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Stormbreaker
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Read Stormbreaker
Alex Rider: Book 1

Stormbreaker (2000) (edit title/settings)

by Anthony Horowitz (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

They told him his uncle died in a car accident. Fourteen-year-old Alex knows that’s a lie, and the bullet holes in his uncle’s windshield confirm his suspicions. But nothing prepares him for the news that the uncle he always thought he knew was really a spy for MI6—Britain’s top secret... read more

Summary edit see section history

In this spy-action-thriller book, Stormbreaker, by Anthony Horowitz, lives a fourteen-year old named Alex Rider whom lives in West London with his housekeeper, Jack Starbright, because both of his parents died from a tragic plane accident. But his whole life gets spun around after he finds out... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

In this spy-action-thriller book, Stormbreaker, by Anthony Horowitz, lives a fourteen-year old named Alex Rider whom lives in West London with his housekeeper, Jack Starbright, because both of his parents died from a tragic plane accident. But his whole life gets spun around after he finds out that his uncle, Ian, was a spy. They told him that Ian had died from a car accident, but the bullet marks on his uncle’s windshield makes him suspicious, and later he finds out that they lied to him. Ian had worked for M16-Britain’s top-secret intelligence agency. The head of M16, Alan Blunt, and Mrs. Jones, who works for Alan, tell Alex at Ian’s funeral how Ian really died and that he was assassinated. “He had been working undercover here in England, in Cornwall, and was driving back to London to make a report when he was killed.” Down in his uncle’s work building, Alex gets a brief talking about a man named Herod Sayle, whom plans to donate thousands of this computer system called the Stormbreaker, to all schools across England. They force Alex to work for M16 to investigate the production of the Stormbreakers because they are curious why Herod is donating so many Stormbreaker systems. Alex goes under cover as a boy named Felix Lester, a boy who is given a tour of the Stormbreaker production because he won a contest and will be the first to test the Stormbreaker system. Alex goes through two weeks of training at the M16 facility. During the process, he gets pushed to the test and is continuously harassed by the other people that are in training. After the training, Alex is given a couple of special gadgets that will help him during dangerous moments throughout the journey. Soon after, Alex is sent to Sayle Enterprise. He makes his first accidental mistake by telling Sayle to call him Alex, instead of Felix. The next morning, after meeting a few of the employees from the previous night, he gets called down to test the Stormbreaker. After the testing for several hours, Alex decides to sneak around a bit, but gets caught not much later. After more discoveries, he finds out Herod’s plan from his own investigations. Herod’s plan is to infect all of the children at school with small pox, which is hidden inside the computer systems. When Herod finds out that his plan has been discovered, he attempts to kill Alex by throwing him off the edge of the building, but instead Alex gets rescued by a helicopter and follows where Herod is going. In just the nick of time, Alex manages to stop Herod with the help of former enemy, Yassen Gregorovich, and gets to tell him what his uncle never got the chance to say.

I personally really enjoyed this book. The fact that it’s a spy, action kind of book really got me intrigued and made me even want to be a spy after reading it. The little gadgets that Alex was given in the beginning before he went on the mission made me super jealous because of the things that they were capable of doing, even though they don’t exist in real life. The book made me want to keep reading because I wanted to know what would happen next. I also liked the personality of the characters, like Alex himself. He was just a regular, chill, normal teenager, until he turned into a spy that is. Also he was very athletic and involved. Alan Blunt talked about Alex’s background when he and Mrs. Jones were having a confidential meeting and said, “I mean, he’s lived abroad so he now speaks French, German, and Spanish. He’s been mountain climbing, diving, and skiing. He’s learned karate. Physically he’s in perfect shape.” He even reminded me of myself a little. I’m learning French, I know a little Spanish, I’ve gone skiing before and I used to take karate. It makes everything more interesting I think when you can connect yourself to the characters in the story. Overall, I thought it was a adventurous, suspensful, easy book to read. I would definitely recommend it to people who like spy, action books because it really gets you wondering what’s going to happen next, or who’s going to die next...

Characters edit see section history

  • Alex Rider: A 14 year old boy; the main character of the story. Martial arts specialist (has a first dan black belt in Karate). Couragous and smart. Also very athletic. he can also speak many different languages
  • Jack Starbright: The Riders' housekeeper - she takes care of Alex along with his uncle.
  • Ian Rider: Alex Rider's uncle. Also an agent for MI6. Dead. Supposedly dies in a car crash. Younger brother of Alex's father.
  • Crawley: A mysterious member of MI6.
  • Mrs. Jones: Works for the MI6. Always has a peppermint in her mouth.
  • Alan Blunt: Head of the M16, "Special OP" department.
  • Smithers: the gadget maker. The only MI6 employee Alex trusts.
  • Herod Sayle: The person who created the Stormbreaker computer.
  • Wolf: An SAS trainee.
  • Felix Lester: The winner of a Be The First To Test A Stormbreaker competition.
  • Alex Rider: He is the main character in this book. He is a spy, but never wanted to be. He investigates a base to determine why his uncle died, and why they killed him.
  • Mr. Grin: One of Herod Sayle's employees. He is unable to speak because his tongue has been cut out.
  • Yassen Gregorovich: Contract killer
Show all 13 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

Organizations edit see section history

  • MI6: The British intelligence agency.

First Sentence edit see section history

WHEN THE DOORBELL rings at three in the morning, it's never good news.

Table of Contents edit see section history

1. Funeral Voices
2. Heaven For Cars
3. Royal And General
4. "So What Do You Say?"
5. Double 0 Nothing
6. Toys Aren't Us
7. Phsalia Phsalia
8. Looking For Trouble
9. Night Visitors
10. Death In The Long Grass
11. Dozmary Mine
12. Behind The Door
13. The School Bully
14. Deep Water
15. Eleven O' Clock
16. Twelve O' Clock
17. Yassen

Errata edit see section history

When Herod Sayle tells Alex that the Latin name of the Portuguese Man O' War is Physalia Physalia, that is incorrect. In actuality, the Latin name is Physalia physalis.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 1 of 12 in Alex Rider. (standard series)

Followed by Point Blank.

This is book 46 of 216 in Whitcoulls Kids' Top 50 (2011). (authoritative list)
This is book 706 of 986 in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. (authoritative list)
This is book 107 of 200 in BBC 'Big Read' Top 200 Novels, 2003. (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Anthony Horowitz (Author) - Great author of many books.

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Walker Books
Country: UK
Publication Date: 2000
ISBN: 074455943X
Page Count: 256

Classification edit see section history

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

Very action heavy, with an accompanying level of violence which may be disturbing to young children. Some language may not be suitable for younger children.

Movie Connections edit see section history

  • Alex Rider: Stormbreaker (IMDb): 2006.Directed: Geoffrey SaxStarring: Alex Pettyfer, Mickey Rourke, Alicia SilverstoneStormbreaker is a 2006 British spy film based on Anthony Horowitz's novel- Stormbreaker.

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • The Ninth Orphan
  • Eagle Strike
  • Point Blank
  • Skeleton Key
  • Crocodile Tears
  • Snakehead
  • Scorpia Rising
  • Ark Angel
  • Jimmy Coates: Assassin?

Books Influenced by This Book edit see section history

   
  • Echo McCool, Outlaw Through Time

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