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Talisman of El (Talisman of El #1)

by Alecia Stone (Goodreads Author)

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 305 ratings · 153 reviews

WHAT IF YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS A LIE?

One Planet.

Two Worlds.

Population: Human ... 7 billion.

Others ... unknown.

When 14-year-old Charlie Blake wakes up sweating and gasping for air in the middle of the night, he knows it is happening again. This time he witnesses a brutal murder. He's afraid to tell any one. No one would believe him ... because it was a dream. Just like the one...more

Hardcover, 364 pages

Published May 20th 2012 by Centrinian Publishing Ltd

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One Planet. Two Worlds. Mankind's only hope is not human.

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Feb 05, 2012 Alecia rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Shelves: favourites, wrote, yalit

I'd like to introduce you to my debut novel, Talisman Of El. It is the first book in a planned trilogy. It explores the supernatural and delves into the world of mythology. If you love fantasy books, then check it out. The book comes out on May 20, 2012. Read the other reviews and find out what people are saying.

18 likes · like · see review

Feb 15, 2012 ~Tina~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley-e-galley, e-book, read-2012, fantasy, young-adults-kids

4.5stars

Brilliant!

I don't want to say to much about this book cause I think it would be best for readers to experience this first hand. So I'm gonna keep this short.
Talisman of El is part fantasy, part mythology and pure adventure.
Alecia Stone weaves a strong and passionate journey that follows Derkein, Charlie, Alex and Richmond on a whirlwind journey to the depths of earths-core, to a new dimension called, Arcadia, where Charlie will find out his true fate in this world. Filled with gripping...more

6 likes · like · see review

May 08, 2012 Cortney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, read-in-2012, disturbing, issues-bullies, made-me-laugh

3.5 stars

2 likes · like · see review

May 26, 2012 Best rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, fantasy, young-adult, children, reviewed, netgalley, ebook, 4-stars, blog-tour, arc, adventure

THIS REVIEW ON B'S BOOK BLOG! + Guest Post: The Language of Arcadia by Alecia Stone.

A digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher and NetGalley for review.

What if your whole life was a lie?One Planet. Two Worlds.Population: Human ... 7 billion.Others ... unknown.

Talisman of El is a debut book from Alecia Stone. It's a fantasy fiction for the children to young adult age groups, but really, anyone can read it. This is one of the most gripping novels I've read this year and I very mu...more THIS REVIEW ON B'S BOOK BLOG! + Guest Post: The Language of Arcadia by Alecia Stone.

A digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher and NetGalley for review.

What if your whole life was a lie? One Planet. Two Worlds. Population: Human ... 7 billion. Others ... unknown.

Talisman of El is a debut book from Alecia Stone. It's a fantasy fiction for the children to young adult age groups, but really, anyone can read it. This is one of the most gripping novels I've read this year and I very much enjoyed it.

Charlie Blake, aged 14, is an orphan. When he gets adopted by Jacob, who's being real nice to him, he thinks maybe he's finally found the place he belongs. Charlie's always been hearing weird noises that seem to come out of nowhere and having weird visions and nightmares, but what he doesn't know is that it's not because he's a freak, but because he's different. There are things he doesn't know about his past and the world, and he doesn't realize that until one day he runs into a man he's been having nightmares about, who has the Talisman of El. The man, Derkein, is in search of open gateways to Arcadia, the world beneath the surface of Earth. Derkein takes Charlie, Alex and Richmond with him on an exciting and unpredictable adventure to find and enter Arcadia. There they meet the Arcadians, and Charlie gets to learn about his past and who he really is, and then comes the time when he realizes that the future of mankind lies in his hands.

It seems like that's all much I can say in this review without including spoilers. Talisman of El had me hooked since page one. It's a mysterious and adventurous and kept me wanting to know more. This action-packed fantasy is very well written. I love how one thing just leads to another and another and how the story seems to endlessly progress, always surprises and twists and turns. The characters are very well portrayed and I love the connection between them. I was quite surprise to see mythology in this book as well, but it only adds to the awesomeness of the book.

Although there were times when I felt like this book was longer than it really needed to be, it wasn't a big deal and didn't really bother me. I recommend this book to those of you who love fantasy and adventure, as this book is full of them!

