Hunter

May 15, 2014
Grades 6-9 Lance McKendrick plans to avenge his family's death at the hands of supervillain Slaughter, but first he has to deal with powerful telepath Max Dalton. Lance has long suspected him of using his abilities for more than people realize, and he isn't convinced that Max is as heroic or altruistic as he seems. Familiar characters from the Super Human series make brief appearances, but this fourth entry is about the notably unsuper but nonetheless wily Lance and his attempts to escape from Max's control. Getting inside the mind of a con man isn't easy, and by design Carroll keeps readers at arm's length from Lance as he ages him from 14 to 27 years, focusing on action rather than self-reflection. A flurry of odd jobs (including time in a carnival), a brief romantic fling, and an intriguing epilogue make this appealing to all sorts of readers, and as always, Carroll delivers a super story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2014
After parting ways with the superhumans, Lance relies on his persuasive skills to make his way in the world and evade mind-controlling Max Dalton. This fourth book follows Lance's journey over the years, from working in a traveling circus to running his own global organization. Series followers will appreciate con-man Lance's character development and the implications of the story's surprising conclusion.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)