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Booklist Reviews 2005 August #1

Gr. 9-12^B. Everyone around Alfred Kropp is dying. And all because the unassuming 15-year-old took something he shouldn't have. Darned kid. Then the big lug goes on to save the world. Sound incredible? Well, not when you learn that what he's taken is Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, the most powerful weapon on earth, which has somehow survived in the custody of descendants of the original Knights of the Round Table. Of course, taking the sword is one thing; keeping it, as Alfred discovers, is quite another, especially given international forces--for good and evil--are after Excalibur, too, and they will stop at nothing to get it back. Heads literally roll in the ensuing, intensely violent and cinematic action, as Alfred discovers enough astonishing things about himself to fire a whole host of sequels, which are sure to follow. For readers willing to suspend disbelief, Yancey's first novel for YAs is a white-knuckle, page-turning read. ((Reviewed August 2005)) Copyright 2005 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews 2006 Spring

Alfred has no obvious skills, but when he and his uncle are tricked into stealing King Arthur's sword, Alfred finds himself saving the world from destruction. The well-paced writing can't mask Alfred's unconvincing leap from loser to hero, and elements of legend and contemporary thriller, complete with flashy cars and high-tech weaponry, don't mesh well enough to form a satisfying narrative. Copyright 2006 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews 2005 September #2

Alfred Kropp is an overweight, underachieving teen whose main goals in life consist of getting his learner's permit and dating Amy Pouchard. Things take a very unexpected turn, however, when his uncle talks him into participating in a get-rich-quick scheme. The scheme involves stealing a valuable sword (which just happens to be Excalibur), and before Alfred knows it, he has vowed to protect the powerful sword from the motorcycle-riding, sword-wielding Agents of Darkness. Although he wonders why a group of modern-day knights would entrust him with such an important mission, Alfred enjoys a new-found sense of purpose, which is further fueled by his discovery that he is the last descendent of Lancelot. Yancey has hit one out of the park with this original, engaging and sequel-worthy read. He does a fine job of balancing King Arthur's legend with contemporary action sequences well suited for the silver screen. The expertly paced plot will keep action-adventure fans entertained, and those interested in all things Camelot will get a kick out of watching this funny, self-deprecating teenager save the world. (Fiction. YA) Copyright Kirkus 2005 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

PW Reviews 2005 August #5

After his single mother dies, the oversized, underachieving, totally endearing narrator, Alfred Kropp, is sent to Tennessee to live with his uncle, a night watchman for a business titan. Uncle Farrell, chronically poor, can't refuse a $1 million offer to retrieve a sword from the executive suite. His 15-year-old nephew, however, has reservations--"I'm not too quick on the uptake... but this whole thing smells fishy to me"--until Uncle Farrell threatens to return Alfred to foster care if he refuses to help. The attempt ends disastrously: saber-wielding monks demand the sword, motorcycle thugs fire shotguns as Alfred races across the Interstate, and in Europe, he winds up in battles where heads fly--literally. Everyone and everything has a secret identity--the monks, the sword, the hero, just to name a few. The high-speed car chases, spectacularly gory deaths and Arthurian echoes seem tailor-made for a Hollywood action flick, but it's Alfred's naiveté and basic good nature that make this pageturner stand out in the crowded fantasy adventure genre. Like J.K. Rowling, first-time YA novelist Yancey (Confessions of a Tax Collector , for adults) deftly leavens the heavier plot elements with humor; this story of a "big-headed loser" is as funny as it is scary. Alfred's adventures are not the only element of this tale that is extraordinary--the reluctant hero is, too. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)

SLJ Reviews 2005 October

Gr 6-8 -Astonishingly tall 15-year-old Alfred is plunged into a world of adventure, assassination, and Arthurian legend when he agrees to help his uncle filch an ancient sword from the office of a CEO who just happens to be a descendent of the Knights of the Round Table. Of course the sword turns out to be none other than Excalibur, and the guy Alfred swiped it for is Mogart, a knight-gone-bad who hopes to use its magical powers to take over the world. Enter Bennacio, another descendant of the Round Table, who then takes Alfred under his wing on a quest across the Atlantic to rescue the sword from Mogart. The descriptions of minor bits of blood and gore leave much to the imagination and will make Kropp especially appealing to fans of Anthony Horowitz's "Alex Rider" books (Philomel), Geoffrey Huntington's Sorcerers of the Nightwing (ReganBooks, 2002), and even Darren Shan's "The Saga of Darren Shan" series (Little, Brown). True to its action-adventure genre, the story is lighthearted, entertaining, occasionally half-witted, but by and large fun.-Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library

VOYA Reviews 2005 October

Since his mother died, fifteen-year-old Alfred Kropp has lived with his Uncle Farrell, a night watchman at Samson Towers, offices of Bernard Samson, the richest man in Knoxville. Oversized, klutzy, and socially inept, Alfred is used to being the target of disrespect. When Uncle Farrell accepts a million-dollar "business proposition" to steal an ancient sword from Samson's office, Alfred advises strongly against it. Unable to do the job without the help of his nephew, Uncle Farrell threatens to send Alfred to a foster home if he refuses to help. Before Alfred can say "Excalibur," the plan goes awry, leaving his uncle dead and Alfred in a foster home. Then one day, Alfred meets Bennacio, the last Knight of the Sacred Order sworn to protect the Sword of Kings, and finds himself the unintentional hero at the center of James Bond-ian exploits to save the world's most powerful weapon-the legendary sword of King Arthur. As Alfred moves from one high performance race car to another with the world's future hanging in the balance, he learns that choices have as much to do with defining who he is as does heritage, and the most "powerful and scary choice" is claiming his identity Alfred's first-person narration moves from the self-deprecating myopia of the resigned victim to a young man ready to claim his rightful place. High powered, with plenty of fast action, intrigue, and humor, this novel will particularly appeal to young male readers yearning to be somebody special.-Kim Carter This book starts out as the story of an ordinary teenager's life but with a few surprises. Alfred doesn't know who his father is, and his mother died when he was younger. He lives with his uncle, who has just received a mysterious job that changes Alfred's life forever. I really liked this book because it brings the Arthurian legend into today's society. 5Q 5P-Kelsey Sands, Teen Reviewer The book was the equivalent of an action flick, an amusing romp through all sorts of encounters, each boiled down to easily consumed passages. In reading the book, though, I felt detached from what I was reading. I would recommend this title to guys in the fifth and sixth grade. It is an easy read. 2Q 3P-Shane Bell 3Q 4P M J Copyright 2005 Voya Reviews.

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