EVIL STAR

Preteen and teen fantasy readers are enthralled with Horowitz's Gatekeepers series for good reason. Fourteen-year-old Matt Freeman, something of an unwilling teenage James Bond, continues to find himself in an exciting succession of horrifying adventures. Horowitz has created a rich character in Matt, and Simon Prebble provides insights into the teenager's layers of anger, uncertainty, and reluctant determination. Prebble nimbly depicts the boy's desire to become a "normal kid" after closing the Raven's Gate in the first story and his hesitant return to fight the evil forces still at work. This installment takes Matt to Peru, where he confronts mysteries in the desert. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 07]