Anthony Horowitz's enormously popular series about the world’s premier teenage spy, returns for another round with secret agent Alex Rider fighting ingenious villains and charming every girl he meets. Eagle Strike, Horowitz’s fourth fictional foray into the world of British spy agency MI6, starts out calmly enough as Alex and his lovely companion, Miss Sabina Pleasure, vacation with her family in the south of France. But before you can say Goldfinger, Alex spots his old nemesis, renowned assassin Yassen Gregorovich, on the beach. What Alex discovers is a plan so diabolical that it makes all of his previous adventures seem like a stroll in the Queen Mum’s garden. Alex must fight to keep Gregorovich from executing the plans of a mysterious and murderous madman--an operation code named "Eagle Strike." He will just have to face down a few minor complications first: a virtual reality game that inflicts real pain; a fleet of Porche 911 GT3-driving hit men; and even a near fatal brush with death aboard the most famous aircraft in the world, Air Force One. But he’ll persevere, or his name isn’t Rider: Alex Rider. Eagle Strike, like all of the ridiculously fun Alex Rider adventures, is a pure guilty pleasure from start to finish. Even the most reluctant of readers won’t be able to resist Alex’s Bond-like ingenuity and charisma. Anthony Horowitz is a master of pacing, and as Alex swings from one cliff-hanging chapter to the next, Horowitz proves that you don’t have to be Shakespeare to pen a crackerjack plot! --Jennifer Hubert

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-10--Alex Rider, a 14-year-old secret agent who has worked for MI6--British military intelligence--returns for his fourth adventure. Vacationing in France with his girlfriend, Sabina Pleasure, and her parents, Alex spots Yassen Gregorovich, a known assassin, and senses something isn't quite right. Before long, Sabina's journalist father is injured in an "accidental" bombing and Alex is thrown into another mystery that involves a devious scheme to annihilate the world. In this heart-racing novel, Horowitz combines fast-paced action with ingenious gadgets that Alex either has on his side or is forced to battle against. The straightforward writing will appeal to a wide audience; the story is intricate enough to entertain older readers, but accessible to younger ones as well. For anyone who has enjoyed Alex's previous adventures, EagleStrike will prove just as good if not better, and for those who haven't been introduced to this young spy, this book will certainly get them addicted and anxiously awaiting the next installment.--Leigh Ann Morlock, Vernonia School District, OR Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 7-12. Alex Rider, reluctant teen MI6 operative, is back for another adventure, complete with a missile-loaded getaway bicycle and a man who wants to destroy not the whole world but just the parts of it that grow or manufacture illegal drugs, such as heroin and cocaine. The action begins after Alex recognizes a Russian assassin very much out of place in the sleepy French town where Alex is vacationing, and the ensuing chase takes the dynamic hero through a life-size video game before ending with an airport-runway save involving American nuclear weapons and Air Force One. Once again, Horowitz tells a tight story, and his knack for descriptive action drives readers through the very accessible plot. Teens need not have read previous Rider adventures to enjoy this one. Cindy Welch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Kirkus Reviews on Stormbreaker
What if James Bond had started spying as a teenager? Nonstop action keeps the intrigue boiling.

Book Description
Sir Damian Cray is a philanthropist, peace activist, and the world's most famous pop star. But still it's not enough. He needs more if he is to save the world. Trouble is, only Alex Rider recognizes that it's the world that needs saving from Sir Damian Cray. Underneath the luster of glamour and fame lies a twisted mind, ready to sacrifice the world for his beliefs. But in the past, Alex has always had the backing of the government. This time, he's on his own. Can one teenager convince the world that the most popular man on earth is a madman bent on destruction-before time runs out?

ANNOTATION

After a chance encounter with assassin Yassen Gregorovich in the South of France, teenage spy Alex Rider investigates international pop star and philanthropist Damian Cray whose new video game venture hides sinister motives involving Air Force One, nuclear missiles, and the international drug trade.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Sir Damian Cray is a philanthropist, peace activist, and the world's most famouspop star. But still it's not enough. He needs more if he is to save the world. Trouble is, only Alex Rider recognizes that it's the world that needs saving from Sir Damian Cray. Underneath the luster of glamour and fame lies a twisted mind, ready to sacrifice the world for his beliefs. But in the past, Alex has always had the backing of the government. This time, he's on his own. Can one teenager convince the world that the most popular man on earth is a madman bent on destruction-before time runs out?

