Nightrise: Book Three of the Gatekeepers [Paperback]

I may be a man, and not just a man, but a very, very old man. How old? Let's just say that I remember both the Great Depression AND the Last Great Hurrah, and by Last Great Hurrah I mean the 1925 Great Race of Mercy by sled dog teams carrying diphtheria antitoxin against an incipient diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska. But even I like to recall the days of my youth, weak from hunger and backbreaking work, with the rare moment of leisure spent collecting metal for spare change, and lose myself in the latest Anthony Horowitz novel.

Now I don't know why some people consider his work juvenile fiction, since there is nothing juvenile about the characters or their situations. The protagonists may be young men and women, but they face situations that would curl the grey hairs of a WWII veteran! Assuming, of course, that he still had hair. And I'm not talking in the ears.

In "Nightrise", the third book of "The Gatekeepers" series, we leave Matt Freeman, the hero of the first two books, to focus on the fourteen-year-old twins Scott and Jamie Tyler. Boy, I remember being fourteen... wait, no, no I don't. That was sixteen presidents ago. I'm lucky to remember my pants. Who needs 'em anyway? One of the few benefits of being as old as I am is that I can go without pants and people don't give it a second thought. So refreshing. Not wearing any now. Ahhhh... Anyhow, these orphan twins, unaware of their own past and sharing extraordinary abilities, become targets of the mysterious and evil Nightrise Corporation, which kidnaps Scott and frames Jamie for murder. I was kidnapped once. No, I was a kid and I napped. Those were the good old days. Wait, I just had a nap. The twins can rely only on themselves, and Jamie eventually discovers that he and his twin are two of the five Gatekeepers, the only force standing between the Old Ones and their takeover of our world.

These stories may superficially resemble the Harry Potter series, but present a far darker, less fantastical world in which the teenage protagonists must rely on their own wits, skills and confidence to survive a deadly foe that has insinuated itself into modern society, much like the Freemasons. Readers need not be teenagers or Freemasons themselves, however, to fully enjoy the adventure, terror and chills that will keep you, dare I say it, nightrise.

Anthony Horowitz's THE GATEKEEPERS series continues with NIGHTRISE. The Old Ones are still a threat to the safety of the world, and the five young gatekeepers are the only ones equipped to help.

Previously, Matt and Pedro were in Peru attempting to close the second gate. Their attempt failed and Matt was seriously injured. The adventure continues in a new location - Reno, Nevada. A small, rundown theater is hosting a performance called The Circus of the Mind. The featured act involves twins named Jamie and Scott. They amaze the audience by reading each others' minds. No one seems to know the secret of the trick. Actually, the secret is, there is no secret. They really do read minds and not just each others'.

Readers will soon guess that Jamie and Scott are the next two of the special "five." The problem is how will they learn about their responsibilities and how will they find out about the others. When the evil corporation, Nightrise, becomes involved, it is clear that the Old Ones' power still reaches around the world.

When Scott is kidnapped by Nightrise and taken to an isolated juvenile detention facility in the desert, Jamie begins his rescue attempt with the help of Alicia McGuire. She wants inside the prison as much as Jamie because she suspects her son has been kidnapped, as well. Nightrise seems to be making it a habit to kidnap teens with various "special" abilities. Could they be looking for the five young gatekeepers?

Horowitz thrills readers with kidnapping, adventures in the present day world, a world 10,000 years in the past, and the dream world Matt became familiar with in the first books. There are shape-changers, fire-riders, and mutilated humans to be battled. Some might find the story filled with twists and turns a bit confusing, but fans of the earlier books will be pleased with the surprises Horowitz has hidden in this new episode. The "to be continued..." ending promises even more surprises to come.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

Being an avid reader and adoring fan of most fantasy books, I was highly disappointed when I finished Nightrise. The first novel in the series- Raven's Gate, was suspenseful and hard to put down (I have to say I loved the creepy black cat and portrait whose eyes seemed to move). The second one, Evil Star, had an incredibly thrilling beginning and then seemed to become dull a little before halfway into it, like soda without some of the fizz. Nevertheless, it was still a good book, even if it didn't completely live up to the expectations of the first. Matt is a very likeable character, and Pedro isn't that bad either. The Nazca Lines were a nice touch and there were many exciting action scenes.
However, Nightrise just killed it. Frankly, it seemed like an afterthought of a book- the beginning was enticing, but something seemed a little... off. I don't know if it was the rough transition of having Matt being the main character in the first two and then practically disappearing off the face of the earth until the end of Nightrise (figure of speech), but Scott and Jamie just didn't do it for me. As much as I hate to admit it, I had trouble getting through the end and practically forced myself to finish it. That bizarre dream world was awful and a bit confusing, as it was so abrupt. Overall, I don't recommend Nightrise, but if you like the series and feel like you *must* read it, you have been warned. Looking at the other three reviews, maybe I'm totally off, but you be the judge of the book, I'm just giving my own opinion. I just hope the others in the series are better....