The #1 bestselling Ruin Mist books finally back in print for the 20th Anniversary have been translated into 17 languages and sold over 5 million copies worldwide! A dark shadow has been cast across the known lands. War sweeps through the divided nations of men and elves. There is great despair for the future of men, for if the greatest of all kingdoms can fail there can be no hope in tomorrow's tomorrow for any man in any land. Yet there is deeper despair amongst the elven peoples where for the first time in recorded history the elves of the West and East are at war with each other. In such a dark time, there can be little hope, and yet there are those who do hold out hope. Hope that the righteous and just will prevail. Hope that tomorrow's tomorrow will bring a better day. But turning back the tides is as unlikely as turning back time. What's done is done. The Alder King is dead, murdered by his enemies--the very enemies that have taken the heart of his kingdom and with it the kingdom itself. There can be no doubt that an enemy king has extended his reach and taken the prize he so coveted. Yet the thing he prized above all else--the thing that spurned him--has escaped his grasp. Other things have escaped his grasp as well. In those things lies the hope for a future without tyranny--a hope for the peoples of Ruin Mist; and to win freedom is to win the future. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A gifted and distinguished writer, respected and skilled teacher and recipient of our nation's highest flying honor, the Distinguished Flying Cross, Robert Stanek wrote over 200 books of both fiction and nonfiction in his 30-year career. Although his works were published and/or distributed by nearly every major US publisher, Robert operated against the grain and became the first breakout author of the digital publishing movement. The first to serialize an ebook, the first to e-author a bestseller, and the first to e-author a digital audio bestseller. Robert is the recipient of multiple awards recognizing his outstanding contributions and excellence in writing, and a recent nominee for a Lifetime Achievement award. Translated into 57 languages, Robert Stanek's books have sold nearly 20 million copies worldwide.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 2005 Featured 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 is one of our most featured and respected Kids & Young Adults authors." -- The Audio Book Store "Word of mouth turned it into a bestseller. Very satisfying." -- The Fantasy Guide "Recommended series."-- Ancient Art of Faery Magick"Stanek augments the beginning of this complex tale with illustrations that are sure to attract fans of graphic novels and classic Tolkien alike." -- VOYA - the leading magazine for YA librarians."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." -- Foreword Magazine