Jörg Kastner

Vita	Jörg Kastner

[ Website ]	Jörg Kastner's historical fiction has won him a devoted following. His blend of meticulous research and gripping storylines has proven understandably popular with readers, and there is something of the fantasy tradition in his work. In fact, Kastner has recently turned his hand to writing fantasy for the young adult market. He is also involved in various film projects. Kastner was born in Minden in 1962. He was an enthusiastic reader and writer from an early age, and soon developed a love of classic adventure fiction. He studied law at Bielefeld university, and, whilst training to become a judge, wrote two books on film and literary topics and penned numerous articles and essays. The move to freelance writing came naturally, and in 1993 he became a full-time author. He lives in Hanover with his wife, fellow author Corinna Kastner. What the press says about the author: "A German thrillers author, who makes you want to read more" (BILD am Sonntag) "Kastner is a fabulous storyteller and also very good at putting himself into the world the way it was back then." (Fantasia) "Before you sleep you just have to read the next chapter. And then the next. And then the next" (Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung)

Newest Book	Thriller

	Former Jesuit Paul Kadrell comes to believe that he is descended from the devil. Having decided to end his life, he is shocked by the news that Italian police inspector Claudia Bianchi is expecting his child. Paul and Claudia, fearing that they are perpetuating the devil’s legacy, dread the birth of their baby, especially when they find an ancient manuscript prophesying the second coming of the evil one… PB: Knaur 2009 Movie & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

Historical Novels

	*The Dark Tulip* Amsterdam, 1671: the Netherlands is recovering from “Tulip Mania” and the trade in tulip bulbs has bankrupted many people. Even so, the “Worshippers of the Tulip”, an exclusive club, continues to meet once a week. One evening, one of the club’s respected members, de Koning, is stopped on the street by a woman and stabbed to death. News of the attack causes a stir – de Koning is the second murder victim in Amsterdam to be found with a rare tulip petal in his hand. Inspector Jeremias Katoen takes charge of the investigation and follows the trail left by fanatical tulip lovers and equally fanatical tulip haters, only to find that it leads to an extremely rare and extremely dangerous type of tulip that was stolen from the Ottoman Empire many years ago. The demonic flower shimmers with an iridescent beauty that overpowers the minds of those who come too close. But traitors have got their hands on the deadly tulip, and Katoen’s life would be worth nothing if it weren’t for the devoted help of a young beggar and a girl with a talent for fencing. HC: Knaur 2008 Audiobook: Argon 2008 Sold to: The Netherlands (Karakter Uitgevers b.v.), Spain (Via Magna), France (Editions J.C.-Lattés) Movie & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

Thriller

	*Number of the Beast* Paul Kadrell, a young Jesuit priest, is excited at being summoned to the Vatican because it means he will be reunited with his former tutor, Father Sorelli. Sure enough, he comes across Sorelli, but the old man has been tortured and is on the point of death. Etched into his cheek is the number of the beast – 666. When other victims are found with similar mutilations, Kadrell teams up with Italian policewoman Claudia Bianchi to find the murderer. Together they uncover the existence of a secret society whose central tenet is that the Vatican’s catacombs are inhabited by the devil. Then Claudia finds out that her family has been involved in the ancient mystery for centuries… PB: Knaur 2008 Audiobook: Audible 2008 Sold to: Russia (Hemiro Ltd.) Movie & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

Fiction

	*The True Crucifix* Young archaeologist Bastien Topart joins Napoleon's entourage on an expedition to Egypt in 1798. During a dig he comes across an underground temple in the desert. Inside, a strange ritual is being conducted, involving men dressed as medieval knights about to sacrifice a girl. Bastien saves the mysterious young woman and escorts her to Cairo where their Egyptian guide is murdered. Bastien tackles the assailant and kills him during a scuffle. Even alive, the man would never have been able to reveal who he was working for – his tongue has been cut out. Mysterious incidents continue to occur and at the heart of the enigma is the young woman, who appears to hold the key to the secret of the “true crucifix”, a relic that has led to countless deaths throughout the years. Even Napoleon shows a marked interest in her fate. Bastien begins to experience visions and starts to wonder whether he has personal experience of the middle ages. HC: Knaur 2007 Audiobuch: AME hören 2007 Sold to: France (Editions J.C.-Lattès), The Netherlands (Karakter Uitgevers b.v.), Spain (Via Magna), Italy (Edizioni Piemme S.p.a.) Movie & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

