Mark of the Thief (Mark of the Thief #1): Volume 1

Biographical Note:
Jennifer A. Nielsen is the acclaimed author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Ascendance Trilogy: The False Prince, The Runaway King, and The Shadow Throne. She also wrote the Mark of the Thief trilogy: Mark of the Thief, Rise of the Wolf, and Wrath of the Storm; the standalone fantasy The Scourge; the historical thriller A Night Divided; and Book Six of the Infinity Ring series, Behind Enemy Lines. Jennifer lives in northern Utah with her husband, their three children, and a perpetually muddy dog.

Review Quotes:
Praise for Mark of the Thief



The fast-paced, ingenious plot, charismatic hero and highly diverse cast of characters . . . make this series opener a captivating joy ride. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Vivid . . . [with] page-turning twists. -- Publishers Weekly



Praise for the Ascendance Trilogy



A New York Times Notable Children's Book

A USA Today Best Book of the Year

A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Children's Book

A Cybils Award Winner



A page-turner. -- The New York Times Book Review

Sage proves to be a compelling character whose sharp mind and shrewd self-possession will make readers eager to follow him into a sequel. -- Wall Street Journal

A swashbuckling origin story . . . chock-full of alluring details for adventure-loving boys. -- Los Angeles Times

An impressive, promising story. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

A fast-paced and thrilling read with twists and turns that never let up. -- School Library Journal

Gripping. -- Kirkus Reviews

Should appeal to fans of . . . Suzanne Collins. . . . A sure-fire mix of adventure, mystery, and suspense. -- The Horn Book



Publisher Marketing:
When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods -- magic some Romans would kill for.



Now, with the deadly power of the bulla pulsing through his veins, Nic is determined to become free. But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic's newfound powers for their own dark purposes.



In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire's most powerful and savage leaders.

Review Citations:

• Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2014 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover) - *Starred Review
• School Library Journal 12/01/2014 pg. 125 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover)
• Publishers Weekly 12/01/2014 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover)
• Booklist 01/01/2015 pg. 101 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover)
• Voice of Youth Advocates 02/01/2015 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover)
• Shelf Awareness 03/03/2015 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover)
• Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 04/01/2015 pg. 414 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover)
• Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2015 pg. 96 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover)
• Wilson Children's Catalog 04/11/2019 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover)
• Wilson Middle/Jr. High Catalog 04/11/2019 (EAN 9780545561549, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:Nielsen, Jennifer A

• Jennifer A. Nielsen is the acclaimed author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Ascendance Series: The False Prince, The Runaway King, The Shadow Throne, The Captive Kingdom, and The Shattered Castle. She also wrote the New York Times bestseller The Traitor's Game and its sequels, The Deceiver's Heart, and The Warrior's Curse; the New York Times bestselling Mark of the Thief trilogy: Mark of the Thief, Rise of the Wolf, and Wrath of the Storm; the standalone fantasy The Scourge; and the critically acclaimed historical thrillers A Night Divided, Resistance, Words on Fire, Rescue, and Lines of Courage. Jennifer collects old books, loves good theater, and thinks that a quiet afternoon in the mountains makes for a nearly perfect moment. She lives in northern Utah with her family, and is probably sneaking in a bite of dark chocolate right now. You can visit her online at jennielsen.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @nielsenwriter.