Stormbreaker is the first novel of the Alex Rider series, written by the British author Anthony Horowitz. The Alex Rider series can be compared to the James Bond series for young adults. It is a book packed with action and adventure. Stormbreaker was first published in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2000. On 21 May 2001, it was released in the United States.

Being the first novel of the series, it acquaints the readers with a fourteen-year-old boy named Alex Rider. He along with learning that he is adopted is informed of the tragic death of his uncle who was the only family he had. For Alex, his uncle Ian had always been a normal banker leading a normal life, but Alex’s inquisitiveness leads him to clues that break the image he has formed in his mind for his uncle. After learning that Ian’s death was not an accident but a murder, Alex decides to find out for himself. While on his expedition, he encounters people who have been keeping a continuous watch on him. The British MI6 personnel are impressed by his dexterity and employ him on his uncle’s incomplete top-secret mission. Alex becomes the youngest boy ever to become a spy and to be deployed on such an extreme mission. The book brings out the intellect and physical strength of this young boy who does not get time to mourn his loss and is instead given a task that took away the life of his uncle. Alex would soon be surrounded by villains who are difficult to overcome. He would be required to put in all his best qualities to surpass the billionaire Herold Sayle and his technology and save the world of the irreparable damage that Herold is going to cause.

Stormbreaker is a splendid novel with an exceptional story. It holds many unanticipated surprises that are enough to bewilder the young readers. There are sundry gadgets used which will keep all the tech lovers engaged with the book. There is no great moral involved with this tale but then every tale with a moral might not be good. Although there is no message, the novel is still impeccable.

Teenagers are generally awed by books that contain unexpected thrilling tales, especially when an ordinary child suddenly discovers that he is extraordinary. Stormbreaker is one such novel and will definitely be loved by all teenagers.

In the year 2006, the book was adapted in the form of a movie in which Alex Pettyfer played the role of Alex Rider.

This incredible work of fiction has won the “New York Times Bestselling” young adult novel. In 2005, it received the “California Young Reader Medal” and has also been in the BBC’s “The Big Reader” list. All these laurels are enough to tag this book as a must-read. More than a million copies of Stormbreaker have been sold to date and this fast-paced action-packed novel will definitely remain on the favourites list for all upcoming ages.

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