Virals Books In Order

Publication Order of Tory Brennan (Virals) Books

Virals series by Brendan Reichs

Virals series is a collection of young adult novels by American crime writer and forensic anthropologist, Kathy Reich in collaboration with her son. The series features Temperance Brennan’s great-niece Tory Brennan. The original idea of the series was of Brendan Reichs. The books have elements of fantasy and science fiction and are set in Charleston, South Carolina and features Tory Brennan, (the great-niece of a fictional heroine featured in Kathy Reich’s adult thriller books) and her friends Ben Blue, Hiram Stolowitski, and Shelton Devers. Most of the stories in the series mostly involve Loggerhead Island Research Institute which is located on Loggerhead Island.

Brendan Reichs began publication of Virals in 2010 when the first novel in the series was published. The series lasted five books concluding in 2015 with Terminal.

Virals

This is the first book in Virals series by Brendan Reichs and his mother Kathy Reich. Tory Brennan the niece of a successful anthropologist, Temperance Brennan is the leader of a ragtag band who lives in an isolated island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group saves a dog kept in a cage for medical testing in a nearby village, they get exposed to an experimental canine strain virus that changes their lives forever. As the friends discover their animal-quick reflexes and heightened senses, they must utilize their scientific curiosity together with their newly found powers to investigate and solve a cold case murder.

Fortunately, the group is now more than just friends; they are a pack- they are Virals. Kathy Reichs is famously known as the author of the popular television series Bones and also known for her forensic series Temperance Brennan which the television film Bones is based upon. The series is the debut of Kathy into the Young Adult world. The book starts with a fascinating idea that will produce goose bumps to the readers.

On an isolated island, Loggerhead, there is a research facility. There are already two parts of the story, the primate research facility, and the secluded island. Proceeding from this is the fact that there are fences, not designed to keep the primates in but rather to keep them out. It’s from such type of introductions that make the reader get the reader for top secret research gone wrong or some foul play. The second part makes this novel great. After the introductions, there is a series of events that causes the storyline to split into two but still connected on a higher level. Using this approach, the author has created an engaging and exciting story that will keep you on the edge of the story.

The series debut novel follows a group of friends, Shelton, Tory, Ben, and Hiram. Their parents work at a research facility on Loggerhead Island. The friends all love to go on adventures and discover new things. The story is from Tory’s point of view. The authors did a fantastic job in characterization, both primary and supporting characters. Besides the main characters, there are other recurring characters in the series. These characters include:

Dr. Marcus Karsten, a professor at Charleston University. He is described by Tory as skinny and dark. He is paid by the Candela Pharma to research cure for canine virus or creates a new virus that can only be cured using Candela’s products. However, when trying to find a way to weaken the canine parvovirus, he ends up creating a new strain that could infect humans. Then there is Hannah Wythe responsible for the assassination of Dr. Karsten. She later attempts to kill the Virals, but her plans never succeed as she is later arrested for the murder of Karsten.

Hollis Claybourne is Chance’s father. He is strict and raised Chance as a single father as his wife died in childbirth. He was once the president of Candela Pharma but is later arrested for the murder of Katherine Heaton. Lastly is Tony Baravett who is at one point sent to kill Hi, Ben, Tory, and Shelton. However, he is later arrested for the killing of Dr. Karsten and the other four counts.
Seizure

In the second book in the Virals series, Tory and her friends are still trying to figure out how they can work their newly found powers and what they can do with them. They are closer than ever before, but because of lack of funding, the Loggerhead Research facility is closing down, and they are all faced with the possibilities of splitting up. However Tory comes up with a plan to embark on a treasure hunt of the famous pirate named Anne Bonny in efforts to save the research facility and her friends from being separated. However, they soon come to a shocking discovery that they aren’t the only people after the long-forgotten treasure. Can the Virals survive the longest in the search for the treasure? Will they save the research facility and help avoid being separated?
The second book goes further back in time than the first book giving the reader more background information to the characters than in the first in the series.

Kathy and Brendan Reichs did a fantastic job in creating a thrill ride that will have the reader glued from page one to the last. The Virals are such refreshing characters in the young adult genre. They are all smart kids who will stop at nothing to protect themselves and their small world, even if it means getting themselves killed. Tory is a 14-year-old and there isn’t a doubt that she is a great pack leader. Her boy friend’s all look up to her as if she was their alpha. Even though her friends at times think that she’s crazy coming up with insane ideas, they follow her to no end. All three boys add something different and unique to the group, which makes it likable. They love each other, and they stand up for each other. The plot is intricate, giving the reader tiny bits of clues not only for the treasure but also about the person following the main characters.