Most Popular Books by Isobelle Carmody

in the two years since its takeover of Obernewtyn, the secret community of Misfits has flourished. Protected by their remoteness, Elspeth Gordie and her allies have worked hard to develop their forbidden mental abilities—all in preparation for their inevitable confrontation with the totalitarian Council. And though their training is far from complete, the Misfits can no longer stay hidden when they learn of the existence of a new Talent—one whose power may eclipse anything they have seen before.

In this gripping thriller from one of Australia''s leading writers, four troubled young people and a ghost battle evil forces taking over their town.

Attempting to negotiate an alliance between the Misfit community at Obernewtyn and rebels hiding in the capital, Elspeth must brave the dangers of the desert in order to completely understand the secrets revealed by the beforetimes library.

Friend becomes foe and trust is a thing of the past when the Misfits’ most relentless enemy turns Elspeth’s world upside down. Through coercion and mind control, Ariel stands on the cusp of his ultimate revenge—and it falls to Elspeth to rescue a former ally whose mind and body have been manipulated to unleash a plague that will destroy all it touches.

''I ride this day upon the Worldroad, alone, except for Courage, who rides on the pommel of my saddle fluffing his feathers. I did not dream of journeying thus as a child...'' This is the unforgettable world of Isobelle Carmody, presented in fourteen stories written over a period of thirteen years. Within it you will find roads of paradox on which an angel might be a torturer, or a princess might reject a prince to save a rooster. These are paths travelled by seekers of the difficult deepest truths never found on straight roads; here a boy searches for his truename, a group of pilgrims is led by a song on an ancient journey, and a beast discovers hope. Enter this world and you will never again be sure where reality ends and imagination begins, for sometimes the greatest truths can only be told through imagination... From one of Australia''s finest writers of fantasy comes a stunning collection of stories full of provocative ideas and haunting images.

n a world struggling back from the brink of apocalypse, life is harsh. But for Elspeth Gordie, born with enhanced mental abilities that would see her sterilised or burned if discovered, it is also dangerous. Ages 13+ 1988 CBC Book of the Year Award, Shorlisted (Older Readers)

Are Alyzon’s new abilities a blessing . . . or a curse? Alyzon Whitestarr doesn''t take after her musically talented father or her nocturnal, artistic mother. In fact, she’s the most normal member of a very eccentric family . . . until the day that an accident leaves her more unique than she ever could have dreamed. Suddenly colors are more vibrant to Alyzon; her memory is flawless; but strangest of all is Alyzon’s sense of smell. Her best friend smells of a comforting sea breeze. She registers her father’s contentment as the sweet scent of caramelized sugar. But why does the cutest guy in school smell so rancid? With Alyzon’s extrasensory perception comes intrigue and danger, as she becomes aware of the dark secrets and hidden ambitions that threaten her family. In the end, being different might be less of a blessing than a curse. . . .

A curious cat stumbles upon a magical mystery when he finds something that doesn''t belong in his people''s house. By the author of A Fox Called Sorrow.

On a dangerous quest to the troll city of Underth, the healer, Little Fur, is mystified by a new companion--a scarred and angry fox whose strong spirit keeps him alive despite his wish to die.

An engrossing collection of stories from one of Australia''s most loved fantasy writers, and creator of the acclaimed Obernewtyn Chronicles.

Once shunned as a Misfit for the powers that set her apart, Elspeth Gordie has finally found happiness and love. But when she receives the long-awaited summons to begin her final quest, she must slip out in the night and leave all that she loves behind without saying a single goodbye. Elspeth sets off across the toxic Blacklands with the help of a pack of mutant wolves to find the ancient weapons that once loosed chaos and death upon the world. Those weapons have begun to stir. . . .

Rage Winnoway’s closest friends have always been her four dogs: Bear, Billy Thunder, Elle, and Mr. Walker. When Rage sets off for the hospital where her mother lies in a coma, the dogs and the neighbor’s goat tag along. On the way, they run into the firecat, who talks them into going through a magical gate. And something wonderful happens! Each of Rage’s friends is transformed. Bear becomes a real bear; Billy Thunder, a teenage boy; Elle, a warrior woman; Mr. Walker, a small, large-eared gentleman; and the goat, a satyr with an inferiority complex. Together, Rage and her companions embark on a quest to save the world of Valley, a journey that is somehow tied to Rage’s family. In this brilliant tale of courage and transformation, Isobelle Carmody captures the magic of Narnia and the whimsy of Wonderland without losing sight of the real world and all its difficulties.

