THE POWER OF FIVE

'The Gatekeepers is a series of fantasy novels for children and teens, written by British author Anthony Horowitz. Three installments have been published to date but another two are to be released. The series is published in the UK by Walker Books Ltd and in the United States by Scholastic Press.

Contents

Overview

Books

''Raven's Gate''

''Evil Star''

''Nightrise''

''Necropolis: City of the Dead''

''Film''

References

External links

Overview

The Gatekeepers is a rewrite of a 1980s series called the Pentagram Series, of which he only completed four. The series focuses on all orphans Matt Freeman, Pedro, Scott & Jamie Tyler, and Scarlett Adams,a group of 14-year-old children who are destined to defeat mystical entities known only as 'The Old Ones'.

Books

''Raven's Gate''

Main articles: Raven's Gate


Raised in foster care, Matthew Freeman always knew he had strange powers. After he attempts to steal DVDs from a local warehouse, he is sent to Yorkshire as part of a rehabilitation program, named the ''LEAF Project'', only to find himself in the midst of sinister happenings. He decides to investigate and uncovers a great secret - five guardians are protecting the world from evil beings known as The Old Ones who were banished through the Raven's Gate. But devil worshippers want to let them back in, again through the gate. Along with a mysterious group known as the Nexus, and later on a reporter called Richard, Matt will have to put a stop in their sinister plan to release the Old Ones.
''Raven's Gate'' was released in the UK on August 1, 2005 and in the United States on June 1, 2005.

''Evil Star''

Main articles: Evil Star (novel)

After his experiences in ''Raven's Gate'', Matt thinks his days of battling evil are over. But soon he is pulled into another terrible adventure when he discovers a second gate exists. Matt and his friend Richard travel to Peru and, assisted by the Nexus, follow clues to the gate's whereabouts. But there is a traitor in the Nexus. Matt's friend Richard is kidnapped but Matt manages to escape with the help of a local Peruvian, Pedro, who is another "one of the five". The two can only communicate in their dreams, as Matt speaks English, and Pedro Spanish. The pair travel to the Nazca desert and Matt realizes the horrifying truth, that the second gate is about to open, again increasing the chance of The Old Ones returning. Once again, Matt must prevent it happening.
''Evil Star'' was released in the UK on April 1, 2006 and in the United States on June 1, 2006.

''Nightrise''

Main articles: Nightrise

The third book, ''Nightrise'', revolves around American twins Jamie and Scott Tyler. According to Horowitz, "everything changes because of what happens in the second book". The twins' special powers are mind-reading. At the beginning of the book (set before the end of ''Evil Star''), Scott is kidnapped by a sinister corporation called Nightrise, leaving Jamie alone and wanted for murder of Don White and Marcie, his foster parents. He soon becomes embroiled in a corrupt presidential campaign (involving the attempted assassination of a candidate) and is propelled into a terrifying adventure which reveals more about the first fateful battle against the Old Ones. Jamie also travels ten thousand years into the past during the novel ^[1], where he meets the past incarnations of the other four Gatekeepers and participates in the first great battle against the Old Ones. According to Horowitz's official website ^[2], Nightrise is like nothing he has done before. This website also revealed that a town called Auburn features towards the end of the book, and several juvenile offenders that Horowitz met during his research are used as characters in the book (presumably Green Eyes, DV, Tunes and Baltimore). The book takes place mainly in the deserts of Nevada and the mountains of California. Matt Freeman, Pedro and Richard Cole feature only briefly in this book; more important is the introduction of a new heroine (Horowitz's first female hero) named Scarlett.^[3] She is mostly seen only in the past section of ''Nightrise'', is set to be the main protagonist in the fourth book of the series^[4]. Nightrise was officially released on April 2, 2007 in the UK and is in the USA on May 1, 2007. The first chapter was hidden in Horowitz's website in August 2006.

''Necropolis: City of the Dead''

The title for the fourth book in the Gatekeepers series was announced on www.anthonyhorowitz.com on 16 July 2007^[5]. It is currently unknown when the book will be released as AH says he hopes to go out to Hong Kong(where the book is set) later this year for research. He should begin work soon after. He did, however, say that it will involve Scarlett and devastation on a massive scale. Speculation is that 'Scar' will have the power to control the weather, although this is uncomfirmed, it is very likely.

''Film''

Anthony Horowitz announced that there will be a film based on the book series Power of 5 and has said he will start a screenplay soon.

References

1. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1844286215
2. http://anthonyhorowitz.com/newscentre/uncategorized/news-june-2006/14/
3. http://anthonyhorowitz.com/newscentre/alexrider/australia-nightrise-alex-7-and-the-release-of-stormbreaker/4/
4. http://www.powerof5.co.uk/nightrise/news/newsDetail.php?id=1
5. http://www.powerof5.co.uk/nightrise/news/newsDetail.php?id=4

External links

★ The Power of Five official website