Alfie has to face up to all his insecurities and accept the mantle of great responsibility that comes with being king. If you're aiming a story at kids, or people with a short attention span, you need a book that gets to the point and that is exactly what happens here. I wrestled with whether to give it four or three stars, but because of some issues I had with the pacing in the later chapters, I ultimately bumped it down. He DEFINITELY did not expect to be DEFENDER OF THE REALM , a legendary superhero, fighting a secret, centuries-long battle to protect the nation from monsters and super-villains. The Black Dragon killed Alfie's father in a battle at Stonehenge; the dragon's power and strength has increased due to finding parts of the ancient crown.

Our main character and reluctant heir to the throne of Great Britain is Alfie, a fourteen year old boy that just wishes he was "ordinary," and didn't have the responsiblity of a kingdom resting on his shoulders. It looked amazing and I cannot wait to see how people are going to personalise their Defender and make it theirs.Just having defeated the Black Dragon at his coronation, Alfie is trying to focus on making less of a fool of himself in his day job, something the Prime Minister is keen to encourage as much as possible, when a new threat hits the Kingdom. When Alfie’s father the King dies suddenly, Alfie not only must prepare to ascend the throne but to also take up the mantle of Defender of the Realm that has been passed from one monarch to the next for centuries. Flawed, in over his head, but doing his best through circumstances he can't control is my favorite type of hero. Alfie is super - though he's the elder twin, he's klutzy and overshadowed by younger siblings, and consequently filled with doubt about himself and his role in the world.

From the Camel Trophy run to expeditions and even on the way up Everest, you will always spot a Defender; and I have a nickname for it — Landy spotting. Packed full of superhero's and villains as well as normal everyday life situations, this is a great read for young and old alike. cards, including 23 from the original game, 9 from the Dragon Expansion, and 52 that are brand new to the game. Being the Prince of Wales isn't that good as apparently, there are many things that he wanted to do but can't, simply because of his status. After the Defender's losingbattle against the Black Dragon, the United Kingdom finds itselfunder the control of "Lord Protector" Lock, the undead Vikinginvaders and the berserkers unleashed by the Raven Banner.I can't remember having read many books in the past, kid-lit or otherwise that were written by two people and I wasn't quite sure how it would work but the writing team that is Mark Huckerby and Nick Ostler is an undeniable force to be reckoned with for creating a story that is packed full of drama, adventure and excitement, a trip into a fantasy world that I thoroughly enjoyed. Hayley is given additional worries when a trip to the Tower of London ends with a brutal attack by a supposedly made-up creature. I've often wondered where the "boy" equivalent of school stories has been hiding - since Harry Potter we've not had many male lead characters in boarding school tales, but we have had the likes of Murder Most Unladylike and so on. Add to that the contrasting personalities of Brian and LC and you have scenarios and dialogue that are both funny and moving. To make it worse, I think there is little motivation involved when he decides to become The Defender aside from duties.

But when their father the King suddenly dies, ready or not, suitable or not, Alfie is no longer the heir, he is the king and with that defender of the realm. This time round we delve further into the relationships between the royal children, particularly the complicated dynamic between the heir and the spare. Alfie’s life changes in a moment, and it turns out there is more to being a Royal than waving to the camera. My son is 7 and so I'll probably save this for him to read in a few years' time but I can imagine him absorbing information such as the details of the Coronation and going to look them to see if they're true!

Découvrant alors les coulisses du pouvoir et ses enjeux, Alfie apprend qu'il doit désormais endosser l'armure du Défenseur du Royaume (sorte de superhéros masqué) et survoler le pays à dos de cheval pour lutter contre Dragon Noir ! This is a fast-paced, inventive and highly entertaining book which will appeal to boys and girls age 10 up, which is quite an achievement! Looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy- impossible not to, given the massive cliffhanger ! I have also seen some amazing images online of the commercial vehicles the Defender will be coming out with, and I think this is going to be another slam dunk for the British brand.