Cast of Stones, A (The Staff and the Sword) (edition 2013)

Set in a fictional medieval kingdom, this is a fantasy/thriller novel.

Errol Stone, at 17, is “the town drunk”. He is an illiterate wretch who has been scarred by something that happened earlier in his life. The only way he can make money to buy more drink, is to deliver messages. One day he delivers a message that will change his life forever.

In the meantime, the kingdom is in peril because the king is without an heir. There are various enemies to the throne who want the royal line to end. Errol is unwittingly drawn into a secret plan among kingdom loyalists to find the rightful heir to the throne.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Errol starts as a terribly flawed character, but he's an (almost unnaturally) quick study. He completes missions in this story that he never would have thought possible.

This book left me hoping that I will find the sequel and continue the quest with Errol. ( )

Friday, April 5, 2013
A Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr, ©2013

Travel along as their journey begins ~ or ends somewhere in between. It calls for an extra special gift bestowed upon him, invaluable to the outcome of the quest.

Danger mounts as a dynasty nears its end...
And an unlikely hero embarks on a perilous quest to save his kingdom.
You are in for an adventure!
A New Medieval Fantasy from Patrick Carr ~A Cast of Stones~ The Staff & The Sword series, available in both E-Book ISBN 9781441261021 and Paperback ISBN 9780764210433, 432 pages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

The Fate of the Kingdom Awaits the Cast of Stones
The Staff and The Sword; Book One
In the backwater village of Callowford, roustabout Errol Stone is enlisted by a church messenger arriving with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Eager for coin, Errol agrees to what he thinks will be an easy task, 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 nears its end and the selection of the new king begins--but in secret and shadow. As danger mounts, Errol must leave behind the stains and griefs of the past, learn to fight, and discover who is hunting him and his companions and how far they will go to stop the reading of the stones.

Patrick W. Carr teaches high school math and makes his home in Nashville, Tennessee, with his incredible wife, Mary, and their four awesome sons, Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Learn more at patrickwcarr.com.

An Epic Medieval Fantasy Saga
Errol Stone, the main character in The Staff and the Sword, may seem an unlikely hero at first glance. But, says Carr,

“I believe we all hold within ourselves the capacity, not only for evil, but for great nobility. This theme stretches across all three volumes of the trilogy.”

In A Cast of Stones, Errol is forced to develop new depths when he is thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue, church machinations, and the unrest surrounding the selection of a new king.
With a successful blending of high action and a spiritual quest, A Cast of Stones is the thrilling tale of an unconventional band of men trying desperately to save their kingdom.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~
As I am almost exclusively a Historical Fiction Reviewer, here we go with a Fantasy ~ new to me!

I am diving in because I have enjoyed reading the promos for this novel. Especially, since I am half-Irish Kathleen and there is a castle on the cover!

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
--Proverbs 16:33

I am amazed at Errol's prowess in dodging impending doom on all sides. He delivers a letter packet with the messages obliterated before arrival. Being consumed by poison while on the return trail, advancement is stopped only by quick thinking and seeking help where he knows he will find it. He begins to reach out because of physical need and ends being the guide himself to avoid peril on the journey he would never have imagined in his safe narrow world.

Anya ~*~ She smiled, her blue eyes gleaming beneath flaxen hair. She resembled her father the way a beautiful sculpture resembled the slab of marble from which it would be carved.
--A Cast of Stones, 58

Is that beautiful prose or what! Description of an indeed charming Irish lass for sure. Errol has gone ahead of his two traveling companions to secure lodging from the innkeeper, Anya's father. Errol is well-known; his reputation has gone before him. Ale being more important to him than the means to pay. His travelers whisk him away to another sleeping place to remove his imbibing.

Did you notice the mention of assassins following to attack? Errol slimly escaped being killed on his first trip and now on the return road, he doesn't fare much better! Fortunately, for him, he is rescued. He is not certain what his role is; is it the company he is with that is bringing his slow demise?

"Why do I have to go? Why would you even want me to go? I can't ride. I don't know anything about fighting." He waved toward Cruk, who sat in his chair like a giant sack of grain. "Ask him. The only things I know how to do are gather herbs and drink."
--Ibid., 84

Prerequisites, you ask? Or qualifying the qualified?

Daybreak. What had he gotten himself into? Why did people insist on starting journeys before the sun got warm? It couldn't be healthy.
--Ibid., 86

~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Thank you to author Patrick W. Carr for sending a copy of A Cast of Stones ~ The Staff & The Sword series, to review in my own words. The development of character is assuredly gripping as the story continues unexpectedly from one realm to another of the kingdom ~ facing truth ~ facing victory. Your attention and interest will be held and ready for The Hero's Lot.

The Staff and The Sword; Book Two
The Hero's Lot
Available July 2013 ( )

This novel has changed my perception about fantasy novels. It is very well written, and the reader is immersed completely into the characters lives.it would do well to remember that this is fiction, and that the details depicted are not necessarily the way things happened, or were during the time written about. Stories like this, though, I believe are written to remind us all that evil is very real, very present, deadly and may not be just where we think it is or where we are looking for it. We must be very aware of its ability to latch onto us in subtle ways, including in our thoughts. A great novel, though I would be wary of who I recommended it to.
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of writing an honest review. A positive critique was not required, and the opinions stated are my own. ( )

This story started out promising, but fell a trifle short of what it promised to be. Maybe that's because the author was holding things back for future books in a series?

I did appreciate the author not having Errol suddenly magically having a skill and being proficient with a weapon, because too many authors do that. But beating some of the world's best swordsmen was a little much. There were some funny bits which was nice. But the ending felt rushed.

All that being said, if the 2nd in the series came across my path it would be read. ( )

Cast of Stones, A (The Staff and the Sword) by Patrick W. Carr
Bethany House Publishers (2013), Paperback, 432 pages

Received via the LT Early Reviewer Program. **NO Spoilers**

This is a coming-of-age tale in the tradition of L.E. Modesitt's Recluce series. The story is well constructed and nicely paced. There is a complex mythos that provides a solid foundation for subsequent books without leaving lots of loose ends. A well woven story, indeed. ( )