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Scorpia Rising

(Alex Rider #9)

Anthony Horowitz (Goodreads Author)

4.29 · Rating details · 30,221 ratings · 1,141 reviews

Scorpia has dogged Alex Rider for most of his life. They killed his parents, they did their best to con Alex into turning traitor, and they just keep coming back with more power. Now the world's most dangerous terrorist organization is playing with fire in the world's most combustible land: the Middle East. No one knows Scorpia like Alex. And no one knows how best to get t ...more

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Hardcover, 416 pages

Published March 31st 2011 by Philomel Books (first published March 22nd 2011)

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Sep 18, 2012 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it

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

Scorpia Rising (Alex Rider #9), Anthony Horowitz

Scorpia Rising is the ninth novel in the Alex Rider series, written by British author Anthony Horowitz. It was published on 31 March 2011.

Zeljan Kurst, chief executive of the criminal organization Scorpia, is asked by Yannis Ariston Xenopolos, a Greek billionaire suffering from terminal cancer, to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. A tip-off leads MI6 to organise an operation to try to capture him at the British Museum, but Kurst escapes amidst a ...more

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Sep 21, 2011 Jonathan Terrington rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourite-series, favourites, own, thriller

In my opinion Scorpia Rising may be the best novel in a long and excellent series. The gadgetry has always been well thought out, the twists and the suspense is brilliant and the emotional aspects of the series is astounding. To convincingly portray how a teenage kid abused by so many people into becoming a hardened weapon is emotionally affected is superb.

When I read it earlier this year I was blown away. For me coming to the end of a series I have appreciated is always gut wrenching to a degre ...more

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Mar 31, 2019 Emma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, teen-young-adult, spy

At time of publication, this was billed as the final Alex Rider novel and it seems like it would have been a fittung conclusion to the teenage spy's stort.

This time around, the novel had an unusual start as it dedicated a lot of time to the antagonists' perspectives. I really enjoyed this change to the formula.

Of course soon enough we were back with Alex. Despite the fact that I am now an older reader in her mid 20s, I still liked reading Alex's perspective. I enjoyed the gadgets,the action and ...more

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Dec 10, 2013 Tanner Walker rated it it was amazing

This novel starts with Zeljan Kurst, leader of Scorpia, a international terrorist organization,being asked by Yannis Ariston Xenopolos, a Greek billionaire with cancer, to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. He is promised [Euro|€]40 million, half in advance.

MI6 has found out about the visit and try to capture him due to a mole who was given a change of identity in exchange, but Scorpia agents in the museum disguised as visitors help Kurst to escape. He assigns the mission to the newest Scorpi This novel starts with Zeljan Kurst, leader of Scorpia, a international terrorist organization,being asked by Yannis Ariston Xenopolos, a Greek billionaire with cancer, to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. He is promised [Euro|€]40 million, half in advance.

