Louis Turner, 13, Middlesex
In this adventure Alex is in, arguably, the most danger ever, and he narrowly escapes the jaws of death several times in an upward struggle to prevent Desmond McCain, the new and horrifyingly evil bad-guy, from spreading a deadly plague that will wipe out the population of many African countries.
Anthony Horowitz’s style of writing is extremely easy to read and so incredibly infectious. I often found myself completely absorbed by the book’s super-fast pace. I didn’t even notice where chapters had finished because you find you just have to read on. I couldn’t put it down, not even for a second, and if you have ever read one of the Alex Rider books I’m sure you will have felt the same way.
The plot was extremely gripping and exciting; I loved the way that MI6 gets the journalist off Alex’s back and the method of torture that McCain uses to get the information out of Alex. It’s an astounding book and if you have never read one of the Alex Rider books before, this might just get you hooked!
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James Marshall, 10, Derbyshire
Like all Anthony Horowitz fans I have been waiting for this eighth Alex Rider book with eager anticipation and it was well worth the wait. It is the best yet. I could not put it down as the adventure grew, leading to an unexpected ending.
I enjoyed the contrast of the different locations in the story from Scotland to London to Kenya. Alex Rider is on the move again. MI6 give him the task of infiltrating Desmond McCain’s organisation. Meanwhile Harry Bulman, an investigative journalist, tries to expose Alex’s secret career to the outside world. This book caught my imagination with the descriptive writing and the pace of the intriguing story line. It has taken over from Snakehead as my favourite Alex Rider book.
Kizzy Wade, 14, Lincolnshire
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In Crocodile Tears Alex Rider travels to Scotland where he meets Desmond McCain, the chief of the international charity First Aid. Then suddenly he is kidnapped and whisked off to East Africa.
I think that all the characters are great, particularly McCain who has a dark and interesting personality. The whole book is brilliantly written with non-stop action that makes it impossible to put down.
Alex Rider has been through a lot during the series and it shows in Crocodile Tears. The plot is darker and Alex has really grown up. I wasn’t expecting it to be like this, but it makes the story much more exciting. Fans of the books will really enjoy this different style. This is my favourite of the series. It is an unbelievably good read and I cannot wait for the next book.
Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz is published by Walker Books Ltd today at £14.99. To order it for £11.99 inc p&p call
0845 2712134 or visit timesonline.co.uk/booksfirst