Customer Reviews

Ark Angel

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

'Scorpia' is a hard act to follow, being the best and most emotionally draining Alex Rider adventure yet, and while 'Ark Angel' reached no where near the caliber of intensity that can be found in 'Scorpia', it is still as fun as ever.

Yes people, he's back (you all thought he would be an angel ... shame), and Alex is madder than ever. After being shot by the unforgiving criminal orginization Scorpia, 'Ark Angel' picks up in a hospital where Alex is recuperating and ready once and for all to give up spywork and the heartless MI6. However, when Alex befriends the son of Russian millionaire Nikolei Drevin, Paul, in the hospital, everything changes as Alex is pulled along into another action-packed adventure after he saves Drevin's son from a high-stakes kidnapping plot. What follows are the always interesting tropical islands, rockets in space, and of course maniacal bad guys and trained killers.

As usual, this new adventure is full of Horowitz's trademark action sequences, humor, and unexpected plot turns that will keep the reader glued to their seats. Alex is still seething at MI6, but he is no where near as mad as he was in 'Scorpia'. As a character, Alex didn't do much growing, but how can he since he grew leaps and bounds in the last book? So no minus points there, but, the only problem this adventure suffers is the sometimes repetive action sequences. I know it's hard to recreate gun-shot escapes, but how many times can a bullet pass over your shoulder without taking a bit off? The essential political backdrop is there once again, and Horowitz makes it simple enough for any reader to understand. Some favorite characters make reappearences, while others don't. Mrs. Jones does not make an appearence and I hope that after her intense encounter with Alex in 'Scorpia', Horowitz has more planned for her character. While not the best in the series, readers will still love to plunge back into Alex's bond-like world and experience the reality and just plain coolness of being a teenage spy. I highly reccommend this adventure to all fans of the series and regular readers who want to know what it would really be like to be a teenage spy (no offense Carmen and Junie).

Before you read the review of ARK ANGEL, you need to take into account that this is the sixth book in the engaging, entertaining, action-packed adventure series starring Alex Rider. If you haven't read the first five books in the series, you'll probably want to do that before you pick up ARK ANGEL. Although it can stand on its own, you'll feel more in the loop by reading the previous books first.

ARK ANGEL picks up immediately where Scorpia (Alex Rider Adventure), book five, left off. At the end of that book, we saw Alex Rider on the ground, wounded by a sniper's bullet. For those who thought that Anthony Horowitz was planning to kill off our favorite young MI6 agent, please be assured that ARK ANGEL does not in any way imply dead. Alex is alive and relatively well, recuperating in an exclusive private hospital in London. The sniper's bullet missed his heart, instead bouncing off a rib and exiting out his arm. Now, as he's recovering in posh room nine of the hospital, he becomes friends with Paul. The same Paul that turns out to be the son of Nikolai Drevin, one of the richest men in the world.

When Alex saves Paul during a kidnapping attempt, Nikolai invites Alex to finish his recuperation at his estate. Alex soon wonders at the wisdom of being in Drevin's company, however, when he learns that an eco-terrorist group known as Force Three has threatened not only the Drevin family, but the safety of the entire world.

Nikolai Drevin's latest project, Ark Angel, is in full swing. Designed to become the first ultimate luxury hotel in outer space, it contains everything the world's richest people could want. It's also, at least according to Force Three, a threat to the environment of Earth as we know it. Now the members of the terrorist group are out to stop Ark Angel from ever opening, and they'll do anything--and everything--they can to see their mission come to completion. Even if it means hurtling the hotel back through the atmosphere and onto Earth's surface.

ARK ANGEL is another action-adventure read that will keep you turning pages right through to the end. Alex Rider has come a long way since the fourteen-year old boy roped into complying with MI6, but there's part of him that's still determined to leave the spy organization for good. Yet he knows that his skills are needed, and the unending action of ARK ANGEL show in detail why that is. You won't go wrong with any of the books in the Alex Rider series, and I can say that I'm excited about the opening of the movie Alex Rider - Operation Stormbreaker (Widescreen Edition), the first Alex Rider adventure, which is in development now.

In the sixth Alex Rider Adventure, Alex is recovering from his encounter with a sniper who had been sent to kill him. In the hospital, he meets Paul Drevin, son of multibillionaire Nikolei Drevin. While in the hospital, kidnappers come for Paul. The kidnappers are part of Force Three, a group of eco-terrorists who are angry that Nikolei Drevin caused the extinction of several species of birds during rocket launches for his latest project, Ark Angel, a space hotel. However, Alex defends Paul against Force Three and prevents them from kidnapping him. Rewarding Alex for protecting his son, Nikolei Drevin invites Alex to spend some time with Paul and him in their extraordinary homes, leading up to the launch of one of the most important pieces of the space hotel. Alex finds that Force Three, Ark Angel, and Nikolei Drevin are not what they seem to be and despite Alex's refusal to once again become involved in the world of deception, and spying, he finds himself working to defeat "the biggest criminal in the world."

I generally find that books in the Alex Rider series tend to get a touch too repetitive. However, in ARK ANGEL, although it did have some parallels to other books in the series, Anthony Horowitz successfully threw twists into the plot that set the book apart from its predecessors. I also congratulate Mr. Horowitz on the great amount of research he did on topics covered in the book. He even threw in some physics, explaining rotational inertia and some nice examples of Newton's Laws! The setting for the end of the book was very unique and gave the book an exciting ending, but I wish that Anthony Horowitz did not put Alex Rider in so many life or death situations. I enjoy the creative ways Alex Rider slips away from his enemies, but it starts to get a little old when I find that for the third time in the book Alex has dodged a bullet that passes centimeters over his shoulder. ARK ANGEL as a whole has more positives than negatives and definitely is an enjoyable book that Alex Rider fans will love as a great addition to the series.

