Gabriel Finley And The Lord Of Air And Darkness

This exciting, emotionally rich middle grade fantasy continues the adventures of Gabriel Finley and the Raven's Riddle—which has been compared to Harry Potter, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials. Gabriel Finley is longing to find his mother, who vanished without a trace when he was just a baby. Along with Gabriel's raven, Paladin—with whom he has a magical bond that enables them to become one creature and FLY!—and his three friends, he ventures back to the ruined underground city of Aviopolis to free her from the rune in which she has been imprisoned. But Aviopolis is home to Corax, the Lord of Air and Darkness, who is also Gabriel's uncle. And before Tabitha Finley is released, Gabriel must answer a riddle...or else be imprisoned for eternity within a rune himself. Praise for Gabriel Finley and the Raven's Riddle: "Both startling and moving—a vivid, compelling fantasy." —Norton Juster, author of The Phantom Tollbooth "Enchanting." —Pseudonymous Bosch, The New York Times "A great read for fantasy lovers who have worn out their copies of Harry Potter." —School Library Journal, Starred "A first-rate fantasy for middle-grade readers. Like Harry Potter,...Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series,...and Trenton Lee Stewart's Mysterious Benedict Society books." —Booklist, Starred "Not to be missed." —Publishers Weekly, Starred

“A first-rate fantasy for middle-grade readers,” declares Booklist in a starred review, comparing Gabriel Finley to Harry Potter, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series, and The Mysterious Benedict Society. A tangle of ingenious riddles, a malevolent necklace called a torc, and flocks of menacing birds: these are just some of the obstacles that stand between Gabriel and his father, Adam Finley, who has vanished from their Brooklyn brownstone. When Gabriel rescues an orphaned baby raven named Paladin, he discovers a family secret: Finleys can bond with ravens in extraordinary ways. Along with Paladin and three valiant friends, Gabriel sets out to bring his father home. They soon discover that Adam is being held captive by the evil demon Corax—half man, half raven, and Adam’s very own disgraced brother—in a foreboding netherworld of birds called Aviopolis. With help from his army of ghoulish minions, the valravens, Corax is plotting to take over the land above, and now only Gabriel stands in his way. “A vivid, compelling fantasy that sends you off to a world you will not soon forget.” —Norton Juster, author of The Phantom Tollbooth “A great read for fantasy lovers who have worn out their copies of Harry Potter.” —School Library Journal, Starred “Brimful of antic energy and inventive flair, like the best middle-grade fantasies; readers, like baby birds, will devour it and clamor for future installments.” —Kirkus Reviews