For countless millennia, the dwarves of the have defended the stone gateway into Girdlegard. Many and varied foes have hurled themselves against the portal and died attempting to breach it. No man or beast has ever succeeded. Until now. . . Abandoned as a child, Tungdil the blacksmith labors contentedly in the land of Ionandar, the only dwarf in a kingdom of men. Although he does not want for friends, Tungdil is very much aware that he is alone -- indeed, he has not so much as set eyes on another dwarf. But all that is about to change. Sent out into the world to deliver a message and reacquaint himself with his people, the young foundling finds himself thrust into a battle for which he has not been trained. Not only his own safety, but the life of every man, woman and child in Girdlegard depends upon his ability to embrace his heritage. Although he has many unanswered questions, Tungdil is certain of one thing: no matter where he was raised, he is a true dwarf. And no one has ever questioned the courage of the Dwarves.

A lavishly illustrated journey into the world of legend's most elusive people in the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. An extraordinary exploration of a remarkable civilization that will enchant and enthrall all who delve into its pages. A recently discovered archaeological find provides a wealth of knowledge on the heretofore unknown life and habits of Dwarfs in all their day-to-day activities. Close examination is provided of their lives in everything from metalworking technologies to constructing underground dwellings and tunnels. Additionally, insight is offered into the general hierarchy of the population, from lowly laborers to their kings and ruling class.

The dwarves have gone to battle and they have been victorious. But outside the realm, dark forces are at work.. . A secret army of Orcs, made immortal by the hidden powers of the Black Water, now marches towards Girdlegard, set to unleash its fury upon the kingdom. Sooner than they realize, Tungdil and his comrades will need to summon all their courage to do battle against this bloodthirsty horde. The Orcs are not the only threat. An unspeakable new power is growing and threatens the very existence of the dwarves. But both enemies have forgotten one very important truth: a dwarf is never more dangerous than when total obliteration seems inevitable . . .

Though hailed a hero by his people, the course of life has not run smooth for the battle-weary Tungdil the dwarf. But there is no rest for this warrior yet -- as he must now find the strength to face the most formidable enemy the kingdom has ever encountered . . . A new evil has risen from the depths of the earth to terrorize the land of Girdlegard. Monstrous creatures -- half-orc, half-élfar -- are roaming the kingdom, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake. These merciless hybrids are on a mission to obtain the most powerful weapon known to the dwarf race -- and whoever holds this weapon will control the world. Then when the fossilized Magus Lot-Ionan is stolen, Tungdil spies total disaster on the horizon. With the very existence of the dwarves under threat, he will have to resort to his trusty double ax and risk everything he knows to save his country from annihilation . . . Hold your breath for The Revenge of the Dwarves, the next thrilling installment in this spectacular fantasy epic from international bestselling author Markus Heitz

The Dwarves are back! Germany's Number One bestselling author returns to his best-loved series. After decades of occupation by the älfar, the dark elves have been defeated and peace has finally been declared. But the nations still distrust each other, and when a child is found in the Grey Mountains who speaks the language of the älfar, the dwarves believe this little girl heralds a new threat. And they will be right - just not in the way they thought. Under the orders of Ireheart, now High King of the dwarves, a small delegation is sent to search for Tungdil Goldhand, the true High King, who many believe dead. Against all odds, Tungdil has survived his mission to the terrifying realm of Phondrasôn. But is he truly the legendary hero of the dwarves, or an impostor at the heart of a deeper conspiracy? And does he realise that the fiends from Phondrasôn themselves aren't far behind . . . ? The action never lets up in this next exciting story in the saga of the dwarves and the älfar! 'The Dwarves is a well-constructed classic fantasy story that I greatly enjoyed' - Speculative Book Review

The dwarves are going to battle for the last time. There has been no word from the courageous warrior Tungdil since the bitter struggle at the Black Abyss. Dragons, magicians, and the cruel élfar have advanced far into the kingdom Girdlegard, ruthlessly seizing vast areas of land. It seems that the dwarves are facing their next battle with very little hope of survival. But then the inexplicable happens; a dwarf warrior dressed in black armor returns from the abyss -- with a formidable army in tow. This warrior calls himself Tungdil, and for his most loyal friend Ireheart and his allies, this means a new hope. But soon doubts begin arise . . . Could this really be Tungdil the dwarf, or is this warrior following his own dark agenda? It is a question of the future of Girdlegard -- and the future of all the dwarves. In the final installment of this spectacular fantasy epic, the greatest of the dwarves' adventures begins . . .