MI6 has found out about the visit and try to capture him due to a mole who was given a change of identity in exchange, but Scorpia agents in the museum disguised as visitors help Kurst to escape. He assigns the mission to the newest Scorpia board member, Abdul-Aziz Al-Rahim, known as Razim, who suggests blackmail, attempting to almost ruin the British reputation with the rest of the world. The plan requires Scorpia to build up a file, secretly named Horseman, on the subject of Alex being used as a spy by the British government for a disgraceful act, and killed, threatening to expose it, hence ruining the British reputation, unless the Elgin Marbles are returned to Greece. In a secret prison in Gibraltar for people who are against Britain, Scorpia manages to free Julius Grief, one of Hugo Grief's clones from Point Blanc who is also Alex's look-alike. Julius is hellbent on revenge over Alex for what he did in Point Blanc. Later At school, Alex is attacked by a sniper who wounds his friend Tom Harris in the arm with his second shot. Alex follows the sniper and is able to send the helicopter and the sniper who is escaping in it crashing into the Thames. This gives Alan Blunt a chance to send Alex on a mission to Cairo to investigate the new head of security at the Cairo International College of Arts and Education Erik Gunter. Scorpia then begins to target Smithers, who is found to have booby trapped his entire house in Cairo, from itching powder to a doormat which leads to the Cairo sewers. Alex then finds out what Smithers' last gadget is - a fat suit which he has been wearing since the moment Alex met him - and discovers that Smithers is really a skinny Irishman in his late thirties. He says they should split up, and leaves. Alex gets home, but finds Jack has been kidnapped and a note is ordering him to get to a certain location, or she will die. Alex arrives at the location, where he is kidnapped by Julius and Gunter. Both Alex and Jack are taken to Razim's fort in the Sahara Desert, where Alex is taken to be Razim's next subject. However, for the plan to work out, they cannot physically cause him pain or mark his body in any way. So Razim instead decides to use the opportunity to subject him to emotional pain. To do this, he strips Alex down to his boxers, ties him up, and attaches several emotion-recording devices to him. Razim pretends to allow Jack to escape from her cell by making sure one of the bars is weak enough to be removed with a knife Jack has stolen, knock out a guard and drive off in an old Land Rover. Unbeknownst to her, the Land Rover has 30 kilograms of explosives connected to it and, with Alex watching live on a screen, Julius detonates the bomb, killing her instantly. Alex's grief is too much for him to handle and he blacks out. Alex is then taken to Cairo, where he is told what will face him by Gunter – when the American Secretary of State decries the United Kingdom and gives her anti-British speech, Julius (posing as Alex on a school trip) will assassinate her, and in the clamor that follows, Alex's body will be found nearby. This will allow Alex to be framed, and Scorpia will be able to blackmail the British Government, threatening to expose their file on MI6's use of a schoolboy as an assassin unless the Elgin Marbles are returned. As a last request, Alex asks for a cigarette, and as Gunter opens the packet, an irate scorpion inside the packet, hidden previously by Alex, stings him. This immobilizes Gunter enough for Alex to steal his gun and break his nose, killing him from the trauma. Alex then rushes inside, just at the time when Julius was about to assinate the Secratery of State Alex chases Julian outside on to a Cairo highway and kills him but this time its different it was like he was killing himself later the CIA orders an attack on Razim's fort where Alex kills Razim by nocking him into a salt mound. later Alex's bestfriend Sabina Pleasure and her family adopt Alex to get him out of the spy life and to give him a home and a family.

In the Novel "Scorpia Rising" Alex goes through many set backs and challenges that the average person cant even imagine and the story seems like its trying to convey life, every time its going good something bad happens and you have to overcome the challenges of life or let them overwhelm you its your choice.

I have read the entire Alex Rider series and I have to say that the ninth book is my favorite I don't like to read but when I picked this book up I just couldn't put it down. ...more

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Apr 22, 2019 Ryan Buckby rated it it was amazing

You're my closest friend and you're thousands of miles away.

This has to be my favourite Alex Rider book from the entire series thus far it was just brilliant and i am still trying to recover from what i learnt from this book.

Plot: Alex is once again dragged into MI6 mess and the spy world once again and even after the millionth time telling them that he was done for good. An old enemy of Alex's is freed by Scorpia and it turns out to be Julius Greif a Alex clone that was made in book two.

I ...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Johnp rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2011

I knew I was in trouble when the book cover announced that this was “The Final Mission”..! This book was very different from all the others in the series. For starters, the plot had a LOT of background and setup that went on. We don’t even SEE Alex Rider until the book is HALF over. I think that was too long to wait.

Basically, Scorpia is trying to show themselves as a force to be reckoned with, so they hatch a plan to not only pull off a major league crime, but pin it on Alex. There were flashe ...more

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Feb 04, 2011 Clare Cannon rated it liked it

Shelves: 13-15yrs, young-adult

It’s finally here: the last Alex Rider. An author faces a lot of pressure writing the last book of a popular series. And up to now, Horowitz has done well to tell the same story in so many different ways.

What impressed me with this series was that woven in between all the killing and running was interesting information about world issues that would otherwise be relegated to the realm of adults: refugees and the criminals who exploit them; medical research and the noble and corrupt interests that ...more

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Sep 14, 2010 Mikaela marked it as to-read

Shelves: hyped-up-books, top-of-to-read

I just can't wait to see how it ends! I feel as though I've been reading this series forever! ...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Owen rated it it was ok

SPOILER ALERT!!

I've been reading this series since I was very young and I remember enjoying it a lot. I was excited to see that the author had written another one, and I was also sad it was going to end. These books, I remembered, were a great series for boys and it was one of the first middle grade series I read.

