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Scorpia

(Alex Rider #5)

Anthony Horowitz (Goodreads Author)

4.17 · Rating details · 51,738 ratings · 1,342 reviews

Alex Rider, teen spy, has always been told he is the spitting image of the father he never knew. But when Alex learns that his father may have been an assassin for the most lethal and powerful terrorist organization in the world, Scorpia, his world shatters. Now Scorpia wants Alex on their side, and Alex no longer has the strength to fight them. That is, until he learns of ...more

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Paperback, 388 pages

Published February 16th 2006 by Puffin Books (first published 2004)

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Sep 18, 2012 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, mystery, 21th-century, young-adult

Scorpia (Alex Rider, #5), Anthony Horowitz

Scorpia is the fifth book in the Alex Rider series (stories about the adventures of Alex Rider a 14–15-year-old spy), written by British author Anthony Horowitz. It begins several weeks after the events of fourth book, Eagle Strike, and up to nine days before the sixth, Ark Angel.

عنوانها: عقرب؛ اسکورپیا، نویسنده: آنتونی هوروویتس؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز پنجم ماه مارس سال 2010 میلادی

عنوان: عقرب؛ نویسنده: آنتونی هوروویتس؛ مترجم: مهدی قراچه داغی؛ مشخصات نشر Scorpia (Alex Rider, #5), Anthony Horowitz

Scorpia is the fifth book in the Alex Rider series (stories about the adventures of Alex Rider a 14–15-year-old spy), written by British author Anthony Horowitz. It begins several weeks after the events of fourth book, Eagle Strike, and up to nine days before the sixth, Ark Angel.

عنوانها: عقرب؛ اسکورپیا، نویسنده: آنتونی هوروویتس؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز پنجم ماه مارس سال 2010 میلادی

عنوان: عقرب؛ نویسنده: آنتونی هوروویتس؛ مترجم: مهدی قراچه داغی؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، ایرانبان، زمستان 1386، در 341ص، شابک 9789642980000؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان انگلیسی - سده ی 21م

عنوان دیگر: اسکورپیا، مترجم: گیتا گرگانی، نشر کاروان، سال 1387، در 312ص، شابک 9789641750956؛

گروه تروریستی «عقرب» میخواهد، اسلحه ای تازه بسازد، که شمار بسیاری از نوجوانان انگلیسی را بکشد، تا از اینراه بتواند: دولت را زیر فشار بگذارد؛«الکس رایدر» در «ونیز»، در جستجوی رازهایی ست، که از بین رفته اند؛ رازهایی در باره ی اینکه: آیا پدرش یک آدمکش بیرحم بوده؟ اگر این سخن راست باشد، چه اثری روی «الکس» میگذارد؟ آیا او همکاری خویش را، با: «سازمان ام.آی.سیکس» ادامه میدهد؟ (از آنجایی که راستی اسراری که «الکس» به دنبالش است، نزد گروه تروریست «عقرب» نهفته است)، آیا او با این گروه تروریستی همکاری میکند، تا انتقام بگیرد؟ و با شنیدن دروغهایی که در مورد پدرش گفته شده، و روحیه ی او را پایین آورده، همچون همیشه، میتواند از مردمان خود پشتیانی کند؟ و …؛

ا. شربیانی ...more

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Nov 05, 2017 Cristina Monica rated it really liked it

The best Alex Rider book so far.

Alex recently learned *spoilers for those who haven’t read the previous volumes* that his father was not a normal citizen and certainly not a super spy like he is/was. Actually, his father was an assassin working for the deadliest organization ran by assassins that ever existed. They call it Scorpia.

Now that he has confirmation MI6 betrayed and lied to him from the very beginning, he doesn’t know what to do or where he belongs anymore. So he goes in search of Sc ...more

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Aug 09, 2018 Ryan Buckby rated it really liked it

actual rating: 4.5/5 stars

In my opinion this is the best Alex Rider book in the entire series so far and i loved the direction it took.

