Customer Reviews:
 For fans of the Cherub and Alex Rider books. April 16, 2008
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is the fifth title in the series and like the others was gulped down by my twelve year old son in one evening. The stories deal with themes of free will and identity, and provoke discussion on these topics - although as a parent with titles like Killer they can seem a bit off putting.
Jimmy Coates is less than 50% human, genetically engineered by government agency NJ7 to be a deadly assassin. His special powers are not supposed to become evident until Jimmy reaches 18, but his programming has kicked in early which means he is suddenly discovering immense strength and a frightening desire to kill.
The series follows his turmoil as he tries to fight this inbuilt instinct, in Survival, the fifth book in this electrifying series, he is faced with having to prevent an impending war and save his family.
All the books are cracking adventures with enough ideas to make them more than just page-turners. Jimmy is a wonderful creation with which it is easy to identify and sympathise.
My son adores this kind of thing, and making Jimmy himself the gadget instead of, like Alex Rider, partly dependent on them, adds to the fun, especially once Jimmy's intended nemesis, Mitchell, is activated by the deliciously Blairite Prime Minister.
Joe Craig has a sharp satirical edge that keeps boys hooked on books.
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