The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp

New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2005. First U.S. Edition [Stated], First printing [stated]. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. [10], 339, [1] pages. Minor DJ wear. Richard Yancey (born November 4, 1962) is an American author who writes works of suspense, fantasy, and science fiction aimed at young adults. While working at the IRS, Yancey wrote screenplays in his spare time. At the suggestion of his wife and collaborator, one of his screenplays became his first professionally published book, A Burning in Homeland in 2001. With the success of A Burning in Homeland, Yancey resigned from the IRS in 2004 to concentrate on writing full-time. His memoir, Confessions of a Tax Collector (HarperCollins, 2004), chronicles his days working at the IRS. After the release of his memoir, Yancey began work on two series of books-one for adults, and one for children. The Alfred Kropp series tells the story of an awkward teenager who saves the world when he comes into possession of King Arthur's famed sword, Excalibur-pursued by the secret cabal of knights who have hidden it for centuries. Published by Bloomsbury Children's Publishing in the U.S. and the U.K., and in fifteen foreign language editions, the series comprised three books: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, The Seal of Solomon, and The Thirteenth Skull. His Highly Effective Detective books (St. Martin's Press) are whodunits for adult readers, featuring a charming but barely competent private investigator based in Tennessee. That series consists of four titles: The Highly Effective Detective, The Highly Effective Detective Goes to the Dogs, The Highly Effective Detective Plays the Fool, and The Highly Effective Detective Crosses the Line. When Alfred Kropp gets roped into a suspicious get-rich-quick scheme, his life takes a turn for the extraordinary. Little does Alfred know that he has been tricked into stealing Excalibur--the legendary sword of King Arthur--and the most powerful weapon ever wielded by man. Alfred undertakes a modern-day quest to unravel a thousand-year-old mystery and return the sword to its rightful place. Derived from a Kirkus review: Alfred Kropp is an 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 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.