**Pre-order Elphie, the spellbinding prequel to Wicked, now** The global bestseller that inspired the hit musical phenomenon. Now a major movie and record-breaking box office sensation. ¿ ¿ In this classic tale of good and evil, what if we weren't told the whole story? Long before Dorothy follows the yellow brick road and triumphs over the Wicked Witch of the West, a little girl with emerald-green skin is born in the land of Oz. Elphaba grows up to be smart and prickly, a lonely outsider with an extraordinary talent for magic. Arriving at university, she dares to believe she might finally fit in. But Oz isn't the haven she'd dreamed of. Some of its citizens are in grave danger, and Elphaba is determined to protect them from the Wizard's power. And when the world declares her a wicked witch, Elphaba takes matters into her own hands... This is the original novel by Gregory Maguire, first published in 1995. It is a reimagined prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and contains adult content. ¿ Fall under the WICKED spell this year ¿ 'One of my absolute favourite books! A completely different take on the classic' 'Kept me on the edge of my seat from the second I picked it up' 'I have a penchant for fairytale retellings that are a bit dark and misunderstood villains and this ticked all my boxes' 'This is a real Oz, it makes you believe in it' 'A real joy to sink into a very different world' 'You see the Wicked Witch and Dorothy in a whole new light' 'Funny, sad and unputdownable' 'Honestly, it's better than The Wizard of Oz!' 'Wonderfully written, witty and thought provoking' 'A favourite of mine for many many years'

**Pre-order Elphie, the spellbinding prequel to Wicked, now** The global bestseller that inspired the hit musical phenomenon. Now a major movie and record-breaking box office sensation. ¿ ¿ In this classic tale of good and evil, what if we weren't told the whole story? Long before Dorothy follows the yellow brick road and triumphs over the Wicked Witch of the West, a little girl with emerald-green skin is born in the land of Oz. Elphaba grows up to be smart and prickly, a lonely outsider with an extraordinary talent for magic. Arriving at university, she dares to believe she might finally fit in. But Oz isn't the haven she'd dreamed of. Some of its citizens are in grave danger, and Elphaba is determined to protect them from the Wizard's power. And when the world declares her a wicked witch, Elphaba takes matters into her own hands... This is the original novel by Gregory Maguire, first published in 1995. It is a reimagined prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and contains adult content. ¿ Fall under the WICKED spell this year ¿ 'One of my absolute favourite books! A completely different take on the classic' 'Kept me on the edge of my seat from the second I picked it up' 'I have a penchant for fairytale retellings that are a bit dark and misunderstood villains and this ticked all my boxes' 'This is a real Oz, it makes you believe in it' 'A real joy to sink into a very different world' 'You see the Wicked Witch and Dorothy in a whole new light' 'Funny, sad and unputdownable' 'Honestly, it's better than The Wizard of Oz!' 'Wonderfully written, witty and thought provoking' 'A favourite of mine for many many years'

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the holiday classic Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas with this stunning collectible novelization, adapted by New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd. Jack Skellington is the beloved Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, but he has grown tired of leading the usual scares every year. Then he stumbles upon a mysterious tree-shaped door deep in the Hinterlands and falls straight into Christmas Town--an enchanting place like no other, full of sparkling snow, merry elves, and twinkling lights. Reinvigorated, Jack returns to Halloween Town and recruits the citizens into his new plan: to organize Christmas themselves! But even with aid from his loyal dog Zero and the resourceful rag doll Sally, challenges lurk around every corner. Sally sees a terrible vision of Jack falling into danger, and the mysterious Oogie Boogie hides in the shadows. Will Jack’s dream of creating the perfect Christmas come true . . . or is it destined to become an utter nightmare? Complete your Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas collection with these ghoulish reads! The Nightmare Before Christmas, by Tim Burton Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: 13 Days of Christmas Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen, by Shea Ernshaw Art of Coloring: Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Visual Companion

In 1969, Little, Brown and Company published The Best Short Stories by Black Writers, edited by Langston Hughes - the classic compendium of African-American short fiction from 1897 to 1967. Now, a quarter of a century later, Gloria Naylor has compiled an encore volume, Children of the Night, bringing this extraordinary series up to date. Gathering together the most gifted black writers of our time - from 1967 to the present - Naylor has assembled a rich and varied collection of stories. The portrait that emerges of the African-American experience in the post-Civil Rights era is stirring, compelling, sometimes disturbing, and certainly provocative. Naylor has arranged the stories thematically so the reader focuses on a particular subject - slavery, for example, or the family. In the hands of different writers, these themes provide a wealth and variety of human experience. The stories are more than testimonies of the long battle for survival. From a young woman's struggles with her barren faith in Alice Walker's lyrical "The Diary of an African Nun" to an innocent man's involvement in a horrifying act of violence in Ann Petry's "The Witness", they are, as Naylor states in her introduction, "examples of affirmation: of memory, of history, of family, of being". They are stories for all of us "at the beginning: of mankind as a species; of America as a nation; of the African-American as a full citizen".

