Book: H.I.V.E
Author: Mark Walden
Rating: 5/10
Recommended Age: 10-14/15
Hive,the Higher Institute of Villainous Education, a school for the evil masterminds of the future.
This is the destination of the helicopter Otto Malpense and Wing Fanchu find themselves on, with no idea of why they are there or where there going, and no memory of the last few days they have no idea what's instore for them. They arrive at HIVE as part of the new intake of Alpha stream students. Life at HIVE promises to be interesting but they have only two thoughts: 1. were they really taken with permission?
and 2. they need to escape...
As the time progresses they find out what some people did to turn up here:
Laura, a computer genius,hacked into a military server and got some of the early warning planes ot monitor conversations on a mean girls phone.
Shelby,who's stuck up persona soon fades, is the infamous thief The Wraith.
and Otto himself masterminded a plan to bring down the prime minister after it threatened to close his orphanage.using a hypnotic teleprompter and his evil imagination.
these 3 and wing make up the escape group but it takes awhile for plans to be made and thier time is takne up most interestingly, from swing on grapplers over a cavern to being taught by a cat the 4 find themselves fitting quite comfortable i hive and it's bizarre situations which makes them all the more desperate to leave.
Using a hunch about the laundry, a self made e.m.p and a blueprint of the school they try to escape through the wardrobes into the laundry and out ot the submarine pen, with a few close calls and the help of HiveMind they reach the pen only to be horrified as the door open to reveal Dr nero the head of the school in a single room and the assasin Raven behind them.
Their escape attempt foiled they find the truth of what would of awaited them one their return and see how pointless it would be to leave.
And then what happens but a killer plant grown by the quiet boy Nigel has grown an astonishing amount and is threatening to destroy the school and everyone in it if it's growth isn't stopped, Laura and Shelby are stuck in an accommodation block as the plant creeps closer and closer but Otto and Wing are on the walkway above the main plant itself and the only way of killing it is a crazy plan,so crazy it might just work.
This book despite being only a 5 is a ok read. It is more of a setting the scene book but is still quite fun and the concept of a school in a volcano teaching kids evil is a good one. I would say this book would be a good book to read for someone who likes adventure and a change to the normal thoughts.
Hope you found this review helpful
The Devonian Reviewer
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Monday, 11 April 2011
Friday, 8 April 2011
BOOK REVIEW: Point Blanc (Anthony Horowitz)
Book: Point Blanc
Author: Anthony Horowitz
Rating: 7.9/10
recommended age: 12+
This is the second book of the Alex rider series by Anthony Horowitz.
In this book reluctant teenage spy Alex Rider is drawn into another mission for MI6 after getting arrested for dropping barge filled with 2 drug dealers and their drug plant into a police conference hall about how they were winning the war on drugs,which is a good bit of ironic humour at the start.
So MI6 need him to infiltrate a school in the french alps for troubled kids of rich and powerful parents, to do this he must spend a few days living with David Friend and his family(Friend being a rich supermarket owner). But Fiona Friend takes a instant dislike to Alex and the disruption to her easter holidays and whilst he's there her and her friends shoot at him with shot gun, taunt him and almost get him and Fiona run over by a train. it is only Alex's quick thinking that saves them. Then right at the end of his stay Alex has to shoot her with a tranquiliser dart to stop her telling the assistant director of the school the truth.
Now alone and with one of his gadgets used already he must enter the eerie school and find out just what's happening. With only 7 kids, over 30 armed gaurds and 2 floors out of bounds Alex is going to have his work cut out finding info and when he does it will amaze and disgust him.
sending out a rescue signal to MI6 he gets captured and looks set to die and where are MI6. he realises he must break out and ski down a mountain a night before the principle kills him in his sick experiment.
Then lead in a SAS team to rescue the kids and stop the plan working.
Will he make it?,Where are MI6? and what's happenig to the kids at the school?
Read this book to find out
This is one of my favourite books of the series with all the twists and turns, the action and mystery and Alexs struggle against a madman makes this a thrilling read and I would recommened this books and the series to most people. it's hard ot give a good opinion with out ruining the story but the suspense and ingenutity in the story is just great.
Hope you found this review helpful,
The Devonian Reviewer
UK :
USA:
Germany:
Author: Anthony Horowitz
Rating: 7.9/10
recommended age: 12+
This is the second book of the Alex rider series by Anthony Horowitz.
In this book reluctant teenage spy Alex Rider is drawn into another mission for MI6 after getting arrested for dropping barge filled with 2 drug dealers and their drug plant into a police conference hall about how they were winning the war on drugs,which is a good bit of ironic humour at the start.
So MI6 need him to infiltrate a school in the french alps for troubled kids of rich and powerful parents, to do this he must spend a few days living with David Friend and his family(Friend being a rich supermarket owner). But Fiona Friend takes a instant dislike to Alex and the disruption to her easter holidays and whilst he's there her and her friends shoot at him with shot gun, taunt him and almost get him and Fiona run over by a train. it is only Alex's quick thinking that saves them. Then right at the end of his stay Alex has to shoot her with a tranquiliser dart to stop her telling the assistant director of the school the truth.