Plot: this book picks up after the events of book four and Alex is trying to get back to lead a quiet life and get away from MI6 and being a spy for them. However things do not go to plan when Alex is swept up in that world again when he is recruited by a very top assassin group called Scorpia . Alex soon learns that his father was apart of this organisation ...more

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Dec 04, 2007 Jamie rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: everyone

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The book I read is called Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz. Horowitz has written other books such as Point Blank, Stormbreaker, Eagle Strike, and Skeleton Key. This is the fourth and final book of The Alex Rider adventures. This book is about a teenager boy that is a spy for MI6. He goes to Italy to find a company that he heard about from a former enemy named Yassen Gregorovich. Just before Yassen died he said Alex would find his destiny in Scorpia. He ends up working for them, but after hearing abou ...more

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Jul 01, 2018 Lila Kims rated it really liked it

Okay, so that was different from the previous Alex Rider books. Very different.

VERY, VERY different.

It was... deeper. A good number of characters were more rounded, felt more real than they ever have. I ACTUALLY GOT THE FEELS. I mean... OH MY GOSH, I ALMOST WANT TO SPOIL SOME THINGS BUT I CAN'T BUT I WON'T.

It was different, guys. The storyline, the motivations, the outcome. It was an Alex Rider book, all right - non-stop action and lots of twists and turns - but it broke out of the mold some of ...more

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Apr 29, 2009 Jamil rated it it was ok

After reading several reviews I notice that at the beginning of the novel “Scorpia” by Anthony Horowitz, the reader does get glued to the book. I found myself continuously telling myself “five more minutes till I go to sleep.” But as the book progressed I was slowly convincing myself that the book was not up to my level and something that I could have been reading in grade 6.

Horowitz starts the book off really well. He immediately introduces the conflict in the novel. The antagonists are all i After reading several reviews I notice that at the beginning of the novel “Scorpia” by Anthony Horowitz, the reader does get glued to the book. I found myself continuously telling myself “five more minutes till I go to sleep.” But as the book progressed I was slowly convincing myself that the book was not up to my level and something that I could have been reading in grade 6.

Horowitz starts the book off really well. He immediately introduces the conflict in the novel. The antagonists are all in one room about to start a conference. Horowitz describes the meeting using a simile. “It was clear that the people who congregated in this place came from many different parts of the world, but they had one thing in common; a stillness, a coldness even that made the room as cheerful as a morgue. (2)” I found the use of this simile very affective as it placed a clear image in my mind of what is occurring. This is the only thing that I liked, being able to picture everything extremely well. But there was a time where I disliked the description.

While reading the novel I really thought I was able to predict what was going to occur next on a regular basis. For example when Alex was in Europe looking for SCORPIA, I just knew somehow the most unpredictable thing will happen and somehow Alex will find it. And sure enough it happened. “And that was when Alex saw it, a flash of silver as the sun reflected of something on the edge of his vision. He turned his head. There was nothing. A canal leading the other way. Another canal crossing it. A single motor cruiser sliding underneath a bridge. (29)” It happens too many times in one novel.
Another thing I despised is how Alex’s work seems way too easy and highly unlikely. His ability to continuously find himself in near death experiences and somehow figure a very un-probable way out is to familiar and reoccurring in the novel. I especially disliked the time where Alex was trapped in the room which floods and somehow gets through the crevasses of the floor and escapes. This was the time where I disliked the large amount of description. The reader knew Alex would get out of the situation, it was too early for him to be killed or something, yet it took like 10 pages for him to get out of it. Now I am not a lazy reader but I think the “suspense” of that scene was unnecessarily long.

Overall the book can be addicting but I really think that it is aimed at children rather than teens.
...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Nix rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, spy

Okay. Well. This book. This book was pretty cool, all said. At the end of the last book, I was almost in shock. I mean, whooooah. ALEX RIDER HAS A BIGGER PLOT THAN JUST A TEENAGE SPY RATTING OUT BAD GUYS. EVERYBODY GO HIDE UNDER A TABLE OR PUT A PAPER BAG OVER YOUR HEAD OR START USING THAT SUB-ETHA THUMB THINGY; THE WORLD IS ENDING.

Sorry, your ears are probably bleeding right now. Or would it be more accurate to say your eyes?

But I loved it that this time there was plot. I mean, yeah, the othe ...more

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Feb 27, 2017 Avalley rated it really liked it

I thought it was pretty good, though it was a lot like the last book. The whole series is kind of repetitive. Other than that though, it wasn't bad.

