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The Lost Stones

by Paul Rimmasch (Goodreads Author)

3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 · rating details · 58 ratings · 30 reviews

1600s Mexico- The Aztec Prince Ixtililxochitl writes that the first people to inhabit his land came from the Tower of Babel at the dividing of tongues…Scholars dismiss his writings as myth.
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1800s Mid Western United States- Settlers dig into ancient burial mounds and discover thousands of slate tablets covered with a strange hieroglyphic writing and drawings depicting...more

Paperback, 192 pages

Published November 8th 2011 by Bonneville (first published November 1st 2011)

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May 17, 2013 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) marked it as to-read

This book contains a lot of references and delves into the beliefs of the LDS religion. I think that overall, for those that enjoy reading about the church and the Mormon history that this is a fun and very well put together adventure for adults to enjoy.
It's fast paced and a lot of history and discoveries, caves, museums, traveling.
It has a focus on the Lost Stones and the background of that story, it's history and a lot of the beliefs. So if you are not interested in the Church you'd want to...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Jesse Kimmel-Freeman rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. It is filled with Mormon concepts. some of which I was completely unfamiliar with and had to ask my husband what it was talking about- which was frustrating. But I obviously liked the book enough to ask. Which says something by itself.

This book has a great character arc development. I love how they change throughout the entire thing. Ammon's constant questioning really adds to his character. He's a real character- one that could easily be that guy who sits in class and...more

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Sep 05, 2012 MaryAnn Dennis rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Lost Stones by Paul Rimmasch

This book was so much fun to read! It has everything--adventure, Book of Mormon archaeology, and a wee bit of romance.

Ammon's seemingly innocent question regarding the sixteen stones the Jaredites used leads him into the adventure of a lifetime. He gets to meet some very interesting people and some dangerous people. He is pushed beyond what he thinks his physical and spiritual limits are as he tries to keep up with his new friends, John, and his daughter Sariah. I...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Meagan Myhren-bennett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: american, mormon, adventure, family, fiction, murder, mystery

The Lost Stones
by Paul Rimmasch

"The latest news of the progress of the explorations of what is now regarded by scientists as not only the oldest archaeological discovery in the United States, but one of the most valuable in the world, which was mentioned some time ago in the Gazette, was brought to the city yesterday by G. E. Kinkaid..."

On Monday, April 5, 1909, the Phoenix Gazette ran a story detailing an important archaeological discovery deep within the walls of the Grand Canyon. A group of...more The Lost Stones
by Paul Rimmasch

"The latest news of the progress of the explorations of what is now regarded by scientists as not only the oldest archaeological discovery in the United States, but one of the most valuable in the world, which was mentioned some time ago in the Gazette, was brought to the city yesterday by G. E. Kinkaid..."

On Monday, April 5, 1909, the Phoenix Gazette ran a story detailing an important archaeological discovery deep within the walls of the Grand Canyon. A group of scientists from the Smithsonian Institute examined the site and found artifacts that challenged conventional notions of the pre-Columbian colonization of the New World. To this day, the Smithsonian officially denies it ever happened.

John Byrd has has been trying to rediscover this lost treasure and when Ammon Rogers is introduced to this amazing explorer a series of events will draw them into a quest to discover the glowing stones given to the brother of Jared that guided the first to come to the Americas. But Ammon's interest in alternate energy sources has put Ammon, John, and John's daughter Sariah in harms way.

Can they get past the stranglehold created by the Powell Doctrine to discover this treasure of their faith? When seemingly random accidents keep occurring Ammon begins to suspect that some outside influence is actually the cause. But why would anyone want to stop them by killing them?

With a quest that takes them from BYU to Mexico to Michigan to the Grand Canyon - Ammon, John and Sariah are on the journey of a lifetime. Will they be able to prove the truth of their faith to the world or will their hope die with them?

The Lost Stones was an interesting look at both archaeology and the Mormon faith. You if are unfamiliar with both you can do some internet searches as you go along (which I did) to help you understand any areas that you may find difficult to follow.

This book is a modern day Indiana Jones adventure, but without the objectionable language or morals found in the movies (unless you have a Clearplay DVD Player).

I received a copy of this title from the author for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed are my own.(less)

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Aug 30, 2012 Rebecca McKinnon rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was provided in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun, quick read. Short chapters keep the story moving, and tons of research and true knowledge fill the pages. The characters are well-rounded and likeable

While the theme is LDS (Mormon), I think anyone interested in archaeology, history, or adventure would enjoy the story!

