ZACK LORAN CLARK
is a writer and editor of books for young readers. He is the author of The Lock-Eater and co-author of The Adventurers Guild trilogy with Nick Eliopulos. A lifelong fantasy nerd, avid Dungeons & Dragons player, and aspiring sorcerer, he lives with his husband and their dog in Brooklyn, NY.
For fans of Nevermoor and Howl’s Moving Castle comes an epic middle grade fantasy about a girl with the ability to unlock anything—including the empire’s darkest secrets.
Melanie Gate is a foundling with a peculiar talent for opening the unopenable—any lock releases at the touch of her hand. One night, her orphanage is visited by Traveler, a gearling automaton there on behalf of his magical mistress, who needs an apprentice pronto. When Melanie is selected because of her gift, her life changes in a flash, and in more ways than she knows—because Traveler is not at all what he seems. But then, neither is Melanie Gate.
So begins an epic adventure sparkling with magic, humor, secret identities, stinky cats, fierce orphan girls, impostor boys, and a foundling and gearling hotly pursued by the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the land. Along the way, Melanie never expects to uncover the source of her own true powers—or learn that she may be the key to saving the empire.
Action-packed yet layered, The Lock-Eater is a mix of lush world-building, high stakes, humor, and emotional heft—a page-turner and so much more.
“Zack Loran Clark has spun a new classic. Perfect next read for fans of classics by Ursula LeGuin and Diana Wynne Jones.” —ELIOT SCHREFER, two-time National Book Award finalist and author of The Lost Rain Forest series
“An epic tapestry threaded with rich lore, vibrant characters, and a twisting plot that will have readers tumbling through the pages. The Lock-Eater is sure to resonate with young readers and stay with them long after its final page is turned.” —SOMAN CHAINANI, New York Times bestselling author of The School of Good and Evil series
★ “Clark has woven a compelling story as intricate and sparkling as the magical spells he describes, and manages to combine high fantasy with a heart-wrenching passageway through adolescence, queer awakening, and existential mysteries with ease. . . . One of those special books that only comes around every so often, a delicately balanced fantasy and coming-of-age novel that will resonate with adults and children alike.” —SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, starred review
★ “Offers remarkable morsels of philosophical perspectives while maintaining its swift pace, as the characters live through events that challenge their assumptions about violence, morality, and mortality.” —BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS, starred review
Few ever asked to join the Adventurers Guild. . . . Their members often died young.
In one of the last cities standing after the world fell to monsters, best friends Zed Kagari and Brock Dunderfel have high hopes for the future. Zed desperately wishes to join the ranks of the Mages Guild, where his status as Freestone’s only half elf might finally be an asset. Brock, the roguishly handsome son of merchants, is confident he’ll be welcomed into the ranks of the Merchants Guild.
But just as it seems the boys’ dreams have come true, their lives take a startling turn . . . and they find themselves members of the perilous Adventurers Guild.
Led by the fearsome Alabasel Frond, the guild acts as the last line of defense against the Dangers—hungry, unnatural beasts from otherworldly planes. And when the boys uncover a conspiracy that threatens all of Freestone, Zed, Brock, and their new allies—Liza, a fierce noble, and Jett, a brave dwarf—must prove their worth once and for all.
★ "This tale is a page-turner that has the perfect mix of suspense, Princess Bride humor, and engaging characters, one that's definitely earned the sequel to come. A dazzling adventure sure to become a classic." —KIRKUS REVIEWS, starred review
I should probably start at the beginning, Zed wrote, when things first went wrong.
Zed, Brock, and their friends may have saved Freestone from destruction, but the fight against the Dangers is far from over. No one knows what to expect next from the dark power that forced the elves to abandon their city. And the influx of elf refugees in Freestone strains resources and brews resentment among the townspeople. Things have shifted between best friends Zed and Brock, as well, with their friendship crumbling under the weight of the secrets they'rekeeping from each other.
When tensions reach an all-time high, Queen Me'Shala, leader of the elves, approaches the Adventurers Guild with a mission. She wants a small group of adventurers to go behind the king's back on a covert mission to save her city, and Zed, Brock, Liza, Jett, Micah, and their elven friend Fel join the quest. To face a powerful form of magic thought to be extinct, the adventurers will have to learn how to rely on each other and fight harder than ever before.
Someone had made a terrible, tragic, fatal mistake.
Unless, of course . . . Unless they'd done it on purpose
After falling victim to a vile betrayal, Zed is cut off from Brock and their friends and unable to warn them about a dangerous enemy on the move. The Adventurers Guild may have defeated the evil that cast the elves from their home, but that doesn't keep them in the Freestoners' good graces for long.
An ordinary day at the market comes to a fatal end when a rare Danger infiltrates the city, leaving over a dozen dead. Tensions come to a boil as the city is threatened by upheaval from within and becomes alight with terror. Brock finds himself frustratingly unable to utilize his underground contacts...though the mysterious Lady Grey may not be finished with him yet.
To come together to save their city from a timeless evil looking to settle a score, the young adventurers must learn to trust in each other again and be willing to do whatever it takes to stop the tragedy of the Day of Dangers from happening again.
