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Summary
Summary
In 1873 seventeen-year-old Vesper Holly and her guardians travel to an obscure European grand duchy, where their archenemy Dr. Helvitius is pursuing a lost art treasure and engineering the country's annexation by a neighboring kingdom.
Author Notes
Lloyd Alexander, January 30, 1924 - May 17, 2007 Born Lloyd Chudley Alexander on January 30, 1924, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Allan Audley and Edna Chudley Alexander, Lloyd knew from a young age that he wanted to write. He was reading by the time he was 3, and though he did poorly in school, at the age of fifteen, he announced that he wanted to become a writer. At the age of 19 in 1942, Alexander dropped out of the West Chester State Teachers College in Pennsylvania after only one term. In 1943, he attended Lafayette College in Easton, PA, before dropping out again and joining the United States Army during World War II. Alexander served in the Intelligence Department, stationed in Wales, and then went on to Counter-Intelligence in Paris, where he was promoted to Staff Sergeant. When the war ended in '45, Alexander applied to the Sorbonne, but returned to the States in '46, now married.
Alexander worked as an unpublished writer for seven years, accepting positions such as cartoonist, advertising copywriter, layout artist, and associate editor for a small magazine. Directly after the war, he had translated works for such artists as Jean Paul Sartre. In 1955, "And Let the Credit Go" was published, Alexander's first book which led to 10 years of writing for an adult audience. He wrote his first children's book in 1963, entitled "Time Cat," which led to a long career of writing for children and young adults.
Alexander is best known for his "Prydain Chronicles" which consist of "The Book of Three" in 1964, "The Black Cauldron" in 1965 which was a Newbery Honor Book, as well as an animated motion picture by Disney which appeared in 1985, "The Castle of Llyr" in 1966, "Taran Wanderer" in 1967, a School Library Journal's Best Book of the Year and "The High King" which won the Newberry Award. Many of his other books have also received awards, such as "The Fortune Tellers," which was a Boston Globe Horn Book Award winner. In 1986, Alexander won the Regina Medal for Lifetime Achievement from the Catholic Library Association. His titles have been translated into many languages including, Dutch, Spanish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Serbo-Croation and Swedish.
He died on May 17, 2007.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In her latest bout with villainy, Vesper Holly of The Illyrian Adventure and The El Dorado Adventure is accompanied by her legal guardians Professor Brinton and his wife Mary to Drackenberg to attend the Diamond Jubilee of the Grand Duchess. Immediately upon their arrival, Vesper and her companions become involved in Drackenberg's struggle to remain independent from neighboring Carpatia. The appearance of Vesper's archenemy, the dastardly Dr. Helvitius, is a sure sign that trouble is soon to follow. In the course of their stay, Vesper and Brinnie travel with a band of gypsies in order to rescue Mary from kidnappers, recover a lost masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci, discover a way to revive Drackenberg's economy and foil (for the time being, anyway) the evil machinations of Dr. Helvitius. Although the Vesper Holly novels rarely touch on the serious topics explored in some of Alexander's earlier novels (The Prydain Chronicles and The Westmark Trilogy), each effervescent addition to the series is a pleasure to read. Deft storytelling combines with thorough research to create a seamless, fantastic vision of 19th century life. Ages 10-14. (April) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
In her third adventure, Vesper Holly engages her adversaries, with her usual flamboyant Amazonian style, in a small Balkan country. As before, the story is narrated by the bemused and confused Brinnie Garrett, Vesper's guardian. When Brinnie and his wife Mary accept an invitation to the Duchess of Drackenberg's Diamond Jubilee, they are plunged into a plot involving a takeover attempt from neighboring Carpatia. In short order, the Garretts and Vesper find themselves mixed up with Gypsies, a kidnapping, and the discovery of an unknown Leonardo portrait of a 15th-century member of the ruling family who bears an uncanny resemblance to Vesper. Helvitius, Vesper's former antagonist, is again the villain; and, once again, Vesper saves the day while Brinnie bumbles through--and Helvitius escapes, to reappear (no doubt) in the future adventures promised at the conclusion. Alexander has set up an entertaining formula, and he follows it effectively. Readers will find familiar elements--Brinnie's unconscious humor is especially welcome. Followers of the Westmark series may also find comic echoes of its sober political themes. A happy addition to the Alexander oeuvre. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 6-9. Vesper Holly returns in her third adventure, once again matching wits with the evil genius, Dr. Helvitius. It's off to Drackenberg for Vesper, her loyal guardian Brinnie, and his dear wife Mary when they receive an invitation to the Grand Duchess' diamond jubilee. But things are not well in Drackenberg; the country is poor and on the verge of being annexed by neighboring Carpatia. The Grand Duchess would like to help her citizens, if only she knew how. Vesper has some ideas she's willing to share, but once Dr. Helvitius shows up, she has her hands full-especially after he kidnaps Mary. Once again, Alexander offers a story that moves at break-neck speed and is filled with delicious details. Vesper's sojourn with the Gypsies and her saving of a never-before-seen da Vinci painting are the high points of the exciting tale. As usual, Alexander is to be commended for his elegant writing, astute characterizations, and his presentation of an intelligent heroine. There are hints in the book that another sequel is forthcoming, which should please Vesper's many fans. IC. Adventure and adventurers-Fiction [OCLC] 87-36881