Stormbreaker, the first in the Alex Rider adventures by Anthony Horowitz, is a young adult novel full of suspense and adventure. Published by Penguin in 2000, Stormbreaker marks the beginning of the story of protagonist Alex Rider, and is an engaging read for both teenaged and young adult boys and girls.
Stormbreaker: A Young Adult Adventure Novel
Fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is shocked to find out that his uncle Ian, a bank manager, has died suddenly in a car accident, with evidence that he had not worn his seat belt. Knowing Ian Rider to be a careful man who always wore his seat belt, Alex becomes suspicious of the cause of death. When he finds out the true cause is several bullets, Alex sets out to find answers from his uncle’s associates.
Alex discovers that Ian Rider was no bank manager, but a spy, a secret agent for MI6. To his surprise, Alex is recruited to uncover his uncle’s assassin and to finish Ian Rider’s last mission – to expose the true intentions of computer manufacturer and multimillionaire Herod Sayle. Only then does Alex’s first adventure begin.
A Suspenseful Mystery Story
With its fast-paced narration and engaging dialogue, Stormbreaker immediately draws the reader into the suspense of the story. From finding out about the death of Ian Rider, to Alex’s recruitment as a spy, to the scrapes he finds himself in, each event spills into the next with the highs and lows of a thrilling story. As Alex spends just a few days on his mission, a mystery is slowly and steadily unveiled. The mystery behind Alex’s adversary, Herod Sayle, culminates in an almost sensational climax – the stuff of movies.
Stormbreaker allows the reader to step into an imaginative and entertaining story with a believable and likeable young protagonist. Teenaged readers, both boys and girls, may understand Alex’s actions and emotions, while not necessarily identifying with his situation. Alex demonstrates an interesting mix of courage, smart spy senses, and teenage worries – admirable qualities in a fourteen-year-old protagonist. While Alex Rider’s first adventure reaches a conclusion, the novel leaves behind the suggestion of another story to come. Readers are thus invited to follow Alex through the Alex Rider adventures series.
Stormbreaker has been adapted into a film starring Alex Pettyfer, which remains true to the characters, bringing them to life while capturing the essence of the adventure and suspense of the novel.
The young adult novel Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz is only the beginning of the Alex Rider adventures. It is a thrill of a story for teenaged and young adult readers.
Source: Stormbreaker. Anthony Horowitz. Penguin Group. New York, NY. 2000. ISBN: 978-0-14-240611-3.
Michelle Wright - Michelle is an avid reader and writer, with a focus on book, film and music reviews, gluten free recipes, and fiction writing "how-tos."
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