The Last Thirteen Book 13: 1

The Last Thirteen Book 13: 1 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-196-1

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

                        

This is the final installment in a thirteen part action thriller which takes Sam, the Thirteen Dreamers and readers around the world in a battle to save civilization from Solaris and his evil intentions.

Events seem to have come full circle when the players end up back in Egypt, where the race began in earnest for Sam and his friends. This time however, there are shocks in store. Loyalties are destroyed and, in the final push to keep the Dream Gate from falling into the hands of Solaris, lives may be lost.

For those who are already immersed in The Last Thirteen, this final book answers questions asked throughout the series. For others, start with 13 and follow the countdown to 1. This is a series which must be read in order.

Each book in this series for readers over 10, is short, exciting and has edge-of-seat drama often ending in cliffhangers - making it an addictive and speedy read. Strong female characters, both heroes and villains, ensure that girls will enjoy The Last Thirteen as much as boys.

Check in on-line too at www.thelast13.com  and have fun with the VIP Access, e-newsletters, access code breakers and many more features.

The Last Thirteen Book 12: 2

The Last Thirteen Book 12: 2 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-195-4

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

2 is the penultimate book in this adventure series about a group of children, the thirteen chosen Dreamers, who are prophesised to save the world.

As the world plunges further into chaos – nightmares plague the general population - the media attention on the Dreamers and UN protection makes it harder for Sam and his friends to do what they need to in order to ensure the Dreamers’ Gate stays hidden from Solaris, Stella and all those who would use it for power and dominance.

Sam and Eva leave Australia to search for Alex, the twelfth Dreamer, who is lost somewhere in Antarctica. With a powerful storm closing in, and Stella, Hans and rogue guardians searching as well, it is a dangerous version of hunting for a needle in a haystack.

But Alex has made an amazing discovery under the ice which will lead them closer to the end of the race. If only they can get out alive with betrayal all around.

This fast-paced series The Last Thirteen is an edge of your seat thrill ride with plenty of suspense, action and cliff-hangers. The series needs to be read in order, but these slim volumes are written for speedy reading and each will be consumed with pace. With only one to go, the conclusion is very close.

The Last Thirteen Book 11: 3

The Last Thirteen Book 11:3 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia
PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-194-7

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

In this, the eleventh instalment of the globetrotting, action packed adventure The Last Thirteen, Sam finds himself searching for the next Dreamer and her gear in the Australian Outback.  The eleventh Dreamer is someone Sam knows well and this time, in the search which takes him below Uluru, Stella and Solaris are hot on his heels and closer than they have ever been. After losing a friend in the most recent stage of the search, Sam is determined not to lose another in Australia. It will take great skill by Sam and the Dreamers to manipulate their own dreams to keep their enemies at bay and win the gear for themselves.

Meanwhile, captured by pirates, Alex, Hans and Dr Kader have their own battle to win before they can continue on their quest. Alex's relief at being rid of these pirates cannot quite overcome his anxiety about Han's true motivations towards Antarctica, the next gear and the Dreamgate.

Shiva discovers that Stella's headquarters are at the nuclear disaster site of Chernobyl in the Ukraine, so Lora, Xavier and a team of the remaining loyal guardians plan to storm the hideout. But is this a trap set by their enemies?

Once again the three storylines are told in alternating chapters, sometimes intersecting, but always thrilling and integral to the central plot. The closer we get to the end of the race, the more intense and nail biting the adventure gets.

With only two more instalments to go, readers (10+) will be reaching for the next in the series without pausing for breath. 

The Last Thirteen Book 10:4

The Last Thirteen Book 10:4 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-193-0

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

Beginning in Japan, where Sam and Issey were rescued in dramatic fashion in the last book, the action quickly moves to Cambodia. It is here Sam has dreamed the tenth Dreamer will be located. It seems that many of the world’s leaders are now united behind the Dreamers in the race to save the world, but rather than making the task easier for Sam and his team, the effect of increased exposure makes it harder for them to move about with the stealth and speed they need to stay under the radar of Stella, Hans and Solaris.

