Raven's Gate

The Gatekeepers, Book 1

By: Anthony Horowitz

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Matt is being punished for a crime he saw, but didn't commit. Instead of being locked up, he is being sent to the middle of nowhere to live with a new foster mom, as part of a government scheme called The Leaf Project. But Matt's new home provides anything but peace and quiet. His new guardian is involved in very sinister things, and the whole town seems to be on her side. Everybody who tries to help Matt winds up disappearing, or dead. The truth is much bigger than Matt or the town, but Matt is the only person who can stop the ultimate evil from being unleashed.

©2005 Anthony Horowitz (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"The real-world setting gives this an extra frisson of horror, and Horowitz's vivid descriptions are not for the fainthearted. It's what's inside all the thrills, however, that makes the book so strong: characters that readers will care about and root for." (Booklist)

Great listen

I liked this book quite a bit. I'm constantly looking for good books of the genre and this one fit the bill. Narration is very good as well. Too bad Audible doesn't have book two in the series.

Good story good narration

This was a good story the author has an interesting idea of the end of the world. I look forward to reading or listening to the rest of them.

This is really good. . .

We listened to the story when we began our vacation. We all enjoyed the story so much that by the time it as over we were almost at our destination. I wished I had gotten the next novel.

Fun little mystery/fantasy

Pretty fun read. However, for a young adult novel, it got pretty dark right at the end.

I could not stop listening

I love the story completely I can't wait to get to the next books and the narrator is absolutely amazing.

Fantastic book...

Where does Raven's Gate rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my favourite audible books so far.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Listened to it whilst cooking, walking the dog,... basically ANY opportunity!

OK for this type of story

If you like the Harry Potter type stories, it’s pretty good. The narrator is excellent!

Very good!

This book isn’t perfect but it is quite enjoyable, considering it’s spooky & dealing with the supernatural. The narrator was excellent. I’d listen to another by this author. He knows how to write a story that draws you in immediately.

Love this author

I’ve read everything this author has written and loved all of his series. Could’nt recommend any author more fervently than Mr Horowitz!

Measured success

Considering the impending close of Harry Potter, I think I may have found at least entertainment fodder for a little while. This book seems to hold the promise of being first of five.

The characterization sometimes seems weak, and sometimes the plot devices seem to break the suspension of disbelief. While these occurrences can mar some of the experience, the characters grow, and it seems a fine start for a series of five books.

It should be noted that --at least I felt so- that the narration was not well suited to the material. Simon Prebble has narrated several works I have appreciated. His work for Susanna Clark's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell seemed flawless.

Prebble's pacing at times seems too slow or too quick. There are also moments when he narrates excitedly, but the passion in his voice seems to rob the passage of any power it might have had. I wonder if there were obviously different production values between the two works.

These criticisms shouldn't be interpreted too harshly; it may not satisfy my "inner literary snob" as one reviewer commented on another work, but it provides an enjoyable filler. Perhaps my willingness, to overlook these flaws, hinges on my belief that this work was aimed at a younger audience. Even so, my criticisms have been noted.

I may yet take my uncle's recommendation of Dostoyefski as a literary genius, but in the meantime, I prefer to hunt out excellently written, narrated entertainment. This work might not have been either, but the trip was worth the time.