37. Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz – Book One of the Alex Rider Series

ISBN: 0-14-240611-2

Speak by the Penguin Group, New York, 2000

234 p.

Plot Summary

Fourteen-year-old Alex Rider wakes to the sound of someone knocking on the door.  When the housekeeper, Jack Starbright, answers the door, they discover that Alex’s uncle, Ian Rider, was killed in a car crash.  Having already lost his parents in an airplane crash, Alex is shocked by the news, but his shock quickly turns to suspicion when the police tell him Ian was not wearing his seatbelt.  With years of experience of Ian emphasizing the importance of wearing his seatbelt, Alex is determined to figure out what actually happened.  Because Ian was a banker, Alex cannot imagine why the police would cover up the accident, but his investigation leads him to a surprising reason—Ian was a spy killed while on a mission.  Alex meets Alan Blunt and Mrs. Jones, the leaders of his uncle’s team, MI6, and, after putting him through a series of tests, they ask him to continue Ian’s mission.  Using some coercive techniques, Blunt convinces Alex to take up the task and spy on Herod Sayle, an Egyptian billionaire that is giving away “Stormbreaker” computers to every school in England.  Traveling to Sayle’s home, Alex must figure out exactly why he is donating such a large amount of computers before it is too late.

Critical Evaluation

Anthony Horowitz’s Stormbreaker is a fast-paced action novel full of excitement and multiple cliffhangers at the end of chapters.  The novel is written in third-person, but it is rare that the reader finds out things before Alex Rider.  Having this limited view helps keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat, feeling the suspense and fear along with Alex.  While there are instances in which the reader experiences anxiety over what is around the corner, the word that I feel most encompasses the tone of the novel is fun.  Just as with other spy stories, there are cool gadgets that help the hero get out of trouble.  However, these gadgets stand out because they were designed to resemble things that a teenage boy would carry in his luggage, such as a pimple cream that can eat through metal and a Game Boy system that can scan documents or set off a smoke bomb.  I found the character of Alex Rider especially entertaining as he tries to reconcile his uncertainty about his abilities with his tendency to take risks and act on impulse.  Ultimately, the reveal of the mystery was a little disappointing, but the non-stop action kept me hooked on the novel all the way through.  This novel will especially appeal to reluctant readers because of its quick pace and the entertaining situations Alex gets himself into.

Reader's Annotation

After discovering that his recently deceased uncle was actually a spy, Alex is recruited to continue the mission, despite being only fourteen years old.

Information About the Author

Anthony Horowitz had an extremely unhappy, though privileged, childhood.  Although the memories still haunt him, they gave him inspiration for his writing.  He also found solace in the escapism of James Bond films and continues to share his love of the films with his two sons.

Anthony Horowitz is perhaps the busiest writer in England. He has been writing since the age of eight, and professionally since the age of twenty. In addition to the highly successful Alex Rider books, he is also the writer and creator of award winning detective series Foyle’s War, and more recently event drama Collision, among his other television works he has written episodes for Poirot, Murder in Mind, Midsomer Murders and Murder Most Horrid. Anthony became patron to East Anglia Children’s Hospices in 2009.  (information from author’s website: http://www.anthonyhorowitz.com/about/)

Genre

Young Adult – Action/Thriller

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1. Tell the story of when Alex discovers his uncle’s true identity.

2. Imagine Jack Starbright’s side of the story.

3. Focus on Alex’s first encounter with Herod Sayle.

4. Describe the action-packed tone of the novel.

Reading Level/Interest Age

10+

Challenge Issues

The novel contains some violence and death.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 

I had not yet chosen an action-adventure novel and, after hearing about the success of the Alex Rider Series, I decided to start with the first of the series.