Young Writers Society

359 PAGES

ACTION/ ADVENTURE

S….. stands for SABOTAGE

CORP….. is for CORRUPTION

I….. stands for INTELLIGENCE

A….. That is for ASSASSINATION

This is SCORPIA, the fifth book in the Alex Rider series….. the explosive, REVELATIONS book.

And this…… is the REVIEW!

Scorpia was going to be the final Book in the Alex Rider series, as it had an outstanding revelation and a breath-taking ending. But of course his fans are in their millions, and so, his mail went up in billions , as fans wanted there so badly to be another book.

And so, he had to write another one-pronto!

And so he said this when he finished his latest book- “The action includes a truly spectacular escape from a burning tower block and a high speed chase on water (although Alex doesn’t have a boat).” “I’ve always said that you’ll come to your last book when Alex reaches his fifteenth birthday. I’m determined to give him a happy ending!”

I was lucky enough to be one of the very first people to found out the title of his new book. It’s titled ‘Ark Angel’ and is available right now!

But without further a dew I would first like to give some information on the man behind Alex Rider, behind SCORPIA, Mr Anthony Horowitz.

Books By AH-

The Alex Rider Series-

Stormbreaker

Point Blanc

Skeleton Key

Eagle Strike

Scorpia

Ark Angel

Diamond brother’s series-

South by south east

The falcons Malteaser

Public enemy number two

The French Confection

The Blurred Man

I know what you did last Wednesday

The Radius of the lost Shark

And the others-

Groosham Grange

Return to Groosham Grange

Granny

The switch

The devil and his boy

The Killing Joke

Up and coming

Magpie murders

The Power of Five: Raven’s Gate

The Power of five: 2

Alex Rider 7 ???

He has also done the script writing for these popular shows-

Foyle’s War

Murder in Mind

Poirot

Midsomer Murders

Murder most horrid

And these movies!-

Stormbreaker

The Gathering

Anthony is a prolific children’s writer who sells his books all over the world.

He has won prizes including the Red House children’s book award, and the Lew Grade Audience Award.

He lives in North London with his wife, Jill Green (producer of Foyle’s War), and two sons, Nicholas and Cassian. And his dog, Lucky.

THE CHARACTERS-

Alex Rider-

Alex Rider is a spy that has worked for MI6 five times. He hasn’t got much out of it except a few bruises, a personal tutor and the satisfaction of saving the world. But now all he wants to do is find out the truth about his Father. That is with SCORPIA. And now he has decided to join SCORPIA and get revenge for his Father.

‘Alex was confused. “What are you getting at?”, he demanded, “Why are you asking me all this?”

“Because, as I said, I want to make you an offer”

“What offer?”

“How would you like to work for me?”

”For Scorpia”

“Yes”

“Like my Father?’

She nodded.

“Your asking me to become a killer?”

“Perhaps”

page 128

In this book Alex will need to be wittier than ever. Especially when he doesn’t know what side to be on. He’ll need fitness, luck, and lies…

“Quite a few cars crashed”, Mrs Rothman remarked.

Alex Replied, “ Yeah. But I was lucky. Everything sort of went upside down, but the next thing I knew, we’d stopped and I was able to get out and run away. Eventually I reached a phone-box and called the number you gave me-and here I am….”

Page 289

NILE-

Nile is one of SCORPIA’s greatest assassins.

He was second best in the SCORPIA training school and would’ve been number one if it wasn’t one irritable weakness that Alex Rider will need to find out.

He also doesn’t come out too well in black and white photographs, mainly because he is black and white.

‘The clothes looked quietly, confidently expensive. And from the way they clung to the muscles of his arms and chest, Alex could see that he was extremely fit. He was young, in his mid-twenties. And he was black.

But there was something wrong.

One side of his face was covered in strange whit blotches. Then Alex noticed his hands. They too were different colours. The man should have been handsome. But in fact he was just a mess.’

Page 64,65

He knows what he’s doing….

“I wasn’t expecting to see you again’. Harold Libermann was puzzled.

“Well you see, Dr Libermann, there’s been a serious breakdown in security. Before she left she told me to deal with it.”, Nile replied.

“Do you know this boy? Who is he?”

“His name is Alex Rider”

“He said his name was Tom”

“He’s lying. He’s a spy”

Alex was caught in the middle of the conversation. Nile was too fast and too strong for him. He had already proved that.

“What are you going to do?” Dr Libermann demanded.

“I just told you, Harold. We can’t have security problems. I’m going to deal with it.”

Nile reached under his coat and pulled out one of the most lethal-looking weapons Alex had ever seen.

Now he could throw it or slash with it. Either way, Alex new instantly, he was facing a master. He had perhaps seconds to live.

“You can’t kill him here!” Dr Libermann exclaimed in exasperation. “You’ll get blood everywhere!”

“Don’t worry, Harold,” Nile replied. “This is going through the neck and into the brain. There’ll be very little blood”

….??

“Straight into the brain,” Nile muttered. “Just like I said”

page 112,113

But when you are an assassin you have to be sure. On everything.

“But I hope you never change your mind, Alex. I hope you never try to trick us or anything like that. I’m sure you won’t. But after what happened at the Widow’s Place, I’d hate to have to murder you again”

page 155

MRS ROTHMAN

Mrs Rothman is the head of the largest criminal organisation in the world.

SCORPIA.

She looks more like an actress than any of her extremely famous friends. But she is still very ruthless.

“How many people do you intend to kill?”, he asked.

Julia Rothman considered. “It’s still difficult to be precise, Dr Three,” she replied. ”But it will certainly be thousands. Many thousands”

“And they will all be children?”

