The Paragon Prison: It’s Here!
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From Derek: Here it is. The final installment of the Clockwork Chronicles. This has really been a fun series to write. I fell in love with Iron Bridge Academy. I only wish I could have gone there when I was a kid. Of course, I’d need a bounder. And a Templar body guard. And maybe a super power, or two. But otherwise, I’d fit right in. We hope you enjoy this book. Let us know what you think! Thanks again for being such great fans!
A new world means a world of trouble…
The Paragon Engine, a machine that can unlock portals to any dimension throughout the universe, is the most powerful and dangerous invention in Templar history-and the Grey Griffins have just been pulled through it. After they are transported through the engine, Max, Ernie, Natalia, and Harley have no idea what to expect. There could be vicious monsters or terrifying creatures lurking around every corner. But soon, they discover that this new world looks just like theirs. Except there is one big difference: everything that went wrong in their world never happened and the Templar rule society. Is this world truly perfect? Or should the Griffins risk their lives to find a way back home? Things get even more complicated when they learn that their arch enemy, Otto Von Strife, is also in this world-and he has the power to destroy everything.
In this final book of the Clockwork Chronicles trilogy, the Grey Griffins face questions about destiny, personal choice, and what courage really means-all while finding a way to destroy Von Strife, his evil half-fairies, and his legion of killer clockworks.
You can order the hardcover and the kindle version from Amazon. Just check out the Books page on this site!
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this book is super!!!! i completed reading it. Its so cool.please keep writing the grey griffins series.i cant wait for the next one
Thanks! We’re glad you enjoyed it!
The entire grey griffins series is so awesome!!!!!!! It has been the best book series I have ever read! I can’t wait for more
When is the next book coming out?
The Grey Griffin encyclopedia is close to being released. Hopefully you guys have Kindles or ipads/ipods?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LUVED IT!!!!!!!!!!! This was definetly the best 1 yet!!!!!! ERNEST+NAT.=<3
PLz. keep writing. And plza add in some romance between the characters. IM 13 and i still luv the books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LUV ERNEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I loved the series. I have read all the books starting in the first series.Thank you for the many happy years I have spent reading this series. I hope there will be a movie, because I would love to see it on the big screen. Grey Griffins has become my favorite series to read.
Thanks Nathan. And personally, I’d like to see a movie about Obadiah Strange in his early years as he adventured alongside Lord Saxon. I bet they had some crazy times.
So, I’m 30, and my 12 year old son bought me Fall of the Templar at a book sale at school. Just to make him happy more than anything, i read it, and then I fell in love with it. Since then I’ve gone and bought the rest of the original trilogy and just finished the clockwork chronicles all in about a week. I would really like to see more. Maybe something where Max’s dad comes back? Or we find out more about why Athena was with Vlad? Or maybe Morgan LaFey makes a comback? I am desperate for more. Please tell us there is going to be more.
Athena’s story regarding Vlad and the Order of the Dragon is a good one. Natalia’s been wracking her brains trying to figure out if Athena has always been part of the secret order (even before Vlad’s release), or if he recruited her shortly thereafter. There’s a significant chunk of her life missing (between her family being killed in Asia when she was young and when she started attending Cambridge University in the UK. As for Morgan, well… Vlad hasn’t “finished” with her yet. He’s enjoying the revenge game, so you can imagine he’s drawing out her sentence as long as possible. This give her the opportunity to escape, of course.
Sounds like us readers are in for some more amazing Grey Griffins adventures. Thank you for giving us the gift of the Grey Griffins and i look forward to continuing to read and learn about them. You are truly talented.
The Grey griffins was and always will a great book. I was just wondering if the book The Paragon Prison was the last book you guys are going to make. If you are going to make than could you put a little more romance that would be great!
We’re definitely seeing the romance angle with Harley in the Paragon Prison. When the series picks up again (no date yet) I think you’ll find exactly what you are hoping to see.
This gives us some time ask the fans: if there would be a romance in the future, who would you like to see and how would you imagine it might work (or NOT work)?
Logan and Athena? I’ve had a long-time theory that they were a thing (or Logan at least had a thing for her) ever since that part of Rise of the Black Wolf where Athena’s like “You go. Make sure the kids are safe. I’ll hold him off” and Logan’s reaction is pretty much, “No. Not approved. But I guess this is the only option, so it’s going to happen.” Because later (Brimstone Key) Logan talks about how everything is for the greater good, and I read that and I was just like, “If everything is for the greater good, and you’re perfectly okay with other people sacrificing themselves for the good of others, than what was that obvious displeasure at the idea of Athena doing it?!” So, yeah. If Logan and Athena had a thing, and then she betrayed the Templar, that would be a really awesome sub-plot.
