The action and verbal sparring is suggestive of a young 007 (which is also being done at this point, but those books are set in the 1930s, making it a little hard for today’s readers to understand). The gadgets that are part of Alex’s arsenal are provided by Smithers, Alex’s own version of Q. So far they’ve included things like a yo-yo that could operate as a mechanized grappling hook. A Discman that had a saw CD that could cut through concrete walls. And an exploding earring.
Point Blank is loaded with a lot of over-the-top action that Horowitz deftly describes without missing a beat. Dr. Grief and Mrs. Stellenbosch are perfectly creepy villains. And the actual evil plot could have been ripped from today’s headlines.
My nine-year-old and I usually read 20 minutes a day in the morning while he has his breakfast before he goes to school. He had a hard time waiting between reading sessions because his active mind was constantly working to figure out how Alex was going to get out of his latest jam, and to figure out what was really going on.
Through all of the action, though, Alex emerges as a complete and unique character, despite the immediate comparisons to James Bond. Alex has his own troubles, and his parents’ deaths are mysteries that plague him and keep cropping up throughout the series. These are great books for adult readers as well as middle-graders. There simply isn’t enough of this stuff – this good – out there. If you haven’t discovered Alex Rider, this would be a great book to start with. Especially if you see the movie and you and your kids want more teen spy action!
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!
2 - Katie McNeill
this sounds good too. and it got picked up by Advance.net, that's fantastic! congrats!
3 - eli
storm breaker is so cool! so is all the alex rider books. They are my total favourite. Every single one deserves a 10/10
4 - Darci
wow!!! the alex rider movie is soooo awesome! i love it, they r the only books i will actually read, matter of fact i am gonna read all the books!!! but ne way i love them, they r sooooo good and very intertaining!!
5 - sara
hmm.. is there a 2nd movie coming soon?
6 - none
cool
7 - Miley
omg, does Alex Roder actually Die in Scorpia??????????????????????/
8 - hodgey
Yea.....alex rider is awsome.....im doing a book review ....on this and this book review relly helps.....good work Mel Odom....lol i dont no u but yea....he doesnt die in scorpia does he....theirs another book aye?
any way thanks
hodgey
9 - Zap999999999
Darci
wow!!! the alex rider movie is soooo awesome! i love it, they r the only books i will actually read, matter of fact i am gonna read all the books!!! but ne way i love them, they r sooooo good and very intertaining!!
I would think you'd get some good grammar from reading these books. Anyway awesome books. Violent(my personal favorite quality of a book ☻)good vocabulary, good length , everything good in books. Just dosent match up to artemis fowl.
10 - danzo
alex rider rocks!he is so in my top 5.
my top 5 are james bond{1},alex rider{2},artimes
fowl {3},need for speed games{4},action films{5}
11 - Joe
I never knew they had a movie. Alex doesn't die in Scorpia and the next book Ark Angel is reallly gooood! I think they are even publishing a new book called Snakehead.
12 - unknown???
I hated this review who ever made it sucks
From you suck
13 - jenna
hello i have never been on this site i agree with all of u lot, im fourteen yr old girl still reading the books since yr 7 or 8 ?? And they are all good endings well done anthony horowitz... no alex does not die in scorpia
and yes there is a new book called Snakehead which i just finished reading and it was brilliant ....woooooo go horowitz books lol oh an for those who haven't yet seen stormbreaker movie its a must lol ....
girls u will love Alex Pettyfer cos hes gorgeous lol haha
14 - Garett Ford
I think his books are awosme and I think I am A genious
15 - Christopher Rose
Yes, except at spelling...
16 - ayse kiran
ur book was soooooooooo like crapreeeeeeeeeee no afence lossssser
17 - alex
YALL ARE A BUNCH OF GEEKS
18 - omg
That book was like soooooooo coool. i mean like it was the perfect book and i love it like rocks my socks off and i am like sooooo lovin it right now. well anyway, i cant wait for the next one, i like just want to sooooooo eat him up that little hunk of spy. well like goodbye and like i sooooo want to see you again and like kiss you. i like soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo love you! alex rider, you are all man and like sooooo totally all mine!
19 - Brett
this book was out of this world im going to read all of Anthony Horowitz
20 - TRAVIS
I AM DOING A BOOK REPORT BECUASE THIS BOOK IS AWSOME LOL YOU ALL ARE COOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
21 - bbj
cool book, ay
22 - isaac
i have to read this review for a book report but who cares
23 - daniel
SSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO COOL BEST BOOK EveR!im going to read all of them!!!!!!!!woo hoo rock on!
24 - Bob
waht genre is point blank realistic fiction
25 - Blah
i read Point Blank and it was absolutely awesome and action packed but as soon as i started stormbreaker i read up to like page 20 and sounded so repetitive to Point Blank.