Jame Bond meet Oliver Twist

by AARTI BASNYAT

FROM ISSUE # 127 (July 2006) | IN THIS ISSUE
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It's never too young to die, especially if you are embroiled in a world of spies, assassins, plots to take over the world and much more. Fourteen-year-old Alex Rider finds out that his father was allegedly a spy and assassin for the world's largest criminal organisation, Scorpia. After trying to kill him first, they offer him a job in an ambitious mission.

Alex is torn between his need for revenge and moral principles. He delves into the criminal world and performs several death-defying stunts to reach the truth. The book is exciting and the characters are solid. Horowitz stretches the readers' imagination to make a 14-year-old spy believable, as he struggles with school and spying. An easy read for people with time to spare, it is targeted at young teens.

Scorpia is acknowledged as the best book in the Alex Rider series. Alex is an orphan who has been raised by his uncle and been taught all forms of self-defence. He is recruited by MI5 to perform a series of assignments to save the world. Scorpia is the fifth in the series and is exciting because Alex finds out the truth behind his parents' death.

If you have watched movies such as Agent Cody Banks and Spy Kids and haven't been much impressed by them then don't bother reading this book. Though Anthony Horowitz received much acclaim for his Alex Rider series the books are recommended for young teenagers. Not much in terms of literary value, this book is fun if you have nothing else to read.

NOTICE
The WAVE Book Club will meet next on 15 July, 2 P.M, at the British Council to discuss To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.