Product Description

The sniper’s bullet nearly killed him. But Alex Rider managed to survive . . . just in time for more trouble to come his way. When kidnappers attempt to snatch a fellow patient from the exclusive hospital where Alex is recovering, he knows he has to stop him. But the boy he saves is no ordinary patient: He is the son of Nikolai Drevin, one of the richest men in the world. The eccentric billionaire has been targeted by Force Three, a group of eco-terrorists who claim his project Ark Angel—the first luxury hotel in outer space—is a danger to the environment. Soon Alex discovers that Force Three will stop at nothing to destroy Ark Angel, even if it means sending four hundred tons of molten glass and steel hurtling down to Earth and killing millions . . . unless Alex can stop them.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5327 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04-05
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-10-Alex Rider is giving it up. Being a teenage secret agent is just too dangerous. He wants his old life back. As he lies in the hospital bed recovering from a gunshot wound, he contemplates the end of his career with MI6, the British secret service. But then he saves the life of Paul Drevin, son of multibillionaire Nikolei Drevin, and once again he is pulled into service. This time his mission involves eco-terrorists, rockets to space, maniacal killers, and a less-than-idyllic tropical island. Is it all in a day's work, or will this truly be Alex Rider's last mission? The action-filled plot develops quickly and keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The over-the-top characters, with their exaggerated quirks and personalities, work well in this James Bond-like novel. Detailed background, technical, and political information, essential for any spy story, is uncomplicated and easy for most readers to understand. Though there are some references to previous missions, this title can certainly stand alone. Recommend it to your reluctant readers and get ready for them to line up for the rest of the series.-Heather E. Miller, Homewood Public Library, AL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 6--9. In his sixth adventure Alex Rider runs afoul of a group of murderous "eco warriors" and befriends Paul Drevin, the lonely son of venerated multibillionaire Nikolai Drevin, who isn't what he seems. In fact, neither is Paul, as Alex finds out when he accompanies the father and son on a vacation to the family's luxurious home in Flamingo Bay, which happens to be the launching site of a rocket that will carry the observation module for Drevin's hugely publicized Ark Angel, the first hotel in space. Readers will need to suspend disbelief more than usual this time: Alex's solo trip into space is unquestionably over the top, and there are a few glitches in plotting. What's impossible to resist are the imaginative gadgets and the breakneck action, which Horowitz handles with his usual assurance and skill. Expect very high demand for this. The first title in the series, Stormbreaker (2001), is being released as a movie, and to celebrate the event, the publisher has redesigned the series' book covers to incorporate a snazzy holographic foil. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Anthony Horowitz lives in London.

Customer Reviews

Alex
My 11 yo grandson introduced me to the Alex Rider series and I am so glad he did. He is in a program at school. He loves to read and this is something we have in common. I love this series and recommend it highly no matter what age you are. It's thrilling and holds your attention throughout the book. I looked forward to each new book in the series. This is a no brainer, for good reading, buy this book and dont forget the rest of the Alex Rider series they are all good stuff.

Yet again, Alex Rider is back.
Yet again, Alex Rider is back. A near fatal bullet wound won't stop him either, as Ark Angel has as much action as the previous books if not more.
The book begins with Alex in the hospital recovering from the Sniper's attack from last book. The hospital quickly becomes a battle zone when four armed men come in during the night to kidnap a kid. The kid is no normal kid either, as he is the son of Nicolei Drevin one of the richest men on the planet. Being Alex, he rushes in to save him. Before you know it the book starts an incredibly long road trip. This includes London, Washington D.C., a Caribbean island named Flamingo Bay, and finally to the book's most unbelievable final location.
The book sometimes teeters on the edge of believable and non-believable, however I feel Anthony Horowitz did a good very good job at making a mostly believable yet exciting adventure. It also feels like Anthony did a lot of research on this book even without the series' first acknowledgement section.
The book also does a good job at explaining why Alex is being locked up instead of just shooting him on one of the many times Alex gets caught. However, there a couple instances near the end that would have been so much easier for the bad guy to bring a gun other than going through all the trouble that they did.
If you like a book nearly bursting at its seams with action and danger, than this book is definitely for you. However if you're more laid back then you let this one fly by you.

Awesome Book
This book is great!!! I would really suggest reading the first book in the series first because it is the best one, but it's not nessesary to read it first to understand this one.