Snakehead

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz

Seventh book in the Alex Rider series.

After Alex's most challenging mission yet, he is picked up again, this time by the ASIS (the Australian Secret Service). He is working next to his godfather - the last person to see his parents alive. He moved to the ASIS after giving up with MI6. They are to target and infiltrate the great ruthless company of Snakehead and find out how they are smuggling illeagal immigrants into Austrailia. He meets MI6 and finds another plot much bigger than the one hes supposed to be searching. This leads to danger beyond belief. I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed the rest of the books by Anthony Horowitz. I managed to get through it three days. I am giving it 9/10.

MB

I did enjoy this story.  Again our young spy is caught in the middle of intrigue and double dealing.  The big issue in this story is how he is dealing with the loss of his parents and the story pulls a lot of the threads in other stories together.  Scorpia and the triads are heavily involved in this story.  Alex again is used and is manipulated into agreeing to participate in yet another dangerous mission.  It is interesting that again the child is manipulated by adults for their own ends with no consideration to the fact that Alex is a teenage boy.  The story follows the usual style of plot but the pace of the story is cracking and it moves along at a fair pace. It was an exciting read and I really enjoyed this story.  Is this the last Alex Rider story?  Not sure but it was nicely tidied up at the end.

I Give it an 8 out of 10

JB

Overall 8.5/10

Ark Angel

Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz

Sixth book in the Alex Rider series.

Alex Rider wakes up in hospital after being shot by Scorpia in his last adventure. This isn't any old NHS hospital though, this is a private one where millionaires go to be treated. The staff are kept quiet and the place has guards. Except for one night. This night is the night that four armed killers break into the hospital and attempt to kidnap the son of Drevin, a billionaire who is launching the first space hotel in a few wekks time. Alex steps in and gets kidnapped. They then attempt to murder him but he escapes. Drevin is pleased with him, he takes him on holiday to his mansion in England, then to his flat in Miami and then to Flamingo Bay where the launch is taking place. This is when it all starts to go wrong. The Alex Rider Books are brilliantluy written each time and i enjoyed this all the same. I liked how it continues off from the last book. In the last book he was shot which made you want to read the next book. Overall I am giving this a 8/10.

MB

I as usual enjoyed this romp through the experiences of a teenage secret agent.  Even for Alex Rider however this story does go a little bit OTT.  The style is comfortable and easy to read and keeps the reader fully emersed in the story.  Alex Rider again is a child who is underestimated by the adults he meets and as usual comes out on top.  I must admit that this series goes from strength to strength.  I also feel that the author is becomming even more comfortable with this character.  I wonder what he thinks now about the first book in the Alex rider series now and if he would write it any differently?  I am looking forward to the next installment which MB has already read and is by the side of my bed for me to read.

I give this an 8/10

JB

Overall 8/10

Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz


Fifth book in the Alex Rider series.


After the last book, where MI6 was proved wrong and Alex proved right, things are starting to turn right. Alex is turning back into a normal school boy and, unusually, MI6 are leaving him alone. Alex goes on a school trip to Venice with his best friend and his tutor. But Alex isn't there just to see the dull museums. He is there to search for Scorpia, the organisation his dad had worked for. When he finds them, they make him become one of them, a contract killer and a dangerous person. When he is sent to kill Mrs Jones he is captured bu MI6 and taken into custody. I like this book, not a much as the last but it is again a twist to the plot which makes it more exciting. Overall I am giving it 8/10.



MB

This is the latst installment of the Alex Rider series. I went straight from the last one into this. In the last book our hero is in peril and it look bleak and one wonders wether he will survive. In this the darkness in the story continues and again we are presented with an excellent story of intrigue and double dealing. Who is Alex Rider? Who was John Rider, his father. There are a lot of questions thrown back and forward about Alex's parents and their loyalties. This is an excellent story and again it seems the author is really now getting into his character and providing more depth to the story. I look forward to the next installment. I give this an 8/10

Overall 8/10

JB

Eagle Strike

Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz


Fourth in the Alex Rider series.

Alex is getting his first holiday in peace. Every thing is going well. Until his dad's assassin walks right under Alex's nose and he wants to know why. Later that day, his apartment with his best friend's dad inside is bombed and Alex is suspicious. For the first time, Alex is going to be a spy without MI6's help or permission. I enjoyed this book just as enjoyed the last of Anthony Horowitz's books. I like this one especially because it has a twist that set the plot up a bit. All of the other books have MI6 wanting Alex whereas now Alex wants MI6. I especially like the end and how he only just survives. Whilst reading this book, I noticed that the setting on the plane was a lot like the one in the Skeleton Key book. Overall I am giving this 8/10

MB

Alex Rider delivers the goods again. I have to admit I am really enjoying his series of books. Anthony Horowitz has out James Bonded James Bond. If that makes any sense. The character continues to grow in depth and as one gets through the stories it is clear that Alex is a deeply troubled child. In this story as described by Matthew the plot gets thicker and darker. I recommend these stories as they are enjoyable romps through the world in search of danger and spies. I give this story an 8/10

Overall 8/10

JB

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

Point Blanc

Point Blanc by Anthony Horowitz

Second book in the Alex Rider Series.

This book is one that keeps you on your toes. I wouldn't say that it was better than the last one but it was still good. It is about this spy Alex Rider who is sent on a mission to Point Blanc Acadamy up in the Alps. First though they have to make him look rich and misbehaving for them to take him in. Once in, he finds more things there than there are meant to be in an Acadamy and how do the bad boys become good over night? Alex has to find all this out and stay alive. I am giving this a 6/10.

MB

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. This is the second in the series by Anthony Horowitz. Alex Rider the tenage spy used by MI6 is again in hot water or should I say in a school high in the Alps. Again he is pitted against a villain straight out of the 1970's James Bond era who has a streak of insanity in him. This story also raises contemporary issues around the ethics of cloning and how it could be used with criminal intent. The story focuses around the beahviour of children who live spoilt lives and how this is used to the advantage of the villain. I recomend this book highly and I think that the writer has grown in confidence with the character and the plots. I thought it was a far better book than the first in the series which I know Matt diasagrees with. the plot and the story were more closely intertwinned and I felt it was a more complete story. It was interesting though that the last Charlie Higgson Young James Bond story also was based in the alps. Perhaps both authors are influencing each other. I give this an 8/10

JB

Overall 7/10