Jimmy Coates is a series of children's books written by the English author Joe Craig.[1] The books have been published in many countries and became widely available in the United States for the first time in 2013.

Jimmy Coates
Jimmy Coates: Killer
Jimmy Coates: Target
Jimmy Coates: Revenge
Jimmy Coates: Sabotage
Jimmy Coates: Survival
Jimmy Coates: Power
Jimmy Coates: Blackout
Jimmy Coates: Genesis (TBA)
AuthorJoe Craig
CountryUnited Kingdom
GenreThriller, Children's
PublisherHarperCollins
Media typePrint (Paperback)

The books are mostly set in the fictional dictatorship of the "Neo-Democratic State of Great Britain".

Series

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Number Title Publisher Date Published (UK) ISBN
1 Jimmy Coates: Killer (USA: Jimmy Coates: Assassin?)[2] HarperCollins Children's Books March 2005 ISBN 0-00-719685-7
2 Jimmy Coates: Target[2] HarperCollins Children's Books May 2006 ISBN 0-00-719686-5
3 Jimmy Coates: Revenge[2] HarperCollins Children's Books January 2007 ISBN 0-00-723285-3
4 Jimmy Coates: Sabotage[2] HarperCollins Children's Books October 2007 ISBN 0-00-723286-1
5 Jimmy Coates: Survival[2] HarperCollins Children's Books April 2008 ISBN 0-00-727099-2
6 Jimmy Coates: Power[2] HarperCollins Children's Books October 2008 ISBN 978-0007277308
7 Jimmy Coates: Blackout[2] HarperCollins Children's Books June 2013 ISBN 978-0007524327
8 Jimmy Coates: Genesis[2] HarperCollins Children's Books TBA

Characters

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Protagonists

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  • Jimmy Coates – a young, genetically modified assassin
  • Zafi Sauvage – another young, genetically modified assassin (who works for the French secret intelligence)
  • Mitchell Glenthorne – another young, genetically modified assassin (who works for NJ7)
  • Helen Coates – Jimmy's mother
  • Eva Doren – Georgie's friend who works in NJ7, but she is actually giving information to Jimmy about NJ7's plans
  • Georgie Coates – Jimmy's half-sister
  • Felix Muzebeke – Jimmy's best friend
  • Dr. Higgins – scientist who helped to create Jimmy
  • Christopher Viggo – campaigner and politician
  • Saffron – trained in the martial arts and Christopher Viggo's girlfriend

Antagonists

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  • NJ7 – the fictitious government agency that pursues, and designed, Jimmy Coates
  • Miss Bennett – Director of NJ7
  • Paduk – ex Director of Special Security for the Neo-Democratic State of Great Britain
  • William Lee – Director of Special Security for the Neo-Democratic State of Great Britain
  • Ian Coates – Jimmy's father and, later, Prime Minister of Great Britain
  • Ares Hollingdale – the late and former Prime Minister of Great Britain
  • Dr. Higgins – part of the team that built Jimmy & Mitchell
  • Lieutenant Commander Luke Love
  • Mitchell Glenthorne – the first assassin created
  • Zafi Sauvage – the French child assassin
  • Uno Stovorsky – French Secret Service
  • Colonel Keays – a director with the CIA and Synperco

USA release

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Shortly after the UK publication, Craig's first book was released in the United States under the title Jimmy Coates: Assassin but withdrawn shortly afterwards. During its short release, it was selected for, among others, the Lone Star reading list in Texas[3] and the New York Public Libraries 'Books for the Teen Age' list.[4]

The whole series was released for the first time in the USA across 2014 and 2015 by Open Road Media.

Critical reception

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The Independent wrote of the first book: "Few books have the power to drag young boys away from their Xbox or Wii but I've seen the Jimmy Coates series in action – Super Mario is no match for this schoolboy assassin."[1]

It was described by School Library Association as "Packed full of shocks and surprises, high-octane action sequences, constant dangers and near-miss escapes from death, this is an at-a-sitting read for Bond and Rider fans everywhere. With bags of film potential..."[1]

It was a finalist for the 2006 Manchester Book Award, and won the Bolton Children's Book Award 2006.

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Craig, Joe. "Jimmy Coates". freewebs.com. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, Joe. "The Series". freewebs.com. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  3. ^ Lone Star 2006-2007.pdf
  4. ^ http://www.nypl.org/sites/default/files/bta2006.pdf [bare URL PDF]
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