The Hypnotists (The Hypnotists, Book 1) (1) - Hardcover

Korman, Gordon

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0545503221 ISBN 13: 9780545503228

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2013

Synopsis

An all-new, mesmerizing adventure from the masterful Gordon Korman!

Is it a gift . . . or is it a curse? Jax Opus can use his color-changing eyes to make people do things they don't want to do. (Only his color-blind best friend, Tommy, seems immune.) At first, Jax doesn't know what he's doing -- temporarily hypnotizing friends, foes, and strangers. But then his power pushes things way too far, and his secret isn't a secret any longer.Soon Jax finds himself meeting Dr. Elias Mako, who wants him to join a special institution that will teach him how to use his powers. But what will his powers be used for? That's the big question for Jax as his hypnotic abilities draw him into a conspiracy that will have him racing against time and a mysterious mastermind to save his best friend, his parents, and the entire United States.From #1 NEW YORK TIMES author Gordon Korman comes a fast, fun, and fantastic adventure about a kid who can make other people do what he wants -- and who's wanted big-time because of it.

About this title

About the Author

Gordon Korman is the beloved author of over one hundred novels for young readers, including hilarious middle-grade classics such as the Macdonald Hall series, I Want to Go Home and Slacker. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Gordon grew up in Thornhill, Ontario, and now lives in New York with his family. Visit him online at www.gordonkorman.com.

Reviews

Gr 5-8–Twelve-year-old Jackson Opus knows that he is a little different and that people sometimes act odd around him. But when his New York City bus driver suddenly starts driving like a madman and his psychiatrist tries to jump out the window, Jax thinks it's more than a little strange. Turns out, Jax is a hypnotist, a person capable of capturing others' minds and bending them to suggestions. It's not an easy power to master. Fortunately, Jax is taken under the wing of Dr. Elias Mako of the Sentia Institute, where he, along with others with similar powers, learns how to control his ability. But with great power comes great responsibility, and his gift makes him a ripe target for those who want to use him to “bend” others. Can Jax determine who is friend and who is foe in a world in which his own mind can be used against him? Korman delivers a quick and thrilling adventure with accessible characters and a familiar urban landscape. While the overall story and world-building run thin at times, readers looking for an action-filled plot will enjoy this contemporary story of psychic powers and betrayal. The dramatic tone may be unexpected for fans who know Korman for high jinks and humor, but it should be a good fit for fans of his “Titanic” trilogy (Scholastic).–Stephanie Whelan, New York Public Libraryα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Things just have a way of working out for Jax. The bus stops when he is running late. The pretty girl looks his way. Teachers love him, and for a mediocre athlete, he has got a magic touch on the basketball court. But soon Jax discovers that it’s not just good luck; rather, he has an innate ability to hypnotize those around him. When his skill is discovered by another hypnotist at a vaudeville-style show, he is recruited into a secretive training program. Jax is skeptical at first, but then he decides to make the most of his skill—until he realizes that Dr. Mako and his trainees at the Sentia Institute have plots far more nefarious and powerful than Jax’s dream of getting an extra serving of fries out of the cafeteria ladies. Brief, fast-moving, mysterious, and full of suspenseful moments, this first in the Hypnotists series hits all the right notes for aspiring magicians as well as those who like plucky underdogs who are easy to cheer for. Grades 4-7. --Heather Booth

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

From The Hypnotists:

"What we do here at Sentia is... hypnotism."

"Hypnotism?" Mrs. Opus sat forward. "You mean like getting somebody to quit smoking? Or overcome a fear of flying?"

Mako shook his head. "That is a kind of therapy a psychiatrist might use, but it's not true hypnotism. What we study at Sentia is an innate ability to penetrate and influence people's minds. I myself happen to have a certain amount of ability in this area, but nothing compared to the kind of gift your son appears to be wielding."

Jax's mouth fell open. "Me? I've never hypnotized anybody! I've never even tried to!"

The director smiled knowingly. "Ah, but you have ― and without even realizing it. Have you ever looked into someone's eyes and suddenly experienced the phenomenon that you are actually seeing yourself from the perspective of another?"

Jax was shocked. "How could you know that?"

"What this means is that you have begun to hypnotize this person. A mesmeric link is forming between the two of you, and you are in your subject's mind, seeing what he or she sees."

Jax was speechless. He had come here with the intention of exposing the institute as a fraud. And in less than a minute, not only had the director proved him wrong, but he had also explained the unexplainable ― the bizarre visions that had almost convinced Jax he was losing his marbles. The championship basketball game ― had Steadman flubbed those foul shots because Jax was standing there whispering, Miss? How many other weird experiences could be understood that way? What had he said in Dr. Gundenberg's office? Better still, you jump out the window. Or at the vaudeville show: You try the chicken routine and see how you like it! At the time, he'd thought the shrink and Ramolo had gone completely crazy. But in reality, they had followed his instructions to the

Edition details

• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0545503221
• ISBN 13: 9780545503228
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240