Rise of the Wolf (Mark of the Thief Series #2)

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Overview

Nic may have escaped enslavement in the mines outside of Rome, but his troubles are far from over. The Praetor War -- the battle to destroy Rome from within -- is in full force, and Nic is caught in the crossfire. The secretive Praetors are determined to unlock a powerful amulet -- one sure to bring the empire to its knees. Worse, the Praetors believe Nic holds the key to finding this amulet, and they will stop at nothing to steal it, even if that means harming the people Nic holds most dear.

When the Praetors capture Nic's mother, Nic knows he must do anything to save her. He challenges the Praetors to a chariot race. If he wins, they will release his mother. But if he loses, he must hand over a magic that will certainly bring about the end of Rome as well as his own life. Can Nic once again harness his magic and gather the strength to defeat his enemies? Or will he lose his mother and bear witness to Rome's destruction?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545910293
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	01/26/2016
Series:	Mark of the Thief Series , #2
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	6.60(w) x 6.20(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

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 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; 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.

Editorial Reviews

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 False Prince

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

From the Publisher

Following the catastrophic ending of Mark of the Thief, Nic has been enslaved by his grandfather General Flavius Radulf, after having stolen Nic’s bulla (magical amulet). Radulf plans to overtake the Roman gods with the help of three magical items: the bulla, the Malice, and the Jupiter Stone. He believes Nic has the key to finding the Malice and will help him to create the Jupiter Stone. On the other side, the Praetors, along with Diana, goddess of the hunt, are in rebellion against most of the Roman pantheon. Unfortunately, Nic is on his own against them both, as he sides with Rome itself, the Senate, and the rest of the Roman pantheon. To complicate matters, he must also try to protect his mother, his sister, and his love Aurelia. As the sequel to Mark of the Thief, this title is a must-read for fans; but it also works well as an entry point to the series. Nielsen does a fantastic job connecting the reader to the characters, starting from the first sentence to the last. Fast-paced action, including Roman chariot races and fights filled with magic, make this title impossible to put down; and the ending will leave readers dying for the next book. Reviewer: Laura Ruttig; Ages 12 up.

Children's Literature - Laura Ruttig

2015-10-06
Nic enjoys training as a charioteer—not that he has a choice—for his grandfather, Radulf, but the uneasy family détente is shattered when Nic learns the Praetors have taken his mother hostage in Volume 2 of this series set in Imperial Rome's turbulent third century. Believing Nic has the key to finding a magical amulet, the Malice of Mars, the Praetors use his mother as leverage to force him to turn it over to them, thereby giving an edge to their candidate, Diana, in a celestial civil war. Radulf insists Nic help him acquire the amulet to ensure the destruction of Rome. Nic just wants to free his mother and reunite his family, albeit on his own non-negotiable terms: he won't sacrifice the people and city he loves. Nic is certain he doesn't have the key; or does he? He has loyal allies—younger sister Livia, love interest Aurelia, friend Crispus, and the unicorn Callistus—but his opponents number just about every power broker in Imperial Rome. Nic is equally appealing this time around: cheerfully set on his goals yet brutally realistic about the poor odds of success. If Nic's "act first-think later" M.O. gets him in trouble, it also gets him out of it—temporarily, anyway. Fast-moving fun with broad audience appeal, especially recommended for reluctant readers, Rick Riordan fans, and pedal-to-the-metal adventure aficionados. (Historical fantasy. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews