The Essence of Stone

By Beverly A. Hale

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1893687937
• ISBN13: 9781893687936
• Release Date: June 2014
• Publisher: Yard Dog Press
• Length: 412 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 1.0" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

Refreshingly different!

This book was a breath of fresh air. A different culture, a different feel. I like that the conflict point did not have a clearly defined solution. They had to go with what they FELT was right, and in doing so, only hope and pray.I like that not everything is wrapped up neat and tidy. Sometimes the good guys win, but not without some losses.It is a hero story, a coming of age piece, and it is writen with a tender hand.the language is accessible for a younger audience, and would make a FABULOUS read for young men and women who are coming of age themselves.My only problem, and it was minor, was that I didn't realize that there was a VERY helpful glossary/appendix in the back that sorts through the cultural differences of language. ie "Amaq = idiot"You want something different, something engaging and fun...you want this book!

Fun to Read

If most tales of quests leave you feeling dissatisfied and wondering "How does everyone just know what to do? Do these characters exist in a social vacuum with no families or friends? Don't they ever have to go to the bathroom? Why don't any of these people have a sense of humor?" then this is the book for you.Beverly Hale writes with a strong sense of place without overdoing the descriptive detail. She makes the characters and the setting seem real. The characters are interesting and entertaining, and like the rest of us they face ambiguous situations and have to make decisions without knowing all the facts. You'll find yourself enjoying their company and caring about their fates. (And you'll probably find yourself craving Indian food, too.)

Not your average fantasy

Bored with heroes that know everything? Bored with the barely disguised English castle and countryside? Try an exotic epic quest with an Eastern flair and a hero that has to learn as he goes.This story is not your average fantasy. Of course there's a crotchety wizard, but there's also a boy growing into manhood who wants to find his place in the world.

An outstanding fantasy novel

"What is the essence of stone, apprentice?" When young Kehan, the former goat-herd, is able to answer this question, he will be ready to withstand the worst that malevolent demons and evil sorcerers can throw at him. Hale's first novel is a well-crafted fantasy. The characters are engaging and sympathetic, without being preciously perfect, and the world is vividly depicted and refreshingly different. Highly recommended.

Fantasy With a Twist

I had largely given up on reading fantasy because I had read so many that they all started to blur together--vaguely English/European medieval backgrounds, epic quests against an all-powerful evil, etc.--nothing but copies of copies of copies of Tolkien. I felt like I'd seen it all; like I could predict their storylines in my sleep. But THE ESSENCE OF STONE is different.THE ESSENCE OF STONE takes the ages-old quest plot and gives it a fresh twist by setting it against an Asian Indian-flavored background, giving it a grittiness, and presenting its young hero with moral dilemmas of loyalty and trust that are seldom encountered in such stories. I found myself constantly surprised by the plot's twists and turns. The characterization of the novel's protagonists--an uncertain teenage apprentice, a cantankerous wizard, a catty (literally and figuratively) princess, and an unflappable swordsman--is particularly strong. Each has his/her own individual voice and motivations; each feels like a real person (even--or maybe especially--the cat).In her cover blurb, Hugo award-winning author C.J. Cherryh calls THE ESSENCE OF STONE "a delightful fantasy with authentic other-culture insights, a wonderful cat--well, just ask her--and a wizard with an attitude. I thoroughly enjoyed it." And who would dare argue with her?--certainly not me.