Raven's Gate - Anthony Horowitz

Plot

Matt Freeman is a fourteen-year-old orphan who gets into trouble with the law in the opening chapter of Raven’s Gate and is sent off to a remote village in the Yorkshire countryside for rehabilitation. Officially, he is part of the L.E.A.F. project (Liberty and Education Achieved through Fostering) but unofficially, he becomes a mere servant to his foster parent Jayne Deverill and is forced to help out on her farm.

As wretched as his daily life might be, Matt realizes that something quite sinister is going on at the farm and that something is not quite right with Mrs Deverill. When Matt sees lights and hears whispers coming from an abandoned nuclear power station, he becomes more suspicious and realizes that, somehow, all of the local villagers of Lesser Malling are involved. Matters come to a head when it seems that everyone who tries to help him lands up dead. Can he escape before he becomes the next victim?

Favourite Quote

"He ran his tongue over his lips. His mouth was parched. For a moment, he thought he smelled something burning. The jug was so close to him - only a few metres away. He reached out to it, pulling it towards him with his mind.The jug smashed. It seemed to explode, almost in slow motion. For a split second the water hung in the air, its tentacles sprawling outwards. Then it splashed down on to the table, on to the pieces of glass."

This is my favourite quote as it merges into the storyline nicely and we get a taste of what Matt is capable of and what is to come in the story.

Blurb

He always knew he was different.

First there were dreams.

Then the deaths began.
When Matt Freeman gets into trouble with the police, he's sent to be fostered in Yorkshire. It's not long before he senses there's something wrong with his guardian: with the whole village.Then Matt learns about th Old Ones and begins to understand just how different he is. Bu no one will believe him; no one can help.

There is no proof.

There is no logic.

There is just the Gate.

Recommendation

Raven’s Gate is the first book in a five-part series, and Matt is the first of five children we will meet who will eventually save the world. This series is certainly recommended to lovers of fantasy fiction and for people looking for an alternative to the ever more prevalent vampire books.

Star Rating- 3.5/ 5

Although this book is exciting, after a while the storyline drags on a bit towards the end of the story when Anthony Horowitz is trying to unfold the mystery. I would also recommend this book to 11+ as it isn't a challenge compared to what I usually read.