| Title | : | Evil Star (Power of Five, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0439679966 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780439679961 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 318 |
| Publication | : | First published December 31, 2006 |
Evil Star (Power of Five, #2) Reviews
-
Evil Star (The Gatekeepers, #2), Anthony Horowitz
Evil Star is the second book in The Power of Five series by British author Anthony Horowitz. It was published and released in the United Kingdom on 1 April 2006 by Walker Books Ltd. It is preceded by Raven's Gate, released in 2005, and followed by Nightrise, released in 2007.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: سی ام ماه سپتامبر سال 2014 میلادی
عنوان: ستاره ی اهریمنی ؛ مجموعه قدرت پنج نگهبان - کتاب دوم؛ نویسنده: آنتونی هوروویتس؛ مترجم: گیتا گرکانی؛ تهران، تندیس، 1393، در 310 ص، شابک: 9786001820267؛ موضوع: داستانهای کودکان از نویسندگان انگلیسی قرن 21 م
مت فریمن، پس از شکست دادن پشتیبان، در دروازه کلاغ، خیال کرد میتواند به زندگی عادی خودش برگردد. اما کسی نظر دیگری دارد. خیلی دورتر در پرو، دروازه دوم دارد باز میشود. تنها مت توان آن را دارد، تا نگذارد نیروهای تاریکی بیرون بیایند، اما حالا آنها درباره ی او همه چیز را میدانند اینبار آنها نخست ... ا. شربیانی -
Overall Rating : B
I'm glad the books I read so long ago are still entertaining for me. Or perhaps it's just that I love this author so much that I can't hate anything he writes. Oh well, on to book 3! -
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 factor 100% and 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.
-
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 side-kick" 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. -
Reviewed 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 fast-paced, non-stop action in this new series. It is sure to impress his already established fans and create plenty of new ones. -
3.5
Better than first book. -
Admittedly, I was pretty torn with this book. It started off rather promisingly, then around halfway through, it seemed to kind of "lose it's way"
Having read "Ravens Gate"I have found myself comparing this book to that. In my opinion," Ravens Gate" was better. Having said that, Horowitz's writing is mostly engaging and fast paced and just like in the first book, there is a rather dark theme, which makes the story all the more intriguing.
There were however, a couple of issues for me. The major one, that bothered me the most, was the villain. Not at all threatening or scary, and really, he comes across as mediocre. He hardly appeared in the book either.
The other issue was how predictable the story was. It certainly wasn't as intriguing or shocking as Ravens Gate. I know I shouldn't be comparing the two, but I cannot help it.
Its definitely worth a read, but overall is weaker than the first in the series. -
Right after the creepy movie-like Chapter 1, I already knew that it will be an awesome read. And man, it was indeed awesome.
I am itching to give this book a 5 star rating but I find the first book, Raven's Gate, more awesome. I guess I just find the witches as enemies more haunting than a freak business tycoon. It has the same gripping edge-of-the-seat pacing but the first book is creepier and it's more of an adventure tale than a horror story. That is the reason why I'm giving it a 4 star rating(but definitely it is the highest 4 star rating book in my shelf).
One thing I like and at the same time, do not like about what Horowitz is doing in the series is that he is nonchalant on killing his characters. This makes me worry about the fate of Richard Cole. I'm beginning to like his character, he's really cool but not being part of the Five and the fact that he was given a sacrificial knife, there is a huge tendency that Horowitz is going to kill him. Oh God, I wish he don't.
Michael Scott is my top favorite British author before. But after Stormbreaker, Raven's Gate and Evil Star, Anthony Horowitz just awesomely stolen that spot from him. I will certainly finish the Alex Rider series and this Gatekeepers series and all the stand-alone book he have written.
I can see now the plot building up to a breathtaking epic finale. And please Mr. Horowitz, please please please publish the final book before the end of the year. -
For now I quit at 30%. After so much fantasy with big scope, big themes, just generally adult stuff... this just doesn't really cut it. Maybe I will finish it, it's not offensively bad, but for now I would prefer to return to Abercrombie or Butcher.
-
#1)
Raven's Gate ★★★☆☆
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: blind sc; Peruvian & Indigenous Inca scs.
Blog •
Trigger Warning Database •
Twitter •
Instagram -
Man I love these books right now aha
-
I think that Anthony Horowitz is a really talented writer. He just nails boy-wish fulfillment. Wait, that sounds vaguely obscene--what 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 To-me)," 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 know--what'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. -
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 it 1 star 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. -
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 واقعاً می تونه عنصر هیجان رو توی داستانهاش بیاره. واقعاً 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 واقعاً 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. -
3.5 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 4.5 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 the 5th book is released... -
Richard and Matt take a trip to Peru, where Richard is kidnapped and Matt meets Pedro. He is another one of the five, a street thief who Matt can share dreams with, and claims to have no obvious powers of his own.