It is a little difficult to explain this book because it is the last in the series. You would have to read the whole series to understand what it going on. I'll admit it, I don't remem SPOILER ALERT!!

I've been reading this series since I was very young and I remember enjoying it a lot. I was excited to see that the author had written another one, and I was also sad it was going to end. These books, I remembered, were a great series for boys and it was one of the first middle grade series I read.

It is a little difficult to explain this book because it is the last in the series. You would have to read the whole series to understand what it going on. I'll admit it, I don't remember some of the things because I read the prequel, Crocodile Tears, probably over a year ago. This is what happens in the book: Alex Rider is a former teenage spy and he is just trying to live a normal life. Everything changes when he is suddenly forced back into the dangerous world of M16. After almost being killed, they send him to Cairo, undercover. He is to find out what an evil organization named Scorpia is planning. Scorpia teamed up with a Middle Eastern man named Razim. Alex later discovers that there is a clone that is trying to kill him and an important government official. He manages to thwart all of their plans and only a few people are killed.

I'll be honest, I didn't particularly enjoy this book. It has random events and the ending was not what I expected, it also wasn't satisfactory. I feel like Horowitz was pressed for time so he threw together a quick ending. However, nothing was explained and the events just didn't work. For instance (this is actually toward the end of the middle), when Razim killed Jack- he just randomly blew her up even though she was a somewhat main character? Also, at the end Sabina's father takes Alex with him and Alex acts like a wall. Now, I could understand this if he was sad but he didn't act like he was so depressed over Jack's murder. One other thing I didn't like was how Blunt set up the sniper for Alex, because I thought he was going to be a secret member of Scorpia but he wasn't. Okay, two more things- It was so cheesy and unrealistic when Kurst had a sniper because he "knew" Kroll had the gun. And finally, Smithers had a fat suit the whole time. Really?

I'd also like to add that the opening scene wasn't bad but then it just got confusing about Ariston and the marbles. The author tried to make it seem like it was such an elaborate scheme but it just didn't work.

Sadly, this book made me question Horowitz's writing and I might need to go back to make sure he wasn't always like this. What a bad end to a great series.
...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Sheryl-ann rated it it was amazing

I have enjoyed this genre of books since i was a young teenager; Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew.....any series that demonstrated empowered young people pitting their wits against unscrupulous adults. As a parent I am still interested in what young people are reading. Enter Alex Rider.
I have followed Alex from the beginning. Not your typical hero. He has been groomed against his will. He has been used against his will. He has lost every loving relationship save Jack. And he is doomed to lose her too. He ...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Juliet the Book Slayer rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Recommends it for: People who only read Scorpia's part of the book.

The first thing I said when I finished "Scorpia Rising" was "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!??!", then I raged for a little while and then I went to bed. But lets start with the beginning.

I was thrilled when I found out that the last Alex Rider book was going to be about Scorpia. "Scorpia" was always my favourite Alex Rider book (they're such BAMFS!) and I was sure that Alex was going to go out with a bang. And for a while it actually looked like he was going to do exactly that.

"Scorpia Rising" is separat The first thing I said when I finished "Scorpia Rising" was "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!??!", then I raged for a little while and then I went to bed. But lets start with the beginning.

I was thrilled when I found out that the last Alex Rider book was going to be about Scorpia. "Scorpia" was always my favourite Alex Rider book (they're such BAMFS!) and I was sure that Alex was going to go out with a bang. And for a while it actually looked like he was going to do exactly that.

"Scorpia Rising" is separated into two parts, the first 100 pages are from Scorpia's POV and the last 300 are from Alex's. The first 100 pages from Scorpia's POV are AWESOME and made me think that "Scorpia Rising" was going to be the best book of the entire series. It was just so good! It seemed like Anthony had finally made a worthy villain that wouldn't make stupid mistakes or underestimate Alex and the plot seemed so intricate and carefully planned. It was addicting. Alex's POV.. Hmm, the middle of the book was really good too. I liked it a lot. The last 150 pages or so though.. just fucking rip my eyes out. It was awful.

