The Hidden Library by Victor Ward

"What mouse doesn't dream of bearding the cat in his own den?"

A dying man. A hidden library. A job that pays in strange coins.

When a man is pulled from the city's forgotten corners into a secret society of runners, he discovers a world where books are precious treasures, magic is reverse-engineered from alien text, and returning alive is never guaranteed.

Mr. Black can't outrun hunger, grief, or the guardians of the library forever. But with every coin, every book, and every hard-won spell, he inches closer to power, knowledge, and the chance to decide what his life is worth.

About the author

Victor Ward is an author and software craftsman in the Murfreesboro, Tennessee area. He lives with his two boys and a wife who lists her specialty as 'setting students on fire'. He denies any accusations of arming the dog; Bow Tie arranges for his own mischief without assistance.