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Read The Extraordinary Adventures Of Alfred Kropp (2005)

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp (2005)

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Series
Rating
3.76 of 5 Votes: 1
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ISBN
1582346933 (ISBN13: 9781582346939)
Language
English
Publisher
bloomsbury usa childrens

The Extraordinary Adventures Of Alfred Kropp (2005) - Plot & Excerpts

Here's the thing with this book: If you cannot suspend your disbelief, then do not attempt to read this book. If you can, and you want to have lots of fun, enjoy a book full of adventure, with a deeper message, and you enjoy action/adventure, then dive in!This was a fun book. It had a bit of a slow start, but then, watch out. I absolutely loved Alfred. He is considered a screw up--not good at anything. He's big and awkward, blocky big. Think linebacker. But this young man...he saves the world, and discovers a secret destiny.And to think, when he bargains with this uncle (his only living relative) that he'll try out for football if he is able to get his learner's permit, Alfred has no idea that he will be driving Porshes, Lambourghinis, Bentleys, and Mercedes across the country and England, at 90-120 miles an hour. He has no clue that he'll go from being a 'loser' to fighting off evil henchmen with The Sword of all Swords--Excalibur.Alfred's adventures are not all good. He sees lots of people die--deaths that can in part be laid at his feet for a monumental decision he makes to help his uncle steal a sword from his boss. When he becomes the sidekick to the last knight of an order sworn to keep Excalibur out of the hands of evil men, he does it out of guilt and because he has nothing left. But Alfred is taking the step toward his fate. This was a very good book. As a fan of action/adventure, I had a ball reading it. It's pretty violent, so I'd probably read it first if you are a parent of a kid under twelve (although I read worse when I was that age). I think tween kids and younger teens (as well as some older teens who like a fun read) would love it (although I had some moments where I felt the POV seemed a little mature for the average 15 year old--but I could be wrong). I also think grown-ups who love adventure/quest novels and movies would eat this up. If you are a fan of these kinds of stories, what are you waiting for? If you like King Arthur, you need to read this book. Mr. Yancey managed to write a story that is chock full of adventure, but also with a message about realizing what your purpose is in life. I really felt for poor Alfred. He had been through a lot, and he had the weight of the world on his young but large shoulders. He showed a lot of courage, strength, heart, and intelligence, although he was his own worst critic. But, in the end, Alfred showed that he was in the right place at the right time. This is my first book by Rick Yancey, but it won't be my list. I'm excited to read more of Alfred's adventures. He proved to me that he's a hero who is up to the challenge of saving the world, and I enjoyed watching him do it. Highly recommended!

The story of King Arthur and his great sword has always been a fantastic tale. Rick Yancey's book, Alfred Kropp, has taken this story and brought it to the modern day and then some. Many people know about King Arthur, and Excalibur, from the stories told about the days of the knights of the round table. Nobody, however, knows about its current whereabouts or the legacy left by King Arthur himself. That is until our hero, Alfred Kropp, learns of a past that will define him as a boy, who is turning into a man. Kropp is faced with many physical and emotional challenges throughout his life, but nothing could have prepared him for what was to come.Alfred Kropp's life has been a struggle since birth. His Father left before Alfred even knew who he was. He grew up with no friends and lost his Mother to cancer when he was only a teenager. Being put into foster care for a few years, Alfred didn't get any better, until his Uncle took him in. That's when his Uncle struck a deal with a stranger to steal an artifact. Alfred, being dragged along, had no idea what he was getting into. It all went downhill from there as he slowly lost those closed to him, and almost lost himself.I highly recommend this book because of the excitement in the story. Not only is it a fun subject, but there is adventure and danger around every corner. Alfred must overcome so many obstacls to insure the saftey of not only himself, but the entire world. Modern knights, secret organizations, weapons of mass destruction, and action packed finghting make this book a lot of fun to read. Anyone who enjoys action, adventure, or just a good read will love this book.

What do You think about The Extraordinary Adventures Of Alfred Kropp (2005)?

