Michael Vey: Storm of Lightning
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | September 2015 |
| Founder | Richard Paul Evans |
| Products | Michael Vey series |
Michael Vey: Storm of Lightning represents the fifth installment in the American writer Richard Paul Evans's Michael Vey heptalogy, published in September 2015.
Plot
The Elgen launch an assault on Timepiece Ranch, which seems abandoned. Welch, Hatch’s chief of security, is detained for failing to prevent Jade Dragon’s escape and faces execution by electric rats once they arrive in Tuvalu.
Following Jade Dragon’s rescue, the Electroclan return to America and proceed to Timepiece Ranch to locate any survivors. Michael confronts local gang members, resulting in Lichtenberg figures appearing on his skin. They discover only a single Elgen guard alive but find no bodies, causing confusion. The injured guard is taken for medical care.
At their hotel, Gervaso, the resistance's lead strategist, discloses that Timepiece Ranch had been evacuated prior to the attack and moves the group to Christmas Ranch to devise a counteroffensive against the Elgen before they capture Tuvalu.
Hatch’s electric children—Quentin, Torstyn, and Tara—break Welch out of custody, viewing him as a paternal figure. Hatch suspects their disloyalty but lacks evidence. He reveals plans for Quentin to govern Tuvalu after the Elgen takeover; Quentin accepts with caution, wary of Hatch’s intentions.
The resistance uncovers that Taylor’s father has been interrogated and her mother arrested in Meridan because of their connection to the Electroclan. Michael, Taylor, and Ian expose extensive corruption within Meridan’s police department. They detonate a thermite bomb in the prison parking area, facilitating Taylor’s parents’ escape; her father is brought safely to Christmas Ranch.
Despite warnings, Tuvalu’s government dismisses the Elgen threat. Hatch hosts dignitaries while Quentin leads Elgen troops to seize control of Tuvalu. The government is compelled to swear allegiance; the former Prime Minister faces public punishment.
After discovering the betrayal of Quentin, Torstyn, and Tara, Hatch detains them; Quentin is confined within a cage.
The narrative concludes with Michael and the Electroclan, backed by the resistance, preparing for their most daring mission yet aimed at stopping Hatch.
Characters
- Michael Vey serves as the central character—a teenage boy with Tourette's syndrome and electrical abilities. As a Glow, he can emit electric pulses that shock others.
- Taylor Ridley, Michael’s girlfriend and a cheerleader at Meridian High, is also a Glow possessing telepathic and brain signal interference powers. Dr. Hatch never detected her abilities.
- Ostin Liss is Michael’s closest friend and a prodigious intellect.
- Dr. Hatch is the founder of Elgen Academy and acts as the primary antagonist who exploits Glows for his own ambitions.
- Jack Vranes, along with Wade West and Mitchell Manchester, bullies Michael and motivates him to rescue Mrs. Vey and Taylor from Elgen Academy.
- Zeus has the power to hurl lightning bolts; abducted by Elgen during childhood, his family was murdered and he was manipulated.
- Wade West, initially a regular human bully, later becomes an ally of the Electroclan.
- Nichelle is a Glow loyal to Dr. Hatch who can siphon energy from other Glows; her powers and demeanor make her unpopular among them.
- Ian, introduced in Purgatory, is a blind Glow who uses electrolocation for vision.
- McKenna, also from Purgatory, generates both light and heat.
- Abigail, another Glow from Purgatory, alleviates pain by stimulating nerve endings through touch or metal conduction.
- Schema is a businessman and former chairman of Elgen’s board who contributed to developing and financing the original MEI.
- Grace functions as a “human flash drive,” capable of storing and transferring vast amounts of electronic data; she joined the Electroclan after Dr. Hatch fled.
- Tanner, under Dr. Hatch’s control, disrupts aircraft navigation systems causing crashes; responsible for thousands of fatalities following Hatch’s commands.
- Tara, Taylor’s twin sister, influences emotions by stimulating specific brain regions.
- Quentin, devoted to Dr. Hatch, generates small EMP bursts and exhibits reckless behavior.
- Bryan, another loyal Glow, produces concentrated electricity able to slice through metal; he is also reckless.
- Kylee acts as a human magnet remaining faithful to Dr. Hatch and Elgen.
Sequel
The follow-up installment, Michael Vey: Fall of Hades, became available on September 13, 2016.