I enjoyed the first two Alfred Kropp books so much I got this one, Alfred Kropp: The Thirteenth Skull, as fast as possible. Like the first two books, The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp and Alfred Kropp: The Seal of Solomon, the Thirteenth Skull is fun, fast and enjoyable.
Let’s be clear what Alfred Kropp: The Thirteenth Skull is. This is a fast moving fantasy novel aimed squarely at 15 year old boys. Yes adults will enjoy it, but it lacks the nuances and character that made the first two novels satisfying reads for adults.
Alfred Kropp somehow has gotten much more capable in this story and has lost his introspection and the bumbling worry that are so typical of 15 year old kids. The character instead is capable of wrestling a fully grown thug on the back of a flat bed truck going 70 miles an hour on the expressway carrying lumber, tying a rope around the thug’s neck and throwing him off the truck. Can you imagine the Alfred Kropp in the first two books being able to physically overcome a grown man or being willing to kill someone? The first Alfred Kropp was gentle, unassuming, the natural target for bullies and mean kids and adults. This Alfred is closer to being James Bond than to the kid next door or the kid we were growing up.
I still enjoyed Alfred Kropp: The Thirteenth Skull enough to look out for a fourth book and read it when it comes, but I will do so expecting a couple hours of pure escapism and shoot ’em up plot line. I won’t expect a book that I’d want to reread or one that will linger in my mind the way the first two did.
3 Stars
You can read my reviews about the first two books here:
Review: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp YA Fiction Rick Yancey
Fast Moving YA Fiction Alfred Kropp: The Seal of Solomon Review
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