Defender of the Realm: 1

Product Information

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about the original Land Rover Defender is British engineering and the new Defender is no different.

The UK is being savaged by a hoard of undead Vikings, intent on causing as much trouble as possible, who have all been stirred up by Alfie's old History teacher, Professor Lock. She gets caught up in the adventure when she takes her grandmother on a trip to see the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. King Alfie must raise an army and take back his country – or is that exactly what Lock’s evil master wants him to do?Defender Of The Realm tells the story or Alfie who is a reluctant heir to the thrown and who finds himself thrust into the limelight to take on his duty a little earlier in life than he would have thought. Alfie is pulled into a whole new world of secrets, underground passages, magical powers and monsters that wreak chaos from the Thames right through to Edinburgh Castle. Alfie is so uncertain of himself but when he comes into his own it gives you such a victorious feeling. And while any contemporary British royal is highly, highly unlikely to descend from Alfred the Great, I can forgive this because it's part of the plot and the book teaches other history lessons. It looked amazing and I cannot wait to see how people are going to personalise their Defender and make it theirs.

Alfie has to face up to all his insecurities and accept the mantle of great responsibility that comes with being king.Alas, the paparazzi and school bully won’t leave him alone because he is Prince Alfred, future King Alfred the Second of England. Meanwhile, Hayley, a fellow twelve-year-old, discovers a piece of the Black Dragon's tail at the Tower of London.

Gerry McGovern and his team have developed an incredible design and it really does have everything you’d want.A legendary superhero, fighting a secret, centuries-long battle to protect the nation from monsters and super villains. Here they witness a violent attack from an other-worldly creature like a giant lizard, who defeats the UK’s superhero protector known as the Defender of the Realm. Undoubtedly one of the most exciting and compelling action stories I have read this year, superb storytelling that mixes real life and fantasy brilliantly.