Michael Vey: The Parasite by Richard Paul Evans

 

Last week, I read Michael Vey: The Parasite by Richard Paul Evans. This science fiction novel is the eighth installment in the thrilling Michael Vey series. Taking place some years after the events of The Final Spark, Michael Vey's life has gone back to normal and he is a college student at Boise State University. A couple of days after his birthday, he plans on holding a reunion of his Electroclan friends, but then they start disappearing one by one. First, Jack isn't able to make it when he and his team go missing in Peru. Then, Michael's girlfriend, Taylor Ridley, learns that Abi disappeared before she left Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Michael and his friends know something is definitely up when Taylor's twin, Tara, doesn't return after having to go back home to pick up the reunion T-shirts. She never even made it out of the parking lot. Once again, they are being hunted. After forming a plan with Michael's dad, the CEO of Veytric Corporation, half of the Electroclan head to Texas to find out what happened to Abi and the other half go to Peru to rescue Jack and Tara. On their rescue mission, Michael and his friends learn that they have enemies who were just waiting for the fall of the Elgen to carry out their plans.

I definitely enjoyed returning to the world of Michael and his friends. Although this book doesn't have as much action as some of the others in the series, I was drawn in by the mystery of what was happening to Michael's friends and I could sense that they were in real danger. While I thought the original seven books tied up things nicely, it was revealed in this book that the Elgen was just the tip of the iceberg and there were three other Elgen Elite Guard units—the Chasqui, the Domguard, and the Lung Li. Out of these units, the Chasqui play the main antagonistic role in The Parasite. Without saying too much, the Chasqui's plan for the world terrified me. It's absolutely unimaginable if the Electroclan don't find a way to stop them, especially because of how the Chasqui's leader, Sovereign Amash, wants to use Taylor for her ability to see the future, a power that she's only beginning to understand. The cliffhanger at the end of the book threw me for a loop and I'm anxious for what it means for the next book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves action, adventure, and superheroes.