The automa Pinocchio has always been duty-bound to serve in the floating palaceof Venice s emperor. So when Pinocchio finds himself locked in a trunk and delivered to a newmaster a wanted criminal and alchemist named Geppetto he is curious about everything around him.But most curious is the way Pinocchio seems to be changing from a wooden servant into a living, humanboy. Before Geppetto and Pinocchio can uncover the mystery surrounding the automa s transformation, Pinocchio is stolen away. Determined to find Geppetto again, Pinocchio begins a harrowing journey acrossthe empire, where danger in the form of half-beast outlaws and winged airmen abounds for a lost automa.
Meanwhile, Princess Lazuli, the daughter of the ruler of a magical kingdom called Abaton, is alsoon a quest through the emperor s territory. Her father, Prester John, has been captured by the VenetianEmpire, and Lazuli is desperate to rescue him. With the emperor s airmen closing in fast, Lazuli learnsthat the only hope for saving her father and her beloved home lies in Pinocchio and Geppetto. In amasterful reimagining of Pinocchio, John Claude Bemis weaves an enchanting, thrilling adventure that atits heart is the story of one boy s quest to discover what it means to be a friend, a son, and a hero."