Great comment!
Logan and Athena were definitely close. He’s not going to talk about it. That’s not his way. But her betrayal messed with his mind pretty good. In the future, they’ll have to sort this out. He doesn’t like leaving loose ends, and she has a lot of explaining to do. If they end up together, retired under assumed names and living the good life on the Mediterranean, it wouldn’t surprise me. Of course, people like Logan and Athena never retire. They are addicted to the action.
Max sumner please!!!!!!!!!!!!! I read all your book including The Paragon Prison and LOVE IT but i still want to see max in romance. I mean harley’s romance was freaking awsome but I kind of miss max’s romance please! Thank you so much for creating the books! And one more thing am really intrested in live griffins in the book not the griffins but the griffin like can you give some a griffin bounder Please Agian
.
1. Are you thinking that Max needs to have a romance with someone other than Brooke?
2. I think a griffin Bounder would be awesome. Sort of too big to take with you to the mall, but still… pretty darn cool.
3. For people like Natalia, love comes unexpectedly, and often against their will. Looks and money are not important to her. But brains matter. As does confidence. If Natalia could name the perfect type, she’d probably say “A non-smoking, well dressed version of Sherlock Holmes”. Or perhaps the Count of Monte Cristo. Both are self-made men with determination, and who appreciate a flare for the dramatic.
Wait now that i think about it you should do Natalia. She never got any romance abd i’d like to see how Max,Harley,and Ernest reacts
Ok. So I have yet to read the series, but by looking at the covers, these books are reminding me a lot of Malice and Havoc by Chris Wooding. And the fact that “Clockwork” had a lot to do in those books, I also find it interesting that these books are called the Clockwork Chronicles. Hmmmm… I’m gonna have to read these and find out! *gets really excited.)
And… the guy with the dogs on the cover there… looks EXACTLY like the character Tall Jake from Malice and Havoc. (Tall Jake was the persay ‘evil’ guy.)
I think a perfect person for Natalia is a really smart guy almost smater then her like a new student.
Oo theres a game called Runescape that has all the fantasy creature from your book including helhounds,griffins,giants,King black dragon,Queen black dragons and more. Its a world famous online mmorpg game with fantasy creatures in it check it out will you it should give you some ideas about creature. Theres also clock work in it. And a I LOVE YOUR BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks! I haven’t played Runescape yet, but I know lots and lots of people who love it.
Ok. I just give up on saying these are /like/ Malice and Havoc. They are EXACTLY like Malice and Havoc. DEFINITELY GOING TO READ THESE.
Never heard of Malice and Havoc, but I’ll be sure to put them on my reading list. Always looking for good stuff to read. Right now I (Derek Benz) am reading Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins.
I’ve been hearing about this Grey Griffins Encyclopedia a lot now. Is it going to be similar to the glossary on the old version of site? And do you have an approximate time for its release?
Hi Dakota: It’s complete and ready to go. And it’s a whole lot more in depth than anything we carried on the site. We’re just finishing up some artwork for the book, and then we’ll release it. Certainly by the end of August at the latest.
Okay, awesome! Totally pysched for that! Hello, back to school reading.
Malice really died in the ending because she betrayed the good guys lol
OMG! i finished it. i read it a total of three times. i luved the romance with harley and raven. but if you really pay attention, natalia seems a bit jealous. but the series is a work of art! like you stated in another comment, you said to tell you about some couples we want to see. i would luvvvv to see some more with harley and raven. And i think that Natalia should fall for Ernie. Like where Ernie is just being his normal dorky self and natalia starts laughing at his stories about him “heaving at super speed. Total MELTDOWN in the bathroom” Then max and Brooke are so cute! But i luv the series over all. all the books. you guys are my hero’s. you guys inspired me to start writing and drawing. nothing big yet, but i want to be just like you guys when i get older. OMG! is it bad that i cried when Aiden(Smoke) Thorne died, and Obadiah(Von strife) Strife died? LUV you guys!!!!!
Awesome. So glad you liked it. It was a lot of fun to write the parts about Raven and Harley. Very interesting about Ernie and Natalia. I still think Natalia would rather eat glue than hold Ernie’s hand. But you never know. People change. If Ernie is going to be fit for anyone, he’s got some work to do. As for Smoke… yeah… even for me, that was hard. I didn’t know it was going to happen until it did.
OK! Major Question! When Aiden(Smoke)Thorne died, was it him from both worlds or just that one? And I think Ray should come back and take revenge on Harley.
