H.I.V.E.: The Overlord Protocol
The Overlord Protocol, by Mark Walden, is the sequel to another book in the same series, though I haven’t had the fortune of reading the first book yet.
H.I.V.E., or the Higher Institute of Villainous Enterprises, is a school set-up by an international league of villains, known as G.L.O.V.E. (Global League of Villainous Enterprises), to train future villains. When villain Cypher launches a plot to storm H.I.V.E. and overthrow G.L.O.V.E., Otto Malpense and company land right in the middle of things, and end up having a key roll in stopping Cypher.
The book is full of humorous bits, and hidden jokes, and I like the overall premise. It was an enjoyable read, but the level is too low for my personal liking. And for some odd reason, people have decided to compare it to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. (When will people cut it out?) I fail to see how they can make the comparison. I find it closer to Artemis Fowl, though H.I.V.E. is a somewhat lower reading level than that.
Overall, The Overlord Protocol was enjoyable, though I wish it’s level was a little higher. It stands well by itself, but I would like to read the previous book nonetheless.