	*The Colour Blue* The place is Amsterdam; the year is 1669. Two respectable citizens have committed brutal murders, and on each occasion a painting was involved: a harmless Rembrandt-style portrait, dominated by an intense blue seldom used by the master artist himself. Then the ‘deadly painting’ disappears, and young painter Cornelis Suythof decides to investigate.... The Colour Blue is set in the Golden Age of the Netherlands, during the era of great art, thriving maritime trade, and Calvinism. HC: Verlagsgruppe Droemer Knaur 2005 HC: Weltbild 2006 PB: Knaur 2006 SE: Droemer Knaur 2007 Audio book: Lagato Verlag e.K. 2005 Sold to: Russia (AST Publishers), Korea (Hans Media Inc.), France (Edition Lattès, CLUB Le Grand Livre du Mois, Point Seuil), Italy (Edizioni Piemme S.p.a.), The Netherlands (Karakter Uitgevers B.V.), Spain (Editiones Maeva), Poland (Wydawnictwo Dolnoslaskie Sp. z.o.o.), China (Thinkingdom Media Group), Portugal (Gótica 2000 LTDA), Hungary (Geopen Kiadó), Taiwan (Ten Points Publishing House), Serbia (Alnari), Macedonia (Feniks) Movie & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

Angel Series

	*The Angel's Prince* (third volume in the Angel series) A high-ranking cleric gets wind of an incredible scandal. In the Vatican vast sums of money are being stolen - with the blessing of someone in holy orders… The cleric doesn’t know who he can trust and decides to go to the press instead. But one day his corpse is found… OPB: Droemer Knaur 2006 HC: Weltbild: 2006 Audio book: Lagoto Verlag e.K. 2006 Sold to: Spain (ViaMagna Ediciones), Bulgaria (Kalpazanov Ltd.) Film & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

	*The Angel's Curse* (second volume in the Angel series) The Catholic Church is divided, and Antipope Lucius reigns in Naples. Only a handful of people know his secret: he is a descendent of Archangel Uriel. The question is, why has he been spared God’s fury, and not punished like others of his kind? Elena follows his trail to Tuscany, where he once worked miracles as a priest. While Elena encounters other people with magical gifts, her partner, Alexander, is arrested in Rome on suspicion of being responsible for a number of murders involving members of the Church. Supernatural powers and ancient prophecies that tell of beings with the gifts of angels – all this is at the heart of Jörg Kastner’s novel in which Alexander Rosin and his journalist girlfriend Elena Vida discover some incredible truths. HC: Droemer 2003 PB: Knaur 2004 SE: Der CLUB 2004 SE: Weltbild 2005 SE: Galeria Edition Sold to: Czech Republic (NS Svoboda), The Netherlands (Karakter Uitgevers B.V.) Film & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

	*The Angel's Pope* (first volume in the Angel series) Murder in the Vatican. A mysterious crime has been committed, and terror spreads through the streets of the Eternal City. Alexander Rosin, a Swiss guardsman, sets out with young Italian journalist Elena Vida to solve a murder whose motives seem to reach far back into the convoluted history of the Church. Soon they encounter a secret society that calls itself the ‘Circle of Twelve’. Eventually a legendary emerald, the ‘True Likeness of Christ’, leads them to uncover a centuries-old plot that threatens the survival of the Church. »The Angel’s Pope is a striking combination of historical and contemporary fiction. The Vatican provides the backdrop for a thrilling, compelling and suspenseful plot.« (Hersfelder Zeitung) »Jörg Kastner’s Vatican crime novel is a breathtaking mixture of fantasy and fact.« (Mosbacher Nachrichten) HC: Scherz 2000 PB: Knaur 2002 SE: Weltbild 2003 SE: Der CLUB 2004 Audiobook: Lagato Verlag e.K. 2007 Sold to: Czech Republic (Svoboda), Latvia (AGB), The Netherlands (Karakter), Spain (VíaMagna Ediciones) Movie & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

	*Circle of the Sun* Unusual circumstances lead a young singer to the city of Vienna and to the heart of a conspiracy targeting Mozart and his new opera, The Magic Flute. This is a magical love story, a dazzling costume drama, and a gripping thriller peppered with historical allusions. Kastner’s eighteenth-century tale of the secret surrounding Mozart’s famous opera is delightfully seductive. HC: List 2001 PB: Knaur 2004 Sold to: The Netherlands (Karakter) Film & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

