought in. He's trying to brainwash the LaLaurie girls to carry out an evil plan, using Alex's friend Sid's short stories to do it! This is an absolutely essential purchase if your library's Darren Shan books are in tatters. Still not enough of Ale'x sister, but I think there will be a sequel, and I can live in hope.

Adrenaline. Why things need to explode in the very first chapter of a book for some boys to find it intriguing! That said, adrenaline literally makes me sick to my stomach! I don't like scary books or movies, I don't sky dive, and quite frankly, making left turns in heavy traffic is as daredevilish as I care to get. That's why it's important for me to separate what I want to read from what my students want. If I had my way, we'd have a collection based off of the blogging of The Paris Hat! Ah, rec rooms and saddle shoes. A little more in my comfort zone.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Van Helsing is amazingly written. It's history about his ancestors being the worldwide known vampire hunters. While also Alex just trying to have a normal life, but while being stuck in a war that has been going on for centuries is really making that difficult. The conflicts he goes through is just simply amazing. Not only because of the plot twists he goes through but because in some cases the reader can actually relate to him. Just how each challenge he must face their is always a plot twist at the end. Therefore making his goal even harder to achieve which is to keep everyone safe.

Now when I said that I can relate to Alex I really meant it. It is amazing how the author made the character to be attached to reader. Like the challenges and the struggle he goes through all of us at one point can relate to him. Back to the story though it was written perfectly how all the characters mix and match. How it just makes you think that you will know what is going to happen next. But out of nowhere something unexpected happens that you never thought will happen. This is why I really loved this book and I really thank the author for this book. It really makes me feel like i'm the one he is talking about. Because how he explains Alex to be a selfless person and strong mentally is beautiful. No spoilers though the ending of the second book is not simple to understand. The only way to explain it is that it will leave you in shock.

[Mackenzie Holcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐

Honestly, the only thing worthwhile in this sequel was the action. I really enjoy that Alex is a James Bond of the paranormal. I was hoping to read some of Sid's writing material. Hopefully the conclusion of this series has more depth.

[Jozlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fort book is just half of what this one is. I love it!

[Z. Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Really a fun read. I couldn’t put it down! The author’s writing style is fresh and unique. Such a wonderful book. Definitely going to start on the next one as soon as possible!

[Jobert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kids stuff. But it's a book for kids. My fault. Tsk.

[Darla Welchel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like the macabre, this is a great teen fantasy fiction. Follow Alex Van Helsing as he discovers more about his unique powers when it comes to vampire hunting!

[A Book Vacation · Rating 4 out of 5]

To see my full review:

http://abookvacation.com/2014/07/14/r...

Truth be told, this novel wasn't even on my radar. I'd never heard of the series, and I wasn't looking for another vampire book to read, but a student brought this to me and begged me to read it so s/he would possibly have the opportunity to read it as part of his/her outside reading project this quarter. Out of the 200 books I listed as choices, s/he wanted something that wasn't on the list. Figures.

But, my student made a case for the book, and to be quite honest, I've never seen this student quite as excited about any reading material this entire year; I mean, s/he was only on page 11 and was gushing about how good it was. And the whole purpose of my outside reading project is to get kids interested in reading, right? So I read it. In one sitting. And it was good. Now I need book one.

Yes, this is the second book in the series, and I was a little worried that I'd have no idea what was going on, and in the beginning, I was a little confused--but I read the synopsis for book one and that pretty much put everything in perspective for me, AND, Henderson also does a great job bringing the reader up to speed, rehashing some events from book one without going overboard or info dumping.

And I really liked this story. It's definitely a novel geared towards males, which is great since I tend to gravitate to books with females leads, and it does indeed blend a bit of James Bond with the whol vampire spectrum. While we don't really see much in terms of vampires in this novel, they're alluded to, and the mysterious and ever awful Elle does make a play for power in her attempts to end Alex Van Helsing, so there is that.

But this novel really revolves around young Alex playing spy while also attempting to attend school with the elite. We're split between his time in school (which I really could have done without--the spy stuff was so interesting, but, you know) and his time hunting down the elusive vampires and trying to gain a better understanding of his hiss and static powers alerting him of danger... and it's all very well done, and somewhat reminds me a spy kids--and the action within the first chapter definitely grabbed my attention and kept me interested. I will admit that it took me a few pages to get into the story, again, because this is a sequel and I wasn't 100% about what was happening (we are definitely dropped right in on the action), and because Alex was thinking to himself about school, which was... eh. But as he's thinking the vampires make his move, and suddenly he's in the midst of a death-defying race, forced to play chicken with two speeding Mercedes as he maneuvers his motorcycle and... yeah. It's good.

