Meyer, Kai 1969-

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Meyer, Kai 1969-

PERSONAL:

Born 1969, in Germany; married. Education: Attended University of Bochum.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Westphalia, Germany.

CAREER:

Full-time writer, 1995—. Has worked as a newspaper reporter and staff journalist.

WRITINGS:

Schrei—denn ich werde dich töten! (television movie screenplay; also known as School's Out), 1999.

Mädcheninternat—Deine Schreie wird niemand hören, Das (television movie screenplay; also known as Dead Island: School's Out 2 and Isle of Fear), 2001.

Frostfeuer, Loewe (Bindlach, Germany), 2005.

The Water Mirror ("Dark Reflections" series; originally published in Germany as Fliessende Königin), translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2005, published as The Flowing Queen, Egmont Books (London, England), 2005.

Pirate Curse ("Wave Walkers" series; originally published in German as Wellenlaufer), translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Pirate Emperor ("Wave Walkers" series; originally published in Germany as Muschelmagier), translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2007.

The Stone Light ("Dark Reflections" series; originally published in Germany as Steinerne Licht), translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2007.

The Glass Word ("Dark Reflections" series; originally published in Germany as Glässerne Wort), translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2008.

Also author of hardcover comic book Pandoramicum. Cocreator of Engel (a fantasy role-playing game), White Wolf. Meyer's works have been translated into twenty-two languages.

SIDELIGHTS:

German novelist Kai Meyer is a prolific author of books for both adults and teen readers. Meyer enjoyed early success as an author, writing and publishing his first novel by the time he was twenty-four years old. Most of his works are based on history, though they have strong elements of fantasy woven into them. In the "Dark Reflections" series, for example, the author imagines an alternate-world Venice. Nearly ruined by the ravages of time and conflict, in this Venice there are magical creatures, the undead walk, and mysterious elemental forces stand as protectors of the besieged. In the first book of the series, The Water Mirror (also published as The Flowing Queen), crumbling Venice is under attack by the undead warriors of Egypt. Elsewhere, orphaned teenage sisters Junipa and Merle are apprenticed to a maker of magical mirrors. The mirror-maker restores blind Junipa's sight through a process involving magic mirror shards, giving her vision beyond that of a normal human. In the meantime, impetuous and impulsive Merle finds herself in the midst of a plot by the city elders to surrender to Egypt. Merle discovers that the city's protector, the Flowing Queen, who dwells in the waters of the storied city, has been captured and imprisoned in a glass vial. When she locates the vial, she is commanded by the Flowing Queen to drink the water it contains, thereby taking the spirit and voice of the Flowing Queen into herself and giving the legendary protector a physical manifestation. With the help of the powerful Flowing Queen, Merle then moves to free Vermithrax, an ancient, flying lion made of living stone who has long been held prisoner by Venetian authorities. As the novel progresses, Merle and the Flowing Queen strive to locate and free the lion so that he may help them seek allies in the fight against Egypt.

Booklist reviewer Jennifer Mattson called The Water Mirror a "darkly atmospheric fantasy," while Paula Rohrlick, writing in Kliatt, described it as a "thrilling, sinister adventure." School Library Journal contributor Sue Giffard concluded that The Water Mirror "is a standout in this year's crowded field of fantasy novels, and will have readers clamoring for the next entry in the series."

The Stone Light finds Merle, the Flowing Queen, and Vermithrax heading to Hell in their search for assistance against the marauding Egyptians. While in Hell, Merle seeks the aid of Lord Light, Lucifer himself. As events unfold in the underworld, Merle's teenage friend Serafin becomes involved in a complicated rebel plot by the beautiful Sphinx, Lalapeya, to assassinate the Pharaoh of Egypt. Unsure of whom to trust, Serafin struggles as betrayals mount and the stakes grow ever higher. Meanwhile, in the depths of Hell, a threat greater than Egypt has emerged against Venice and its myriad protectors as the Stone Light seeks conquest. "This is an exciting and imaginative fantasy series," Rohrlick commented in another Kliatt review. "Meyer shows great inventiveness in his portrayal of the environment and creatures of Hell," remarked Giffard in School Library Journal.

With Pirate Curse, "Meyer decants a frothy draught of piratical adventure to open this series," commented a Kirkus Reviews critic. The protagonist of this swash-buckling Caribbean adventure is Jolly, a fourteen-year-old orphan girl who lives on a pirate ship. Jolly is far from ordinary, however; she was born a polliwog with the magical ability to walk on water. When her shipboard home is destroyed in a violent explosion during combat with another vessel, Jolly is cast adrift and eventually lands on a small inhabited island. There, she is found by Munk, another fourteen-year-old polliwog, who lives on the island with his parents. Soon, Jolly and Munk are engaged in dangerous adventures as vicious creatures from another world begin to infiltrate the sea. They become involved with the mysterious pirate known as the Ghost Trader, and to their dismay discover that they hold the key to confronting the Maelstrom and sealing the breach that is spilling so many dangerous beasts into their world. Meyer "is an expert at creating fantastical worlds filled with unusual and exotic elements," commented Melissa Moore in School Library Journal. The story offers "plenty of action and suspense as well as colorful characters and vividly described settings," asserted Booklist reviewer Carolyn Phelan.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2006, Jennifer Mattson, review of The Water Mirror, p. 103; June 1, 2006, Carolyn Phelan, review of Pirate Curse, p. 63; July 1, 2006, Anna Rich, review of The Water Mirror, p. 75.

Bookseller, December 10, 2004, "A City Where Magic Is Believable," profile of Kai Meyer, p. 28.

Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2006, review of Pirate Curse, p. 636; September 15, 2005, review of The Water Mirror, p. 1031; November 15, 2006, review of The Stone Light, p. 1176.

Kliatt, September, 2005, Paula Rohrlick, review of The Water Mirror, p. 11; November, 2006, Paula Rohrlick, review of The Water Mirror, p. 29; January, 2007, Paula Rohrlick, review of The Stone Light, p. 16.

New York Times Book Review, December 4, 2005, Polly Shulman, "Children's Books," review of The Water Mirror, p. 58.

Publishers Weekly, September 19, 2005, review of The Water Mirror, p. 67; June 26, 2006, review of Pirate Curse, p. 52.

School Library Journal, November, 2005, Sue Giffard, review of The Water Mirror, p. 142; June, 2006, Melissa Moore, review of Pirate Curse, p. 162; July, 2006, Tricia Melgaard, review of The Water Mirror, p. 55; January, 2007, Sue Giffard, review of The Stone Light, p. 132.