Best Selling Books by Arthur Slade

In this chilling tale inspired by Norse mythology, three kids arrive in Manitoba from the US to spend the summer with their grandpa, ready to listen to his Icelandic stories. But they are anything but prepared when signs of a draugr—a man who comes back from the dead—appear in real life.

Prince Conn will never be king. And that''s just fine with him. Conn is ninth in line for the pirate throne and is quite happy to sail the skies in his airship with his crew of cheery misfits, plundering as they go. But one by one his siblings are being murdered, in tragic fires, violent cannon attacks or mysterious poisonings. Soon all fingers are pointing toward Conn as the mastermind. To prove his innocence, Conn must make his way to Skull Island, navigating his airship through a gauntlet of villains, explosions and betrayals. Can he reach his father''s kingdom before it''s too late? Or will he suffer the same fate as the rest of his family? This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

There’s danger hidden in the depths... Transforming his appearance and stealing documents from foreign embassies is all in a day’s work for young Modo, an elite British secret agent. A trickier task is figuring out his relationship with the beautiful Octavia, his fellow spy. Their latest mission—to discover why ships are mysteriously sinking in the Atlantic—seems impossible. There are rumors of a new and powerful underwater weapon—a submarine with a mad captain at the helm. The French are only a few clues away from finding it, so Modo and Octavia must get there first. But the ocean hides secrets much darker and more deadly than they’d ever imagined. The Dark Deeps is a gripping read filled with treachery, suspense, and brilliant Victorian inventions. This stand-alone novel is the second book in the award-winning Mission Clockwork series.

A ruthless queen. An ancient god. One brave girl and an impossible choice. For over a thousand years, Queen Servilia has ruled the world of Illium. Using magical red dust mined from the earth, she has enslaved her subjects, enforcing uniformity and sameness to maintain her absolute power. But in Village Twenty-One, wild magic is growing. Fen, a young girl whose hand has been cut off as punishment for theft, wakes one morning to discover that her hair has gone crimson: a sign that she has been invested with magic of her own, and is a threat to Servilia’s reign. For Fen, this is a death sentence. When her village is burned to the ground and her sister captured, Fen must make an impossible choice. Will she risk unleashing the most feared magical entity of all time—an ancient god who could overthrow Servilia, but whose power may be even more terrifying—in order to save the only family she has left?

The children were disappearing. And the worst thing about it? No one noticed A rainmaker brings rain to a drought-stricken town. The stranger amazes the townspeople with magic mirrors and bewitches the children with his beautiful butterfly. First, one child vanishes. Then another. And another. Only one young man sees through the lies and decides to act. You''ll love this dark, mysterious young adult novel. Winner of the Governor General''s Award. Get it now.

Michael and his father head to a desolate island, the perfect place for Dad to finish the last chapters of his book of Norse stories. Before long, though, there is evidence that the rumors they''ve heard about Drang Island—about spirits, strange sacrifices and a serpent lurking in the ocean—might be true!

Twin girls are born. First, their mother dies... Then their father... But the worst is yet to come... One twin is beautiful and becomes the biggest star in 1920s Hollywood. The second twin is ugly and not allowed to leave the estate of Mr. Cecil. He''s the most famous director in the world. His dark, twisted movies are always a smash hit. Thing is, he may have been involved in the deaths of their parents. He may also have made a deal with the supernatural. And his next movie might, literally, light the world on fire. A surprising and incredible page-turner--young adult horror at its finest. Buy Flickers and experience the gut-churning suspense for yourself!

He''s the greatest spy of the Victorian era, but he''s facing his greatest challenge... Get the complete collection of the bestselling Mission Clockwork series. It''s a steampunk-powered, action-packed adventure featuring brilliant heroes and bloody brilliant villains. Almost since birth, Modo has been rigorously schooled as a secret agent. His master, a British Lord, took advantage of Modo’s unique shape-shifting talents, training him to morph from his unsightly, hunchbacked-self into anyone he liked. He''s ready to take on Britain''s numerous enemies. But can he survive his new partner, the quick-witted Octavia? And, more importantly, will the two of them be able to defeat the nefarious Clockwork Guild? It will take every ounce of skill, guts, and luck for the pair to succeed. The series is in development for the big screen and over 100,000 copies of the books have been sold worldwide. The boxed set includes all four novels: Mission Clockwork, The Dark Deeps, Empire of Ruins, and Island of Doom. Over 1000 pages of action.

