Virals (Virals Series #1)

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Overview

Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, leads a ragtag band of teenage sci-philes who live on a secluded island off South Carolina.

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Virals (Virals Series #1)

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More About This Book

Overview

Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, leads a ragtag band of teenage sci-philes who live on a secluded island off South Carolina.

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

With this breakthrough novel, Bones mystery writer Kathy Reichs begins an offshoot sci-fi series for teens. In this launch volume, set on a secluded South Carolina island, Bones' niece Tory Brennan and her friends catch a virus that almost miraculously enhances their reflexes and senses, enabling them to literally catch a killer's scent. A fascinating concept artfully applied. Bones, the television show based on Reichs' adult series, continues to be successful in its sixth season.

Publishers Weekly
Reichs makes a solid YA debut with this spinoff of her Bones series, following 14-year-old Tory Brennan--niece of famed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan--and her friends as they uncover a decades-old murder and a contemporary scientific conspiracy. Along with friends Hi, Shelton, and Ben, Tory--who lives largely unsupervised with her newfound father on an island off the coast of Charleston, S.C.--discovers a secret laboratory and rescues a dog. When an experimental parvovirus from the canine transfers to the teenagers, they are imbued with superhuman physical and mental powers and become the target of a group of killers. This intertwines with the story of a long-buried body, as well as teen drama surrounding the local debutante scene, into which Tory has been unwillingly thrust. Reichs juggles the large cast and layered story well, although the revelations at the end get a little silly. Still, the action en route is exciting, and the forensic science and research is as vital as in Reichs's adult novels, even in the more science-fictional setting. Ages 12–up. (Nov.)
Children's Literature - Denise Lockett
Tory Brennan's world has just been turned on its head: her mother is dead, and she is a fourteen-year-old who is smarter than her peers, Tory feels like a fish out of water in her upper crust private school near Charleston, South Carolina. Only her similarly misfit friends, Ben, Shelton and "Hi," salvage her experience. Soon they are drawn inextricably into a mystery during which they must solve a decades-old murder, save a wolf-dog, and ultimately, save each other. The teens confront both social climbing classmates and a dangerous and conspiratorial web of off-market pharmaceutical researchers with equal alacrity. Reichs' staccato, contemporary dialogue offers "in the moment" views that encourage the reader to empathize with the teen narrator and her friends. This dialogue-driven tale is evocative of a thriller-style screenplay or an episode of "CSI." Some word choices are unusual, and seem a bit out of character for a novice forensic anthropologist ("I catalogued the scene." at page 135) and some seem too adult ("as inviting as a lost baggage claim office" at page 80). Portions of the narrative stretch credulity as they describe the genetic modifications that affect the teenaged protagonists and as the teenagers are initially endowed with courage and street-smarts that would not be associated with kids of their backgrounds. However, readers will be drawn into this page-turner of an adventure, which offers twists and cliff-hangers in every chapter. This novel entertains by offering a whirlwind narrative with a shocking finish, evocative of a thriller movie. It is sure to be enjoyed by teenaged girls who will appreciate the sassy, strongly drawn and intelligent protagonist. This is the first in what promises to be a series, and Reichs springboards from her adult novels starring Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist, by casting Tory as Temperance's niece. Reviewer: Denise Lockett
VOYA - Geri Diorio
Tory Brennan, fourteen and whip smart, lives with her scientist father on a remote island off the Carolina coast. Tory and her pack of friends, all self-described science nerds, are outsiders at the high-end prep school they attend. For fun, they spend time exploring the islands around their home, including Loggerhead Island, a research facility for the University of Charleston. It is there that the group finds mysterious trouble involving a pack of wild wolf-dogs, some monkeys, a dog tag, men with guns, a skeleton, and most importantly, a virus that infects the teens. The group of friends slowly begins to exhibit wolflike sensory enhancements. Tory mentions her famous aunt, Tempe, several times; Tempe is the main character in Reichs's adult novels, upon which the TV series Bones is based. There are probably Bones fans out there, but whether they will enjoy Tory's adventures as much as her aunt's is debatable. Reichs seems to be striking while the YA boom is hot, and she is aiming at fans of books like the Maximum Ride series, with its "enhanced humans," but with subplots about Tory's mother's death, cotillion dances, crush-worthy rich boys, and mocking mean girls at school, it takes a long time to get to the superpowered action scenes. The characters are stock, and the plot is rife with coincidences, but there is a good mystery to solve, lots of neat technology, and for fans of James Patterson or Anthony Horowitz, this could be a good stopgap until their next books come out. Reviewer: Geri Diorio
School Library Journal
Gr 6–10—Tory Brennan, 14, lives on an island off the coast of South Carolina. Her newly discovered father works in science research for the University of Charleston, which is why she and her friends with similar pedigrees attend the ritzy prep school in town with the local aristocracy. Tory and her three friends, all boys, are science geeks and love to explore the outer islands where monkeys and other wildlife abound. While exploring a supposedly deserted lab complex, they discover the caged offspring of a wolf and German shepherd that has been diagnosed with parvovirus. Tory's concern leads the group to rescue the pup with the notion of curing and saving it from science experiments. Tory knows that parvo cannot infect humans, but once the treatment begins the four teens start to experience symptoms that make them doubt her initial belief. Along the way, they also stumble upon a murder mystery dating back to the Vietnam War era that quickly becomes linked to the mysterious science experiments that are being kept hidden on the islands. What starts as a science mystery thriller takes a sharp right turn into the realm of science fiction with genetically altered DNA and superhuman senses that may cause more savvy readers to scoff. However, the fast-paced thrills, cool science, and great characters will create a flood of fans waiting for the next installment.—Jake Pettit, Thompson Valley High School, Loveland, CO
Kirkus Reviews