Reviewed by Seth Cassel for Flamingnet Book Reviews

www.flamingnet.com

Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations.

Oh the places you will go, Alex Rider!

Ark Angel is the latest chapter in the saga of Alex Rider. I do not want to give away too much in case you have not read the previous books but be warned, "spoilers" follow. If you have not read Alex Rider vols. 1-5 then hie yourself to a library and begin now.

Book 5 ended abruptly and very "Ian-Fleming-ly" with Alex on the ground, hit by a sniper's bullet. Ark Angel picks up soon afterwards with Alex recuperating in the hospital. There he befriends another patient, the lonely son of the multi-millionaire, Nikolei Drevin. Drevin is the developer of the Ark Angel space hotel project.

As usual, Alex is embroiled in the events that follow against his will. Only Alex, however, has the unique skills and talents to combat the evil plot and danger that unfolds.

Horowitz is at the top of his game in this sequel, the action is nonstop. The book actually contains several mini lessons in physics which make some of the predicaments almost believable. They are always fun.

While booktalking with some 5th graders, I mentioned that I had read this book and a young fan asked fearfully, "So, is Alex alright?" He cannot wait to get this book.

I thought this book was one of the best of all the series I liked this book because it is full of action and adventure.It was exciting when Alex used the medicine ball as a sling shot and knocked out the guy.

Not even a sniper's bullet can stop Alex Rider. He is back and this time he is facing a terrorist group called Force Three. When Alex saves a billionaire's son, Paul Drevin, he is swept away to a life of luxury. Now MI6 is once again giving Alex no choice to spy on Paul's dad. Then he finds out that Ark Angel is going to be blown up and it is going to fall from space, right into Washington and destroy the whole capital. Will Alex be able to go into space and prove once again that he can stop this or will he die trying?

I recomend this book to a 8-14 year old and anyone who likes an action,adventure and a little mystery.

I got this book for my 12 year old son. He loves the Alex Rider series and was surprised to find another book....especially after the ending of the last one!!! He couldn't put the book down. He kept reporting all the violent events to me. He told me the book was predictable, but he'd recommend it anyway. I'm just happy that he's reading!!!

Title- Ark Angel

Author- Anthony Horowitz

Setting- Flamingo Island

Main Characters- Alex Rider is a very unique special agent under the command of MI6,Nikolei Drevin exentric billionaire (need I say more),and Paul Drevin is soon to be Alex's newfound friend.

Alex is in the hospital because of "Appendictis" when he is visited by four very mean looking men. He deos everything he can to stop them from kidnapping his next door neighbor Paul Drevin. When his plan works and they kidnap+ him instaed!

I enjoyed reading the part in the story where Alex had to tightrope walking across the two Hornchurch Towers. It painted a vivid image of Alex walking across and the wind flapping around him. I particularly enjoyed the joke he told the two firemen, who were waiting for him on the roof of the other apartment building.

I enjoyed reading Ark Angel and look forward to seeing what MI6 has in store for Alex next. This was a very enjoyable read. I will recommend this book to ayone who likes James Bond "Kid Style". Mr. Horowitz has a very interesting way of writting and I like it. I hope you have found my review helpful, but if that is not the case I hope I have sparked your curiosity and you will read this very well written book.

Wonder what it's like to go on vacation with a friend and next thing you know you have to turn the vacation into a spy mission? Well, Alex Rider knows. In the book Ark Angel by Anthony Horwitz, Alex Rider is asked to go on vacation by a billionaire named Nikolei Driven. While on vacation Alex finds out that Mr. Driven is a major criminal. Then the CIA asks Alex to go up into outer space to move a bomb that is in Mr. Driven's space hotel so it does not explode sending chunks of debris towards Washington D.C. This book was very fun to read because there was never a dull moment where I said to myself that I wanted to put the book down. Right when something exciting ended something else exciting happens. Before reading this book you should read the book StormBreaker, then Point Blank, then Skeleton Key, then Eagle Strike, and then the book Scorpia to get a better understanding of the characters in the book. This book is best suited for a fourteen year old that likes action because they would be able to understand better how Alex is thinking since he is fourteen. So all you fourteen year old action lovers, this book is best for you.

in this thrilling addition to the Alex Rider series, Alex is in the hospital, recovering from a near shave with a sniper bullet, courtesy of Scorpia. While in the hospital, he befriends the friendless Paul Drevin, the son of a multi-millionaire. One night, as Alex was walking down the hallway, he saw the receptionist shot, and heard that the shooters were after Paul.Alex tricks the kidnappers into thinking he's Paul, and then leads them through the hotel, zapping one of them in the neck with defibullators, knocks another one out with a medicine ball, and tricks a man with a solid metal watch into walking into a room with an incredibly powerful magnet. That wasn't pretty. But he fergot about the fourth guy. He's captured and brought back to the headquarters of the kidnappers, who are actually the members of a terrorist oraganization, Force Three. And so it goes, with a brilliant escape from a burning building, a awsome go-kart race, a meeting with the CIA, a private island, a huge space hotel, rigged to come hurtliing down to our very own Washinton D.C.

The Alex Rider series gets better with every new installment, and I can't wait for another one to come out. It's hands down the best spy series around. I would recommend this book to every one who can read or be read to.

Enjoy this book while you can. From here the Alex Rider series goes downhill, and fast. This is a very good book, I even think it was better than Scorpia although, Scorpia's ending was simply fantastic. At the next book "Snakehead" I felt he was starting to lose his touch with this series, it certaintly wasn't as good as this, or Scorpia or the earlier books. And to be honest, Crocodile Tears was simply HORRIBLE compared to the rest of the books. Happy reading, the series goes downhill from here.