The Adventurers and The Cursed Castle is the first book in The Adventurers Series: exciting adventure stories for children aged 8-12. A mysterious curse has stricken Kexley Castle for generations ever since Egyptian treasure was transported to Cornwall by a 19th Century explorer. Can four young adventurers reveal the secrets that have been hidden for over a hundred years? Join Lara, Rufus, Tom and Barney in their first exciting adventure together as they unravel the mystery and race to find Captain Jack Kexley’s hiding place. To succeed, they must discover and solve a series of clues left by their ancestor, ahead of two unwelcome visitors from the British Museum who are determined to get there first!
Two master criminals are on the run with ancient treasure, using London's web of hidden trails and passages to conceal their loot. The Adventurers must track them down using their wits, Uncle Logan... and a stolen red bus. Join Lara, Rufus, Tom, Daisy and Barney as they race to uncover the City of Secrets!
The Adventurers and The Temple of Treasure is the second book in The Adventurers Series: exciting adventure stories for children aged 8-12. A father's legacy, a chase across Egypt and a mystery buried for thousands of years... ... Lara, Rufus, Tom and Barney are back, in their second exciting adventure together. With the help of friends old and new, can they navigate their way through the ancient wonders of Egypt to unearth one of the greatest treasure troves in history?
A kidnap in Paris... a chase across Europe... one epic road trip! The Adventurers are on holiday when Maye warns of suspicious activity in Paris. Join them as they race from the French Alps to the ancient ruins of Rome on the trail of a dangerous gang with a legacy of secrets.
In the third installment of the popular Adventurers Guild trilogy, Zed and Brock must prevent catastrophe when a centuries-old plot threatens to rip their world apart. Someone had made a terrible, tragic, fatal mistake. Unless, of course . . . Unless they'd done it on purpose. After falling victim to a vile betrayal, Zed is cut off from Brock and their friends and unable to warn them about a dangerous enemy on the move. The Adventurers Guild may have defeated the evil that cast the elves from their home, but that doesn't keep them in the Freestoners' good graces for long. An ordinary day at the market comes to a fatal end when a rare Danger infiltrates the city, leaving over a dozen dead. Tensions come to a boil as the city is threatened by upheaval from within and becomes alight with terror. Brock finds himself frustratingly unable to utilize his underground contacts . . . though the mysterious Lady Grey may not be finished with him yet. To come together to save their city from a timeless evil looking to settle a score, the young adventurers must learn to trust in each other and be willing to do whatever it takes to stop the tragedy of the Day of Dangers from happening again. Also available in the series:The Adventurers GuildTwilight of the Elves
Alone and torn by grief, a vampire accepts the hospitality of the local lord—only to question if he has placed his trust in the wrong person Jander Sunstar is a gold elf, a native of magical Evermeet in the Forgotten Realms. He is also a five-hundred-year-old vampire. Torn by rage and grief, Jander is transported into the nightmare realm of Ravenloft, where he gains the attention of the demiplane’s master, Count Strahd Von Zarovich. But can Jander trust this elegant fellow vampire once he discovers that his own quest for revenge is linked to the dark heritage of the count’s domain? Vampire of the Mists is the first in an open-ended series of Gothic horror tales dealing with the masters and monsters of the Ravenloft dark fantasy setting.
From #BookTok phenomenon and New York Times bestselling author of the YA fantasy novel, Lightlark, this fast-paced middle grade series starter is steeped in Colombian mythology and full of adventure. Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, Curse of the Night Witch is filled with fantasy, action, adventure, and an unforgettable trio of friends. A Seventeen.com Most Anticipated Book of Summer! A Zibby Owens Summer Reading Pick on Good Morning America! On Emblem Island all are born knowing their fate. Their lifelines show the course of their life and an emblem dictates how they will spend it. Tor Luna was born with a leadership emblem, just like his mother. But he hates his mark and is determined to choose a different path for himself. So, on the annual New Year's Eve celebration, where Emblemites throw their wishes into a bonfire in the hopes of having them granted, Tor wishes for a different power. The next morning Tor wakes up to discover a new marking on his skin...the symbol of a curse that has shortened his lifeline, giving him only a week before an untimely death. There is only one way to break the curse, and it requires a trip to the notorious Night Witch. With only his village's terrifying, ancient stories as a guide, and his two friends Engle and Melda by his side, Tor must travel across unpredictable Emblem Island, filled with wicked creatures he only knows through myths, in a race against his dwindling lifeline. You'll love Curse of the Night Witch if you're looking for: Multicultural books for children (especially Latinx books) Stories based on fascinating mythology Your next favorite fantasy series "Debut author Aster takes inspiration from Colombian folklore to craft a rousing series opener that's both fast-paced and thrilling. As her protagonists face off against a host of horrors, they learn the value of friendship and explore the possibility of changing one's fate in a world where destiny is predetermined."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review "Worthy of every magical ounce."—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review
Norman Jespers-Vilnius is just an average eleven-year-old kid–until he absentmindedly nibbles on the edge of a page and wakes up inside his favourite book, the Undergrowth Series. Norman finds himself smack in the middle of an epic battle of animal kingdoms, where he forms a close friendship with young Malcolm, a future king. After joining Malcolm’s fight he winds up back in his own bed, dirty and in torn pyjamas. But his adventures have only just started. It soon becomes clear that Norman has been caught by a mystifying force called “Bookweird”– Norman finds himself inside books his family is reading, mixing up plotlines. When he tries to undo an act of violence in his sister’s horse novel, he has to explain the appearance of a pony to some disgruntled policemen at a crime scene in his mother’s favourite thriller. Can Norman put all of the stories back on track and return these fictional worlds to normal? Or will Bookweird trap him in the pages forever? Award-winning author Paul Glennon has created a breathtaking, fast-paced story for adventurers of all ages.
Candide is a French satire by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. It begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism (or simply Optimism) by his mentor, Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this lifestyle, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not rejecting optimism outright, advocating a deeply practical precept, "we must cultivate our garden", in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, "all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds". Candide is characterized by its sarcastic tone, as well as by its erratic, fantastical and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel it parodies many adventure and romance clichés, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously. Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism. As expected by Voltaire, Candide has enjoyed both great success and great scandal. Immediately after its secretive publication, the book was widely banned because it contained religious blasphemy, political sedition and intellectual hostility hidden under a thin veil of naïveté. However, with its sharp wit and insightful portrayal of the human condition, the novel has since inspired many later authors and artists to mimic and adapt it. Today, Candide is recognized as Voltaire's magnum opus and is often listed as part of the Western canon; it is arguably taught more than any other work of French literature. It was listed as one of The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written.
