The mysterious Stalkers show up at almost the same instant 12-year-old Aiden Cain's grandmother dies. Following his grandmother's instructions, Aiden decides to seek out a powerful sorcerer at Melstone House. Yet when he arrives, he discovers the man died a year earlier. Melstone House now belongs to the sorcerer's adult grandson Andrew, who agrees to help Aiden with the Stalker problem. But then other problems come up: a creepy neighbor is stealing power from the land, and magic is leaking between the realms. Dealing with these issues would be so much easier-if only Andrew could remember anything his grandfather taught him about magic. Fantasy legend Diana Wynne Jones, who has captivated young listeners for generations, delivers a compelling and humorous adventure. Steven Crossley's narration captures the excitement and wonder as newly acquainted characters work together to prevent terrible consequences. "Jones hits all the bases with her fluid storytelling, trademark sly humor, and exquisitely drawn characters . With this enthralling book, Jones proves that she is still at the top of her game."-Booklist, starred review
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"This is my first Diana Wynne Jones, and I loved it! I would have given it 5 stars, but for some reason the use of the word "relief" annoyed me. So 4 stars it is. "
— Hanneke (4 out of 5 stars)
“She’s the best children’s writer of the last forty year. I read her latest book, Enchanted Glass, and marveled once again at how good she is. It’s a tale of magic, double-dealing, subversion and plot, not to mention giant vegetables and dangerous fairies.”
— Neil Gaiman, Newbery Award–winning author of The Graveyard Book“One of the foremost living children’s fantasy writers, Jones serves up a quirky comedy of magicians dealing with an incursion of troublesome fairies in contemporary England.”
— Publishers Weekly“Steven Crossley’s narration makes Melstone House, with its enchanted glass, a place the listener wants to visit—and stay…Character rich? Yes, and Crossley nails each one.”
— AudioFile“Jones hits all the bases, combining fluid storytelling, sly humor, and exquisitely drawn characters…This enthralling book proves that Jones is still at the top of her game.”
— Booklist (starred review)“This book is filled with the author’s singular brand of humor, found in and not at the expense of her characters…Miles above most current fantasy.”
— School Library Journal" I really miss Diana Wynn Jones. The world is not as awesome. "
— Teresa, 5/17/2011" Fun little story. It made me smile at the end. Good quick listen. Great author and the actor narrating it was great too. "
— Crystl, 4/18/2011" There's just something about Diana Wynne Jones. I love the way she writes. I love her imagination. I love how engaging her stories are. "
— Karina, 4/9/2011" I was really enjoying this book (4*), but then I felt the ending was lacking .. something. |: "
— olittlebear, 4/3/2011" Probably 3.5 - cute, but a bit light. Good characters, though. "
— Emma, 2/23/2011Diana Wynne Jones (1934–2011) was an internationally bestselling British fantasy author. She was best known for her children’s books but also wrote anthologies, short stories, and nonfiction works for both children and adults. She has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, the Guardian Award for Children’s Books, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. She has also been a runner-up for the British Carnegie Medal twice. A number of her novels have been adapted into movies, both for the big screen and for television. Her book Howl’s Moving Castle was made into a Japanese animated movie by filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. Among her most well-known works are the Chrestomanci series, the Derkholm series, and The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, which won the Hugo Award for Nonfiction.
Steven Crossley, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, has built a career on both sides of the Atlantic as an actor and audiobook narrator, for which he has won more than a dozen AudioFile Earphones Awards and been a nominee for the prestigious Audie Award. He is a member of the internationally renowned theater company Complicite and has appeared in numerous theater, television, film, and radio dramas.