From the opening sentence to the last word, readers will be absorbed in Tory Brennan's world. Tory (the niece of Temperance Brennan, the star of the author's Bones series for adults) has just moved in with the father she never knew she had. It isn't easy adjusting, but Tory's "sci-phile" friends provide plenty of support. They swim, fish, pal around and explore the islands just off the coast of Charleston, S.C. When Tory finds a dog tag that's been buried for decades, it triggers an adventure that leads to hidden experiments, a stolen wolf-dog hybrid puppy and a long-unsolved murder. But Tory can't give up—not even after she and her friends succumb to a mysterious infection that twists their senses and gives them uncontrollable new talents. When the only doctor who might cure them is murdered, they are on their own. Reichs has found a pitch-perfect voice for Tory that will ring true with today's teens, capturing an entirely new audience. Do we really have to wait until summer of 2011 for the next one? (Science fiction/thriller. 12 & up)

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781595144263
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 8/23/2011
  • Series: Virals Series , #1
  • Pages: 480
  • Sales rank: 48,343
  • Age range: 12 - 14 Years
  • Product dimensions: 5.28 (w) x 8.26 (h) x 1.24 (d)

Meet the Author

Kathy Reichs

Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist, like her character Temperance Brennan, and creator of the Fox television hit Bones, now in its fifth season. Reichs has written twelve books in the Bones series, all New York Times bestsellers. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Virals is her first novel for young readers.
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    1. Also Known As:
      Kathleen J. Reichs (full name)
    2. Hometown:
      Charlotte, North Carolina and Montreal, Québec
    1. Education:
      B.A., American University, 1971; M.A., Ph.D., Northwestern University
    2. Website:
      http://kathyreichs.com/

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 360 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(226)

4 Star

(79)

3 Star

(34)

2 Star

(11)

1 Star

(10)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 362 Customer Reviews

  • Posted July 16, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Reichs goes YA and Sci-fi

    I know some eyebrows went up among my reading friends when it was announced that Kathy Reichs was writing a YA novel -especially those who didn't make it through the dense writing of Déja Dead. But Reich's writing style has evolved over the past ten years into something that is highly accessible. I had no doubt this would be the start of a fantastic YA series - and it is.

