Alex Rider


Alex Rider is a series of spy novels by the English author Anthony Horowitz. The novels revolve around the teenaged spy Alex Rider and are primarily aimed towards young adults. The series comprises 14 novels, as well as seven graphic novels, seven short stories, and a supplementary book.
The first novel, Stormbreaker, was released in the United Kingdom in 2000 and was adapted into a film in 2006, starring Alex Pettyfer as the titular protagonist. The books Point Blanc, Eagle Strike, and Scorpia books were adapted into a TV series in 2020, 2021, and 2024, respectively, starring Otto Farrant. Walker Books published the first novels in the United Kingdom alongside Puffin in the United States. More recent entries in the series were published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Books.

Novels

List

  1. Stormbreaker – released 4 September 2000. Adapted as a graphic novel, released 3 July 2000.
  2. Point Blanc – released 3 September 2001. Adapted as a graphic novel, released 27 December 2001.
  3. Skeleton Key – released 8 July 2002. Adapted as a graphic novel, released 7 September 2002.
  4. Eagle Strike – released 7 April 2003. Adapted as a graphic novel, released 6 July 2003.
  5. Scorpia – released 1 April 2004. Adapted as a graphic novel, released February 2004.
  6. Ark Angel – released 1 April 2005. Adapted as a graphic novel, released May 2005.
  7. Snakehead – released 31 October 2007.
  8. Crocodile Tears – released 10 November 2008.
  9. Scorpia Rising – released 21 March 2009 in Australia, 22 March 2009 in the US and 31 March 2009 in the UK.
  10. Russian Roulette – released 12 September 2013.
  11. Never Say Die – released 1 June 2017 in the UK and 10 October 2017 in the US.
  12. Secret Weapon – released 4 April 2019.
  13. Nightshade – released 2 April 2020 in the UK and 7 April 2020 in the US.
  14. Nightshade Revenge – released 7 September 2023 in the UK and 16 January 2024 in the US.

    ''Stormbreaker''

Stormbreaker was published in 2000, in the United Kingdom, and then in 2001 in the United States. Alex, the main character, is recruited by MI6 after discovering the truth about his uncle's life and death. He is sent to complete his uncle's latest mission: to investigate the Lebanese multimillionaire Herod Sayle and his creation: the revolutionary and newly developed computer called Stormbreaker – which Sayle is donating to every school in England. Alex discovers that the Stormbreaker computers contain a lethal variation of smallpox and that Sayle plans to kill thousands of schoolchildren around the country with it. Alex foils the plan and succeeds on his first mission.

''Point Blanc''

Point Blanc was published in the United Kingdom in 2001, and in North America in 2002 under the alternative title Point Blank. After the deaths of two billionaires, MI6 discovers a connection: the two men who died each had a son attending Point Blanc, a school for rebellious sons of billionaires located in the French Alps, owned by Dr. Hugo Grief. MI6 sends Alex to investigate Point Blanc, where he discovers that Grief is replacing the students with clones of himself, who are altered through plastic surgery to resemble the students, including Alex himself, so Grief can inherit the fortune and gain the power to control the whole world. However, Alex foils his plan and is given a second sick note by MI6. The book was adapted as the basis for the first series of the Alex Rider television series.

''Skeleton Key''

Skeleton Key was published in 2002. After foiling a Triad plot to fix the 2001 Wimbledon tennis tournament and befriending Sabina, Alex is in grave danger of assassination. Forced to leave the country, MI6 sends him on a mission to Cuba with two doubtful CIA agents, of whom he is the sole survivor. He encounters former Soviet general Alexei Sarov, who tries to adopt Alex and expresses ideas of a nuclear holocaust and world domination under communist rule. Alex then foils his plans, saving the world for a third time.

''Eagle Strike''

Eagle Strike was published in 2003. Popstar Damian Cray hopes to destroy the drug-making countries of the world by hijacking the United States nuclear arsenal. Suspicious of him, Alex takes Cray on without the help of the sceptical MI6. Cray releases a state-of-the-art games console called the 'Gameslayer', with its first game, 'Feathered Serpent', being much more than it seems. Alex uncovers a plot involving the US government and the international community but is caught spying and forced into a real-life version of 'Feathered Serpent' which he manages to escape by cheating. He leaves Damian Cray's mansion after stealing a piece of equipment vital to Damian's plan but is forced to give it up because Damian kidnaps Alex's girlfriend, Sabina. The two enter Air Force One, where Damian Cray launches nuclear missiles at the drug-supplying countries. Cray kills Yassen Gregorovich, but soon after Alex pushes Cray to his death. He then stops the missiles before they can hit their targets. Just before dying, Gregorovich tells Alex to look for a criminal organization called Scorpia, a group he claims Alex's father worked for. The book was adapted as the basis for the second series of the Alex Rider television series.

