(Cover picture courtesy of English I Book Reviews.)

Teen superspy Alex Rider’s world shatter when he discovers that the father he never knew may have been an assassin for Scorpia, the deadliest terrorist organization in the world.  And now Scorpia wants Alex on their side, and will stop at nothing to get to him.

Alex Rider’s doubts about MI6 have resurfaced in this book, this time with extraordinary consequences.  Just like Yassen told him before he died in Eagle Strike, he seeks out Scorpia in Italy.  This leads to a whole series of dangerous adventures, interesting characters and incredibly tough decisions.  Will Alex choose between working for Scorpia like his father supposedly did or will he continue to work for MI6, an organization that has manipulated him again and again?

Scorpia is probably the best book in the whole Alex Rider series because Alex finally acquires some depth.  He’s still a bit too perfect for a fourteen year old boy, but he is more of a three dimensional character now than before.  The villain, Julia Rothman, is better than many of the villains in the previous novels, but she will still never make my list of good villains.

As for the plot, it’s very fast-paced and showcases Anthony Horowitz at his best.  He has achieved the perfect balance between description and dialogue for an action novel and there is never a dull moment in Scorpia because of this.  As usual, he has done his research well and transports readers to each exotic location in the novel very well.

I give this book 4/5 stars.

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