H.I.V.E. (Higher Institute of Villainous Education) is a top-secret school of applied villainy where children with a precocious gift for wrongdoing are sent to develop their talents into criminal mastermind. After all, 'villains have the best lines and wear the best costumes'. One small catch is that the children cannot leave until training is complete, six years later. With villainy comes a certain freedom of thought, and every year one student in particular will show exceptional talent - after all, it takes the best to produce the worst. This year there are two students: Otto Malpense and his new friend Wing Fanchu are both exceptionally bad, and they are definitely not keen on being held against their will for six long years . . .
H.I.V.E. Series
This series follows young protagonists unexpectedly recruited into a prestigious academy for aspiring villains. Within a secret organization's hidden base, they hone their skills in deception, technology, and strategic planning. However, these gifted youths soon discover that their enrollment is a lifelong commitment, with escape being an impossibility. Teaming up, they must use their cunning and newfound abilities to break free from the institute and thwart its sinister agenda.
Recommended Reading Order
The Overlord Protocol
- 371 pages
- 13 hours of reading
Still trapped at the Higher Institute of Villainous Education, or H.I.V.E., evil-genius-in-training Otto Malpense is nearly assassinated and must now not only try to escape, but also find out who murdered his best friend--and save himself.
H.I.V.E. 3: Escape Velocity
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
Pupils and staff at H.I.V.E. are horrified to discover that Dr Nero has been captured by the forces of H.O.P.E., the Hostile Operative Prosecution Executive, the world's newest and most ruthlessly efficient security force. Three months pass without any news of his fate, and Number One has decided to appoint a sinister new headmistress for the school, somebody that the pupils and staff had thought that they'd seen the last of. Meanwhile Otto is also struggling to cope with new abilities that are starting to manifest themselves; can he really be unconsciously interfacing with computers without physical contact? And if he is, what exactly do these new powers really mean? The only way to find Nero and the truth behind the lies is to escape H.I.V.E.. Otto must get out, and take the risks which come with being a rogue agent. Then he just has to break into MI6.
H.I.V.E. 4: Dreadnought
- 304 pages
- 11 hours of reading
A renegade faction of the world's most powerful villains is intent on destroying G.L.O.V.E. (Global League Of Villainous Enterprises) and showing the world the true face of evil. The Disciples begin by hijacking Diabolus Darkdoom's Airborne command post, then they kidnap his son and his son's best friend. Unfortunately for them, Nigel Darkdoom (and Franz) also happen to be Otto's friends. Heading out to America, Otto, Wing et al embark on a perilous and highly unauthorised rescue operation. Cut off from the support of H.I.V.E. and on the run from American security forces the hunt for their friends leads to one of the US military's most secret facilities. It becomes clear that the Disciples are not all they appear and in a desperate race against time Otto must work out who his real friends are to prevent the Disciples from completing their true objective. Only Otto can save the world from domination by a sinister new world order but it might be that the price he has to pay is just too high. When it comes to the crunch will he be prepared to sacrifice himself?
Overlord is on the brink of turning the world's population into zombie-like drones, forcing Nero to activate Zero Hour: the ultimate defence
H.I.V.E. 7: Aftershock
- 278 pages
- 10 hours of reading
A new era is beginning in the villainous world as civil war looms forcing Otto and his friends to take sides - perhaps against each other