Some thoughts:

When I started the book, I was a little worried. Book openings can be tough to right, and I didn't really feel drawn into this one. *** Spoiler***...more

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Jul 16, 2012 JoAnn Arnold rated it 4 of 5 stars

"The Lost Stones" Written by Paul Rimmasch

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading, "The Lost Stones." What I found was the amazing story in store for me. Once I began to read, it was difficult to put it down, which I only did once.

Not only was I captivated with the story but with the research Paul had done in order to bring this story alive. And, though the characters are fictional, the topic is not.

A young man named Ammon Rogers served his country in Irag, giving him a great deal of...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ammon Rodgers served two tours in Iraq and his experiences there made him realize that there is a God and that he should pursue an education in renewable energy. Unfortunately, those who get power and wealth from oil keep an eye on people that are making strides in renewable energy-and they have the "problem" eliminated.

Ammon's journey is an exciting adventure in building his faith in God and His gospel, along with daring rescue missions, lost "treasure", and even romance.

Paul Rimmasch did an ex...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Aimee rated it 3 of 5 stars

As you can tell from the blurb above, this is an LDS based book that centers around the teachings found in the Book of Mormon. Like the bible or any scriptural account of Jesus Christ, or any historical writing for that matter, there are always people looking for ways to prove and disprove that they actually happened. You can tell by reading this book that the author has done a ton of research into this subject. There is a passion there that was not lost on me. I admire people who find something...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Kara-karina rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5/5
You know how long it took me to read this book? A very long time! Is it because it was bad? NO. The topic was simply so fascinating I kept spending a lot of time online researching it :D

That's the strong part of this book - it's unique topic, because let's face it: how often a blogger like me will read an archaeological conspiracy involving lost civilisations and their ancient technologies, The Book of Mormon and evil corporations covering up the research into alternative sources of energi...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Ryan Burt rated it 4 of 5 stars

1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

2) Genre: Mystery

3) Synopsis: Ammon Rodgers is an Iraq War Veteran and college student. Expecting a relaxing Christmas break instead, he is pulled into a mystery that might bring him answers or even death.

4) Feelings: I bought this book not only because it sounded interesting and the author was in the bookstore signing the books. He talked about how much he liked the DaVinci Code but wished it had more references so you could know what was fact vs. what was fiction. Th...more

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May 15, 2012 Kristian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: giveaways

This book reminds me a lot of Dan Brown's stories, even though it was a lot shorter and written from a completely different worldview - the author does obviously not try to hide the Mormon influences in the book, but what I really appreciated is that it was not as missionary as I was afraid it might be. Instead he focused on the story even though he seemingly did his research when it comes to the scientific and pseudo-scientific backgrounds of the story. I was well entertained and would definite...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Sugar rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review:

Conspiracies, world changing secrets, historical mysteries, be it fact, fiction or a mixture of both, as long as presented in a fascinating truthful way, is always a success. In this sense The Lost Stones reminded me a lot of The DaVinci Code. They possessed a similar flow and build up with the choice of mystery and the reason for the plot driving search for answers being the part that sets them completely apart. And the book of Mormon genuinely was a pleasant surprise for the main topic...more Review:

Conspiracies, world changing secrets, historical mysteries, be it fact, fiction or a mixture of both, as long as presented in a fascinating truthful way, is always a success. In this sense The Lost Stones reminded me a lot of The DaVinci Code. They possessed a similar flow and build up with the choice of mystery and the reason for the plot driving search for answers being the part that sets them completely apart. And the book of Mormon genuinely was a pleasant surprise for the main topic since I, personally, have never even heard of it or don’t remember hearing about it. This just made the introduction all the more intriguing. My curiosity is piques.

While the plot came across somewhat predictable, in such books the content and all the unanswered questions are the ones that get you hooked. And that is something the book achieved masterfully, there is plenty of actual historic detail to back up the storyline, but it does not become too fact based, encyclopedical or confusing. The execution of the events, however, needed some extra attention since the situations the characters found themselves in were at times solved too easily and, overall, despite there being some grave circumstance, things worked out too smoothly and without much effort, at least it did not feel as such. Also, I would have liked the book to be longer so that there would have been more time to divulge into and come to appreciate the characters and the historical mystery topic in question slightly more.

One more things: I’m really very careful with books that deal quite closely with the topic of religion but the exploring and realization of this theme didn’t bother me in the least, it was handled at a close range while still keeping it at a comfortable distance.

