ZAC POWER

Full Name:	Zac Power
Codename:	Agent Rock Star
Nationality:	Australian
Organization:	GIB
Occupation	Agent

Creator:	H. I. Larry
Time Span:	2006 - 2014

ABOUT THE SERIES

Zac Power is an agent with the GIB.

That acronym stands for the Government Intelligence Bureau. Since Power is an Australian and proud of it and so are his parents and his older brother, Leon, and they are all also agents of the GIB, it is safe to assume that the GIB is an Australian secret service. The secret part is something that continually annoys Power; he has been an operative a couple years already and he has saved the world like a gazillion times (bit of an exaggeration there on Power's part but it is an impressive number) and he still cannot tell any of his buddies at school what he does when he disappears now and then.

If you had not already surmised - and looking at the pictures of the covers of the many adventures Zac Power has been involved in, it would be impossible to not surmise - Zac Power is a boy. A tween aged 12, to be exact. At least that is how old he is when we first meet him. We will later be given a chance to peer back into Power's already impressive life story to when he was younger and just starting out to be an operative, learning the cloak and dagger business - what he had not already learned from his fellow agent parents. But it is as a tween, just a short jump from becoming a teenager, that we are allowed to see just how capable and interesting he is at his job. Not to mention why he was already considered GIB's best agent.

Power comes from a heritage of being an operative. His parents, as I said, were agents. Mum goes by the codename of Agent Bum Smack [not sure how she got that one though I kinda do and kinda don't want to learn]. Dad is Agent Tool Belt [nowhere near as interesting a sobriquet but at least it is easy to understand] Even his grandfather is Agent High Pants [that one requires no imagination but does beg the question was he was called before he got old]. Zac's 15-year-old brother, Leon, might have his own codename but I didn't learn it but we do learn immediately and frequently that Leon is not the adventurous, able-to-handle-any-situation kind of fellow like Zac but boy, is that kid smart.

The GIB has a motto on a plaque at their Headquarters which states: Whatever happens, a spy must always complete the mission. There's no room for sympathy and no room for fear." Power is a living example of this mantra. He hates to fail and besides, failure might mean not getting called for another near-suicide assignment and that owuld mean having to go to school like normal, non-secret-agenty kids.

YOUNG ADULT BOOKS

Number of Books:	58
First Appearance:	2006
Last Appearance:	2014

First of all, these were all published as books for young people which is why they are listed under the YA Book section. I mention this because each of these is really just novelette size, running around 7500 words each.

There were 25 'regular' (my quotes) in the set, spaced out over a few years. During that stretch, several additional sets were released.

The first was a 4-part mini-series called "Mega Missions" which were all interlinked (their term) and later released as one volume. Then came another 4-parter called "Extreme Missions" where again were repackaged as one book.

Then a 16-adventure set came out in which Zac was asked to help "test drive" new equipment and naturally missions and troubles would need to be resolved at the same time.

This led to an 8-book set dealing with an even younger Zac Power just getting started in the spy biz. These were packaged as Spy Camp adventures and then, a few years later, re-released as Spy Recruit adventures.

Finally, among all that, one very long adventure called the Ultimate Mission was published.


1			Poison Island Copyright: 2006 "Zac Power is on a mission to the world's most dangerous island. He has to track down Dr. Drastic, an evil mad scientist, in a jungle is full of quicksand, piranhas, and poison frogs. No sweat! When you come from a family of spies, you do this sort of thing millions of times before the age of twelve. But this time is different. Something goes terribly wrong and Zac's geeky older brother gets kidnapped. Now, Zac only has 24 hours to find the formula for solution X and stop Dr. Drastic…before his brother gets fed to a volcano!"

2			Deep Waters Copyright: 2006 "Zac Power's next mission is in one of the deepest oceans in the world. Even GIB's subs can't handle the depth. But the enemy has invented a new sub that can dive deeper than ever before. Can Zac find the enemy and protect the top-secret information stored on the seabed?"

3			Mind Games Copyright: 2006 "Super-smart hackers are attacking the software that protects GIB's ultra-powerful satellite, WorldEye. Sources lead Zac to Bladesville, a huge city where all the latest games and gadgets are developed. Can Zac track down the hackers, and outsmart them?"

4			Frozen Fear Copyright: 2006 "Zac is sent to the Great Icy Pole to investigate suspicious activity in the area. It's a freezing, scary place where your eyeballs can freeze in their sockets and your fingers can snap off! And if Zac misses his helicopter ride back, he'll be stuck there all winter..."

