Tom Holt Books

Told in multiple voices, four summer school classmates band together to save their teacher and their academic futures after Ms J.'s unorthodox teaching methods are questioned.

2020 Odyssey Honor Award, 2020 Rainbow Booklist Title, NCTE 2020 Notable Poetry Book, and ALSC Notable Children's Recordings highlight this universal story about finding comfort in one's own skin. When Kate and Tam meet, their worlds shift unexpectedly. Initially, Tam perceives Kate as a typical cheerleader, while Kate views Tam as just another tall jock. However, as they keep encountering each other, they reveal surprising depths. Beneath Kate's polished exterior, Tam discovers a goofy, sensitive, and lonely girl. In turn, Kate realizes that Tam is much more than a volleyball player—she embodies everything Kate wishes she could be. Their connection is genuine, but not everyone understands it. This novel in verse explores two girls navigating their feelings for each other in a sincere and relatable manner, allowing young readers to connect with the story. The text features a unique presentation that beautifully intertwines two first-person narratives. K.A. Holt, the author of several acclaimed books for young people, resides in Austin, Texas. Critics praise the work as a "glowing, heartfelt addition to the middle-grade LGBTQ genre," with accessible free verse narration that highlights the characters' parallel journeys. This moving story is an excellent choice for middle school students and preteens aged 10-14.

Witty, ironic ... and achieves a deeply felt authenticity' NEW YORK TIMES schovat popis

A new J. W. Wells & Co. novel from Tom Holt. For fans of The Portable Door.

When Jordan does not make the cut for the dance show Fierce Across America, he pairs up with schoolmate Casey, leader of the dance team, who believes her dance skills and Jordan's choreography will make them an unbeatable team.

GEORGE meets MS. BIXBY'S LAST DAY in this funny, meaningful novel-in-verse, the second in a new series from bestselling author K.A. Holt.

Two fantastic comic fantasies - MY HERO and WHO'S AFRAID OF BEOWULF? - reissued with brilliant new cover style.

The latest madcap comic fantasy from one of Britain's funniest writers.

A heart-warming tale of Armageddon from one of the funniest, most original voices in comic fiction today . . . The third planet out from the star was blue, with green splodges. Dirt. Oh, the bomb thought. And then its courage, determination and nobility-of-spirit subroutines cut in, overriding everything else, adrenalizing its command functions and bypassing its cyberphrenetic nodes. Here goes, said the bomb to itself. Calibrate navigational pod. Engage primary thrusters. Ready auxiliary drive. It knew, in that moment, that its own doom was near; because it was giving itself orders, and it wasn't putting in any 'the's. That was what you did, apparently, when the moment came. You could also turn on a flashing red beacon and a siren, but mercifully these were optional. Oh #/$+! thought the bomb, and surged on towards Dirt like an avenging angel.

A wickedly funny new comic fantasy novel featuring the further adventures of Paul Carpenter, hero of THE PORTABLE DOOR.

Across the Channel, the battle rages ... On the Tilling front, another battle is being fought-the constant war of wits and social ascendancy between Lucia Pillson and Elizabeth Mapp-Flint. Lucia, with her superior style, timeless elegance, occasional low cunning and husband Georgie-whose talent for transforming powdered eggs and canned meat into gourmet fare has turned him into a minor celebrity-invariably wins the day. Although Elizabeth may have lost a battle or two, she definitely hasn't lost the war-until she carelessly gives Lucia the ultimate weapon against her, upsetting the balance of power in Lucia's favor. But how long will Lucia be able to retain the admiration of all Tilling if her power remains unchecked? After all, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Originally published in 1985, Lucia in Wartime is the first of Tom Holt's officially sanctioned sequels to the hilarious "Lucia" novels of E.F. Benson.

Colin Hollinghead is a young man going nowhere fast. Working for his dad might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but starting at the bottom in the widget-making industry has, predictably, lost its appeal. And now the business is in trouble. At least his father has a plan to turn things around—a new work force that will improve profit margins and secure the company

In 1037, a senior civil servant of the Byzantine empire faces a tedious journey to Greece, escorting the Army payroll. His only companions are a detachment of the Empire's elite Guard, recruited from Viking Scandinavia. When the wagon sheds a wheel, he passes the time talking with two veterans, who have a remarkable story to tell; the Viking discovery of America.As he records the story, years later, he also considers its effect on the fourth member of the party; a young Norwegian guardsman who went on to become King Harald Hardradi, who died invading England in 1066 ...