"In this novel - by the award-winning author of ''Dust'' - Percy hides his feelings of love and pain with offbeat behavior. Marked by wry undertones but also poignant sensitivity" Cf. Our choice, 2003.

Who dares look upon the God Face? While Modo has spent a quiet winter recovering from his adventure in the dark deeps, talk is swirling around London of ancient Egyptian ruins in the midst of the Australian rainforest. A temple bulges with riches but also contains danger: the infamous God Face. No one knows what the God Face is or what it is made of, but it is rumoured to be a powerful weapon; anyone who looks upon it will be driven mad. Modo’s next assignment? Go to Queensland in Australia and discover the truth behind the God Face. He won’t be alone: Octavia and even Mr. Socrates will be accompanying him, as well as Mrs. Finchley, Modo’s beloved caregiver from childhood. But hot on their trail is the Clockwork Guild, with a brand-new weapon: mechanical birds with sharpened metal claws and poisoned beaks. With an airship battle, an escape from natives and an astounding discovery—one that hinges on Modo’s true appearance—Mission Clockwork continues to enthral readers of all ages!

Key Selling Points In Mr. Universe a teenage boy finds himself in an alternate universe being chased by lizard men in gray suits. The book is a fun adventure with a little romance thrown in. The author also wrote the adventure novel Death by Airship in the Orca Currents line. Arthur Slade has written many books, including The Hunchback Assignments, which won the TD Canadian Children''s Literature Award, and Dust, which was the winner of the Governor General''s Award for Children''s Literature. Arthur Slade is also the recipient of the prestigious Kloppenburg Award for Literary Excellence. New, enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers.

Modo, who first made his appearance in The Hunchback Assignments, is a young, disfigured spy trained to be the ultimate secret agent. Not only is Modo brilliant and strong, but he also has a special ability: he can temporarily take on the appearance of other people. While on holiday, Modo and fellow spy Octavia Milkweed find themselves in Ember''s End. Created by the slightly mad scientific genius Dr. Ebenezer Ember, this is no ordinary wild-west town. It is surrounded by an energy field that prevents gunpowder from firing, and messages are sent via pneumatic tubes. There are also rumors that before Dr. Ember died, he built a weapon so powerful it could end all wars. With the local sheriff recently deceased, the two travelers are suddenly put in charge of Ember''s End law enforcement.

Can two kids stop a sinister plot to steal the brain power of the people of Nanaimo? Someone is delivering plates of scrumptious Nanaimo bars to every household in Nanaimo, and the people who eat them are behaving very strangely. Gordon Whillickers doesn’t get to eat his because, at the last minute, a hairy arm reaches through his window and steals them. He and Sophia chase after the thief and meet an amazing Sasquatch named Cheryl, who is also puzzled by the sudden appearance of the mouth-watering delicacies. With the help of Cheryl and the technological wizardry of a local librarian, the two kids move ever closer to the alien creature at the centre of the plot. They must stop him before the Nanaimoites’ IQs are lost forever!

A journey into the heart of danger… In his greatest adventure, shape-shifting, masked spy Modo has a much more personal quest: to find his parents before the Clockwork Guild does. There is something in their blood--his blood!--that his enemies want to use to create an unstoppable army. When the Clockwork Guild find Modo''s parents first, Octavia and Modo chase them across Europe and North America to the Island of Doom. Joined by memorable characters from the first three books--some lovable, and some terrifying and evil—the two spies dash towards a thrilling conclusion.

Can two modern-day kids solve the mystery of the ghost that haunts the old hotel--or will they be trapped in the past forever? Walter Biggar Bronson (a.k.a. Wart) and his friend Cindy meet a ghost one night after school. The small, mournful boy leads them across the Broadway Bridge to the gracious Bessborough Hotel. After a strange incident in the elevator, they find themselves still in the hotel–but back in 1936. Some spooky things are going on. The room numbers are all mixed up. The library on the mezzanine is filled with hundreds of copies of the same book. And out on the street, the cars are all the same–vintage Studebakers. Back in the present, Wart and Cindy follow their motto–“Gather, identify, solve”–as they attempt to crack the case, with help from Wart’s distinctly odd parents and the loan of his mother’s time-travel-proof cell phone. If they fail, they may be trapped in the ghostly past forever . . .

