Evil Star

KliattThis sequel to Raven's Gate (a 2006 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers) won't disappoint fans to this exciting new supernatural series from the popular author of the Alex Rider books. Fourteen-year-old Matt's adventures mainly take place in Peru this time as he tries to thwart the plans of an evil businessman to open a gate to let the manacing Old Ones into the world and unleash a new world war. The discovery of a 16th-century diary by a Spanish monk gives clues to the location of this gate, while Matt's dreams lead him to recognize another young gatekeeper, Pedro. Descendants of the Incas help the two in their daring escapes from the bad guys, and the mysterious real-life Nazca Lines in the Peruvian desert play an important role. Lots of action, horror and suspense will keep readers turning the pages and eager for the next volume in this thrilling series.BooklistGr. 5-8. Fourteen-year-old Matt Freeman, who forestalled the evil Old Ones in the riveting Raven's Gate (2005), finds himself on yet another precipitous adventure. This time Matt and Richard, the journalist with whom Matt has been staying, travel to Peru, where Nexus believes a second gate to the underworld is poised to open. The when and how of the event are left to Matt to discover, which he eventually does, but not without some lugubrious descriptions, an abundance of dramatic escapes, and the help of a Peruvian teen, Pedro, with whose destiny Matt's is linked. Although this is neither as tightly constructed nor as compelling as the lead title in the Gatekeepers Series (which was equal parts horror and adventure), this book still has its moments, especially at the end, when the secret of the second gate is revealed, and Pedro finally settles into his place as the second of the children prophesied to save the world. --Stephanie Zvirin