Something is about to go wrong. Very wrong. What do you expect if the Supreme Being decides to get away from it all for a few days, leaving his naturally inquisitive son to look after the cosmic balance of things? A minor hiccup with a human soul and a welding machine soon leads to a violent belch, and before you know it the human condition—not to mention the lemming condition—is tumbling down the slippery slope to chaos.

The course of true love never runs smooth - particularly when there's a goblin in the way! A wickedly funny new comic fantasy novel.

The last Norse king of Caithness, Hrolf Earthstar and his 12 champions are woken from a centuries-long sleep when an archaeologist finds their grave. He decides to carry on his ancient war against the Sourcerer-King, and must face such perils as BBC film crews and the Bakerloo line along the way.

Two fantastic comic fantasies - FLYING DUTCH and FAUST AMONG EQUALS - reissued with brilliant new cover style. schovat popis

All he did was run over a badger - sad, but hardly catastrophic. But it wasn't Malcolm Fisher's day, for the badger turned out to be none other than Inglof, last of the Giants. With his dying breath, he reluctantly handed to Malcolm two Gifts of Power, and made him ruler of the world.But can Malcolm cope with the responsibilty? Whilst averting wars, plagues and famines, he also has to protect himself against gods, dwarves, valkyries and other nefarious manifestations of the Dark Ages - none of whom think he is right for the job ...

Another omnibus contains two of Tom Holt's hilarious fantasy novels. In Paint Your Dragon, Sculptress Bianca Wilson is a living legend. St. George is also a legend, but not living. However, when Bianca’s sculpture of the patron saint and his scaly chum gets a bit too lifelike, it opens up a new can of wyrms. The dragon knows that in the battle between Good and Evil, Evil got a raw deal and is looking to set the record straight. And George (who cheated) thinks the record’s just fine as it is. In Open Sesame, something is wrong. Just as the boiling water was about to be poured on his head and the man with the red book appeared, Akram the Terrible, the most feared thief in Baghdad, knew that this had happened before. Many times. And he was damned if he was going to let it happen again. Just because he was a fictional character, it didn’t mean it always had to end this way.

An hilarious comic fantasy novel from the most inventive writer in the field - revealing, for the first time, why it's always raining!

Two hilarious comic fantasies in one armour-plated, broadsword-wielding volume!

The third book to follow the hilarious adventures of Paul Carpenter - Tom Holt at his inventive best.

Duncan's boss doesn't think that he's cut out to be a lawyer. He isn't a pack animal. He lacks the killer instinct. But when his best friend from school barges his way back into Duncan's life, with a full supporting cast of lawyers, ex-wives, zombies and snow-white unicorns, it's not long before things become distinctly unsettling. Hairy, even

Two thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six years ago a group of men ran between two piles of stones, and invented sport. If, that is, its history can be believed. The first ever Olympic Games in 776BC were apparently so memorable that all Western chronology is based on them. All we know about them is the name of the man who won the race. Over two and a half millennia later, it's about time somebody told the story. OLYMPIAD is an enthralling and beguiling historical novel full of adventure and misadventure. It will confirm Tom Holt's place as an innovative, challenging and wonderfully entertaining writer of historical fiction. Essential reading for all fans of Tom Holt and historical fiction.

Another omnibus joins together two of Tom Holt's popular fantasy stories. In Wish You Were Here, it’s a busy day on Lake Chicopee. But it was a mixed bunch of sightseers that had the strange local residents rubbing their hands with delight. But most promising of all, there was Wesley Higgins, the young man from Birmingham, who was there because he knew the legend of the ghost of Okeewana. All he had to do was immerse himself in the waters of the lake and he would find his heart’s desire. Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. In Djinn Rummy, we learn that in an aspirin bottle, nobody can hear you scream. Outside an aspirin bottle, however, things are somewhat different. And when Kayaguchiya Integrated Circuits III, a Force Twelve genie with an attitude, is released after 14 years of living with two dozen white tablets, there’s bound to be trouble.

