H.I.V.E. 9: Bloodline

SPOILERS AHEAD!I used to love these books as a teen, and the final one is here after years of waiting. So here’s hoping after all that build up and expectation it was all worth it…It wasn’t. Not even close.So HIVE had always been riddled with continuity errors (looking at you professor Pike, referred to as both William and Theodore in separate books) and this one is no exception:It’s established that Nero has run HIVE since the 1960s, yet this book claims that 30 years ago he was in his 20s? And it can’t be that the book is set in the past as it makes a (cringe inducing) reference to Donald Trump being elected president.Also, this book claims that while Otto is smart, he has basically zero combat skills. See the entirety of the Rogue book for evidence that this isn’t the case.This book claims to take place during Otto’s final year. The first book established that HIVE takes place for 6 years from ages 13-19. Yet it’s stated in this book that the Glass house was several months ago (when Otto was 15). Also the first clone has only just matured in this book, the book prior (Deadlock) confirms the maturation is due to be completed 100 days following the events of deadlock.Also in book 1, Block and Tackle are established as older students, yet they still appear in HIVE during this book when Otto is supposed to be in his final year? How does that work?Through the series it’s very well established that Otto struggles with his lack of a family. He looks at Nigel and his father with jealousy and is very disturbed by his own backstory as a clone. Yet in this book he laughs and jokes about being a clone, and the only person in the series who he shares DNA with (Anna), he immediately claims is not his family? And he doesn’t even consider trying to redeem her. It’s referenced that when he takes control at the end of this book he causes her pain and ‘twists the knife in’, even after she offers him life with her and their 11 other siblings as a family? This doesn’t make sense. By comparison he tried to connect with Zero (the clone prototype) at first and was very reluctant to kill him until it was absolutely necessaryI could go on….Either way, it just comes across like this book is just a sloppy, lazy attempt at ‘closing the door’ on a series that the author has lost the drive to complete. If the continuity errors aren’t proof of this, then surely the fact that this book is VERY short and rushed should. The idea of just bringing in a character of ‘it’s like the main guy… but MORE’ is tired and boring.There’s also a few things set up in the previous books that have no pay-off here or are completely ignored, examples being:Penny turned dark towards the end of deadlock, and it’s very much hinted that she’s now out for revenge. But nope, she just works alongside Wing with no issues.It’s mentioned that Overlord is the only entity who truly grasps the technology that created Otto and that the ‘tinkering’ of those who don’t understand, as well as the artificial maturation, would have a detrimental effect on the biology and abilities of the clones. This never appears to be an issue and was just forgotten.The last time Otto held a great amount of power, he almost succumbed to a god complex and had to be talked down by HIVEmind. Here he gives himself animus and is totally with it, doesn’t have any god complex issues. How convenient.Nero always has a backup plan for every event (Zero Hour being a good example of this). Nero amongst others know Otto is very powerful and are aware he may go rogue, as he has once before. How on earth has nobody got a plan for what to do if a being like Otto tries to take control? They’ve had years of advanced warning, and Otto knew more clones were coming. Yet nobody prepared?Hugely disappointed. This has left a horrid bad taste on what used to be a decent book series (with only a few small forgivable errors). I don’t recommend this book to any of those who read HIVE as a teen and are curious how it ended. Save yourselves from the irritation of this book.

Its a glorious book, good round off to a devine series. Definitely enjoyed reading it.I'd cannot recommend the H.I.V.E books enough.

A fantastic summary to the series.The characters contained are really good, both old and new.While the theme is still world ending, and it feels like some of the plot lines are similar, it is a fantastic read.The scenes are varied and really well written. Some great humour and a good villan.All in all a fantastic book, and the ending was really well done

One of the best so far. Could not put the book down. This book was all that I had been waiting for and more.Loved the ending especially as was really sad when the nuke exploded and he died. Almost put the book down then and their. But I didn’t and I very glad for that.Can’t wait to see what the Arthur dose next now that this series finished. Though I could be wrong. I thought the last one was the end. Boy I was wrong.

i think that it is a really well written very tense book that had me hooled from the first pge of book one. The end of the last book was very suprising and i cant wait to see what happens next