That is an EXCELLENT question. You are very sharp to point out that of all the doubles in the world, why was there only ONE Aiden…
In the next book, I think there should be a part where Harley and Raven get into a fight and Raven runs to Ernie for comfort. Harley ends up walking into a room about to apologize when he sees Ernie trying to make a move on her. It looks like raven is holding his hand, and Harley tells her off and storms out. Natalia comes to Harley seeing that he is hurting and tries to comfort him. He tells her what happened and Natalia feels bad and gives him a comforting hug. Harley falsely believes that she is trying to flirt. Later max calls a GG meeting, and Harley glares at Ernie a lot and hits on Natalia. She takes it with pride. They end up having a moment. Later the G.G.s are being chased by goblins with arrows and rocks and other weapons. As the G.G.s are hiding behind some trees one of the goblins hits Harley with an arrow in the stomach. He starts rapidly loosing blood. You choose how to continue. Just an idea. I take no credit for the Grey Griffins characters, names, or title. No Copy write intended. If you do happen to use this idea, I don’t need any credit. I’ll just be happy.
Hi again. I think what you wrote is great! Not so sure I want to see Harley getting an arrow in the stomach… And I am sure he feels the same. But if that happened, Raven would be there in a second for him… She has a kind of love about her that shines the brightest in adversity.
Okay, so what Selena posted above kind of reminded me of an idea that my friend who also reads these books and I have been kicking around.
Since the release of Paragon Prison and the increased activity on this site, I have become aware of the size of the Grey Griffins fanbase. We may not be Harry Potter or the Hunger Games in numbers, but there are a lot more of us than I though there were. But there’s an important thing to take out of newly realizing the size of the fanbase: there is not a lot of fan-to-fan interaction. Like all other fandoms, we need a place to discuss theories, and favorite characters, and favorite scenes, and anything else Grey Griffins related. There are plenty of places for the fans to get news on the series, from Facebook, to Jon’s Twitter, to this website, but the comments section of a blog post is better for fan-to-author communication than it is for fan-to-fan lengthy debates.
What I’m suggesting, and I don’t know if you guys have talked about or are working on this or a similar idea, is a fan forum. They’re simple and a great way to build that sense of unity within a fanbase. And I think the majority of us readers (we also need a name, like the Harry Potter fans have Potterheads, and John and Hank Green fans calling themselves Nerdfighters.) are in the high school age range right now, actually, since we all started reading them when they first came out and we were all middle school kids. There are no doubt lots of talented artists, musicians, and writers in the fandom, and a place to share fanart, fanfiction, and fansongs (is that the right term?) would be really cool. I know a couple people who would be ecstatic to have a Grey Griffins fan forum.
But also, maintaining a forum and enforcing rules and making sure everyone is playing nice is time consuming, which is why forums are supported by moderators. I’m sure there are plenty of devoted and internet savvy fans that would be willing to moderate the forum (I would gladly, if you guys would even want to start a GG fan forum).
I think that the Grey Griffins fans could really find a lot of enjoyment in a forum, and that uniting the fans could lead to some really great things. When people get together, awesome things tend to happen, be it John Green’s fans who regularly back various charitable causes, or actor Misha Collin’s fans who fundraise to build orphanages and community centers in Haiti. I think it’d be really interesting to see what the Grey Griffins fans could accomplish together.
I just want to thank you again for writing these fantastic books.
we could be called like… well, i cant really think of a good thing to call us. OMG! im so happy Derek Benz replied to me! He’s like my hero! Oh and this is for Derek. You were right about the hole arrow thing. that would be odd. And will you ever come to Illinois or Missouri for a book signing? That would be so awesome!!!
The arrow thing may have been difficult, but I totally get what you mean. I mentioned it to a few of my friends. With Brooke around to heal him, it might just work. But if there’s no Brooke, he’d be in deep trouble.
when is the encyclopedia coming out? i looked it up on google, but all i got was wikipedia stuffs
Just bought this final installment to the clockwork chronicles and finished in a 2 hour hunger mode for a Grey Griffin story. Looking forward to a new Grey Griffin book and some new romances. Felt absolutely giddy when I read about Raven and Harley in the end
You know, that was one of my favorite storylines in the Paragon Prison. Watching Harley open up his heart a bit, and with Raven being the only one who could have done it. I feel bad for Ernie, because when he falls for a girl, he falls hard. But his friendship with Harley matters more to him than any crush.
