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Science and Adventure
Science and Adventure » Foreign Publications
Alma, Drifter, Felix, Bella
Science and Adventure – with a pinch of chess
This book series is planned to contain 4 volumes.
Age group: 10+ years.
Each novel is a breathtaking adventure, centered around different fields of science. Each volume has a different protagonist, but the main characters appear in all novels.
Alma and Drifter are the first and second parts of the Science and Adventure Series.
The first part of the series, entitled Alma, was written by Judit Berg in collaboration with Judit Polgar, the best female chess player of all times. It intends to show the world of chess as it has never been shown before. Their credo: ”In life, nothing is purely black and white. Not even in chess.”
Main topics of the series:
Alma: The World of Chess
Drifter: Artificial Intelligence
Felix: Space research, black holes, and time travel – To be published in 2024.
Bella: Climatic change and environment protection – To be published in 2026.
Ecovit Publishing Ltd., Budapest, Hungary
Already sold to:
Quality Chess Publishing, United Kingdom
Albatros Media a.s., Czech Republic
Alma – And the Dark Dominion
The main characters of the book are four lost teenagers who must face the evil Lord of Chess in order to find their way back to their own world.
During their struggles the protagonists have to prove their bravery and wit. While fighting their adversary the teenagers must become aware of their own strenghts and weaknesses, learn to analyze and plan their own actions, appreciate and trust each other.
During the adventures several (not extremely challenging) chess riddles are to be solved by the main characters. These are deeply embedded in the dramaturgy of the novel: some riddles can be used as maps, others function as codes for secret doors or show the heroes which way to take.
The most exciting part of the book is the final battle between the protagonists and the Dark Lord of the Chess Empire. The movements of the two armies and the fighting itself make the whole chapter the dramatic climax of the novel. However, this is not a randomly made up battle scene. The moves are identical with those in the famous chess game between Judit Polgar and Viswanathan Anand (who a few years later became the World Chess Champion) that took place in 1998 in Dos Hermanas, Spain and ended in Judit’s victory.
Chess players can follow the game step by step in the appendix of the book. On the other hand, it is not necessary at all for the readers to be chess players in order to enjoy the novel. Alma, the main character of the first part of the series (who is a master of chess) always explains the solution of the riddles, while her friends help her find the connection between chess and life.
In Hungary Alma became very popular. Some months after its publication it has already become recommended reading in schools for 6th or 7th graders.
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276 pages, hardcover
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Illustrated by Barbara Bernát
Drifter – In the Shade of Darknet
In the last chapter of Alma the young heroine becomes the new queen of the Empire of Chess. The sequel, entitled Drifter, takes place a few months later. From time to time Alma and her friends, living their everyday lives in their own world, must return to the Empire. But things are changing in both worlds.
A stranger starts to follow Alma around in the real world, while there is an uprising being organised against her in the Empire of Chess. Who is behind these frightening events? Drifter suspects the former ruler, the Dark Lord of Chess, especially when he discovers that the Lord has a smartphone, since there is no use of this device in the Empire. When Alma gets kidnapped, Drifter soon finds himself the number one suspect of the crime. He has no other choice but to follow the trail and start investigating in order to clear himself. With the help of a real hacker, he soon finds out that a quick learner Artificial Intelligence is behind the frightening events whose main goal is to seize control over both worlds.
The novel introduces young readers to the latest achievements of computer science, shows the directions of technological progress, and its possible dangers as well. It is very informative and up-to-date, while being suspenseful and exciting at the same time.