Acclaimed author P. W. Catanese presents Happenstance Found, the first in the rollicking Books of Umber fantasy series. Happenstance, a boy with unusual green eyes, awakens with no memories. Falling in with the adventurer Lord Umber and his band of misfits, this boy with many uncanny gifts soon discovers that he may be the strangest one of all.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8 This is a true roller coaster of a book, starting with sea-giants and ending with soul crabs (surely one of the creepier inventions in recent literary history), with plenty of loops and drops and zero-g moments in between. The mostly ebullient Lord Umber and his unusual ward, Happenstance, experience one adventure after another some simply to feed Umber's insatiable need to learn about his world, others with more complicated purposes. At home, the future of the crown is in some doubt. Umber is concerned, but the opportunity to study dragons is irresistible, so he and Hap, along with the incurably honest Oates and some new and/or unusual friends, travel to Sarnica, a kingdom ruled by a corrupt king and his worse son. They soon find themselves caught up in a civil war. Catanese has imagination to spare, with new wonders around every corner. A few scenes of war, slavery, and animal abuse may disturb some readers, though more is implied than actually described. Youngsters learn something of Happenstance's background and get a taste of Umber's early days, but only enough of both to whet appetites for the next book. Familiarity with the first book isn't necessary, but readers will want to get their hands on it after reading this one. Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library
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From Booklist

Young Happenstance has had enough excitement to last a lifetime, but his peripatetic mentor, Lord Umber, is constantly curious. Thus, they are off again in search of mysteries, bidmis, and dragon games. No smooth sailing here, as danger looms at every turn and not even kings are safe. Round two in the Books of Umber delivers more imaginative adventures and tantalizing hints about Hap’s past and Umber’s hopes for him. Catanese is still laying groundwork (the assassination subplot sits apart from the main story), but readers will find plenty of satisfying action and lots of narrow escapes. Grades 5-8. --Cindy Welch

Product Description

The adventures of Happenstance and Umber reach their epic, surprising, and emotional conclusion. As Happenstance struggles to master his unusual abilities, he realizes that time is running out -- because Umber's rivals threaten to undo all the good he has achieved, while an unexpected new enemy with terrible destructive power approaches the kingdom.

About the Author

P. W. (Paul William) Catanese was born in New York and grew up in Connecticut, where he lives with his wife and three children. When he's not writing books, he draws cartoons and works for an advertising agency.

Interestingly, the letters in "P. W. Catanese" can be rearranged to spell "want escape?" Paul figures that's why people read books like his.

Libanese, der Straßenjunge mit Killerinstinkt, begegnet 1976 im Gefängnis dem
Camorra-Boss Pasquale 'o Miracolo, Statthalter des Cutolo-Clans in Rom.
Es gelingt ihm, die Gunst des angeberischen Mafiosos zu gewinnen, der ihm einen verlockenden
Deal vorschlägt: die Beteiligung am Veräußern einer Schiffsladung Heroin.
Libanese wittert das Geschäft seines Lebens, doch fehlen ihm die nötigen 300 Millionen
Lire Eintrittskapital. Ohne Skrupel unternimmt er alles, um an Geld zu kommen:
Er bedient sich seiner Geliebten Giada, der dunkelhaarigen Schönheit aus der römischen
Oberschicht. Er pokert mit höchstem Risiko, setzt auf Pferdewetten und landet
schließlich den entscheidenden Coup: Die Entführung eines mächtigen römischen
Baulöwen.
Giancarlo De Cataldo, Richter in Rom, beschreibt den Aufstieg des Chefs der berüchtigten
Magliana-Bande basierend auf Prozessakten.
Unerbittlich, rasant, atmosphärisch dicht - und gleichzeitig eine Hommage an die
ewige Stadt und ihre dunklen Vorstadtstraßen.