The Supernaturalist

April 19, 2004
Colfer's hard-luck tale will likely delight fans of his wildly popular Artemis Fowl series with its similar emphasis on high-tech gadgetry and fast-paced action. Set in the near future, the story concerns 14-year-old Cosmo Hill, an orphan living in Satellite City. The metropolis, a dystopia named for the metal Big Brother (a Myishi 9 Satellite) orbiting above it, offers "everything the body wanted, and nothing the soul needed." With no sponsor—a detached figure which has replaced parents—Cosmo ends up in an orphanage where he and other unwanted children become "guinea pigs" for food and drug testing. He escapes the orphanage soon after the novel opens, survives a brush with death and learns that he is a "Spotter" with the rare ability to see Parasites, small blue creatures that allegedly steal energy from wounded humans. Along come the Supernaturalists, a team of vigilantes, all of them also Spotters, who spend their nights roaming the streets and blasting Parasites. The story starts to get interesting late in the game, when the author reveals the true nature of the Parasites and why a mega-corporation with designs on their unique abilities has mounted a misinformation campaign against them. But the journey is uncharacteristically sluggish, especially during a lengthy scene involving rival gangs racing souped-up cars. Ages 10-up.

July 1, 2004
Gr 6 Up-A suspenseful, cautionary science fiction tale. In a future dystopia, cities have become for-profit businesses. Orphanages are not exempt from the struggle to make money, and at the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, kids are forced to endure product testing and frequently end up injured as a result. With orphans facing an average life expectancy of 15, 14-year-old Cosmo Hill knows that he is on borrowed time. Unfortunately, his escape attempt nearly proves fatal. While he's lying there dying, a small, hairless blue creature lands on his chest and begins to feed. He is rescued by the Supernaturalists, a motley crew of young people who have dedicated their lives to destroying the Parasites, which feed on the essence of the living. Cosmo joins the group as a Spotter, someone who can actually see the creatures and thus destroy them. However, facts soon emerge that cause the Supernaturalists to question everything they believe in. Is it possible that the Parasites don't feed off of the energy of dying people, but remove pain? Are they actually beneficial to society? The plot's twists and turns will keep readers totally engrossed until the last page. Colfer's futuristic world seems plausible; his characters have strengths, flaws, and histories that account for their points of view. The ending is satisfying yet open to the possibility of a sequel. For anyone who loves science fiction, or just an engrossing story, this novel is a must-read.-Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2004
Gr. 6-9. In this futuristic thriller, 14-year-old Cosmo escapes from a gruesome orphanage and is rescued from near death by a streetwise trio on a mysterious mission. The group's charismatic leader, Stefan, and his sidekicks, a Latina teen with great mechanical skills and a child-size adult who is a paramedic, are hunting seemingly evil parasites that almost no one else can see. Cosmo, who can see the blue parasites that attack the wounded and dying, joins in the team's fast-paced adventures, which involve shooting and being shot at, like a video game come to life. A high-tech car race and a precarious space flight endanger the four, as does an untrustworthy executive in the corporation that dominates their bleak city. Several twists keep the plot interesting, but a somber turn of events near the end adds a jarring, melodramatic note. Although short on character development, this is packed with action and speculative technology, and the conclusion hints of a sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2005
Running away from an orphanage that uses children as human guinea pigs, Cosmo joins a group of young people who fight off high-flying parasites that suck the life from human beings. The kids scurry through futuristic cityscapes and journey to the edge of outer space in a twisty plot that never plumbs below the busy surface action. The ending virtually assures a sequel.

(Copyright 2005 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)