Crocodile Tears (Alex Rider Book 8)

Alex Rider returns for his eighth adventure in Crocodile Tears, and I had a blast with it. This book, more than any of the others, really takes a spin off the James Bond 007 franchise when it opens up on Alex playing Texas Hold `em with the big baddie of the book. I had to force my willing suspension of disbelief for this sequence, but Horowitz is one of those storytellers that I'm happy to do that for.After all, Alex is my favorite teen spy, and the one that truly kicked off a lot of the action-packed series that have since jumped on board. For the uninitiated, and with the books selling in the millions of copies so I can't believe there can be many of those left, Alex is a fourteen year old boy who lives in London and sometimes works with MI-6, Great Britain's version of the CIA. They love using him because he's young and generally slides beneath the radar of the bad guys. But Alex is a totally hardcore when it comes to martial arts and feats of derring-do.Usually Alex gets recruited into a mission for MI-6 through some bit of backhanded blackmail, but in this one he inadvertently steps afoul of Desmond McCain (our villain) and ends up first in the sights of a sharpshooter, then at the eye of the storm McCain unleashes on him. The fact that Alex involved himself in so much of the bad guy's overall plot was different, and it makes sense given that Alex is the kind of kid that he is. Most boys his age wouldn't walk away from a mystery or a grievance either, and would look for ways to strike back.The action in this one is over-the-top stuff that would make great cinematography. Hopefully someone will again pick up the Alex Rider film franchise and give it another go. The series really deserves that, and this would be an excellent story to film from.Another facet of the stories that I enjoy is the science that goes into the bad guys' plots. In Crocodile Tears, it's genetically modified foods and the threat they pose to Third World countries, as well as to the rest of the planet. The plot doesn't bog down with heavy explanations, but there's enough there to send curious young readers (and possibly older ones) scurrying to Wikipedia or the Internet for answers.Strangely, the spy gizmos in this novel seem to be toned down. There really isn't much here from Smithers, and quite frankly I was a bit disappointed. I love when Smithers takes the stage, because it's quite a lot like dealing with Q in the lab in one of the James Bond films. Usually Smithers does a lot with designing hardware for Alex that looks like teen-centric stuff.Overall, I was really happy with the book. The action flowed quite nicely, and the dangerous parts were exciting. I loved the rooftop race with the ductwork and the time when Alex hung suspended over the hungry crocodiles.Horowitz has maintained that Alex would never be older than fourteen and be a spy. At the end of this book, Alex's fifteenth birthday is only a few days away. I really don't want the series to end and I hope that Alex gets suited back up once more really soon.

"Crocodile Tears" starts off when Alex Rider finds himself at a New Year's party with Sabina. This is when he gets himself in trouble - again. He wins a Texas Hold 'Em game against millionaire Desmond McCain, already creating a bad start with the rich man.Alex soon finds himself working for MI6 once again, spun up into a heart-racing story about the teenage spy. I was eager to keep reading the book, finishing it in two days. Any of you who seek action should definitely read this book.

Fans of Alex Rider will be delighted to read another excellent espionage adventure. As usual, Alex proves that he is remarkably resourceful and innovative in every crazy situation. The book is off to a fast start with a seemingly innocent card game followed by a plunge into an icy Scottish Loch. The action continues as MI6 gives Alex a "simple" assignment to complete while on a school trip to a genetic engineering plant. Poisonous plants and ruthless villains are child's play for our illustrious spy. As a result of his assignment, Alex is kidnapped by an outwardly, philanthropic scoundrel. He's whisked off to a remote village in Africa and is in danger of being dinner for the crocodiles before he escapes from our villain's clutches and successfully foils his dastardly plot. Horowitz writes with a voice that is understood and resonates with young adults. I agree with Booklist that the "Horowitz series is on top of this growing genre" which features powerful teen spies that use their age as the ultimate smokescreen. Alex Rider sets the bar high for other wannabe teen heroes. The fast pace and interesting characters will keep readers enthralled in the latest adventure in this series.

3rd book I had read in the Alex Rider series. I like to keep up on what the kids are reading and when I had out books from the bookcart at the Phx Childrens Hospital I am often asked what the book is about, if it is good, what is the gendra. I have the books for my own kids to read and I as an adult liked it. Strong young hero. Good values. Worth the read.

The book that arrived was not the one with this cover. It was an older version. While the content is still the same, the books were bought as part of / and to compliment the set and all the others already owned are of the same style as displayed. We were not aware that other cover designs existed. The book is a different size to the rest of the set. The description of the book should have explained the book was bound in a different cover and the picture displayed should also have been accurate. The advert was misleading, and had we known we wouldn't have bought this.

This is a well written series, a good fun read, you don't need to have read the other stories but helps you if you have and they are well worth reading if you are new the world of Alex Rider.

Excellent book! This arrived quickly and in excellent condition. My son loves it!

My 10yrs old grandson was showing little interest in stories so I introduced him to Alex Rider and he is hooked. I appreciate that it would be much better for him to read the books but the good side is that I got him the earlier audios and the later books, not yet on audio. He read the last three books and this audio is his reward. It's usually played on long car journeys and keeps him and his 8yrs old brother happy and contented on the journeys.

These CDs are invaluable for long journeys. My 10 and 11 year olds (one boy and one girl) absolutely loved listening to them. There is a bit of violence in them but nothing too graphic for that age. We have now heard the CDs so many times that I can almost quote them word for word. I felt that the guy who reads them is not as good as the one who read out all the earlier Alex Rider books on CD but its still a very good buy.