Two fantastic comic fantasies - EXPECTING SOMEONE TALLER and YE GODS! - available for the first time in one volume.

Polly is a real estate solicitor. She is also losing her mind. Someone keeps drinking her coffee. And talking to her clients. And doing her job. And when she goes to the dry cleaner's to pick up her dress for the party, it's not there. Not the dress - the dry cleaner's. And then there are the chickens who think they are people. Something strange is definitely going on - and it's going to take more than a magical ring to sort it out. From one of the funniest voices in comic fiction today comes a hilarious tale of pigs and parallel worlds.

From the master of comic fantasy, a new reason to find technology terrifying. There are all kinds of products. The good ones. The bad ones. The ones that stay in the garage moldering for years until your garden gnome makes a home out of it. Most are harmless if handled properly, even if they do contain traces of peanuts. But some are not—not the ones that contain traces of magic. Chris Popham wasn

A suburban house, a child called Jason who strangles large snakes whilst still in his cot, the Olympian gods and a Girl Next Door are the ingredients of this fantasy by Tom Holt, author of Flying Dutch and Expecting Someone Taller . Being a hero bothers Jason. It's easy to get maladjusted when your mum's a suburban housewife and your dad's the Supreme Being. It can be a drag slaying fabulous monsters and retrieving golden fleeces from dragons, and then having to tidy your room before your mum'll let you watch Star Trek .

An absurdly witty novel of alternate universes and very unlikely heroes from one of Britain's best-loved comic writers - perfect for fans of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett

Mordak isn't bad, as far as goblin kings go, but when someone, or something, starts pumping gold into the human kingdoms it puts his rule into serious jeopardy. Suddenly he's locked in an arms race with a species whose arms he once considered merely part of a calorie-controlled diet. Helped by an elf with a background in journalism and a masters degree in being really pleased with herself, Mordak sets out to discover what on earth (if indeed, that's where he is) is going on. He knows that the truth is out there. If only he could remember where he put it

As everyone knows, when great warriors die, their reward is eternal life in Odin’s bijou little residence known as Valhalla. But Valhalla has just changed. It has grown. It has diversified. Just like any corporation, the Valhalla Group has had to adapt to survive. Unfortunately, not even an omniscient Norse god could have prepared Valhalla for the arrival of Carol Kortright, one-time cocktail waitress, last seen dead, and not at all happy. Valhalla is a sparkling comic fantasy from a writer who can turn misery into joy, darkness into light, and water into a very pleasant lime cordial.

Now published for the first time in an omnibus edition, this book contains two of Tom Holt’s most hilarious comic fantasies. In Here Comes the Sun, the sun rises late, dirty, and so badly in need of service, it’s a wonder it gets up at all. The moon’s going to be scrapped presently, and a new one commissioned—but they’ve been saying that for years. All is not well with the universe, and it’s because the mortals are running the show. It’s time for a Higher Power to take charge. In Odds and Gods, we find that it’s a god’s life at the Sunnyvoyde Residential Home for Retired Deities. Everlasting life can be a real drag when all you’ve got to look forward to is cauliflower cheese on Wednesdays. But things are about to change, because those almighty duffers Thor, Odin, and Frey have restored a thousand-year-old traction engine—and it actually works. Then there’s Osiris, preparing for a quest that will test his wheelchair to its very limits. Only one thing might save the world. Dentures.

A hilarious comic fantasy novel from the most inventive writer in the field.

The sun rises late, dirty and so badly in need of a service it's a wonder it gets up at all. The moon's going to be scrapped soon and a new one commisioned - but then, they've been saying that for years...All is not well with the universe, and though there's a hell of a tidying up job to be organised after some carelessness with earthquakes and tidal waves, surely it's crazy to get mortals to run the show? Things may be bad, but isn't that going to extremes?The irrepressible Tom Holt hits the mark yet again with a dazzling foray into fantasy ... of the hilarious kind.

