Books published by publisher SJ Murphy

Before Shirley Rousseau Murphy became known as the author of the popular Joe Grey cat mystery series, she wrote highly-acclaimed Young Adult fantasy novels. Of the first book of her Dragonbards trilogy ALA Booklist said, "Murphy's dragon lore exhibits an exciting immediacy; her scenes of dragons in flight exalt the reader.” And of the second book Publisher's Weekly wrote, "This well-crafted fantasy has a depth and scope reminiscent of Tolkien." Fans of the trilogy will be delighted to discover that it's now available in a single volume.Book 1: Nightpool. As dark raiders invade the world of Tirror, a singing dragon awakens from her long slumber, searching for the human who can vanquish the forces of evil--Tebriel, son of the murdered king. Teb has found refuge in Nightpool, a colony of speaking otters. But a creature of the Dark is also seeking him, and the battle to which he is drawn will decide Tirror’s future.Book 2: The Ivory Lyre. The bard Tebriel and his singing dragon Seastrider together can weave powerful spells. With other dragons searching for their own bards, they have been inciting revolts throughout the enslaved land of Tirror. Only if they can contact underground resistance fighters and find the talisman hidden in Dacia will they have a chance to defeat the power of the Dark.Book 3: The Dragonbards. Only the dragonbards and their singing dragons have the power to unite the people and animals of Tirror into an army that can break the Dark's hypnotic hold over the world. Before their leader Tebriel can challenge the hordes gathering for the final battle, he must confront the dark lord Quazelzeg face to face in the Castle of Doors, a warp of time and space.In a review of the trilogy's final volume ALA Booklist said, ""Once again Murphy demonstrates a fine sense of storytelling, high adventure, scene setting, and characterization--human, animal, and evil monster. And her dragons remain some of the most appealing in contemporary fantasy."

There is only one way to go: north toward their old home by the sea—the ranch that had been sold, and their beloved horses sold, when their parents were killed in the car accident. Running away from the drunken and abusive uncle with whom they’d been sent to live, Karen and Tom know they are taking the most obvious route, but no other place draws them.It’s a long journey before they reach the coast and discover the one place where wild ponies roam, ponies that people call magical—and where they tangle with a gang of thieves. Escaping, they find shelter with a group of honest, kind and mismatched new friends, not all of them what they seem. They don’t know then, longing so for their horses, that Karen’s buckskin pony yearns for bis old home too, where he had been bom—but that pony is as stubborn as Karen.This haunting story, like Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s other horse book, White Ghost Summer, has been enjoyed by many readers who will be happy to find back in print.

In most regions of Ere to be a Seer, gifted with telepathic and visionary powers, means death--or does it? For some it may mean an even worse fate: destruction of their minds and enslavement by the dark powers determined to conquer the world. In The Ring of Fire, Zephy and the goatherd Thorn are dismayed to discover that they themselves are Seers, but once they know, they are driven to escape from the repressive city of their birth and rescue others, many of them children, who have been captured and imprisoned by its attackers. Only the discovery of one shard of a mysterious runestone offers hope that they can succeed. In The Wolf Bell, set in an earlier time, the child Seer Ramad seeks the runestone itself with the aid of an ancient bell that enables him to control and communicate with the thinking wolves of the mountains, who become his friends. But will they be a match for his enemies, the evil Seers of Pelli, who are determined to control Ramad's mind and through him, to obtain the stone for their own dark purpose?These novels, both included here, are the first two of five originally published as The Children of Ynell series. The final three, telling of the characters' adult lives, are available in an ebook titled The Runestone of Eresu.

No one—certainly not Melani, who longed for the country—could have imagined that a city house could be like this, but there it was, big and old, lovely and strange, with odd juttings and turnings and unexpected windows. And it stood just where the city met the Pacific Ocean, next to a vast park. Mel's room looked onto the park with its flowers and trees, and horses on the bridle paths. It was there, early one foggy morning, that she first saw the ghost horse—a great silvery stallion standing on a hill rising like an island above the swirling fog.''The author's love of horses and of art overflows into this romantic, delightfully told story about a gifted family," said the Chicago Tribune when this book—enjoyed and remembered by its many enthusiastic readers—was first published. "Where has the stallion come from? is he real?. . . How these questions are answered and how Mel wins her heart's desire brings to an end what her family agrees has been a 'very fine summer.'"

As a child Ramad of the Wolves had sought the potent Runestone of Eresu that could save his world from the dark, only to have it shatter at the moment it came into his hands. Now as a man, leader of his fellow Seers in their war against the dark powers, he knows it is up to him to find and rejoin the shards before evil seers can do so. Following his true love Telien into far reaches of Time, he is followed in turn by the Seer Skeelie, who also loves him. The quest to make the stone whole again demands the commitment not only of Ramad but of others, ultimately including his son, for only far forward in Time can the final battle against the dark forces be fought.This ebook contains the last three of the five novels originally published as the children of Ynell series: The Castle of Hape, Caves of Fire and Ice, and The Joining of the Stone. It can be read independently of the two earlier novels which are available in an ebook titled The Shattered Stone and will be enjoyed by both older teens and adults.

Dragonbards Trilogy, Book 1. As dark raiders invade the world of Tirror, a singing dragon awakens from her long slumber, searching for the human who can vanquish the forces of evil—Tebriel, son of the murdered king. Teb has found refuge in Nightpool, a colony of talking otters. But a creature of the Dark is also seeking him, and the battle to which he is drawn will decide Tirror’s future.Fans of this well-loved Young Adult fantasy trilogy will be happy to find it available again after many years out of print.

Dragonbards Trilogy, Book 2. The bard Tebriel and his singing dragon Seastrider together can weave powerful spells. With other dragons searching for their own bards, they have been inciting revolts throughout the enslaved land of Tirror. Only if they can contact underground resistance fighters and find the talisman hidden in Dacia will they have a chance to defeat the power of the Dark.Fans of this well-loved Young Adult fantasy trilogy will be happy to find it available again after many years out of print.

Dragonbards Trilogy, Book 3. Only the dragonbards and their singing dragons have the power to unite the people and animals of Tirror into an army that can break the Dark’s hypnotic hold over the world. Before their leader Tebriel can challenge the hordes gathering for the final battle, he must confront the dark lord Quazelzeg face to face in the Castle of Doors, a warp of time and space.Fans of this well-loved Young Adult fantasy trilogy will be happy to find it available again after many years out of print

Fifteen-year-old Jenny Middle struggles to hold her family together despite poverty, constant moves, the jail sentence and drunkenness of her mother, and a sister tragically involved with drugs. This timeless story of growing up forty years ago will be as relevant and moving to girls of today as it was to those who read it when first published under the title Poor Jenny, Bright as a Penny.

There's no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body. She's supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill. It doesn't take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does. Like when she's reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably. Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy's goes down like the Titanic. Maybe ... just maybe ... that's okay. It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn't just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy's priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.

Kerns children have been kidnapped by a mysterious cloaked man, igniting a frenzied search. Kern soon learns that the myths and fairy tales they have all grown up with are links to a dark past when witches, cults and mythical beings controlled the legendary Opella Skiv – a gateway to the sacred stones beneath their mountain home. The stones; sacred and powerful, can only be wielded by a chosen few. The mystic beings still amongst them, the dark powers that have been awoken and a soul seeking redemption. Will it all be gained at the cost of Kerns children?