5			Tomb of Doom Copyright: 2006 "Zac's family holiday is booooring... until he gets his latest mission: find and rescue a top GIB agent mission near the Vanishing Tomb somewhere in the Amber Sands. The tomb keeps vanishing and once inside booby traps are everywhere. Zac will need more than a bag full of super-cool gadgets to complete this mission... and get out alive!"

6			Night Raid Copyright: 2006 "Masses of gold ingots are being stolen from the world's most secure bank vault. Intelligence reports suggest the evil spy agency BIG is involved. Can Zac find out how the hold is being stolen and get it back? There's no telling what crimes BIG could commit with all that gold..."

7			Lunar Strike Copyright: 2007 "An enemy agent is out to steal billions of dollars from the bank computer that orbits the Earth. Will Zac be able to stop the theft without being blasted to space dust?"

8			Sudden Drop Copyright: 2007 "When BIG hijacks a secret water supply, Zac Power faces yet another dangerous mission. But to rescue the water, Zac has to find it - in the middle of the harsh outback and protected by some of BIG's deadliest defence systems yet."

9			Blockbuster Copyright: 2007 "Zac is invited to the premiere of a new spy movie - in Hollywood! At first, Zac thinks he's getting a holiday from his spy work, but there's something strange going on. When Zac discovers a mysterious microchip with a prototype brain-washing technology, he realizes that there's no time off for a super-spy!"

10			Shockwave Copyright: 2007 "GIB has received a mysterious ransom note - pay $500 billion or a purple diamond Laster Blaster will be used to destroy all mobile networks around the world! Zac doesn't know who, where, or how, he just knows when. He has 24 hours to save the world."

11			High Risk Copyright: 2007 "When the Prince of the remote Hidden Kingdom is kidnapped, it's Zac Power to the rescue! But the kingdom bans all electronics. How will Zac manage without all his cool spy gadgets?"

12			Undercover Copyright: 2008 "There's a double agent working at GIB! Zac Power must go undercover to stop the theft of all of GIB's most valuable secrets and gadgets! Can Zac find the double agent before GIB is destroyed?"

13			Boot Camp Copyright: 2008 "How cool to be pulled out of maths class to go on Spy Boot Camp! But when a top GIB spy goes missing, Zac faces the biggest test of his spy career yet..."

14			Swamp Race Copyright: 2008 "Zac has to find top-secret blueprints before his enemy does! But why are the blueprints hidden in the middle of the Murky Swamp?"

15			Thrill Ride Copyright: 2009 "There's a sinister invention at Shark Park that's about to be unleashed! Zac's spy senses are on high-alert. He must ride the scariest roller-coaster, stop the invention and save the world."

16			Shipwreck Copyright: 2009 "A GIB agent has gone missing in the mysterious Black Triangle deep underwater. Can Zac find him among the sea of shipwrecks before it's too late?"

17			River Rampage Copyright: 2009 "Someone has hacked into GIB's satellite! Can Zac get past the dangerous white rapids AND a massive waterfall before GIB secrets are leaked to the world?"

18			Overdrive Copyright: 2009 "Zac is going undercover at the Grand Prix! There's a suspicious new team with the fastest car in the world. On this mission, Zac has the need for speed..."

19			Foul Play Copyright: 2009 "BIG have infiltrated a soccer team in the grand final! Zac Power is a brilliant soccer player, but is he good enough to stop BIG from cheating their way to the prize money?"

20			Close Shave Copyright: 2009 "When Dr Drastic unleashes an evil new hair gel, Zac Power has only 24 hours to save the entire town from going bald... including himself!"

21			Fossil Fury Copyright: 2010 "Zac knows the dinosaurs died out millions of years ago. So why would a crazy scientist claim that he's brought one back to life?"

22			Shock Music Written by H. I. Larry Copyright: 2010 "Has Zac's favourite band turned evil? Zac will have to use all his awesome rock star skills to work out what's going on..."

23			Sky High Copyright: 2012 "A piece of top-secret GIB technology has been stolen, and Zac Power has to get it back. Blasting off towards a secret hide-out in the sky, he faces his strangest enemy yet..."

24			Volcanic Panic Copyright: 2012 "When Zac's latest mission briefing sends him to a secret volcanic island in the middle of the ocean, he knows that something isn't quite right. The he discovers a secret that GIB has been trying to uncover for years..."

