Lukas is in the town square, watching a seedy-looking magician--and the next thing he knows, he's drowning in a far-distant sea. When he comes ashore, the first people he meets hail him as king of Abadan. Being king is fine with Lukas; that is, it would be fine if everyone wasn't trying to murder him! A fantasy so original, told in such imaginative English, that it may be considered [Alexander's] peak performance. --Publishers Weekly Lloyd Alexander's many honors include a Newbery Medal for The High King, a Newbery Honor Award for The Black Cauldron, and two American Book Awards. His most recent novel is The Iron Ring (Dutton). He and his wife live in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.