Best Selling Books by P. W. Catanese

Master storyteller P.W. Catanese begins the Books of Umber trilogy with Happenstance Found—now available in paperback—when twelve-yearold Happenstance awakens in a cave with no memory of who he is or how he came to be there. Lord Umber and his companions rescue Hap, and the group sets out on dangerous and unusual missions that continue in Dragon Games. Hap’s and Umber’s journeys take them to the corrupt kingdom of Sarnica, where Umber’s nemesis has acquired some dragon eggs. Umber wants to study a new magical species, but what starts as a quest for knowledge turns into a dangerous rescue operation. The deft plotting of these actionpacked, heart-stopping adventures will pique the imagination and leave readers anxious for the final installment.

When mischievous twins Bert and Will, two descendants of Snow White, are separated to avoid trouble, one boy discovers a mysterious mirror rumored to be from the famous tale, and the brothers'' relationship is replaced by dark magic and deceit.

"Donny Taylor is adjusting to life in Sulfur and his role as personal assistant to archdemon Angela Obscura. But when he almost killed again, he begins to question whether or not Angela cares about his fate at all. Maybe he should leave? But how will Angela react?"--

Jack traded his cow for magic beans, climbed a beanstalk, and got rich. Will the next person to try it, be as fortunate? Or just fortunate enough to survive? Everyone knows the story of Jack and his beanstalk, the little adventure that made Jack a very rich man. But what happened to the next person who climbed the beanstalk? Enter Nick. Orphaned and desperate, Nick joins a band of thieves in hopes of a warm meal and a little protection. In exchange, Nick must help them break into the lavish white castle rumored to belong to an old man named Jack. Legend says it’s full of riches from Jack’s quest up a magical beanstalk decades ago. When Nick’s mission leads him straight to Jack, he sees a chance to climb the famed beanstalk himself. But what Nick doesn’t know is that things are different at the top of the beanstalk. There are new enemies waiting. Enemies with plans that could destroy the world as Nick knows it. Will Nick come back a hero? Will he come back at all?

"Dragon Games," the second book in Catanese''s Books of Umber trilogy, continues the imaginative, page-turning adventures of Umber and Hap.

From award-winning author P.W. Catanese comes a fascinating novel about a twelve-year-old boy who must prevent the new kinder, gentler underworld from returning to its previous terrifying incarnation. Twelve-year-old Donny Taylor was rescued from certain death in a burning building. His savior, a mysterious girl named Angela Obscura, seems to be able to walk right out of the flames. Although she appears to be a teenager, Angela is actually an ancient dignitary from the underworld who needs the help of a mortal. And she’s chosen Donny. Hades, a bizarre, cavernous world that was once filled with pitchforks, fiery pits, and tortured souls, has recently become a kinder, gentler place where people can contemplate their transgressions rather than face eternal punishment. Now known as Sulfur, the underworld went through a period of reformation punctuated by a violent revolution that left the vicious old guard, the Merciless, defeated and imprisoned. But it soon becomes apparent that the Merciless are plotting a comeback. If they succeed, they will reignite the long-extinguished Pits of Fire with a billion souls inside. And reformers like Angela and Donny will face Annihilation: the utter destruction of the consciousness and the soul, a nothingness more final than death itself. With everything on the line and billions of souls to protect, Donny—a mortal and outsider—becomes the key to the underworld’s salvation and the only one who can save Sulfur.

A suspense-filled fantasy trilogy comes to a riveting conclusion—now in paperback! The adventures of Happenstance and Umber reach their epic, surprising, and emotional conclusion in this gripping end to a critically acclaimed series. As Happenstance struggles to master his unusual abilities, he realizes that time is running out—because Umber’s rivals threaten to undo all the good he has achieved, while an unexpected new enemy with terrible destructive power approaches the kingdom…. Happenstance Found, the first book in the trilogy, was named to the 2010 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List!

"Seven at one blow!" That''s what they say about the Brave Little Tailor -- he killed seven foes with one blow. But no one can prove it''s even true. Besides, that took place a long time ago, and the Brave Little Tailor is now an old man. So what happens when an army of angry trolls invades his kingdom? Meet Patch Ridlin. He''s a tailor''s simple apprentice in the remote village of Crossfield. He''s a hard worker who''s never wanted for much, except maybe a little adventure. But when he rescues his friend Osbert from an aging and decrepit troll, Patch finds himself something of a town hero. Word of his bravery quickly spreads throughout the countryside, and Patch is summoned to the king''s castle. King Milo needs his help to wage war on a gang of trolls threatening to destroy the kingdom. Soon Patch finds himself engaged in an all-out battle against the trolls. With only the help of a fool named Simon and a maddening riddle, can Patch figure out the troll''s fatal flaw? Or is the kingdom destined to perish?

Twelve-year-old Tom, isolated on an island because of a curse that brings bad luck to anyone who comes near him.

Lucie and Elsebeth are stolen and held for ransom. Now Rudi must rescue the girls.

Als Hap in einer dunklen Höhle erwacht, kann er sich an überhaupt nichts erinnern - nicht einmal daran, wer er ist. Auch der Mann, der sich seiner annimmt, ist ihm vollkommen unbekannt: Lord Umber, zugleich Abenteurer, Erfinder und Wissenschaftler. Mit Hilfe von Boroon, einem Wal, der ein U-Boot auf dem Rücken trägt, reisen Lord Umber und Hap in die geheimnisvolle Stadt Kurahaven. Gemeinsam versuchen sie, etwas über Haps Vergangenheit herauszufinden, und stoßen auf ein Rätsel nach dem anderen: Warum kann er alle Bücher in Lord Umbers Bibliothek lesen, egal, in welcher Sprache sie geschrieben sind? Wieso kann er im Dunkeln sehen? Und wer ist dieses gruselige Ungeheuer, das Hap dicht auf den Fersen ist?

Hap ist glücklich, in Lord Umbers Felsenburg ein Zuhause gefunden zu haben - doch kaum fängt er an, das zu genießen, nimmt Umber ihn mit auf eine neue Entdeckungsfahrt, und zwar ins unheimliche Königreich Sarnica. Der dortige Herrscher ist in den Besitz von Dracheneiern gelangt - aber was hat er mit ihnen vor? Lord Umber ist fest entschlossen, sie an sich zu bringen und den Drachen dann die Freiheit zu schenken. Doch das ist nicht das einzige Abenteuer, das sie auf dieser Reise bestehen müssen: Da ist auch noch Umbers ehemaliger Bibliothekar Caspar, der von seltsamen Wesen auf einer Vulkaninsel gefangen gehalten wird ...

A boy awakens, blindfolded, with no memory of even his name, but soon meets Lord Umber, an adventurer and inventor, who calls him Happenstance and tells him that he has a very important destiny--and a powerful enemy.