Cliched and lacking in spark
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Harry Potter spawned a glut of children's and YA fiction set in schools. Walden wins points for setting his in a school for villains and his pastiche of Bond-style villains and henchmen will appeal to adult readers as will his surprisingly sly satire on politicians. Unfortunately, the rest of it is nothing new. Indeed, reading it you can easily see the Potter influence, particularly with Walden's Nigel, a shy bald boy forced to live with the reputation of his super-villain father and whose only skill is growing plants, all of which reminded me too much of Potter's Neville Longbottom. There are also two thuggish henchmen like Crabbe and Goyle and even a teacher who's been turned into a cat.
So far, so yawn.
The main problem though is the bland central characters of Otto and Wing. We're constantly told that Otto is a criminal mastermind in the making and Wing is mysterious and good at kung-fu. But there's no vital spark to either of them, making it difficult to sympathise with their attempts to escape the school. The token girl characters, Laura the computer expert and Shelby, a jewel thief are defined by their skills, with no attempt to bring them out further. As a result, they feel two-dimensional and it's difficult to care about them.
There are some funny lines and moments in the book but they aren't enough to make the book entertaining. I enjoyed Otto's revenge on the Prime Minister, even though the context doesn't actually make sense (it's the council closing his orphanage, not the government). There are also a couple of one-liners, such as the headmaster's lament that it's "always the bald ones" who cause the most trouble.
The school is sketched out in broad strokes. There are four streams (alpha, henchmen, technical and political/financial) and readers are told what some of the classes are, but it all feels like a checklist, which robs the credibility from the world building.
The series mystery is tied up in Number One, the uber-villain with plans for Otto. Doctor Nero (the headmaster) wants to discover why Otto is important and what Number One has planned. For me, this was just interesting enough to make me want to give the next book a try, but I would really need to see more fleshed out characters to want to continue beyond that.
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brill book!!
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I loved this book. Couldnt put it down which is always a great sign. The characters and plot are very clever. Off to buy the sequel now! Well done Mark Walden...great read!
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very enjoyable
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HIVE is very enjoyable, the plot though simple is quite compelling and engaging. Otto is the main character in the story and really brings to life the plot with his interaction with other characters and his villainous ideas.
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too
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Welcome to Hogwarts for bad guys, minus the magic.
H.I.V.E. is a school set on a deserted island where brilliant young adults who have come from criminal families or have taken part in criminal projects are taught to become the worst that they can be.
Otto Malpense remembers nothing about how he came to be on the H.I.V.E. island, and neither does him Asian friend, Wing. The H.I.V.E. staff explains to the young criminals that their parents agreed to let them join the school - and that they are under the highest security and scrutiny.
Otto, being an extremely smart Alpha, wonders if they were kidnapped and are being held hostage until they graduate. Throughout their time at H.I.V.E., Otto and his friends are enrolled in a number of courses you will not find in your average school. Subjects such as Tactical Education, Stealth and Evasion, Villainy Studies, and many other classes (meant for other students, such as Henchmen).
Wanting to be off the island, Otto and his friends, Wing (a martial arts fighter), Shelby (a jewelry store sleuth), and Laura (a technological genius) devise a plan that has never been pulled off before - escaping H.I.V.E. This is a feat that no student has ever accomplished.
H.I.V.E. is a great book and the ending leaves it open for a sequel, which i will be more than happy to buy. Although some parts were scattered, it all led to a great, courageous ending.
Reviewed by: Jeremey
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A great new series
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This is the start of what promises to be a great new series. Fans of Harry Potter will like the basic idea - a school for evil geniuses - but this book is not a Potter wanabee. The plot is simple and the characters genuine which all combines to make a good adventure style plot with exciting twists and turns. Look out for more from this author.
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