The Shroud of A'Ranka

Since the full-scale destruction of the entire Brimstone Network, Abraham (Bram) Stone, the half-specter son of the last leader, has been left to rebuild the Network from the ground up. With the help of Stitch, a man constructed from the body parts of the Network's best agents, Bram has assembled the base of a new Brimstone Network, consisting of a wheelchair-bound boy with incredible telekinetic powers, the boy's deceased father (who the boy's ability manages to keep in a lifelike state), a reluctant girl werewolf, and a Mauthe Dhoog with the prime ability to rift passageways between worlds. Picking up where the old Network left off, they have already saved the world once, but the resulting explosion weakened the magickal barriers that have protected the earth from otherworldly hostiles. With the sudden increase in supernatural attacks, the infant group has their work cut out for them, but Bram still hesitates in making the official announcement that the Brimstone Network still exists. A serious threat emerges when one of the secret storehouses of magickal objects is broken into by thieves, who unwittingly release a dangerous vampire that has been imprisoned for centuries. A member of the vampire royal family who is nearly impossible to kill, Vladek seeks to complete a mission that he and the wizard Gideon set out to accomplish long ago - one that will end with the death of all humanity and the blotting out of the sun. Can the new Brimstone Network figure out Vladek's plan before it's too late? This second book in THE BRIMSTONE NETWORK series lives up to the graphic nature of the first. For older boys who like a bit of paranormal gore along with comic book-like action, this series does not disappoint. Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

The Shroud of A'Ranka is Tom Sniegoski's second book in his The Brimstone Network series for young readers. I love the covers on these books because they really appeal to my pulp instincts. The cover on this one is absolutely mesmerizing. It looks like our young hero, Bram Stone, is in a world of hurt. And make no mistake, he is before you get very far into the story. In the last book, the Brimstone Network was destroyed. That organization fought to keep back the hordes of darkness and evil that threatened to overcome our world. After they were decimated, a new group of heroes had to rise up. That plot is standard pulp fare and Sniegoski does a really good job with it, as well as creating interesting characters and a few twists. Bram Stone (notice how the name sounds like brimstone?) is thirteen years old and struggling to come to grips with his dual nature. He's part human, and part specter. As a result, he has special powers and abilities, such as turning intangible whenever he wants to and flying. He's joined by a girl werewolf, a young otherworldly creature with the ability to rift - travel instantaneously from one place to another, a young telekinetic who keeps his dead father around to watch over him, and Mr. Stitch, a warrior put together with parts of dead men. Definitely not your usual assortment of heroes. In this book, the fledgling organization goes up against Vladek, a vampire who supposedly can't be killed. Sniegoski delivers solid and engaging writing. There are chills and thrills, a smattering of historical data that almost could have been true, personal and interpersonal problems on the team, and tons of action. I enjoyed the book a lot and it took me back to my childhood days of fantastic adventures and larger-than-life heroes. But all those heroes back then were generally adults. One of the reasons I liked Jungle Tales Of Tarzan so much when I was younger was because Tarzan was young in many of those stories. I liked the Hardy Boys because they were more my age, but they didn't have really weird adventures like Bram Stone. And they didn't have cool powers. If I would've had my choice back then, I would've read the Brimstone Network. Because of the high adventure conceit and the pacing, I consider these books as great introductions to reading for reluctant readers. Boys enjoy a lot of action and a certain amount of creepiness with their entertainment. This series delivers that, but it also has enough personal drama to entertain most girls the same age. After all, Emily, the young werewolf girl, gets found out by her parents in this book and has to deal with the emotional repercussions of her dual nature. Not only that, but everyone now knows that Dez's dad is really dead. These aren't your normal teen problems. The books are best read in order because there are developing plot lines. Right now I'm waiting to see what Dez is going to do about his dad, and there are a few other loose ends. One of the

Picture the X-Men, or the cast of Heroes. Now picture them younger, right when they are discovering and harnessing their powers, and you've got The Brimstone Network. It's an organization of warriors, sorcerers, and superpowered folks. Bram, a young teenager who is half-human, half-specter, inherited leadership of the group when his father, the original leader of the group, was killed in an attack that almost wiped their ranks out entirely. Now Bram not only has to find new recruits, he has to try to fill his father's shoes and keep the legacy alive. In the second book, The Shroud of A'Ranka, the new members of The Brimstone Network have to figure out a way to defeat Vladek, an evil vampire who can't be killed. I'm a sucker for stories with superpowers, and I really like how the different members of the Network struggle with their newfound abilities. Some of the kids are tentative while others are tenacious. They must learn to control their new powers and use them safely. Fans of Heroes (and maybe even Twilight) would love to have these abilities, which include telekinesis (moving things with your mind) and shapeshifting (one of the main characters is a werewolf!) If you are in the market for a new supernatural series for young readers, you've got to get this series. The Brimstone Network has lots of action and suspense, and it would be a really cool TV show or movie. The Shroud of A'Ranka is the second book in the series. For the biggest impact, make sure to read these action-packed books in order! - The Brimstone Network - The Shroud of A'Ranka - Specter Rising