''Scorpia''

Scorpia was published in 2004. Following the advice of the assassin Yassen Gregorovich, Alex seeks the criminal organization Scorpia to find the truth about his father. He is soon recruited by Scorpia executive Julia Rothman, and he is trained as an assassin before being ordered to kill Mrs. Jones. He fails in this mission but realigns with MI6 after learning that thousands of schoolchildren in London would die if he did not help them. Alex is returned to Scorpia as a double agent and discovers the broadcasting dishes that Scorpia intends to use to kill their targets, including Alex, as he was injected at their training school in Malagosto, which are later lifted into the sky by a hot air balloon. Rothman's henchman, Nile, tries to stop Alex, but he is afraid of heights, causing him to slip and fall to his death after being taunted by Alex. Alex manages to stop the death of the schoolchildren while Rothman herself is killed when the dish equipment falls on top of her. At the end of the novel, Mrs. Jones and Alan Blunt tell Alex the truth about his father; he was an MI6 agent working as a double agent in Scorpia attempting to take down the organization. They also explain his parents' death, ordered by Julia Rothman after she was notified of his father's treachery along with the true details of the event that happened on Albert Bridge. As Alex leaves Liverpool Street, a Scorpia sniper shoots him. The book was adapted as the basis for the third series of the Alex Rider television series.

''Ark Angel''

Ark Angel, published in 2005, follows Alex's second mission for the CIA. After recovering from a Scorpia assassination attempt, he is sent to investigate businessman Nikolei Drevin, who built a hotel in outer space called "Ark Angel." The hotel was ultimately left unfinished due to high expenses. After Alex's cover is blown, Drevin learns that the CIA is gathering evidence against him and plans to retaliate by attacking the Pentagon. Drevin is killed and Alex is sent into space, moving the bomb to prevent the wreckage from entering the atmosphere.

''Snakehead''

Snakehead was published in 2007. Taking place directly after Ark Angel, the novel sees Alex crash land in Australia. There, he is recruited by ASIS, Australia's secret service, to infiltrate a Snakehead organization by posing as an Afghan refugee. He meets his godfather, Ash, while preparing in Thailand, and they team up. The Snakehead organization and its leader, Major Winston Yu, a Scorpia board member, reportedly stole a powerful bomb called Royal Blue, which MI6 wants to intercept. During a joint British-Australian attack on Major Yu's oil rig, Ash and Alex find Royal Blue, but are apprehended by Yu, who later reveals his plan to destroy an island hosting an international summit. Ash is revealed to be an employee of Yu and is killed in the conflict over Royal Blue. Before death, Ash confesses to being ordered by Julia Rothman to murder Alex's parents. Yu tries to escape before the bomb detonates but is ultimately the sole casualty of Royal Blue's shockwave.

''Crocodile Tears''

Crocodile Tears was published in 2009. It begins with Alex's girlfriend, Sabina, and her family visiting the UK from San Francisco. Alex goes to Scotland with them. They go to millionaire Desmond McCain's mansion for a New Year party, during which Alex offends McCain in a game of poker. In order to stop the work of Sabina Pleasure's father, a journalist writing a book on the darkside of McCain, someone shoots their 2007 Nissan X-Trail's wheels, causing them to careen into the lagoon. Alex is rescued by a man whose identity is later revealed as Rahim, an Indian RAW agent sent to kill McCain. Indeed, McCain provokes industrial disasters to divert the humanitarian aid his association collects, and is responsible for a nuclear accident in India. Alex is recruited by MI6 to investigate McCain but is captured by him. He is taken to Kenya where he learns that McCain will poison Kenya, killing its inhabitants and animals and collecting 'charity money' for personal benefit. Alex is nearly killed by McCain but is saved by Rahim. Alex ultimately foils McCain's plan, but as they escape, McCain kills Rahim. Alex kills McCain and then ventures back to England.

''Scorpia Rising''

Scorpia Rising was published in 2011. A Greek billionaire, Yannis Ariston Xenopolos hires Scorpia to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. Scorpia's plan includes the laying of a false trail to Cairo, Egypt, and blackmailing MI6 into returning the Marbles. MI6 falls for the trap and Alex is sent to Cairo, where he is dismayed to find that Scorpia has been pulling the strings all along. He also meets Julius Grief, his clone from Point Blanc who escaped from an MI6 prison in Gibraltar. He aims to personally kill Alex to avenge Dr Grief's death. Alex is captured by Scorpia, and manages to help his long-time friend and caregiver after his uncle's death, Jack, escape. Scorpia had anticipated this and had laid a trap for Jack. The news of her killing devastates Alex but he manages to stop Scorpia's plan and kills Julius. The book ends when Alex escapes and moves to San Francisco with Sabina's family, changing him forever and disallowing him to return to his spy life. Scorpia disbands after being beaten three times by a teenager, with most of its members being arrested and executed.