The Suprnaturalist
By Eoin Colfer
Published by Hyperion Books for Children
Copyright 2004
267 Pages
Children's Science Fiction
Chapter Book

The Supernaturalist takes place in the future in a city named Satallite City. A young boy, named Cosmo who was left abandoned when he was a baby, escapes from the Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys and nearly dies from being electrocuted. A group of kids heal him and make him a part of their misfit group, called Supernaturalists, after learning that he can see strange little bugs that seem to suck the life out of people. They too can see them and their mission in life is to destroy the Parasites. After being with them for some time, the Supernatualists discover that the Parasites are not actually sucking the life out of you, they are taking away the pain so it is less painful. Unforuanlty a woman with a lot of power, named Ellen Faustino, betrays them and fools them into killing many of the Parasites. The leader of the Supernaturalists, Stefan, gives his life to save the Parasites and take down Faustino. Everyone believes that Faustino is dead and the world is safe again, but at the end of the book, the last chapter she is alive. The Mayor of Satallite City has her face reconstructed so no one will recognise her, and sends her on another mission for power.
I think that this book would be good for older children. It deals with a lot of intense themes. Cosmo is an orphan and goes through terrible things at the Institute for Parentally Challenged Boy. He almost dies, and he of course has a love interest in the book.
There are some problems I see that could come from this book, namely the fact that it is intense and some parts are frightening. There are a couple swear words and the fact that Cosmo, who is only fifteen, kisses and gets into a relationship with his team member who is also fifteen.
I really loved this book. I have read other books by Eoin Colfer and loved them too. But i was surprised when i read this book because it is notheing like the Artemis Fowl books. Its completely different except that the main character is a young boy who saves the world.