Two friends tell each other a story Have you heard about the duck at the centre of the earth? Left there by a human expedition, the duck must make his own way to the surface. All it wants is to be reunited with its owner, but the friend it makes along the way becomes just as important. This journey through the darkness to the light is a strange and wondrous tale about friendship, loneliness, happiness and life itself.

In the midst of the worst winter on record, Rage''s mother still hasn''t fully recovered from her car accident despite Rage''s successful quest for healing magic. Also, there''s something wild lurking in the woods around the farm. Do Rage''s dreams hint at a sinister threat?

I saw the moon crack and open like an egg, and a seethe of transparent beasts emerged . . . I heard a sound like thunder inside the earth and the ground shook and broke open like a vast stony maw. It spat out fire and I saw wolves falling into a molten gold stream . . . I made my way along the ancient tunnel, following Maruman, who ran lightly ahead of me. I did not ask how he had come to be here. He was the Moonwatcher as I was the Seeker. This was where we had been destined to come together. Before Elspeth Gordie can continue her journey to find Sentinel and prevent it unleashing the horrors of the Great White, she must fight free of a strange prison, where people are laid to sleep forever or cling to a suffocating existence, believing the world beyond their walls is already utterly annihilated. But at the end of her journey, nothing is as she imagined. She is drawn into the struggle for a kingdom, only to find the Destroyer is at the heart of the turmoil, waiting for her. Somehow she must do what she has sworn to do, for the sake of the world and all of its creatures. She must complete her quest, no matter what it costs . . . The highly anticipated dramatic conclusion to the much-loved Obernewtyn Chronicles from award-winning and bestselling author Isobelle Carmody. Drawing to a close the journey of Elspeth Gordie and the Misfits, The Red Queen will surprise and thrill readers right to the very last page.

With the end of the wintertime that isolates Obernewtyn from the rest of the world, Farseeker guildmistress Elspeth Gordie again sets out for the lowlands. But she soon finds that not everyone welcomes the changes brought about by the rebellion. There is a traitor among the rebels—a traitor whose hatred of Misfits puts Elspeth in danger as she attempts to thwart an invasion of fanatical Herders.

When Little Fur''s feline friend Ginger goes missing, the tiny, half elf, half troll healer undertakes an adventure that sets her on a collision course with a secret order of wolves.

The story of Jack and his little sister, Ellen, as they try to cope with their father''s despair and their own grief and bewilderment following the horrifying death of their mother. Jack discovers a world on the other side of his bathroom mirror that in time reveals to him the reason for his mother''s death. Suggested level: intermediate, secondary.

Inspired by such classic fairy tales as "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Snow Queen," collects six stories carrying universal themes of envy, desire, deception, courage, and sacrifice.

A strange, mind-numbing fog shrouds Quentaris and a cat that is more than it seems enters the city. It is a dangerous time in Quentaris. Before it is over, the city and its magical rift caves will face destruction. It is up to Igorik and the girl who visits him in his dreams to do all they can to save Quentaris and its inhabitants... The Quentaris Chronicles is a collection of stand-alone fantasy books from some of Australia''s finest authors. Each book is independent, but all are set in the magical fantasy city of Quentaris, a place created by series editors Michael Pryor and Paul Collins. Read them all! For more information visit www.quentaris.com

When a Misfit is kidnapped, Elspeth finds she has little choice but to join the growing rebellion against the Council. Her extraordinary mental powers could tip the scales of the struggle, but Elspeth feels torn between toppling the corrupt authoritarian regime and seeking clues vital to a more personal quest—her ambition to destroy what remains of the Beforetime weaponmachines.

Keeping place: When a Misfit is kidnapped, Elspeth is compelled to join the growing rebellion against the Council, but while her extraordinary mental powers could topple the corrupt authoritarian regime she is more concerned about destroying the remaining Beforetime weapon machines.When Elspeth and others undertake a dangerous journey to rescue a powerful psychic and find an enormous book trove, the fate of the Obernewtyn colony hangs in the balance.