    Tory Brennan is actually Tempe's great-niece. Remember Kit her screwball nephew from Deadly Decisions? Well, he's all grown up, a marine biologist who works for the University of Charleston, and he's just discovered he has a daughter. Tory is smart but naive and not only does she takes after Tempe, she idolizes her - which is how the trouble starts.

    Hanging around on the monkey habitat/research island where their parents work (similar to the one mentioned in Death Du Jours, but this island carries a different name), the teens get bombarded by an angry monkey. Tory realizes that the object the monkey has hurled at her are heavily crusted dog tags and she starts wondering who they belong to and how the tags ended up there. She convinces the gang to break into one of the research labs so that she can clean the tags with a sonicator so they are legible... perhaps they can return them to their owner. This one decision starts a cataclysm of events.

    Though it took some time for Reichs to set the exposition, it was worth it - and she gives young readers a prologue straight from one of the action sequences to hook them. While the reader is aware that the teens have become infected, Tory and her friends have to discover it on their own. This revelation culminates with some extraordinary sensory perception and physical capabilities, if only the Virals could control when and where it happens - as it is they're already outsiders at the prep school they attend due to their academic prowess and more modest means.

    Once the action starts, Reichs doesn't let up. The teens try to go to the authorities but the local cops opinion is that "academics and their kids are prone to exaggeration". With the adults being uncooperative, the Virals decide to investigate for themselves, both the dog tags, and their mysterious illness with the crazy symptoms.

    I think any analogy of Virals as a modern day Nancy Drew story is a bit of an oversimplification. I grew up on Nancy Drew; this is so much better. The characters are more balanced, and far better developed. The plot is tight and the action intense and realistic. Though the story centers on Tory, she couldn't manage with out her friends, each of whom has expertise in different scientific areas. There's lots of action an plenty of mystery. As her friends are all guys, I think the story lends itself equally to teenagers of either sex.

    This is classic spell-binding Reichs writing with a new sci-fi twist thrown in...

    READ MORE: http://girlsjustreading.blogspot.com/2010/07/jenns-review-virals.html

    11 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 13, 2010

    Incredibly Addicting!!

    I started reading the prologue, and I was immediately hooked. The book leads through twists and turns, and it's SO GOOD!!I recommend this to anybody who likes animals, Bones, or just adventure.

    5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 3, 2012

    DITTO!

    This is a awsome book action packed and full of suspense! The only complaint i have is it takes almost 1/4 of the book to get "going" in the book or pick up speed othewise this is an awsome book.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 2, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Excellent book!

    I totally enjoyed this book. Kids would enjoy this probably starting at the 5th grade level.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 16, 2012

    It's alright, I guess.

    OMG THIS BOOK IS SO AWESOME AND I LEARNED A LOT FROM IT THAT A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD PROBABLY SHOULDN'T KNOW BUT I GOT AT A DISCOUNT STORE FOR ONLY THREE DOLLARS IT WAS STILL WORTH THE MONEY AND THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONDENSED INTO ONE SENTENCE BUT IT IS BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS SO AWESOME!!!

    3 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 17, 2012

    fast paced and fun YA thriller

    I picked up this audiobook before a road trip to see my parents. I wasn’t really sure what to expect with the story, having never read any of Kathy Reichs’s other books which include the popular series on which the television show “Bones” is based on. I’d seen a few episodes of “Bones” so I was familiar with it but had no real expectations for this YA spin-off except to, hopefully, be entertained for a few hours.

    Our heroine, Tory Brennan is a breath of fresh air. She’s smart, sarcastic and is a science lover. Though pretty, Tory doesn’t put much stock in her looks and is more interested in bones and science experiments than the latest fashions. Though there’s a bit of romance, the main focus of the book is really the mystery and the relationships between Tory and her friends. They really are a pack, their individual quirks adding together to make a great team. They all have distinct personalities and are funny, intelligent and strange.