[Sapphyria · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review of Book 1, Vampire Rising, can be found here: http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/201...

The gang is all back together in Book 2: Alex, Paul, Sid, Minhi, Sangster, the rest of the Polidorium, and Alex's nemesis, Elle the vampire.

After being attacked by Elle on his way back to school, Alex accidentally burns down the school. This forces the entire Glenarvon’s Boarding School for Boys to move into an all girls' school, LaLaurie School for Girls, while the situation is assessed. This school just happens to be the one Minhi attends and is the sister school to Glenarvon. Here, we are introduced to Vienna, who has captivated Alex.

While at the school, the boys learn of a tradition where there is a talent show. Sid is encouraged to write and read his vampire stories to the school for the competition. While at the library seeking material/books to use, Vienna thrusts a book at Sid to use. After a while of reading and writing from the book, the girls in the school are summoned forth into the night by an unknown entity. Elle is the leader of the group but she is assisted by the recording from a sinister new player on the scene named Ultravox. He has his target set on someone or something in the city but neither Alex nor the Polidorium can figure out who or what.

Will Alex and the Polidorium figure out what's going on before anyone ends of dead?

I wasn't nearly as excited about Book 2 as I was about Book 1. Voice of the Undead seemed to be written at a much slower pace than Vampire Rising. I didn't find myself engaged in the plot of the story and as such it took me quite a long time (and two library renewals) to get it read. It just didn't pull me into the story as much as I had hoped it would.

The story line itself was great. I loved the layout and the newly introduced characters. Vienna's story was sad and as it unfolded I really felt sorry for her predicament. There were some feelings between Vienna and Alex but they weren't really explored since there was a crazy madman out trying to kill/harm someone or something. Ultravox was interesting yet sort of a bland main bad guy. I found that he ended up playing a minor part in Voice of the Undead even though I think he was made out to be the main focus of the story. Vienna, Elle, Sid, and the talent show at the girls' school really overshadowed Ultravox.

I highly advise you start this series by reading book 1 first - it will help you put things into perspective and understand who Alex Van Helsing and Sangster are. It will also explain why Elle (and the Scholomance) want Alex dead.

I will finish the trilogy at some point but it's not high on the priority list.

Review Copy Courtesy Of: My Local Library.

[Bibliojunkies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second installment of the Alex Van Helsing series does not disappoint. For the Alex history lesson and review of the first book, Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising, see Bel’s fantastic review here! This time, our hero finds himself the target of the Icemaker’s vampire coven. On his way back to Glenarvon Academy from training exercises with the Polidorium, Alex is attacked by Elle, one of the vampires he bested in Vampire Rising. Alex escapes, but unfortunately the attack has unforeseen consequences and Glenarvon is nearly destroyed, forcing the students of the all boys school to move into Minhi’s school, LaLaurie, an all girls academy.

The Polidorium discovers that Icemaker has brought in “The Voice” a vampire henchman to achieve his evil goals. While the Polidorium scrambles to find out Icemaker’s end-game, Alex and his friends are face attacks from Elle and the Voice. Of course, the usual shenanigans ensue, culminating in the showdown during a formal event.

There were lots of twists and surprises in Voice of the Undead. I will not get spoilery on you, but Alex gets a new love interest with a few of her own secrets, we get to learn more about Alex’s family and Alex’s roommate Sid gets to share more of his vampire knowledge. One of my favorite lines shows that someone was well taught: “It occurred to him at that moment that the men wear black and white because they are essentially intended to be invisible next to the women in the gowns.” p. 137.

My love of the Alex Van Helsing books is pretty well documented and that love continues. This book is fast-paced and fun. I enjoy the way the author illustrates Alex’s thought process when facing stressful situations. I also enjoy that while Alex is extraordinary in many ways, we also see how in many ways, Alex is a typical 14 year old. It was reminiscent of reading The Hardy Boys, except with vampires and cooler gadgets! All in all, I say 4.5 stars and I cannot wait for Alex No. 3! I also cannot wait until my 4 year old nephew is old enough to read Alex. Please tell me it is coming soon!

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is it like to be the great, great, great grandson of the famous vampire slayer Van Helsing? Well, it's exciting! Alex Van Helsing is bacon the hunt for vampires. As a student/agent of the Polidorium, a multinational organization, head-quartered at Lake Geneva. Like his grandfather, Alex has a vampires as his main nemesis. Hiding out amongst other teens at Glenarvon Academy, he passes himself off as just another kid attending a private school.

