ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My family—my wife, Dolores, my daughters, Jane and Lucy—will always head the list of people to thank. They have created and continue to create the space to allow me to make books. What books ultimately mean in this world is a big topic, and a more important one every day, but it all begins with family, not just the writer’s, but the reader’s, too. I thank all those readers who spent time with these stories, and their families for making that possible.
To Claudia Gabel, my enthusiastic and hardworking editor, Katherine Tegen, for her enthusiasm and faith in the series, for Alana and Ro and Lauren, and everyone at HarperCollins who has been involved in bringing these stories, so beautifully presented and published, to light—my undying gratitude. Also, to the expert copyediting of Andrea Curley, whose good humor and exactitude on this book made making-things-up so pleasurable. Thank you, all.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo by Thomas Sayers Ellis
TONY ABBOTT is the author of nearly a hundred books for young readers, including the bestselling series The Secrets of Droon. Tony has worked in libraries, in bookstores, and in a publishing company and has taught creative writing. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, two daughters, and two dogs. You can visit him online at www.tonyabbottbooks.com.
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PRAISE FOR THE COPERNICUS LEGACY SERIES
“I had to keep reminding myself The Copernicus Legacy was intended for a young audience. Full of mystery and intrigue, this book had me completely transfixed.”
—Ridley Pearson, New York Times bestselling author of the Kingdom Keepers series
“The Copernicus Legacy takes you on a fantastical journey that is as eye-opening as it is page-turning. With mysteries hiding behind secrets coded in riddle, this book is like a Dan Brown thriller for young readers. The further you get, the more you must read!”
—Angie Sage, New York Times bestselling author of the Septimus Heap series
“The Copernicus Legacy has it all: a secret code, priceless relics, murderous knights, a five-hundred-year-old mystery, and a story full of friendship, family, humor, and intelligence.”
—Wendy Mass, New York Times bestselling author of The Candymakers and Every Soul a Star
“With engaging characters, a globe-trotting plot, and dangerous villains, it is hard to find something not to like. Equal parts edge-of-your-seat suspense and heartfelt coming-of-age.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Fast-paced and clever, the novel reads like a mash-up of the National Treasure films and The Da Vinci Code.”
BOOKS BY TONY ABBOTT
The Copernicus Legacy: The Forbidden Stone
The Copernicus Archives #1: Wade and the Scorpion’s Claw
The Copernicus Legacy: The Serpent’s Curse
The Copernicus Archives #2: Becca and the Prisoner’s Cross
The Copernicus Legacy: The Golden Vendetta
The Copernicus Legacy: The Crown of Fire
CREDITS
Cover art © 2016 by Bill Perkins
Logo art © 2016 by Jason Cook/Début Art
Cover design by Tom Forget
COPYRIGHT
Katherine Tegen Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
THE COPERNICUS LEGACY: THE CROWN OF FIRE. Text copyright © 2016 by HarperCollins Publishers. Illustrations copyright © 2016 by Bill Perkins. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2016940297
EPub Edition © October 2016 ISBN 9780062194589
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FIRST EDITION
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