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H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education (1) Paperback – January 29, 2008

by Mark Walden (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 970 ratings
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HIGHER INSTITUTE OF VILLAINOUS EDUCATION

Otto Malpense may only be thirteen years old, but so far he has managed to run the orphanage where he lives, and he has come up with a plan clever enough to trick the most powerful man in the country. He is the perfect candidate to become the world's next supervillain.

That is why he ends up at H.I.V.E., handpicked to become a member of the incoming class. The students have been kidnapped and brought to a secluded island inside a seemingly active volcano, where the school has resided for decades. All the kids are elite; they are the most athletic, the most technically advanced, and the smartest in the country. Inside the cavernous marble rooms, floodlit hangars, and steel doors, the students are enrolled in Villainy Studies and Stealth and Evasion 101. But what Otto soon comes to realize is that this is a six-year program, and leaving is not an option.

With the help of his new friends: an athletic martial-arts expert; a world-famous, beautiful diamond thief; and a spunky computer genius -- the only other people who seem to want to leave -- can Otto achieve what has never been done before and break out of H.I.V.E.?
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    10 - 12 years
  2. Book 1 of 9
    H.I.V.E.
  3. Print length
    320 pages
  4. Language
    English
  5. Grade level
    3 - 7
  6. Lexile measure
    1040L
  7. Dimensions
    5.13 x 1 x 7.63 inches
  8. Publisher
    Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
  9. Publication date
    January 29, 2008
  10. ISBN-10
    141693572X
  11. ISBN-13
    978-1416935728
  12. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Walden spent a decade as a video game designer and producer before becoming a fulltime writer and father. He has a BA in English literature and an MA in 20th-century literature, film, and television, both from Newcastle University. He is the author of the H.I.V.E. series and the Earthfall Trilogy and lives with his family in the United Kingdom.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; 0 edition (January 29, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 141693572X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1416935728
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1040L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.13 x 1 x 7.63 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 970 ratings

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Mark Walden

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
970 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

K. Neely
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Tween/Teen series for boys
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2014
Verified Purchase
I got my reluctant reader tween son into reading with this series. It's a bit like Mission Impossible meets Spy Kids- but for bad guys. The point of the books is the bonds between the kids, but there is enough action, suspense, and cool gadgets to keep them turning the pages. They are also so well written that even adults will enjoy the series.
In fact, my son and I are anxiously waiting the release of the latest book in the U.S., as it is written and published in the U.K. first...
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Zennon Melnyk
5.0 out of 5 stars Wish it was true-ish
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2013
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This book is very good and I believe that if you like me are going through the reviews thinking "it sounds like Harry potter" I say so what both are good and both are worth it. This may not be a review you were expecting but it tells you this: buy the book it's very good and very interesting.

Tip: get the definition of H.I.V.E and G.L.O.V.E
warning: this book may distract you from daily life or give thoughts of suicide because you can't/are not able to go to H.I.V.E.
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Cheryl Heughins
5.0 out of 5 stars A great find!
Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2008
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This is one of my favorite newer books. The copy that I read was from the library, but then I bought it to share with others. It is a fabulous book for parents looking for novels for GATE kids. My son is 8, and he read it in about four days. It has a lot of twists, and good character development. The second in the series is also great and I am looking forward to the third.

It is a thriller, but not scary. Has a bit of the "Young James Bond" fell, but not as intense or violent.
One person found this helpful
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C.O
4.0 out of 5 stars BETTER than HP
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2011
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I loved every second of it,especially the climax.My absolute favorite part was the 'funny turn' of the PM.
I don't care if some people say it's a rip-off of Harry Potter,in my opinion it's much better. I would recommend this book for anybody with a good sense of humor and a love for the 'villainous hero' genre.There are only three faults with it and they are:
1.The other three streams don't feature much in it,with the exception of Block and Tackle,two thugs from Henchman stream.I don't think the Alphas should completely dominate it.
2.Book one doesn't really connect much with the plot of the other books,a trait which it shares with Pirates of the Caribbean.
3.Some parts of all the books are rather predictable.
However I'd recommend H.I.V.E for anybody.
2 people found this helpful
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Allison Clemons
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book for Those who Love Harry Potter
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2017
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The book takes place at Hive, or the Higher Institute of Villainous Education in the present day. Otto gets captured and sent to H.I.V.E, where he doesn’t want to be, and makes some friends who also want to escape. To do so, they have to outsmart Dr. Nero, who is the founder of Hive and an evil mastermind. Will they outsmart Dr. Nero to escape Hive, and return to their normal lives? Read the book to find out. I think it’s a great book for readers who are in 4th grade and older and who love the Harry Potter series. This book does contain some mild language, but it doesn’t appear very often.
One person found this helpful
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thezoomommy
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing story a must read for young adults
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2019
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H.I.V.E has an intresting story, well crafted complying characters, and an excellent premise. The plot is intresting to say the least and an excellent read.
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C. Browers
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book for a 10-year old.
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2015
Verified Purchase
I got this for my 10-year old grandson, who is reading everything he can get his hands on right now. I decided to read the book to make sure that it had a lot of adventure and action in it, and it doesn't disappoint. However, I had to get through about half the book before I saw any original plot line. It reads like a combination of Harry Potter, James Bond, Star Trek, and The Prisoner (for those of you who are old enough to remember that show). Worth buying, and I know my grandson will love it.
2 people found this helpful
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JABOJR
3.0 out of 5 stars Writing Style Great; Story Questionable
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2014
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First, I have to say that I'm an adult and not the target audience for this book series. I find the authors style an easy read and have finished the series in a few days.