The adventure continues with acclaimed fantasy author Isobelle Carmody''s The Dreamtrails, an omnibus edition of books five and six in the dystopian fantasy the Obernewtyn Chronicles—Wavesong and The Stone Key! Captured, Elspeth Gordie is drawn deep into the heart of her enemies. Once there, she meets unusual allies and uncovers a devastating plot brewing in their ranks. To stop them, she must risk everything to rescue a former ally whose mind and body have been manipulated to unleash a deadly plague upon the Land.

A Wrong Thing flies into the house while everyone is sleeping. Hurricane, the cat, is the only one that sees it. What could it be, this flittery, skittery thing? Where does it come from, the Wrong Thing? Where does it belong? It is up to Hurricane to solve the mystery. A luminous, magical tale from the incomparable Isobelle Carmody and Declan Lee.

New from acclaimed fantasy author Isobelle Carmody comes The Seeker, an omnibus edition of the first two books in the dystopian fantasy the Obernewtyn Chronicles—Obernewtyn and The Farseekers! Discover the adventure! Elspeth Gordie has a secret: she''s a Misfit, born with mental powers that would mean her death if discovered. But she''s not alone, and her exile to the mysterious compound known as Obernewtyn is just the beginning....

The eighth book in the epic series the Obernewtyn Chronicles is full of romance, action, and suspense. Fans of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series will rejoice to see such a breathtakingly elaborate YA fantasy series! After years spent struggling to balance her desires with her responsibilities, Elspeth Gordie has fully embraced her role as the Seeker. Battle-scarred and haunted by memories of her beloved Rushton, she must continue her final quest to find and stop the computermachine Sentinel from unleashing the deadly Balance of Terror arsenal. But although she has long prepared for this day, nothing is as she anticipated. Elspeth’s search will take her where she never thought to go, and give her stranger companions than any she ever imagined. And it will test her, as she has never been tested before. Award-winning author Isobelle Carmody continues the story of Elspeth Gordie, a heroine in the vein of Tamora Pierce’s most memorable and empowering characters. “A major work of fantastic imagination.” —Lloyd Alexander, winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award

The final book in the award-winning and beloved fantasy series, The Kingdom of the Lost, by the acclaimed author of Little Fur and the Obernewtyn Chronicles. In this last part of their long journey, Bily and Zluty must each travel to the dangerous Velvet City, where they will learn the shocking truth about themselves . . . even as their beloved Monster faces the fate he fled. A thrilling series for younger readers from the award-winning author of Little Fur and The Obernewtyn Chronicles.

In this captivating first book, brothers Zluty and Bily live happily in their little house in the desert. Every year Zluty journeys to the great forest while Bily stays to tend their desert home. And every year Zluty returns with exciting tales of his adventures. But then a devastating red wind sweeps across the land destroying everything in its path. And each brother must fight for his survival. A magical new series for younger readers from the award-winning author of Little Fur.

When plain and simple Eely finds a beautiful winged man wounded in one of the rift caves she takes him to Iakas, a roofie, who learns that the winged man had been betrayed by those who resent the superiority of the winged folk and cast out of his beautiful city in the clouds. Together with Red and his drain-crawler twin brother Igorik, they embark on a quest to recover the sacred and elusive starstone, which had also been cast adrift. The starstone responds to beauty, and grows stronger in its presence - so where is it? Can the people of Quentaris find true beauty and end the long-standing animosity that exists between the elitist roofies, the vain sky folk, and the humble ground dwellers? And why is Eely becoming so - angelic?

In this last part of their long journey, Bily and Zluty must each travel to the dangerous Velvet City, where they will learn the shocking truth about themselves . . . even as their beloved Monster faces the fate he fled. A thrilling series for younger readers from the award-winning author of Little Fur and The Obernewtyn Chronicles.

The adventure continues with acclaimed fantasy author Isobelle Carmody''s The Dreamtrails, an omnibus edition of books five and six in the dystopian fantasy the Obernewtyn Chronicles--"Wavesong" and" The Stone Key " Captured, Elspeth Gordie is drawn deep into the heart of her enemies. Once there, she meets unusual allies and uncovers a devastating plot brewing in their ranks. To stop them, she must risk everything to rescue a former ally whose mind and body have been manipulated to unleash a deadly plague upon the Land.