think that Anthony Horowitz is a really talented writer, He just nails boywish fulfillment, Wait, that sounds vaguely obscenewhat I mean is that he knows how to write characters who are leading lives boys wish they could live, Well, you know, except for the parts where people are vigilantly trying to kill the main character,
Anyway, I was expecting to really love this book since A Anthony Horowitz wrote it, and B it involves Peru, a place my husband lived for two years two of my children have done month long service project there and I have seen approximately a bajillion photos of the country.
True story: When my husband and I were dating, I noticed that he always kept a tiny knife/shovel looking thing with an Inca face on the other end in his pocket with his spare change.
I asked him what it was,
"It's a tumi pronounced Tome," he said,
I rolled my eyes at him and said, "Right. So I'm supposed to ask, 'What's a tumi' and then you're going to say,'I don't knowwhat's it to you'"
That's the problem with being a writer.
You think about words.
My husband assured me that, no, the little figure really was called a tumi, I didn't believe him for years, This was before the internet, so he had no way to prove it to me,
Now any time I see or hear about a tumi, it makes me chuckle and strangers are left to wonder if I'm safe to be around me.
After all, tumis do look like they were used in some
sort of ritual sacrifice,
But I digress,
Anyway, I was fully expecting to love this book, and maybe that was the problem, Maybe my expectations were too great, Or maybe it was because this was the second book in the series and I didn't read the first one, but I only sort of liked this novel.
It had an awesome if not a bit gruesome opening, but once Matt got to Peru I felt like the story lost steam.
I never understood who the old ones were or what they were going to do once they invaded earth, Also, I didn't love Matt the way I love Alex Rider, Alex figures out creative ways to get out of his predicaments, Matt always had someone or something his powers to get him out of trouble, Lots of other people coming to his rescue,
And I know the crazy aunt talking to the television would have made sense to me if I'd read the first book, but I didn't, and I was waiting for an explanation about that during the whole novel.
It never came. The book ended and I was like, "Hey, what about the game show host that can magically talk to people from the television Who was he How did he do it Why does he want Matt dead"
So now I have to live in silent frustration until I can get a copy of the first book and actually have time to read it.
If I look surly, you'll know why,
That said, I will probably eventually read every book Anthony Horowitz writes, If you're looking for an author boys will like, he's a good one,
.stars
I liked this book, and I think that if I had read it before I read Raven's Gate, I would have given it at least.
stars, but since I didn't I just couldn't help comparing the two of them, I LOVED Raven's Gate. I thought that book was awesome and I liked the whole witchcraft, creepy town thing that it had going on, Since Evil Star didn't have that, and instead had a crazy big headed billionaire, I wasn't as into it I just didn't find it as intriguing.
I did still like the whole Matt and Richard dynamic and I think that is really what saved the book for me, I also liked Pedro being added to the mix, but I found myself not really caring about the other three kids that we have yet to meet, because I know that once they're introduced, there is going to be less time for Matt and Richard.
I'm just not happy when a book series doesn't stay focused on the same character, I guess that's just my own little quirk!
I may eventually check out the next three books in this series, mostly so I can see how everything gets wrapped up, but I'll wait and see after theth book is released.
. . Ouch.
I really liked the first in this series, This one lost my interest early on, Maybe it's just me. I always say that when a series of books inexplicably seems to crash for me, Was it the writing Was it the characterization Was it simply this one volume
I can't really say except that this seemed very repetitive.
Our young hero whines about being "forced" into the situation, "I didn't ask for this", "Why me" on and on, "I just want to be able to be normal", "I just want to be left alone", Of course how many "YAs" not in a battle against ancient evil have whined "I didn't aaassskkk to be born" Meanwhile his "adult sidekick" agrees and tells him he's right it's not fair.
There is of course the "shadowy group" constantly telling him things like, "but the whole world depends on you!", and "this is your destiny!", This is fate!", etc,etc.
The "plot points", who's on my side, which person belongs to what group The story filled with chases, escapes and rescues in the end left me yawning.
The lessons about the Nazca Lines old news though I did agree with the comments on the failings of what passes for education today,
While there are differences in the book they don't seem all that different to me and in spite of the step moving our Over riding or background story onward I was just glad to move on and be through with this book.
Sorry if you like this one, I'm happy you like it, To me it was a sort of yawning place holder, To each I guess. ed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo, com
EVIL STAR is the second book in the Anthony Horowitz series called THE GATEKEEPERS,
In book one, titled RAVEN'S GATE, main character Matt discovers he is one of five specially chosen teens, Their purpose is to save the world, Matt doesn't know the other five and must "close" Raven's Gate on his own, As the second book, EVIL STAR, begins, Matt finds himself in Peru meeting up with Pedro, who turns out to be one of the chosen five.
Matt and Pedro join forces, although it isn't easy since Matt speaks only English and Pedro speaks Spanish, Their unusual connection does allow them to communicate while in a dream state, They learn each others' stories and realize that their paths will someday cross the paths of their remaining team,
Together Matt and Pedro must find and prevent the opening of the second gate, Its history is intertwined with the ancient Incas and the Peruvian culture, As they search the seamier side of Peru, they encounter kidnapping, gun battles, the evil "big headed" Salamanda, high altitude jungle treks, and terrifying helicopter rides.
Exactly what is the Evil Star and can they find the next gate in time to close it and save the world from the Old Ones
Horowitz provides his usual fastpaced, nonstop action in this new series.
It is sure to impress his already established fans and create plenty of new ones, The story was awesome. Like the rest of the books in this series, it's full of suspense, and is very entertaining, It really keeps you on the edge of your seat!,
But i have a HUGE complaint about this specific book, that bothers me so much because i think it's silly that this thing happened in a book from a known author.
