Wrath of the Storm (Mark of the Thief, Book 3)

NYT and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen delivers the action-packed conclusion to her magical Mark of the Thief trilogy!

Trouble has a way of seeking out Nicolas Calva, and it's not likely to leave him alone any time soon. With Caesar's magic bulla, the Malice of Mars, and the possibility of a Jupiter Stone in play, all the powers of Rome are circling Nic. He'll have to maneuver his way through scheming government officials and reawakened magical beasts to save the Empire. Can he manage to keep his friends and family safe, claim his own freedom once and for all, and rescue the Empire -- before the magic gets the better of him?With twists and turns on every page, critically acclaimed author Jennifer Nielsen weaves an epic, action-packed conclusion to her extraordinary Mark of the Thief trilogy. | 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 WeeklyPraise for Rise of the Wolf:"Fast-moving fun with broad audience appeal, especially recommended for reluctant readers, Rick Riordan fans, and pedal-to-the-metal adventure aficionados." -- Kirkus Reviews"The novel's Roman mythology connections... will have great appeal for fans of Rick Riordan. Heavily plot-driven with a movie-script feel..." -- BooklistPraise for The False Prince:A New York Times Notable Children's BookA USA Today Best Book of the YearA Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best" Children's BookA 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." -- The 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 |

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 New York Times bestselling Mark of the Thief trilogy; The Scourge; and the critically acclaimed historical thrillers A Night Divided, Resistance, Words on Fire, Rescue, Lines of Courage, Iceberg,Uprising, One Wrong Step, and The Free State of Jax. 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.

| I was still trapped, and I doubted the bulla could get thousands of pounds of rock and brick off me. But I knew something that could do it. Magic can always sense other magic in the area, and I used that power to search for the Malice nearby. The bulla had originally been given to Julius Caesar, filled with Venus's powers. Upon his death, Venus's power left the bulla, and Diana replaced the magic with her own, hoping it would be used in her war against the gods. The fact that I had the bulla and was using it to stop that war probably infuriated her.As a rule, having a god furious with you is not a good thing. How well I understood that.Nor did it help that I had the Malice . . . more or less. The Malice came from the god Mars with the power to end that war. To end any war, really. Use of the Malice guaranteed its bearer victory in battle.If Diana resented my having the bulla, I could only imagine how she felt about the Malice. But she had no claim upon that amulet. I did. The key to finding it had been given to me. She'd have to destroy me to get it back.What a pleasant way to begin a day – with the reminder that one of the gods had specifically targeted me for destruction.