Defender of the Realm #1 by Mark Huckerby and Nick Ostler

My name is Alfie, and I am the king of Great Britain. Seriously. I thought my father had a boring, useless job until he was killed and I took over the thrown. You're one of the few people in this world who now know my role as king also makes me the Defender. For the past five hundred years, amazing powers have been passed along to the next heir in line for the throne. Even with these powers, how am I supposed to defeat the black lizard that killed my father? The king couldn't do it, and the lizard is getting stronger and is slowly becoming a huge dragon. I must find the remaining hidden pieces of the original Defender's crown, but the lizard is becoming more powerful by the two pieces he's already collected. Why couldn't my younger, more athletic, charming twin brother have been born ten seconds before me? A screw-up like me shouldn't be ruling Great Britain and surely can't be the Defender of the Realm.

Wow, what a surprisingly fun story! Alfie is another reluctant hero,  but this time he is thrown into the role of king. While the king doesn't hold much power, Alfie's role as Defender must be kept top secret. He has several adults to advise, train, and support him, but a young girl inadvertently discovers the secret and creates a security problem for them. She becomes a cohort in defeating the increasingly powerful black lizard. The plot is full of adventure and action, as Alfie is an impulsive young boy who doesn't always consider the consequences of his actions. He likes the idea of becoming a superhero, but he lacks self-confidence, which becomes an issue. An interesting twist is found with Alfie's twin, as abdicating the throne (giving it up) is an option. I suspect the twin will have an even larger role in the sequel. This book is fast-paced and easy to read, and I can't think of anything I dislike about it. I recommend it to followers of my blog.