While Sam and Poh - the tenth Dreamer- evade poachers and bandits among the ruins of Angkor Wat in the search for the next gear, Alex is facing problems of his own. Heading for Antarctica with Hans and Dr Kader, their vessel is under fire, with missiles from an unknown source bearing down on them.

Meanwhile, it is time for Eva to enter the Dreamer Doors tournament with Zara and Xavier. Although nervous, Eva has confidence in her team and her destiny. Once inside the arena, however, it becomes apparent there is something very wrong. Can she find the right door and escape before it is too late? Can the rest of her team?

The Last Thirteen has a serialized story line which does need to be read in order, from 13 to 1. 4 is therefore the tenth book in this series, and ends in the customary tense cliff hanger with the knowledge that there are only 14 days left to save the world.

This is an action packed, addictive series for children 10 years and up. With its strong females characters - heroes and villains - girls will enjoy it at least as much as boys.

There is also an on-line companion page, www.thelast13.com, with VIP Access, e-newsletters, access code breakers and many more features.

The Last Thirteen Book 9: 5

The Last Thirteen Book 9: 5 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-192-3
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

 13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

In the previous book of this series, Sam encountered a Dreamer who already had knowledge of the dreaming world. Arianna needed no convincing and was ready and willing to join Sam in the race to find the pieces to construct Da Vinci's machine. The ninth Dreamer also, is ready to jump into the action but Issey, a superstar of the Japanese gaming world, is just a bit too excited about the danger – more than Sam is comfortable with.

Along with Tobias, these two boys are having problems staying one step ahead of Stella. Then Solarias enters the picture and the fear of Stella is pushed to the background. Solarias relentlessly pursues the boys through Tokyo, then the cellars of abandoned buildings on an eerie and empty ghost island. Here, the bravery and abilities of Sam and Issey are put to the test.

Back at the Academy the remaining Dreamers are getting serious about training for the upcoming Dreamscape tournament. It is looking more likely that a final showdown will take place in this realm rather than the physical one. Issey's experience as a gamer may become vital. As may the ability to control and change what is happening in their dreams.

After being taken captive by Matrix, Alex and Shiva are forced to try to escape and this nail biting situation is interspersed with Sam and Issey's desperate flight from Solaris with the gear on the ghost island.

5 has one of the scariest, nerve wracking chases yet and the ending is one I didn't see coming. Sam is left with an impossible choice...

This serialised story is released at the rate of one book a month. It started at 13 and is counting backwards to the conclusion in 1. It is a series which needs to be read in order, start at 13, but be warned, it's addictive! It will be devoured by boys and girls from upper primary to lower secondary ages.

Also check out www.thelast13.com, an on-line companion page with VIP Access. There are 13 prizes to win with each book release, e-newsletters, access code breakers and many more features.

The Last Thirteen Book 8: 6

The Last Thirteen Book 8: 6 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-191-6

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

In the battle for the Dreamscape a new threat has been uncovered. In his search for the eighth Dreamer, Sam discovers a group Hypno, who have found a way to remove dreams from Dreamers. Arianna, the newest member of the Last Thirteen, still has dreams, but cannot remember them. This could be disastrous to the search and all they have worked to achieve so far. It becomes an arduous race from Moscow to Siberia, for Sam and Arianna to try to reclaim her dreams and those of many other Russians.

While they are battling in the wilds of Russia, the other Dreamers are continuing the fight back at the Academy and in New York. Alex and Shiva are working on the Telsa coils, feeling they will have an important part to play in the upcoming battle for the Gate. The Last Thirteen members are still unsure of where Cody's allegiances lie and struggle with that.  And Eva has a dream which may be her most important one yet. They just have to find the right interpretation.

And it is beginning to look like controlling their dreams may become the most important weapon yet.

This series is barrelling on towards the conclusion and instead of revealing any answers, the plot is getting thicker, more complex. Rather than making the series hard to follow, however, it is making the story more exciting. The increase in the number of Dreamers has not been hard to follow either. Although they are not mentioned too much in books following their initial introduction, the characters are so well formed in their first adventure that when they are referred to in a later book it is easy to place them. The story feels like it is building up towards an epic last confrontation which will involve all thirteen Dreamers and other important personalities.

