THE RISING

There's gore aplenty in the second volume of Hill's Department 19 series.

For Jamie Carpenter and his fellow monster-hunting team, the ominous graffito "HE RISES" hints at the return of the world’s oldest vampire, Dracula, and the violence he will bring. Jamie is worried for his mother, a recently created vampire, for his relationship with the unpredictable vampire Larissa and for his missing colleague and friend, Frankenstein. When Valentin Rusmanov, one of Dracula’s first turnings, teams up with Department 19 to fight against Dracula, it appears as though the top-secret team may have a chance, until a last-minute kidnapping changes the balance of power. A full cast of characters leaping in and out of life-and-death scenarios coupled with just the right balance of vampiric flashbacks make for an enthralling sophomore outing. Jamie balances romance with duty without becoming sappy, and teens Kate and Larissa make quite good kick-ass vampire hunters. The many characters and plots are evenly handled, keeping the pace up, the pages turning and the gore splattering. From UV grenades to exploding stake bombs to a giant anti-vampire superweapon, the gadgets add a neat modern twist to the traditional stakings.

Fans will devour the pages and thirst for the next volume.