Alex Rider Book 9: Scorpia Rising Interview

Alex Rider Book 9: Scorpia Rising

Alex Rider wants his life back. But when you're the world's most successful spy, there's only one way out. One bullet. One life. The ends starts here.

A dark and shocking conclusion to the bestselling Alex Rider missions. This gripping final mission brings together Alex Rider's old enemies to frame the teenage superspy in an unstoppable plot of revenge, from which he can never return. Pursued from Europe to North Africa and Cairo's city of the dead - this is the twistiest and most deadly plot of any Alex Rider mission yet, and will reveal Smithers' ultimate gadget and see the shock death of a major character.

Anthony Horowitz is one of the most popular contemporary children's writers, and his Alex Rider series is enjoyed by millions of readers worldwide. He has won many major awards including the Bookseller Association/Nielsen Author of the Year Award, the Children's Book of the Year Award at the British Book Awards, and the Red House Children's Book Award. Anthony also writes extensively for TV, with programmes including Foyle's War, Midsomer Murders, and most recently Collision. He lives in London.

Alex Rider Book 9: Scorpia Rising
Walker Books Australia
Author: Anthony Horowitz
ISBN: 9781406333879
Price: $18.95

Interview with Anthony Horowitz

Question: How does it feel to write the last book in the Alex Rider series?

Anthony Horowitz: I have conflicting emotions. On the one hand, I'm surprised how sad I feel... it's almost as if I've lost a good friend. But at the same time, I'm certain I made the right decision. I didn't want Alex to go on and on until the books became predictable and formulaic and I think it was sensible to end on a high note... which I think Scorpia Rising definitely is. I'm also quite relieved. I don't have to think up any more bad guys, mad schemes to destroy the world, action sequences or gadgets.


Question: Have you always known how you wanted the series to end?

Anthony Horowitz: Yes. From the very start I said that Alex would stop when he was fifteen. He was fourteen and two months in Stormbreaker and he's fifteen and three months in Scorpia Rising. It's been a busy year!

Question: Before writing the last book in the Alex Rider series did you go back and look over the other eight books?

Anthony Horowitz: I did look at the other books - particularly Point Blanc and Scorpia (for reasons that will be clear when you read Scorpia Rising). I'm lucky that I have very good editors at Walker Books and they made sure that all the past information was correct and that I didn't repeat myself.


Question: Are you working on any other writing projects?

Anthony Horowitz: There are a lot of things on my desk. I have a new Sherlock Holmes novel (for readers aged 16 to adult) which comes out in November '11. I am writing a Tintin film for Peter Jackson. There's the last part of the Gatekeeper series to finish. In fact, when I look at all the writing projects that I have around me, I'm busy for the next five years.

Interview by Brooke Hunter