First of all, killing of Jack Starbright, Anthony? REALLY!? What the fuck. As I've said before the Alex Rider books are more about the plot than the characters but that doesn't mean I don't care about the characters. Jack Starbright is one of my favourites in the series. I wouldn't mind her being killed off if it had meant that Alex truly accepted his life as a spy once and for all, but the way she was killed off was just fucking annoying. It was like Anthony Horowitz was trying to be J.K. Rowling, a writer who actually masters the art of killing off characters, and he fucking failed. (I think he's quite a "Harry Potter" fanboy - there's references to HP throughout the entire series.)

My biggest problem with "Scorpia Rising" though was that it ended from the POV of Sabina's motherfucking Dad. WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? How could you even think that was remotely okay, Anthony? I've "known" Alex for about 7 years now and stuck with him through 9 books, he's the fucking main character, and you end with the POV from a minor character who I couldn't give a single fuck about!? That's pretty awful. Also, I can't believe Alex ended up with Sabina. I hate that whore. Biggest Mary Sue ever.

Another thing that really bothered me was how Anthony treated Mr. Blunt. I've always had a slightly weak spot for him and liked him, but "Scorpia Rising" made me loathe him. UGH. JUST UGH.

I don't think I ever been this dissatisfied with the ending of a series ever. Thank God I'm not a hardcore fan like I was in my early teens because then I would have been heartbroken. ...more

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Jun 04, 2019 Patrick rated it really liked it

The dark and shocking conclusion to the number one bestselling Alex Rider series.

As reviewed by an 11 yr old, "This book was brilliant. It has two parts, one about Scorpia, and the other about Alex. An old enemy returns to gain revenge on Alex, and as usual, theres a new enemy. This book is easily my favourite Alex Rider book. Smithers reveals a bog secret, and Alex loses a great friend. A perfect book for any teenager."

...more

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Mar 12, 2011 Redwallcrazy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Alex Rider Fans

Recommended to Redwallcrazy by: Alex Rider Insider

Shelves: books-i-thought-were-okay

Wow, this book started out super good! I loved it! But I didn't like the way it ended! It was very sad, I think he could have ended it much better. Poor Alex! ...more

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Sep 18, 2019 Benjamin Thomas rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, thriller-spy

SCORPIA, an elite international criminal organization isn’t so elite anymore. That’s due to interactions with young Alex Rider who has beat them twice in the past. So now they plan to return to form by taking on a high-profile job and frame Alex for it. They will also ensure the secret of a 14-year-old boy being used by MI-6 with full knowledge of the Prime Minister gets out, destroying their reputations.

I understand this 9th novel in the Alex Rider series was originally meant to be the final on ...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Kiirsi Hellewell rated it it was amazing

I was SO sad to crack the cover of this 9th and final Alex Rider book...sad (but excited at the same time because, hello, it's a new Alex Rider book!). I LOVE Alex. He's a terrific character...one of my favorite characters ever. I did not want to say goodbye to him forever. It would be like saying goodbye to a dear friend.

I can understand why it had to end, though...if Anthony H. wanted to preserve some realism, Alex's series couldn't be like Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys, which go on forever and ...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Julia B rated it it was amazing

Man. This year is killing me. Every month, it seems, another one of my favorite series comes to an end. There was Mockingjay and Last Sacrifice last year, then this year Wicked Lovely's last book Darkest Mercy, A Prince Among Frogs (The Frog Princess), The Legacy (The Declaration), etc. Now the Alex Rider series is over. Am I sad? Definitely. Was this book just as good as the last 8? Yes!

Alex has finally turned 15; he's growing up and moving on with his life. It's been months since he last saw a Man. This year is killing me. Every month, it seems, another one of my favorite series comes to an end. There was Mockingjay and Last Sacrifice last year, then this year Wicked Lovely's last book Darkest Mercy, A Prince Among Frogs (The Frog Princess), The Legacy (The Declaration), etc. Now the Alex Rider series is over. Am I sad? Definitely. Was this book just as good as the last 8? Yes!

Alex has finally turned 15; he's growing up and moving on with his life. It's been months since he last saw anyone from MI6 and it seems he's just a normal kid again. But Scorpia never forgives or forgets. He's bested them twice, and almost completely destroyed their reputation and now they're going to get him back. When Alex finds himself pulled back into the world of secrets, spies, and criminals, investigating a security officer at an international school in Egypt. But nothing is as it seems and he finds himself being played by everyone. This is his last mission, and the series is determined to go out with a bang.

