Point Blank: The Graphic Novel by Anthony Horowitz

Alex Rider is now an IMDb TV/Amazon Original Series! The Alex Rider Adventures are #1 bestsellers the world over, and following in the footsteps of the graphic novel adaptation of Stormbreaker comes the second book in this phenomenal series. Like Stormbreaker: The Graphic Novel, this edition features bold, edgy, manga-like illustrations that make the graphic novel form so immensely popular, and brings the young spy to life in a whole new way. For existing fans of Alex Rider, this will be a must-have; for those yet to discover the series, this will be the perfect introduction.

I have read the book and as well as watched the series. As the last scene in the tv series quoted on his friends shirt “The book was better”

These are addicting. I think I am gonna read the third one before I go to bed.

Huge improvement over first novel

It's such a shame that the first Alex Rider movie was so bad as this is clearly a far superior story and plot and would have almost certainly been a success. It's got great twists, a lot darker purpose from the villain and offers up a great ending too. Thoroughly enjoyed rereading this as an adult.

Spy novels in the young adult genre are few and far between. This, I think, is a missed opportunity, as it could offer teens the chance to read a thrilling novel about spies, while also making the spy a teenager, which adds a certain amount of unpredictability. You can't just have him act like a scientist or a mob enforcer, because he is a kid, so that child has to come up with creative ways to solve problems.

Enter in the Alex Rider series. I liked the first book because it was a fun ride with a teenager who didn't want to be a spy, but became one, nonetheless. Now, Alex has to go to a boarding school playing the part of a juvenile delinquent from a rich family to find out what is happening to all the boys who have disappeared from there under mysterious circumstances.

This book is, essentially, a James Bond novel for teens and Horowitz plays on this well. We have everything from the crazy gadgets to a crazy villain with a plan to take over the world. The author even plays on the Bond Girl gag, with our young hero catching the eye of his fake ‘sister' who wants to kiss him after he saves her from death by speeding locomotive. It is all good fun and exciting to read from start to finish.

There are a few downsides to this book though. One would be the obvious product placement. This is a clear example of how dropping a brand name can hurt, rather than help a book years later. One example of this would be the Calvin Klein jeans and Tommy Hilfiger shirt. These brands were not popular when I was Alex's age, and something tells me they are not with teens today.

Also, there are a few things about the book that are cliche. One would be the idea that it is a James Bond book. It has all the hallmarks: a girl who is interested in our main character, an evil villain who wants to take over the world, and a villain who, right when he has our main hero trapped, decides to tell him his life story and evil plan, when he should just kill him straight away. As long as you can enjoy the campiness of it all, this isn't a problem and is most likely something I will come to enjoy in the future.

So, this is a fun book to read between more serious books, and it is a series I look forward to reading in the future. I give it a four out of five.