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.

Dreadnought (HIVE #4)

Dreadnought is the fourth book in Mark Walden's HIVE series - The Higher Institute of Villainous Education.

Otto and his friends have been at HIVE for almost two years now and they are ready for their first field trip / training exercise. Nicknamed the 93 because an average of 93 percent of students live through it, the Alpha class is headed to Antarctica.

On their way to the field trip, their aircraft makes a stop at the new headquarters of G.L.O.V.E. (Global League of Villainous Enterprises - the organization that runs the school and the world of evil). But before a quick tour can be completed, headquarters is attacked.

In another high-tension adventure, Otto and friends will go up against the world's worst villains. (For a villainous school, the students save the world fairly often.) This series will delight fans of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series, Robert Muchamore's CHERUB series, and the Chance twins series by Jack Higgins and Justin Richardson.

Walden, Mark. (2011). Dreadnought. New York: Simon & Schuster.

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.