Hey guys I love your books and am very excited to get the new one that recently came out. You guys came to my elementary school while I was in fourth grade (I am a freshman now) and I have been a fan of the grey griffins ever since. I hope you keep on writing because I bet some millionaire will decide to make a movie out of your books some day. Keep up the great work.
Fingers crossed!!
I’d be interested in what the fans on this site would like to see from the movie. Animation? Live action? Which actors?
“The trees are taller here,” said Max, squinting up in the darkness. “Anyway, wasn’t Von Strife going to use the Paragon Engine to invade the Shadowlands? Maybe that’s where we ended up.” Max hoped he was wrong. The Shadowlands was a wild, magical world controlled by the dark king Oberon, who had an unfortunate and ugly grudge against Max. Meeting him this way, in his own world and on his own terms, would probably result in the Griffins’ being hand-fed to a nest of dragons.
Live action! And, I think that Leo Howard would make a great Harley, Cameron Boyce for Ernie, I cant think of any more. But… I would luuuuuuv for a movie to come out! And if you do use my idea for a part in the next book, I love the whole idea with brooke, and I think that Raven should come back for Harley, and it maked their relationship all the stronger.
you mean, Raven from Earth Beta coming back for Harley? Interesting… As as for the actors, I think you’ve got two very strong ones there. Particularly Cameron Boyce.
ya. Because, since all of the chaos that has been happening lately, anything could happen. And with Raven from Earth Alpa (if thats right) there, that would creat a whole new world of jeaslousy, and just plain trouble, because Obadia strange( or von strife) mentioned that if a person from 2 worlds are together too long they merge. Oh! And what about Ernie? Without the dragon dung tee, will he morf? Oh! I think that he should start turning into a fairie, but the grey griffins end up saving him somehow.
It would definitely be trouble, that’s for sure. And yes, the two parallel versions of yourself would merge. But with the Paragon Engine destroyed, the likelihood of her coming across are slim. Iver and Cain might be able to do something, but it wouldn’t be easy. As for Ernie, I think you hit upon a real issue here. He’ll need to find some other source for his medicine, or else start mixing it himself, which would require locating a nest of a Sabine cave drake. If he didn’t find something, his change would start up again…
I think that would make a great story line. Where Ernie starts to morf and he starts forgetting things, people, but he ends up coming through it somehow. Or like you said “it would require locating a nest of a Sabine cave drake,” that would be great. Like in Fall of the Templar (I think its that one atleast) where Lord Sumner is battling the tree dragon thing. A brutal battle like that. Oh! I just thought of something. With Raven from earth Alpha, along with the story about her running off to ernie and harley and Natalia, I think it would be a great romace story on the side if Athena came back and there was some stuff with her and Logan. With me, I’m 13 now, and the grey griffins really age as characters, and I know their all 13 now, besides maybe Ernie, which is right at my age, this is the time of the awkward boyfriend/girlfriend stage, and when people really start maturing and changing. And how old are all the grey griffins now and when are their birthdays? I know Natalia’s is on valentines day. And how old is Logan?
I jsut noticed this. That picture inside the clock in the art strip at the top of the page, that face in there, is that supposed to be the kinamatic goggles? (Sorry about the spelling.)
Hey, Derek, it’s been almost 2 months since the Encyclopedia was supposed to come out. I haven’t seen anything new about it on the Grey Griffins facebook page or Jon’s twitter. Do you, at this point, have any idea when we might be expecting it?
Hi Dakota: yep. Sry. It’s coming. Just had a few things come up that jumped in front of everything else.
Thanks!
So excited! I can’t wait! Does it have actual stories in it or is it just like a big dictionary?
So, what exactly is the companion? I’ve heard alot about it, but never really got what it was. And, will the Griffin’s birthdays be in the Encyclopedia/companion? I know Nat’s. Its on valentines day, right? That, by the way, is awesome. I’m only a little younger than her. Mines on March 5th. I wanna know if I’m anywhere around the ages of them all. Isn’t Harley the oldest????????
The Companion is an encyclopedia for almost everything about the Grey Griffins. It’s about 200 pages long, with about 40-50 illustrations. You’ll get lots of information. Some birthdays will be shared. For instance, Natalia’s is Feb 14, exactly. Max’s is August 10. Brooke’s is Sept 21. And yes, Harley is definitely the oldest. The one missing piece in the Companion is Round Table. We’ll be releasing a completely separate Round Table book (and it’s far from done).
thats pretty awesome. Thanks for the info. So, what kind of stuff will be in the companion?
Lots and lots of stuff. Hundreds of entries covering the people, places and things. It’s taking a bit longer to get it through than I’d like… so I might start putting some stuff here, just to keep you believing that the Companion really exists!
