Christmas Presence: Prequel to the Claus Universe

By: Bertauski, Tony

Worlds are waiting to be opened.

All Van Holloway wanted was to survive the night unnoticed. He didn't ask to be dragged to a Christmas party full of people he barely knew, or to end up in the same room as Charli McNichols-the girl he's had a silent crush on since September. He certainly didn't plan to follow her into a game that wasn't a game, wearing glasses that weren't really glasses.

What begins in a crowded game room ends somewhere else entirely. Somewhere cold. Somewhere impossible.

Inside a hidden world buried beneath holiday cheer, Van and Charli discover a place filled with clockwork toys, forgotten workshops, and secrets meant to stay buried. They stumble out with more than they bargained for, and something comes back with them.

Now, the rules of reality are shifting. Time slips. Closets snow. Strangers appear. Something wants what Van took, and it's willing to do whatever it takes to find him.

The green hat was only the beginning.

From festive parties to frozen halls, from droids in Santa suits to gingerbread rebels, Van and Charli are caught in a battle between belief and cynicism, myth and machinery. If they want to make it back home-and remember who they are-they'll need to trust each other, hold on to what's real, and face the one thing more powerful than magic:

Doubt.

Christmas Presence: The Prequel launches the Claus Universe saga, blending sci-fi and holiday fantasy in a story full of sharp humor, suspense, and heart. For fans of Stranger Things, The Santa Clause, and Ready Player One, this is a bold reimagining of Christmas like you've never seen before.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1951432886
• ISBN13: 9781951432881
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Tony Bertauski
• Length: 190 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 13 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Another reason to love this series

This is an entire reboot of the prequel for the Claus Universe (it's like 12 books and amazing btw). I have the original prequel, and read and reviewed it three years ago. I'm super excited about this new revamped, longer, prequel though! I only have two other Claus books to read after this until I'm done with the series until Mr. Bertauski decides to grace us with another one. So this year is kinda bittersweet for me since I'll be saying goodbye to a world I've been living in every December for the last few years. If you've read this series before, you'll see a ton of old friends from the series within these pages. If you're new to the series, you'll get a glimpse of some of the amazing characters and places you'll visit as you navigate the Claus Universe. This book, like the others, is packed full of Christmas magic (just don't let the rivers hear you say the "M" word, you'll just end up being lectured on how it's science not magic). Honestly, even as an adult, maybe especially as an adult, I can relate to Van and Charli a lot. After a certain age, the magic of Christmas just doesn't feel the same. But that's one of the reasons I love this series so much. It's a reminder that Christmas magic is all around us every December, and being nice isn't just a thing to get on Santa's Nice list. It's also a reminder that no one is perfect. We are all a bit naughty and a bit nice, and that's okay. If you love the feeling the holiday season brings, read this book. Then read the other twelve. You won't regret it.