Arthur Hercules Slade, whose British cavalry regiment fought in Palestine against the Turks in World War I, was once asked, "What was it like to be in the war?" He answered, "I was everywhere that Jesus was, but I couldn''t find him anywhere." Fascinated by the idea of his grandfather charging enemy machine guns with asabre in one hand and his horse''s reins in the other, bestselling author Arthur Slade has created a tale of a teenager who finds the true face of war behind the shinyveneer of patriotism, honour and duty. Megiddo''s Shadow is the story ofEdward Bathe, a 16-year-old prairie farm boy who, giddy with the romantic ideals of war and desperate to fight the Huns in France, enlists in 1917. To his disappointment, he is assigned to a horse- training regiment, where the only consolation is Buke, his horse, and Emily, the pretty young nurse he befriends. But when he is sent to fight the Turks in Palestine, Edward learns that what he thought he knew about right and wrong, about heroism and courage, and about God and country, no longer holds true. Much more than a powerful and shockingly realistic work of historical fiction, Megiddo''s Shadow is a poignanttestament to the terrible legacy of war, seen through the eyes of a character with whom readers will instantly connect. An intelligent, provocative and breathtaking read, Megiddo''s Shadow affirms Arthur Slade as a literary superstar.

In this scary story inspired by Norse mythology, Angie believes her dreams about being devoured by a giant wolf are only her imagination—until she hears strange scratches outside her window and learns that sheep have been disappearing from her uncle''s farm. But it isn''t until she and her cousins go to the old croft house that they discover the horrifying truth.

Terror stalks the halls of St. Wolcott School . . . When Daphne’s sixth-grade teacher, Miss Vindez, plummets from the belfry of St. Wolcott School, Daphne and her friends Nick and Peach are plunged into a mystery that includes a long-ago fire that left behind twelve dead schoolchildren, tiny ghosts with nowhere to go, and an ancient evil just dying to break through into modern-day Moose Jaw. Miss Vindez survives her fall, but things just aren’t the same–she’s spouting gibberish, and both Principal Peterka and the school janitor are definitely not themselves at all any more. Determined to get to the bottom of what’s going on, Daphne, Nick, and Peach dig up the troubled history of Grudstone, the school that used to stand where St. Wolcott is now. They uncover evidence of a crime so terrible it can hardly be believed. Worse, the terrifying perpetrator of that crime isn’t done yet–he has more horrible plans in mind. And all that stands in his way are three Moose Jaw school kids.

For Amber Fang, life used to be simple: study library science by day, read by night and, when she got hungry, enjoy an ethical meal straight from the jugular. Amber''s mother taught her well. It''s just good manners for vampires to eat only murderers. But now her mom has vanished, and Amber is alone. Her contract work as an assassin has been terminated. But the secret organization ZARC is still trying to hunt her down, using algorithms, drones and a murderess with metal hands. Through the dark web Amber learns that her long-lost mother has been "disappeared" to a secret compound in Antarctica. When Amber arrives and pries open a door to investigate, what she discovers shocks her to the core. And it will change her life forever. If she survives. Amber Fang: Betrayal is the second book in the popular Amber Fang series.

Are you a murderer? She''ll eat you. Are you a hit woman with metal hands? She''ll fight you. Do you like action and adventure vampire stories with a witty twist? Then you''ll instantly love the complete collection of Amber Fang books. She''s a librarian and an assassin and a vampire. And she loves her work. Whether it''s tracking down murderers, battling mercenaries, or making friends with ninja librarians. She can do it all. Experience a mind-bending mix of full-throttle action with a pinch of comedy and a dash of romance, reminiscent of Kelley Armstrong, Christopher Moore and C.N. Crawford. Join Amber Fang’s adventure today – simply buy this book! "Enthralling, witty, briskly paced and highly original, AMBER FANG is bestselling author Arthur Slade at his finest!" -A. J. Banner, #1 bestselling author of The Good Neighbor

Secret agent Modo''s next assignment? Find ancient Egyptian ruins hidden deep in the Australian jungle and the mysterious God Face, rumoured to be a powerful weapon—anyone who looks upon it will be driven mad. And he must find the God Face before the evil Clockwork Guild does!