What I liked about this book is that Anthony Horowitz realized what the formulaic elements of the other books were, and acknowledged them. For instance, when Scorpia wants to lure Alex into Egypt, they make MI6 believe that there's a security risk at a school, somewhere MI6 will be sure to send Alex to. I also found some of the action scenes more realistic than in previous novels. There are less fighting scenes in this novel (due, in part, to the fact the bad guys finally stopped underestimating Alex) but there is just as much, if not more, action. There's also a ton of suspense. I never knew what was going to happen next.

Alex has grown greatly as a character over this series. He's seems older in this book, both mentally and physical. He's learned from his mistakes, and is a dangerous enemy to Scorpia. In this book, more than any of the others, he escapes death and saves the day not only through pure dumb luck, but through smart thinking and planning. The other characters of this book seem just as fleshed out as ever, even the villains, and I really loved the complex character of Julius. Julius was in one of the previous books, and due to certain circumstances, has a deep personal loathing for Alex. In a way, I wanted to feel sorry for him. But he's just too mean and evil to pity.

Overall, this book was amazing. The stakes felt higher than they had in any previous book, and Scorpia's for sure my favorite "bad guy" of the series. If you enjoyed the other Alex Rider books, you'll love this. I recommend it for ages 12 and up because there's quite a bit of violence in it (and on very sad and scary death). I'm so sad this series has ended, but at least it did so before it could go downhill. My one complaint with this book, however, was that the ending didn't really feel all that much like the end. Write another, Anthony Horowitz! Or if not, please write the next The Gatekeepers book soon!

Rating: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Premise: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Plot: 10/10
Writing: 10/10 ...more

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Mar 23, 2011 Colby rated it it was amazing

I've 'rode' these books from the beginning to the end, starting in sixth grade. (You see what I did there, don't you?) In my honest opinion, they kept getting better as each one came. Alex grew, and with him, the threats grew as well.

Although Alex had many enemies, his biggest enemy was Scorpia, which stood for Sabotage, Corruption, Intelligence, and Assassination. He's forced them down before, but they won't stay down for long. The first part of the book is written through Scorpia's point of v ...more

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Oct 06, 2010 Rachel rated it it was amazing

Based on what i read on Horowitz blog this book sounds like its going to be alot better than that horrible Crocidile tears. i hated that book, too predictable.

I can't wait to read this though because the best organization Scorpia is Back!!!! Someone from all the books are going to die, i bet its going to be Jack.

Well i'll edit this after i read it on my birthday (April 5th, the day it comes out!!!!) I'm so exited, thankfully The lost hero is coming out next week, can't wait for that book. More t ...more

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May 19, 2017 Avalley rated it liked it

This book was pretty much the same as all the other ones, though the ending was a little different. But it still was pretty good. At some parts it was a little boring, but overall, it was a good ending to the story of Alex Rider.

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May 23, 2017 Chava rated it really liked it

Shelves: action, audiobook

I am a fan of Alex Rider. I am sad there's only 1 more book after this...
...more

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Feb 17, 2021 Gracie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Very good but I was sad when Jack Starbright died

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Mar 05, 2011 Myra Sullivan rated it it was ok

As Britain's top spy, working for M16, Alex Rider has battled numerous villains. He's taken down some of the world's most brilliant criminal masterminds and has proven again and again how brave, resourceful, and efficient he is. Alex has done all this despite being just fifteen years old. But in "Scorpia Rising", Alex faces his very last mission of all. And this is one he might not come home from.

It is with a heavy heart that I write this review. I have been a fan of Alex Rider for a very long t As Britain's top spy, working for M16, Alex Rider has battled numerous villains. He's taken down some of the world's most brilliant criminal masterminds and has proven again and again how brave, resourceful, and efficient he is. Alex has done all this despite being just fifteen years old. But in "Scorpia Rising", Alex faces his very last mission of all. And this is one he might not come home from.

It is with a heavy heart that I write this review. I have been a fan of Alex Rider for a very long time now. The series was first introduced to me back when I was in Bangladesh. I read it as an e-book (despite hating e-books) because there was nothing else to read and because Alex's stories kept me sane. In a way, I grew up with Alex Rider. My sister, even more so. And so it is with great disappointment and heartache, that I write this review for the very last book in the series.

