Exciting adventure full of mystery, magic, elves, monsters, and the ultimate battle between good and evil. Meet Vilmos and Adrina: two strangers soon to become friends. Twelve-year old Vilmos believes that he is merely the village counselor's son with a dark gift of magic. Soon he discovers that nothing is farther from the truth. His is a power that could change his world and as his destiny is revealed, he flees his village in order to save his family.  Thirteen-year old Adrina believes that the world is as dead and dark as she feels. She dwells in the past, longing for change and an end to her sadness. Yet when change comes, she never expects what it brings and her life is transformed forever. Now as the two are swept into a dangerous web of magic, treachery, and betrayal, their choices hold the lives of many and their world in the balance. Foreword Magazine: No matter how fascinating a fantasy world is, it fails if not animated by a compelling story and Stanek gives us not just one, but three, tales. A prolific non-fiction writer, Stanek's focus on instruction influences his fiction with a penchant for clear and simple prose. He also prefers swift, action-oriented scenes. Solidly built. Stanek moves among his main characters with ease, always switching at a climactic moment to maintain suspense. The accessible, brisk language keeps things moving. Review by the YA Librarian Staff at VOYA - the leading magazine for YA librarians: Dramatic illustrations draw the reader into the Tolkienesque world of Ruin Mist, plunged into darkness after a Great War five hundred years past. Sure to attract fans of graphic novels and classic Tolkien alike. Stanek will likely draw a cult following, but his work is not for the novice fantasy reader. Despite the sophisticated plot, however, this guarantees fans, and those fans will be ready to wield their swords against the Dark Lord in Stanek's next installment. Stanek's Ruin Mist was featured in the Publisher's Weekly Cover Story in April 2009. Nearly a million people have read the Ruin Mist books. The books are available via Amazon, Audible, Playaway, OverDrive, and more than a dozen other retail and library partners. The Complete Idiots Guide to Elves and Fairies: The world of literary fiction featuring elves and fairies [has] a multitude of great authors... of these authors Robert Stanek [is one]. Ancient Art of Faery Magick: "Recommended series." I've been writing stories for 35 years and millions have read my works. If you decide to read my books, and I hope you do, one thing I hope you take with you afterward is the sense that anything's possible. You can dream. You can achieve dreams. All those years ago when I began writing, I had no idea where my dream would take me and yet I dared to dream because I believed the impossible was entirely possible. Robert Stanek is a dad, husband and author. Robert Stanek finished his first novel in 1986 and has been writing several books a year ever since. Today, he has over 150 published books, which have been read by millions. Robert Stanek's books have received many awards for excellence and outstanding contributions to the writing community. Dubbed 'A Face Behind the Future' in the 1990's by The Olympian, he's been helping to shape the future of the written word for nearly two decades. Achievements for Robert Stanek's Ruin Mist books... #1 Fiction, Audible (12 weeks, 2005)Top 50 Sci-fi/Fantasy, Amazon (26 weeks, 2002)Top 10 Fiction, Audible (25 weeks, 2005)Top 50 Fiction, Audible (52 weeks, 2005-2006)Top 10 Kids & YA, Audible (180 weeks, 2005-2007)#1 Featured Book Audible June-July 2005Featured in Cover Story, Publisher's Weekly (2009)Featured in VOYA (2007)Featured in Complete Idiots Guide to Elves and Fairies (2005)Featured in Ancient Art of Faery Magick (2005)Popular Series Fiction for Middle School and Teen Readers (2005, 2008)Top 10 Recommended Author -- SciFi Bookcase (2004 - 2012)Top 10 Book -- SciFi Bookcase (2004 - 2012)Top 20 Author -- RateItAll (2005 - 2012)A Top 100 Fantasy -- The Fantasy 100 (2005 - 2007) Robert Stanek and his books also have been in: The OlympianThe Journal of Electronic DefenseThe Publisher's Weekly Cover StoryThe Parenting MagazineVOYABookWireChildren's WriterChildren's BookshelfLibrary JournalSchool Library JournalThe News Tribune Wondering where to start reading Robert Stanek's work? Consider "The Best of Robert Stanek" list from OverDrive's "ContentWire for Libraries"...#1 The Pieces of the Puzzle#2 Keeper Martin's Tale#3 Bugville Collection #1: Visit Mom and Dad At Work, Go to School, Have a Sleepover, Visit Garden Box Farms#4 The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches#5 In the Service of Dragons#6 Journey Beyond the Beyond#7 Stormjammers: The Extraordinary Story of EW Operations in the Gulf War#8 Bugville Critters: Every Number Counts#9 Absolutes & Other Stories#10 Exploring Ruin Mist: Special Edition for "The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches" and "In the Service of Dragons" Robert