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Scorpia
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Alex Rider: Book 5

Scorpia (2004) (edit title/settings)

by Anthony Horowitz (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

CORNERED!
Alex Rider, teen spy, has always been told he is the spitting image of the father he never knew. But when he learns that his father may have been an assassin for the most lethal and powerful terrorist organization in the world, Scorpia, Alex's world shatters. Now Scorpia wants... read more

Summary edit see section history

In a secret meeting room of criminal organization Scorpia, Julia Rothman briefs her colleagues on their latest project, codenamed "Invisible Sword." It is a plan to murder children aged 12 - 14 in Great Britain and destroy the friendly relations between the United States and Great Britain. She... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

In a secret meeting room of criminal organization Scorpia, Julia Rothman briefs her colleagues on their latest project, codenamed "Invisible Sword." It is a plan to murder children aged 12 - 14 in Great Britain and destroy the friendly relations between the United States and Great Britain. She then later kills one of her colleagues by sneaking venoumous scorpions into his "departing gift" when he speaks of retiring.

Alex Rider is on a trip with his friend Tom Harris in Venice in search of Scorpia, the name that Yassen Gregorovich gave Alex before dying in the prior novel. While investigating at a party being held in the house of Julia Rothman, Alex is captured by a Scorpia assassin called Nile and is left to die in a water room, but manages to escape, barely. Alex is tutored about BASE jumping from Tom's brother Jerry and infiltrates the pharmaceutical company Consanto. He runs into Nile again; however, this time Nile takes Alex to see Julia Rothman. Rothman offers Alex a job at Scorpia, which he accepts after Rothman tells him that Scorpia had hired his father John Rider as an assassin. She also tells Alex that John was killed by MI6 during a prisoner exchange at Albert Bridge. Alex's first task is to kill his former MI6 superior, Mrs Jones.

Scorpia sends a letter to the Government informing them of the power of Invisible Sword. To demonstrate, they tell them that they will kill the English reserve football team as they arrive at London Heathrow Airport without using any weapons. Despite increased security, the team mysteriously dies. Alex sneaks back into England amid the chaos. He then sneaks into Mrs Jones's apartment to kill her, but is unsuccessful and is arrested.

Alan Blunt, the head of MI6, takes Alex to a COBRA meeting to figure out what Invisible Sword is and how to stop it. With Alex's help, they determine that Scorpia embedded gold-encased nanoshells into the football players' bloodstream. The nanoshells were hidden in vaccinations and contained cyanide, which were activated by satellite dishes, and when they were activated, the gold wore away and the cyanide was released into the bloodstream, killing every single one of the players instantly. Scorpia will then kill London's schoolchildren, including Alex, as they had all recently been vaccinated.

Alex agrees to help MI6 out and pretends to come back to Scorpia. Rothman takes him to an abandoned church; Scorpia planned to put a satellite in a hot air balloon. At a certain height, they will then activate the nanoshells. Alex activates a retainer in his mouth and the SAS invades the church. As the balloon begins to rise, Alex jumps on the balloon and damages the satellites, causing them to plunge to the ground. Rothman is killed by the falling satellite. In the final pages of the novel, Alex learns that his father was a double agent for MI6, and the bridge scene was staged. Scorpia learned that John Rider (Alex's father) was still alive and took revenge by blowing up the plane that Alex's parents were flying in. In the final scene, as Alex exits the MI6 headquarters, a Scorpia assassin shoots Alex in the chest. He collapses, sees his parents, and loses consciousness.