Characters:

The characters were likeable and for the most part easy to relate to with details that gave them more color and personality (Ammon having been a soldier in Iraq, etc), despite this they still managed to seem somewhat generic. Which, honestly, isn’t entirely negative for a book of this genre and purpose, and this I didn’t mind in at all since the focus is somewhere else and not in immediate need of deep and through character development. This book to me is not so much about the inner world and traits of the characters but the journey and adventure, even though, there is nothing significant to complain about regarding the main players, and everything was satisfactory.

Our hero Ammon was somewhat lost in life and the quest he was thrust into gave him purpose and what he gained in the end was a lot more he might have lost. He didn’t always grasp the seriousness of the situations and seemed at least to me to take things a little too lightly, but he came through when needed and was a steady support and aid for John and Sariah. He had a slight IndianaJones-esque vibe going on, not nearly as experienced but on its way. His instinct that warned him about dangerous situations, however, I didn’t see as necessary, it didn’t really fit in and was one of the reasons many situations always managed to turn out well.

John was a great mentor with a complicated past and Sariah a brave and kind love interest. They didn’t manage to shine as much as Ammon did, but were both decent and appealing characters. The Accident Man was, however, someone I was really curious about and his profession left me intrigued.

Overall:

An enjoyable adventure read with its strongest point being the historical topic it explores. Recommended to all who appreciate a good conspiracy mystery with realistic facts.
(less)

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Sep 13, 2012 Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, received-to-review

This is a very interesting book. I was impressed with the amount of research that Paul Rimmasch underwent to delve into the lost and hidden world of LDS Book of Mormon relics.

Ammon is a student at BYU. An innocent question in a religious class leads him on an unexpected journey. The archaeologist, John, who is helping him find the answers to his question is taken as hostage in Mexico. He teems up with John's daughter to liberate him. From there they visit many interesting places and are chased b...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Carla Thomas rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, thriller

It's hard to decide if this book is mostly adventure or mostly at attempt to convert unbelievers to the Latter Day Saint Faith. Definitely a good mix of both.

Ammon is an ex-solider and current college student who has never really been secure in his LDS faith. That changes when his new college professor tells him the story of some magical lost stones that are apparently important in Mormon history (I am guessing this might be part of the faith as I am not a believer in it.) Ammon enlists the hel...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Misty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-ve-reviewed

I found The Lost Stones to be a face-paced, enjoyable read. It contains sufficient amounts of humor, romance, action, suspense, mystery, and intrigue. Rimmasch effectively weaves his research of Ancient America into a fantastic fictional story.

But enough of the stuffy reviewer's voice. I loved reading this book! The story was fantastic, but I was torn between wanting the fiction to go away entirely so I could read it more like a research paper (I'm weird like that) and wishing the story was way...more I found The Lost Stones to be a face-paced, enjoyable read. It contains sufficient amounts of humor, romance, action, suspense, mystery, and intrigue. Rimmasch effectively weaves his research of Ancient America into a fantastic fictional story.

But enough of the stuffy reviewer's voice. I loved reading this book! The story was fantastic, but I was torn between wanting the fiction to go away entirely so I could read it more like a research paper (I'm weird like that) and wishing the story was way, way longer and more involved. The Lost Stones adventure bears a similarity to The Da Vinci Code with a distinctly Mormonesqe interest. It worked for Brown, and it definitely works for Rimmasch.

One of my favorite stylistic details Rimmasch uses is dropping the reader off in the middle of the action. One minute you're flying through the air amid bits of trailer house debris with the main character Ammon, and the next you're on a plane following the next clue, seeking out the next part of his adventure. Rimmasch doesn't waste words dealing with the aftermath or the fallout of the adventure. It makes the story move along quickly, and it leaves room for him to spend more time developing the romance or speculating about the historical significance of the data--neither of which he does. This is something I appreciated because one, it's not a romance novel, and two, speculation is all it would be.

Rimmasch's character, the Book of Mormon achaeologist John Byrd, points out early in the novel that any so-called evidence they find can only provide plausibility for a certain theory. Rimmasch makes no claims he can't back up with plausible evidence. Also, one of the main themes of the book is that it doesn't matter where the events of the Book of Mormon took place--only that they did. Rimmasch points out that if we had the knowledge that these events actually happened, we would all be held accountable to that knowledge. I really loved that both this theme and this philosophy were very prevalant in his novel. Rimmasch's stylistic choice to leave some elements out reinforces his theme that there is some information we need and other information we just have to accept as having happened or being true.

