Jack Templar: Monster Hunter
Orphan Jack Templar has no memory of his parents and only the smallest details from his Aunt Sophie about how they died. The day before Jack's fourteenth birthday, things start to change for him. At first it's great: A sudden new strength helps him defend his nose-picking friend "T-Rex" from the school bully, and even his crush, Cindy Adams, takes notice. But then a mysterious girl named Eva arrives and tells him two facts that will change his life forever. First, that he's the descendent of a long line of monster hunters and he's destined to be in the family business. Second, that there's a truce between man and monster that children are off-limits...until their fourteenth birthday! Jack has only one day before hundreds of monsters will descend on his little town of Sunnyvale and try to kill him.
As if that weren't enough, things get even more complicated when Jack discovers that the Lord of the Creach (as the monsters are collectively known) holds a personal grudge against him and will do anything to see that Jack has a slow and painful death. To stay alive and save his friends, Jack will have
to battle werewolves, vampires, harpies, trolls, zombies and more. But perhaps the most dangerous thing he must face is the truth about his past. Why do the other hunters call him the last Templar? Why do they whisper that he may be the "One?" Why do the monsters want him dead so badly? Even as these questions plague him, he quickly discovers survival is his new full-time job and that in the world of monster hunters, nothing is really what it seems.
Author Jeff Gunhus
Jeff Gunhus grew up in Cyprus, Greece, and Saudi Arabia where there was a distinct lack of television. He quickly found books were the gateway to incredible adventures, fascinating characters and unbelievable discoveries. Now, with five children of his own (all who watch too much television, in his opinion), he has enjoyed revisiting his old books and reliving those adventures all over again.
Kirkus Reviews:
"Gunhus brings young readers a monster-filled romp to read at their own risk. In the first few pages, Jack, the storyteller and main character, warns readers not to read about these real-world monsters that would seem to only exist in fiction. The tone is set--sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek and likable; rooting for Jack is easy...Gunhus masterfully introduces fully realized characters with whom readers can connect almost instantly. The pacing is quick but not rushed, and events seamlessly progress, complete with action, cliff-hangers and surprise reveals. "
Amazon Reviews:
Watch out Percy Jackson here comes Jack Templar
Move over Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, there's a new kid in town - Jack Templar, and he will take you on a wonderful adventure of good vs evil, with friends and enemies at every turn. The twists and turns keep the reader on a roller coaster of entertainment in the way of JK Rowling and Rick Riordan. ~ Penny Brein
Fast paced adventure through and through
Written for middle school aged students, this book is action-packed from the beginning and will hold the attention of young readers. Not only that, as an adult reader, it was hard to put down, so parents will enjoy it as an easy read. ~ bluejellybean
Kids will love it!
Not only will kids love it, adults will too! I don't want to give the plot away but this is a book worth reading. This book is creatively written drawing in the reader to be a participant in the story. There is lots of action with enough blood and guts to be interesting without being gross. Girls will like it too with the strong female role models and the hint of romance. Even though this is a children's book, I couldn't put it down. I will definitely be adding this to my classroom library. I am looking forward to reading the book in this series and sharing it with my students. Awesome book! ~ pixiep
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Book Trailer:
WARNING
Yeah, you read it right. I’m a monster hunter. Back before I actually became one, I would have thought that sounded totally awesome. And don’t get me wrong, in a lot of ways it is. But most of the time, I’m either running for my life or hiding in the shadows, praying the monster chasing me doesn’t pick up my scent. And I’m almost always scared to death. In a few pages, I think you’ll see why.
But there are a few things I need to warn you about before I tell you my story.
First, this isn’t a cartoon. These are bloodthirsty creatures who will stop at nothing to kill. They are scary. Very scary. Second, the only way to stop them is to kill them first…and that gets gross and messy. Third, this is all real.
You think I’m kidding, don’t you? I can almost see you smirking as you read this. But this isn’t a joke. Monsters are real and the story I’m about to tell you really happened. If you’d rather walk through life believing that monsters are only found in books or on the movie screen, then you should shut this book right now and go do something else.
I give you these warnings because the story I’m about to tell you isn’t for everyone. Not everyone can handle it. The blood. The gore. The monsters.
This life was thrust onto me. I had no choice but to take up a sword and fight. But you can still walk away and pretend this dark world doesn’t exist. Or you can walk through the door that I’m about to open and find out the truth about the world around you.
But I warn you (and this is a big warning), if you read this book, if you learn about the monsters that roam among us and the hunters who fight them, if you decide to learn the truth, then you will become fair game for the monsters to chase.
Make sure you understand what I’m saying.
If you read this book, you will be part of this world and the monsters will come after you too. You will start to see things that no other humans can see. The shadows will move when you walk near them. The creatures of the night will seek you out, testing the doors and windows of your house, looking for a way in.
And, at some point, they will find you, just like they found me, and you will be forced to defend yourself.
So, think carefully before you turn the page, because once you do, there’s no turning back.
Ever.
Once a monster hunter, always a monster hunter.
See you on the other side.
If you’re brave enough.
Excerpt:
Aunt Sophie left and I dragged my lazy bones out of bed and into the
bathroom. That’s when I noticed something strange. The kid in the mirror
looked pretty much the same as yesterday, only…bigger.
I was
the same height, but somehow overnight my muscles had grown larger. Not
massive. I wasn’t suddenly going to be mistaken for a bodybuilder as I
walked down the street, but something had definitely changed. It’s not
that I looked like a wuss before, but there was nothing going on with my
physique to brag about. But this morning? Whoa. I was looking good. I
flexed for myself in the mirror, marveling at how my biceps formed into a
big lump on my arm.
“That is so cool,” I said to myself in the mirror.
Forgetting breakfast (not to mention my English homework), I pulled on
my clothes and ran down to our basement where we had a weight bench.
Aunt Sophie had gotten it for my last birthday, telling me that if there
was ever a year when I wanted to work out and get stronger, this was
it.
I had used it a little, but mostly it was just another place where we stored our basement junk.
I grabbed two forty-five pound plates and slid one on each side of the bar.
I eyed the bench press with those big weights on each side. The bar was
another forty-five, making it one hundred and thirty-five pounds. No
way. The most I had ever done before today was just the bar and
twenty-five pounders, and that almost did me in after lifting it once.
Even though I was feeling strong, weirdly strong, I decided that I was
being too optimistic. So I slid the forty-five pound plates off,
replaced them with twenty-five pounders and lay down on the bench.
With a deep breath, I heaved the bar up, balancing it over my chest
with locked arms. Slowly, I lowered it, half-expecting it to drop like a
rock and crush me. But it didn’t. I rested it on my chest for a second
and then tried to push it back up. My arms shot up like there was no
weight at all.
I smiled, and banged out five reps right in a row. No sweat.
I racked the weight and sat up, looking at my arms in wonder.
You know what I did next, right? I grabbed the forty-five pounders and
put them back on. I lay on the bench, looking from side to side at the
giant weights, having second thoughts. Then I decided to go for it.
I grabbed the bar, lifted it off the rack and, straining more than last
time, I lowered it to my chest then raised it back up. Ten times.
“What are you doing down there?” Aunt Sophie shouted from upstairs.
“Coming!” I yelled as I racked the weight.
I felt my chest muscles, not sure what was happening to me. But liking
it. Whatever was going on, I wasn’t asking many questions. I decided to
just go with it. Maybe this was what turning fourteen felt like.
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