The Stranger

The Russian author's international-bestselling series begins with this "well-written, well-paced grown-up fantasy with a strong dose of reality" ( Kirkus Reviews).   Fandomania.com's #1 Book of 2009   To put it bluntly, Max Frei is a loser. He spends his day sleeping and at night he smokes, eats, and loafs around because he can't catch a wink. But then he gets lucky. Through his dreams, he begins to contact a parallel world where magic is a daily practice—and, strangely, Max seems to fit right in.   Once a social outcast, he's now known in this new world of Echo as the "unequalled Sir Max." He's a member of the Department of Absolute Order, formed by a species of enchanted secret agents; his job is to solve cases involving illegal magic. And he's about to embark on a journey down the winding paths of this strange and unhinged universe.   "Fans of Jasper Fforde and Susanna Clark will happily jump into Frei's world." — USA Today   "If Harry Potter smoked cigarettes and took a certain matter-of-fact pleasure in administering tough justice, he might like Max Frei, the protagonist of this fantasy novel." — Kirkus Reviews