25			Horror House Copyright: 2014 "When the power goes out all over town, Zac's SpyPad intercepts a message from BIG! The address in the message leads him to a creepy house that's full of surprises. Will Zac get to the bottom of BIG's plans? Or has he walked into a trap?"

26			Base Camp Copyright: 2008 Book 1 of 4 in the Mega Mission mini-series. "When Zac is pulled out of school by the head of GIB, he knows his next mission must be important..."

27			Code Red Copyright: 2008 Book 2 of 4 in the Mega Mission mini-series. "Zac might have aced the fi rst phase of the mission, but strange things are going on back at headquarters. What is the hologram projector, and why doesn't Zac's boss want him to know about it?"

28			Moon Rider Copyright: 2008 Book 3 of 4 in the Mega Mission mini-series. "Zac may have solved the mystery of the hologram projector, but now he has a rescue mission on his hands. On the dark side of the moon!"

29			High Stakes Copyright: 2008 Book 4 of 4 in the Mega Mission mini-series. "Zac is racing against the clock to stop the enemy. And the survival of GIB depends on his success!"

30			Zac Power Mega Missions Copyright: 2008 The collection of all 4 books in the Mega Mission mini-series: Base Camp, Code Red, Moon Rider, and High Stakes "Zac Power and his spy agency GIB are facing their biggest challenge yet – but so much of the mission is a mystery! What does Zac’s long-lost grandpa have to do with it, and who is BIG’s incredible new agent? GIB have no idea what’s coming, and only Zac can save the day..."

31			Sand Storm Copyright: 2009 Book 1 of 4 in the Extreme Mission mini-series. "When Zac Power’s grandpa drags him on a new mission in the middle of the night, Zac is pumped. They’re racing to find the four parts of a powerful gadget called IRIS – and their first stop is a stormy desert! "

32			Dark Tower Copyright: 2009 Book 2 of 4 in the Extreme Mission mini-series. "The second piece of IRIS is hidden in the crumbly ruins of a castle, surrounded by a dense, misty forest. Zac knew it would be treacherous, but he wasn’t counting on the army of androids waiting for him… or having his nerdy brother Leon along on the mission!"

33			Ice Patrol Copyright: 2009 Book 3 of 4 in the Extreme Mission mini-series. "Zac's whole family has been recruited to sneak into the City of Snow. They have to save the third piece of IRIS – but it's hidden in the crown of the king himself! And when Zac's family is taken hostage, he's faced with the toughest decision of his spy career. Will he stay and fight for his family, or go and save the world from BIG and IRIS?"

34			Water Blaster Copyright: 2012 Book 4 of 4 in the Extreme Mission mini-series. "The final piece of IRIS is hidden deep in the ocean, protected by an underwater minefield. Zac is running out of time to rescue his family and take IRIS before his enemies do. The whole world is at stake, and it all comes down to Zac..."

35			Zac Power Extreme Missions Copyright: 2008 The collection of all 4 books in the Extreme Mission mini-series: Sand Storm Dark Tower, Ice Patrol, and Water Blaster "When Zac Power’s grandpa drags him on a new mission in the middle of the night, Zac is pumped. They’re racing to find the four parts of a powerful gadget called IRIS. But Grandpa won’t say what IRIS does, or why it’s been broken up. The only thing Zac knows is that this time, the threat is bigger than to just GIB. If they don’t find IRIS before their enemies do, the whole world will be in danger…"

36			Zac's Moon Trip Written by H. I. Larry Copyright: 2009 Book 1 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Will they help him clean a dirty space station?"

37			Zac's Wild Rescue Copyright: 2009 Book 2 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Are they cool enough for Zac's wild rescue at the zoo?"

38			Zac's Icy Pole Copyright: 2009 Book 3 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Can they help Zac stop the ice caps from melting?"

39			Zac's Sticky Fix Copyright: 2009 Book 4 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Will they work - even deep under the water?"

40			Zac's Freaky Frogs Copyright: 2009 Book 5 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Will they get him to the poisoned frogs in time?"

41			Zac's Ski Mission Copyright: 2009 Book 6 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Can he use them to save a man lost in the snow?"

42			Zac's Bank Bust Copyright: 2009 Book 7 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Are they enough to help stop a bank robbery?"

43			Zac's Shark Attack Copyright: 2009 Book 8 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Can they help him chase sharks away from the swimmers?"

44			Zac's Power On Copyright: 2009 Book 9 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Can he stop BIG stealing power from the theme park?"

