Eagle Day

You'll be pleased to hear that I am now actually on the books I've read over this summer. I'm only, oh, about thirty odd behind. Still, here goes.

Eagle Day is the second book in the Henderson Boys series (the new one by Robert Muchamoore, which kinda shows how Cherub came into being). Once again, the characters are fantastic and completely believable. I love Henderson, he's a great character and this one really gives you an insight into his personality, as well as the children he finds himself inadvertently looking after. Asked by the government to find out about Adler Tag, the planned invasion of England, and help to sabotage it, he brings the children with him. A brilliant book, which I'd really recommend, even if you're not really a teenager (although I would agree with the 'not suitable for younger readers' on the back). Let's face it, I'm seventeen, and as you can see from my blog I'm a pretty enthusiastic reader of adult books, but this is one series I can't see myself ever not following (I've just ordered the newest Cherub book from Amazon :D). So yeh, if you missed The Escape, don't worry this one would still make perfect sense. I'm still not sure whether you read these or the Cherub ones first, but I don't suppose it really matters. Chronologically, this is the first, but they're miles apart in terms of dates and none of the characters are the same.

The Escape

Sometimes when authors start a new series, it isn't as good as the original. Especially if they're linked in some subtle way. I'm happy to say that The Escape does not fit into that category. It's just as good as the Cherub books, if not maybe a little better *hides from missiles thrown by Cherub-lovers if there are any of you out there*. Seriously, it's good. And Henderson is an awesome character! Dangerous, kind-hearted, he's everything you want a spy to be. He's got a ruthless streak, but he's not gonna let the kids get hurt. I can't wait for the next one! Or the next Cherub book for that matter. I think I know where the name Cherub comes from now, but I don't want to say anything for fear of spoiling the book for you. I'd read a sample chapter of The Escape, and was a little confused when I got a considerable way through and still hadn't got to where it featured. Turns out it comes about half way through. Which is even more unusual than the third chapter of Brisingr being released. Anyway, the kids have that realism I've come to associate with Cherub books, the girl is not a whimp, and like I said, Henderson is awesome. The plot's pretty fast paced, although it does take a while for the two halves to join up. At first it seemed there was absolutely no connection, but there's a very clever way of getting all the different bits joined up. Totally enjoyed it, although I would've liked it to last a little bit longer. Still, well worth reading. Don't know whether to recommend reading the Cherub series first or not. It's kind of interesting to see where it came from, but then again, it's equally valid to read it chronologically. Maybe start with The Escape and then go onto Cherub, I don't know. Either way, it's good. And I have a signed copy, yay! Went to the Trafford Centre, queued up for an hour in Waterstones to get it signed. Robert Muchamore looked surprisingly ordinary. I don't know quite what I was expecting, and I have seen him before, but you think there'd be something different about such a good author. Seems not. Anyway, Cherub and Henderson's Boys series come high up on my list of good stuff to read.

The General

Ok, so I cheated. I was going to reread them all in order, but I kind of pulled The General off the shelf to see if I could find out when the newest book's coming out and ended up reading it. Never mind. I'll just read it all over again when I get back up to it. Aww, I'm really annoyed now. Just found out on FantasticFiction that the new Cherub one isn't out until next September. The Henderson's boys books are coming out before that, one in February, one in June. And it looks like it's coming out in hardback first, which is rubbish because I've got all the others in paperback all lined up neatly. Never mind. That's not what I should be talking about, although I suspect I've reveiwed this one before. Anyway, it starts out with James' mission getting a bit mucked up, and he's annoyed that another team made the sting while he was involved, and then he gets sent with a team to help the US Army train in urban warfare tactics and causes havoc by following the slightly unorthodox procedures of an extremely anti-American training instructor. There's the first hint at what he thinks he'll spend the rest of his life doing, as his Cherub days are nearing a close. Looks like the twelfth book might be the last, nooo!!! I really hope it isn't, I love him as a character.

