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This teen-oriented novel combines the thrills and mysteries of the Hardy Boys, the supernatural elements of a Stephen King novel, and the technology of Hackers. In this exciting tale, seventeen-year-old Matt Storm views his telepathy as a curse. As a child, he tried to tell the adults around him about his abilities, which resulted in Matt having to see a barrage of psychiatrists and neurologists. He now keeps his skill secret and tries to avoid crowds to keep out others’ thoughts.
One day while camping, Matt encounters another telepath named Trent, who is fleeing a mysterious “them.” The young men feel an instant bond; Matt sees in Trent the brother he always wanted. When Matt returns home, he receives a desperate telepathic message from Trent before he goes silent. Matt enlists his best friend, theater kid Hunter, to help him track down Trent and save him from forces bent on using telepaths for their own nefarious purposes. In the process, Matt gets wrapped up in an evil scientist’s dangerous experiments. His telepathic skills start to develop further as he tries to save his friend and himself.
This riveting, well-written story balances action-packed encounters with Matt’s pathos in regard to his own telepathy. The fully realized characters trade humorous quips but also care deeply for one another and provide each other with moral support. Hunter’s obsession with the Hardy Boys might suggest a parallel between this plot and the old mystery series, and indeed the fast-paced and suspenseful moments here are as fun as the ones in the old novels. However, this book’s delicate balance between thrills and real human moments sets it above and beyond its literary forebears.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review