N. D. Wilson, author of Leepike Ridge and 100 Cupboards, returns with an action-packed adventure that will captivate fans of both Percy Jackson and Indiana Jones with lost civilizations, ancient secrets, and buried treasure. For two years, Cyrus and Antigone Smith have run a sagging roadside motel with their older brother, Daniel. Nothing ever seems to happen. Then a strange old man with bone tattoos arrives, demanding a specific room. Less than 24 hours later, the old man is dead. The motel has burned, and Daniel is missing. And Cyrus and Antigone are kneeling in a crowded hall, swearing an oath to an order of explorers who have long served as caretakers of the world's secrets, keepers of powerful relics from lost civilizations, and jailers to unkillable criminals who have terrorized the world for millennia.
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"N.D Wilson is one of those authors that just NAILS the characters. They are Real, they are likable, they are not cliched even for young ages.Wilson weaves terrific stories that hook you in and keep you hooked throughout.I feel no time is wasted. I can not wait for the next books!. "
— Teri (4 out of 5 stars)
" Beginning was off to a weak start but story improved. I like it enough that I will read book 2 when it's out. "
— R, 2/11/2014" I hope this series ends up being as good as the 100 cupboards was for me. "
— Holly, 2/7/2014" I really liked this book. It had mystery, action, adventure, twists and turns, everything I love in a good book. Can't wait to read the next book, and find out the answer to the things that left me hanging and sitting on the edge of my seat in this one. "
— Julie, 1/23/2014" I really wanted to like this book. I heard great things about it, but I just couldn't get into it. I was confused and didn't really care about the characters. The ending was intriguing but not enough for me to read the next book. "
— Laura, 1/22/2014" This series seems very promising. I read the first two books of N.D. Wilson's series the 100 cupboards and enjoyed them. The Ashtown Burials seem to be much more action packed. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. "
— Tracy, 1/18/2014" A fun, hard-to-put-down fantasy-adventure novel. "
— Matt, 1/11/2014" Disappointed...and I wanted to like this "
— Nate, 1/9/2014" Great book. I read it out loud to my 7 year old boy. He loved it to. The characters are likable although flawed and somewhat unpredictable. It's a fantasy story, but it keeps the genre fresh and new. It mixes in a variety of history and myth in ways I haven't seen before. "
— Michael, 1/7/2014" Amazing. Perfect combination of fantasy, action, and adventure. I reccomend it to mature readers who like fantasy. "
— Gary, 1/7/2014" Fun, fun! Can't wait for the next book in the series! "
— cassie, 12/26/2013" Mr. Wilson continues in excellence "
— Robbie, 12/21/2013" Very fun romp through amazing and scary places and people. "
— Annette, 12/14/2013" This one is just as good as ND Wilson's other series (100 cupboards). I've been searching everywhere for the sequel and have had to order it in as a special order. This'll be good Christmas holiday reading. "
— Diana, 12/9/2013" Loved it, especially the last quarter. Can't wait for the next one. "
— Lindsey, 10/30/2013" Yowza. This book is HUGE but kids are going to devour it. Fantasy, family, friendships, good vs. evil. It's all there. This is the first book in the Ashtown Burials series - I've scoured the internet and can't find how many books there will be. Review in detail to come soon. "
— katsok, 9/9/2013" Read this aloud to my 13-year-old son. We both loved it. "
— Gregory, 6/13/2013" This is a terrific middle grade fantasy. Great plot and great characters tons of action and atmosphere. Highly original, and that is refreshing! I'm going to do this one with my book club. "
— Sarah, 2/28/2013" Loved It!!! This looks to be an even better series by Wilson than the 100 Cupboards. "
— Peggy, 8/28/2012" This was a really difficult book to listen to. It jumped around a lot and got more confusing during the action scenes. A lot of stuff just didn't make sense, and it didn't flow smoothly. Harry Potter wannabe book, not nearly as good. "
— Angie, 8/15/2012" I really quite enjoyed this book; a fun romp through an interesting set of characters. Hopefully the follow-on books will be as good. "
— Marty, 6/20/2012" I picked this up after Mike read it outloud to Ian. Ian loved it. I really enjoyed it although at some parts I felt the story was a bit choppy to follow. The characters were great, I love seeing a brother and sister working together to solve problems! Hopefully the next one will be out soon. "
— Wendy, 3/20/2012" X-men meets Treasure Island with a Christian worldview. So, very good-my favorite Wilson novel so far. "
— Rebekah, 2/26/2012" I really liked this book. I am looking forward to the next one in the series. "
— Melanie, 1/24/2012" Ton of fun, thick with it. Look forward to rereading. Read again 1/13. 5+ stars. "
— Jerry, 10/25/2011" I had to really work to read this one. It just wasn't my thing. Still, some 5th / 6th graders may love it "
— Heather, 10/24/2011" Read this aloud to my 13-year-old son. We both loved it. "
— Gregory, 10/8/2011" The beginning was fantastic and then it just seemed to get bogged down and I lost interest. I might pick it back up again at a later time. "
— Amy, 9/28/2011" I'm not much of a YA lit person but N.D. Wilson's work consistently entertains. "
— Amanda, 9/13/2011" Outstanding. More gripping than Norm Abrams' entire vise collection (though not nearly as much as my entire vice collection). Distressing to realize that it'll be a long wait till the next installment and nigh unto eternity before the series is finished. *sigh*<br/> "
— Valerie, 9/5/2011" Great fun. Looking forward to the second installment. "
— Bennett, 9/5/2011" Draws you into a imaginative fantasy world and keeps you turning the pages. Great escape for 12 year-olds (like my son) or 42 year-olds like me. Really looking forward to the rest of the series. "
— doug, 8/26/2011" For professional review. (personal note: It was <em>AWESOME</em>!!) "
— Alissa, 8/24/2011" Love this book. Love it. Adventure, plenty of humor, suspense, you name it. Gets better as it goes along. The characters have gumption and moxie, too. "
— Taylor, 8/23/2011" Awesome new book by N.D. Wilson! I could not put it down and am anxious for the next installment! My 9 year old son read it in 2 days and keeps asking me what I think will happen in the next book. This is my favorite adventure story I have read in a long time. "
— Hope, 6/17/2011N. D. Wilson is the bestselling author of the Ashtown Burials series. When he was a kid, he spent nearly a year living in his grandparents’ attic. If there were cupboards in those walls, he never found them. He and his wife live in Idaho, along with their five young explorers.