I also loved the main character, Ammon. Part of me expected him to be completely strong and knowledgeable, but along with his strengths, he has his endearing and relatable insecurities. He is a tough Iraqi war veteran, and yet the Ammon we see is the one who struggles with his testimony and gets nervous around pretty, intelligent girls. It's an incongruity that could be really irritating, but it's not. I think so many of us are like that. We have our public persona, whatever it may be, and yet on the inside we are all struggling with something, be it faith, strength, anger, courage, fear, depression, acceptance, hurt, loneliness, etc. And so, for me, with Ammon, it just really works.

This is great book by a first-time author who can only type with three fingers. It was a read I considered worth my time. It piqued my interest, and I am still mulling it over even after putting the book down.
(less)

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Jan 12, 2012 K. Smith rated it 1 of 5 stars

So our intern brought this in and I have to say that it was--not good.
Phrases like "his heart swelled with compassion" left me more in fits than interest. I do have to say that the author did his research--and well too. You could also tell that he knew a lot about rock climbing--it was almost a pity that the rock climbing part was so short.
I'm glad it was a quick read too and I can see why it would be an appealing book to some, but as I am such a word snob, this book fell flat.

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Jul 11, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: firstreads-winners, lds

The subject matter here was very interesting! - Book of Mormon archeology. The author knows his stuff, and there's a great bibliography at the end. The story felt to me (at times) like it was just a vehicle to expound on various theories of BofM archeology, like it was just the bare bones of a plot. The characters were interesting, just not well developed.

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Mar 06, 2013 Patricia rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you are interested in archaeology information associated with the Book of Mormon, this will be the book for you. I liked the story and thought the author wrote well, although the story seemed to take a backseat to the archaeology information. It was a quick read.

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Dec 06, 2011 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was a little afraid that I wouldn't like this book and that I would have to lie to my brother-in-law and tell him that I did. But, happily, I really did enjoy this book. It has adventure, romance, short chapters, and footnotes that made me want to some of my own investigation and also made me think. It starts a bit slow, but picks up very quickly. Once they start their adventures in Mexico, you can't wait to see where they will go next and what will happen. My only complaint is that it really...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book, it was the first book I was able to read after my son was born and I couldn't put it down I stayed up late into the night to finish this book. It was a great book that got me thinking!

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Jan 13, 2012 Marilyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hardback-paperback

This is a Good reads First reads book. It is an excellent story with an interesting plot. I think this would be a great book for young adults and teens. Especially for those who are at a crossroads in their life. If I was asked if this is worth reading, my reply would be.....hell (sorry) yes....read it!

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Feb 17, 2013 Marla Milligan rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a fun story of the 'Book of Mormon' history and archeological sites and 'The Lost Stones'. Light read and fun!

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Aug 31, 2012 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lds-fiction

I really liked this. It was very interesting and the author includes many references to information presented in the storyline.

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May 10, 2012 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book about the lost stones of the Jaredites.

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Nov 14, 2011 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great book! Intriguing, clean. Fast (think Dan Brown-short chapters). Didn't waste action time with too much explanation of down time (cut to after an airplane ride)-kept it moving along well. Thought provoking and intelligent. Totally recommend-"Mormon" or not!

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Jan 31, 2013 Peter Giorno rated it 4 of 5 stars

A wonderful, interesting book of adventure. A lot of research, and detail went into it, and for a non-Mormon such as myself, the book became an eye-opener. It was well written, and had me intrigued until the very end.

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Sep 26, 2012 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Being a person who enjoys Book of Mormon archaeology, I was interested in this book and enjoyed reading it. That said, however, it seemed to be almost a list of evidences thinly veiled as a novel.

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Oct 27, 2011 Jeanette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent, excellent book! SO much history and research went into this book! The plot is very intriguing and draws you in very quickly. Great character development, also. Highly recommended!

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Mar 09, 2013 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very interesting and fun book! It has some history, some Book of Mormon archaeology, a little bit of Army stuff, and a little bit of a love story. All things I love!

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May 20, 2013 Nancy marked it as to-read

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MormonReads: Book Giveaway!!!!	2	23	Dec 07, 2011 07:19am
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About Paul Rimmasch

Paul Rimmasch was born and reared in the Salt Lake Valley. He graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminalistics and a minor in Photography. Paul has spent the last fourteen years working as a Crime Scene Investigator for Weber-Metro CSI and is active in Forensic Science education and Law Enforcement training. He lives in Ogden Utah with his wife and three children...more

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