Talisman of El is the first book in a planned trilogy. The second book, currently untitled, is expected to come out in 2013. (less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Giulia~Bubbles rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fantasy fans, YA fans, HarryPotter fans

Shelves: ya

I didn't like I like Talisman of El. At first. Suddenly this novel really came together for me in unexpected ways. I liked the originality of the fantasy world built by Stone, I liked how everything and everyone in the story becomes interconnected with the overall plot, I like the subtle humour, and I liked the characters.

The story started off a bit slow for me and for a while, I wondered where it was going. But then, it really picked up the pace and the plot began to really move forward. An in...more I didn't like I like Talisman of El. At first. Suddenly this novel really came together for me in unexpected ways. I liked the originality of the fantasy world built by Stone, I liked how everything and everyone in the story becomes interconnected with the overall plot, I like the subtle humour, and I liked the characters.

The story started off a bit slow for me and for a while, I wondered where it was going. But then, it really picked up the pace and the plot began to really move forward. An interesting thing I noticed about this novel was that the plot was largely driven by dialogue. Once Charlie gets to Arcadia and meets the Arcadians, we start getting answers to a lot of questions about what is going on, what the talisman is, and why Charlie is so different from everyone else. It's not easy to drive forward a plot using largely dialogue, and it gave this novel a very different sort of feel. I felt like I was figuring it all out along with Charlie, thinking through all the information with him, and sometimes I was just as confused as Charlie because there always seemed to be more questions. Now, some readers might find that frustrating, but I found that it allowed me to get to know to Charlie better. So suddenly, this was one of the ways I found myself liking the book. It made me think a heck a lot of more than I thought it would.

Now, anyone who reads my reviews regularly knows that I'm all about character development. If I can get into characters, chances are I'm going to fall in love with the book. And at first, the development of these characters was so not working for me. Because Charlie and the rest of these characters are very subtly developed, and I found we largely know them by what they say, but it did take me some time to really get under their skin. Richmond, for instance, is a sweet boy, but his attention rather lacks focus. He thinks without speaking at times. But we get to know that because he does speak so much, and over time, what he says establishes his character more firmly than what he does. It's interesting to note that with Alex however, it's what she doesn't say, and her actions that establish her character. With her, it's all about what's left unsaid. With Charlie on the other hand, we get a fuller package of thoughts, feelings, emotions and so we know what motivates his actions. I was impressed that all of these characters, while subtly defined, are well defined.

Besides all the fantasy, exciting action, world building and character development, this novel also struck me as interesting because it was also a story about family, the family that we chose for ourselves. For Charlie, that is especially important, and I was very happy that in the end, he reconnects with everyone he has learned to care about and who shared the Arcadian adventure with him. Young readers will relate to the friendships in this novel, and I found that these relationships kept me invested in this read as much as my curiosity which was constantly whispering, "and now what's going to happen?"

The writing was clean, easy to read and the dialogue was especially well done. In some parts, the pacing was gripping, but at other times I found it a bit choppy, especially at breaking points. I would like to see a greater degree of control in terms of pacing for the next novel. I also wouldn't mind seeing the relationships deepen a bit more, now that the characters are all well developed.

A Talisman of El proved to be a great fantasy read and is a wonderful debut novel. Young readers will be gripped by the imagination and action, but ultimately will love it for the enduring friendships and themes.

I'd like to thank Netgalley.com and Centrintian Publishing for the eARC of this novel.

4 glittering stars

More reviews at www.devastatingreads.blogspot.com (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 15, 2012 Mith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, paranormal, goodish

3.5 stars out of 5

The Talisman of El is a GOOD book but it could have been so much better. It's got an interesting plot and the writing style is pretty neat (witty one-liners throughout the book made me chuckle out loud in several places), but these two alone do not a great novel make.