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rump, comes the true story behind another unlikely hero: a grumpy dwarf who gets tangled up in Snow White's feud with the wicked queen. Ever since he was a dwarfling, Borlen (nicknamed "Grump") has dreamed of visiting The Surface, so when opportunity knocks, he leaves his cavern home behind. At first, life aboveground is a dream come true. Queen Elfrieda Veronika Ingrid Lenore (E.V.I.L.) is the best friend Grump always wanted, feeding him all the rubies he can eat and allowing him to rule at her side in exchange for magic and information. But as time goes on, Grump starts to suspect that Queen E.V.I.L. may not be as nice as she seems. . . . When the queen commands him to carry out a horrible task against her stepdaughter Snow White, Grump is in over his head. He's bound by magic to help the queen, but also to protect Snow White. As if that wasn't stressful enough, the queen keeps bugging him for updates through her magic mirror! He'll have to dig deep to find a way out of this pickle, and that's enough to make any dwarf Grumpy indeed. "Liesl Shurtliff writes the perfect middle-grade page-turners that fourth graders can gobble down on the plane, train, and automobile trips ahead this summer. . . . [she] excels at turning familiar worlds on their heads. --The New York Times Book Review "Hilarious and heartfelt . . . Lovable Borlen's grumpy first-person narration explores themes of belonging, friendship, and doing the right thing. Sure to please fans of reimagined fairy tales." --Kirkus "A hilarious reimagining of its origin story with a wonderfully detailed world and interesting twists on classic characters. Sure to be a hit with fantasy fans looking for comedy." --Booklist "The story moves at a fast pace and deftly balances lighthearted humor with emotional weight. . . .a sure hit for Shurtliff's fans." --School Library Journal

A snowstorm at the height of summer? Has the weather gone crazy? It appears it has—and the Everyman Dwarves of the Bailliwick of Catalon know who’s to blame: the Human, Omnivor who rules the Erdeklein Alliance, a group of six countries called Bailliwicks and whose smelter is spewing out pollution that’s changing the climate. However, when a dwarf discovers Thordina’s Globe, inhabited by the spirit of Catalon’s founder, Erla and her four young friends learn there’s a way to set their world right: they must find the five Hands of Tempora, powerful magical artifacts that can turn time back to when their land was unpolluted. Calling themselves the Coalition of Five, the friends set off in an open-top, solar-powered, centuries-old charabanc on an adventurous journey that tests their endurance, their resolve, and their friendship. Along the way, they’re stranded in the Grey Granite Hills, nearly drowned by an agent of Omnivor’s, confronted by two brutish half-Orcs, imprisoned by Omnivor’s mutant Dragonbred, and almost burned alive. They also encounter unexpected allies who help them in their quest just when help is needed most. Only by working together can they save their precious Bailliwick of Catalon from Omnivor’s climate-changing pollution—and even if they succeed in destroying his smelter and finding the first of the Hands of Tempora, it’s only the beginning of their task as a series of thought-provoking adventures lie ahead in which the dwarves face all kinds of threats, unknown problems and unimaginable disasters...

When a wizard is unable to cure his malady of magicks, he sends his apprentice Wuntnor to seek aid in the distant land of the Eastern Kingdoms which are ripe with fiendish peril.

The Dwarves of Death is a hilarious black comedy by Jonathan Coe William has a lot on his mind. Firstly, there's The Alaska Factory, the band he plays in. They're no good, and they make his songs sound about as groovy as an unimpressed record. In fact they're so bad he's seriously thinking of leaving to join a group called The Unfortunates. Secondly, there's Madeline, his high-maintenance girlfriend whose idea of a night of passion is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical followed by a doorstep peck on the cheek. Maybe they're not soulmates after all? Lastly, there's the bizarre murder he's just witnessed. The guiding force behind The Unfortunates lies bludgeoned to death at his feet and, unfortunately for William, there aren't too many other suspects standing nearby. . . 'It's about being young, poor, confused and in love. It's also very funny. . . sharp, lucid and witty' Guardian 'Notable for its fresh, contemporary flavour and its bristling intellectual energy. Coe has huge powers of observation and enormous literary panache' Sunday Times Jonathan Coe's novels are filled with biting social commentary, moving and astute observations of life and hilarious set pieces that have made him one of the most popular writers of his generation. His other titles, Bournville, Middle England (Winner of the Costa Novel Award) What a Carve Up! (winner of the 1995 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize), A Touch of Love, The Rotters' Club (winner of the Everyman Wodehouse prize), The Closed Circle, The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim, The House of Sleep (winner of the1998 Prix Médicis Étranger), and The Rain Before it Falls, are all available in Penguin paperback. Jonathan Coe's latest novel THE PROOF OF MY INNOCENCE is available to pre-order now!