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the holiday classic Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas with this stunning collectible novelization, adapted by New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd. Jack Skellington is the beloved Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, but he has grown tired of leading the usual scares every year. Then he stumbles upon a mysterious tree-shaped door deep in the Hinterlands and falls straight into Christmas Town--an enchanting place like no other, full of sparkling snow, merry elves, and twinkling lights. Reinvigorated, Jack returns to Halloween Town and recruits the citizens into his new plan: to organize Christmas themselves! But even with aid from his loyal dog Zero and the resourceful rag doll Sally, challenges lurk around every corner. Sally sees a terrible vision of Jack falling into danger, and the mysterious Oogie Boogie hides in the shadows. Will Jack’s dream of creating the perfect Christmas come true . . . or is it destined to become an utter nightmare? Complete your Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas collection with these ghoulish reads! The Nightmare Before Christmas, by Tim Burton Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: 13 Days of Christmas Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen, by Shea Ernshaw Art of Coloring: Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Visual Companion

Seit seinem Einstieg in das New Universe's Psi-Force und den Backup-Geschichten in Classic X-Men hat Fabian Nicieza die meisten der bedeutenden Superhelden-Teams von Marvel geschrieben, darunter Alpha Flight, die Avengers, die New Warriors, die Thunderbolts und die X-Men. Gemeinsam mit dem Künstler Rob Liefeld verwandelte Nicieza New Mutants in das Blockbuster-Team X-Force. Der Autor beschäftigte sich auch mit Solohelden, die von Cable und Deadpool (später in Cable & Deadpool kombiniert) bis zu Gambit und Nomad reichen. Er bearbeitete Marvels Star-Imprint, trug zu Multititel-X-Events wie "X-Cutioner's Song" und "Phalanx Covenant" bei und schrieb verschiedene "pre-moderne" Miniserien wie Adventures of Captain America und Citizen V sowie die V-Battalion. Darüber hinaus hat er sowohl JLA als auch Justice League Adventures, The 99, Turok, X-Files und andere geschrieben. Patrick "Patch" Zircher begann in den späten 1980er Jahren mit der Illustration von RPG-basierten Comics für Eclipse und 3D-Comics für Blackthorne und zeichnete Now Comics' Green Hornet. Seitdem ist er ein gefragter Künstler. Zu seinen bemerkenswerten Marvel-Referenzen über die Jahrzehnte gehören New Warriors, Venom: Along Came a Spider, Star Trek: Early Voyages, Iron Man: The Iron Age, Thunderbolts, Cable & Deadpool, Iron Man, Hulk, Mystery Men und Savage Avengers. Der Sohn eines kommerziellen Künstlers und eines Ministers, der in Atlanta ansässige Künstler Mark Brooks studierte am Savannah College of Art and Design. Nachdem er seine Fähigkeiten an Transformers für Dreamwave Productions und Voltron für Devil's Due unter Beweis gestellt hatte, kam Brooks als Zeichner des kinderfreundlichen Marvel Age Spider-Man zu Marvel. Neben der Illustration der frühesten Auftritte der spinnenkraftbesessenen Teenagerheldin Arana mit der Autorin Fiona Avery in Amazing Fantasy hat Brooks Amazing Spider-Man, Cable & Deadpool, New X-Men, Ultimate Spider-Man Annual, X-Men Unlimited, Avengers: The Initiative und Dark Reign: Young Avengers gezeichnet.

