The Power of Five

The Power of Five
Title	The Power of Five
Author	Anthony Horowitz
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre	Fantasy, Young adult fiction
Publisher	Walker Books (UK), Scholastic (US)
Published	2005–2012
Media type	Print (Hardcover, Paperback)

The Power of Five. This is a young adult fantasy series by British author Anthony Horowitz, originally published between 2005 and 2012. The narrative follows five modern-day teenagers who are revealed to be reincarnations of ancient guardians destined to battle a malevolent entity known as the Old Ones. The series is noted for blending contemporary settings with Arthurian and folkloric elements, creating a global-spanning conflict between good and evil.

Overview

The series, initially released in the United States under the title The Gatekeepers, is a reimagining of Horowitz's earlier Pentagram series from the late 1980s. It is structured across five novels, each expanding the cosmology and escalating the threat posed by the Old Ones, ancient beings from another dimension. The central premise involves the discovery and unification of five adolescents—Matthew Freeman, Pedro, Scarlett, Jamie, and Scott—who must harness their latent psychic abilities to prevent an apocalyptic invasion. The narrative weaves together themes of destiny, sacrifice, and environmentalism, set against real-world locations from London to Peru and the fictional Hong Kong research facility known as Nightrise.

Plot

The saga begins in Raven's Gate, where Matt uncovers his connection to a Druidic site in Yorkshire and thwarts a ritual to unleash the Old Ones. The sequel, Evil Star, shifts to Peru, where Matt and Pedro confront a second gate at the Nazca Lines. Nightrise introduces the telepathic twins Jamie and Scott Tyler amidst a political conspiracy involving the Nightrise Corporation in Las Vegas. In Necropolis, the fifth guardian, Scarlett, is identified in Hong Kong as the Old Ones launch a full-scale invasion, leading to the fall of human civilization. The final novel, Oblivion, depicts a post-apocalyptic world where the reunited five must travel to a parallel universe within the Antarctic to destroy the Old Ones' source of power, culminating in a final battle at Stonehenge.

Characters

The primary protagonists are the five titular guardians: Matt Freeman, the first discovered, who possesses powers of telekinesis and is guided by the mysterious Richard Cole; Pedro, an Andean boy with healing abilities; the telepathic twins Jamie Tyler and Scott Tyler, who are central to the plot of Nightrise; and Scarlett Adams, the final guardian with prophetic visions. Key allies include the historian Professor Sanjay Dravid and the witch Auntie Meredith. The main antagonist is the ancient, shape-shifting entity known as the Old Ones, who command a cult of human followers and monstrous servants like the Necroth to orchestrate the world's downfall.

Publication history

The series was published by Walker Books in the United Kingdom and Scholastic in the United States. Raven's Gate was first released in 2005, followed by Evil Star in 2006, Nightrise in 2007, Necropolis in 2008, and the concluding volume Oblivion in 2012. The US editions were retitled as The Gatekeepers series, beginning with The Gatekeepers as the first book's name. The series represents a significant expansion and modernization of concepts from Horowitz's earlier, less successful Pentagram books, which included The Devil's Door-Bell and The Night of the Scorpion.

Adaptations

A notable adaptation is the BBC radio drama series produced by Radio 4, which dramatized the first three novels. There have been persistent discussions and development attempts regarding a film or television series, with rights optioned by various production companies over the years, though no major live-action project has materialized to date. The series' cinematic scope and action sequences have frequently drawn comparisons to major franchises like Harry Potter, fueling fan speculation about its adaptation potential.

Reception

The series has been generally well-received, praised for its fast-paced plotting, imaginative cosmology, and successful update of its source material. Critics from publications like The Guardian and The Times have commended Horowitz's ability to craft compelling young adult fiction within a global thriller framework. Some reviews noted the dark and intense themes in later volumes, particularly in Necropolis and Oblivion, as being more mature than typical for the genre. The books have achieved significant commercial success, appearing on bestseller lists in the United Kingdom and internationally, and solidifying Horowitz's reputation following his work on the Alex Rider series.

Category:British young adult novel series Category:Fantasy book series Category:2005 novel debuts