Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz (Alex Rider #4)

While on holiday with his friend Sabina Pleasure and her family, an attempt is made on Sabina's father's life. When Alex learns his old foe, Yassen Gregorovich the man who killed his uncle, is behind it, he is determined to find out who would want to kill the journalist. Alex's curiosity leads him to Damian Cray, the ultra-rich philanthropist pop star who has an insane plan to save the world no matter the cost.

Another crazy madman, another crazy adventure. It's par for the course for Alex Rider at this point.  What is it with villains that in these books that they leave Alex alone with some trap? It's like in Austin Powers:

Dr. Evil: Scott, I want you to meet daddy's nemesis, Austin Powers
Scott Evil: What? Are you feeding him? Why don't you just kill him?
Dr. Evil: I have an even better idea. I'm going to place him in an easily escapable situation involving an overly elaborate and exotic death.
Dr. Evil: All right guard, begin the unnecessarily slow-moving dipping mechanism.
[guard starts dipping mechanism]
Dr. Evil: Close the tank!
Scott Evil: Wait, aren't you even going to watch them? They could get away!
Dr. Evil: No no no, I'm going to leave them alone and not actually witness them dying, I'm just gonna assume it all went to plan. What?
Scott Evil: I have a gun, in my room, you give me five seconds, I'll get it, I'll come back down here, BOOM, I'll blow their brains out!
Dr. Evil: Scott, you just don't get it, do ya? You don't.

So a giant video game set and they just leave him alone. So dumb. But it wouldn't be much of a book if they just shot him. But as adventure spy thrillers go, it is a pretty good book. I'll definitely finish the series but I am going to take a break for a couple of books, I think. It's funny because there was a giant reveal at the end of this book that leaves Alex and the reader questioning everything we've known about Alex's father up to this book. So I definitely want to find out about that.

Alex Rider
Stormbreaker
Point Blank
Skeleton Key

Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz (Alex Rider #3)

After being sent to Wimbledon to check into a suspicious turn of events, Alex is put out on loan to the U.S. CIA for his protection and to provide cover for two CIA agents. Sent to Cuba to act as the son, Alex soon finds himself embroiled in the plans of a Russian general.

I am enjoying this series. Alex is a good kid and a terrific spy albeit a reluctant one. But he is so good at it that MI6 keeps using him and this time the CIA asks to "borrow" Alex to help get their agents onto an island with a lot of security. There is some contrivence with the Wimbledon tournament to get Alex into the position where he has to leave the country for a while but the main plot involves the Russian general.

I'm noticing that the villians tend to have a second in command that is hard for Alex to beat but eventually he outsmarts them and wins. In this book it is Conrad, an assassin whose been stitched together after being caught in a bomb detonation. I can't say there were any surprises with the ending but there was one surprise with the CIA agents so that made it more interesting. Also interesting is the addition of Alex's new friend, Sabina. She is a great character and I hope she shows up more in the series.

Alex Rider
Stormbreaker
Point Blank

Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz (Alex Rider #2) (audio)

Reluctant teen spy Alex Rider has put himself in a jam. Now endebted to MI6 for rescusing he is once again sent on a mission made for a boy his age.  He is sent to a school for the rich and powerful's troubled sons to find out if there is something sinister going on at the school.

OK. I think the key here is just utter suspension of belief that any of this is in any way rational. I can deal with the teenage spy thing.  Sure sure, this is a thing that can happen. I can deal with the school for troubled wealthy youth. I can deal with the things Alex manages to do before he evens get to the school or the fact that he already seems highly trained and well rounded, something that is attributed to his upbringing by his uncle. But the whole reveal at Point Blanc, the school, is pretty crazy. The whole thing is so James Bond. I honestly at this point don't know if this is criticism or praise. It's a great series and I'll definitely continue on with it but C'MON (SPOILERS highlight) 16 cloned boys who've had plastic surgery and are going to take over the world through their parents and all perpetuated by a crazy mad scientist. I just don't even know. But it's an exciting and action packed series so I'm willing to let these things go for the sake of having something fun to listen to on my way to work.

Simon Prebble is the narrator. I really don't like narrator changes but Simon Prebble is a good narrator and he won me over. It helps that this is only the second in the series and so I haven't associated the previous narrator only with Alex's voice. I wonder if he continues but I can't find the third book on audio so I'll have to read it.

Sequel to Stormbreaker

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz (audio)

Alex Rider has just lost his uncle. They claim he died in a car accident and was not wearing his seat belt. But Ian Rider was facetious about seat belts and Alex can't let this detail go. Soon he discovers his uncle was actually spy working for MI6. Now he is tasked to complete his uncle's last assignment: infiltrate the headquarters of Herod Sayle and see if there is something behind the gift of a new supercomputer to every school in Britain.

I am assuming that the words teenage Bond have been used in abundant when describing Alex Rider. Because that is basically what this feels like sans the sex (thank goodness). Even the villains have a Bondesque quality to them and the whole supercomputer plot is definitely out of a Bond type movie. But it was still a fun book. Alex is talent, resourceful and with very little true personality: pretty much an ideal spy. The gadgets are cute and very appropriate and I love the inclusion of the library. Having read a book before, I knew how this was going to end but that's okay. I enjoyed it enough to want to continue on with the series. I think it is one my son will like when he is older.