Now alone and with one of his gadgets used already he must enter the eerie school and find out just what's happening. With only 7 kids, over 30 armed gaurds and 2 floors out of bounds Alex is going to have his work cut out finding info and when he does it will amaze and disgust him.
sending out a rescue signal to MI6 he gets captured and looks set to die and where are MI6. he realises he must break out and ski down a mountain a night before the principle kills him in his sick experiment.
Then lead in a SAS team to rescue the kids and stop the plan working.
Will he make it?,Where are MI6? and what's happenig to the kids at the school?
Read this book to find out
This is one of my favourite books of the series with all the twists and turns, the action and mystery and Alexs struggle against a madman makes this a thrilling read and I would recommened this books and the series to most people. it's hard ot give a good opinion with out ruining the story but the suspense and ingenutity in the story is just great.
Hope you found this review helpful,
The Devonian Reviewer
UK :
USA:
Germany:
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
BOOK REVIEW: Stormbreaker(Anthony Horowitz)
Book: Stormbreaker
Author: Anthony Horowitz
Rating: 7/10
recommended age: 10 - 16/17- this book isn't too violent or graphical although their is fights and one or two occasions of people getting shot, there's no bad language but some language in the book is complicated so I would hesitate giving it to a younger child
This is the very first book of Horowitz's"Alex Rider" series of books.
Alex Rider is just a normal teenager living in London with an uncle who works for a bank and his house keeper Jack ,he goes ot school and his life is fine. But when the doorbell rings at 3 in the morning it's never good news...
His uncle Ian Rider has been found dead in a car accident,he wasn't wearing his seatbelt, so sorry.
But Alex knows his uncle was a careful man and the no seatbelt doesn't quite fit. Then at the funeral attended by people he has never even met before from the bank , Mr Crawley a man from personnel, Mr Blunt with eyes as hard as steel the supposed head of the bank and then a man with a gun hidden in a holster, what normal bank workers carry guns?
Little did Alex know his whole view of his uncle is about to change.
Called into the bank the next day he discoverers something remarkable there is no royal and general bank, it's a front for MI6. His uncle was a spy!
But now MI6 show a nastier side, blackmailing Alex to accept a part on the mission that got his uncle killed ,investigating Heord Sayle a apparent do gooder who wishes to repay Britain by gifting every school a new state of the art computer, this seems to good to be true and as Alex is about to find out their is a mad and sinister plot in Sayle enterprises,one that could destroy Britain for generations to come.
alone and armed with a few gadgets and 11 days training Alex is against the odds to find out what's happening, why his uncle died and how to stop a madman form killing every child in Britain...
This book is a very gripping and thrilling read and once you've started it's hard to put down. The book has a near perfect mix of action and mystery and who doesn't enjoy books about spy's and secret missions?
add the fact his just a kid mean you've got the making of a good book and a brilliant series.
Hope you found this review helpful,
The Devonian Reviewer
UK :
USA:
Germany:
Author: Anthony Horowitz
Rating: 7/10
recommended age: 10 - 16/17- this book isn't too violent or graphical although their is fights and one or two occasions of people getting shot, there's no bad language but some language in the book is complicated so I would hesitate giving it to a younger child
This is the very first book of Horowitz's"Alex Rider" series of books.
Alex Rider is just a normal teenager living in London with an uncle who works for a bank and his house keeper Jack ,he goes ot school and his life is fine. But when the doorbell rings at 3 in the morning it's never good news...
His uncle Ian Rider has been found dead in a car accident,he wasn't wearing his seatbelt, so sorry.
But Alex knows his uncle was a careful man and the no seatbelt doesn't quite fit. Then at the funeral attended by people he has never even met before from the bank , Mr Crawley a man from personnel, Mr Blunt with eyes as hard as steel the supposed head of the bank and then a man with a gun hidden in a holster, what normal bank workers carry guns?
Little did Alex know his whole view of his uncle is about to change.
Called into the bank the next day he discoverers something remarkable there is no royal and general bank, it's a front for MI6. His uncle was a spy!
But now MI6 show a nastier side, blackmailing Alex to accept a part on the mission that got his uncle killed ,investigating Heord Sayle a apparent do gooder who wishes to repay Britain by gifting every school a new state of the art computer, this seems to good to be true and as Alex is about to find out their is a mad and sinister plot in Sayle enterprises,one that could destroy Britain for generations to come.
alone and armed with a few gadgets and 11 days training Alex is against the odds to find out what's happening, why his uncle died and how to stop a madman form killing every child in Britain...
This book is a very gripping and thrilling read and once you've started it's hard to put down. The book has a near perfect mix of action and mystery and who doesn't enjoy books about spy's and secret missions?
add the fact his just a kid mean you've got the making of a good book and a brilliant series.
Hope you found this review helpful,
The Devonian Reviewer
UK :
USA:
Germany:
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