An unstoppable army of tribal lizard warriors, seething with vengeance and armed to the fangs with swords and axes, is poised to sweep across the lands of Pyrus, a place where both magic and psychic abilities have evolved as natural phenomena. The Brothers of the Paranormal, a sect of benevolent psionic monks, discover that the lizard's aim to have their revenge on the old city of Port Packham and resolve to try and use their abilities to prevent the onslaught. When Norris Bartlett, a struggling metal tubings salesman, is accidentally transported through an unreality hole from his own world into this alternative existence, he becomes the last hope for the Port's inhabitants - and he only went in the kitchen to put the kettle on! He finds that he has to travel across the bizarre, pear-shaped world of Pyrus to seek out a mystical artefact that might save them all - the legendary Lost Pearl of Wisdom. But the Pearl has been hidden by ancient priests and is guarded by an unspeakable horror - which is a pity since it remains Norris's only hope of ever returning to his own existence. He's accompanied on his quest by a novice from the Sisters of the Unexplained and an arrogant, irascible magician whose spellcasting ability is on par with a stuffed otter. Their guide is a desperately inexperienced treasure hunter ("Tombs Raided While U Wait") who couldn't find a brick in a bucket. Armed with ancient maps, magical scrolls and Cadmus's copy of "Amateur Spellcaster", the group set out to return with the Pearl before the invasion begins. In a spectacular and nail-biting climax, Norris discovers he's just a pawn in a plan so audacious that it puts every world in existence on the threshold of destruction – including his own. Norris discovers that he's even worse at preventing universal cataclysms than he ever was at selling Galvanised Tubing. So when things start to go pear shaped, Norris needs all the help he can get.

Twelve-year-old Carmen has a secret: she can talk to her cat Grim. But the powerful Brotherhood has banned pets, and the penalty is death. Ward is the most wanted boy in the world. The only thing standing between him and the hangman's noose is master criminal Saint Nick. In exchange for Nick's protection, Ward must find the long-lost horn called the Oliphant, said to have the power to wake legendary beings known as the Sleepers, whom Nick believes can aid him in his guerilla war against the Brotherhood. This leads Ward to Carmen, whose family has a long and mysterious association with the Oliphant. Ward and Carmen are soon hot on the trail of the horn, but the Brotherhood are closing in on Carmen's family. Ward and Carmen realise that waking the Sleepers may be the only thing that can save Carmen's parents from certain death. If only they knew how. FOR READERS WHO LIKED Scarlett & Browne - Jonathan Stroud Fly By Night - Frances Hardinge His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman