Suspense

Not enough girls ( )

Alex has survived the sniper's shot and is convalescing in a private hospital for the rich and famous. His room is next door to Paul, the son of a Russian multibillionaire, which allows him to fool kidnappers into taking him instead. Eco-terrorists have been trying to sabotage the Russian's rocket launch headed to a private space station. The billionaire is grateful to Alex and invites him for a two week vacation at his island in the Caribbean where the launch will take place. However, Alex's vacation is less than restful when he is recruited by the CIA to make sure that the billionaire remains honest.

Even though Ark Angel predicts the privatization of space travel 15 years before it actually happens, it is still a very far fetched entry in the Alex Rider series. Once again, we are treated to action, suspense, and adventure, but many of the events in the the story are extremely unrealistic. The best part of the story is the beginning when Alex makes himself the target of kidnappers. Overall, though, Ark Angel doesn't add much to this ongoing series. ( )

Alex Rider is recovering from a sniper shot in a London hospital when thugs show up to apprehend the 14-year old son of a Russian oligarch. After almost winning, Alex is captured, mistaken for the boy. After a daring escape, the Russian rewards Alex by asking him to finish his convalescence on a private island in the Caribbean to watch the lanuch of a rocket to a hotel he is building in space in partnership with the British government. Alex begins to suspect something is wrong when the Russian tries to run him off a racing cart track, just to win. Alex has to go into space on a rocket to thwart the Russian's insane plan. ( )