Things have been going pretty badly for Theo Bernstein. An unfortunate accident at work lost him his job (and his work involved a Very Very Large Hadron Collider, so he's unlikely to get it back). His wife has left him. And he doesn't have any money.

Guy is a Mosquito pilot in World War II. He is surprised when his dead co-pilot apparently starts speaking to him as they are flying over Northern France. And before you can say Bomber Harris , Guy finds himself caught up in time and travel, a search for Richard the Lionheart and a damsel.

A story of overlords, underlings and inhuman resources, The Outsorcerer's Apprentice isthe hilarious new novel from comic fantasist Tom Holt.

When Tom Holt's on form, the world seems a much cheerier place' SFXA dazzling comic fantasy novel from one of Britain's sharpest, funniest writers. schovat popis

Told in text messages, middle-schooler Ava is having a really bad day: her parents are getting divorced, she has had a big argument with her best friends, and the charge on her cellphone is getting low; but things are about to get a lot worse because the lockdown alarm has just gone off, and there is an intruder in the school building.

Brilliant and outrageously funny comic fantasy - Tom Holt on top form. schovat popis

In a world torn apart by hatred and fear, only the strongest will survive… Short, fast-paced, and priced to go, this futuristic thriller is Tom Holt at his most compulsively readable. " There was one lying in the road when I got there. She was dead. No need to look up close. You can tell from twenty yards away, when they're lying like that ." Nobody knows where they come from. Nobody knows what they want. The creatures are killing humans for meat, and nobody, it seems, can stop them. Now one man—a hunter by trade—has trapped one of the creatures. Under the ground, they face each other. And only one of them will get out alive.

Jane ist Fantasy-Autorin - zwar eine mehr oder weniger mittelmäßige, doch hindert dies ihre Figuren natürlich nicht daran, in ihrer Freizeit ein Eigenleben zu führen. Denn es gibt eine Literarische Welt, in der die literarischen Figuren ihr Eigenleben führen. Normalerweise ist diese Welt streng von der unseren getrennt, doch irgendwie ist es Albert Skinner gelungen, die Seiten zu wechseln, und so ist er nun in der literarischen Welt gefangen und kann nicht mehr in die Wirklichkeit zurückkehren. Doch dies ist nicht Janes einziges Problem, denn die Figuren ihres aktuellen Romans rücken ihr ebenso auf die Pelle wie Hamlet, der sie um eine Rolle in ihrem Roman ersucht. Irgendwie scheint da etwas schiefgegangen zu sein, etwas Grundlegendes, und Jane will helfen. Doch damit verstrickt sie sich in Geschehnisse, die weiter reichen, als sie zuerst angenommen hat, bis schließlich das Schicksal der ganzen Welt auf dem Spiel steht.

Die Bildhauerin Bianca ist eine lebende Legende. Auch Sankt Georg ist eine Legende, allerdings keine ganz so lebendige. Als Biancas naturalistisches Denkmal des Schutzheiligen und seines geschuppten Kumpels enthüllt wird, steht bald ganz Birmingham Kopf...

Die Hölle wird in eine Holding umgewandelt. Im Trubel der Umstrukturierung gelingt Doktor Faustus der Ausbruch. Von einem Kopfgeldjäger verfolgt, flieht er. Bis er Gottvater trifft, der an einer Drehbank stehend verzweifelt versucht, den zerfall der Zeit aufzuhalten.

Der Fliegende Holländer: Täglich setzen die Männer des \"Fliegenden Holländers\" ihrem unsterblichen Leben ein Ende, vergebens. Bis der Kapitän erfährt, daß ein gewisser Richard Wagner sein Schicksal zu einem Opernhit ausschlachtet. Das bringt ihn mächtig in Rage - und auf eine gute Idee. Wir haben Sie irgendwie größer erwartet: Malcolm Fisher überfährt einen Dachs. Der stellt sich als Frostriese Ingolf vor, überreicht Tarnkappe und Ring des Nibelungen und haucht sein Leben aus. Fortan ist Malcolm auf der Flucht vor dem Clan der Götter. Wenn Rheintochter Floßhilde ihm nicht zur Seite stünde...