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May 22, 2019 Benjamin Thomas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, thriller-spy

The 5th book in the Alex Rider series introduces us to SCORPIA, an organization that was teased at the very end of the previous novel. SCORPIA is to the Alex Rider world what SMERSH is to James Bond (or THRUSH for Man From U.N.C.L.E. fans or CHAOS for Maxwell Smart fans). It’s an international criminal organization that performs high-level operations for well-paying clients.

Alex starts this book disillusioned with MI-6 and their continuing manipulation of him. The end of the last book provided ...more

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Oct 13, 2016 Jacob_Tyler rated it really liked it

Not one Alex Rider book has yet to disappoint me. The book "Scorpia" takes so many twist and turns to the Alex Rider series. The only thing I have to say is that the books are getting a little repetitive. I feel like the same thing is happening in every book, and Alex is just going to some different country than before. I still really enjoyed this book though, and I think you might like it.

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Feb 05, 2012 Nikki rated it really liked it

4.5 That ending though! Phew. Not quiiite a 5 stars because there are a few plot contrivances, but it's pretty much expected for the genre. Some of the great escapes/break-ins Alex pulls off are pretty sweet. And we finally learn more about Alex's family and their past.

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Dec 15, 2012 Isabel H. rated it really liked it

by Anthony Horowitz
Realistic Fiction
388 pages

Alex Rider is on a mission. This time he is not working for MI6, instead this time there is a job that he has to do for himself. Just a short time ago Alex was present when his old nemesis, Yassen Gregorovich died. Before he died Yassen told Alex that he and Alex’s father used to be comrades and if Alex wanted to know more about his father and his father’s life he must go to Venice where he should find Scorpia. Scorpia would help “find your destiny. A by Anthony Horowitz
Realistic Fiction
388 pages

Alex Rider is on a mission. This time he is not working for MI6, instead this time there is a job that he has to do for himself. Just a short time ago Alex was present when his old nemesis, Yassen Gregorovich died. Before he died Yassen told Alex that he and Alex’s father used to be comrades and if Alex wanted to know more about his father and his father’s life he must go to Venice where he should find Scorpia. Scorpia would help “find your destiny. Alex does not even know what or who Scorpia is but he still goes to Italy and soon after he arrives he does indeed connect with Scorpia. He discovers that Scorpia is an organization whose members are blackmailers and assassins. Alex when through a trainingand after it Alex is sent on his first mission – to murder Mrs. Jones, the MI6 operative who was responsible for John Rider’s death. Thankfully Alex does not succeed and Mrs. Jones and her boss, Mr. Blunt, are able to get Alex to change sides. They tell the young man that Scorpia is planning on killing thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of English school children using a mystery weapon called “Invisible Sword.” Although Alex despises MI6 and everyone who works for that organization, he cannot stand by while Scorpia commits mass murder. So Alex agrees to become a double agent. Alex thought it was bad enough being a spy for MI6, but this new role is infinitely worse, not to mention highly dangerous.
There is several reasons why I really like this book. In this book there is a lot of action. For example, the whole part of Alex Rider trying to kill Mr. Jones has a ton of action. Alex Rider is full of mistery in the first couple books with all the missions that he is sent on. Scorpia is one of my favorite books because it is full of suspense. When Alex Rider is sent on missions he takes them very seriously because it is the only way that he can figure out what has happened. Because this book is full of suspense and action I would recommend it to many of my peers. ...more

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Jun 28, 2016 Ian Kimchi Chang rated it it was amazing

The novel 'Alex Rider: Scorpia' by Alex Rider is the fifth book in the Alex Rider series. The book contains a fourteen year old boy named Alex Rider. He is a spy and he works for MI6 although he has lost some interest working for them.

When Yassen Gregorovich tells him to go to a criminal organisation called Scorpia in Venice, Alex tries to decide if he should work for Scorpia or MI6. Also in this book, Alex finds out the truth about his dad, John Rider and his uncle, Ian Rider, Alex made his cho The novel 'Alex Rider: Scorpia' by Alex Rider is the fifth book in the Alex Rider series. The book contains a fourteen year old boy named Alex Rider. He is a spy and he works for MI6 although he has lost some interest working for them.

When Yassen Gregorovich tells him to go to a criminal organisation called Scorpia in Venice, Alex tries to decide if he should work for Scorpia or MI6. Also in this book, Alex finds out the truth about his dad, John Rider and his uncle, Ian Rider, Alex made his choice.

