The Illyrian Adventure [Paperback]

Lloyd Alexander (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1990

When Vesper Holly embarks on a quest for legendary treasure and an army of magical warriors, she is plunged instead into the fierce struggle between Illyria's rebel forces and their Zentan rulers.



"A truly exciting story."--Kirkus Reviews.



An ALA Notable Children's Book, An IRA-CBC Children's Choice.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With this new novel, Alexander adds another delightful adventure to his many popular and award-winning books. (His Prydain Cycle was adapted for the recent Disney movie, The Black Cauldron.) This time, the intrepid protagonist is 16-year-old Vesper Holly. She's a precocious orphan from Philadelphia who sets out to prove her scholarly father's theories about the national legend of Illyria, a small Adriatic nation. It is 1872 and Illyria's ethnic conflict is brewing into a revolution. Vesper is caught up in the intrigue, and proves a shrewd and valiant ally. She reconciles the king and the rebel leader, thereby preventing a war, and in the bargain finds the historical evidence she seeks. The appealing characters and the nice blend of challengesintellectual and moral as well as physical are matched by lively storytelling.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9 Vesper Holly at 16 is an intrepid heroine too candid for 19th-Century comfort and more than a match for the villains she meets in this charming fantasy adventure. Whisking her staid guardian Brinnie off to Illyriaa tiny kingdom on the Adriaticto investigate one of her late father's theories, she involves them both in a search for treasure, an attempted revolution and a conspiracy to murder Illyria's King Osman. With the help of the rebel leader Vartan and in spite of Brinnie's habit of trusting the villains, Vesper solves an ancient puzzle and shows rebels and proud King how to make peace. A touch of romance adds the finishing touch. Narrated by loyal, rather naive Brinnie, the story moves briskly from one crisis to another until the final, quite satisfying resolution. The language holds hints of 19th-Century expression without being overdone, and the contrast between Brinnie's formal habits of speech and Vesper's directness adds humor. Each character is sketched briefly but clearly, and the relationship between guardian and ward is developed nicely throughout their adventures, each showing a growing regard for the other. Young readers may find it hard to relate to middle-aged Brinnie's voice, but none will complain of lack of action. Sara Miller, White Plains Public Library, N.Y.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (June 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440402972
• ISBN-13: 978-0440402978
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,107,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Few writers have inspired as much affection and interest among readers young and old as Lloyd Alexander. At one point, however, it seemed unlikely that he would ever be a writer at all. His parents could not afford to send him to college. And so when a Philadelphia bank had an opening for a messenger boy, he went to work there. Finally, having saved some money, he quit and went to a local college. Dissatisfied with not having learned enough to be a writer he left at the end of one term. Adventure, he decided was the best way. The United States had already entered World War II. Convinced that here was a chance for real deeds of derring-do, he joined the army -- and was promptly shipped to Texas where he became, in disheartening succession an artilleryman, a cymbal player in the band, an organist in the post chapel, and a first-aid man. At last, he was assigned to a military intelligence center in Maryland. There he trained as a member of a combat team to be parachuted into France to work with the Resistance. "This, to my intense relief, did not happen," says Alexander. Instead, Alexander and his group sailed to Wales to finish their training. This ancient, rough-hewn country, with its castles, mountains, and its own beautiful language made a tremendous impression on him. But not until years later did he realize he had been given a glimpse of another enchanted kingdom. Alexander was sent to Alsace-Lorraine, the Rhineland, and southern Germany. When the war ended, he was assigned to a counterintelligence unit in Paris. Later he was discharged to attend the University of Paris. While a student he met a beautiful Parisian girl, Janine, and they soon married. Life abroad was fascinating, but eventually Alexander longed for home. The young couple went back to Drexel Hill, near Philadelphia, where Alexander wrote novel after novel which publishers unhesitatingly turned down. To earn his living, he worked as a cartoonist, advertising writer, layout artist, and associate editor for a small magazine. It took seven years of constant rejection before his first novel was at last published. During the next ten years, he wrote for adults. And then he began writing for young people.Doing historical research for Time Cat he discovered material on Welsh mythology. The result was The Book of Three and the other chronicles of Prydain, the imaginary kingdom being something like the enchanted land of Wales. In The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen Alexander explored yet another fantastic world. Evoking an atmosphere of ancient China, this unique multi-layered novel was critically acclaimed as one of his finest works. Trina Schart Hyman illustrated The Fortune-tellers as a Cameroonian folktale sparkling with vibrant images, keen insight and delicious wit. Most of the books have been written in the form of fantasy. But fantasy, Alexander believes, is merely one of many ways to express attitudes and feelings about real people, real human relationships and problems

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't judge a book by it's cover., March 3, 2000

By 

Livi Clare (La Paz, Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Illyrian Adventure (Paperback)

The Illyrian Adventure is one of Lloyd Alexander's very best books. As an eighteen year old student applying to universities, I have written entrance essays on this book. I wish that I had read it when I was younger. It is an excellent book about a fearless heroine, and it has that truly inspiring flavour of all of Alexander's work. Not only is it fun to read (I've lost track of how many times I've read it this year), but it leaves you with a yearning to get up and go, to follow dreams. Vesper Holly is a wonderfull role model, if I ever have children, this will certainly be one of the first books I'd want them to hear. Go Vesper!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book should be read everyone, youg or old!!!, April 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Illyrian Adventure (Paperback)

This is the first book (and the best) of the Vesper Holly series. Everyone will love Vesper and her sense of adventure. If you havn't read this book drop every thing, and head for the nearest bookstore or library.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A fun book, but lacking the depth of Alexander's other works, December 24, 1999

By 

Joy Kim - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Illyrian Adventure (Paperback)

Please don't misinterpret the three star rating -- I certainly enjoyed _The Illyrian Adventure_ considerably. It truly is an adventure, moving at breakneck speed from beginning to end. I was pleased by Alexander's creation of another strong female character (a la Mickle of the Westmark Trilogy and Eilonwy of the Prydain books) in Vesper Holly. I don't think, however, that this book (or any of the Vesper Holly books) compares to those previous series. The Westmark trilogy and Prydain books have a greater depth of meaning, they raise questions about right and wrong, good and evil, and heroism and cowardice which linger long after the first (or fifth or sixth!) reading. This book is a fun read, possessing a large quantity of Alexander's dry humor, but in the end you remember it as amusing rather than meaningful.

I'd recommend it to younger middle readers who might not be ready to read something as dense as the Westmark books or to true Alexander fans who love everything he writes.