Thursday 15 November 2007

3 more Alex Rider books


By Mike Collett-White
LONDON (Reuters) - The author of the hit Alex Rider kids' spy series says there are probably three more books to follow the seventh instalment just published, but hopes of a movie franchise may have been dashed after just one film.
"Snakehead", the latest Alex Rider adventure, follows the 14-year-old super-spy on a treacherous mission to infiltrate ruthless gangs smuggling weapons, drugs and people across Southeast Asia.
In what Anthony Horowitz calls "the most scary chapter I've ever written", Alex is imprisoned at a centre where his body parts are to be removed for transplants.
"What makes it so horrible is the fact that people involved are so charming -- not my usual comical villains, but quite monstrous," Horowitz said in a telephone interview. "It is a very dark chapter."
The 52-year-old said he deliberately wove real elements into his action-packed adventures, which are often compared to those of James Bond minus the sex.
In "Snakehead" there are clear references to the plight of refugees, tsunamis, the recent Live 8 anti-poverty pop concerts and ethnic tensions in Afghanistan.
"The success of the books is connected in part to the fact that they are always dealing with the real, recognisable world."
Horowitz said he would probably wind up the bestselling Rider series at 10 books, meaning three more stories that will take him another five years to complete.
"The big secret is to stop while the books are good," he said. "I dread stopping. I love the books and the books are loved." The series has sold an estimated 11 million copies to date, four million of them in the United States.

FILM SERIES IN DOUBT




Early critical reaction to "Snakehead" has been positive.
"'Snakehead' goes deeper than any previous book, either by Horowitz or his rivals in the spy kids trade, in its vivid portrayal of pure evil," wrote Amanda Craig of the Times.
However, the outlook for big screen adaptations of the popular series is less rosy.
"Stormbreaker", the movie based on the first Alex Rider novel, was released in 2006 amid hopes of a new and lucrative film franchise akin to the blockbuster Harry Potter series that has netted around $4.5 billion (2.2 billion pounds) at the global box office so far.
But the film floundered, earning some $24 million worldwide, and Horowitz blamed distributor the Weinstein Co. for failing to release it widely in the United States.
"Harvey Weinstein decided not to distribute it (in the United States)," Horowitz said. "It is one of the most bizarre and annoying things that the film didn't get given its shot in America. To this day I don't know why."
Horowitz added that he had written a screenplay for the second Alex Rider book, but the project now "hangs completely in the balance.
"There is no certainty at all..." of the film being made, he said. "In fact I would say that the chances are fairly slim."

© Reuters2007All rights reserved.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Two things, one: Alex is 15 in Snakehead I'm pretty sure, could be wrong though.

And two: At leasts one of the next books is going to be from the point of view of Yassen (sp?) right? I read that somewhere... (gosh I hope not, hated that guy.)

Thanks for the update ^____^

Anonymous said...

No he is defiately 14.
He's about 14 and 8 months to be more exact and the series will finish when he turns 15 :) or so it says in the start of the book :)

Anonymous said...

Im kinda bummed about there not being more movies. the first movie wasnt too great but I think a sequal could be better- plus point blank has a much better story line than stormbreaker.

Anonymous said...

you're right there should be more movies. My favorite book was Snakehead. Agent Cloudy was awesome!

Anonymous said...

Lana in the snakehead book Alex Rider is still 14. I am halfway across the book and it describes to the reader that it was only a couple of months ago when Alex Rider is recruited by the MI6. Thank you for the update I will be looking forward to reading the extra books!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I think the next books have to be about this mystery client who hired scorpia to carry out the assignments they attemped in scorpia and snakehead

Anonymous said...

I think Horowitz should make a book on ian and alex's dad's adventures. :)

Anonymous said...

jake thats a good idea but somehow i doubt most people would want to read them. surely it'd just be james bond? doesn't have the appeal to me

Anonymous said...

no alex is definitely 14 and 8 at leastmonths b cuz it says n the book he was recruited by MI6 just 8 months ago

Anonymous said...

does anyone know when book 8 comes out in the U.S?

Anonymous said...

wot an idiot not putting the film out in america i thought it was great, and i would love to see him snowboarding on an ironing board in point blanc!
Please bring out a sequal!
and i would probably be intrested in a book about alex's parents or his uncle just to give more understanding about how things happend.
also i would be nice to know who hired the hit on alex that went wrong?

frankie said...

i have read the james bond books by charlie higson but i am readin ark angel and found all the books amazin horowitz beat higson by a million miles

frankie said...

wen does book 8 come out in uk love these books cant wait for the next one

Ema said...

i'm on Ark Angel right now...... next is Snakehead..... I LOVE the books!!!! most books written by Anthony is AWESOME!!!!! also, there SHOULD be more movies!!!! :)

PXLight said...

i agree with frankie, only this time in canada. yeah d00ds, im canadian. (dont ask me to speak in french) anthony horowitz alex rider books are the best!

frankie said...

agent Cloudy rocks and what about a book about Ash his godfather and
one about ian and john

Anonymous said...

I had just fineshed the 7th book and i want the next one to come out soon i have nothing more to read! come on people

Julie said...

Another Canadian here too! lol these books are so awesome! cant wait for the eighth one to come out! oh more movies please!?! and i would love a book or two about the parents and the two brothers ian and john...:P:P hehehe

Michelle said...

to frankie: i dont think young bond beats alex rider but they are both so good.

id like to see a book with alex and james, both.
by the 4th book, james must be almost or at 14 so theyd be the same age.

Anonymous said...

in my point of view it would be cool if Horowitz made more to alex rider by making a book or 2 about him having a son or daughter that went to work at MI6 or something i think it would be pretty cool but just my point of view so yea it might be good or bad but its up to Horowitz