Disappearing friends. Magic gemstones. Warring kingdoms. False allies. A trail gone cold. A battle for supremacy. A mad emperor. A scheming empress. Codes of honor - and dishonor.Only trust and sacrifice will save the day. Oh yes, and the Ravenstones.

An epic quest, a tale of heroism, a saga of accepting one's destiny and enduring friendship - The Ravenstones is a story for fantasy enthusiasts of all ages.

In the tradition of Watership Down, Wind in the Willows and the Redwall series, C.S. Watts writes about animals-some brave, some modest, some cruel, some evil, some treacherous. Each one plays a crucial role in the story of the mythic Ravenstones.

In Eirwen and Fridis, the first of the seven-volume series, the tale of an unlikely friendship between an unassuming polar bear and an intrepid eider duck begins. The former is searching for lost friends, while the latter is ready for the adventure of a lifetime. Eirwen and Fridis also introduces the Ravenstones, magic gemstones that have been missing for so long they've been largely forgotten by the world-but not by all!

Their travels have taken them to Vigmar, a mountainous empire at war with neighboring Aeronbed. Fate places the inexperienced bear in command of the Empire's quarrelsome forces, and he is immediately beset by the demands of leadership. Fridis, overcoming misfortune, seeks to unravel the mysteries of Vigmar's capital, Blakfel, and confront its scheming rulers.

In Volume 2, The Invasion of Aeronbed, misadventure, temptation, envy and betrayal haunt the paths the two must tread, now separated from each other. Lucky escapes, a mysterious forest, surprising allies and the Ravenstones come to their aid.

Eirwen has decided that Vigmar must invade its neighbor to bring an end to the long-standing conflict. He chooses to lead the wolfpack, commanded by the ambitious Adarix, into the very heart of Aeronbed. Fridis, meanwhile, ill-equipped for such violent confrontations, must stay behind to fend for herself. Although she discovers a meaningful role in Blakfel, danger lurks for her in the capital's byways and castle towers as much as on any battlefield.

The Ravenstones is a story of light and darkness, of intertwining good and evil, intrigue and ambition, loyalty and deception, in the tradition of The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter and A Wrinkle in Time. For the reader who loves fantasy, it has every essential element: colorful characters in a parallel universe, heroes and villains, humor, plot twists and turns and-best of all-a satisfying ending.

The first two volumes of the seven-part series are being published simultaneously. The remainder will be available every few months over the next couple of years.