45			Zac's Water World Copyright: 2009 Book 10 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Can he stop fake missions being sent to GIB agents?"

46			Zac's Rocket Launch Copyright: 2009 Book 11 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Will he be able to stop an out-of-control blimp?"

47			Zac's Skate Break Copyright: 2009 Book 12 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Will he be able to rescue the trapped skaters?"

48			Zac's Double Dare Copyright: 2010 Book 13 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Will they help him get the secret GIB plans back?"

49			Zac's Quicksand Copyright: 2010 Book 14 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Can they help him find the mission drivers?"

50			Zac's High Dive Copyright: 2010 Book 15 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Will he be able to stop BIG polluting the sea?

51			Zac's Space Race Copyright: 2010 Book 16 in the Zac Power Test Drive sub-series. "Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Can he use them to escape from the space lasers?"

52			Zac Blasts Off Copyright: 2010 Book 1 in the Zac Power Spy Camp sub-series. "Zac is off on Spy Camp to do space training. Can he dodge the space lasers?"

53			Zac Strikes Out Copyright: 2010 Book 2 in the Zac Power Spy Camp sub-series. "Zac is off on Spy Camp to work on his karate. But can he beat a crazy karate robot?"

54			Zac Cracks Down Copyright: 2010 Book 3 in the Zac Power Spy Camp sub-series. "Zac is off on Spy Camp to crack codes. Can he use his code-cracking skills to save Bladesville?"

55			Zac Climbs High Copyright: 2010 Book 4 in the Zac Power Spy Camp sub-series. "Zac is off on Spy Camp to do circus training. What will happen when his tightrope breaks?"

56			Zac Runs Wild Copyright: 2010 Book 5 in the Zac Power Spy Camp sub-series. "Zac is off to Spy Camp to train animals. Will he escape from the angry lion?"

57			Zac Wipes Out Copyright: 2010 Book 6 in the Zac Power Spy Camp sub-series. "Zac is off to Spy Camp to rescue people. Can he save his training buddy from red-hot lava?"

58			Zac Jets On Copyright: 2010 Book 7 in the Zac Power Spy Camp sub-series. "Zac is off to Spy Camp to train in secret tunnels. Will he find a way out before they flood?

59			Zac Heats Up Copyright: 2010 Book 8 in the Zac Power Spy Camp sub-series. "Zac is off to Spy Camp to survive in the outdoors. Can he get across the desert in time?:

60			Ultimate Mission Copyright: 2010 "Zac Power is facing his biggest challenge ever! And this time the whole world is in danger... GIB's worst enemies have joined forces for their most evil plan yet, led by a mysterious new enemy called the Shadow. This mission will be the ultimate test of Zac's spy skills - especially if it means the end of the Government Investigation Bureau."

61			The Fear Files Copyright: 2011 A collection marketed as Zac Power Special Files #1 consisting of 2 previous adventures: Horror House and Thrill Ride.

62			The Rockstar Files Copyright: 2011 A collection marketed as Zac Power Special Files #2 consisting of 2 previous adventures: Blockbuster and Shock Music.

63			The Underwater Files Copyright: 2011 A collection marketed as Zac Power Special Files #3 consisting of 2 previous adventures: Deep Waters and Shipwreck.

64			The Sky Files Copyright: 2011 A collection marketed as Zac Power Special Files #4 consisting of 2 previous adventures: Lunar Strike and Sky High.

65			The Undercover Files Copyright: 2011 A collection marketed as Zac Power Special Files #5 consisting of 2 previous adventures: Boot Camp and Undercover.

66			The City Files Copyright: 2011 A collection marketed as Zac Power Special Files #6 consisting of 2 previous adventures: Mind Games and Fossil Fury.

67			The Volcano Files Copyright: 2011 A collection marketed as Zac Power Special Files #7 consisting of 2 previous adventures: Poison Island and Volcanic Panic.

68			The Desert Files Copyright: 2011 A collection marketed as Zac Power Special Files #8 consisting of 2 previous adventures: Sudden Drop and Tomb of Doom.

MY COMMENTS

There is no doubt whatsoever that had these books been available when I was the indicated reading age, I would have absolutely devoured them, assuming my library carried them which is not likely since these tales were published originally in Australia and that is a long way from South Dakota, especially back then.

So, tottering oldie that I am now, I had to make up for it by reading several for this entry. That did not take long, of course, since they are all really, really short and super fast reads. But fun ones.

GRADE

My Grade: B-

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