The Last Thirteen : Book 7

The Last Thirteen : Book 7 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-190-9

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

Sam's search for the Thirteen Dreamers leads him next to the Grand Canyon and to Cody, Dreamer number seven. But as the stakes grow more desperate, so does the enemy. And it is getting harder for Sam and his fellow dreamers to tell friend from foe.

This 7th instalment of the fast paced series is a scramble across America to once again be ahead in the race for the Dreamer’s Gate. Alex has been given his first mission and comes up against Stella's offsider, Matrix. Sam is following his newest nightmare, racing to get to Cody and the next gear while Lora and Eva are racing to save Sam after Eva's dream that he and Cody are walking into a trap.

This group of Dreamers need their dreams and nightmares to guide them, to lead them to the next destination. But dreams are not always reliable, their interpretation not always obvious, they can mean so many different things. And, as Sam and his friends have discovered, expected outcomes can be changed by situations in real time being altered.

Will the Dreamers feel more in control, or more scared for the fate of the world when they uncover what Stella and Matrix are really up to?

This book sits right at the midway point of the series. It is impossible to read at a leisurely pace. Pages packed with dialogue and action, and chapters with changing viewpoints, ending in cliff hangers, all accentuate the sense of urgency. The ambiguity of the dreams and their meanings, along with the swing of allegiances of some of the players, make this an addictive series.

The physical package is attractive as well. Each volume is slim, a different colour and has subtle clues on the cover as to what lies within the pages. The spines, lined up together on a bookshelf, announce the countdown.

The Last Thirteen Book 6: 8

The Last Thirteen Book 6: 8 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-189-3

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Sam’s dreams are getting more unpredictable. But with this rise in instability comes the ability for him to manipulate them more and change the outcomes of real life occurrences. His latest nightmare leads him to a marina in Cuba where he is taking shelter from a storm with Tobias, Xavier and Rapha. And also to Maria, the 8^th Dreamer.

The next piece of the Da Vinci machine lies deep beneath the ocean surface somewhere within an ancient shipwreck and this time they are not only trying to avoid Hans and Stella, but also Scarface, a very angry shark. Along with the treasure, they must also find Maria’s father.

After the slower pace of the last instalment, this book is non-stop adrenalin from jumping off the cliff in the jungle to the cliff hanging ending in Florida. Alongside Sam’s mission in Cuba there are two more fast-paced storylines running. 

Eva and Lora have been kidnapped by Mac, a rogue member of the Dreamers Council, who is trying to convince Eva to join forces with him and Solaris. He seems to think that Eva is more important than they currently know and may even be the most important of the Thirteen Dreamers.

Meanwhile, the Agency/Enterprise alliance have tracked Stella down to an abandoned bunker in Canada and Alex, with his mother Phoebe and a back-up team of Guardians have travelled there to investigate what Stella may be interested in.

With very short chapters jumping in-between these three concurrently running stories, there is barely time to draw breath and this ramps up the action even further. Every time the focus leaves a character, the reader is left anxious about the heroes’ predicament. This encourages even faster reading.

The deeper into the series I get, the more invested I am in the characters and the more complex and interesting the plot becomes. I really like that the lines between good and bad are not always as clear cut as they would first seem and although a high level of suspension of disbelief needs to be maintained, once hooked, it is a wild ride.

This series has a serialised single storyline which will continue at the rate of one book a month until the conclusion is reached in the thirteenth book. Also check out www.thelast13.com, an online companion page with VIP Access. There are 13 prizes to be won with each book release, e-newsletters, access code breakers and many more features.

James Phelan is an Australian author who has written adult thrillers as well as the Lachlan Fox series and the Alone trilogy for older teenagers.

The Last Thirteen Book 5: 9

The Last Thirteen Book 5: 9 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-188-6

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

After the destruction of the Academy’s campus in the Swiss Alps and Enterprise’s headquarters in the Silicon Valley, both agencies need time to regather and get themselves up and running again. And with the ever increasing amount of enemies, it seems a good idea for them to begin to work together.