The problem that I have with the story as a whole is that if these are the most brilliant, sinister minds on the planet, they sure are incompetent. Throughout the entire story line they are constantly being hood winked by their opposition, whoever that may be in the particular book. In addition, without these 13-year-old trainees, the whole organization would have been destroyed many times over, thank God for devious teenagers. I know, I'm reading too much into this, but stories do have to make a certain about of common sense, even if it is fiction.

You'll find no surprises throughout, since the story line is rather predictable. It would be enjoyable for any age under 10. The most ruthless people in the world don't use words like "darn", etc. which is of course used to keep the story withing the age bracket it was designed for.

The very young will find it entertaining, anyone older will have difficulty following the incompetent moves, one after the other.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Muhammad Yusuf Serang
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on June 19, 2018
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Great series. Would recommend for 11 and above.
One person found this helpful
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Alice Wenzel
4.0 out of 5 stars Solid 4.5
Reviewed in Australia on May 6, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is a great book. There you go, that’s the review...

although I was expecting something more realistic and was not expecting (Spoiler alert)

A cat with a the conciseness of a human and a giant sentient plant

Still a great book though
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Shopaholic Mum
5.0 out of 5 stars Great action book for 10+ year olds
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2013
Verified Purchase
I was looking for a series for my don after he'd finished the Percy Jackson, Kane and Charlie Bone series.

Took a gamble on the HIVE series, as I'd never heard of them, but SO glad we did.
Brilliant kids adventure stories. Great characters and great baddies.
We are 3/4 way through right now.

Pretty much about a load of gifted (in a slightly naughty way), kids who are kidnapped and taken to a secret island to be trained as furure James Bond type villains!

This book focuses on Otto and his friend's arrival and subsequent determination to escape.

Great story. My 10 year old son is ploughing through it.
One person found this helpful
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Pascale F.
5.0 out of 5 stars Action, action and more over the top action.....
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2013
Verified Purchase
Just as I like it. I bought it for my son aged 12 quite a while back and bought all the other books in the series too. Higher Institute of Villainous Education is just over the top and it is great.
Do not think that the author condones crime. To the contrary, the Institute is the brainchild of Dr Nero (yes, you read right) to preserve the old fashion type of villains (you know , the refined, highly intelligent ones, the ones who will never grab an old lady's handbag but are most ruthless and devious and think of the most evil plots in the world) as the world was taken over by really bad mannered villains.
It is funny but there is also the underlying theme of camaraderie and loyalty. Well, imagine Harry Potter and his side kicks, and you have the essence of the brightest student in HIVE, Otto Malpense. (But far from me to compare the two, no way, totally different books and plots). You have the blundering Nigel Darkdoom, the always starving Franz, ninja wannabe Wing, Laura the hacker and Shelby the Barbie doll.
You have all the ingredients you need to have the perfect ''book'' boarding school.
And of course, you have Raven. The most feared assassin in the world, who now acts as Dr Nero's bodyguard and ''problem solver''. And Raven is a ''she''. Which is good, because in HIVE, Mark Walden has made a good balance between girls and boys power.
I recommend it to girls and boys alike. Teens and adults alike.
13 people found this helpful
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Amanjyot S.
4.0 out of 5 stars A good read.....
Reviewed in India on April 1, 2016
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A wonderful read.... Written in an amazing and outstanding language... It will grip you from start to end.. Just go for it... Keep no doubt in mind.... Just read the first book and now buying the second one :)
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