Alex Rider is a spy who MI6 and Scorpia enjoys using him as he is a kid and no criminal would imagine that he would work for MI6 or Scorpia. On the other side, Alex Rider hates these two organisations, especially MI6, because they use him too much and makes Alex miss most of his schoolwork and ruined his freedom to be like a normal schoolboy in England.

There is one person who Alex likes in MI6. He is the Smithers. The Smithers makes cool gadgets which looks like what a normal teenager would have. For example, a bubblegum which can break any lock or a Harry Potter book which shoots sleeping darts at people then the author, J.K.Rowling is tapped. The Smithers also enjoys making cool gadgets for Alex as he has never done anything like this before.

When the Smithers creates gadgets, the Head of the MI6 Organisation, Alan Blunt, does not allow Alex to have any lethal weapons but the Smithers still makes lethal weapons like a missile shooting bike. Alan Blunt has a poker face and barely smiles. Alan is one of the people who Alex does not like very much. This is because Alan tries to convince Alex to help MI6 and when Alex needs MI6's help they do not help him.

Overall, I would give the a 5 stars because I liked how the author, Anthony Horowitz, was being creative on the gadgets. When reading the book, I was glued to the book especially when there was interesting actions going on in the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading or even to the ones who does not like to read.

...more

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Oct 11, 2007 Rohan rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Horowitz fans

One of the finest books i have read and this book is so engrossing that i read it in one single stretch.I love reading this book.

Alex goes to Venice for a school trip but he was told in Eagle Strike that he would learn about his father's past.So he tracks down a gang named Scorpia which is a underworld gang and is included of Murderers and what they tell him about his father horrifies him.Then Scorpia hire him as a member of the gang of murderers and his first mission is to kill Mrs.Jones.Alex i ...more

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May 24, 2018 Stephanie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-hardcopy, borrowbox-audiobook

I feel like the author is just recycling plot from earlier books in the series - this was very similar to the plot of book 2. It's still very fast paced, but I'm getting a little bored with MI6 seeming to turn heel every 4 chapters. There was a very quick development in maturity, and the plot twists can still be seen from 100 miles away.

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Apr 30, 2018 Jerry rated it really liked it

With a convoluted plot and plenty of action, Anthony Horowitz delivers another winner.

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Apr 03, 2018 Ashy Khaira rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 12, 2019 Luisa Knight rated it really liked it

Shelves: action, young-adult

Alex Rider isn't just any fourteen-year-old. He's mentally quick, knows self defense and adheres to a strong code of justice. Give him some gadgets and he'd make the perfect spy. After all, who would suspect a kid? And that's why MI6 want him so badly!

The series isn't just made up of individual adventure stories of espionage. The titles start becoming linked a little further into the series. It seems like Alex has a history. And because of it, his future with MI6 seems shaky and will leave the r Alex Rider isn't just any fourteen-year-old. He's mentally quick, knows self defense and adheres to a strong code of justice. Give him some gadgets and he'd make the perfect spy. After all, who would suspect a kid? And that's why MI6 want him so badly!

The series isn't just made up of individual adventure stories of espionage. The titles start becoming linked a little further into the series. It seems like Alex has a history. And because of it, his future with MI6 seems shaky and will leave the readers guessing.

I enjoyed these!

Ages: 12+

Cleanliness: A typical “good guy vs bad guy” story so morals are straight forward. There are some mild obscenities sprinkled throughout, most of which are used by the villains. If you’re from the UK or Down Under, the b-word is used once or twice in each book, so be aware of that. There’s no romantic relationships (a short one only in book four) and while there is violence (these are spy books after all) it is not too graphic or disturbing - similar to most Marvel movies. If this was a movie, it would probably be rated PG for action sequences and a little language.

Specifically in this title there is a little more violence. A bad guys becomes a fireball falling from the sky when Alex shoots a hose at him with flammable liquid. A man gets pecked by pigeons, including "the most sensitive area of all."

**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!

So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
...more

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May 21, 2019 Patrick rated it really liked it

The Alex Rider novels just keep getting better, thoroughy enjoy the fun and excitement, not to mention the dangers that inevitably lie ahead.

