Jack Templar, Monster Hunter: Blog Tour Review

Jack Templar, Monster Hunter (The Templar Chronicles, 1) by Jeff Gunhas, October 17, 2012. 197 pages. Published by Seven Guns Press. Source: Author/Orange Berry Book Tours.

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.

First Sentence:

Although I was born to be a monster hunter, for most of my life I didn't know any more about it than you do right now. 

Jack Templar Monster Hunter was a surprisingly good read. I loved the combination of an ancient battle between creatures and humans with the story of the reluctant hero. It really made for quite the read and one that was pretty hard to put down.

I rare event has occurred, I, for once have no objections to the quirks and personality traits of the main character. I was quite surprised that there was nothing about Jack that irritated me or made me roll my eyes. I  really liked that fact that the Jack did not immediately accept that he was in a monster hunter. It was definitely interesting to see his disbelief over what was happening; I also enjoyed seeing a character so unsure of himself and what he was doing because it made his story all the better because you got to see him mature into the role handed to him.

What really made this book an interesting read for me would have to be that it was action-packed from pretty much the first couple of pages. I really enjoyed that the author did not waste any time getting to the heart of the story-Jack's rough introduction into his role in the Black Guard's battle with the Creach.

Even though I really enjoyed reading Jack Templar, Monster Hunter, there was one thing I did not work for me in this book. What did not work for me was the way the main character gave warnings to the reader about how reading the book would involve them in the world of monster hunters. The reason it did not work for me was that half the time there was no space between these interjections and the actual story. Now, had it been a little aside at the end of a chapter it would have meshed with the story a little better. While I didn't like the way it was added into the story, I did enjoy the idea of it.

Final Verdict: Jack Templar, Monster Hunter is definitely one fast and thrilling read.

Jack Templar, Monster Hunter earns 4 out of 5 pineapples.

About the author:

Jeff Gunhus is the author of the Middle Grade/YA series The Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. Jeff is also the co-CEO of a national company with over 4,000 employees that has been featured in national media for its unique opportunity for college students to learn entrepreneurial skills. He is the author of the motivational career guides No Parachute Required (Hyperion) and Wake Up Call (Seven Guns Press). After his experience with his son, he is passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and is active in child literacy issues. As a father of five, he leads an active lifestyle in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to constantly keep up with his kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the CIty Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel.