Howie

Upon reading this book I really enjoyed Howie as a character in the book.  In I Hunt Killers Howie was Jazz's best friend.  Even though this was a good read, Howie's humor was perfect whenever the story was boring at times.  As a matter of fact his stupid humor reminded me of my own stupid humor, so I could relate to him.  I also felt bad for Howie, being that he was a hemophiliac and could get hurt extremely easily.  I'm just glad he was in one piece by the end of the story!

Jazz

I think Jazz could have very easily become a serial killer, but his friends and the Impressionist helped to push him away from becoming one.  Connie repeatedly reminded Jazz that he will never become anything like Billy.  Howie showed Jazz that even though he was an easy target to a serial killer, Jazz would never attack him.  The Impressionist helped to push Jazz away from serial killing because of how similar he was to Billy, and because of how gruesome his murders were; Jazz wanted to be nothing like Billy, so this was a tremendous help.  Jazz eventually realized by the end of the book that he was not a serial killer.

Overall Opinon

I really enjoyed reading I Hunt Killers, it was suspenseful and very well written, which kept me interested throughout the entire book.  Between trying to figure out who the Impressionist was, and reading about Jazz's personal struggles, it was very hard to put the book down.  I also liked how Jazz was haunted by his past and from his father's voice in his head.  The ending left me wanting to know what happened after the events in the book.  Overall, I Hunt Killers, by Barry Lyga is a great book that anyone can enjoy.

What if Jazz was a killer?

Can you imagine what would have happened if Jazz decided to use his knowledge of killing to help the killers? I feel that the whole story would be different. For starters, Jazz would be more like we expect him to be: a killer. Knowing that Jazz's dad, Billy is the world's most infamous serial killer, I think the police would have had a harder time solving the murders. With Jazz on the other side we would also get to experience what happens while the murders kill. Overall Jazz's personality makes this story interesting because he tries to prove that he is not the same as his father.

Overall Opinion

I Hunt Killers was one of the better books I have read for a summer reading assignment. The book had a slow start, and with a topic and plot line that focuses around a serial killer's child I didn’t know what to expect from it. The more I read, the more I became drawn in to the characters and started to understand Jazz better. He provided a very different perspective, which created a unique story line. My overall opinion of this book is that it was definitely worth sticking out the beginning because it truly picks up in the middle and end and it provided a nice break from normal summer reading, which seems to all blend together. This is not a book you forget reading.

Overall Opinion

Ever since I was little, I have always been intrigued by mysteries.  Monk has been my favorite TV show since I was a little kid, along with watching Law and Order: SVU as I got older.  I have even taken forensics classes in the summer!  I knew that I would enjoy I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga as soon as I read the title.  I have to admit that at first, I found the novel to be a bit boring and a struggle to get through.  Little did I know was that as I read on, I would become extremely captivated in Jazz Dent’s story.  I think that the story has a lot of unpredictable twists and turns to it, making the reader always want to read more. Through growing up with his father, Jazz knows what serial killers are capable of accomplishing.  I think that Jazz’s knowledge of the capabilities of serial killers is a crucial part of what motivated him to not follow his father’s footsteps.   One of my favorite components of the novel was how Barry Lyga allowed the readers to get inside Jazz’s head, hearing Billy Dent’s voice.  The author really paints a mental picture in the reader’s minds throughout the entire book.  I definitely recommend this novel for not only mystery lovers, but for anyone!  I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga is capable of hooking anyone on the novels cliffhangers.

The Importance of The Impressionist

The Impressionist, in my opinion, is one of the most important characters of the novel.  Not only did he idolize Billy Dent, but he also could not comprehend how Jazz, or anyone for that matter, did not want to follow in Billy’s footsteps.  I believe that if The Impressionist was to not be included in I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, Jazz’s efforts towards proving himself to not be like his father would not have been as strongly intriguing and remarkable.  The Impressionist is the exact opposite of Jazz; he is impressed and a complete fan of Billy’s work.  On the contrary, Jazz, who was subjected to the cruel, gruesome murders that his father committed, wants to prove to everyone that he is not a murderer and did not follow in his father’s footsteps.  He wants to help the police in their investigations by using the knowledge and skills that he obtained from his father.  The Impressionist and Jazz are complete opposites.  Both characters bold the characteristics of each other because of how contrasting they are.  The Impressionist really defines the fact that Jazz could have easily gone down the same dark path that The Impressionist did.

Overall Opinion

My overall opinion of  I Hunt Killers was that it was a unique story, and at times, could become pretty fascinating. The parts that became so gripping were the ones where you were welcomed into the psyche of Jazz, and you were able to experience the disturbance that Jazz once felt as a child. Jazz was a well written character because you weren't sure if his thoughts were being constructed by himself, or the psychological scar that his father had carved into him.  As Jazz struggles to determine his true destiny, It became apparent that both Howie and Connie were there to guide Jazz in times of need, because it became evident that Jazz wouldn't be able to do it alone. Towards the end of the book, the author took the more traditional and safer route by introducing the the person orchestrating the latest murders, aka the impressionist. While I did enjoy the impressionists' qualities and overall plan, I just thought the book could have taken a risky plot twist and still come out on top. I would have liked to seen that the physiological scar that Billy (Jazz's Father) left on Jazz could have left him to try and recreate his father's string of murders without him consciously being aware of doing so. It would leave the reader with the main character not mentally stable, and could leave the reader guessing, not knowing if what Jazz was saying was true or not. Even though the book ended a different way than I had hoped, The character's development, dialogue, and actions kept me interested until the end.

The Beginning

When I started to read I Hunt Killers  I was hesitant because the thoughts and ideas Jazz talked about and the things his father, Billy, said were things I wasn't used to reading and they were a little bit disturbing. The beginning of the book was difficult for me to get into because at first I could only focus on how awful the situation was, and it was uncomfortable to read such horrific things said by his father. However, the more I started to read the more I became drawn into the plot and characters.

Jazz and Howie

My favorite thing in the book was the relationship between Howie and Jazz. Their relationship is very relaxed, open and funny. They told each other everything and they trusted one another. My favorite part was when every time Jazz needed to break in somewhere he would always drag Howie along and Howie knew it. As they said in the book, Howie would follow Jazz into "the gate of hell" if he asked. There relationship brought a great comic relief into the book.

Opinion

Over all I thought that this was a pretty good book. The beginning was a little slow, But I thought that all the events and information in the first half was very important. Due to the first half you were able to make a connection or relate with the characters which made the second half more interesting. The book was very easy for me to read because I wanted to read it. It always kept me on my toes with all it's twists and turns. I am definitely considering to read the second book and see what happens to Billy Dent.

Nature and Nurture

A common argument about serial killers is the discussion of whether killers are born evil or raised evil. I think this book adds an interesting note to that in that not only is Jazz biologically the son of a serial killer but he was also raised around murder to do what his father did. Despite having both factors working against him, Jazz does not want to be like his father, showing amazing resilience. Jazz wants to fight who he thinks he could be and doesn't want to end up like his father. I just thought it was an interesting new take on the Nature vs. Nurture argument that always surrounds serial killers.

Tone

I liked the tone of the book in that it presented what is a rather serious issue, murder, with a comical edge to it. At one point Jazz makes a comment about how helpful the skills he's acquired are, especially if you're interested in killing people. Another really funny moment was when Howie asks Jazz what his middle name is because all serial killers have three names. I thought that the comedy in the book made it more interesting. Without some funny quips the book would just be way too boring and serious and it wouldn't have been the same.

The Ending

It's safe to say that the end of this book was way better than the beginning. The way Lyga detailed it and made it seem so real, was really interesting to me. Like Matt M said, we really could feel how Jazz was thinking and feeling with all the details the author used, I think it also helped to paint a picture in our head. The ending really did not catch me by much surprise though, because I had always in the back of my mind expected Jazz to be the killer; so if I was the author I would have switched that up a bit and made it more of a shocker to the readers. But overall the ending was very well written and I enjoyed finishing the book!

Overall Opinion

When I first started reading "I Hunt Killers" I was hesitant on if I was going to like the book or not. The beginning of the book was kind of slow and uninteresting to read, but as the story went on I became more curious on what would happen next. Towards the end the events became more unpredictable and it kept me wanting to read more. Overall I think this book was good to read and I ended up actually enjoying it!

Jazz

I feel that Jazz has a really rough life. Jazz has to live his life with the same names as his father, which has a burden because he was a murderer. However, Jazz was dealing with similar situations ever since he was a little kid. Jazz's father taught his murderous ways to his son at a very young age and exposes Jazz to very serious situations. When his father is put in jail, he has prove that he isn't like his father. I find Jazz to be a very mysterious character, and that you would never be able to fully understand him

Opinion

In the beginning of the book I wasn't very interested in the book. I felt that it was a bit boring which made reading the book stink. However, as the book got towards the ending I did begin to enjoy the book and wanted to read more. I would recommend this book to others but warn them that the beginning can get a bit boring. I would also like to read more novels by Barry Lyga.

General Opinion

Typically summer reading books are quite a drag for me, but reading I Hunt Killers wasn't so bad, personally.  I was interested in Jazz's past with his father and wanted to know how that would effect him a character as troubled brewed in his life, like the murders and trying not to be put in a foster home.

Blog #1

While reading I Hunt Killers, I  took some of the the traumatic and abnormal experiences of the main character Jazz, and incorporated into my life. Being a teenager myself, it is difficult to entertain these thoughts. Jazz's childhood is tragic, growing up with a father who is one of the most brutal and insane serial killers in the world. Jazz had experienced disturbing and traumatic things that haunt him throughout the story. Not being able to imagine this, I came to two conclusions. The first one was that once I tried to put myself in Jazz's shoes, it made me realize that Jazz had fought a hard and disturbing upbringing, and for someone that age to try and live a normal life after experiences like that deserve respect, even if Jazz is a fictional character. The second thing was that I took time to appreciate my family, who made sure they did everything in their power to equip me with everything I needed to have a good childhood.

The Ending

The ending of the book gave me chills. The intensity between the Impressionist, and Jazz made me feel I was there. I felt the intensity from Jazz when he tells the Impressionist to tell his father that no matter what, he will catch him. Another reason I loved the ending was because we find out Jazz's father, Billy Dent, escapes from jail. After he escapes, Billy Dent kills his first victim right after. That part of the ending creeped me out so much. His father is a dangerous man. The author, Barry Lyga, left a great cliff hanger to the end of the book, and I wish there was more to read.

Favorite Character

My favorite character in the book, I Hunt Killers, is definitely Howie. Howie is Jazz's best friend. Howie is insanely funny, loyal, kindhearted, and is always there for Jazz. When Jazz, and Howie went to go save Ginny from the Impressionist,   Jazz told Howie to go wait by the fire escape. Unfortunately, the Impressionist escaped from there, and stabbed Howie. Howie got badly injured. This caused Howie to bleed a lot because of his hemophilia. Even after that, Howie still wanted to be Jazz's best friend, and that's what I want in a best friend; someone like Howie.

ending

The ending of the book was great. There was really good detail and the author Barry Lyga made it seem so real. I could really picture how Jazz was feeling and the detail made it that much greater to read. I wouldnt have changed the ending when i found out that the killer was actually Jazz I wasnt very suprised. Throught the book I always thought he would be. But it was a great book and I enjoyed the ending

overall opinion

I agree with Colin D about how the beginning of the book was boring and it was more of a chore to read. But as the story pogressed the story started to develop and it became very interesting. It was great to see how sparatic the plot was and how unpredictable the events were. I enjoyed reading I Hunt Killers"

Jazz

To me, Jazz seems like a messed up kid. He spent his childhood being trained by his serial killer father to be a killer himself once he grew up. At age 9, he learned how to use quicklime to dissolve body parts and at 11, he was taught how to duplicate keys. And now that his dad is in jail, Jazz is trying to convince everyone (but especially himself), that he is not like his father. I feel like if there was a kid like that in real life, he would be treated much differently than Jazz is. He seems to be living a normal life (he has friends and a girlfriend), except for the fact that he's helping solve crimes. I found him to be a very interesting and complex character; but not exactly "charming" as he describes himself.

Jazzy

While reading I hunt Killers we are able to see how it's like to live with a disturbing childhood through Jazzy's eyes and see how he deals with it. In the novel we see Jazzy trying to distance himself from his past and all the murders he witnessed because of his father and try to live a normal life, or as normal as he could get. When the body is found he immediately knows its a copycat serial killer and wants to help catch them. Jazzy is probably drawn to help find the killer because he knows what they can do, he lived with one and had to witness his dad in action. I believe that Jazzy feels grief towards all the victims he watched his father kill and with his knowledge of serial killers, he feels like its his job to help stop this from happening. Jazzy chose to be different from his father, and used what he has seen to help others. Jazzy could have given in, and become like his father but chose not to.

Overall Opinion

I enjoyed I Hunt Killers more than I thought I would! I have always loved mysteries such as Nancy Drew, so I figured I would like this book and I ended up liking it much more than expected. The whole story was unique and much different than any other murder mystery books I have read. A father trying to groom his child to become a serial killer just like he was? That was very new! It made the whole story much more interesting. I really likes Jazz as a character. His struggle with not wanting to become like his father, inner conflicts and desires, and determination kept him lively and intriguing. I loved how he was able to turn his horrible past with his father into a useful tool to help him hunt the killers and help out Lobos Nod. Also, being able to hear Billy's thoughts in Jazz's head gave a whole new insight to Jazz's mind and helped us connect with him even more. There were many times that I could not put the book down, I was scared and excited to see what was going to happen next. I loved how the story was thrilling and scary with the murders, but had some light and funny points throughout. Howie (Jazz's friend) helped keep the book from being too creepy and scary. His helplessness showed a soft side to Jazz. Howie's humor and lightness helped break up the darkness of the murders and creepy thoughts throughout the book. Overall, the book was thrilling and kept me on my toes, yet had some laughs throughout. Loving mysteries definitely helped me enjoy this book, but I think anyone could really get into Barry Lyga's book I Hunt Killers!

Overall

At the beginning of the book, it didn't seem too appealing to read. The first paragraph was slow and uninteresting to me. However, as the story progressed I began to get more into it. I enjoyed all the different twists and turns the author threw in the story but I did not like the ending; it was a bit too predictable. Overall, it was a pretty decent read and I'm thinking about reading the sequel.

The Impressionist

I think the idea of the Impressionist was interesting. Billy Dent was infamous for his 100+ murders-- he was clearly not someone that should be idolized. However the Impressionist found him to be intriguing and impressive, wanting to be just like him. He was such a big fan of Billy Dent's that he began to follow in his footsteps and commit the exact same murders, finding it unbelievable that Jazz, who knew Billy Dent better than anyone, did not want to be just like him. I think the Impressionist was absolutely crazy but his character was very well developed.

Jazz's Character

I think Jazz's character was very complex and well though out. Growing up with an infamous serial killer as a father could not have been easy, especially with the negative attention and demeaning spotlight. His father always shared his murders with him, trying to convince Jazz to grow up and follow in his footsteps. However, Jazz never succumbed to his father's incredulous indifference between right and wrong. One would think that Jazz would have ended up just like his dad; Jazz himself even thought so. The entire book, Jazz is trying to prove to others that he is nothing like his father by trying to help the police solve the new serial killings that have risen in his town. Jazz's character is strong-minded and determined, knowing exactly what he wants and following through with the plans he set for himself.

Ending

The ending of the book is the best way to end a great book. Billy escapes from jail then find his first victim shortly after.Billy is very dangerous and needs to be stop before he kills again.  If the sequel is written i hope its as good as the first one.  

Book Review

At the beginning of the book the it was pretty boring and i didn't want to read it that much. But when the story evolved it became very entertaining to read. I enjoyed the book very much with the changing events it made it hard to predict the future. i didn't wan to put the book down once the story got good.

The Advice

Jazz often talks about all of the murder advice that he has received from his father. Meanwhile, normal kids receive advice from their father on things like how to throw a baseball or how to ride a bike. This just goes to show that Jazz never really had a normal childhood or a normal relationship with his father due to his father's doings. Jazz is forever effected by his father's mistakes whether he is aware of it or not and he has to deal with the consequences of his father's mistakes.

Overall Opinion

Many teenagers often ask themselves, "Will I turn out like my parents?" I loved how Barry Lyga was able to relate the novel to many teenagers through this question in a unique way. I also like the fact that the reader can hear Billy’s voice  in Jazz’s head it  adds to the creepy factor of I Hunt Killers. I loved Jazz's character, his complexity and his conflicting desires, he struggles with his desires to do good and the darker parts of him that might be a little too much like to his father. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I will definitely read more books of this genre in the future.

Book Review

Truthfully, at first I was not all that interested to begin reading this book, however much to my surprise once I read the first few chapters I was instantly hooked and had difficulty putting the book down! I am generally a fan of romance novels, but the mysteriousness of I Hunt Killers was a nice change of pace and has encouraged me to try and read books from other genres. This novel had a lot of unexpected events that kept me on my toes until the end. I was truly intrigued with every aspect of this book such as the plot itself, the characters, specifically Jazz, and the author's writing style. Reading this novel was very similar to watching an episode of CSI or Law and Order, providing the reader with a few hints and details that kept you guessing as to who the new killer in town truly was. I would highly recommend this book to my peers and am anxious to read more works by this author as well as other crime scene books such as this one.

