Raven's Gate

Raven's Gate, by Anthony Horowitz
ISBN: 0439680093
Published: 2008 (Scholastic)

Review/Summary: Raven's Gate is the first in a series about The Old Ones and The Gatekeepers.  Horowitz already had a reputation for creating thrilling adventures for younger audiences, thanks to his Alex Rider series.  The Gatekeepers series has many similarities to the Alex Rider series: Matt, the main character in Raven's Gate, is also 14 years old; both boys were orphaned; both boys are suddenly responsible for saving the world from disaster, even though all they want is "a normal life."  But while Alex is enlisted by MI-5, Matt is put to work by a fictional group called The Nexus.  This international group of adults exists only to protect the world from The Old Ones--an ancient evil that was captured and banished from the world thousands of years ago.  Five children tricked the Old Ones into leaving the world.  They then created a gate that would be locked, trapping the Old Ones forever.  But a group of people outside York wants to reopen the gate and let evil back into the world.  The Nexus tries to help Matt defeat the Old Ones.  Since this is a series, it's pretty obvious that the adventure doesn't end here.  But, as with Alex Rider, Horowitz does a great job of keeping readers interested in Matt and eager to know what happens next.  Horowitz is excellent at convincing audiences to suspend their disbelief and just go with the flow.  I'd recommend this series for readers who like Alex Rider, who like creepy adventure stories, and who like darker fantasy.  Anyone 10 and older.