Rise of the Elgen

Michael Vey, Book 2

By: Richard Paul Evans

Narrated by: Fred Berman

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's Summary

Michael must save his mother - and protect his powers - in the electric sequel to the number-one New York Times best-selling Michael Vey, from Richard Paul Evans.

Michael was born with special electrical powers - and he’s not the only one. His friend Taylor has them too, and so do other kids around the world. With Michael’s friend Ostin, a techno-genius, they form the Electroclan, an alliance meant to protect them from a powerful group, the growing Order of Elgen, who are out to destroy them. The leader of the Elgen, Dr. Hatch, has kidnapped Michael’s mother, and time is running out.

After narrowly escaping an Elgen trap, Ostin’s discovery of bizarre “rat fires” in South America leads the gang to the jungles of Peru, where the Electroclan meets new, powerful foes and faces their greatest challenge yet as Michael learns the extent of the Elgen’s rise in power - and the truth of their plan to “restructure” the world.

©2012 Richard Paul Evans (P)2012 Simon & Schuster

Good Series for Boys

Michael and clan pick up where the first left off, on the run to save his mother and stop the Elgen plan from "Hatching". The romance between Michael and Taylor is more in the background, yet other characters are fleshed out more creating new interest.

This series is a mixture of Firestarter (Stephen King) meets Percy Jackson. Excellent series for boys grades 4-12. Enjoy!

X-men, er, kids show their powers!

A mysterious Voice (via cell phone) comes to the aid of The Electro-clan, yet it proves difficult to tell if that voice is actually a help. The kids head off to Peru to rescue Michael's mother from the clutches of the evil Dr. Hatch who reveals his megalomania and diabolical personality. We also learn more about the world domination conspiracy.

The El-Kids discover how to use their powers in less obvious ways. The supporting characters are given more screen time developing their personalities and fleshing them out. Zeus is most prominent as he throws off the brain washing done by Dr. Hatch and learns to play well with others. It is fun to watch the talents and duels between these X-kids, but it is more interesting to see the "normal" kids use their "normal" talents and abilities in these dire circumstances. We may come to recognize Austin's memory and brain-store of knowledge and trivia and Jack's semper fi bravery and loyalty as powers just as admirable as those of the El-kids.

I do hope future volumes will explain why the indigenous Amazon tribe speaks Mandarin Chinese rather than Quechua or Aymara. Speakers of Mandarin will readily recognize (good pronunciation btw, Fred Berman) common phrases such as
zhàn qǐlái 站起来 stand up
qù 去 go
shuìjiào 睡觉 sleep
bái móguǐ 白魔鬼 white devil

Did Mr. Evans think to fool us, or is there an inherent story-line reason for this? Aside from this, these people have caused the plot twist taking us into the next volume.

This series is rated PG-13 for violence, although none is truly graphic, because our imaginations fill in the details. It's a fine morality tale dealing with many issues such as bullying, seeing people's inner strengths rather than their outward appearance, peer pressure, manipulation, moral courage, friendship and the like.

Huge setting change from the first book

Most of the events of this book take place in South America. It seems largely accurate in it's descriptions of places, but the setting change is so jarring from the first book. Michael Vey doesn't stay in Idaho, or even in America, but takes the fight to the evil ElGen corporation.

Again, Michael's condition is largely ignored throughout the book. Which may be the point. Dr Hatch is again back as the main villian and the ElGen have developed new weapons and tactics in the 13 hours since we left our heroes at the end of the first book.

The setting change, while jarring, does move the book away from the cliches of the first book. The heroes are virtuous to a fault and the bad guys are evil to the hilt.

All in all it remains a typical teen hero fantasy in an unusual setting.

Excellent!

Would you consider the audio edition of Rise of the Elgen to be better than the print version?

I don't know; I do very little print

Who was your favorite character and why?

I thought the stinky guy was intriguing

What does Fred Berman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

keeping it moving along; didn't get sleepy from sitting and reading

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the stinky guy sacrificed himself; also the friendships were moving and how they all stuck together.

Any additional comments?

These are really good books. I highly recommend. The premise of the power with the rats was very unique, kind of disgusting and very interesting all at the same time.

Great Story For All Ages

Great Story ...check
Great narration. ..check
Up all night listening ....check
Absolutely worth a credit ...check

I highly recommend this book you will enjoy it.

good story

Any additional comments?

It was a fun listen through out the whole book, I've listened to this book three times now, and I still enjoyed listing to it each time!!!

Phenomenal!

Better than the first. Its now 5 am and I have to go to work exhausted but was worth it. If you start don't expect to stop.

LOVE IT

IT WAS AMAZING. I NEED TO READ THE NEXT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has a cliffhanger though.

Well

Utter disregard for human life.. can’t say that any clearer unless spoilers are due. SPOILERS BELOW a giant bowl of rats powers a country where the bad guys a oppress the locals. The rats are fed by disobeying locals and anyone who stands in the way not to mention how disgusting it is Th at millions of rats feed on humans and Cows a lot in the book wouldn’t recommend for anyone who doesn’t want gory nightmares of being eaten by rats alive

Awesome

Great story, fantastic narration! My children and I couldn't wait to finish our daily task, when we could listen to what happens next.