Life as an ethical vampire isn''t easy for Amber Fang. First, she has to track down and eat a murderer every month. Second, her mother is imprisoned in a bunker controlled by ZARC, a multinational arms dealer. Third, her fellow vampires are hot on her trail, bent on ridding the world of scrupulous bloodsuckers. And then there''s Dermot, the handsome secret agent who hired her as an assassin in the first place and who has promised to help her rescue her mother. Amber can''t decide if she should kiss him or kill him. Then ZARC strikes a blow that leaves Amber stunned and heartbroken. Now she''s out for revenge. Amber Fang: Revenge is the third book in the popular Amber Fang series.

At the age of nine, John Diefenbaker announced, "I''m going to be prime minister when I grow up." He never lost sight of his goal. Diefenbaker was prime minister of Canada from 1957-1963. He believed in social justice, opening up the North, and making things better for western farmers. Canadians responded to his campaign call to "Follow John." This compelling book recreates the tensions of the Diefenbaker era - the time of the Cold War, spy scandals, and the Cuban Missile Crisis - when the world seemed on the brink of nuclear war.

This special bundle contains the first thirty-five books in the Quest Biography series, which profiles the lives of Canadians who have had a profound effect on their country and the world. Some of these figures are truly famous, while others were quietly influential. Among the wide variety of people we meet are: prime ministers (Mackenzie King, Macdonald, Laurier, and more); artists (Emily Carr, Tom Thomson); explorers (David Thompson, Samuel de Champlain), politicians (René Lévesque, Joey Smallwood), writers (Robertson Davies, Gabrielle Roy), entertainers (Emma Albani, Mary Pickford), activists (Nellie McClung, Louis Riel, Harriet Tubman), and many, many more. Let this series be your primer on the greatest figures in Canadian history. Includes Emma Albani Emily Carr George Grant Jacques Plante John Diefenbaker John Franklin Phyllis Munday Wilfrid Laurier William Lyon Mackenzie King René Lévesque Samuel de Champlain John Grierson Lucille Teasdale Maurice Duplessis David Thompson Mazo de la Roche Susanna Moodie Gabrielle Roy Louis Riel James Wilson Morrice Vilhjalmur Stefansson Robertson Davies James Douglas William C. Van Horne George Simpson Tom Thomson Simon Girty Mary Pickford Harriet Tubman Laura Secord Joey Smallwood Prince Edward, Duke of Kent John A. Macdonald Marshall McLuhan

Presenting ten titles in the Quest Biography series that profiles prominent figures in Canada’s history. The important Canadian lives detailed here are: Emma Albani, a nineteenth century opera singer from Quebec who became a diva of the musical world; Emily Carr, the artist famous for capturing the essence in her paintings of the Native cultures of the coast of British Columbia; George Grant, a prescient political philosopher and author of Lament for a Nation; star NHL goalie Jacques Plante, the first netminder to don a protective mask; influential Prime Ministers John Diefenbaker and Sir Wilfrid Laurier; John Franklin, while not a Canadian, an explorer whose demise in the Arctic is an important part of Canada’s historical identity; Marshall McLuhan, the academic who predicted so much of the modern media world we live in today; mountaineer and explorer Phyllis Munday; and early feminist icon Nellie McClung. Includes Emma Albani Emily Carr George Grant Jacques Plante John Diefenbaker John Franklin Marshall McLuhan Phyllis Munday Wilfrid Laurier Nellie McClung

Presenting five titles in the Quest Biography series that profiles prominent figures in Canada’s history. The important Canadian lives detailed here are: Emma Albani, a nineteenth century opera singer from Quebec who became a diva of the musical world; Emily Carr, the artist famous for capturing the essence in her paintings of the Native cultures of the coast of British Columbia; George Grant, a prescient political philosopher and author of Lament for a Nation; star NHL goalie Jacques Plante, the first netminder to don a protective mask; and honest Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, who led Canada in the late fifties and early sixties. Includes Emma Albani Emily Carr George Grant Jacques Plante John Diefenbaker

Amber Fang enjoys life''s simple pleasures. A perfect evening for her includes a good book, a glass of wine and, of course, a great meal, preferably straight from the jugular. Raised to eat ethically, Amber dines only on delicious cold-blooded killers. But confirming that her chosen victims deserve to die takes time. And patience. So it''s a good thing Amber is studying to be a librarian. Her extraordinary research skills help her hunt down her prey, seek out other vampires and stay on the trail of her mother, who has been missing for over two years now. But one day while Amber is stalking a rather tasty-looking murderer, things go horribly wrong. Amber has walked into a trap. The hunter becomes the hunted. Now on the run, Amber receives the perfect job offer out of the blue. Someone wants to pay her to kill (and eat) the world''s worst criminals. It sounds too good to be true. Amber Fang: Hunted is the first book in this exciting vampire series.