To start with the good, Anthony Horowitz's writing is unparalleled. You can plainly see the work he puts into creating each of the Alex Rider novels. He often mentions how he traveled to different parts of the world when writing the plot for each book and you can tell just by the detail that he includes. He's also a screenwriter, and a lot of that is obvious in the way that he writes. He is magnificent at writing action scenes. This is a series that had hardly any romance at all, and yet I LOVED it. (That's impressive, coming from me!) With book #9, the writing does not suffer at all and once again, the action scenes are amazing.

There were parts to the story that were so endearing (having read books #1-8 over the years) that just reading them made me sad because I realized I wouldn't hear about these characters and things anymore. Overall while reading the book I felt a sense of melancholy. Unfortunately, this only grew stronger as the book progressed.

I was fully prepared for the story to go in a certain direction. I would've liked it to, even. But it didn't. Instead something else happened and Horowitz took an entirely different route. I did not like this. Alex Rider has always been the impossible: the awesome, admirable hero who always manages to save the day no matter what. Unrealistic? Perhaps. But AWESOME? YES! That's why I loved it so much! With this book it seemed like Horowitz suddenly realized that he had to make it end as realistically as possible and so he did. But I didn't want that. I didn't think it was necessary either. Anyone who is reading the Alex Rider series is not looking for realistic, factual, accounts. They're looking for fun, adventure, the good guy saving the day, and an adrenaline rush. "Scorpia Rising" provides you with some of that, but it also takes an entirely different turn.

I will always love Alex Rider and still intend to purchase the entire series. Its been with me too long for me to not do that. However, I felt like the majority of this book was very, very slow. The action suddenly erupted towards the very end and at that point, there was so much emotion hitting the reader as well that I had to stop several times just to give myself a break. With that being said, a lot of loose ends are wrapped up and the ending is...fitting. Somewhat. Despite not being what I wanted it to be.

Fans of the series should definitely read this so that they can learn how the story ends. Those who have not yet ventured into Alex's world however, should start with book one: "Stormbreaker" and go from there. By the time you get to "Scorpia Rising", you'll read it just to find out what happens. :)

Random things: "Scorpia" (book #5) was by far the most incredible book of the entire series. Snakehead (#7) and Crocodile Tears (#8) were my second and third favorites respectively. Anthony Horowitz is planning to publish one more book, book #10, titled "Yassen". This will revolve around the life of another character and will not include Alex.

I will miss you Alex Rider. ...more

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Aug 07, 2017 Elsa Qazi rated it it was amazing

5 stars

Okay, first off I want to hate to Horowitz. HOW CAN A PERSON IN THERE SANE MIND KILL JACK STARBRIGHT?? EITHER HE MADE A PACT WITH THE DEVIL OR HE WAS DRUNK WHILE WRITING THAT PART AND I AM PISSED.

Now that I have ranted off on Horowitz and calmed myself to some extent, here's the review:

*This was definitely my favorite book of the series.*

This was the only book in which character development is really visible. Alex not only matured physically but his character also changed. Whether it be t 5 stars

Okay, first off I want to hate to Horowitz. HOW CAN A PERSON IN THERE SANE MIND KILL JACK STARBRIGHT?? EITHER HE MADE A PACT WITH THE DEVIL OR HE WAS DRUNK WHILE WRITING THAT PART AND I AM PISSED.

Now that I have ranted off on Horowitz and calmed myself to some extent, here's the review:

*This was definitely my favorite book of the series.*

This was the only book in which character development is really visible. Alex not only matured physically but his character also changed. Whether it be the way he handled MI6 or the fact that he just seemed a little more independent and free.

Now of course that was before someone (cough *Horowitz*) decided to kill Jack. After that Alex just became a new person. But we are going to come to that later.

The action in this book was rather believable if you compare it to the other books. It was certainly fast-paced (you cannot accuse a Horowitz novel to be slow), and it was full to the brim of the manipulative devices of MI6. A classic Alex Rider book.

Now I believe that a character is really good or let's say "well-written" not when they have done great things in the books but when you feel about them the way the author wants you to feel about them. So, Razim and Julius were actually great characters not because they were portrayed as good people but because I hated them as much as Horowitz wanted me to.

