Never Say Die

August 15, 2017
After ending his Alex Rider series with flashback volume Russian Roulette (2013), Horowitz revives his bestselling adventure series, sending his hero on a pursuit that is very, very personal.Held captive by sadistic enemies in Scorpia Rising (2011), Alex was forced to watch the murder of his best friend and caregiver, Jack Starbright. Now safe, recovered from his wounds, and with his enemies dead, the white, English teen has moved to San Francisco with his foster family, the Pleasures, also white. He's trying to live a normal life; he's going to school, trying to fit in, not standing out even though he'd like nothing better than to trounce the local bullies. Then, out of the blue, he receives a truncated email: "ALEXX / I'M AL." Immediately, against all odds, he knows that Jack's alive and trying to reach out to him. His guardians don't believe it, having seen the footage of Jack's death. But Alex won't give up--and it doesn't take him long to slip away and start a globe-trekking search for the only person who has always been there for him. The time has come to be there for her, regardless of the consequences, with or without the help of his friends from MI6. This time, he's on his own. In his usual breakneck fashion, Horowitz whisks Alex from one improbable situation to another, all of which Alex survives by using his wits and whatever else happens to be at hand. It's as if there'd been no interruption; this installment is sure to please Alex's legions of fans. (Thriller. 10-14)

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bean_boy - I recently finished the book, and I thought "Never Say Die" was amazing! With a new plot and mystery with every word it will keep you reading past your bedtime. Like all the Alex Rider books, Alex is pushed into working with MI6 again, resilient as always Alex disobeys Mrs.Jones orders and goes on his own mission, to rescue Jack. With new villains/antagonists and dangers this is my 3rd favorite Alex Rider book in the series. I give this book 5/5 stars, and recommend it for kids 10+. You should read the other books in the series to understand the plots in the new book. More thrills and action this new addition to the series will not leave you disappointed! My favourite Alex Rider book is Point Blanc. I hope you enjoy the "Never Say Die" book as much as I did! (PS. FOR ALL YOU DIE HARD ALEX RIDER FANS I HAVE A THEORY THE NEXT INSTALMENT WILL BE "NIGHTSHADE") Your fellow bean_boy12

August 1, 2017
Grades 6-8 The 15-year-old superagent swings back into action in his eleventh outing, after a fragmentary e-mail message convinces him that his nanny-sidekick, Jack Starbrightkilled (supposedly) before his eyes in Scorpia Rising (2011)is still alive. As his search takes him from Cairo to Saint-Tropez and, finally, to an abandoned coke factory in deepest Wales, he becomes entangled in a pair of murderous crime bosses' fabulously baroque scheme to snatch a busload of children of the superrich. Once again amid races, chases, hails of bullets, and increasingly spectacular explosions, the teenage James Bond pulls off one awesome feat of derring-do after another, while allies from previous episodes pop up at convenient times to render aid, and adversaries come to bad, generally self-inflicted ends. Having given his hyperpopular series something of a breather, Horowitz now sets it back on track with a fresh caper that roars along to a (naturally) explosive climax and tidy resolution. If the broad teaser at the end is any indication, Alex's career is in no danger of slowing down. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Demand hasn't lessened for everyone's favorite teen spy in his absence; this series relaunch will have plenty of takers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)