Max Helsing, the last of the Van Helsing bloodline, was looking forward to his class trip. Yes, he’d have to put up with the school bully and his weasel-faced principle but, for a whole week without monsters and magic, that seemed a small price to pay. Unfortunately for Max, monsters don’t take a vacation.
Max Helsing and the Beast of Bone Creek by Curtis Jobling is the exciting second installment of the Max Helsing, Monster Hunter series. Max is a bright but somewhat jaded young man, though his cynicism is understandable considering that he has experienced more in his thirteen years than most “norms” will in a lifetime. Once again Syd, our level-headed heroine, joins with Max on his unexpected adventure, and a new ally presents himself. Max Helsing and the Beast of Bone Creek is a fantastic thriller that any fan of the supernatural will devour.
Review of an Advance Reader Copy
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Viking
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 2 religious exclamations; 18 mild obscenities; 1 religious profanity; 6 anatomical terms.
Violence/Gore: Several references to missing persons; many references to fantasy creatures eating/harming humans; man bleeds from ears; dog bites character’s leg; many scenes of a teenager battling/slaying monsters; character playfully smacks dog; character fist bumps rock monster, hurts hand; character vandalizes statue; man warns of danger; boy shoves other boy off porch; several instances of children killing bugs; boy shoves other boy downhill; boy trips on loose floor board; children shove boy aside; boy hits his head on window; woman punches man, playfully; several instances of boy getting hit by pinecones; several instances of girl punching boys shoulder; Boy offers to push other boy off mountain; character hits wall while repelling; character compares mosquitos to zombies; character predicts other man will die on mountain; vague reference to parental death; woman shoves man; extended frightening, non-graphic scene of monster attack; old building referred to as “death trap”; boys rough house in canoes; boy hits water nymph with paddle; boys hit each other with paddles; character has leech on leg; extended fight, humorous, with Brownie; character chased by Bigfoot; brownie bites boy; children shoot arrows at animal shaped targets; boy flicks boy’s ear; character shoves another; boy pokes boy in the chest; reference to another monster hunter’s more lethal tendencies; girl elbows boy; boy knocks other boy upside the head; boys push foreheads together; monster kills man, mildly graphic; boy wishes to knock out other boy; boy almost hits girl; character warns they could be shot by hunters; mythical creature caught in trap; reference to historical murder; reference to man injured in fight with monster; boy finds dead man; extended scene with boy fighting vampires; characters find blood on leaves; children witness hunters killing deer; graphic scene of monster attack; children find cave filled with bones; character runs into rock; monster kills animal; character temporarily blinds monster; monster attacks children; character trips; character and dog caught in traps; boys engage in short fight; man references violent consequence of magic; boy falls off cliff; girl references drowning; people tied up and gagged; final monster confrontation that last 30 pages; boy flicks and slaps other boy; extended scene violent, mildly graphic villain/monster encounter.
Sex/Nudity: Painting depicts nude revelers; engaged couple hug; man puts arm on woman’s shoulder; girl holds boy’s hand; very vague homosexual reference given jokingly.
Mature Subject Matter:
Death, supernatural and occult, family, adoption, bullying.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Man chews tobacco.
