Skeleton Key

Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz

Third in the Alex Rider series.

Alex, the reluctant spy, has this time got to join up with two CIA adult officers who hate Alex and think he is a 'baby'. They have to go to an island called Skeleton Key which is a private island near Cuba. It is owned by a Russian General Sarov who is planning to rewrite history. Acting as if they were on holiday, Alex and the two CIA officers go to the island. I think that the character is not described as well in this book as in the last two and there were some parts that got a bit boring. I enjoyed this book and thought that it was better than the last Alex Rider book. I am giving 8/10.

MB

Alex rider is at it again. This time he is on the run from the Chinese Triads who want revenge following his involvement in an operation at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. He also meets a girl who befriends him with her family and invites him on holiday, who may or may not figure in later stories. To escape the triads Alex is loaned to the CIA who need a child to get some of their operatives onto an island in the Caribbean. Again we meet a villain straight out of a bad 1970's James Bond movie. There is a lot in this story and we are reminded again and again of Alex's lack of family and closeness with others. You get the impression that Alex is a very lonely child and this loneliness seeps out. He is offered an opportunity to be adopted but his morale strength rejects that option. I have to admit I feel that the character is growing and Mr Horowitz is more and more comfortable with this character. I give this story an 8 out of 10

JB

Overall 8/10