As the vampire Elle and the Scholomance come after him, he realizes that his friends will be endanger. He had almost lost friends before and he couldn't let it come down to that again. With the recent fire at his school Alex and the other boys must move into the neighboring girls school, LaLaurie. With the help of Sangster, his mentor and the Polidoruim, Alex must stop Ultavox, a leader of the Scholomance with a deadly viral voice. But, this may all end with the arrival of Alex's parents. They are concerned and want him to come home. Well, his mother wants him to come home because she fears he is in danger and his father feels he will be fine in the hands of the Polidorium. It really didn't matter to Alex one way or the other, he was going to stay. He has to in order to stop Ultravox and Ell from spreading a deadly virus at LaLaurie.

This novel is the second installment of a series written by Jason Henderson. This is an excellent book for all teens but especially boys. It has monsters and excitement to keep them turning the pages and wanting more. If you missed Vampire Rising, you can still follow along with Voice of the Undead, each book can stand all on its own.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the review and a sneak peek at iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books.

Once again, Jason Henderson does not disappoint with this clean young adult adventure fit for paranormal fans of any age. This title was even better than the first, with an even scarier villain and much higher stakes. New characters are introduced, and several play bigger roles in this one. There's a bigger mystery element in Voice of the Undead, and some characters take a turn for the evil as time goes on.


Alex proves his worth by keeping his school safe from the vampires, but this new villain, Ultravox, seems to be able to breach the walls of LaLaurie Academy for Girls, where the boys are staying since their school was heavily damaged by a fire (which Alex had an unfortunate part in). I loved the fast-thinking and bravery Alex displayed while facing his numerous enemies. He got stuck in some pretty sticky situations, and circumstances were dire. It was exciting, and you couldn't stop reading until the very last page. Henderson wrote with his typical humorous narration and descriptive scenes, an enjoyable writing style that I could easily get into.


I was very satisfied in the end. Despite its description as for "ages 12 up," I think this book is targeted for a younger audience interested in the paranormal. Even if you don't like paranormal, this series is also good for those spy-action type lovers.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alex has just finished a training session with Sangster, his mentor with the Polidorium, a multinational organization. Just because Alex is part of the Polidorium does not mean that he is exempt from curfew at Glenarvon Academy, where he attends. On his way back to Glenarvon Academy, Alex is attacked by Elle. Elle is a vampire and Alex’s nemesis. Elle works for Scholomance. The Scholomance want Alex dead for good. After almost succeeding, Alex is forced to stay at LaLaurie School for Girls, Glenarvon Academy’s sister school. Will Elle finally take down Alex once and for all?

Alex Van Helsing: Voice of the Undead is book two in author, Jason Henderson’s young adult series featuring Alex Van Helsing. Book one is Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising. I would strongly suggest starting with book one as there is no lead up into book two. Though, it is pretty easy to quickly figure out who the bad guys are, there is not a lot of back ground story as to why the Scholomance want Alex dead.

This series is geared towards readers twelve and up. I think twelve is the perfect starting age for this series. There is some violence and the story is written for a more mature young reader. Young boys would enjoy this series. Alex is someone that young readers can get attached to and cheer for as he battles vampires.

[Sarah Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I *really* enjoyed this book. I could tell in book one that the series was well written, but it didn't grip me like I'd like (still gave it 4 *, since I think it might've just been my personal taste instead of the book itself). With each book, this world that Henderson's created gets more and more complex. Makes sense with the motto of "There are Such Things" for the secret org. This book picks up after book 1's big rescue mission, and now the whole gang know about Alex. A new person joins their group of friends - Vienna. She also happens to be a childhood friend of the Merrill brothers, who hate Alex. This book's big bad is Ultravox - a vamp with the power to essentially hypnotize people. He tells them "what they're thinking" and controls how they perceive the world around them. Of course, this power doesn't mean he has to be honest, now does it? We also see more Elle action in this book, and *man* does she hold a grudge. With all that going on, surely nothing else could be wrong. WRONG. The boys' school burns down, forcing them to move into the girls' school. All I can say is, I'm glad high school wasn't that nuts for me! I'm already about 25% through book 3, and I can still say with absolute certainty that this book is worth reading for any age, so long as they can read at at least a 7th grade level or so.

