The Joshua Files
Encyclopedia
The Joshua Files is a thriller book series aimed at pre-teens/teenagers written by British author M. G. Harris
M. G. Harris
M. G. Harris is the author of the successful book series, The Joshua Files.- Early life:M. G. Harris was born in Mexico City but moved to Manchester very early in her childhood. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a scientist and ran an Internet business...

. The mythology of the series includes a fictional prophecy of the ancient Maya
2012 phenomenon
The 2012 phenomenon comprises a range of eschatological beliefs that cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on December 21, 2012. This date is regarded as the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar...

 of a catastrophic event that will occur in December 2012 (see 2012 in fiction
2012 in fiction
This is a list of references to the year 2012. Several publications and media references reflect a popular prediction that the end of the world may occur in the year of 2012.-Literature:* "Angel Fire East" by Terry Brooks is set in Christmas of 2012...

).

It follows the story of young Joshua Garcia (Josh) as he travels in the Mayan ruins
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...

 following the work of his archaeologist father Andres Garcia. He is accompanied by his three friends: 15-year-old Tyler Marks, a fellow capoeira
Capoeira
Capoeira is a Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, sports, and music. It was created in Brazil mainly by descendants of African slaves with Brazilian native influences, probably beginning in the 16th century...

 fighter; 16-year-old Ixchel, his forced wife-to-be; and his 18-year-old cousin, Benicio. The first book, Invisible City, was published in February 2008. The second, Ice Shock, was published in March 2009, the third, Zero Moment, in Feb 2010, and the fourth, Dark Parallel, in April 2011. The fifth and final book is due to be released in 2012.

Invisible City

Joshua, the main character of the story is a 13-year-old boy. One day, while practicing Capoeira
Capoeira
Capoeira is a Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, sports, and music. It was created in Brazil mainly by descendants of African slaves with Brazilian native influences, probably beginning in the 16th century...

 in his martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

 class, he is asked promptly to leave for home, where he receives the news of his father's death in a plane crash in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

. Joshua refuses to believe this story and finds some extremely strange and baffling facts about his father's death. He comes up with his own conspiracy theory — abduction by aliens. Later the investigators say that Andres (his father, an archaeologist) had been murdered by the husband of a woman, with whom he supposedly had 'affairs'. Joshua reads his dad's emails and finds out that his father was involved in the search for an ancient Maya script
Maya script
The Maya script, also known as Maya glyphs or Maya hieroglyphs, is the writing system of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica, presently the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered...

called Ix codex. He sets up a blog to write about his conspiracy theories where he meets Ollie, or Olivia Dotrice (also known as TopShopPrincess) and Tyler Thomson at a bookstore.He also meets his long lost sister but she is killed in a swamp. The story revolves around their investigation of Andres' murder and search for the Ix Codex and the lost cities of Ek Naab and Chechan Naab.

Ice Shock

Ice Shock is the sequel to Invisible City. Josh is back home, trying to resume his normal life and make sense of his Mayan adventures. But soon it becomes clear that being back in Oxford does not mean Josh can escape his destiny. He is even more certain now that his father's death was no accident—and he's starting to wonder if he can really trust his closest allies. There is a traitor among him, Tyler and Ollie. Then Benicio reunites him and Ixchel. When he finds out The Sect are following him, he can not hide. On top of that Simon Madison is out for revenge. His adventures lead him to an ancient mountain where he finds out a shocking secret. That is when the real adventure begins.

Zero Moment

Zero Moment is the third book in the series. After Ollie's massive betrayal and his learning of what the Sect of Huracan are actually trying to do, Josh realises there is no turning back now. He travels to Brazil to contend in a capoeira contest with Tyler and his mother. They come across Carlos Montoyo and Ixchel and the five go on an adventure buggy ride across the desert. Just when Josh thinks everything is alright, Tyler, his mother and Ixchel are kidnapped by the Sect. After returning to Ek Naab, Josh thinks he has discovered the key to time travel. Should he use it to go back in time and save his father? Ixchel knows what he intends to do. Should she stop him? It is up to Josh to travel to the zero moment, change time and try to save his father, and possibly save the world.

Dark Parallel

The fourth in the series was released on 4 April 2011. Josh and Ixchel have travelled back in time, but it might not be so easy to get home again. They have landed in the Mayan era, when the prophecy about the world ending in 2012 was first foretold. And they cannot believe who they have found there. Clearly Josh is not the only person to have cracked the secret of time travel. But a bigger surprise awaits the pair when they return to the 21st century. It seems that the Bracelet of Itzamna has created a parallel universe where only one revival chamber exists. Nothing is quite as they remember it - and it is up to them to work out why this has happened. With scenes of wild chases, races and the romance that avid readers have been waiting for.

Apocalypse Moon

In Dark Parallel, it was announced that the next book would be the last book and would be published in 2012, possibly to coincide with the 2012 prophecy that features throughout the books. MG Harris released the title, Apocalypse Moon, and the cover on the books Facebook page.

The Descendant - Alternate Reality Game

Ice Shock was launched in the UK (Mar 2009) along with The Descendant, an ARG in which another story from The Joshua Files unfolded. The Descendant included material from a dozen websites, including videos, blogs and an avatar chat site, as well a clue printed in the UK edition of Ice Shock itself.

Competitions

M.G Harris has organized some competitions for the books, These are Crack the Code, Crack the Code - The Second Code and Make your own fake ICE SHOCK video trailer.

Neon-Sleeve Jacket

The UK, French, German, Spanish, Catalan and Hungarian editions feature a much-commented-upon, highly innovative jacket design - a neon PVC removable sleeve with a die-cut 'J'. The designer is Andrew Biscombe of Scholastic Children's Books UK. Invisible City was published with a luminous orange sleeve, Ice Shock with a luminous green/yellow sleeve and Zero Moment a dark green. For book 3, Zero Moment, the neon-sleeved edition has been restricted to a limited collectible version of only 4700 in the UK, all of which were signed by M.G. Harris. Invisible City and Ice Shock have now gone through the same routine, with the neon sleeve versions no longer being made and being made collectable. They are now being published in paperback as well but still following the same colour line. Book four, Dark Parallel, is going to be published with the neon cover being made at a normal basis, not a collectors edition. The cover will be a shade of blue this time and will be released in April 2011. The normal paperback version will be published in September 2011 with a black cover and a red 'J' printed on the cover.

External links

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