From the co-creator of the groundbreaking television show Twin Peaks comes an exciting adventure series with a unique combination of mystery, heart-pounding action, and the supernatural. Meet your new action-adventure addiction!Will West is careful to live life under the radar. At his parents' insistence, he's made sure to get mediocre grades and to stay in the middle of the pack on his cross-country team. Then Will slips up, accidentally scoring off the charts on a nationwide exam.
Now Will is being courted by an exclusive prep school . . . and followed by men driving black sedans. When Will suddenly loses his parents, he must flee to the school. There he begins to explore all that he's capable of--physical and mental feats that should be impossible--and learns that his abilities are connected to a struggle between titanic forces that has lasted for millennia.
MARK FROST studied directing and playwriting at Carnegie Mellon University. He partnered with David Lynch to create and executive produce the groundbreaking television series
Twin Peaks. Frost cowrote the screenplays for the films
Fantastic Four and
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. He is also the
New York Times bestselling author of eight previous books, including
The List of Seven, The Second Objective, The Greatest Game Ever Played, and
The Match.
Chris Columbus, director of Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone:"Mark Frost has created a wonderfully inventive and exciting tale where one exceptional teenager must discover the truth about his family . . . and himself. The mysteries are unexpected and the mythology is impressively original. A remarkably suspenseful ride. I can’t wait for the next installment!"
Booklist, September 15, 2012:"Frost, screenwriter and cocreator of the innovative TV series
Twin Peaks, joins the parade of adult authors trying their hands at YA books with this first in a planned series. Making an assured transition, Frost delivers an addictive Jason Bourne/Pittacus Lore/Harry Potter mash-up. Teen Will West has shaped his life by his father’s “Rules to Live By,” especially number three: “Don’t Draw Attention to Yourself.” Throughout many moves, Will has learned to appear mediocre until one morning, when he learns that he has scored off the charts on a national test and is offered a full scholarship to an exclusive prep school. After receiving a terrifying text from his father, Will flees to the school only to discover that he and his new roommates possess hidden talents and are linked to an ancient struggle for world domination. Nonstop action and a richly layered plot propel a breakneck pace, and if the characters fit a tried-and-true trope, the skillful dialogue and touches of humor make that easy to overlook. A cliff-hanger ending will have readers begging for the sequel."
Alamosa Books, Albuquerque, New Mexico:"Anybody who loves adventure, thriller, or mystery must have this book! I don’t have the time to reread anymore. But I’ve already made time to read this twice. And I want to give it a third go. This is the best adventure book I have read in years. I can just see Dad’s Rules going viral. Best read the book before the obscure numbered tweets show up!"
Ashley (booknook)'s Reviews on GoodReads.com"This book totally awed me. It’s like Harry Potter school fantasy meets kids-save-the-world Percy Jackson meets mind-blowing 'OH MY GOD I WANT THAT' technology meets the page-turning awe that is Dan Brown conspiracy, history-brought-to-life, secret society. Put it all together and you get this incredibly original story that will suck you in and won’t let you go."
The Book Stall, Chicago"
The Paladin Prophecy blends terror and comedy into one fast-paced, adrenaline-inducing must-read. Readers will stay up into the small hours of the morning to finish, and then the first thing on their minds will be, 'When does the sequel come out?'"
Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2012:"New school and new mental powers meet ancient mysteries and ancient war."
Publishers Weekly, July 23, 2012:"Frost, adult author and
Twin Peaks co-creator, makes his YA debut with this densely plotted thriller, first in a trilogy. His story has serious entertainment value and pulls together satisfyingly by book's end, while laying the groundwork for the sequels."
The New York Times, November 11, 2012:"Mark Frost, a co-creator, with David Lynch, of the seminal 1990s series "Twin Peaks," is no stranger to the art of suspense. It's unsurprising, then, that "The Paladin Prophecy," his first venture into young adult literature (he's written nine books for adults), contains thrills and plot twists in spades... A superhero coming-of-age tale... Heart-pounding... Breakneck pace... This is young adult literature as popcorn blockbuster."
A Kids' Indie Next List Pick, Autumn 2012
A Virginia Readers' Choice master list selection, 2013.
