The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches IV (A Fantasy Adventure Series)

by Robert Stanek

Overview

"Dramatic illustrations draw the reader into the Tolkienesque world of Ruin Mist, plunged into darkness after a Great War five hundred years past. Blaming magic for their demise, the Kings of Men have decreed that all things magical be destroyed. Yet despite their efforts, the magical Dark Lord is slowly returning to power. Another bloody battle is foreshadowed for Ruin Mist when Adrina, the spoiled and lonely princess of Imtal, is visited by a mysterious woman who predicts Adrina's ghastly future. Meanwhile in the kingdom of Elves, Seth, devoted First of the Red Order of the Queen Mother Elf, is sent on a journey across the Great Sea to prevent war. Stuck somewhere in the middle is Vilmos, a young magical boy-who-would-be-mage, abducted for his own safety by a Yoda-like guide named Xith. All three journey to an unknown fate against treacherous and sometimes supernatural foes. Stanek augments the beginning of this complex tale with illustrations that are sure to attract fans of graphic novels and classic Tolkien alike-the only weakness in the illustrations is their scarcity. Stanek will likely draw a cult following, but his work is not for the novice fantasy reader. A complicated glossary at the end includes twenty-two pages of People, Places, and Things in Ruin Mist, complete with geographical references, family lineages, and extraordinary sketches. Despite the sophisticated plot, however, this cliffhanger guarantees fans, and those fans will be ready to wield their swords against the Dark Lord in Stanek's next installment." --VOYA

THE #1 BESTSELLING SERIES FROM THE AWARD-WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR! to turn back the tides of war, Queen Mother sent her most trusted warriors on a perilous journey across the Great Sea. But the elves were betrayed by one of their own and they did not find quick allies. They found a kingdom under siege and a shattered alliance. the elves were forced to proved themselves to the men that defended Quashan'. for their support, the elves were granted an audience with the king. Yet great deeds could not undo the past, or change the prejudice of men. Don't miss this outstanding series that has quickly become a worldwide favorite.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781575458342
Publisher:	RP Books & Audio
Publication date:	04/20/2011
Series:	Keeper Martin's Tales
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

In spring 2002, Robert Stanek's first books, Keeper Martin's Tale and Elf Queen's Quest, appeared on bookshelves and become instant bestsellers, spending a combined 26 weeks on the Amazon.com Sci-Fi/Fantasy Top 50 list. These stories introduced readers to the fantasy world of Ruin Mist. The name "Ruin Mist" is the common language translation of an elvish word, which means "the lost ages". The stories of Ruin Mist are set in a fictional past of our world.

The popularity of the Ruin Mist books built up through the release of the subsequent books. Readers were taken with the magical realms, the grand adventures, and the combination of classic fantasy elements with a fresh, highly imaginative approach. In spring 2005, Robert Stanek's books were first published in audio and became instant audio bestsellers, spending more than 52 weeks on Audible.com's bestseller lists. In 2005, his book, The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches, eventually became one of the Top 100 all-time fiction bestsellers on Audible.com. The book was so popular, it was featured on the Audible.com home page throughout July and August 2005.

It's been a fairly open secret that Robert Stanek is the name of the more familiar bestselling author William Stanek. The main reason for using Robert Stanek for fiction and William Stanek for nonfiction was the astounding pace at which William Stanek produces books. With nearly 50 published books to his credit by 2002, he had many upcoming books waiting to be released by his current publishers, and was creating more and more fiction as a creative outlet to balance his work in nonfiction.

"I wanted to find audiences for both my nonfiction and my fiction. I love writing nonfiction works that help people learn how to do new things, but I also love writing fiction works that open new doorways to the imagination," explains Mr. Stanek. "The Ruin Mist books have been a part of who I am since I started them in the 1980s and they allowed me to create a magical realm with many levels of reality. I was overjoyed that I finally could share the realm and the books with others."

The Ruin Mist books have afforded Mr. Stanek an opportunity to explore relationships, family stories, epic sagas, myths, legends, and more. His books have been popular with fans both young and old.