Presenting nine titles in the Quest Biography series that profiles prominent figures in Canada’s history. In these books we explore Canada’s rich political history through the fascinating lives of some of its most influential lives. Profiled are: prime ministers John Diefenbaker, John A. Macdonald, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Wilfrid Laurier; suffragette Nellie McClung; and provincial leaders Joey Smallwood, Maurice Duplessis, René Lévesque, and James Douglas. Includes James Douglas Joey Smallwood John A. Macdonald John Diefenbaker Maurice Duplessis Nellie McClung Réne Lévesque Wilfrid Laurier William Lyon Mackenzie King

Londres, sous l’ère victorienne. Jeune orphelin devenu espion grâce à des pouvoirs de transformation dépassant l’entendement, Modo travaille pour le compte de M. Socrate. Aidé par la belle et redoutable Octavia, il va devoir enquêter sur un nouveau mystère. Au large de l’Irlande, une demi-douzaine de navires ont déjà coulé au même point précis. Selon les dires des rares survivants, les bateaux auraient été attaqués par un monstre marin inconnu. En s’aventurant sur place, ils savent ce qui les attend. Quand le vaisseau est attaqué, Modo passe par-dessus bord. Alors que le vaisseau regagne péniblement la côte, Octavia refuse de croire que son compagnon s’est noyé. En effet, Modo a été recueilli par le mystérieux monstre marin, qui n’est autre que L’Ictinéo, submersible ultra-perfectionné dirigé par une jeune femme, Delphine Monturiol. Celle-ci a construit une cité entière au fond de l’océan où toutes sortes d’hommes et de femmes cohabitent en parfaite égalité. Tout d’abord bouleversé par ce monde harmonieux où sa difformité ne fait pas de lui un paria, Modo comprend rapidement qu’il n’est ici qu’un prisonnier. Il doit tout faire pour fuir l’Ictinéo. Peut-il vraiment faire confiance à Colette, la jeune espionne française, captive, comme lui ? Comment prévenir Octavia du danger alors qu’elle se rapproche de la zone fatale ? Arthur Slade signe avec La Cité bleue d’Icaria un magnifique roman d’aventures, mêlant l’univers du XIXe siècle avec des avancées technologiques modernes. Traduit de l’anglais (Canada) par Marie Cambolieu

Ère victorienne, la campagne anglaise : le mystérieux M. Socrate se rend dans une galerie de monstres pour voir un magnifique spécimen dont on lui a parlé. C’est ainsi qu’il découvre Modo, nouveau-né monstrueux et difforme. Il décide de l’adopter et de l’élever lui-même. Quatorze ans plus tard, Modo a grandi dans un manoir des faubourgs de Londres, loin de toute civilisation, et surtout de tout miroir. Sans être conscient de sa difformité, il a été initié durant quatorze ans aux arts martiaux, techniques de camouflage et d’espionnage, mais aussi à la littérature, aux langues et à la géographie. Le jour de ses quatorze ans, il est convoqué par son père adoptif, M. Socrate qui lui montre son reflet pour la première fois. Passé le choc de cette découverte, Modo comprend qu’il peut contrôler ses traits et muscles difformes pour revêtir une autre apparence l’espace de quelques minutes. En vérité, M. Socrate a éduqué Modo en vue d’une mission bien précise. C’est ainsi qu’il emmène le jeune garçon, dissimulé sous un masque, visiter la grande ville de Londres. Alors que la calèche pénètre dans le centre, M. Socrate ouvre la porte et laisse Modo désemparé, seul dans Londres pour affronter sa première mission. Avec l’aide d’Octavia, une jeune espionne, il fera face à la terrible Confrérie de l’horloge et apprendra petit à petit l’art du métier d’espion... Traduit de l’anglais (Canada) par Marie Cambolieu