Class A

This is the second Cherub book, and it's pretty decent. Ok, so maybe going after a drug dealer is not the most imaginative crime you can come up with, but still. It's good. James really starts to become a real person in this one, and the 'romance' starts properly, although it seems kind of immature. Then again, James is, and Kerry's only twelve too, so it's hardly likely they'll go into a serious relationship. I suppose it's just in comparison to the newer books. Don't really know what else to say. I kind of just grabbed The General off the shelf and now I really want to read that...

The Recruit

Don't know whether or not I've reveiewed this before. Don't think so. It's the first Cherub book. I've decided to reread them all in proper order. Although it may be a bit slow, given I need to revise and do some work on my distance learning course which I was supposed to finish by Christmas but I'm only a little over half way through. Oops. Anyway, The Recruit really is good. Sets the scene for the rest of the Cherub books, introduces James as a very flawed hero, but likeable nevertheless. Maybe he's slightly stereotypical in the first book, but he definitely progresses to become a very real character. It's worth reading this one first, and then the others in whatever order, as it helps put the others into a context and helps them make more sense. James' recruitment, training, and first mission are covered here, and I don't want to say too much and spoil it, but the mission is a very clever one and with a nice culmination. There is consideration of moral issues, but only in very vague and broad terms, so don't read it for that. I didn't. Ir read it because I quite like kid spy books, and I reread it because it's a very good example of the genre and likeable even if you don't like other books in the genre so much because it's not a complete out and out spy novel, and it certainly is more believable than the Alex Rider books.

Maximum Security

It's the third Cherub book, and they're well worth a read. I suppose you'll get the most out of them if you read them in order, but I don't think it'll spoil things a whole lot if you don't. It's really good, although it's not my favourite in the series. The life for young offenders in Arizona Max is portrayed very realistically and well, the escape plan sounds like it might actually work, and the flaws that are introduced into the prison to make the escape possible are certainly believable ones. I admit, the idea of a teenage spying organisation, and Lauren's escapade in extreme cold at the start of the book does require a little suspension of disbelief, but the idea is created remarkably well, such that it really could be true, unlike Alex Rider which requires a lot more suspension of disbelief than this. One of the things I really like about the series is that you can actually see the characters growing up. In this one, James is a bit of a brat I have to admit, and he's a very well written character too. The only thing I will say is that the final capture at the end was a bit of an anti-climax and seemed almost an after thought with all that build up. However, Lauren's comments to James (her older brother) put things into context, and it did probably add to the realism of the book, even if it didn't add a whole lot of excitement value.

Cherub: The General

I love the cherub books. As far as realism goes, I think they have to be the best teenage spy books ever. It's incredible, because it could be true, it could so easily be true, and yet you'd never know. There wasn't quite as much spying and action as there ha been in other books, but one of the things I really love about the series is the way you can see the characters, especially James, starting to mature and change. James is a very, very realistic character, and it's the same with all the rest of them. They aren't stereotyped teenagers, they aren't basic, cardboard things, they're real, and you can see them interacting in such a true to life way. But besides that, you've got the spying, a handful of gadgets, though nothing particularly ludicrous, and they're just fab. The Sleepwalker (the previous one) was absolutely gripping from the first page, and made my heart pound so fast, but you can't have that all the time. I can't remember whether I've ever reviewed a Cherub book on here or not, don't think I have. I would recommend reading them in order, because you can watch them grow up, but it doesn't really, really, really matter. The first one, the Recruit is worth reading first as it gives good background to the rest of it, and after that it doesn't matter too much. I suppose if you read everything I recomend (ie about ninety percent of what I read...) you'd never get anywhere, but I think this goes high on the good teenage books list. But if spying or action really isn't your thing, I wouldn't bother, because it's a teenage spy book. Better than Alex Rider, and if it's something you're not fussed about then I would read them, because there is a lot of 'teenagey' stuff in there (cheating on boyfriend/girlfriend, friendship issues, etc) along with the rest of it, but if you hate spy stuff, then I wouldn't read them.