Michael Cadnum

A teenage boy searches for revenge on the streets of Oakland The battle is nearly over. The outsiders-who came to Oakland looking for excitement-are about to get back on the highway and go home. But they hurt 1 of Zach's friends, and he can't let that stand. He hurls a chunk of concrete at their car, starting a fight that turns into a riot. The police flood the streets with teargas, and Zach gets lost in the chaos. In the melee, he finds something...

The king is killed on a shadowy summer day-and his servant becomes an outlaw On an August day in 1100, King William II of England goes hunting. At the side of the notorious monarch is his loyal servant, Walter Tyrrell, who is ranked among the finest archers in the kingdom. Riding through the New Forest, the king is separated from his party. Tyrrell lets loose a shot at what he thinks is a passing stag, but his arrow buries itself in the king's chest...

Driven by something she cannot understand, a teenager tells a dangerous lie In the last 16 days, 7 women have been assaulted by the South Bay rapist, and the students of UC Berkeley walk to class in fear. To the campus, he's a terror. To Jennifer, he's an opportunity. An overindulged high school student who feels unable to escape her older sister's shadow, Jennifer is desperate for attention-no matter how she gets it. To steal the spotlight from her...

Collector Benjamin Byrd has added a new and eerie item to his archives: a set of fangs embedded in silver. As he grows more and more obsessed with his new treasure, he finds himself experiencing dreams and visionary adventures. Soon, Benjamin's normal, successful routine is transformed beyond anything he ever imagined; he has to confront the truth that he is no longer simply human. This powerful and lyrical story brings into our own day-to-day lives...

A young warrior sets out to rescue a Viking princess On the frosty coast of Scandinavia, the greatest warriors are the berserkers-men chosen by the god Odin to perform superhuman feats of strength, obliterating their enemies with the frenzied passion of a wild bear. More than anything, Gauk wishes to join their ranks. On a hunting trip in the blighted North, his best friend is slain by a bear, and Gauk is forced to kill the great animal. As he dons...

From the jungles of Panama to the gold fields of California, a young man searches for justice In 1849, there are 2 ways to reach California: overland or by sea. Traveling by land is safer-a long, slow journey across the American plains-but the water is faster. Would-be prospectors in a hurry to reach California and strike it rich, sail down the Atlantic, cross the deadly jungles of Panama on foot, and proceed north by boat to find their fortune. Willie...

Sailing from California to Hawaii, Susannah, her family, and a crewman are driven by a vicious storm into the path of a drifting powerboat. The ghostly boat carries the bodies of two drug runners and a huge stash of money. For the sailors, stealing the sordid treasure changes everything, causing dissent and division, compromising each of them, and putting their futures at risk. Because now they are being pursued by the worst enemies imaginable, including...

This collection of deftly rearranged myths and fairy tales, including six original stories, rekindles the excitement of adored childhood adventures. National Endowment for the Arts recipient Michael Cadnum creates twice-told narratives revealed through their supporting casts, from the protective giantess at the top of the beanstalk to an extremely bratty Gingerbread Man.

A 17-year-old Viking learns the horrible nature of warfare during his first raid The warriors of Lidsmod's village live for war. When the waters thaw, they set their ships upon the waves, ranging up and down the coasts of Scandinavia in search of loot and throats to cut. In this culture built on violence, songs are sung of bloody battles and fallen warriors are rewarded with a lifetime in Valhalla. Today, Lidsmod will join the fray. In the newly built Raven,...

A champion diver fights to conquer her fears and get back on the board Bonnie is doing a reverse 2-and-a-half somersault when her forehead hits the diving board. She sinks into the pool, unconscious, sucking water into her lungs. When her teammates pull her up, they think she's dead. Bonnie's coach pumps her chest, breathing air into her lungs until Bonnie's eyes open, and she can breathe by herself. Her head is bloody, her face a bruised mess. She's...