From The Back:
An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers
Will Love!
In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.
Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.
My reflections:
Errol is a young teen boy who is consumed with the desire to
acquire ale. When he delivers letters in exchange for his vise, he is faced
with obstacles no young man should have to deal with. Errol is covering for a
troubled past, trying to drown out his hurt. He has no clue, however how his
little deed will impact his tender young life.
He is met with disaster around every corner, including the
malicious man in black. Errol must fight for his very life against the darkness
that is threatening his very existence.
This book is action packed, and laced with rich literary
terms and engaging characters!
It is a gritty read due to the time period, but does envelop the reader into a story line that is imaginative yet intricate in detail and depth. Saying that the language used is simple and easily understood. Very well written you would not guess this book is Carr's first novel.
It is a gritty read due to the time period, but does envelop the reader into a story line that is imaginative yet intricate in detail and depth. Saying that the language used is simple and easily understood. Very well written you would not guess this book is Carr's first novel.
It is quite an entertaining read, definitely not something
I am usually apt to take on as I tend to lean towards romance novels and Amish fiction!
If you are looking
for a medieval tale filled with fantasy and action this is your book!
I received this book free of charge in exchange for my
review, from Bethany House Publishers. Thank you Bethany House!
I am excited to introduce my guest reviewer: Victor Penner age 12. He is exceedingly talented, and very well spoken!
I look forward to hearing more of what this Young adult has to say.
I am excited to introduce my guest reviewer: Victor Penner age 12. He is exceedingly talented, and very well spoken!
I look forward to hearing more of what this Young adult has to say.
The
only thing that young orphan, Errol Stone does is drink. He`s either drunk or
working for money to buy ale. He works for the herbwoman, gaining knowledge of
both healing and poisonous plants. Seeking more coin for more ale, Errol is
enlisted by a messenger to deliver an important and urgent letter to a hermit
who lives in the wilderness outside of the small village that is Errol`s home.
He thinks the task easy, until he finds himself hunted by the Watch, the most
elite and deadly assassins in the kingdom. Errol is hurled into a mystery. The
men who he has known all his life are not as they seem, they have secrets on a
scale Errol can`t even comprehend that will throw the fate of the kingdom, and
Errol`s own life, in danger. Errol discovers that he is a Reader; a being both
blessed and cursed with magical abilities. He is forced to flee and begins a journey
that will take him to the other end of the kingdom. He is pursued by a Malus,
an evil demon who feeds on pain, and Ferrals, savage wolf-men who are bent on
his death. Errol struggles to overcome his addiction to ale and abandon the
pain and grief of the past. Over the
course of the book, Errol matures and gains confidence in himself. He learns
wisdom, courage and hope. The knowledge
he has gained and his unnaturally powerful abilities as a Reader place him in
danger. Errol has unearthed dangerous secrets, now his enemies will do anything
to silence him. He must learn to fight and discover who he can trust in this
world of lies and treachery.
Overflowing
with vivid description, intense action and even humor, The Cast of Stones is a literary masterpiece filled with inconceivable
detail and depth, yet imaginative and lively. The novel is realistic in every
aspects of life, if you ignore the magical abilities of a Reader and the fell
monsters hunting him. It gives an extraordinary mindset of Errol, exposes why he does what he does, showing him
weighing out every decision. The novel shares all of Errol’s fears and hopes,
his opinion of every situation he`s in, what brings him joy and what revolts
him. The first chapter has a member of the Watch stalking him through
treacherous terrain and shooting poisoned arrows at him: every chapter has a
sword duel, an intense chase, a poisoning or a mystery in store for Errol. Each
character has his own distinct personality, his own habits and attributes; even
minor characters are given depth. Patrick W. Carr has envisioned a detailed
fantasy world with its own religion, government and different people groups. He
uses literary devices, emotions, well-developed characters and powerful word
choice to create a brilliant novel.
Victor Penner, age 12