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Philanthropic pop-star or utter madman? Anthony Horowitz's latest, Eagle Strike: An Alex Rider Adventure finds the teen spy tracking another arch-villain across Europe in an action-packed follow-up to Stormbreaker, Point Blank and Skeleton Key. PW wrote of the debut book, "Readers will cheer for the 14-year-old hero of this spy thriller and stay tuned for his next assignment." Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

VOYA - Nina Lindsay

In his fourth adventure, Alex Rider strikes out on his own. The fourteen-year-old MI6 agent is vacationing with his girlfriend, Sabina Pleasure, and her family in the south of France when he spots his nemesis, assassin Yassen Gregorovich. That afternoon, Sabina's parents are almost killed when their house blows up. Alex's investigations lead him to philanthropist-celebrity Damian Cray, but MI6 will not act on Alex's suspicions, forcing him to deal with the deadly Cray on his own. Appealing and outrageous action is barely held together with a plot like a colander. Fans will enjoy it, although they might feel popcorn-bloated by the sloppy details that make this novel purely "B-movie" quality. Of course, this episode is no different than the others, and—as in a good B-movie—it is the character of the protagonist that will keep readers engaged. Horowitz adds a new and darker element to Alex's character, promising a different relationship between him and the MI6 in future episodes. VOYA Codes: 3Q 4P M J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, Philomel, 272p., Ages 11 to 15.

KLIATT - Paula Rohrlick

This fast-paced James Bond-style action/adventure tale begins with an assassination in the Amazon jungle and then fast-forwards 15 years. Reluctant teenage spy Alex Rider is on holiday in the south of France with his girlfriend Sabrina and her parents when the house they have been staying in is blown up. Alex assumes that he is the target because he has spotted his archenemy, a Russian killer, in town, but he learns that Sabrina's father, a journalist who has been working on a story about pop celebrity Damian Cray, was the intended victim. And so the game is on, as Alex sets out to discover what nefarious doings Cray has planned, and of course finds himself in one dangerous situation after another. Highlights include a stint as a matador, a chase on a bicycle (loaded with helpful spy gadgets) through Amsterdam, a perilous trip through a real-life version of Cray's deadly new computer game, and a fight to the death aboard Air Force One. Will Cray succeed in launching nuclear missiles? Only Alex and Sabrina stand in his way. Alex, with his quick mind, spy training, and repertoire of martial arts moves, is unfailingly heroic, and as with his previous outings (Stormbreaker, Point Blank, and Skeleton Key) this entertaining thriller is sure to be popular. It moves at a breakneck pace and will engage even reluctant readers. Can the movie be far behind? (An Alex Rider Adventure). KLIATT Codes: J—Recommended for junior high school students. 2004 (orig. 2003), Penguin, Philomel, 272p., Ages 12 to 15.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-10-Alex Rider, a 14-year-old secret agent who has worked for MI6-British military intelligence-returns for his fourth adventure. Vacationing in France with his girlfriend, Sabina Pleasure, and her parents, Alex spots Yassen Gregorovich, a known assassin, and senses something isn't quite right. Before long, Sabina's journalist father is injured in an "accidental" bombing and Alex is thrown into another mystery that involves a devious scheme to annihilate the world. In this heart-racing novel, Horowitz combines fast-paced action with ingenious gadgets that Alex either has on his side or is forced to battle against. The straightforward writing will appeal to a wide audience; the story is intricate enough to entertain older readers, but accessible to younger ones as well. For anyone who has enjoyed Alex's previous adventures, Eagle Strike will prove just as good if not better, and for those who haven't been introduced to this young spy, this book will certainly get them addicted and anxiously awaiting the next installment.-Leigh Ann Morlock, Vernonia School District, OR Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews