Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz 7th post

'He certainly wasn't impressed by his first sight of the city, a sprawl of ugly, old-fashioned skyscrapers. blocks of apartments that were like discarded boxes piled up on top of each other, electricity and satellite towers. They stopped at a toll booth where a woman sat in a cramped cubicle, her face hidden behind the white mask that protected her from the traffic fumes. Then they were off again. Next to the road, Alex saw a huge portrait of a man: black hair, glasses, open-neck shirt. It was painted on the entire side of a building, twenty stories high, covering both the brickwork and the windows. "That's our king," the driver explained. They left the highway, driving down a ramp into a dense, chaotic world of shrubs and food stalls, traffic jams and policemen at every intersection, their whistles screaming like dying birds. Alex saw tuk-tuks-- motorized rickshaws-- bicycles and buses that looked as if they had been welded together from a dozen different models. He felt a hollow feeling in his stomach. What was he letting himself into? How was he going to adapt to a country that was, in every last detail, so different from his own? Then the car turned a corner. They had entered the driveway of the Peninsula Hotel and Alex learned something else about Bangkok. It was actually two cities: one very poor and one very rich, living side by side and yet with a great gulf between. His journey had brought him from one to the other. Now he was driving through a beautifully tended tropical garden. As they drew up at the front door, half a dozen Thai men in perfect white uniforms hurried forward to help-- one to take the luggage, one to help Alex out, two more bowing to welcome him, two holding open the hotel doors' (Horowitz 76).

I chose the above passage mainly because of its great imagery. The author uses a lot images and metaphors to paint a very realistic picture of the city of Bangkok for the reader. He uses similes like the "policemen at every intersection, their whistles screaming like dying birds". The author also does a good job of describing the huge differences between the rich and poor parts of the city, saying that both parts lived side by side and yet apart. Another reason why I chose this passage is because it also gives more insight into the character's feelings, and his reactions to the vivid images created in this passage.
Some of my questions about the text include: What has caused Bangkok to be divided like it is?
How much has Western influence changed the face of the city?

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz 6th post

' "Have you ever heard the term snakehead?" Brooke began. There was silence, so he went on. "Alright, let me start by saying that the snakehead groups are without doubt the biggest and most dangerous criminal organizations in the world. Compared to them, the mafia and the triads are amateurs. They have more influence--and they're doing more damage--even than Al Qaeda, but they're not interested in religion. They have no beliefs. All they want is money. That's the bottom line. They're gangsters, but on a huge scale. Have you ever bought an illegal DVD? the chances are that it was manufactured and distributed by a snakehead. And the profits they'll have made out of it will have gone straight into one of their other concerns, which you may not find so amusing. Maybe its drugs or slaves or body parts. You need a new kidney or a heart? The snakeheads operate the biggest market in illegal organs, and they're not fussy about where they get them or even if the donors are deceased. And then there are weapons. In this century alone, there have been at least fifty wars around the world that have used weapons supplied by the snakeheads... shoulder-launched missiles. AK-47s, that sort of thing. Where do you think the terrorists go if they want a bomb or a gun or something nasty and biological that comes in a test tube? Think of it as an international supermarket, Alex. But everything it sells is bad" ' (Horowitz 62).

The main reason why I chose the above passage is because it talks about the criminal organizations called snakeheads, after which the novel has been named. This passage also uses great imagery to convey to the reader that these snakeheads are bad, and not to be underestimated, mostly by listing all of the illigal activities the snakeheads are involved in, and by mentioning their business affiliations with terrorists. This makes me think about the events of September eleven, 2001, and the terrorist attacks on that day. The above passage is important to the novel because it serves as an introduction to the "beginning of the end" for the entire novel, since the remainder of the book will probably be about Alex infiltrating one of these snakehead organizations.
Some of the questions about the book that have come to my mind include: How does Mr. Brooke know so much about the Snakeheads?
How come I have never heard about Snakehead organizations before if they are supposed to be so powerful?

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz 5th post

'He took a deep breath, tensing his body, trying to think of the muscles in his legs as coiled springs that could launch him to safety. His right foot was resting on the mine. The left foot was on flat ground. That was the one that would have to do most of the work. Do it! Alex had to force himself, knowing that he might be making the worst mistake of his life, that seconds from now he could be crippled, in agony. He jumped. At the very last moment he changed his mind but continued anyway, launching himself down the slope with all his strength. He thought he felt the mine shudder very slightly as his foot left it. But it hadn't exploded, at least not in the half second that he had left the ground. Automatically, he crossed his arms in front of his face, to protect himself from the fall-- or from the blast. The slope was rushing past him, a dark streak at the corner of his vision. Then he hit the ditch. Water, cold and muddy, splattered into his face. His shoulder hit something hard. Behind him, there was an explosion. The mine. Clumps of earth and torn grass rained down on him. Then nothing. His face was underwater. He pulled his head back, spitting mud. A plume of smoke rose to the sky. The fuse must have given him three seconds before it detonated the mine. He had taken those three seconds and they had saved him' (Horowitz 53).

Even though the events in this passage take place in a matter of seconds, they help draw a picture of Alex, the main character in this book. Just the fact that he is standing on a land mine tells a lot about him. His life is filled is many dangers, this just being one of them. He is also very calm in the face of danger, even when an ordinary person would have lost his nerve. The author also mentions that Alex automatically "crossed his arms in front of his face, to protect himself from the fall," which implies that he has had training of some sort, and is used to act instantly in the face of danger. By using a lot short, simple sentences, the author gives the reader some insight into how the character is taking in all that is happening around him. This makes the passage seem very long and drawn out, as if time were slowing down during his jump.
Some questions I have about the text are: Why did he second guess himself right after he started jumping? Is it unusual for a mine to explode three seconds after the fuse has been activated?

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz 4th post

'There was a photograph attached to the cover, but as always he had been forced to rely on the official report:
Physical description/attributes
Subject is five feet, seven inches tall, still short for his age, but this adds to his operational value. Weight: 140 pounds. Hair color: fair. Eyes: brown. His physical condition is excellent but may have been compromised by his recent injury (see Scorpia file). The boy is known to be fluent in two languages--French and Spanish--and is also proficient in German. He has practiced karate since the age of eight and has reached first kyu grade (black belt). Weapons training: none. Progress at school has been slow, with negative feedback from many of his teachers. Spring and summer reports from Brookland School are attached. However, it must be remembered that he has been absent from class for much of the past nine months.
Psychological profile
AR was recruited by the Special Operations Division of MI6 in March of this year, age fourteen years and one month. His father was John Rider--alias Hunter--who was killed in action. His mother died at the same time, and he was brought up by his uncle, Ian Rider, also an active agent with MI6. It seems certain that the boy was physically and mentally prepared for intelligence work at the earliest age. Quite apart from the languages and martial arts, Ian Rider equipped him with many skills, including fencing, mountain climbing, white-water rafting, and scuba diving. And yet, despite his obvious aptitude for intelligence work (see below), AR has shown litte enthusiasm for it. Like most teenagers, he is not a patriot and has no interest in politics. MI6 (SO) found it necessary to coerce him to work for them on at least two occasions' (Horowitz 26).

The main reason why I chose this passage is because of its thorough description of the main character, and because the author chose to introduce him into the story via an intelligence report. The author describes the main character in great detail, even down to basic facts such as his height, weight, and eye color. Yet at the same time, the author also indulges into the character's past, as a way of familiarizing the reader with him. That way the reader knows what to expect of him, even though he has not yet entered the story line. I also chose this excerpt from the book because it is the first book I have read in which the main character is treated like a supporting role. So far into the book, he has only been mentioned briefly on the side, which gave me the impression that he was not very important to story. But this passage finally proved that he was indeed the main character of the book.
Some questions I have about the text so far include: When is the main character going to finally show up? How come the Australian intelligence service knows so much about Alex Rider?

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz 3rd post

'The man's name was Ethan Brooke, and he was the chief executive of the Covert Action Division of ASIS-- the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. His department was inevitably known as CAD, but only by the people who worked in it. Very few other people even knew it existed. Brooke was a large man, in his mid-fifties, with sand-colored hair and ruddy, weather-beaten cheeks that suggested years spend outdoors. He had indeed been a soldier, a lieutenant colonel with the commandos, until a land mine in East Timor had sent him first into the hospital for three months and then into a new career in intelligence. He wore Armani sunglasses, tinted silver, rather than the traditional black glasses of a blind man, and his clothes were casual: jeans, a jacket, and an open-neck shirt. A senior minister in the Australian defense department had once complained about the way he dressed. That same minister was now carrying luggage in a three-star Sydney hotel' (Horowitz 24).