What i didn't like is that the story takes place most of the time in Peru, and there they are supposed to speak Spanish, so the author writes some sentences and expressions in Spanish.
. but they are HORRIBLY written, I speak Spanish, and almost everything that he wrote didn't make sense at all, . it was like if he just took all the expressions he wanted to write in Spanish and used a cheap translator! It was not only misspelled, it was not actual Spanish.
It was like if i said, "all right, let's write something in English!" and wrote something like this:
"To my too me it like, if you know your!"
.
. . Does that make sense Well, it didn't in Spanish either,
i have no idea why they didn't check out those things if they were using Spanish, how could the editors have overlooked those mistakes.
What were they thinking!, that all the people who reads their books reads only and exclusively in English, and no one would've ever figured out that's awful.
The only thing that saves this book from giving itstar is that i really like the character introduced here: Pedro, I think his ignorance makes him a really likeable character because of the way he reacts to certain situations, that are normal for other people who were not raised in the deplorable situation he was living in.
And the setting with the Incas was very interesting,
I recommend this series as a whole, despite my rant with this specific title,
this book was really interesting, I really loved it when Matt no matter what kept going to stop the old ones and even though Pedro and Matt don't speak the same language, Anthony uses imagery to show how they communicate.
He uses a dream which is almost impossible, and that's what readers want to read, Matt thought his troubles were over when he closed Raven's Gate, . . but in fact they were just beginning, His fate and the fate of the world is tied to four other kids across the globe, The second is a street kid in Peru, He and Matt have never met they don't even speak the same language, But destiny is going to throw them together as the evil threat of the Old Ones grows, . . and another Gate suddenly comes into play, Another masterful thriller from supernaturally suspenseful Anthony Horowitz,
I really enjoyed this second instalment, It jad a completely different tone to the first book which I loved, that's not to say that I didn't love the tone of fhe first book, it's just really interesting to see the tone of the story shift with each new setting.
This book still had the creepy factorand it was everything I expected and more! This book was quite funny, by no means hilarious, but I lolled quite a few times.
The problem I had with the last book being that we didn't get to know Matt as a character was resolved in this book, There was much more character development and I feel like I know Matt as a character much better now, Of course I will be continuing on with the next book soon, The first book is eally good so I'm starting the second book, EVIL STAR! I hope it's even more interesting than the first one! در مورد ستاره شیطانی جلد دوم قدرت پنج نگهبان باید بگم جالب بود و پر هیجان, مت که حالا با ریچارد زندگی می کنه درگیر خطراتی می شه و به نظر میاد روی سرنوشتش هیچ کنترلی نداره. دوازه ی دوم توی پروه و بالاخره مت و ریچارد راهی می شن که برای جلوگیری از باز شدن دوازه ی دوم به پرو برن اما در این بین اتفاقاتی می افته که به نظر میاد از کنترل نکسوس هم خارجه. دفترچه ای حاوی اطلاعات پیشنیان به حراج گذاشته شده اما فرد مورد نظر به هیچ وجه نمی خواد اون رو بدون دیدن مت به نکسوس بده. و مت قبول می کنه به دیدن اون مرد بره اما قرار ملاقات لو رفته و مت تک و تنها داره به سمت قرار ملاقاتی می ره که جاش لو رفته و
به نظر میاد آنتونی واقعا می تونه عنصر هیجان رو توی داستانهاش بیاره. واقعا می تونه شما رو بترسونه و یا از دلواپسی تموم شب بیدارتون نگه داره تا ببینین سر قهرمانای داستان چه بلایی می آد. اما توی کتاب ستاره شیطانی چیز دیگه ای توجه ام رو جلب کرد. اطلاعاتی که نویسنده در مورد صحرای نازکا و قوم اینکا ها به خواننده می ده. اون شما رو به آنلانتیس دیگه ای مهمان می کنه که در اونجا صلح و آرامش رو تجربه می کنین. چیزی که واقعا لذت بخشه و البته شما هم طعم این که این آرامش در معرض خطره رو می چشین. به نظر میاد همیشه افرادی هستن که به خاطر منافع خودشون و جاه طلبی هاشون آرامش و صلح رو فدا می کنن و در این بین افراد بی گناهی رو قربانی. اما چون باید دنیا در تعادل به سر ببره همیشه افرادی هستن که با جاه طلبا مبارزه می کنن. و همون مبارزه خیر و شر همیشگی. رویارویی بدی و خوبی. اما آنتونی هوروویتس به خوبی با مهره هاش بازی می کنه و به نظر میاد می دونه چطوری و کی به خواننده اطلاعات بده.
خوندن این کتاب رو به تمامی فانتزی دوستان و علاقه مندان به سبک آثار آنتونی هوروویتس پیشنهاد می کنم. In the last book, Matt prevented Ravens gate from opening but now there is another gate that is going to open soon, This gate is in Peru, Matt must go and try to save the world again, In Peru he meets another one of thewho he joins forces with,
I do really like these books, I had forgotten how much I liked Pedro, I remembered him as more of a sidekick but he really does have his own personality that stands out, There is also more character development in this book especially near the end, The theme is darker overall and less humorous but I think that fit really well with the character development, The story was still thrilling and kept my attention, I preferred Ravens gate to this book but I couldnt exactly pinpoint why, This is the only reason I knocked off a star, I feel like the first book was exciting because it was all new and then this book is giving us the rest of the information and setting us up for the next books.
I cant wait to carry on with the rest, .
Gather Evil Star (Power Of Five, #2) Articulated By Anthony Horowitz Issued As Copy
Anthony Horowitz