“Once upon a time,” begins the narrator of this richly imagined novel. But what follows is no ordinary fantasy full of dragons, elves, and wicked stepmothers. Yes, the tale involves a boy named Jack. But he’s not the one who climbed a beanstalk or slew seven giants with one blow. This Jack is a storyteller, a seventeen-year-old farm boy who sets off to seek his fortune in the royal city of Sundar.

Jack has many adventures and narrow escapes on his journey. He also meets an assortment of memorable characters—including a talking bird, a one-eyed robber, a mysterious illusionist, and a melancholy princess. Each has a tale to tell, and these accounts, along with Jack’s own stories and the framing narrative, are woven into a complex, dazzling tapestry that will capture the reader’s imagination. Through them, Edward Myers explores the power—for good and for evil—of the stories we all tell.