While the Agencies are rebuilding however, the race does not stop. Sam must follow his next dream to the heart of the Amazon jungle to find the next Dreamer and another piece for the Da Vinci machine which will lead them to the Dreamer’s Gate. And Sam must work fast. As well as the usual dangers which lurk deep in the jungle, Sam and Rapha must also contend with Stella, Hans and their armies of guardians.

This fifth instalment of The Last Thirteen series has a much slower pace than the previous ones. It is one where factions regroup, the story line is strengthened and relationships are explored a bit deeper. After the full-on action it is a nice change - a breather really - to slow down and have some of the fragmented ideas about the Dreamers and their role in the world generally (and the Race specifically), explained more fully. The roles of the Agencies, Enterprise and the Academy are also fleshed out more here.

Then, in the last third of the book, Sam’s adventure in Brazil begins and the action steps up. Deep in the heart of the Amazonian Jungle, Sam and Rapha have an Indiana Jones-like experience looking for a lost city high on the mountain peaks which clouds and mist forever shroud. They need to be mentally sharp to overcome the booby traps the deserted city throws up before them.

This series has a serialised single storyline which will continue at the rate of one book a month until the conclusion is reached in the thirteenth book. Also check out www.thelast13.com, an online companion page with VIP Access. There are 13 prizes to be won with each book release, e-newsletters, access code breakers and many more features.

James Phelan is an Australian author who has written adult thrillers as well as the Lachlan Fox series and the Alone trilogy for older teenagers.

The Last Thirteen Book 4: 10

The Last Thirteen Book 4: 10 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-187-9

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

After letting Solaris get away again, Sam and the Academy are even more determined to find the remaining 10 Dreamers. And Sam will need their help if he’s to have a shot at saving the world. But with more traitors emerging, and many different factions splintering, it becomes even harder for Sam and the other children to know who they can turn to for help.

This time the setting is Paris and it doesn’t take Sam long to locate the 10^th Dreamer. It’s not easy, however, to convince her of her part in the Last Thirteen. Her parents are Enterprise Agents. Can they be trusted? 

With the Council of Dreamers infiltrated and torn apart, Guardians defecting and the destruction of both Enterprise Headquarters and the Academy Base, Sam’s world is collapsing. All this brings some positives though. The Da Vinci links get stronger and more certain, the Academy and Enterprise Agency make moves to work together a bit more and against all hope, one of their old friends may still be alive. Once again, the end leaves readers at a cliff hanger, this time with Sam and Zara in an impossible situation facing new enemies.

This is a really gripping series for lower high-school aged children. This series has a serialised single storyline which will continue at the rate of one book a month until the conclusion is reached in the thirteenth book. If you have a look closely at the montage on the cover you will be able to spot all thirteen Dreamers, their clues and the locations of their ongoing search. Also check out www.thelast13.com, an online companion page with VIP Access. There are 13 prizes to win with each book release, e-newsletters, access code breakers and many more features.

James Phelan is an Australian author who has written adult thrillers as well as the Lachlan Fox series and the Alone trilogy for older teenagers.

The Last Thirteen Book 3: 11

The Last Thirteen Book 3: 11 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-186-2

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

11 is the third instalment in this fast paced thrilling series for early teens. This book picks up with Sam speeding out of Rome after discovering the surrounding German Guardians were traitors (just like the Egyptian Guardians).

In this book the storyline starts to branch out a little. As well as Sam’s journey, we also get to follow the actions of Alex, who is now with the rival agency Enterprise, and the adventures of Eva and Gabriella back at the Academy. Both Alex and Eva are beginning to dream more and are hopeful that they may still be revealed as members of the Last Thirteen.

It’s not long before another dream/nightmare guides Sam to Germany on his next mission to identify Dreamer 11. Here he meets with Dr Dark, his former dream therapist, and learns more about his genetic background. He also reconnects with Xavier, an old friend and Dr Dark’s son.

In an unexpected twist, Sam and Xavier begin to co-dream with leads them to some answers  but also towards the explosive ending at the Berlin Zoo, where another face-to-face meeting with Solaris sees Sam lose the puzzle piece he fought so hard to find.

