ALA Booklist (Sat May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Perhaps in reaction to the many classic monsters repurposed for romance, a counter-trend has emerged to bring back the scary. In this propulsive blend of action and myth, Trey is a 14-year-old orphan whose life is upended by the arrival of Lucien, a millionaire vampire who knew the boy's parents. It doesn't take Lucien long to drop the second bomb: Trey is the last "hereditary werewolf" in existence. Oh, and he might be the prophesied chosen one able to stop the dark forces of the Netherworld. It's not difficult to understand the fantasy-fulfillment offered by a character who can change at will into a seven-foot, 300-pound beast, and Feasey gets a lot of mileage from just how cool it would be even offers up a possible romantic interest in Alexa, the vampire's daughter. The dialogue is stiff, but Feasey's descriptions are a notch above what is typical for this fare. A sequel is already limbering up its muscles, which is a good thing: the ending as it stands feels rushed (though you'll dig the appended "Demoncyclopedia").

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Debut author Feasey kicks off a gripping new series with a tale of a young man unexpectedly discovering his true heritage. When 14-year-old orphan Trey wakes up to a room that's been utterly destroyed, with no way anyone could have gotten in as he slept, it's the start of a new chapter in his life. The same day, the mysterious Lucien Charron shows up, pretending to be his long-lost uncle, and frees him from the oppressive group home. Trey soon learns that magic is real, Lucien is a vampire, and he himself is a werewolf, perhaps the last hereditary werewolf alive. Introduced to Lucien's beautiful daughter, Alexa, and his right-hand man, Tom, Trey has little time to adjust before he's learning to control his powers and fight creatures he couldn't even have imagined a week earlier. Although Trey sometimes sounds overly formal (“I need to talk to someone, Lucien, and it would appear that my options in that department are somewhat limited and diminishing rapidly”), Feasey's world-building is solid, the characters believable, and the action genuine, making this an all-around strong beginning. Ages 12–up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(May)

School Library Journal (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Gr 7-10 Trey, 14, wakes in pain with no clothes on and no memory of the night before. Everything in his small room at his British care center for orphans is destroyed. Before he can be punished for the mess, a stranger comes claiming to be his uncle and asks Trey to trust him. Trey escapes with this mysterious individual, who is neither his uncle&30;nor human. Lucien Charron is a vampire who has come to help Trey become what he was born to be: a werewolf. Trey learns that his parents were murdered and that Caliban, Lucien's evil vampire brother, is trying to kill him because of a prophecy. Lucien, with the help of his daughter Alexa, a sorceress; and his right-hand man, Tom, begin to teach Trey how to transform at will and keep control of his mind. Despite their combined efforts to keep the boy safe, he is attacked, and it soon becomes clear that someone has betrayed them. When Alexa is kidnapped, Trey and his protectors must face Caliban and his minions to rescue her and save all of mankind from subjugation. Paranormal fans and reluctant readers will feast on this fast-paced vampire/werewolf tale with a technological twist. A "Demoncyclopedia" at the end of the book explains the abilities and hierarchy of the netherworld creatures. Expect sequels. Samantha Larsen Hastings, Riverton Library, UT

Voice of Youth Advocates

Everything changes the day orphaned Trey awakes in the children’s home to find his room totally trashed. Who did this? Things become even odder when a mysterious stranger, Lucien, whisks Trey away to his luxurious penthouse in London and reveals himself as a vampire who was once the partner of Trey’s father in fighting evil. Trey himself is the last surviving hereditary werewolf—meaning he was born one, not bitten. It was the manifestation of his wolf self, triggered by puberty, which destroyed his room and possessions, and Trey must now learn to control his powerful alter ego. Lucien needs Trey to help defeat the evil Caliban, who, with other denizens of the “nether-world,” intends to use the magical Ring of Amon to subjugate humankind. Lucien’s beautiful daughter, Alexa, and loyal henchman, Tom, complete the team. The ending finds Lucien on the brink of death after rescuing his daughter from Caliban’s clutches; a sequel is clearly planned. An appended “demoncyclopedia” provides a guide to the creatures of the nether-world. This might have made a good graphic novel, full of mayhem and creepy critters. As is, it reads like a hastily written, uneasy conglomeration of fantasy/horror clichés. The writing is often awkward (Trey’s “actions crushed in on him”; Lucien climbs into a car and sits on a “chair” rather than in the seat), and characters veer between colloquial and overly-formal speech. With many good fantasy/horror choices, libraries can easily let this one pass.—Kathleen Beck.