I always enjoyed the tv show Alias, so when I picked up some tie-in novels for my sister, I decided to read them before sending them to her. Recruited tells the story of how Sydney Bristow, exemplary student but shy and withdrawn, first joins SD-6, covert branch of the CIA. Some well-known characters from the show appear, including Francie, Jack, Sloan, and a cameo by Dixon.

Recruited certainly isn't the best tie-in novel I've ever read; Sydney is depicted as a little too immature and socially awkward at the start and grows up unrealistically fast once she joins the agency. However, it's a quick read and for fans of the tv show, a fun way to visit old friends. ( )

I went into this book with expectations of a quick light read. I was right. It took me less than a day. The writing is mediocre and the story right out of the series. Only fans of the series will have any interest in this book and even then, will probably be a little disappointed. ( )

Sydney's story continues in this novel, taking us back to a time when SD-6 was a place to be proud of working for. The younger more insecure version of miss Bristow was quite intriguing. However, I found it very difficult to believe how immature Sydney acted. She spent a lot of time looking at 'hot guys' and hoping to get a date. Even at nineteen-I think she had better things to do.
I did however like to see the combat training sessions and such. It was interesting to see how SD-6 prepares they're agents before they hit the feild.
It was a pretty good book. Nice, easy read. I finished it in a day. It was worth it. A must read for Alias fanatics like me. ( )

Sydney Bristow 90210

When it comes to my favorite tv shows, I'm not really that into novelizations or prequels written by third parties – rarely do they live up to the standards set by the series' writers and production crews. Even so, when I spotted an audiobook version of ALIAS: RECRUITED at a garage sale, I decided to give it a try.

As you can probably surmise, ALIAS: RECRUITED is a prequel to ALIAS – essentially, the novel is author Lynn Mason's imagining of how Sydney came to work for SD-6. The story takes place during Syd's freshman year in college, which finds her a shy, nervous wreck. By school year's end, she's been recruited by SD-6, trained in Krav Maga and weaponry, worked her way up from a desk job to field work, successfully completed her first mission, even killing a man – and spurned the hot guy from her English class who spurned her back in September. All in just 192 pages (or two short CDs)!

Overall, the writing is so-so. The book's Amazon listing says that it's for grades 8 and up, which might explain some of the juvenile focus on hot dudez (as mentioned above). In addition to the Beverley Hills 90210-like college scenarios, I found Mason's portrait of a younger, less self-assured Sydney to be a stretch – an unbelievable stretch. College freshman Sydney has never dated, never had a boyfriend, is in fact an utter tool around guys, and seems to have no social skills whatsoever. While this is attributed to the stress of losing her mother at a young age, I don't buy it. Certainly, I agree that absentee father Jack Bristow might have deflated her self-esteem – and the loss of Laura/Irina only added to Sydney's stress – but she's also smart (a genius, actually), athletic, and beautiful. She'd be able to get a date wearing nothing but a potato sack and speaking in tongues. I understand why Mason painted such a sorry picture of young Syd – in order to contrast her with secret agent Syd, thus illustrating the changes she undergoes under the tutelage of SD-6 – but still, the whole thing comes off as hackneyed. Meh.

I probably wouldn't have wasted my time with ALIAS: RECRUITED had I not been able to find an audio version of the book. It's a fun enough listen – it made my vacuuming fly by, at least. My only complaint with the audiobook is that narrator Amanda Foreman's Francie imitation makes Francie sound like an annoying, idiotic Valley Girl. Seriously, you wonder why Syd would hang out with such a ditz. Ditto the college-age guys – Foreman tries to masculinize her voice, but she just sounds like a dumb surfer, or an even dumber Valley Dude. Quite annoying.

I probably won't go out of my way to buy any of the other prequels on CD, but at its best, ALIAS: RECRUITED made me want to break out Season 1 on DVD.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2009/04/12/alias-recruited-by-lynn-mason/ ( )

i really liked this book
i reccomend it
i'm looking to read the rest of the series
and for those who dont know it's a tv series as well ( )