They encounter modern Incan "Indians", misshapen business man Salamanda, corrupt cops, and hints of a traitor within Nexus itself - and find themselves before the gate that is the Nazca Lines unlocked by the "evil star".
One star taken because I felt Peru could have switched places on the map with how Mexico is portrayed (and any non-Western or not European nation, the corrupt police and poor people angle...as if we who speak English don't have those issues) and it was published in 2006, but clearly not having updated from the history of 1985's
The Night of the Scorpion, and my annoyance with the term "Indians" throughout. -
This is the sequel to Raven's Gate and book two of the Gatekeepers. In this book Matt is forced to go to a school where he clearly doesnt belong, but soon finds out he is wanted dead by forces unknown to him. During the story Matt saves an entire school from a bus accident, he meets another gatekeeper who doesn't speak English, and there is another final climax moment where he meets up with Richard again. I learned throughout this book that even if you are made fun of, you can still make a difference.
-
Fun and adventurous story! This is the second book in the "Gatekeepers" series, and was much less creepy than the first book. Don't get me wrong, there is still some creepy happenings, but much more on an adventure scale than horror scale. Matt, the hero of the fist book, is back to stop the opening of a second gate in South America. He meets up with some new heroes, and villians, finds out more about being a gatekeeper, and goes on a grand adventure through Peru (including the tops of the mountains!).
-
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.
-
That ending had me in such suspense and to this day I want more!
-
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!
-
Superb
-
My Grade = 85% -B
Published 2006. 318 pages.
The other day I finished Book One in this series, and I liked it so much that I checked out Books Two and Three from my local library. Now, well into Book Three, I'm back in the library to check out Four and Five.
This series, by Anthony Horowitz, author of the Alex Rider series, is very similar - London based, fourteen year boy protagonist who deals with extricating himself from impossible situations.
The idea of the series is that there are two Gates holding back The Old Ones, evil personified, imprisoned there more then ten thousand years ago by five children - four boys and a girl.
The first book introduces the reader to Matt Freeman - the first child.
In Book Two, Matt finds another, Pedro, in Peru. Although Pedro cannot speak English, Matt finds that when he dreams, he and Pedro can communicate perfectly. Also in his dreams, he is on a spire on an island and can see the other children on another island, nearby. One of them, Pedro, is attempting to reach Matt in a reed boat.
When he is awake, he is involved in a very fast paced adventure story, this time with Pedro.
I will be very sorry when I will have completed the series. -
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 the 5 who 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 Raven’s gate to this book but I couldn’t 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 can’t wait to carry on with the rest. -
The second book was as engaging as the first one, but I think it tackled much more than the first one. We are introduced to another member of the Five, and we travel to another country. The background for the story was even more crucial for the juvenile audience than the previous one - it is more geographically expanding than the first one that mostly took place in the British countryside, and in this story, we are travelling to Peru, first its capital, and then to Cusco, and then to the Peruvian Amazon. It is not only an exciting and challenging ride for Matt, but it is also an exposure for Europeans the mysterious and fascinating Inca culture, to the social strata of Peru with its riches and its poverty, street life and corruption.
Surprising, through thick and thin, and mostly thin, of his travel, Matt also learns so much about loyalty, friendship, commitment, sacrifice, and kindness.
Yes, his mission was not successful, but I think he discovered so much more than just the second gate. -
Ok about the first book I wrote that it felt like there wasn’t enough happening and that it was sort of underwhelming and felt like only an introduction chapter but it was interesting enough to make me want to read the next book in the series and I’m glad I did cause it definitely got better.
The vibe is pretty different from the first too, the first was more spooky with the creepy witch and the inescapable village stuff, this one is more of matt accepting the prophecy and going to do what he has to and there’s more adventure and action, and the ending has a similar vibe to hp and the half blood prince except a little less gloomy (if that makes sense).
Either way, again it’s good enough to make me wanna read the next booook!! -
3.5 stars but gave it 4. It's not like I don't like this series because I do, I find it interesting enough to want to continue it. But I feel like something is missing. This one is the second in the series and It has the same problem like the first one. It's too clinical. I can't seem to feel that connection with the book.
I liked how the author weaved the modern world with the Inca.
I'm glad I could at least connect with Matt, Richard and Pedro.
I will read the next in the series because I feel like It could get more interesting.