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Nov 17, 2015 Katrina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ebooks

WHAT JUST HAPPENED!!! This was by far the best book in the series so far. I loved that we fially got to learn about Alex's dad. I'm also glad that Alex has a friend who knows about all this spy business. BUT THAT CLIFFHANGER!!! (view spoiler) ...more

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May 29, 2015 Shaz rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, favourites

AHH I REVISITED THIS SERIES THREE YEARS LATER. I BEGAN READING IN 2012 AND I READ UPTO EAGLE STRIKE AND I LOVED IT BUT I STOPPED FOR NO REASON AND THEN THIS YEAR I PICKED UP SCORPIA AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL I READ IT IN A DAY AND IN THIS ONE, ALEX' VULNERABILITY REALLY COMES OUT THE FACT THAT HE'S 14 IS QUITE CLEAR AND YOU JUST END UP FEELING SO PROTECTIVE OVER HIM BECAUSE THAT JULIA ROTHMAN IS PLAYING WITH HIS MIND WHICH IS WEIRD BECAUSE I WAS 15 WHEN I READ THIS LOL OMG THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT ONE ...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Soong Ping rated it it was amazing

I think it is a good book because it has a lot of action and betrayal. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action, suspense, and science fiction.

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Sep 14, 2019 Ben Truong rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, thriller, middle-grade

Scorpia is the fifth book in the Alex Rider series written by Anthony Horowitz. It stars Alexander "Alex" Rider, who is a teenaged MI6 agent.

Alex Rider goes on a school trip to Venice, Italy in order to investigate Scorpia, having been told to do so by Yassen Gregorovitch if he wished to learn about his father. With the help of his best friend Tom Harris, Alex manages to sneak into a party hosted by Julia Rothman, whom he believes have a link to Scorpia, and discovers evidence linking the organi Scorpia is the fifth book in the Alex Rider series written by Anthony Horowitz. It stars Alexander "Alex" Rider, who is a teenaged MI6 agent.

Alex Rider goes on a school trip to Venice, Italy in order to investigate Scorpia, having been told to do so by Yassen Gregorovitch if he wished to learn about his father. With the help of his best friend Tom Harris, Alex manages to sneak into a party hosted by Julia Rothman, whom he believes have a link to Scorpia, and discovers evidence linking the organization to a pharmaceutical company called Consanto Enterprises. Before Alex can learn more, he is confronted by a Scorpia agent named Nile, who overpowers him and locks him in a room that will flood as the Venice tide increases, drowning him. Alex manages to escape into the Grand Canal. He then managed to board a train with Tom, as Consanto happens to be near Naples, where Tom's brother, Jerry, is staying.

While investigating Consanto Enterprises he is eventually confronted by Dr. Liebermann, the head of the organization. Nile shows up, but much to Alex's surprise, he kills Liebermann and takes Alex to see Rothman after blowing up the factory. While having dinner with her, Alex is told about Scorpia, an organization that carries out acts of terrorism for money, that his father was a Scorpia agent, and was not killed in a plane crash as MI6 claimed, but was in fact murdered by them while being exchanged for one of Scorpia's hostages, at the command of Mrs Jones.

After hearing this, Alex decides to join Scorpia and begins his training at Scorpia's institute on Malagosto, an island near Venice. He becomes a top student, but his instructors become concerned upon learning his unwillingness to kill. On Rothman's suggestion, the headmaster, Professor Oliver d'Arc, sends Alex to kill Mrs Jones, Deputy Head of MI6 Special Operations, in hopes that it will overcome his psychological barrier.

Scorpia is written rather well. Horowitz continues his preposterous plots in a thrilling manner with Rider trying to figure out what really happened to his parents – in particularly his father. As usual, Horowitz keeps the suspense high and the pages turning with a plot with surprising many twists and turn and quite the cliffhanger. As usual, the narrative is quick, fun, and unabashedly thrilling escapism.

All in all, Scorpia is written rather well and is a good continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future. ...more

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Feb 28, 2017 Kiran Kuriakose rated it it was amazing

This book is pure genius. All the mystery, suspense, and action of this book is addicting. Alex is an amazing character. I am excited to continue to read the books in this series. What I like most about Alex is that he is younger than the other people that work on his field. I highly recommend this book the anyone into mystery and being a spy. A great book.