    There is a paranormal element in the book, but it is very light. I think it will probably play a much larger role as the series continues. It does get a little weird later on in the book when Tory starts referring to her friends as “Virals!” instead of their names. There didn’t seem to be much point to it but I learned to ignore it after a little while.

    The book also has a great murder mystery plot. There’s something inherently sad and creepy about cold cases and I got caught up trying to unravel the mystery along with Tory and her friends. I did find it a little hard to believe that four teens could uncover so much and break into so many places without getting caught but hey, it’s a book, and a fun one at that. There’s even a super cute wolf dog for all the animal lovers out there.

    The narrator of the audiobook is very believable as the 14 year old heroine. I did have some issues with the musical cues in the program. There were some very cheesy sounding special effects whenever any of the Virals would “flare” that had me cringing. Totally unnecessary and annoying.

    Overall, I had a good time listening to this book. The fast paced story kept me guessing until the very end and I really liked the science aspect of it. A promising start to a new series--Virals is an action packed adventure that’s sure to entertain.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 10, 2011

    Awesome book, Must Read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This book is for your average nerds to adventure seekers and other people in between. It has adventure and science. Four kids get a different type of parvovirus and get canine reflexes, and etc. They also solve a murder case.
    I think this book is good for age 11 and up, because it has lots of 'language' and very scintific stuff.

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 8, 2012

    Hi

    Hi

    2 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 31, 2012

    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I love this book soooooooo much, I read it in three days!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You must read this bookj!!!!!!!!!:) :) :)

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 14, 2012

    Awesome

    IN LOVE WITH THE BOOK! YOU HAVE TO GET IT BUT IF YOU DONT THEN ITS YOUR LOSS AND IT MUST MEAN YOURE EITHER STUPID OR DONT KNOW HOW TO PICK A GREAT BOOK. SO EITHER GET THIS BOOK OR BE STUPID FOR THEREST OF YOUR LIFE. SORRY I ONLY TELL THE TRUTH.

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 20, 2013

    Lovin this

    All i can say is, i was astounded. Completely blown away. Im hooked. This fantastic peice of art kept me guessing the whole time. Worth reading. BUY IT NOW

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 2, 2013

    This book is awsome

    I really think people should make more of this series

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 29, 2012

    Great book!

    This book was def one of my favorites! Great for anyone who likes mystery, probably for ages 11+ due to language... LOVED IT!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 27, 2012

    Awesome!!!!!!!!

    If you really oike kathy reichs but can't handle the intensity of tempe brennan books virals is for you. Action packed with witty comments here and there it resembles the hugner games writing. Easy to understand and a quick read you will not be able to put this down. Definately buy this book. It has a suprise ending that will suprise you. Buy it now!!!!! I love kathy and i have only read the first but am already counting down the days until the third book comes out. Great series!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 23, 2011

    I Also Recommend:

    Black Wood (A Witch Rising)
    The Giver
    Beelzebub Girl (Ancient Legends)
    Seizure (Virals Series #2)
    A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends Book 1)

    Great read

    Great read, hard to put down. can't wait to read the next

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 19, 2011

    Young or Older, you must check this out!

    Ms. Reichs holds true to the mystery of her writing, it was a quick read but she kept me coming back for more. Loved the ending and I see there is now a part two. I've got all of her books and will continue to add this one to my small library. Thank You,

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 5, 2013

    Fun

    Fun read, loved it :)

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 21, 2013

    Awesome

    This is the best book

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  • Posted March 14, 2013

    Love, love, love. Read it for school and actually enjoyed it.

    Love, love, love. Read it for school and actually enjoyed it.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 1, 2013

    Interesting mystery that is suspenseful. The only bad thing that

    Interesting mystery that is suspenseful. The only bad thing that stuck out to me was how sometimes i felt like the author was trying to hard to create a teenagers perspective and often used lingo and words that teenagers would never say. Other than that it was great.

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