Sounds like a great idea to me! (probably because I just really want this Companion)
And by birthdays are we talking “the Griffins” or “main and secondary characters”?
Well, tell Nat I said HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Lol. I think a great story line to go with the whole arrow thing is:
Brook ends up healing Harley. He gets back to normal and realizes that there are 2 Ravens. They merge and don’t remember anyone or anything. Somehow, the Griffins end up getting her memory back.
Anyway, So, when are Ernie, Harley and Logan’s birthdays? And, how old is Hannah. I read the books, and forgot how old she is. BTW, you guys ROCK!
Hannah was a year and half in book one, and it’s been almost 2 years right? So she’s like 3 and half?
Also, I have money on Logan’s birthday being in the late March, early April area of the year. Spidey-senses
Natalia thanks you. She spent most of her birthday at school, of course. But around 2:00pm, a clockwork chef appeared with a cake, shaped like a heart, with a unicorn on top. It was a little girly, but she secretly loved it. What she loved more was a leather-bound copy of Vanity Fair (by Thackeray) that was waiting for her at home, in a brown paper wrapping, set next to her front door. No name. No return address. But I’m pretty sure Athena was somewhere out there somewhere…
The birthdays will be in the Companion!
OMG! I hope so! MY birthdays’s March 5th. So, I’m like right in there with the Griffins’ birthdays!!!
I’m on the other side of the calendar. June 12th
Well, you’re closeish to Max’s. I wanna know when Harley and Ernie’s are.
Wow! I loved this book like crazy! I read it at least 5 times now. It is so cool. Please keep writing about the grey griffins. I have read every single one of the grey griffins book. It is amazing. My favorite books of choice. I’m looking forward to the next book or trilogy of the grey griffins.
That’s so awesome to hear! Thanks very much. The Griffins are happy to count you as a friend.
Hey may you guys tell me IF you are going to make Round Table TCG. Im still a bit new to all of this cause I’m on Revenge of the Shadow King, but the card game intrigued me so much. Both of u your words are strong
Thanks very much! We’d love to see the game come to life. But it has been put in deep freeze until the game industry turns around (bad economy).
I am about to start the whole series and finish it for summer. But I was wondering if there may be another side series that has to do with the characters.
There’s only the six books at this time. There may be some short stories to be released later… but at the moment, we’re focusing on getting the Grey Griffin Companion out the door first.
In the encyclopedia, will the drawings of all the characters be in it? What about awesome fanfics or something? Speaking of fanfics, are you guys (You and Jon) going to create a fanfic page? I know that other awesome book’s websites have fanfic pages, and it just makes the experience much more exciting. What about the next trilogy? Have you thought of a theme behind that? I mean how the first trilogy was mostly building character, and the main “villains” were blackstone, morgan and ray, and the second trilogy was a steampunk trilogy, where you added in technology (to a certain extent). Another suggestion, you could write some novellas. They are really good for holding fans over until a next real book comes out. I know me, being a hhhuuugggeee fan, would luv that. And, this website was a pretty good idea, because, it gives kids who love reading and writing, myself included in that, the idea that authors that they really look up to (you and Jon) are normal people who just love reading and writing.
There’s about one drawing/illustration per page currently. That’s a lot (well over a hundred), but not enough to cover every character. Fanfic stuff would be awesome, but probably better that we post them on the website so that EVERYONE can see them.
…and you are right. Novellas are next. Just let’s get this Companion out. AHGHHGHGH!!
That’s really really really awesome! Do you know, and I know that you’ve been asked this A LOT, when the companion should be out?
Hopefully I will find out very soon and will let you know! It’s definitely been ready for a LONG time now.
Just got the book yesterday and finished it today, AWESOME BOOK! You should definetly keep writing about the Grey Griffins. Have you thought about writing a parralell series about another group of kids who live in the same world as the Griffins but have different experiences (maybe as faries instead of humans)? A series about Logan’s adventures?
Hmmm… this is an interesting thought.
Just got the book yesterday and finished it today, AWESOME BOOK! You should definetly keep writing about the Grey Griffins. Have you thought about writing a parralell series about another group of kids who live in the same world as the Griffins but have different experiences (maybe as faries instead of humans)? A series about Logan’s adventures? One more question, on the front cover of the Paragon Prison, are the creatures slayer goblins or hounds?
They are highly modified Slayer goblins. The changes were genetic, cybernetic, and magic. I don’t imagine the changes improved their disposition, though.
I second the motion for Logan adventures!!!!!!! I second this motion VERY enthusiastically!!!!!!