I've read the Alex Rider series up to Ark Angel. Snakehead is on my To Read Pile, but I've not been able to get around to it, mainly because unlike
Exir, I can't turn my credibility sensor off.
I find Alex too unbelievable and I'd like to see some kind of serious emotional response from him to the things he's seen and experienced. Instead he sometimes get a bit angry and that's about it.
I do rate Horowitz's Power of Five series though, which is a v. satisfying urban fantasy that takes some quite nasty turns.
MM