Wow!  This book is pretty amazing!  Lots of non-stop action and twists and turns; I could see it all play out in my mind like a movie.  (is there a movie deal for this series?)  This is the fourth installment of the series H.I.V.E., and as I hadn’t previously read one, two or three, I wasn’t too excited to start this one.  My previous experience of jumping into a series without having read the beginning, has been rather unsuccessful.  However, I was willing to give it a try.  I am so glad I did–once I started, I couldn’t put it down.  H.I.V.E. is The Higher Institute of Villainous Education, and the students (kids) each have a specialized skill (i.e., picking locks).  At the school, they are basically learning how to become worldwide spies and have the benefit of professors and teachers with skills James Bond would envy, as well as resources of every kind imaginable.  In this book, a new student, Lucy, is introduced, and it isn’t until the end until we find out her special talent.  I imagine future installments will have her as the main character.  In the meantime, a group of students are on their way to a field trip (sub-zero temps in the Arctic) and while on their journey in a ship called the ‘Dreadnought,’ they are overtaken by a rogue rebel, a former employee who helped to create the Dreadnought and has dreams of becoming the world’s leader.  The name Dreadnought sounded so familiar and I wondered why the ship would be so named.  According to Dictionary.com, the Dreadnought was a well known battleship from the year 1906 which was heavily armored and had battle turrets.  It’s important, I think, to understand the historical meanings of language used to better understand the story, so get that dictionary out.  But for this story, think of the Dreadnought as a newer version of the U.S.S. Enterprise of Star Trek fame, but with cooler stealth capabilities.  The rogue rebel is Jason Drake (again, think history, the infamous pirate Drake?).  Drake has a bevy of double agents working for him and he has well planned this takeover.  The theme of the story is that Drake has taken over the ship, is holding several key people hostage, and has plans to takeover and ruin the United States, throwing the whole world into turmoil, and he will be the only one smart enough to save everyone.  Good idea, however, the group of seven students and a couple of instructors, have other plans.  The action is fabulous, and just when you think you’ve got it all worked out in your head, something else pops up.  Many of the fight scenes are violent, but considering the age of the target audience, 10-14, it isn’t something they haven’t already seen.  The characters are well established, the plot is understandable with just enough kinks in it to keep it interesting, and the dialogue and multi-syllabic words will keep even the best readers on their toes.  This book should be on every library shelf in elementary and middle school.