Where the books fell short for me was in -

a) The character development :

Or lack thereof. As in, there was none of it. At all. We start off by meeting Derkein who, we are given the impression, is not on good terms w...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, read-in-2012

First off, thank you to Alecia Stone for the opportunity to read and review her book, Talisman of El. I knew as soon as I read the synopsis I would enjoy this one. And enjoy it I did. Talisman of El is quite the adventure! I loved this new take on Heaven and Angels. We have all grown up with this idea of Heaven being...well, up in the Heavens. But what if Heaven was actually in another dimension at the center of the Earth? What if Angels were actually warriors? Warriors who hold the powers of th...more First off, thank you to Alecia Stone for the opportunity to read and review her book, Talisman of El. I knew as soon as I read the synopsis I would enjoy this one. And enjoy it I did. Talisman of El is quite the adventure! I loved this new take on Heaven and Angels. We have all grown up with this idea of Heaven being...well, up in the Heavens. But what if Heaven was actually in another dimension at the center of the Earth? What if Angels were actually warriors? Warriors who hold the powers of the 4 elements...Earth, Air, Water and Fire. This was a very cool combination of Supernatural, Fantasy and Mythology. My only negative comment would be that there was so much going on, at times I felt a bit confused and over whelmed. This is one of those books that I could have used a map and perhaps a character listing to keep track of the hierarchy within Arcadia. But really, it was not too much of a distraction that it took away from the story.

One of the biggest deal breakers for me is believable characters and a real connection to at least the main character of a story. This book was filled with some great and memorable characters for me. Author, Alicia Stone, did a fantastic job. Right from the beginning I felt connected to Charlie...and of course Alex and Richmond. What I love so much is the relationship that develops between these 3 and also the growth that we see within each of them. And of course the adventure/journey that they take on in Arcadia. Of course the true story really takes place in Arcadia and we are introduced to more great characters. One of my favorites has to be Ash. As I have said before, I love strong sarcastic characters and Ash was all of that and more. Ash is front and centre for many of the humorous moments in this book. Okay...and being able to shapeshift into a dragon...how cool is that?!

As I was reading this book, I kept picturing this one on the big screen. This is only book one in a new trilogy, but I can see this being easily adapted to film and doing quite well. Again, this is just such a fun, fun adventure and filled with so many wonderful and colorful characters.

In the end, I definitely recommend this one. If you are a lover of Fantasy, Mythology, Adventure, Supernatural and perhaps something with a slight Spiritual/Religious undertone? You will definitely enjoy this book. I for one, am looking forward to the next instalment. Oh and a note to Alicia? Loved the ending!! Nope, no huge cliffhanger, but it was brilliant. It put a huge smile on my face and left me filled with great anticipation for book 2!
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May 21, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley, nook, spring-2012, ya

I really enjoyed this book. It was super cute especially the ending. Through the whole book I kept getting this Alex Cross vibe which was great because I loved that book. It was a little slow to get through, but that isn't really saying much since it took me about three days to read while dealing with that graduation business.

I thought that the mythology part of the book was really fascinating but also confusing. It didn't make sense to me that they were an advanced magical people but at the sam...more

6 likes · like · see review

May 23, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dac-2012, debut-author-challenge-2012, newly-released, read-in-2012, 2012-a-z-challenge

Charlie Blake has had a rough life. After losing both parents, moving from foster home to foster home, 10 year old Charlie comes to stay with Jacob. Living with Jacob, brings nightmares. Charlie's first day at school is not much better, until he meets Alex, an outspoken girl he befriends.

The prologue was what made me want to read this book it sounded so awesome and it was!

This fast-paced novel had fantasy, mythology, action and adventure. It was a unique story. The characters were enjoyable an...more