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Mar 17, 2015 Logan rated it really liked it

Scorpia is the fifth book in the Alex Rider series. Alex is a teenage spy for a government agency in England. He sets out to find a woman Yassen Gregorovich, an assassin he’s run into many times, told him about. She is part of the terrorist group, Scorpia. Alex finds her and asks about his father, whom she knew very well. His father was an assassin and Alex is asked to join Scorpia as well. Throughout the book Alex fights himself about the decisions he makes. He is given a mission to kill his f ...more

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Oct 22, 2014 Ryoichi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book was so intense and nerve-racking which is why I rated the book 5-star. Anthony Horowitz is a great author and he makes you never put the book down. It is so intense and it is full of so many criminal minds that you have to realize that Alex Rider is a 14 year-old genius. Another genius in this book is Mr Smithers who is a really fat person who makes awesome but realistic gadgets for Alex. In this book it was full of death and revenge so if you do not like criminal violence that is actu ...more

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Jan 20, 2015 Jaap Akkermans rated it really liked it

The teenage spy, Alex Rider, sets off to find Scorpia. This was because he had learnt that his father had something to do with Scorpia. He really wanted to know more about his parents, because he never had met them. In a school trip in Venice, he finds Scorpia and follows them to their main quarters. There, he learns that Scorpia is planning for thousands of children to die. Unfortunately Alex gets involved in this evil plan. Since he was already involved, he decided to save these children that ...more

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Aug 20, 2015 Kyra (Blog of a Bookaholic) rated it it was amazing

OH MY GOSH!!! THE BETRAYALS. THE SECRETS. THE LIES. I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

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Mar 15, 2017 Sophia Buhrow rated it really liked it

Personal Response: Well it seems that I started on book five, no wonder I am so confused, but that's fine. Most of the characters that were mentioned, the ones I'm confused about, are not in this book. I like spy stories, so as things went on, my heart raced faster as things got more intense. Sure it didn't help that I had other things stressing me out at the same time, but I'm fairly sure that I'm okay.

Plot: So yes, I'm on the fifth book, but it begins with Alex Rider just coming back from his Personal Response: Well it seems that I started on book five, no wonder I am so confused, but that's fine. Most of the characters that were mentioned, the ones I'm confused about, are not in this book. I like spy stories, so as things went on, my heart raced faster as things got more intense. Sure it didn't help that I had other things stressing me out at the same time, but I'm fairly sure that I'm okay.

Plot: So yes, I'm on the fifth book, but it begins with Alex Rider just coming back from his latest mission from MI6. He gets home and practically leaves right away to go to Venice, where he was told he would find something called Scorpia, turns out it is a criminal organization, that is world wide and very powerful. Following what he thought was nothing more than an ordinary boat with a scorpion on it, he is led to a palace where he eventually breaks in. Hoping to find something on Scorpia, he goes off the name of Julia Rothman and ends up finding her desk, her vicious pet tiger, and her wing-man, Nile. Nile is a skilled combat artist, and he knocks Alex out and puts him in a cell to drown when the canal waters rise. Miraculously he escapes, and makes his way to a biochemical place, looking for new answers. BASE jumping of a cliff to get inside, he runs once again into Nile. This time though, he recognizes Alex and takes him to see Mrs. Rothman. They talk, Alex is told about his father and how died, and on a whim, he joins Scorpia. Alex is taken to a secret training camp, where he is trained in the arts of assassination. After that he is sent to kill someone named Mrs. Jones, who was the person who gave the command to kill Alex's dad. He had gotten into her apartment, but his bullet was stopped by a bullet proof glass wall, which he had not seen, though he would have missed anyways. Immediately he is caught and is taken to MI6 where he is told about a letter to the prime minister, saying that Scorpia plans to kill hundreds of thousands of school children all at once, using a weapon they called Invisible Sword. Joining back up with MI6, he is sent back to Scorpia. Mrs. Rothman then takes him to the place where "IS" is really kept, and he watches as the clock ticks down to the bloodbath, and his own death. The machinery used to kill are satellite dishes set on an air balloon that will send special waves that will trigger the release of cyanide into all the targeted children. Climbing the air balloon as SAS fighters work to destroy Scorpia on Alex's side. Alex eventually breaks the machinery by setting the platform of fire, using the propane. The platform burns and falls off, but the fireproof canopy lets Alex hold on until he is slowly guided down to the ground. Landing, he goes home and a week later a man named Alan Blunt calls him back to MI6. Mrs. Jones and Mr. Blunt, had called in a man who had been kidnapped by Scorpia. The man told Alex that his dad had not been working with Scorpia, but with MI6. They had set up a fake death for John Rider, Alex's dad, to get him out of Scorpia, and they had "traded" him for the man and then "shot" him. Unfortunately, Mrs. Rothman found out about his treachery and had him and his wife killed. The last chapter ends the story with a sniper on the roof a the building across from MI6 head quarters. As Alex walks out the front door, he is shot in the chest. It goes through a really long, intense explanation of dying. Alex stands for a while but falls, and before he closes his eyes, he hallucinates seeing his mother and father, whom he never met. Since there are about three more books left, I have a feeling that Alex doesn't die. And what he thought were his parents were most like likely Mrs. Jones and Mr. Blunt.

