Once stung, twice as deadly. Alex Rider wants revenge.
Alex Rider is in Venice, looking for secrets long-buried in the past. Was his father really a ruthless assassin – and if so, what does that make Alex?
The truth lies with the shadowy criminal organization known as Scorpia, and soon Alex will have to make a choice: will he continue to work for MI6, who have manipualted him?
Or will Alex join Scorpia – and get his revenge?
Anthony Horrowitz's fifth novel in the Alex Rider series continues to further Horrowitz's trend of pulsating action and suspense, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this particular novel actually delves deeper into Alex as a character. In previous novels Alex was likable enough, resulting in an enjoyable book, yet his slightly bland nature was a slight turn off for me in particular. Though after reading the first several chapters of "Scorpia" I feel as if Horrowitz is finally exploring Alex as a person, rather than a spy. I feel as if a greater connection has been forged between the reader and character due to the intense humanization Alex experiences as he struggles to understand what Yassen was referring to in “Eagle Strike”, in regards to Alex’s father. I am enjoying the backstory that Horrowitz is trying to develop, though I am curious as to whether or not Horrowitz will be able to maintain the amount of action he included in previous books in “Scorpia”. What have been your thoughts on the novel so far?
ReplyDeleteI have been thoroughly entertained by picking up this series again. Although I had to do a bit of re-reading of past books,mainly the ending of Eagle Strike, I have been able to get back on track relatively easily. I agree with you in that Alex Rider is starting to be described a bit more personally, however, I feel that this is true for most series as you need a strong introduction to go into further detail later. I think Horowitz has done a good job of depicting the oncoming struggle between Scorpia and Alex, as well as the emotional struggles Alex is having in regards to his father. I also believe that Scorpia is less up-front because the conflict is less up-front as well, as it deals with a more inner conflict than say Stormbreaker, which dealt with a biochemical terrorist plot. I think that there should still be the same amount of action, although it will come in short bursts compared to sustained action, which should make for a more balance story. -Tristan
ReplyDeleteFollowing up with another question, do you think that Alex will truly consider his darker side, or do you believe that Alex will stay true to MI6?
ReplyDeleteI am afraid I was unable to respond on friday as we had planned due to a severe lack of wifi at MUN. Though now seeing that you have yet to respond as well I feel much better. Now to answer your previously submitted question: I don't think that Alex has it in him to bring intentional fatal harm on another, and especially if he is having doubts. In my mind, Alex appears to be just a pawn in a much greater plan orchestrated by Scorpia; though at this point I haven't the vaguest idea what this plan might be. Even though I don't think Alex will join Scorpia, I can't see him staying true to MI6 either. After everything he has gone through because of them, and now this shocking reveal about his father's involvement with Scorpia, I think Alex will leave his days as a super spy behind him. What do you think will be his decision moving forward in this novel?
ReplyDeleteI got around to reading another portion of the story, and at the point I am at right now,which is around 2/3, I have to agree with you in that he will never willingly hurt another person. Having that been said, I think he is willing to kill another person in Scorpia as he does not want his cover as a double-agent blown. In the end, I think Alex will fall through for MI6 as since all of the stories in the young reader espionage genre end happily, that seems like the happiest ending thus far. I am more concerned about what will happen to the overall terrorist plot. I imagine that everyone will escape, unharmed, but there is definitely still the possibility for a couple of people to die, as that would shake the genre up a bit. what do you think will ultimately happen in the ending of the story? Do you think that the terrorist plot will be figured out in time by MI6, or will Alex have to figure it out on his own?
ReplyDeleteI am unsure whether or not I should be alarmed that you are hoping that a few individuals perish in order to shake things up. Though I would like to remind you that happy endings where everyone escapes death unscathed are rare in the series. Usually Alex is able to escape fatal injury, but not without significant cost to those around him. Though, I agree with you that the sinister plot orchestrated by Scorpia will ultimately fail; I am unsure how Alex will be able to stop them. I might be wrong in assuming this, but I have a strong feeling that Alex will somehow sacrifice himself in order to stop Scorpia, because he is already injected with the toxin Scorpia administered to Britain's youth. Don't hold me to that, but I thought that would be a clever way to complete the John Rider and Alex Rider involvement in MI6 and Scorpia circle. As for assistance from MI6 in order to stop the plot, if we examine their consistency in stopping disaster on time from past novels I think we can presume Alex is on his own. I was interested in your opinion on Mrs. Jones angle at MI6. Do you think she genuinely cares about Alex's wellbeing or is she just putting up a show and is really interested in employing Alex further in the field of operations?
ReplyDeleteAlex Rider: Scorpia, by Anthony Horowitz, is a pulse pounding adventure that guarantees that readers will be on the edge of their seats throughout. The fifth installment of the Alex Rider series is yet another action packed tale of espionage and MI6 operations, though this time around Alex is on his own fighting to survive amongst a mercenary corporation of spies and assassins. Though, at first glance Scorpia appears to be another cut and paste action/adventure spy novel, that could be easily compared to the likes of James Bond, upon further analysis one will see that Alex Rider: Scorrpia is much more. Through his masterful use of literary expertise, Anthony Horowitz is able to craft a story in which the reader not only is immersed in the action taking place, but also establishes an emotional connection to the protagonist of the novel. Alex Rider: Scorpia is a great read for lovers of suspense and espionage in literature, and will continue to dumbfound and surprise readers up until the very last page. I rate this novel a 9 out of 10 because it is a fun read and easily accessible to a wide array of readers.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your question, I do think that Mrs.Jones cares about Alex in two ways, one being on a personal level and the other in a more business/formal way. Although she is not one to show compassion usually, there are definitely emotional spots for her, for example the debriefing where Mrs.Jones brings in Mr.Adair for some closure. Overall, I am surprised by the ending as not that many people ended up dying. The ending seems a bit too perfect though, because except for Alex getting shot, there were limited injuries. Overall, I think that Scorpia was much better than all of the other stories I have read in the series so far except for Eagle Strike. I liked Eagle Strike more because it had a better balance of background plot and straight forward story-telling.
ReplyDeleteAlex Rider:Scorpia, by Anthony Horowitz, is the fifth installment of the Alex Rider series. With Horowitz's writing style similar to Ian Fleming's, Scorpia is sure to keep a reader on their metaphorical seat through the entire novel. Alex Rider, a british schoolboy, who doubles as a spy is out to solve yet another operation, yet this time it is personal. He infiltrates the terrorist organization, Scorpia, who are plotting to kill the Children of London via biochemical warfare. Along the way, Alex must find out information from the plotting Mrs.Rothman, and continue to question MI6 in regards to their motives for using Alex. Will Alex end up resenting MI6 and join Scorpia, or will Alex stay with the good guys one more time? One must read to find out. I give the story a solid 8/10 stars because it is thrilling and a good read, but I was a little disappointed in Anthony Horowitz for not continuing his trend of making his stories better.
ReplyDelete-Tristan Post