The Impressionist

The Impressionist is one of those characters that gives you the chills whenever they show up. The Impressionist has very disturbing and creepy characteristics that you can just tell will play a vital role in the unfolding of the storyline. One of the most surprising occurrences in the book was the fact that the Impressionist was indeed the father of the victim in the book. This raised many questions to me but as the rest of the book unraveled it all pieced together nicely making much more sense.

Jazz

One of the main characters in this book, I Hunt Killers, is a teenaged boy who has seen much more than the average teenager has ever witnessed. He goes by the name of Jazz Dent, Jazz being short for Jasper.  Jazz's father Billy is notorious for being one of the worst and most insane serial killers in the world. Instead of going to ball games and sleigh riding in the winter, Billy has taken his son to see the most disturbing and traumatic crimes that he has committed. Once Billy is locked away in jail, a new murderer appears on the scene causing havoc and bringing fear. Due to his upbringing I feel that Jazz is possibly the new killer. What do you think?

Ending

For me, the ending was my favorite  part of the book. The intensity of it made me feel as though I was inside of the story next to Jazz. Jazz's seriousness towards the Impressionist made me feel as though I was watching it happen right in front of me. I wish the book kept going because I felt as though it didn't  end when I got to the bottom of the last page.

Advice

The advice that Jazz's father gave to him about covering up crimes constantly comes up throughout the book. It shows that Jazz's father has scarred him because he is unable to forget or let go of all of the murders he has seen. Because of all of the murders he has witnessed he believes that he can help with the murder that occurred in Lobos Nod, even though G. William, the sheriff, tells him to leave the case alone. Jazz doesn't allow himself to leave the case alone because he feels as though he can help solve it due to  of all the murders he has experienced with his father.

post 2

The Impressionist is just such an odd character, just thinking about a person that might actually be real with those characteristics is kind of scary to me. The way he stalks Jazz doesn't make it any better either. The way he carries himself is just so abnormal and his actions are weird too. However -- when I found out that the impressionist was the victims father I was extremely surprised, but at the same time it made a lot of sense because this made a lot of other things come together. In the grand scheme of things the Impressionist's true identity is what keeps this book so interesting and worth the read.

Post 1

Throughout the book it is very apparent that Jazz is constantly referring to the advice his father gave him while covering up a crime. I found this to be very interesting because it shows all the experience Jazz has. He has witnessed many of the crime scenes of his father's 123 official kills which is easily more than the average person would ever come close to experiencing. Looking at this book in terms of the transition from innocence to experience Jazz is clearly an extremely experienced character, and I seem to find that very interesting.

The Impressionist

This man is straight up weird.  He's so creepy and sketchy.  He's the exact description of a serial killer that Jazz gave.  The fact that he follows Jazz around the whole time makes it even weirder.  The way he acts, his habits, and just the general way about him is strange.  I was extremely shocked however, to find out that the impressionist was the victims "father."  This blew my mind and gave me that "ohhhhhhhhh" moment I wasn't sure I'd ever reach while reading the book.  The moment when the Impressionist reveals himself is when the book all came together for me and that small piece makes the book worth reading.

Jazz's Addiction to Murder Mysteries

A serious murder has happened in Lobos Nod and the cops are investigating.  Little do they know, Jazz is also investigating from afar.  After he gets caught snooping in the morgue, G. William, the Sheriff of Lobos Nod (A.K.A. the man that put Jazz's dad away for good) tells Jazz to stay away from the case but no matter how many times G. William says it, or how he says it, Jazz will not leave the case alone.  He insists he has a ll the answers and he feels he can crack the case himself.  I understand that his father was a serial killer and he was raised to be like him, but why can't he just drop the case?

The Ending

The end was easily one of the most exciting parts of the book. When you find out that Billy Dent escaped from prison and killed his first victim in only an hour, you know there is more trouble in the future. This is when you completely realize how dangerous Billy actually is. Also, when Jazz goes to visit the Impressionist, you see how intense Jazz can actually be when he tells the Impressionist to tell Billy that no matter how long it takes, he will catch him. Finally, in the final lines of the book it says, "'Can you not see the blood on my head!!' And there was. Oh, and there would be so much more...." This had me wishing that once I turned to the next page there would be another chapter, but to my disappointment there was not.

Billy Dent's Advice

Throughout the book we see Jazz constantly reference back to all the advice his Dad gave him while covering up or committing a crime. This intrigued me because it showed the reader all that Jazz has been through and the number of murders or other crimes he's witnessed. These memories are forever engraved into his mind, and he can't help but think about them very time he hears about a new crime or thinks about his father. All these references built up to the moment where Jazz finally sees his Dad in jail and gets to talk to him one more time.