The Russian author’s international-bestselling series begins with this “well-written, well-paced grown-up fantasy with a strong dose of reality” (Kirkus Reviews). Fandomania.com’s #1 Book of 2009 To put it bluntly, Max Frei is a loser. He spends his day sleeping and at night he smokes, eats, and loafs around because he can’t catch a wink. But then he gets lucky. Through his dreams, he begins to contact a parallel world where magic is a daily practice—and, strangely, Max seems to fit right in. Once a social outcast, he’s now known in this new world of Echo as the “unequalled Sir Max.” He’s a member of the Department of Absolute Order, formed by a species of enchanted secret agents; his job is to solve cases involving illegal magic. And he’s about to embark on a journey down the winding paths of this strange and unhinged universe. “Fans of Jasper Fforde and Susanna Clark will happily jump into Frei’s world.” —USA Today “If Harry Potter smoked cigarettes and took a certain matter-of-fact pleasure in administering tough justice, he might like Max Frei, the protagonist of this fantasy novel.” —Kirkus Reviews

The Blade of Anubis is the action-packed sequel to The Chronicles of Stranger, full of danger, mysteries, twists, magic, and battles. In this book, Stranger, now thirteen, truly begins his training as a magician and god. Delve into his mind as well as his adventures while Stranger begins to discover who he really is. The gods have offered him a spot at their god training camp; its a decision that might change his life forever. Will Stranger live to see the day or see his untimely demise? Meanwhile, the Great Serpent of Chaos himself has managed to seep just a wriggle of his essence from his otherworldly prison, spreading chaos and evil in his wake. Concurrently, monsters are being set loose all over the country, causing chaos to ravage the mortals of the earth. Yet Stranger takes more onto his already laden shoulders. Anubis has disappeared, and Stranger has taken it upon himself to find him. Without Anubis, the underworld is back up. The souls of the damned cannot be judged, and the worlds foundations are weakening. A strange woman in white keeps appearing to Stranger. Who is she, and what does she want from him? Can Stranger prepare himself for whats to come and save the world? If he cant, more will be lost than just his life . . .

Politics, secrets, joys, and sorrows fill the pages of The Chronicles Of . Containing a number of stories within the main story, this genre-bending novel exhibits the future in the guise of a scientifically advanced society and shows how average people respond to extraordinary situations. Blending fantasy and reality, Tim Pledger explores the basic human struggle to maintain control within our own lives. Through his complex characterization, Pledger examines personality, thought, and behavioral changes that humans experience when faced with different situations. He also illustrates how we each choose uniquely individual paths and strategies when we encounter particular circumstances. Dive into this mind-boggling story and experience life in the future for yourself with The Chronicles Of .!

Athan had never intended to become a king; it just sort of happened. One thing just seemed to lead to another. The chance for Athan s band to steal a fortune in gold from the Archimedean Empire seemed too good a chance to pass up. Fleeing the Empire s pursuit over the mountains, Athan and his men captured a snug little castle called the Hold from a brutal brigand. It seemed like a good idea at the time; just a nice place to hide out for a while. Little did he know that the Hold came with a kingdom attached. Now Athan and his men have to defend what they have taken and Athan has to learn how to be a king. And the men and women of his new kingdom of Dassaria had to adjust to their New King and start to build their own lives in a whole new way.