Les agents de M. Socrate tome 4 Adolescent aux pouvoirs de transformation hors du commun, Modo a été adopté par le mystérieux M. Socrate, qui l’a initié à l’art de l’espionnage. Aux côtés de sa collègue et amie Octavia, il a déjà parcouru le monde pour déjouer les plans de la Confrérie de l’Horloge, organisation machiavélique dirigée par la redoutable Mlle Hakandottir. Une nouvelle enquête conduit Modo et Octavia sur les routes de France, mais celle-ci a une saveur un peu particulière. Sur les renseignements d’une espionne française, Modo est parti à la recherche de sa famille. Et il n’est pas le seul... Impressionnés par les pouvoirs de régénération de Modo, les membres de la Confrérie de l’Horloge sont bien décidés à mettre la main sur les parents d’un être aussi exceptionnel. Traduit de l’anglais (Canada) par Marie Cambolieu

Carmen est une tueuse. Son arme secrète : un dragon. Carmen n''a qu''un objectif : devenir tueuse professionnelle. Hélas ! le fait d''avoir perdu un oeil la condamne au bas du classement de son école. Certes, elle ne sera jamais au niveau de son surdoué de frère jumeau, mais elle déborde d''énergie pour faire ses preuves. Tout bascule lorsqu''elle découvre Brax, un dragon enchaîné au fond d''une grotte. Sa loyauté est mise à l''épreuve : doit-elle libérer cette créature à la fois magnifique, rusée et dangereuse, ou avertir les siens de sa présence ? Son choix va bouleverser sa vie et l''entraîner plus loin que tout ce qu''elle aurait osé imaginer.

Carmen est une tueuse. Son arme secrète : un dragon. Au cours de leur traversée des Eaux-Glaciales, Brax et Carmen s''échouent sur le territoire draconique. Quand un seigneur dragon tente de les capturer, un nouveau pouvoir se révèle en Carmen... La jeune fille découvre avec effroi la réalité des royaumes draconiques, d''immenses villes dans lesquelles les humains sont réduits en esclavage. Le passé sombre de Brax ressurgit et Carmen s''interroge sur l''identité de son compagnon. Peut-elle faire confiance à un dragon qui a été banni de son royaume ?

The thrilling sequel to award-winning author Arthur Slade''s fantasy adventure! Carmen has defeated her twin brother, Corwin, thanks to the pact she made with Brax the dragon. Now it''s time for her to fulfill her end of the bargain. Brax takes Carmen to Drachia, the land of beasts, where Carmen soon learns that Brax had been banished from his father''s kingdom for accidentally killing his sister, Brenna. But soon after their arrival in the dragon capital, the two of them are quickly embroiled in plots and schemes to take the crown away from Brax''s father, King Xerx. When Carmen becomes separated from Brax, she finds herself alone as an outsider in a strange land where she is seen as either a slave or food. She must use her assassin training, and the magical bond she shares with Brax, to survive and set out to save him. Arthur Slade delivers with another exciting, fast-paced read full of action, magic and a healthy dash of humour.

Monsterology: Fabulous Lives of the Creepy, the Revolting, and the Undead is the most fun anyone can have with some of the nastiest creatures ever imagined! Who can resist morsels like the fact that “Drakul” means “son of the dragon” in Romanian, that the first Golem may have been Enkidu, who appeared in the ancient Epic of Gilgamesh, and that Frankenstein’s Monster was first inspired by Mary Shelley’s nightmare? Governor General’s Award-winner Arthur Slade has gathered together fifteen scary critters, ranging from Dracula to Golem, from Frankenstein to Baba Yaga and even a zombie. He provides facts, real history, imagined history, and lots of jokes to make these creatures come to life. Slade’s hilarious text presents delicious imagined gossip, favorite blood types, favorite movies, and even favorite haunts (you should pardon the expression) with character descriptions and thoroughly researched background information. Lively black-and-white illustrations by Derek Mah make this a book that is sure to be a hit with every monster-loving reader.

"A thrilling fantasy novel from award-winning author Arthur Slade. Carmen is at the top of the class at the Red Assassin School. She is an expert with bladed weapons and poisons, and is perfect at riding the giant black swans that assassins use for their missions. But, in a practice sword fight, her twin brother ''accidentally'' blinds her in one eye. She continues to train but drops to the bottom of her class. Still, she''s sure she''ll graduate. Then the nearby emperor is killed by an assassin and his replacement declares war on the assassin school itself. And worst of all Carmen discovers her brother may have betrayed them all on graduation night. In her desperation, she makes a life-altering pact with a dragon to save her school" --