The fifth installment in the #1 New York Times bestselling Adventure Zone graphic novel series, a meta-fictional D&D adventure story based on the smash hit podcast. The Bureau of Balance has located yet another Grand Relic, and this time it's...time? A small mining town called Refuge has been locked away behind an arcane bubble, and somewhere inside it the Temporal Chalice is causing unknown mayhem. Taako, Magnus, and Merle are launched into their investigation, but they've barely had a chance to get their feet under them before the situation literally falls apart. When the town clocktower strikes noon, Refuge and its citizens are destroyed in a sudden chaos of flame and ruin, and our heroes' relic hunting- along with their lives-comes to an abrupt end. But woah, what's this? It's 11AM, they're alive again, and Refuge definitely hasn't just been exploded? Looks like a classic time loop, friends. This town is trapped in its final hour, and so are the three of them. And in order to escape, they'll not only have to solve the mystery of what happened to the Chalice, they'll also also have to resist what it offers: the chance to rewrite the worst days of their own pasts. Based on the blockbuster podcast where the McElroy brothers and their dad play a tabletop RPG, and illustrated by cartooning powerhouse Carey Pietsch, The Adventure Zone: The Eleventh Hour is a thrilling new chapter in this #1 New York Times bestselling series.

The classic international bestseller recounting the epic turning point of the second world war In October 1942, a Panzer officer wrote 'Stalingrad is no longer a town... Animals flee this hell; the hardest stones cannot bear it for long; only men endure'. The battle for Stalingrad became the focus of Hitler and Stalin's determination to win the gruesome, vicious war on the eastern front. The citizens of Stalingrad endured unimaginable hardship; the battle, with fierce hand-to-hand fighting in each room of each building, was brutally destructive to both armies. But the eventual victory of the Red Army, and the failure of Hitler's Operation Barbarossa, was the first defeat of Hitler's territorial ambitions in Europe, and the start of his decline. An extraordinary story of tactical genius, civilian bravery and the nature of war itself, which changed how history is written, Stalingrad is a testament to the vital role of the Soviet war effort. 'A superb re-telling. Beevor combines a soldier's understanding of war's realities with the narrative techniques of a novelist . . . This is a book that lets the reader look into the face of battle' Orlando Figes, Sunday Telegraph 'A brilliantly researched tour de force of military history' Sarah Bradford, The Times Antony Beevor is the renowned author of Stalingrad, which won the Samuel Johnson Prize, the Wolfson Prize for History and the Hawthornden Prize for Literature, and Berlin, which received the first Longman-History Today Trustees' Award. His books have sold nearly four million copies.

Just when the future looks bright for the people of Ember, a new darkness lurks. This highly acclaimed adventure series is a modern-day classic—with over 4 MILLION copies sold! Lina and Doon have led the citizens of Ember to an exciting new world. They’ve been given safe haven in a small village called Sparks, a place filled with color and life. But they’re not out of danger yet. Although Sparks seems like the answer the long-suffering Emberites have been hoping for, tempers soon escalate. The villagers have never had to share their world before, and it only takes a tiny “spark” to ignite a battle between the two struggling groups. Lina and Doon will have to work together to avoid a disaster not only for their people, but also for the people of Sparks. Praise for the City of Ember books: Nominated to 28 State Award Lists! An American Library Association Notable Children’s Book A New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection A Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice A Child Magazine Best Children’s Book A Mark Twain Award Winner A William Allen White Children’s Book Award Winner “A realistic post-apocalyptic world. DuPrau’s book leaves Doon and Lina on the verge of undiscovered country and readers wanting more.” — USA Today “An electric debut.” — Publishers Weekly, Starred “While Ember is colorless and dark, the book itself is rich with description.” — VOYA, Starred

Just when the future looks bright for the people of Ember, a new darkness lurks. This highly acclaimed adventure series is a modern-day classic—with over 4 MILLION copies sold! Lina and Doon have led the citizens of Ember to an exciting new world. They’ve been given safe haven in a small village called Sparks, a place filled with color and life. But they’re not out of danger yet. Although Sparks seems like the answer the long-suffering Emberites have been hoping for, tempers soon escalate. The villagers have never had to share their world before, and it only takes a tiny “spark” to ignite a battle between the two struggling groups. Lina and Doon will have to work together to avoid a disaster not only for their people, but also for the people of Sparks. Praise for the City of Ember books: Nominated to 28 State Award Lists! An American Library Association Notable Children’s Book A New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection A Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice A Child Magazine Best Children’s Book A Mark Twain Award Winner A William Allen White Children’s Book Award Winner “A realistic post-apocalyptic world. DuPrau’s book leaves Doon and Lina on the verge of undiscovered country and readers wanting more.” — USA Today “An electric debut.” — Publishers Weekly, Starred “While Ember is colorless and dark, the book itself is rich with description.” — VOYA, Starred

