Eagle Strike (Alex Rider, #4)

by Anthony Horowitz and Antony Johnston

Alex Rider is a fourteen year old reluctant teenage James Bond. When his uncle dies, Alex finds himself recruited into the shady world of spies and espionage. M16 jump at the chance to blackmail him - if he agrees to be a spy, his caretaker and the only family he has left, Jack, won't be deported. It's a choice that's no choice at all.

But the hits just keep on coming. Worse is finding that his uncle was not only a spy but had been training him his whole life - his early years filled with language lessons, martial arts classes, rock climbing, mountain biking, skiing, lock picking and anything else you could imagine. Worse is being sworn to secrecy and given no mental support (seriously that drives me insane). Worse is being sent into constant danger with various gadgets but no real weapons. Worse is being lied to and manipulated and screwed over so many times it's painful to read.

I love Alex, but I'm also surprised he doesn't have a ton more issues than he does. Each novel is fast paced and action packed. There are daring stunts and lucky saves and many near misses. Reluctant readers will find themselves intrigued. Avid readers will find themselves consumed.

I loved Alex Rider as a kid. I must have read the first five books like fifty million times. Since I'm in the middle of a Cherub reread I thought I'd come back to Alex. It's kind of funny reading them now - I don't quite remember them being so depressing. Alex is a lot more jaded than I ever remember him being. It's also warranted but yeah. MI6 and Alan Blunt and Mrs Jones are horrendous people. Poor Alex gets screwed way too often.

I also remember Alex being a lot more talented than he is. But to my adult eyes, it seems like he's getting by more on luck than pure ability. Still they're great books with lots of action and a reluctant teen spy you can't help but root for.

Like the rest of the series this was non-stop action. I found myself halfway through before I'd even blinked. On holiday with his friend Sabina Pleasure Alex is horrified when, while sunbathing, he spots Yassen Gregorovich - the assassin who murdered his uncle. Although he follows him he finds out few details and decides it has absolutely nothing to do with him. Unfortunately he's wrong. Because Yassen is there to kill Edward Pleasure - Sabina's dad.

Edward Pleasure survives but he's gravely injured. Besieged by guilt, Alex is determined to get justice, but when M16 refuse to help Alex forges ahead. The problem is the man who ordered the hit is Damian Cray, global pop star and national hero - a donator of millions to charity. He might seem squeaky clean but the more Alex digs, the more horrified he is. Because Damian Cray isn't just a bad man - he's a psycho.

Seriously, Damian is Cray, Cray. Which was the only thing I could think of rereading. And how his last name is just so close to crazy. Alex is his usual daring self in this with bike chases from hell and my heart was pounding with his near miss with the tram and the bridge and the plane. I felt so sorry for him though, his friendship with Sabina is over by the end of the book, M16 screw him over again and again and once again there's more to the story of his uncle and his parents and Yassen. Which omfg, Yassen was the Cossack at the start and Alex's dad was the Hunter - a contract killer who saved Yassen's life. It does explain so much though about Yassen and his odd interactions with Alex.

I like that Jack sticks by him - looking after him and looking out for him. As an adult I would say she's also not a very great guardian but at least she gives him the love, affection and caring he needs, if not stopping him from undertaking these adventures.



Action packed, fast paced, a riveting spy thriller. 5 stars.