Clarke, Stewart (24 July 2018). "Alex Rider Series Heads to TV With Sony, Eleventh Hour". Variety . Retrieved 18 October 2018. I have to confess, I have never read an Alex Rider book before, but chose it based on different things I have heard from young readers, who are fans of the series. So far, there are 11 books in the Alex Rider series, not counting Secret Weapon, which is a book of 7 short stories. Anthony Horowitz (9 November 2009). "Alex Rider exclusive: Incident in Nice". The Times. London . Retrieved 15 November 2009.

I don't think I'll ever not enjoy an Alex Rider book. If I ever do then there is something wrong (with me). Book Genre: Action, Adventure, Childrens, Espionage, Fiction, Middle Grade, Mystery, Short Stories, Spy Thriller, Teen, Thriller, Young Adult This was just bad, bad, and bad on so many levels. An Alex Rider short story collection could be fun enough, but this was completely unecessary. The author has cleverly written all books with Alex Rider to become quite addictive for anyone of any age, needing the whole set of the other 12.

Secret Weapon is out now!

Look. I love the Alex Rider books. They're a Formative Teen Experience of mine, I love the juxtaposition of being treated like a child while being expected to act like an adult that so many teens suffer, I love that Alex spends the whole time bloody furious about the whole thing but also can't help himself interfering, I love that he went to goddamn space. It's a LITTLE weird to reread the stories and see how much uhhhhh bad racial and disability coding is involved, but never let it be said that I don't love Alex Rider. Secret Weapon (previously published with same title, now updated and expanded. Set after Eagle Strike) Having already been mistaken for Julius Grief, Alex is shipped out to the facility from which he is thought to have escaped. The psychologist there is the only one who knows the truth about Alex, and it’s up to Alex himself to find a way in to befriend Freddy. Spy Trap takes place on Alex's trip home from Skeleton Key. At the end, Mrs Jones suggests that this intelligence gathering ploy which explicitly focuses on Skeleton Key could have been run on behalf of the US under their "new president", suggesting the whole series now happen either in 2001, 2009 or 2017. The iPhone – explicitly mentioned in this story, albeit without a model number – was released in 2007, so unless Horowitz is making a commentary on Obama's international relations policies, it's probably 2017. Sure, ok, I wouldn't put much past this administration either. But the problem is... Skelton Key is a CIA operation. Like, the Americans are now untrustworthy enough to maybe kidnap and interrogate British agents, but not enough to stop MI6 loaning out their top secret child soldier? I mean, it's not confirmed to be Americans, but the fact that it's even an option is just like...please. Mr Horowitz. You could have just set your series in 2001 and kept it there. Why are you doing this to yourself. Why did you call Alex's Stormbreaker Gameboy a Nintendo DS in Tea With Smithers like we don't own physical books saying otherwise. Also why call it a DS, a console that came out in 2004, in this same book where you reference the iPhone and the new US president? If you're gonna do this kind of tomfoolery, at LEAST commit to it properly! This book lost one star for me in the way of characters. Maybe it's because I'm older now but the characters just don't feel like they have many dimensions. They are distinct from each other for certain, but the breadth in traits isn't there.

Like the last entry, Horowitz ditches the usual formula for his Alex Rider books. Character development is pretty good, even for people who are usually on the sidelines (like Jones and Crawley) It’s also great to see Alex overcome challenges without the use of gadgets. Also, there are some loose ends from the previous books’ Scorpia plotlines (like Grief’s death and Blunt’s retirement) that Horowitz wraps up pretty nicely here, and does so in a fresh plot that doesn’t feel contrived. Some old characters make some satisfying reappearances that don’t feel forced. We even revisit some locations from previous stories. The story is pretty long, but it’s easy to follow and doesn’t drag. The suspense is great, but you might figure out most of the ��mystery” early on in the book. I have come to love the Alex Rider and Jason Steed books, but are they getting 'old'. Or maybe now I have turned 30 I'm getting old? I received a copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher as part of the Kids Know Best Blogger Campaign. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. Ever since MI6 recognized his potential, Alex Rider has constantly been thrust into the line of danger. From a routine visit to the dentist that turns into a chase through the streets of London, to a school trip with a deadly twist, no day has ever been ordinary for the teenage super-spy. This collection of thrilling adventures features familiar and new assailants from the best-loved world of Alex Rider and also includes three never-before-seen stories.

About Anthony Horowitz

First half a little slow for my tastes, but the second half hits the ground running. Can't wait to see where this NIGHTSHADE arc is going to do next. I grew up with the Alex Rider & Jason Steed novels and although I am no longer the target audience (now being an adult but boy at heart) I'm still a big fan and fully enjoy this series. seeing Alex in this one was sort of heartbreaking a little bit because this one is set after the events of book 3 and before the events of book 4. So seeing Alex put himself in so many more dangerous missions and getting caught in each one is the Alex that i don't really like because he really isn't like that in the main series.