Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentlemen Bastards #2)

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch is the second book in his Gentlemen Bastards series about uniquely trained thieves.

Locke Lamora is plotting a new scheme. After fleeing the land of Camorr he has settled, for a time, on the island of Tal Verrar. He has spent the last two years working his way from level to level in the most exclusive casino on the planet - where you must be invited by the owner to move to the next floor.

But now that Locke is getting close to being in position to make his move, he and his friend are kidnapped and taken to the fortress of the Archon. The Archon, who derives his power from the threat of war and is not as popular as he was when the Priori of the city developed his temporary position to fight off pirates, has a job for Locke - and an interesting way to make sure it is carried out.

But can a man who has never been on a ship other than one seasick voyage convince a group of pirates that he is one of them or has Locke met his match in this challenge?

Lynch has created a series that combines fantasy, pirates, thieves, political intrigue, espionage, and more. It is a swashbuckling tale that will have readers tying to guess an outcome that has too many twists to accurately predict. A great read.

Lynch, Scott. (2007). Red Seas Under Red Skies. New York: Bantam.

The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentlemen Bastards #1)

The Lies of Locke Lamora is the first book in the Gentleman Bastards series by Scott Lynch.

Locke Lamora became an orphan at the age of eight when his parents were victim to a plague that killed all of the adults in their district. When the plague came the city of Camorr imposed a quarantine around the neighborhood - blocking all of the surrounding canals to prevent any escape.

When the quarantine lifted, the Thief Maker went in and rounded up the orphans. His role in the city is to train young orphans in the art of thievery and then sell them to the gangs when they are ready. Soon, due to his plotting nature, Locke is sold to the Gentlemen Bastards.

What follows is a great education not only in how to steal, but how to become other people and fit into any situation. Locke and his friends will be trained to target the upper classes of Camorr - in spite of the Secret Peace that prevents that exact thing.

Lynch has created a dynamic fantasy world filled with rich characters. The Lies of Locke Lamora is like a great heist novel within a great fantasy novel.  

Lynch, Scott. (2006). The Lies of Locke Lamora. New York: Bantam Spectra.

Rogue (HIVE #5)

Rogue by Mark Walden is the fifth book in his H.I.V.E. (Higher Institute of Villainous Education). HIVE is the school designed to train the future world leaders – evil masterminds that will shape our world.

Otto Malpense is one of the star students at HIVE, or at least he was until he was captured by a rival who is trying to destroy HIVE and its leaders. Sebastian Trent runs an organization that, from the outside, looks like a humanitarian aid group. But Trent’s goal is to use Otto’s unique skills to assassinate the leaders of HIVE, find the secret location of the school and destroy it.

Luckily for Otto, the school headmaster has sent his secret weapon to search for Otto. Raven is the most deadly assassin on the planet. She is often underestimated because no one believes the stories about her could be true. With a little help from Otto’s friends at school, Raven hopes to track him down and rescue him before he can be brainwashed by Trent.

The HIVE series will appeal to fans of Alex Rider, CHERUB, or other teen espionage books – with the high adventure, cool spy gadgets and more. It just makes the series more fun that the characters are being groomed to rule the world not save it.

Walden, Mark. (2011). Rogue. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The Overlord Protocol (HIVE #2)

The Overlord Protocol by Mark Walden is the second book in the H.I.V.E. series - The Higher Institute of Villainous Education, a school for the villains of the future.

Otto and his friends have basically gotten used to the fact that they are trapped at the HIVE. They are on an island somewhere with no contact to the outside world.

But when his best friend, Wing, is informed that his father has died, they are granted a two-day pass to go to the funeral. Although tempted to make the trip into his escape, Otto has promised Wing that he would return to the school. Just in case, the headmaster is sending his top ninja assassin to watch over them.

When they get to the safe house in Tokyo they are attacked. It seems that the funeral was a trap. The ruthless super villain Cypher and his army of almost unstoppable ninjas have other plans for Otto, Wing and the HIVE.

Walden has created a great adventure series with HIVE. The characters are smart and clever, the plots race along at breakneck speed, and readers will want to have the next book on hand for continuous reading. (FYI - only the first 3 books are available in the US, but two more come out this year.)

Walden, Mark. (2007). The Overlord Protocol. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.

H.I.V.E (HIVE #1)

H.I.V.E. The Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden is an exciting beginning to a great series.

Otto Malpense is a thirteen year-old orphan living in an orphanage in England. He was dropped off at the orphanage as a baby so it is the only home he has ever known. Now the Prime Minister's new policy is threatening to close his home.

Luckily Otto is a very smart orphan. He concocts a plan to keep his home open. But the next thing he knows he is coming out of unconsciousness inside of a helicopter over the ocean. He has been "recruited" to be a student at HIVE - where they train the next world's future criminal masterminds.

Walden has created a fascinating school with classes that no regular high school would ever offer. This series promises to be fun and entertaining for readers from age 12 and up.

Walden, Mark. (2006). H.I.V.E. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.