Coming to the plot it was unpredictable as always. You couldn't possibly point out where everything would go right for Alex and he would finally be safe (except for the fact that it is somewhere in the last 10 pages).

The way Alex was described at the end of the book really made me want to cry. This series means a lot to me. This has been a two year long journey where I have taken breaks from and read obsessively these nine books. Before this book and even before the last chapters or so I didn't want this series to end. BUT I DON'T WANT HOROWITZ TO LAUNCH A NEW BOOK. Alex sounded so despondent and sad and drawn that I felt sorry for him and really don't want him to go through everything that comes with spying again. Some part of Alex lives with me and he has been a great friend but I don't want a sequel.

HE KILLED SOMEONE FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!! HOW IS HE SUPPOSED TO RECOVER FROM THAT? HOW IS SUPPOSED TO RECOVER FROM THE FACT THAT HE SAW JACK DIE??

I DON'T WANT A SEQUEL. ...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Karen Ball rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011-challenge

This is the ninth and final book in the Alex Rider series, and it's best for those who have read other books because Horowitz brings back characters and events from those stories. Alex is back in school, with a part in the school musical and the captain's spot on the football team. He's got an active life, and his beloved guardian, Jack Starbright, is debating leaving him to go back to America to care for her very ill father. Neither of them has any intention of ever dealing with MI6 again... un ...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Skip rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-books, thriller

The conclusion of the Alex Rider series. Scorpia, reeling from two devastating failures caused by Alex, is hired by a dying Greek multibillionaire to have the Elgin marbles (of British Museum fame) returned to their rightful country. MI-6 is manipulated into sending Alex and Jack Starbright to Egypt to infiltrate an international school, where it believes a kidnapping or hostage situation is imminent. Meanwhile, Alex is being set-up to take the blame of the assasination of the U.S. Secretary of ...more

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May 08, 2012 Nikki rated it really liked it

I ALMOST got through this one without tearing up. Not quite though, because Horowitz is a life-ruiner :P. Anyway, this makes me wonder where he's going to go now that we've got another book out in June. ...more

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Jan 13, 2015 Dale rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, year-7-8, action-thriller

End to a fantastic series. Disappointed that it is over! :(

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Sep 23, 2019 Ben Truong rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, mystery, thriller

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

Alex is ready to be done for good with his espionage work. However, once again, he reluctantly partners with MI6 after an assassin targets him at his school. Flown to Cairo with the protection of gadget-making agent Mr Smithers and his longtime caretaker Jack, Alex unknowingly finds himself caught in a web of lies and traps. As his pattern of work wi ...more

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Nov 10, 2019 Tino Has a bucket rated it it was amazing

In my opinion, this is when the real storyline of Alex Rider begins. It is when he finds out about his family history, and who his father really was and what SCORPIA symbolizes. To me, all of the other books were like a warm-up getting the reader ready for the "original." At the end of the chapter of Eagle Strike, Yassen Gregorovitch tells Alex Rider to go to Venice, Italy and find "SCORPIA". Alex listens to Yassen and proceeds to Venice with Tom Harris, his best friend. Suddenly, he finds himse ...more

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Oct 28, 2018 Bilal Taibzada rated it it was amazing

So...... my first review after a long break.5 months.....
That’s why it’s gonna be short and simple . None of that fancy shmancy stuff. Before I start off I wanna say that even if I don’t have any followers ( of course it’s not like I’m jealous of ahmed -_-) I’m gonna try my best to at-least make it through the whole thing without taking bathroom breaks ( Diarrhea) also my English is kind of rusty so don’t mind my grammar..... I mean I am an Afghan living in peshawar ( what did you expect?)

So the ...more

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
MSM Sophomore Eng...: Blaine's First Post	5	11	Dec 12, 2019 11:33AM
MSM Sophomore Eng...: Blaine's Second Post	2	5	Dec 11, 2019 06:58AM
Why does Alex kill Julius Grief when Horowitz had mentioned that the editor wouldn't let Alex kill?	4	32	Apr 19, 2018 07:35AM
Alex Rider Scorpia Rising	3	7	Dec 07, 2015 08:48AM
Do you think Alex wil become a spy when he grows up?	14	64	Oct 06, 2014 06:22PM

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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