This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, Virals, or don't mind knowing spoilers for it.
SPOILER ALERT
Lost treasure. Perilous adventures. Deadly foes.
Tory and her friends are just starting to get a handle on their super-heightened wolf-like capabilities—contracted during a medical experiment gone horribly wrong—when they find out funding is being pulled from the institute where their parents work. The pack now faces its greatest fear—separation. So when Tory stumbles across ancient lore hinting at a lost pirate treasure, the Virals devise a risky plan that pits them against fiendish traps, headless corpses, and deep underground tunnels. But they're not the only ones looking, and the competition could be lethal. They'll need to work as one mystery-solving canine force if they to hope to uncover the lost fortune, save the institute, and stick together!
Goonies with mutants. Ok, definitely more complex than that, but you get the gist. The Virals pack is in danger of being split up, their town island about to be sold out from under them, so in a last-ditch attempt they begin searching for a legendary pirate's treasure. There's even an underground tunnel system equipped with booby traps and quite a bit of swimming. But this story has a lot more mystery and research that goes into their treasure hunt - lots of seeming dead ends, new clues, and not a lot of support along the way. It was definitely a fun adventure to follow.
The only gripe I had was the contrivance of having a character forget to check email FOR TWO DAYS from tiredness. But it ended up not being detrimental to the overall quest, so I eventually gave it a pass. I also found the explanation of handwriting analysis a bit prolonged and boring, but I figure that's only because I've already heard so much about it from other books/shows. Being a YA book, I can appreciate some educational sections woven in with the adventures. And some people think nerds are boring - psh.
I'm exited to see where these characters go next. There's a lot of development with Tory, but for these first books, the adventure seems to dictate the story more than a character arc. I'm fine with that in terms of not everything being like a TV show - where invariably the plot somehow lends itself and ties into the characters personal dramas (see House M.D.) - but I'm often left hanging at the end of the book. Knowing that there's still a lot happening, but this particular adventure is over so we've got to end the book til next time. Tory's cotillion issues, her boy issues (seriously? 3 boys now?), and even her grief over her mom's recent death have yet to be resolved or even given spotlight. I'm hoping something comes gets resolved in the next book.
But until then, I'll leave you with this glowing review. So far this series has a great sense of pacing, thrilling action, some educational interludes, and a lot of fun. I think Virals has a lot of potential and I can't wait to see it played out in the next 3 (or more) books.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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