This excerpt from the book includes a lot of imagery, which is the main reason why I chose to include it. The author takes great care describing this individual, especially his back ground and his clothing. What the author doesn't mention in great detail, however, is the fact that Mr. Brooke is blind. Something that would ordinarily hamper him in his position as the head of a secret service department is only mentioned on the side by the author, who seems to think that the fact that Mr. Brooke is wearing silver sun glasses instead of black ones more important in the description of this character. This suggests that this character is not very concerned about his impediment. The last two sentences of the passage also tell a great deal about this character: For one, it tells the reader that Mr. Brooke is a very important person in the Australian government, capable of getting a senior minister "transfered" to a new post. Secondly, the excerpt also suggests that this character is easily angered, and will retaliate as harshly as possible should someone give him offense.
Some questions I have about my reading include: How does Mr. Brooke fit into the rest of the story?
Why hasn't the main character been introduced into the story yet, but only mentioned on the side?

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz 2nd Post

'But that was no longer the only purpose of the building in Sloane Street. It had also become the London headquarters of the international crime organization that went by the name of Scorpia. The name stood for "sabotage, corruption, intelligence, and assassination," which were its four main activities. The organization had been formed some thirty before in Paris, its members being spies from different intelligence networks around the world who had decided to go into business for themselves. There had been twelve of them at first. Then one had died of illness and two had been killed in the field. The other nine had congratulated themselves on surviving so long with so few casualties. But quite recently, things had taken a turn for the worse. The oldest member of the organization had made the foolish and inexplicable decision to retire, which had, of course, led to his being murdered immediately. Soon afterward, his successor, a woman named Julia Rothman, had also been killed. That had been at the end of an operation-- Invisible Sword-- that had gone catastrophically wrong. In many ways this was the lowest point in Scorpia's history, and there were many who thought that the organization would never recover'(Horowitz 9).

One of the reasons why I chose the passage is because it answers my previous question of the funeral home described earlier fits into the rest of the story. Another reason why I chose this passage is because it gives the reader a lot of insight into the organization known as Scorpia, which gives me the impression that it is going to play a major role throughout the story. The passage also makes me wonder why the author chose to describe the failures of Scorpia in great detail, while not even mentioning some of its other achievements. The story also makes me wonder why the author seems to linger on the fact that the organization is in bad shape.
Some questions I have about the text are: What exactly happened during operation Invisible Sword?
Why did they murder one of their own when he retired?
What makes Scorpia different from other terrorist organizations?

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz 1st post

'It was the sort of building you could walk past without noticing: three stories high, painted white with ivy, perfectly trimmed, climbing up to the roof. It stood about halfway down Sloane Street in Belgravia, just around the corner from Harrods, surrounded by some of the most expensive real estate in London. On one side there was a jewelry shop and on the other an Italian fashion boutique-- but the customers who came here would no longer be needing either. A single step led up to a door painted black, and there was a window that contained an urn, a vase of fresh flowers, and nothing else. The name of the place was written in discreet gold letters. It read: Reed and Kelly, Funeral Directors. And beneath that, a brief motto: Death is not the End'(Horowitz 7).

I chose this passage because it paints a picture in the reader's mind of a seemingly innocent building in the middle of London. Since I have read other books by this author, I know that London is a favorite starting place of his for his stories. The passage also gives the reader the impression that the author is very familiar with the layout of the city of London. Another reason why I chose this passage is because it is describing a funeral home with a strange motto in great detail, which gives the impression that there is something ominous about the place.
Some questions I have about the text so far are: How does the funeral home fit into the rest of the story?
Is there are particular reason why the author chose include the motto of 'Reed and Kelly'?
Is it significant that the funeral home is located in a wealthy part of London?