A priceless examination of the filmmaker's craft, from the renowned director of Sweet Smell of Success After more than twenty years in the film industry as a screenwriter, storyboard editor, and director of memorable films such as The Ladykillers, Alexander Mackendrick turned his back on Hollywood and began a new career as the Dean of one of the country's most demanding and influential film schools. His absolute devotion to the craft of filmmaking served as a powerful impetus to students at the California Institute for the Arts for almost twenty five years, with a teaching style that included prodigious notes, neatly crafted storyboards, and handouts containing excerpts of works by Kierkegaard, Aristotle, and others. At the core of Mackendrick's lessons lay a deceptively simple goal: to teach aspiring filmmakers how to structure and write the stories they want to tell, while using the devices particular to the medium of film to tell their stories effectively. In this impressive volume, edited by Paul Cronin, the myriad materials that made Mackendrick's reputation as an instructor are collected for the first time, offering a chance for professionals as well as students to discover a methodology of filmmaking that is challenging yet refreshing in its clarity. Meticulously illustrated and drawing on examples from such classic films as North by Northwest, Citizen Kane, and Touch of Evil, Mackendrick's elegant lessons are sure to provide inspiration for a new generation of filmmakers.

The fifth installment in the #1 New York Times bestselling Adventure Zone graphic novel series, a meta-fictional D&D adventure story based on the smash hit podcast. The Bureau of Balance has located yet another Grand Relic, and this time it's...time? A small mining town called Refuge has been locked away behind an arcane bubble, and somewhere inside it the Temporal Chalice is causing unknown mayhem. Taako, Magnus, and Merle are launched into their investigation, but they've barely had a chance to get their feet under them before the situation literally falls apart. When the town clocktower strikes noon, Refuge and its citizens are destroyed in a sudden chaos of flame and ruin, and our heroes' relic hunting- along with their lives-comes to an abrupt end. But woah, what's this? It's 11AM, they're alive again, and Refuge definitely hasn't just been exploded? Looks like a classic time loop, friends. This town is trapped in its final hour, and so are the three of them. And in order to escape, they'll not only have to solve the mystery of what happened to the Chalice, they'll also also have to resist what it offers: the chance to rewrite the worst days of their own pasts. Based on the blockbuster podcast where the McElroy brothers and their dad play a tabletop RPG, and illustrated by cartooning powerhouse Carey Pietsch, The Adventure Zone: The Eleventh Hour is a thrilling new chapter in this #1 New York Times bestselling series.

The classic international bestseller recounting the epic turning point of the second world war In October 1942, a Panzer officer wrote 'Stalingrad is no longer a town... Animals flee this hell; the hardest stones cannot bear it for long; only men endure'. The battle for Stalingrad became the focus of Hitler and Stalin's determination to win the gruesome, vicious war on the eastern front. The citizens of Stalingrad endured unimaginable hardship; the battle, with fierce hand-to-hand fighting in each room of each building, was brutally destructive to both armies. But the eventual victory of the Red Army, and the failure of Hitler's Operation Barbarossa, was the first defeat of Hitler's territorial ambitions in Europe, and the start of his decline. An extraordinary story of tactical genius, civilian bravery and the nature of war itself, which changed how history is written, Stalingrad is a testament to the vital role of the Soviet war effort. 'A superb re-telling. Beevor combines a soldier's understanding of war's realities with the narrative techniques of a novelist . . . This is a book that lets the reader look into the face of battle' Orlando Figes, Sunday Telegraph 'A brilliantly researched tour de force of military history' Sarah Bradford, The Times Antony Beevor is the renowned author of Stalingrad, which won the Samuel Johnson Prize, the Wolfson Prize for History and the Hawthornden Prize for Literature, and Berlin, which received the first Longman-History Today Trustees' Award. His books have sold nearly four million copies.