4 likes · like · see review

May 05, 2012 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars

The thing that I noticed immediately was how much dialogue was in the story. I do not know why this stood out for me. I normally pay attention to the dialogue as it brings through most of the humor and a way for me to really get to know the characters. But I noticed that this particular story is told more in dialogue than anything else. Which is not a bad thing.
The reader is introduced to Charlie and how he does not feel like he fits in. He knows there is something different about him and possi...more The thing that I noticed immediately was how much dialogue was in the story. I do not know why this stood out for me. I normally pay attention to the dialogue as it brings through most of the humor and a way for me to really get to know the characters. But I noticed that this particular story is told more in dialogue than anything else. Which is not a bad thing.
The reader is introduced to Charlie and how he does not feel like he fits in. He knows there is something different about him and possibly more out there. He suffers from nightmares and living with his adoptive family, he is bullied inside and outside of his home by his new family members and schoolmates. Eventually through different events that take place, he ends up bonding with a group of friends, together gaining the knowledge of a place called Arcadia, deep within the Earth's core.
They decide that they must go on this adventure together.
All of these events I could see building up and was expecting something more to happen next, but never in my life after reading the blurb and beginning this book did I imagine it would become a battle between Angels and Demons. The idea that part of the story takes place in the hidden lands beneath our feet was a very unique spin. One of the boys that Charlie befriends, Derkein is also an unusual guy, he is 26 but looks 60 and continuing to age faster than others every day.
I though that the world that they discover and the creatures and myths and rules that come along with this story was an amazing read. I loved reading as they had to overcome some of these weird animals, and finding Eden. Everything has to be done in a certain time frame and with all of these distractions it becomes a very intense and fantastical adventure. I wish that I could have stayed longer in the world of Arcadia.
I cannot say that I really had a favorite character in the story. I think that was partially because of the writing style, all of the characters showed an equal role to the story. Although their tasks could not be completed without Charlie and what he finds out he is, each and every character is just as unique and an integral part of the story that I had a hard time liking any of them over another.
At 364 pages, and once I got into the story I was hoping for more of it to be focused on Charlie's big task, but I find that I feel this way a lot in the first book in series, that of course we need to get introduced to the characters, the world and the plot before more of the adventures can take place.(less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Christine H rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: YA fantasy, mythology, adventure lovers

Shelves: young-lit, first-reads-arcs

Talisman of El is one of those surprising treasures that you stumble upon by chance and you think about even days after the last pages have been turned. From its opening chapter, Stone captures her reader’s attention with the mysterious disappearing act of Derkein Odessa from Manhattan, NY, and his connection to Charlie Blake in West Sussex, England. It is difficult not to feel sympathy for Charlie whose mother and father both passed away on his birthday, 10 years apart. With such pain in his li...more Talisman of El is one of those surprising treasures that you stumble upon by chance and you think about even days after the last pages have been turned. From its opening chapter, Stone captures her reader’s attention with the mysterious disappearing act of Derkein Odessa from Manhattan, NY, and his connection to Charlie Blake in West Sussex, England. It is difficult not to feel sympathy for Charlie whose mother and father both passed away on his birthday, 10 years apart. With such pain in his life, it is no wonder that he experiences nightmares on a regular basis. His guardian, Jacob, offers him a comfortable new home, and Charlie’s main goal becomes keeping his head down, and trying to blend in a small town. He meets Alex Dench, a no-nonsense girl who is just the friend he needs to make his new life bearable. Their meeting is especially fortuitous once Charlie’s prospective adoptive parent shows his true colours and demands that Charlie become his accomplice in midnight burglaries. Once Charlie and Alex befriend Richmond, an orphan with an insatiable appetite, and Derkein reappears, the mysteries from the first chapter are finally solved … And this is only halfway through the book! So what happens in the other half? It’s a whirlwind of magical and mythological creatures, classical architecture and modern technologies, remnants of the past and visions of the future, and so much more. For every question that Stone answers, she introduces corresponding mysteries to keep the reader intrigued until the very last page. I waddled back and forth between reading quickly to find out what would happen next and then going back to re-read scenes of great import!

Stone writes with the passion of a life-long book lover and the fanciful creativity more commonly found in the unfettered imaginations of young children. In short, she has written a story that can be placed squarely in the genre of YA fiction with enough intricacies to make adults who also love this genre appreciate and admire her great work. Her characters are endearing: Charlie is charmingly clueless about girls and uneasy with the weight thrust upon his shoulders; Derkein is a kind uncle figure who is both paternal and friendly to the trio; and Avaran, Oren, and Candra are just so intriguingly mysterious! Despite occasional typos (in the ARC version) and some minor unexplored/unexplained plot points, this book is a rare jewel that attracts your attention and keeps you hanging around long after the fiction has closed because you just can’t get enough of it. I can’t wait to read the second and third installments in the series to delve into Stone’s wonderful worlds again.(less)

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May 19, 2012 Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes marked it as to-read

Recommended to Mallory Anne-Marie by: Great Minds Think Aloud

Shelves: may-2012-reads, may-reading-challenge

“Talisman of El” is Book One in the “Talisman of El” series, and is a totally absorbing YA page turner, of mystery, magic, fantasy, otherworldliness, with a gentle dose of conspiracy theory as well. The writing is so smooth, it’s fascinating, and readers will race through the novel gripped by the multiple plot lines and empathetic of the characters.