“Yes. They will mainly be twelve and thirteen years old.” She sighed. “It is, it goes without saying, very unfortunate. I adore children, even though I’m glad I never had any of my own. But that’s the plan. And I have to say, the psychological effect of so many young people dying will, I think, be useful. Does it concern you?”

page 40

She thinks she’s always right, if there is something she needs, she’ll get it, it’s just a pity that she has the power to kill just about anybody….

“My dear Alex! You came to my party without an invitation. You crept round the house and sneaked into my study. You mentioned a name that should have got you killed instantly, and you’re really very lucky that Nile decided to drown you rather than breaking your neck. So although what happened was very unfortunate, you can hardly say it was unprovoked. Of course it would have all been different if we’d known who you were.”

Page 123

MRS JONES

Mrs Jones is the deputy head of MI6. She has always had a fondness for Alex, but it’s a lot harder for her when he wants to kill her…

Mrs Jones stepped forward the gun pointing at her head.

“I don’t think you’re a killer, Alex. You never knew your father. Why do you have to be like him? Do you think every child is ‘made’ the moment they’re born? I think you have a choice…”

“I never chose to work for you”

“Didn’t you? After stormbreaker you could have walked away. We never needed to meet again. But if you remember, you chose to get tangled up with drug dealers and we had to bail you out. And then there was Wimbledon. We didn’t make you go undercover. You agreed to go- and if you hadn’t locked a Chinese gangster in a deep freeze, we wouldn’t have sent you to America.”

“Your twisting everything!”

“And finally Damian Cray. You went after him on your own and we’re very grateful to you, Alex. But you ask me- What do I think you are? I think you’re too smart to pull that trigger. You’re not going to shoot me. Now or ever.”

Page 230

OLIVER D’ARC

Oliver D’Arc is the principal of the SCORPIA training school.

“My name is Oliver D’Arc. I am, you might say, the principal of this establishment- the head teacher, perhaps. I was just looking at your personal details on the internet.”

Alex sat down on one of the antique chairs.

“I wouldn’t have thought they’d be posted on the internet,” He commented.

“It depends what search engine you use.” D’Arc gave Alex a sly smile. “I know Mrs Rothman told you that your father was an instructor here. I worked with him and he was a good friend to me, but I never dreamt that I would one day meet his son. And it is Nile that brings you here. Nile graduated from here a few years ago. He was a brilliant student- number two in his class”

page 158

Oliver does have a tight schedule especially with a new project. So he likes to get right down to business.

“Then let me tell you the programme. Nile will introduce you to the other students who are here at Malagotso. There are never more than fifteen and at the moment there are only eleven. Nine men and two women. You will join in with them and over the next few days we will examine your progress. Eventually, If I consider you have the ability to become part of SCORPIA, I will write a report and your real training will begin. But I have no doubts, Alex. You are very young, only fourteen. But you are John Rider’s son and he was the very best.”

Page 159

ALAN BLUNT

Alan Blunt, the very dull, grey, head of MI6. Although he is, without saying a very intelligent man.

“You looked at the passenger list?”

Blunt knew just about everything about every man, woman and child who had bordered the plane in Lagos.

“Of course we did,” Blunt said irritably.

“And?”

“Tourists. Businessmen. Families. Two weather forecasters and a celebrity chef. Nobody seems to have any understanding of what we’re up against.”

“Tell me”

“Scorpia will do what they said they would do: it’s as simple as that. They never fail.”

“They may not find it so easy this time.” Sir Graham looked at his watch. It was nine minutes past seven. “It’s possible they made a mistake warning us.”

“They only warned you because they knew there was nothing you could do”

page 203

Alan Blunt was right.

THE VERY MINOR CHARACTERS-

TOM- Alex’s best friend at school. When he goes…. Anyway Tom may be a little unhelpful, possibly a little gross, but he is certainly daring.

JERRY- Tom’s brother. Who’s into extreme sports, including BASE jumping.

JET- The Botany teacher at SCORPIA, who you don’t want to go to garden club with.

PROFESSOR YERMALOV- The martial arts teacher at SCORPIA, who’s learnt from experience.

MR ROSS- The Technical specialist. Who specialises in bombs.

SMITHERS- The gadget man at MI6, who loves to help Alex.

DR THREE- He was the one that invented Scorpia’s newest weapon, invisible sword.

PLOT

Alex Rider starts off in Venice looking for the organization that knows about the father Alex never knew. But the organization is the deadliest criminal organization in the world. Scorpia. But they of course want to hire him. And what better way to train him than give him his first assignment?

Scorpia are also on the verge of breaking up the British and American alliance, thousands of school children will die.

But now Alex will make a choice, will he join Scorpia and become as great as assassin as his father? Or will he join MI6 for the sixth time and stop the invisible sword?

VERDICT

Both ‘SCORPIA’ and ‘Ark Angel’ are in a league of their own. When I read the first book, ‘Stormbreaker’, I was hooked. But SCORPIA has sent new heights to the Alex Rider series. Without being biased, I give this book also, ten out of ten.

The book has a huge amount of suspense, surprises and a whole lot of action.

But there is also a scary part to this book that I’m sure will shock a lot of people. This is Anthony’s exact words, “There’s a secret weapon in Scorpia called Invisible Sword. Although it may sound fantastical, as far as I can tell the technology exists and could be used at anytime. I didn’t make it up. That’s what makes it so scary.”

PRAISE

“Every bored schoolboy’s fantasy, only a thousand times funnier, slicker and more exciting … genius.”

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

“Horowitz is pure class, stylish but action packed … being James Bond in miniature is way cooler than being a wizard.”

THE DAILY MIRROR

“Brings new meaning to the phrase ‘action-packed’.”

THE SUNDAY TIMES

Websites-

www.alexrider.com

www.anthonyhorowitz.com