ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A
s a second book,
The Second Siege
posed a number of distinct challenges. Chief among these were developing existing characters, introducing new ones, and accelerating The Tapestry’s pace while increasing its scale. To write and illustrate this book on a deadline while teaching has been the greatest challenge of my life. Without the support of family, friends, students, and colleagues, my sanity would have undoubtedly taken an ugly turn. I have many people to thank: Sean Carroll and Lisa Tarter, Christopher and Kirstin Casgar, Scott and Loretta Dahnke, Lesley Dalton, Jacquie Duncan, Michael and Catherine Farello, Heidi Hankins, Scott Kemper, Matt and Maya Markovich, Michael Markovich, Marilyn Mawn, Ed and Betsy McDermott, John and Jennifer Neff, Victoria Neff, Travis Nelson, Jill Paganelli, Brian and Elizabeth Payne, Doug and Sarah Reed, Josh and Ryn Richards, Gordon and Krista Rubenstein, Orestes Tarajano, Gavin Turner, and all of my colleagues, my students, and their families at Stuart Hall High School in San Francisco.
Special mention and my deepest gratitude go to my editor at Random House, Nicholas Eliopulos, whose brilliant feedback and patient prodding were essential to shaping up the second book and bringing it into being. That Nick always manages to do so with grace and good humor is both impressive and humbling.
My final thanks go to my mother, Terry Neff Zimmerman, whose tireless encouragement and timely feedback helped propel Max McDaniels and David Menlo across the Atlantic, deep within the Frankfurt Workshop, and, literally, out of this world. . . .
A
BOUT THE
A
UTHOR
Henry H. Neff teaches history and fine arts at a San Francisco high school.
The Second Siege
is the sequel to
The Hound of Rowan,
which was his first novel. You can visit the author at www.henryhneff.com.
T
HE
T
APESTRY
B
OOK
3
T
HE
F
IEND AND THE
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ORGE
Available September 2009
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Text, map, and illustrations copyright © 2008 by Henry H. Neff
Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following for permission to reprint previously published material:
“You Can’t Be Mine (And Someone Else’s, Too).” Words and Music by J. C. Johnson and Chick Webb. © 1938. U.S. Rights Administered by the Songwriters Guild of America. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission of the Songwriters Guild of America. Exclusive Worldwide Print Rights Administered by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission of Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Neff, Henry H.
The second siege / written and illustrated by Henry H. Neff.—1st ed.
p. cm.—(Tapestry; bk. 2)
Summary: Twelve-year-old Max and his allies risk much as they seek to acquire the Book of Origins, an artifact of unimaginable power, in hopes of halting the ancient evil that is bringing the world to its knees.
eISBN: 978-0-375-89236-3
[1. Magic—Fiction. 2. Demonology—Fiction. 3. Books and reading—Fiction. 4. Witches—Fiction. 5. Schools—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.N388Sec 2008
[Fic]—dc22
2007050658
Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.
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