	*In the Shadow of Notre Dame* It is 1483, and Armand Sauveur is struggling to make a living in the grimy streets of Paris - the invention of the printing press means that his skills as a copyist are no longer in demand. One night he encounters a ghostly monk who leads him to Notre-Dame, where Arch-deacon Claude Frolle gives him a peculiar assignment. Sauveur has been chosen to copy a book about the 1465 comet. Gradually he finds himself being pulled into a conspiracy that threatens to cast a shadow over Paris and perhaps the world… »A mysterious church, secret files, dozens of bodies and a puzzle to be solved. It is reminiscent of Umberto Eco’s best-seller ‚The Name of the Rose‘. Kastner also loves to play with quotations, with history, with the genre (...) Well contrived. A wide but witty game.« (Kultur Literatur) PB: Knaur 2000 Sold to: Russia (AST Publishers) all rights free except PB Film & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

	*The Golem Awakes* A man wakes up in a hospital and seems to have lost his memory. He is the only patient on an abandoned ward. As he flees, he hears the cry of a warden: "The Golem, the Golem! He's escaping!" Pursued by strangers, the man reaches Berlin, where he meets a young journalist and uncovers an incredible conspiracy involving senior political and financial figures. But at the centre of it all is a man without a name... OPB: Scherz 2000

	*Widukind's Wolves* »The mystery deepens with each chapter. The author knows exactly what he is doing. Skilfully, he increases the tension leaving the reader no choice. He has to read on, hoping that good will triumph and evil lose.« (Westfalen-Blatt) HC: Ehrenwirth 1998 PB: Lübbe 2000

	*Sword of Runes* Siegfried is the famous blonde warrior of the Nibelung saga who falls victim to a dark plot that brings about his downfall. This novel tells a different story - the story of young Siegfried, Crown Prince of Xanten. Siegfried knows the story of the legendary sword of runes that his father wielded in a battle against the Frisians, but neither his father nor the sword have been heard of since. Siegfried sets off in search of the sword, hoping to unravel the secret surrounding his father's death. Soon he encounters destructive forces intent on using the magic of the runes to conjure the return of darkness. PB: Econ 1997 Rights free

	*The Wings of Poseidon* Olympia, 67 BC. Nero wishes to take part in the games, so alters the schedule. The decision threatens to be his undoing, for a group of conspirators is planning to free Hellas from the capricious Emperor and has devised the perfect scheme. Jason, a shepherd who has arrived in the city in search of his father, is due to wrestle the Emperor and defeat him. However, before the games can begin, one of Jason's friends is murdered in cold blood and a picture of a winged horse is traced in the sand beside his corpse. Jason soon realizes that the games aren't as noble or sacred as his tutor Lysias had led him to believe. The web of conspiracies, sabotage and violence tightens around the athlete, whose family history pulls him deeper and deeper into the plot. Kastner writes knowledgeably about the Olympics and the ancient world. This is a thrilling novel combining a dramatic account of the power struggle in Rome with a tragic love story. OE: Rütten und Loening 1996 PB: Lübbe 1999 all rights free except PB

Cologne - A Historical Series

	*The Shadows of Cologne* ANNO 1076 Two years have passed since the citizens of Cologne rose up against Archbishop Anno, and the peace has been restored. But the calm is deceptive, for a group of revolutionaries, the "shadows of Cologne", roam the streets at night, determined to gain possession of the Holy Grail. The legendary relic is said to be hidden beneath the foundations of the cathedral, and the shadows believe its powers will help them attain peace and justice. But someone else is on the trail of the Grail, and Cologne becomes the site of a merciless battle for power over Christendom. OE: Bastei Lübbe 2002

	*Anno 1074* Uprising against the Archbishop of Cologne Archbishop Anno is one of the most powerful men in the German Empire, but in 1074 he falsely imprisons a respected Cologne merchant, and the city turns against him. Anno takes refuge in the cathedral, but is forced to flee to Neuss. Summoning his troops, he resolves to quash the uprising with whatever means it takes. Georg Treuer, son of the imprisoned merchant, leads the defence of the city, but unbeknownst to him, a conspiracy is afoot, and its implications reach far beyond the boundaries of Cologne. OE: Bastei Lübbe 1998

The Germani - A Historical Saga	Thorag and Arminius, son of a Cheruscan war chief, have been fighting against the Roman forces in the East. Now the two friends are on their way home to the country that the Romans term "Germania". Oppressive taxes imposed by the Romans have turned many tribes, including the Cherusci, against the Romans, and Thorag, although a Cheruscan himself, encounters widespread distrust for having fought for Augustus during an earlier war. Forced to flee to a Roman settlement near the Rhine, he is treated with suspicion by the Romans as well, and soon finds himself at the centre of various plots. He resolves to join a Cheruscan uprising led by Arminius, who sets a trap for the Roman General and his three powerful legions. The battle of Teutoburg Forest rages for three full days, but its outcome does not spell the end of the conflict. For the next decade, love and friendship are clouded by war and death, as Thorag and Arminius struggle against Roman conspiracies and fight against dissent within their ranks.

