#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • THE SECOND BOOK IN THE LANDMARK NEW FANTASY SERIES THAT BEGAN WITH IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES “Rundell is back with a sequel . . . which offers magical thrills for young readers and adults alike.”—The New York Times Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, smash hit Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)! *This spectacular book features foil and embossing on the jacket, full-color designed endpapers, and brilliant stained edges* Christopher Forrester woke to find a dragon chewing on his face—and his heart leapt for joy! He’d been dreaming of going back to the Archipelago, the secret cluster of islands where all the creatures of myth still live, and here was his summons. But there is a poison spreading in the Archipelago. Rooting it out will involve a daring rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, a stealthy entrance to a dragon’s lair, and a death-defying plan to save a prisoner held in the heart of a castle. At the center of this storm is Anya: a small girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket, and a ravenous hunger for justice. Katherine Rundell’s second thrilling installment in the Impossible Creatures series involves castles, dragons, and revenge—the things of which great stories are made. The splendors within are brought to life with fifty illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures. A GOOD HOUSEKEEPING KIDS' BOOK AWARD • A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR

The Poisoned King

'Katherine Rundell returns with a perfect fantasy' Telegraph ** BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS' AWARD WINNER ** The unmissable new story in the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling Impossible Creatures series, for fans of Philip Pullman, Percy Jackson and Skandar. 'There was Tolkien, there is Pullman and now there is Katherine Rundell' - Michael Morpurgo When Christopher Forrester is unexpectedly woken by a miniature dragon chewing on his face, his heart leaps for joy. For months he's dreamed of returning to the Archipelago - the secret islands where all the creatures of myth still live. But he did not know it would involve a rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, or a plan to enter a dragon's lair. Nor did he imagine it would involve a girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket and a ravenous hunger for justice... Awards and praise for Impossible Creatures WINNER Waterstones Book of the Year WINNER British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year WINNER Foyles Children's Book of the Year WINNER Books Are My Bag Readers Award 'A book stuffed full of fantastical, magical delight' - Cressida Cowell 'Readers will seize this with delight' - Philip Pullman 'A masterpiece to rival Tolkien' - Daily Telegraph 'Every sentence sparkles ... Magnificent' - The Times Impossible Creatures Sunday Times bestseller, December 2023

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • THE SECOND BOOK IN THE LANDMARK NEW FANTASY SERIES THAT BEGAN WITH IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES “Rundell is back with a sequel . . . which offers magical thrills for young readers and adults alike.”—The New York Times Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, smash hit Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)! Christopher Forrester woke to find a dragon chewing on his face—and his heart leapt for joy! He’d been dreaming of going back to the Archipelago, the secret cluster of islands where all the creatures of myth still live, and here was his summons. But there is a poison spreading in the Archipelago. Rooting it out will involve a daring rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, a stealthy entrance to a dragon’s lair, and a death-defying plan to save a prisoner held in the heart of a castle. At the center of this storm is Anya: a small girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket, and a ravenous hunger for justice. Katherine Rundell’s second thrilling installment in the Impossible Creatures series involves castles, dragons, and revenge—the things of which great stories are made. The splendors within are brought to life with fifty illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures. A GOOD HOUSEKEEPING KIDS' BOOK AWARD• A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR

A new account of one of Rome's most relentless but least understood foes. Claiming Alexander the Great and Darius of Persia as ancestors, Mithradates inherited a wealthy Black Sea kingdom at age fourteen after his mother poisoned his father. He fled into exile and returned in triumph to become a ruler of superb intelligence and fierce ambition. Hailed as a savior by his followers and feared as a second Hannibal by his enemies, he envisioned a grand Eastern empire to rival Rome. After massacring eighty thousand Roman citizens in 88 BC, he seized Greece and modern-day Turkey. Fighting some of the most spectacular battles in ancient history, he dragged Rome into a long round of wars and threatened to invade Italy itself. His uncanny ability to elude capture and surge back after devastating losses unnerved the Romans, while his mastery of poisons allowed him to foil assassination attempts and eliminate rivals.--From publisher description.

The Poison King

Impossible Creatures - the Poisoned King

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