Benz, Derek 1971-

PERSONAL:

Born October 27, 1971; married; children: one son. Hobbies and other interests: Archaeology, linguistics, mythology, cosmology, conspiracy theories, religion.

ADDRESSES:

Home—AZ. E-mail—derekbenz@greygriffins.com.

CAREER:

Writer. Works for a Fortune 100 company.

WRITINGS:

"GREY GRIFFINS" SERIES; YOUNG ADULT FANTASY NOVELS

(With J.S. Lewis) The Revenge of the Shadow King, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 2005.

(With J.S. Lewis) The Rise of the Black Wolf, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 2007.

(With J.S. Lewis) The Fall of the Templar, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 2008.

ADAPTATIONS:

The Revenge of the Shadow King was adapted as an audiobook by Scholastic Audiobooks in 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Derek Benz works for a Fortune 100 company when he is not writing the "Grey Griffins" young adult adventure series with his childhood friend J.S. Lewis. The Grey Griffins is a secret club whose members are children who have sworn to save the world from whatever happens to threaten it, from evil warlords to aliens. The Revenge of the Shadow King, the inaugural title in the series, begins with the formation of the Grey Griffins club by Max Sumner and his best friends, Harley, Ernie, and Natalia. Strange things have started to occur in their small town in Minnesota, but the kids find that they are the only ones who seem to notice. Events reach a climax when fantastical creatures begin arriving in Max's backyard, such as fairies, unicorns, and goblins. These beings seem to have jumped right off the faces of the cards in a game the kids like to play. The creatures are intent on taking over the world, and the Griffins are determined to stop them. A Kirkus Reviews critic remarked that "constant danger and some humor keep this adventure moving despite clunky prose."

Book two of the series, The Rise of the Black Wolf, continues the adventures of the Grey Griffins. In this volume, the kids set off to Scotland to visit Max's father for the holidays. Mr. Sumner lives in an old castle, so it is no real surprise when the Griffins set out to explore it and discover a new set of creatures against whom they must do battle. When Max's father disappears the kids must figure out how to save him. Kids Reads contributor Chris Shanley-Dillman commented: "Non-stop adventure and excitement bombard the likable heroes throughout the pages. Vivid descriptions will put readers right next to Max and his friends as they fight for peace and freedom."

The Fall of the Templar is the third book in the series. It pits the Grey Griffins against the evil machinations of Morgan La Fey and Lord Sumner—Max's father, who has betrayed his son and the rest of the Griffins.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, March, 2006, Karen Coats, review of The Revenge of the Shadow King, p. 301.

California Bookwatch, July, 2006, "Scholastic Inc."

Children's Bookwatch, July, 2007, "Scholastic Inc."

Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, November, 2007, Linda Broughton, review of The Rise of the Black Wolf, p. 286.

Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2006, review of The Revenge of the Shadow King, p. 37; December 15, 2006, review of The Rise of the Black Wolf, p. 1264.

Library Media Connection, August 1, 2006, Jennifer L. Hartson, review of The Revenge of the Shadow King, p. 72.

School Library Journal, April, 2006, Susan L. Rogers, review of The Revenge of the Shadow King, p. 134; September, 2006, Tricia Melgaard, review of The Revenge of the Shadow King, p. 72; March, 2007, Farida S. Dowler, review of The Rise of the Black Wolf, p. 203.

Voice of Youth Advocates, February, 2006, Paula Brehm-Heeger, review of Revenge of the Shadow King, p. 496; August, 2007, Jacob Gilles, review of The Rise of the Black Wolf, p. 251.

ONLINE

Armchair Reviews,http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/ (January 12, 2008), Linda Lee, review of The Revenge of the Shadow King.

Grey Griffins Home Page,http://www.greygriffins.com (January 12, 2008).

International Reading Association Web site,http://www.reading.org/ (January 12, 2008), Linda Broughton, review of The Rise of the Black Wolf.

Kids Reads,http://www.kidsreads.com/ (January 12, 2008), Chris Shanley-Dillman, reviews of The Revenge of the Shadow King and The Rise of the Black Wolf.

Lyre Online,http://cc.ysu.edu/lyre/ (January 12, 2008), Joe Wallace, review of The Revenge of the Shadow King.

Medlibrary,http://medlibrary.org/ (January 12, 2008), profile of Derek Benz.