The more complex and tightly packed the plot of The Last Thirteen becomes, the more exciting and involved the reader becomes. Start at 13 though, this is a series which needs to be read in order.

This series has a serialised single storyline which will continue at the rate of one book a month with 13 and going backwards until the conclusion is reached in 1, the thirteenth book. Also check out www.thelast13.com, an on-line companion page with VIP Access. There are 13 prizes to win with each book release, e-newsletters, access code breakers and many more features.

James Phelan is an Australian author who has written adult thrillers as well as the Lachlan Fox series and the Alone trilogy for older teenagers.

The Last Thirteen Book 2: 12

The Last Thirteen Book 2: 12 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-185-9
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

13 books. 13 nightmares. 1 destiny.

This is the second instalment of an exciting new series for young teenagers.

After the cliff-hanger ending in 13, 12 continues by jumping straight back into the action. With his friends scattered, Sam must trust his instincts and dreams to lead him on in the quest. He now knows that as the last of the thirteen, it is up to him to find the other twelve. To do this he needs help, and knowing who to trust is not easy. This time, his search takes him from New York to Cairo and Rome.

12 does not back down from the dramatic pace of the previous book. The nightmares get scarier and a little more shadowy, while at the same time the evil Solaris becomes very real. As the characters become more fleshed out, more is invested in seeing Sam and his friends win.

In this book the issue of parents looms larger as Alex is ‘captured’ by Enterprise – in the same way that the Academy took the kids in the first place. His mother works for Enterprise and Alex battles with the notion that maybe Enterprise is not evil; it just has a different approach to the Academy. There is an even bigger evil out there and maybe Enterprise’s approach is valid too. This introduces the idea that not all is black and white; the lines can often become blurred.

This series has a serialised single storyline which will continue at the rate of one book a month until the conclusion is reached in the thirteenth book. Also check out www.thelast13.com, an on-line companion page with VIP Access. There are 13 prizes to win with each book release, e-newsletters, access code breakers and many more features.

James Phelan is an Australian author who has written adult thrillers as well as the Lachlan Fox series and the Alone trilogy for older teenagers.

The Last Thirteen Book 1: 13

The Last Thirteen Book 1: 13 by James Phelan (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $7.50
ISBN 978-1-74283-184-8
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

The Last Thirteen is a new series for young teenaged readers. Fast-paced and gripping, the reader is instantly inserted into the action of a ‘true’ dream Small details are revealed throughout the story, increasing the intrigue and tension until the final cliff-hanger moment at the end of the book.

13 is the first book of this series. Sam’s nightmares have always been bad but his latest dream seems even more real than most. Then, he is whisked away in a hair-raising helicopter ride with two other teens and taken to an Academy in Switzerland for ‘Dreamers’ where he is to be taught how to control his dreams. Here he discovers the race between good and evil has begun and he is one of the last thirteen. And Sam has a pivotal role to play in this race.

This is a great series for younger teens. It is a classic good versus evil (Academy versus Enterprise) story with a shadowy evil figure Solaris, a world-wide hunt for clues, and a search for the teenagers with special abilities, destined to be heroes in a battle to save the world.

Sam is a likeable character, as are the secondary characters and the dilemma the author creates with the two competing agencies and their reasons for being fighting the ‘good’ fight  is interesting. Even without the constant threat of death – the battling agencies tend to use dart guns not bullets – the tension is constantly heightened. The puzzle is often made more complex, not easier, and even though they are following events they have already dreamed about, you never know where the action may take a turn and change paths. 13 is wonderfully dramatic, exciting and addictive.

Instalments of these short, fast-reading books are scheduled to come out each month until the conclusion in December 2014. This will be a popular thriller series for teens. As with many series now, there is an on-line companion page with VIP Access. There are 13 prizes to win with each book release, e-newsletters, access code breakers and many more features. Check it out at www.thelast13.com

James Phelan is an Australian author who has written adult thrillers as well as the Lachlan Fox series and the Alone trilogy for older teenagers.