Nach 500 Jahren Tiefschlaf erwacht Snotty unsanft in der Jetztzeit und begibt sich mit den Artus-Rittern auf Gralssuche. Doch die Jungs haben Besseres vor, als die Drei Schlüssel zum Heiligtum aufzustöbern: eine Schürze, einen Terminkalender und zwei Socken...

Eine humorvolle Fantasy-Anthologie im Stil von Terry Pratchett und Robert Rankin, die das Motto verfolgt: Alles, was schief gezaubert werden kann, wird auch schief gezaubert. Enthält neue, unveröffentlichte Geschichten von John Cleese, Tom Holt, Stan Nichols und Nelson Bond.

Ein Sterblicher unserer Tage gerät zufällig an Tarnkappe und Ring der Nibelungen und wird fortan von den Göttern gejagt, die die Gegenstände zurück haben wollen. Turbulente Slapstick-Action. Die Darstellung der Götter folgt ganz der Wagnerschen Linie.

Ein Kampfflieger aus dem zweiten Weltkrieg wird kurz vor seinem Absturz von einem unbekannten Minnesänger gerettet. Dieser reist quer durch Raum und Zeit und ist dabei seit über tausend Jahren auf der Suche nach Richard Löwenherz. So ganz nebenher wird dieser von eíner Vermögensverwaltungsfirma und drei unbekannten Geisterkriegern gejagt. Und der Hold-Übliche Anti-Held muß mit. Und erlebt natürlich so einiges, was er allerdings nicht immer so versteht.

>>Komisch und voller Ironie lüftet der Autor den Vorhang des antiken Theaters und entzückt seine Leser mit einer hinreißenden Handlung.<< NEW YORK TIMES

The adventures of an eccentric country gentleman and his faithful companion who set out as knight and squire of old to right wrongs and punish evil.

Když Malcolm Fisher přejel v noci na opuštěné vesnické cestě jezevce, vůbec netušil, co jej čeká. Bohové z Valhally se na něj sesypali jako vosy, aby z něj vymámili prsten Nibelungů, který mu jezevec – v původní podobě obr Ingolf – těsně před svou smrtí předal. Malcolm tedy musí nejen vládnout světu, podle svého nejlepšího vědomí a svědomí, ale také odrážet rozezleného Wotana a jeho pomocníky. Jakmile se navíc ještě zamiluje, zdá se, že je svět naprosto ztracen… V příběhu vystupují známé i neznámé postavy valhallských bohů, duchů a entit, Dcery Rýna, Alberich se špatným zažíváním a pochopitelně též obyčejní smrtelníci. Tom Holt pokračuje v germánské legendě tak, jak byste to rozhodně nečekali. A v jeho podání je těžké se tomu všemu nesmát.

PÍSEŇ PRO NERONA je nanejvýš pozoruhodný historický román, jenž nepostrádá nejen styl, lehkost a skvělý humor, ale ani silnou historickou věrohodnost. Zda-li se však onen příběh udál skutečně tak, jak je v knize vylíčen, zůstává nadále předmětem vášnivých dohadů… Dějiny nás zpravují, že když v roce 69 po Kristu vojska generála Galby obklíčila Řím, prchl císař Nero z paláce, aby si posléze vbodl pero do krku a v blátivém příkopu jej ušlapali koně. Jeho poslední slova údajně zněla: „Jaký jen umělec to ve mně zmírá!“ Bylo mu dvaatřicet. Je tu však ještě jiná možnost… Že totiž v onom příkopu nezemřel Nero, ale kdosi jiný, kdo se mu nadmíru podobal.Bývalý císař tak začne nový život, v němž touží věnovat se své největší lásce - hudbě. Má to však háček! Nerona pronásledují dva lidé mající důvodné podezření, že je stále naživu. A přinejmenším jeden z těch dvou mu usiluje o život… „Vtipný, ironický román… působí velice věrohodně.“- New York Times „Působivé, dojemné a poutavé dílo.“- The Times „Ironie, sarkasmus, působivost a vtip… nezapomenutelný román!“- Ross Leckie... celý text