Characters edit see section history

  • Alex Rider: Alex is age 15 and works for MI6 as a spy. He is fluent in three languages and skilled in many activities such as martial arts, scuba diving, and mountain climbing. He is going to Scorpia after he learns that his father went there and MI6 betrayed his father
  • Alan Blunt: The head of MI6. Emotionless.
  • Julia Rothman: One of the 9 leaders of Scorpia. The main one here.
  • Tom Harris: Alex's friend with who he goes to Venice
  • Jack Starbright: Alex's housekeeper and guardian. His mother/father and someone who Alex's trusts (there aren't many people, just a typical spy)
  • John Rider: he was Alex's father, he worked for Scorpia (or did he?)
  • Helen Rider: Alex's mother, killed in an accident with her husband (or was it an accident)
  • Ian Rider: Alex's uncle, he died in a mission for the MI6. Killed by Yassen an assassin who Alex killed in the last book and who led him to Venice
  • Yassen Gregorovich: he was a Russian assassin, he died after telling Alex a hint about the truth about his father. Killed Alex's uncle
  • Max Grendel: One of the 9 leaders of Scorpia
  • Dr Three: One of the 9 leaders of Scorpia and he was Japanese.
  • Levi Kroll: One of the 9 leaders of Scorpia. Israeli
  • Harold Liebermann: a scientist that creates weapons for the Scorpia. He is killed at the start of the book
  • Mikato: Add a description of this character.
  • Nile: a man working for Julia Rothman. A man who only has one weakness, which is why he was second at Scorpia's academy not first
  • Jerry Harris: Tom’s elder brother, he lives in Naples and met them
  • Mrs Jones: the deputy head of Special Operations at MI6. More emotion then her head, Alan Bunt
  • Oliver d’Arc: the principal of Scorpia's school on Malagosto.
  • Eijit Binnag: she teaches Botany at Malagosto.
  • Gordon Ross: Technical specialist in the British government
  • Graham Adair: permanent secretary to the Cabinet Office. Meets Alex in cabinet meeting
  • Dr Rachel Stephenson: a writer and a researcher, a specialist in the field of nanotechnology. Helped MI6
  • Mark Kellner: director of communications.
  • Smithers: The guy in charge of gadgets that Alex Rider uses when he is on a mission. Alex's friend and only guy who he trusts in M16
  • James Adair: Sir Graham Adair's son. Linked to Alex's father
Show all 25 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
  • The S stands for sabotage. The CORP comes from corruption. The I is intelligence…in other words, spying. And the A is for assassination.
    Highlighted by 55 Kindle customers
  • Tom had his back to the buildings. He was looking at the sea. “Anyone fancy a swim?” he asked. “Yeah.” Jerry nodded slowly. “You bring any trunks?” “No.” “It doesn’t matter. We can swim in our underpants.” “I’m not wearing underpants.” Jerry glanced at his brother. “Charming!”
    Highlighted by 52 Kindle customers
  • He suffers from vitiligo. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. It’s an autoimmune disease. His antibodies are attacking his pigment cells or something like that. The singer Michael Jackson claims to have the same thing. Poor Nile! He was born black, but he’ll die completely white.
    Highlighted by 52 Kindle customers
  • I met a woman named Julia Rothman. She was very beautiful but a complete bitch.
    Highlighted by 50 Kindle customers
  • If the president of the United States chooses not to respond to all four of our demands in the allotted time, then—at exactly four o’clock next Thursday afternoon—many thousands and perhaps as many as a hundred thousand schoolchildren in London will die.
    Highlighted by 42 Kindle customers
  • SCORPIA NEVER FORGOT. Scorpia never forgave.
    Highlighted by 41 Kindle customers
  • He took a step forward and stopped. Something had hit him in the chest. It was as though he had been punched. He looked left and right, but there was nobody close to him. How very strange.
    Highlighted by 40 Kindle customers
  •      At exactly 2:15, all eighteen members of this team, including the coaches and the reserves, will be killed. You cannot save them. You cannot protect them. You can only watch.
    Highlighted by 33 Kindle customers
  • Maybe I should be sitting here in a wheelchair with a bald head and a scar down my face, stroking a cat.”
    Highlighted by 30 Kindle customers
  • high-powered, semi-automatic machine gun, the Heckler & Koch 9mm MP5, the favorite assault weapon of the SAS.
    Highlighted by 28 Kindle customers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

  • Venice, Italy: where the Scorpia has its HQ.
  • London: Alex's hometown.
  • Naples, Italy: the city where Alex will spend some time with Tom.
  • Malagosto: an island near Venice, where the Scorpia trains its assassins.

Organizations edit see section history

  • MI6: The British intelligence agency.
  • Scorpia: An organization hired to kill.
  • COBRA: The acronym stands for Cabinet Office Briefing Room A; Emergengy council, the government's ultimate response to any major crisis.

First Sentence edit see section history

THE ROOM HAD NO WINDOWS, and that in itself was strange as it was situated in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Table of Contents edit see section history

1. Extra Work
2. The Widow's Palace
3. Invisible Sword
4. By Invitation Only
5. Flood Tide
6. Thoughts On a Train
7. Consanto
8. Designer Lables
9. Albert Bridge
10. How to Kill
11. The Bell Tower
12. "Dear Prime Minister..."
13. Pizza Delivery
14. Cobra
15. Remote Control
16. Desision Time
17. The Church Of Forgotten Saints
18. High Resoloution
19. Deep Cover
20. A Mother's Touch

Glossary edit see section history

  • SCORPIA: comes from their 4 main expertise: Sabotage, CORruption, Intelligence, Assassination.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 5 of 12 in Alex Rider. (standard series)

Preceded by Eagle Strike, and followed by Ark Angel.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Anthony Horowitz (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Walker Books
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Date: April 1, 2004
ISBN: 0744583233
Page Count: 369

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PZ7.H7875 Sc 2004
  • Dewey: 828'.914

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • Stormbreaker
  • Point Blank
  • Skeleton Key
  • Eagle Strike

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