Protagonist Charlie is an orphan, who’s had trouble finding a long-term home situation. Finally, he is placed with funeral director Jacob, a widower...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 26, 2013 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, netgalley, read-2012, ya-children-s, first-reads, fantasy

From the beginning of the synopsis, and the main reason why I wanted to read this book:

One Planet.

Two Worlds.

Population: Human ... 7 billion.
Others ... unknown.

Now I need to admit my mistake. I did not read the synopsis properly and thought I was going to be getting a science-fiction novel set on another world. Once I started reading the book, I was confused initially but then realised my mistake. Needless to say, this is not a science-fiction set on another world, this is more of an adventure...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Tana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Talisman of El (Talisman of El #1) by Alecia Stone

The Talisman of El is a beautifully written YA Fantasy/Adventure novel, Alecia Stone’s writing is fantastic, the character development, the plot are well written, her words flow easily and once you start reading the Talisman of El you are hooked.

Charlie is a 14 year old boy, who has experienced many traumatic events in his young life, his parent’s death, living in an orphanage, and then finally getting adopted. Thinking now he is finally going t...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Carolyn Tepe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great story line with Charlie as a strong lead character and filled with great friends and villains. Book was filled with twists and turns. My advance ebook copy had a few flow issues when transitioning to new scene in book. The story is one I will pass on to kids I read with while I look forward to next book.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 24, 2013 Lois rated it 2 of 5 stars

I picked this book up on NetGalley, a place to get advanced reading copies, based on the description--a tween-aged boy discovers that whole 'nother version of the "why there are angels and demons" story. I love the idea of reading new books and possibly discovering a gem. Reading Talisman of El, however, mostly reminded me of why I decided not to become a movie reviewer: I don't want to spend time on movies that are bad.

Talisman of El isn't terrible, but I'm not finishing the book. What a failu...more

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Feb 16, 2013 YA Novelties rated it 3 of 5 stars

Check this review out at our blog!

Talisman of El is one of those middle grade fantasies that has basically everything to make an action-packed thriller for a male targeted audience. The plot is extremely well thought out, there are extremely brief moments of romance for the guys who can just never get the girl, and characters that are enjoyable to read about. Unfortunately though, the book relies on dry plot devices and humor to pave the way into the action for a dreadfully turtle-paced read. Le...more Check this review out at our blog!

Talisman of El is one of those middle grade fantasies that has basically everything to make an action-packed thriller for a male targeted audience. The plot is extremely well thought out, there are extremely brief moments of romance for the guys who can just never get the girl, and characters that are enjoyable to read about. Unfortunately though, the book relies on dry plot devices and humor to pave the way into the action for a dreadfully turtle-paced read. Let's just say that there are more positive attributes for this book than negative, but the negative are so painfully obvious.

We begin with Charlie, a kid whose been bouncing from foster home to foster home for most of his life. Then he finally gets the perfect foster parent that all children dream of, right? Sadly, it is not to be when his foster father turns out to be a criminal and is basically destroying his already crummy life that is plagued with nightmares. Life's swell for our poor guy Charlie. The storyline of this book is stuck in this plot hole for a while, taking its own sweet time to finally move along with the action. Even though there is an extremely long waiting period for the answer to all of the questions that are asked, nothing happens. Charlie and his buds meet and greet a whole ton of characters that take forever to lead us to the realization of the two worlds. Notice: I am not spoiling anything. Read the blurb if you think I've done something wrong!

While one reads, it may come to his or her attention that there are a heap of characters in this book. That was one of the problems I had: all of the characters felt the same, so I had a hard time distinguishing one from another. It was as if they were all androids programmed with the same personality that just forced the reader onto a dreary slope up to a climatic realization that will fall flat because the characters have already drived the reader to the point of insanity. I felt absolutely nothing for any of them. Not Charlie, not one of his friends, nor the old guy whose actually young (long story).

Like many books, this book has excelled with a fascinating and intriguing world development. The problem lies with the execution of the premise with shoddy character development, anticlimatic plot and somewhat weak writing. Surely the writing will improve over the course of the series, but there's a need for improvement soon. Even with so many faults, I found Talisman of El a cute read that stands out among the typical middle grade reads about kids going through puberty and an adventure of a lifetime because of their crummy destiny.