	*Arminius, Chief of the Cherusci* OPB: Bastei Lübbe 2001

	*The Germani of Ravenna* OTB: Bastei Lübbe 1999

	*Marbod or Discord Among the Germans* OPB: Bastei Lübbe 1998

	*Germanicus's Eagle* OPB: Bastei Lübbe 1997

	*Thorag: The Return of the Cheruscan* OPB: Bastei Lübbe 1996

Romane mit Sherlock Holmes

	*Sherlock Holmes and the Terror of Sumatra* Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary detective, embarks on a new adventure. One night a dying stranger appears at the door of 221B Baker Street to warn Holmes of a terrible danger that threatens to wipe out mankind. The threat is linked to the kidnapping of a French scientist, and the trail leads Holmes and Watson to Sumatra, where Baron Maupertuis is conducting secret experiments in the jungle. The two investigators face a host of dangers before they can return to the foggy streets of London, where the case will be solved with the help of a young writer by the name of H.G. Wells. »Enormously thrilling!« (Fernsehwoche) HC: Tilsner 1997 all rights free

	*Dr. Watson and the Case of Holmes* The past has cast a shadow over the most famous detective of all time. His friend and biographer Dr Watson becomes aware that a peculiar change has come over Sherlock Holmes. The detective seems more removed and eccentric by the day. In the meantime, London is being plagued by a series of mysterious murders, and the stability of the financial markets is threatened. As the events unfold, it becomes obvious that this is probably the most hazardous case in Holmes and Watson's career ... HC: Logos 1994 all rights free

Children & Youth Books

	*The Stone Princess* Pierre’s mother dies in mysterious circumstances. His desire to discover the truth leads him into the heart of the Earth, where he encounters the stone people and learns some astonishing facts about his family. He is dragged into an ancient feud between the stone people and the stone-breakers, who have kidnapped the stone princess. Pierre’s mission is to defuse the conflict and free her from her captors. Will he succeed in bringing peace to the stone world? »A thrilling fantasy novel that expertly draws the reader into a labyrinth of events. Peopled with fascinating characters, but with a gripping and satisfyingly linear plot, it refuses to indulge in the graphically gory descriptions that have become almost commonplace in fiction of this kind. With its snappy storyline and vivid language, this is a must for fantasy fans« (Almuth Hochmüller) »Jörg and Corinna Kastner have joined forces to produce a first-rate fantasy novel. Expertly constructing a labyrinth of mystery, they send their readers down blind alleys and towards dead ends. The battle of good and evil receives a new twist, and just when fact and fiction, appearance and reality seem to be clearly delineated, everything is thrown into confusion.« (Magazin für Literatur und Film) HC: Ueberreuter 2002 PB: Rowohlt 2004 Movie and TV: Rights free (AVA international)

	*Children of the Mist* As a foundling child, Albin was raised by monks. He is now employed as a servant in the monastery near Moon Lake. One day an envoy sent by the King of West-Franconia is murdered in the grounds of the monastery, slain by an Elfish beam. The action comes thick and fast. While hunting for the murderer, Albin discovers that he himself is a descendant of the Elves, an ancient people known to humans as the ‘children of the mist’, since they venture from the forest only when the air is clouded with fog. Albin plunges deeper and deeper into their mysterious world, encountering many dangers as he tries to save his people from destruction… HC: Ueberreuter 2000 PB: Lübbe 2002 Audiobook: 123classics 2008 Movie & TV: Rights free (AVA international)

	*Scheitan's Oasis* Readers can now catch up with the story that Karl May omitted to tell: the tale of a wonderful friendship - the first encounter between Kara Ben Nemsi and Hadschi Halef Omar. It all starts in North Africa, at the start of the 1870s. Young German traveller Kara Ben Nemsi is about to set off from Algiers to begin a great journey through the Orient. But before he leaves the ancient African city, one of his fellow travellers is mugged, and he goes to her aid. The woman tells him that she is looking for her missing fiancé, who was on an expedition heading for the Sahara. Kara Ben Nemsi fears the worst, and sets off to look for him. His journey takes him on an adventure that will lead him to a gang of plotters, deserters from the foreign region, a strange Bedouin tribe, and finally Hadschi Halef Omar. Kara and Halef join forces and travel together to the legendary site of Scheitan's Oasis, the oasis of the devil ... HC: Karl-May-Verlag 2000

Vita