Scorpia

I'm reading Scorpia, by Anthony Horowitz.  It's the fifth book in the Alex Rider series, and I'm finding it as silly, unbelievable, and addicting as the previous installations.  The series' premise is that Alex Rider, a fourteen-year-old, winds up working for MI-6.  His uncle was an MI-6 agent, and when he's killed in a car accident, Alex learns the truth about his uncle's work.  MI-6 recruits Alex to finish his uncle's assignment.  But after they train Alex, MI-6 realizes how useful it is to have a fourteen-year-old spy.  After all, who would expect a teenager to be working for the government?  In the fourth book, Eagle Strike, Alex learns that his father worked as an assassin, and was actually killed by MI-6.  Understandably, Alex is furious that the agency who has taken over his life also killed his father--and didn't tell him about it.  Alex travels to Vienna to uncover the truth, and he quickly gets involved with Scorpia, a criminal organization that employed John Rider. 

Obviously, the book's premise is quite far-fetched.  I realized this when reading the series' first book, though, so I'm not surprised.  I've learned to suspend my disbelief and just enjoy the ride.  This kind of plot is what drives a reader to stay up into early hours to finish a book.  I think it's the most popular style of book in America, which is why mass market mysteries are so quick to sell.  James Patterson, Nora Roberts, and Michael Connelly stay at the top of the best-seller list for good reason.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has as fast-moving a plot as Scorpia, so it makes sense that people go crazy for that book.  Scorpia is also the style of book that's been crossing over the age lines in literature.  Titles like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games are quick-moving and are also popular among adult readers.  I personally avoid realistic fiction because I find reading to be excellent entertainment and a great escape from "real life."  I think this is the same reason why so many adults read mysteries and thrillers: they're not as far-fetched as fantasy books, but they still take the reader out of the drama of normal living.  On one hand, I find it disgusting that best sellers in our culture typically include murder, violence, and crime.  On the other hand, these plotlines are so addicting that it makes perfect sense.

I like to read Alex Rider at any hour of the day, but I find these books particularly pleasing with my early afternoon iced coffee, or my late-night herbal tea.