Starship Troopers last Independent book blog

The main character in the book experiences a number of defining moments throughout the story. The first of of these moments is when the main character signs up to join the army of the Terran Federation. This moment helps to define his character, because the main character had sought all along that he would go to college and then take over his father's business. This shows the reader that the main character is not sure what he wants his future to look like. Another moment which defines his character is when the Bugs destroy Buenos Aires and his mother is killed. This gives the main character a reason to fight, something that makes him belief that what he is doing is just and right. The final defining moment for the main character is at the very end of the book, when he is about to lead his very own platoon into battle. This scene helps to define the main character's character by showing how far he has come. The scene reminds me allot of the beginning chapter of the book, were the main character is standing in ranks next to his comrades, being looked over by his platoon Lieutenant, preparing to drop onto an alien planet. Only this time, he is the Lieutenant. The main character also says that he still "gets the shakes before a drop," which is exactly what he says in the first line of the book. This shows that even he has assumed much greater responsibilities, part of him is still just the buck private he used to be.

Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein Tuesday 30

'Intelligence believed that prisoners were always taken to Klendathu; the Bugs are as curious about us as we are about them--a race of individuals able to build cities, starships, armies, may be even more mysterious to a hive entity than a hive entity is to us.
As may be, we wanted those prisoners back! In the grim logic of the universe this may be a weakness. Perhaps some race that never bothers to rescue an individual may exploit this human trait to wipe us out. The Skinnies have such a trait only slightly and the Bugs don't seem to have it at all--nobody ever saw a Bug come to the rescue of another because he was wounded; they c0-operate perfectly in fighting but units are abandoned the instant they are no longer useful. Our behavior is different. How often have you seen a headline like this?-- TWO DIE ATTEMPTING RESCUE OF DROWNING CHILD. If a man gets lost in the mountains, hundreds will search and often two or three searchers are killed. But the next time somebody gets lost just as many volunteers turn out. Poor arithmetic... but very human. It runs through all our folklore, all human religions, all our literature-- a racial conviction that when one human needs rescue, others should not count the price. Weakness? It might be the unique strength that wins us a galaxy' (Heinlein 223).

The reason why this passage is important to the story is because it reveals the main character's mindset about the social virtues and responsibilities of his people. The passage also shows how the Bugs, Earth's mortal enemies, are different from the humans in that they seem to lack all care for the individual and live only to serve the whole. The main character also mentions that that lack of individual care is what is the greatest difference between the Bugs and the humans, even though he said previously that a part of being a soldier was to die in order to preserve the whole if need be, a virtue not unlike the mindset of the Bugs.
One question I have about the story is: What is the reason for the war between humans and Bugs?
A question about the plot that I have is: The main character says at the beginning that wanting to rescue individuals may be a weakness. So why does he state at the end that 'It might be the unique strength that wins a galaxy' ?

Starship Troopers By Robert A. Heinlein Thursday 25

'Never the less I had signed up in order to win a vote. Or had I? Had I ever cared about voting? No, it was the prestige, the pride, the status... of being a citizen. Or was it? I couldn't to save my life remember why I had signed up. Anyhow, it wasn't the process of voting that made a citizen-- the Lieutenant had been a citizen in the truest sense of the word, even though he had not lived long enough ever to cast a ballot.He had "voted" every time he made a drop. And so had I! I could hear Colonel Dubois in my mind: "Citizenship is an attitude, a state of mind, an emotional conviction that the whole is greater than the part... and that the part should be humbly proud to sacrifice itself that the whole may live." '
'Patriotism was a bit esoteric for me, too large-scale to see. But the M.I. was my gang, I belonged. They were all the family I had left; they were the brothers I had never had, closer than Carl had ever been. If I left them, I'd be lost' (Heinlein 162-163).

I choose this passage because it shows how the main character has finally found a true purpose in what he is doing. Before, he wasn't even sure if what he was doing was right. Another reason why I choose this passage is because the passage answers my previous question of why he signed up for the mobile infantry(M.I.). The passage is also important for character development, because the main character is very attached to his job in the infantry, even though he resented it in the beginning of the story.
A question I have the text is: What other privileges come with being a citizen in the future other than the right to vote?
A question about the plot is: What is going to be different in the main character's attitude about the military and the war situation now that he finally knows why he joined up?