[Mary Skramovsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in the Alex Van Helsing series. The first Alex Van Hesling: Vampire Rising, got starred reviews from Library Journal, Starred reviews Voya.
In this installment, Alex is in Glenarvon’s Boarding school for boys. He is in training to become a vampire hunter . His Ancestors were vampire hunters and at age 14 he already knows the difference between good and evil. As he is participating in a live action vampire role playing game, he is chased by his nemesis Elle. Elle is a vampire with a mission to kill Alex. She unleashes blood sucking bugs and unfortunately one of Alex’s classmates is bitten and sent to the hospital. A fire destroys the school and the boys are sent to live in their sister school. Ultravox is an assassin who may or may not be out to kill Alex and it is not clear who the target is. There is also teen angst. Alex likes Vienna, a girl with a secret who Alex becomes tongue tied around. There are various characters who are friends and roommates who add to the storyline. Fans of the series will like this installment. Recommended.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have liked this one more if I'd read the first one more recently. Which is not to say I didn't like it. I did. But I was confused more than once. Kept reading for the general storyline and occasional awesome part (like ... how can I say it without giving away a spoiler ... the unexpected twist in one character that I hope is revisited?). Skimmed over the confusing parts.


I just went back to look at my review of the first and seriously ... cannot remember what the question about Mr. Sangster was. That is going to drive me nuts.


The idea behind this story was interesting. A vampire with an uncanny ability to inflict his will upon others. More than the "usual" vampiric thrall.

I'll be back for book three.

[Mrs. Garza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fourteen year old Alex Van Helsing is related to the famous Van Helsing. He possesses the power to "feel" a vampires presence. This proves useful for vampire hunting and for protection from vampire hunters. This is a fast action novel with lots of action, vampire "deaths" and just a smidge of teen romance, a hint more than a smidge, really. It's the perfect boy book.
I really loved the first book with it's background history on the classic horror authors. This sequel had a great storyline but left Alex to deal with a major character without the help of the Polidorium. It felt like the junior "James Bond" was forgotten by his "country". I'm sure the younger set loved that Alex and his friends did just fine on their own.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young adult supernatural series that is actually suitable for young adults. Alex Van Helsing is the most recent heir to the original vampire hunter. In addition to dealing with normal high school problems, such as girls, he also has to worry about being a target for the local vampire population. When a new clan lord arrives in the area, it's up to Alex to find a way not only survive the threat but to save those a around him as well.

Why I gave this 4 stars? It's suitable for most middle school readers - there's no mention of sex, drugs, or alcohol. Alex does defy his parents - he's reluctant to tell them he's a vampire hunter, and he does miss curfew and lie to school officials - to hide the existence of vampires.

[AllBookedUp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex's parent's find out what he's been up to. Ultravox is this vampire who can bend your mind to do things he wants you to do and Alex finds out his static is more in tune to seeking out vampires. He just has to focus more to fine tune where they are.

Miniha is beginning to have feeling for Alex much to Paul's chargrin and Sid is an awesome authority of vamps bc of the stuff he writes for his PC games. Vienna is Miniah's roomate who turns out if she loosens her scarf, she literally loses her head...thanks to Ellie the blond vamp.

Not bad of a storyline.

Too tired to write more.

[Michael Mcdaid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the action pack first novel. Alex is of course a vampire hunter, and thought it would pick up where the first one ended. But this is a stand alone novel that has Alex fighting vampires again, but at a much slower pace.
The characters are not as well developed either. I felt maybe we could get a little more about Alex or his friends. I still like the book, and felt it did a good job of being more of the classic vampire stories. But just felt kind of bland at times.
I liked it but felt Henderson may have let down fans who liked the first novel.

[Beau Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

He has brought the good name of vampires back. This is not twilight but some and very little teen romance. I think in many ways the second one is better than the first one. High tech gadgets and lots of action. I recommend to anyone who likes some action, twist, and vampires. The new villian is awesome and very like dracula and the old vampire classics. One of the best books i've ever read no doubt.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second book in the series, Alex and his friends from school have to relocate to the LaLaurie girls school following a fire that is sort of Alex's fault. At the same time a new vampire known as UltraVox has come to Geneva and is on a secret mission that includes getting rid of Alex. These books are a lot of fun for kids. I think boys and girls would like them. They are also OK for tweens since the characters are 14 years old. Great fun, quick reads.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is SO much fun! More fun, more action and more cool weapons and creepy weird bad stuff going on! Finally get to meet (briefly) Alex's parents and there's a new friend at LaLaurie in the group since the boys have to temporarily move in due to a little fire mishap...that's all I'm going to say!! You go read it!

[Zora Chen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book is better than this, the second one. I think it could decribe more about the fight between Alex and Ultravox, 'cos it's the final and most important fight.
Other than this, the idea of the curse on Vienna is totally unexpected, but it also makes the story cools down a little bit, if Vienna was a vampire, I think the plotline might be more attractive to me. Just saying :p