In my ever persistent goal to read more "boy books," this one found itself on my shelf after a student claimed it as one of his personal favorites. I can see why he lauded Alfred Kropp. I had difficulty putting the book down, and was "late" to school (instead of getting there at 6:30, I didn't arrive until 7:00) so that I might "read just another chapter." Page turner it is. Expected and unexpected surprises lie in wait for the reader. You can't help but love Alfred as each disaster befalls him and he persistently plods back into the fray in order to right previous wrongs. He is Every Man. Yet, at the same time, he isn't. You'll have to read it to figure that one out. I'm not an adolescent male and Rick Yancy had me slavering for more as each page unfolded into yet another intrigue.The characters are so well portrayed that my head swirls with them. I can't wait to pick up the next book and see what is in store for Alfred and those who survived the first book in the series. No spoilers here: it's an action text with international intrigue; of course there are deaths. That's enough. I've got to find where I put the second book. I fear that it is in my classroom library and I won't get to it until tomorrow. Well, I do have papers to grade and lesson plans to write; so maybe that's a good thing. If the second one is even close to the inaugural tale of "Extraordinary Adventures," I'll be hard pressed to put it down.
—Sassafras

TLC Call #: YA CD BOOK YANCEYChris's Rating: 4 StarsUntalented, over-sized, orphaned, Alfred Kropp doesn’t have any grand aspirations for his life and is perfectly content with lounging in his room day after day listening to music. His uncle, however, is not content with his nephew being simply average; and when the opportunity arrives for them to make a large chunk of cash, Alfred’s concerns about the ethics of the “job” are finally overcome with threats of being thrown back into the foster care system. But what is the job exactly? To “recover” (steal rather) the ancient “Excalibur,” once held by King Athur but originally belonging to Michael the archangel, and turn it over to a man who would use its invincible powers to destroy his enemies and rule the world. Alfred eventually finds himself on an adventure to fix the problems he has helped facilitate, and hopefully not make too many mistakes leading to fatality along the way. I didn’t instantly love this book…part of it might have been the reader (who, although it is not the same person, reminded me of the reader of the Alchemyst). It slows down a bit after the initial action, but then picks up pace. Some of the logistics didn’t seem to fit very well, but the book grew on me over time and I will probably read further into the series.Pros: 1. Interesting story that took me a few places I didn’t expect. 2. There weren’t many parts like this…but in a few places I couldn’t help but bust out laughing. 3. An intelligent villain (maybe even villains) who is ruthless but not simply out to kill everyone for no reason. 4. An average untalented boy who makes mistakes, but has the courage to try to make things better…even when they seem to only be getting worse.Cons: 1. The money values (especially the reward for stealing Excalibur) simply didn’t compute for me…especially Alfred’s Uncle’s idea that one million dollars would make them so rich they could own anything and do anything they wanted for the rest of their lives. 2. The time given to steal the sword and transverse through such a large building didn’t make sense, nor was the security or “technology” up to par with what I would have expected. 3. Much of the time Alfred seems to lack emotions…perhaps as a result of a shy person writing a first person narrative.This book will likely appeal to teen boys who like swords and adventure, with a touch of wit, a modern-day setting, and a tale where good guys are as likely to die as the bad guys.
—TeenFiction Teton County Library

bought cheap at a charity bazaar. A game little page-turner with the ever-alluring Arthurian business played out in tandem with a gawky, misfit teenager's coming of age. This stuff isn't meant to be taken too seriously, but I have to admit I was troubled that the teenaged hero brutalises and kills people with a sword. The fact that the people are a crazed would-be world dominator and his minions and that the sword is the righteous Excalibur doesn't help a lot. The Bauer-esque philosophy of judging methods by results is troubling enough in entertainment for adults, it's hard to know what to make of it in YA fiction. I'm not sure I'm a true-blue ahimsaist, but it seems like a more satisfying story could have been told about how Alfred circumvented the need for violence in achieving his ends. Now he's going to join the X-Files analogue secret agency and no doubt have many more fantastical adventures including a bit of righteous head-loping from time to time. I'd still read the sequels, if I found them similarly cheap at other charity bazaars. Chewing gum for the mind, and a philanthopic gesture.
—Jayaprakash Satyamurthy

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