The gripping children's debut from the Sunday Times & Irish Times No 1 bestselling author A page-turning fantasy quest for children aged 10 & older & fans of Cornelia Funke Susan Cooper & Philip Pullman Joe is being chased by bullies from school when he accidentally runs through a portal to another world He finds himself in a training camp for a group of teenage boys & girls who will become Runners Runners are the protectors of Carcassia They must travel through the Kanabian enemy territory to replace the rare & powerful Kerala crystals which power the shield that protects Carcassia Once the Runners have achieved their objective a toxin is released into their bodies & they die No one is permitted to return through the shield & nobody can remain in the enemy territory Hoping to find a way back to Earth Joe accompanies the Runner Kaia A delicate friendship develops between the two & Joe wonders if he can save Kaia as well as himself But as they pursue their Run they come to question the histories they've been given & the ambition of their enemy The Run becomes more dangerous than anyone could have envisaged