Starship Troopers By Robert A. Heinlein Tuesday 23

'It doesn't matter who he was. What did matter was that our family had had its head chopped off. The head of the family from which we took our name, the father who made us what we were.
After the Lieutenant had to leave us Captain Deladrier invited Sergeant Jelal to eat forward, with the other heads of departments. But he begged to be excused. Have you ever seen a widow with stern character keep her family together by behaving as if the head of the family had simply stepped out and would return at any moment? That's what Jelly did. He was just a touch more strict with us than ever and if he ever had to say: "The Lieutenant wouldn't like that," it was almost more than a man could take. Jelly didn't say it very often' (Heinlein 145).

The main reason why I choose this passage is because it shows how the military unit of which the main character is a part of is like the family he never had. Unlike his real family, his outfit in the military seems to much closer, caring both about the individual and the unit as a whole. I also chose this passage because it sets the stage for the second part of the book, the main character choosing to accept the military as his new life.

My first question about this passage is: How important is rank in this futuristic military?
Another question about the plot is: Is 'Jelly', the former Sergeant, capable of filling the shoes of the Lieutenant?

Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein

'Ten minutes later, dressed in trousers, undershirt, and shoes, I was lined up with the others in ragged ranks for setting-up exercises just as the Sun looked over the eastern horizon. Facing us was a big broad-shouldered, mean looking-man, dressed just as we were--except that while I looked and felt like a poor job of embalming, his chin was shaved blue, his trousers were sharply creased, you could have used his shoes for mirrors, and his manner was alert, wide-awake, relaxed, and rested. You got the impression that he never needed to sleep-- just ten-thousand-mile checkups and dust him off occasionally' (Heinlein 42).

I think this passage is perfect for showing the current setting of the story, because it shows to the reader where the main character is, and that he is struggling to keep up with the discipline and daily life of boot camp. This is made apparent by the fact that he is making fun of the neat appearance and the efficiency of his superior officer. The passage also shows that the main character seems to lack the discipline needed to be in the army.

What is main reason why he joined the army?


' "This very personal relationship, 'value,' has two factors for a human being: first, what he can do with a thing, its use to him... and second, what he must do to get it, its cost to him. There is an old song which asserts 'the best things in life are free.' Not true! Utterly false! This was the tragic fallacy which brought on the decadence and collapse of the democracies of the twentieth century; those noble experiments failed because the people had been led to believe that they could simply vote for whatever they wanted... and get it, without toil, without sweat, without tears. "Nothing of value is free. Even the breath of live is purchased at birth only through gasping effort and pain." He had been still looking at me and added, "If you boys and girls had to sweat for your toys the way a newly born baby has to struggle to live you would be happier... and much richer. As it is, with some of you, I pity the poverty of your wealth. You! I've just awarded you the prize for the hundred-meter dash. Does it make you happy?" "Uh, I suppose it would."
"No dodging, please. You have the prize-- here, I'll write it out: 'Grant prize winner for the championship, one hundred-meter sprint.' " He had actually come back to my seat and pinned it on my chest. "There! Are you happy? You value it-- or don't you?"
I ripped it off and chucked it at him. Mr. Dubois had looked surprised. "It doesn't make you happy?"
"You know darn well I placed fourth!"
"Exactly! The prize for first place is worthless to you... because you haven't earned it. But you enjoy a modest satisfaction in placing fourth; you earned it. I trust that some of the somnambulists here understood this little morality play. I fancy that the poet who wrote that song meant to imply that the best things in life must be purchased other than with money--which is true-- just as the literal meaning of his words is false. The best things in life are beyond money; their price is agony and sweat and devotion... and the price demanded for the most precious of all things in life is life itself--ultimate cost for perfect value'' '(Heinlein 93-94).

I chose this passage mainly because it answers my previous question of why he joined the army; and the answer is to earn his right to vote and to prove to himself and others that he has earned that right. His teacher's example of giving the main character the first place for the hundred-meter dash shows that the main character, and anyone else, is only proud of those things which he or she has actually done, something the main character has yet to fully grasp.
One question I have so far about the text is:What is a somnambulist?
Another question about the development of the story is: How will the main character's teacher influence his future actions?