First published in English in 1924 after being smuggled out of Soviet Russia, We is the foundational dystopian novel that shaped the modern totalitarian nightmare. Written by Yevgeny Zamyatin, We is set in the twenty-sixth century, where the One State governs every aspect of human existence. Citizens are known not by names but by numbers. Their lives are mathematically regulated, their schedules prescribed, their homes constructed of glass so that privacy itself is abolished. Every need is provided for; every impulse is monitored. The narrator, D-503, is a loyal engineer of the State who begins to experience the most dangerous contagion imaginable: imagination. Through his encounter with the enigmatic I-330, he is drawn into a quiet rebellion that challenges the absolute authority of reason, surveillance, and enforced conformity. Beneath the polished surface of this mechanized utopia lies suppressed desire, resentment, and the irrepressible human longing for freedom. Banned in its homeland and not published in Russia until 1988, We stands as a prophetic work whose influence echoes through later dystopian fiction. Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, Ayn Rand's Anthem, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, and Kurt Vonnegut's Player Piano all bear its imprint. Of his own novel, Vonnegut famously remarked that he had "cheerfully ripped off" a plot lineage that traces directly back to Zamyatin's vision. A swift, unsettling, and intellectually daring narrative, We remains one of the most powerful indictments of totalitarian control ever written. Explore other exciting Positronic Books devoted to classic science fiction, fantasy, and mystery.

A priceless examination of the filmmaker's craft, from the renowned director of Sweet Smell of Success After more than twenty years in the film industry as a screenwriter, storyboard editor, and director of memorable films such as The Ladykillers, Alexander Mackendrick turned his back on Hollywood and began a new career as the Dean of one of the country's most demanding and influential film schools. His absolute devotion to the craft of filmmaking served as a powerful impetus to students at the California Institute for the Arts for almost twenty five years, with a teaching style that included prodigious notes, neatly crafted storyboards, and handouts containing excerpts of works by Kierkegaard, Aristotle, and others. At the core of Mackendrick's lessons lay a deceptively simple goal: to teach aspiring filmmakers how to structure and write the stories they want to tell, while using the devices particular to the medium of film to tell their stories effectively. In this impressive volume, edited by Paul Cronin, the myriad materials that made Mackendrick's reputation as an instructor are collected for the first time, offering a chance for professionals as well as students to discover a methodology of filmmaking that is challenging yet refreshing in its clarity. Meticulously illustrated and drawing on examples from such classic films as North by Northwest, Citizen Kane, and Touch of Evil, Mackendrick's elegant lessons are sure to provide inspiration for a new generation of filmmakers.

The Classic Collection of Dystopias brings together five of the most iconic works in dystopian literature, each offering a powerful critique of society, authority, and human nature. Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegorical novella that depicts a group of farm animals overthrowing their human owner, only to fall under the tyranny of their own kind, exposing the dangers of totalitarianism and political corruption. 1984, also by Orwell, presents a terrifying vision of a totalitarian state where individual freedom is crushed, and "Big Brother" controls every aspect of life, thoughts, and reality itself. We by Evgeny Zamyatin explores a futuristic world where citizens live under constant surveillance, stripped of individual identity in a totalitarian state. It is considered one of the earliest dystopian novels, heavily influencing Orwell's 1984. The Iron Heel by Jack London portrays the rise of an oligarchic dictatorship in the United States, offering a powerful reflection on class struggle and the dangers of unchecked corporate power. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, though often seen as a satirical adventure, also contains dystopian elements, particularly in its portrayal of authoritarianism and human folly in the different societies Gulliver encounters. This collection presents readers with a thought-provoking journey through different dystopian worlds, each raising critical questions about power, control, and the human spirit. It's a must-read for fans of speculative fiction, social commentary, and political thought. Contents: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift The Iron Heel by Jack London We by Evgeny Zamyatin 1984 by George Orwell Animal Farm by George Orwell

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2026 'EXTREMELY SMART, IMPOSSIBLY FUNNY, AND JUST PLAIN FUN TO READ' CARO CLAIRE BURKE, AUTHOR OF YESTERYEAR 'A VOICE LIKE NO OTHER' LENA DUNHAM Think your family is dysfunctional? Meet the Flynns. For the three Flynn daughters, it's been disastrous since their parents opened up their marriage. Abigail, the eldest, is dating an ex-soldier several years her senior nicknamed 'War Crimes Wes'. Louise, the middle child, maintains a secret correspondence with an online terrorist. And the brilliant youngest, Harper, is being sent to a wilderness reform camp due to her insistence that someone - or something - is monitoring the town's citizens. Casting a shadow across their lives is Paul Alabaster, a nefarious local billionaire. Rumours of corruption circulate, but no one dares dig too deep. No one except Harper, whose obsession with Alabaster's machinations sends the family hurtling into a criminal conspiracy - one that may just, finally, bring them closer together. The instant Sunday Times bestseller 'THE MOST WILDLY ORIGINAL BOOK OF THE YEAR' HARPER'S BAZAAR 'THE DEBUT NOVEL FOR 2026 THAT HAS UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN THE MOST SHOUTED ABOUT' THE SUNDAY TIMES STYLE 'A DARKLY FUNNY FAMILY SAGA' BUSTLE 'AN INSTANT CLASSIC' SHORTLIST Readers love LOST LAMBS 'What a ROMP!' ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ 'The hype is real!' ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ 'Hilarious, weird, original and addictive!' ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ 'If Wes Anderson wrote Little Women.' ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ 'I'm shouting it from every rooftop: THIS IS THE BOOK OF THE YEAR!' ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ 'Perhaps the funniest book I've ever read.' ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿

The radical pamphlet that helped incite the American Revolution Penguin presents a series of six portable, accessible, and—above all—essential reads from American political history, selected by leading scholars. Series editor Richard Beeman, author of The Penguin Guide to the U.S. Constitution, draws together the great texts of American civic life to create a timely and informative mini-library of perennially vital issues. Whether readers are encountering these classic writings for the first time, or brushing up in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, these slim volumes will serve as a powerful and illuminating resource for scholars, students, and civic-minded citizens. Common Sense is the book that created the modern United States, as Paine's incendiary call for Americans to revolt against British rule converted millions to the cause of independence and set out a vision of a just society. Published anonymously in 1776, six months before the Declaration of Independence, Common Sense was a radical and impassioned call for America to free itself and set up an independent republican government. Savagely attacking hereditary kingship and aristocratic institutions, Paine urged a new beginning for his adopted country in which personal freedom and social equality would be upheld and economic and cultural progress encouraged. His pamphlet was the first to speak directly to a mass audience—it went through fifty-six editions within a year of publication—and its assertive and often caustic style embodied the democratic spirit he advocated.

THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT ADULT NOVEL BY LOUIS SACHAR, THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF CHILDREN'S FICTION AND AUTHOR OF CLASSIC NOVEL, HOLES. **** Is true love the greatest form of magic? Long ago, in a kingdom far away, the magician of tiger castle is on thin ice. Once the greatest in the land, Anatole's spells have dried up. He can't even turn sand into gold anymore. The only one who still believes in him is kind Princess Tullia, and he hopes - for the sake of their friendship - that he can soon redeem himself and stay within the king's court. When the opportunity arises, Anatole is faced with an impossible decision. Princess Tullia is betrothed to the prince of a rich neighbouring kingdom, an alliance which will save bankrupt Esquaveta and all its citizens. But, Tullia has secretly fallen in love with a lowly apprentice scribe and refuses to wed the prince. The King tasks Anatole with the most difficult magic of all: an anti-love potion. Anatole can save everything and everyone if he can shatter the young lovers' romance. But, with the fate of the kingdom hanging in the balance, can he achieve it? Can he even bring himself to try? After all, is true love not the purest form of magic? Told with the same wit and warmth that has made Louis Sachar's books classics of children's literature, The Magician of Tiger Castle is a colourful and enigmatic tale of adventure, love, loss and triumph.

THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT ADULT NOVEL BY LOUIS SACHAR, THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF CHILDREN'S FICTION AND AUTHOR OF CLASSIC NOVEL, HOLES. **** Is true love the greatest form of magic? Long ago, in a kingdom far away, the magician of tiger castle is on thin ice. Once the greatest in the land, Anatole's spells have dried up. He can't even turn sand into gold anymore. The only one who still believes in him is kind Princess Tullia, and he hopes - for the sake of their friendship - that he can soon redeem himself and stay within the king's court. When the opportunity arises, Anatole is faced with an impossible decision. Princess Tullia is betrothed to the prince of a rich neighbouring kingdom, an alliance which will save bankrupt Esquaveta and all its citizens. But, Tullia has secretly fallen in love with a lowly apprentice scribe and refuses to wed the prince. The King tasks Anatole with the most difficult magic of all: an anti-love potion. Anatole can save everything and everyone if he can shatter the young lovers' romance. But, with the fate of the kingdom hanging in the balance, can he achieve it? Can he even bring himself to try? After all, is true love not the purest form of magic? Told with the same wit and warmth that has made Louis Sachar's books classics of children's literature, The Magician of Tiger Castle is a colourful and enigmatic tale of adventure, love, loss and triumph.