Characterization: Alex at the beginning, is nothing more than exhausted from being manipulated by MI6. After a while he becomes troubled when he joins Scorpia, and at the end he finally finds the truth about his father, and becomes at peace.

Recommendation: I would recommend this to teens, and people who can get an adrenaline rush just from reading races against the clock. ...more

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Apr 01, 2017 Marcia Campbell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: realistic-historical-fiction

Horowitz, Anthony. Scorpia. New York: Penguin Books, 2004

Recommended for grades 7-9

Scorpia is an action packed adventure story from start to finish. The story is about fourteen year old Alex who goes on a mission to find out about his dad. Claiming to have been a spy who was held captive by M16 a “secret intelligence” unit, Alex admits to his best friend Tom that he had come to Italy because he was told by Yassen Gregorovich, the assassin who had killed his uncle that if he wanted to find out ab Horowitz, Anthony. Scorpia. New York: Penguin Books, 2004

Recommended for grades 7-9

Scorpia is an action packed adventure story from start to finish. The story is about fourteen year old Alex who goes on a mission to find out about his dad. Claiming to have been a spy who was held captive by M16 a “secret intelligence” unit, Alex admits to his best friend Tom that he had come to Italy because he was told by Yassen Gregorovich, the assassin who had killed his uncle that if he wanted to find out about his father, he should go to Venice to find Scorpia. Alex discovers that his father may have worked for Scorpia, a deadly and highly sophisticated criminal organization as an assassin. Through an exciting turn of events, Alex is recruited to work for Scorpia and he must choose between working for M16, the organization he hates, or Scorpia, the terrorist organization whose plot is to kill thousands of children to neutralize the dominance of the western nations, predominantly Britian and the United States. How can Alex stop Operation Sword? Does he have enough courage to be a double agent and save the lives of thousands of children?

The story begins with the criminal organization Scorpia whose modus operandi is Sabotage, Corruption, Intelligence and Assassination, conducting a meeting to inform its members of their next mission. Horowitz introduces the conflict very early when he has the beautiful Julia Rothman accompany Max Grendel, the now elderly grandfather who no longer has a heart to kill, especially children, to the gondola to bid him farewell as he retires from the organization. As she hands him an expensive Gucci briefcase, the reader knows that the kiss she gives Max, is the kiss of death. The action in the story thereafter is swift and constant. We are hooked from the moment the scorpions tumble out of the briefcase to when Alex first spots the shiny scorpion on the boat in Venice. All throughout the story, the plot advances with non-stop action and intrigue. Some events are predictable, but nonetheless exciting. I was amazed at how easy the book is to read and how fast I got through it. The book is dense, but a page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Horowitz is a New York Times best seller. ...more

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About Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz

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Anthony Horowitz, OBE is ranked alongside Enid Blyton and Mark A. Cooper as "The most original and best spy-kids authors of the century." (New York Times). Anthony has been writing since the age of eight, and professionally since the age of twenty. In addition to the highly successful Alex Rider books, he is also the writer and creator of award winning detective series Foyle’s War, and more recent ...more

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Quotes from Scorpia

“I am perfectly qualified to give you an injection. You're not going to tell me you're afraid of a little prick?"
"I wouldn't call you that...” — 101 likes

“The platform underneath the balloon fell on her as she was trying to escape," she explained. "She was crushed."
"I'd have been disappointed too.” — 100 likes

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