Angie @ YA Novelties (less)

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Feb 14, 2013 Tammy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Charlie Blake is an orphan. Having never met his mother and loosing his father, he goes into foster care. Jacob opens his home to Charlie and for a while things are really good. Until Charlie finds out that Jacob may be keeping secrets from him. His best friend is a girl named Alex, who is very outspoken. Charlie is starting to have strange dreams and hearing things that he doesn't understand. The story starts coming together when we meet Richmond, an orphan and Derkein, a fast aging man that Ch...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Step Into Fiction rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: jessica

This is one of those books where I'm having a really hard time putting in to words how I feel. Obviously, by my rating, I enjoyed it but I seem to be lacking the right words. The first half of the book really dragged for me. If I hadn't known someone who had already read it & spoke such high praise for it, I might have stopped. But I kept going and boy oh boy was I glad I did. The second half was over in no time and I wanted, actually needed more.

I was slightly turned off with the characters...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Tahlia Newland rated it 3 of 5 stars

Imagine if there was another world in the centre of the earth, one called Arcadia where angels, both the fallen and the guardian kind live. The Garden of Eden is there too and the Tree of Life and the records of the lives of all mankind over the ages. In the Talisman of El, 14-year-old Charlie Blake and his friends learn that what they’ve come to suspect is true. But something Charlie never suspected is also true. He has a role to play, not only in the war torn country’s healing, but also in man...more Imagine if there was another world in the centre of the earth, one called Arcadia where angels, both the fallen and the guardian kind live. The Garden of Eden is there too and the Tree of Life and the records of the lives of all mankind over the ages. In the Talisman of El, 14-year-old Charlie Blake and his friends learn that what they’ve come to suspect is true. But something Charlie never suspected is also true. He has a role to play, not only in the war torn country’s healing, but also in mankind’s future.

Charlie is an orphan. Though he longs to fit in somewhere, he’s always felt different. The story begins after one of his prophetic dreams just after he has come to live with a new foster parent. He has hopes that this man will become his father and that he will finally have found his home. Not so. Instead he begins a roller coaster ride from one strange occurrence to another and eventually into Arcadia itself. At this point, the mystery becomes an adventure, and Charlie finds out things about himself that he finds hard to believe. He also finds that he is the only one who can save a friend. But will he succeed and at what price?

The Talisman of El is a good story, unpredictable and hard to put down. The characters are likeable, well drawn and easy to relate to.

I particularly enjoyed the rich imagery in this story. Arcadia has great scenery, awesome architecture and fascinating shape-shifting beings that glow in their spirit form.

Structurally, it’s a bit odd near the end when we find ourselves abruptly back in the real world with many questions left unanswered. For a while it seems as if we’re reading a different book, but it all comes together in an excellent ending.

Most readers of contemporary fantasy would enjoy this book, but the writing could have been a lot better. In particular, the author greatly overuses words that end in ing, especially at the beginning of sentences which makes the action seem incidental or unimportant, thus removing the reader from the action. Used occasionally, this is fine, (once in 10,000 words one of my writing tutors suggested) but too often and it weakens the writing and gives an amateurish feel. A good copy editor should have picked this up. I suggest that the writer purchase a copy of Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. Following the guidelines in that book should fix up the problems in the writing.

Nevertheless, I think we have the beginning of an excellent series here. I hope we can look forward to an improvement in the prose in the next instalment, because Stone has captured my imagination and I’d like to read on. 3 stars.
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Dec 17, 2012 Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Source: amazon.com via Jo on Pinterest

“Talisman of El” is a gripping story where fantasy, mythology, magic and adventure come together to create a unique universe you can easily lose yourself in, wishing you would never reach the last page that will inevitably throw you back into the real world. Alecia Stone’s debut novel proves that “Harry Potter” fans can still find great fantasy books that can match their all-time favorite. Being a story about friendship, self discovery, destiny and the endless battle between good and evil, “Talisman of El” will be an unexpected surprise to both teenagers and adults.

Charlie Blake is a 14-year-old boy who has just found a home after going from one foster house to another and started at a new school, where he hopes he will make some friends. But Charlie is not your average child, for at night he is tormented by vivid dreams that scare him to the point when he refuses to sleep for days on end. These dreams are too similar to the one he had when he was only 10 years old and dreamt about his father’s death just before the tragedy happened. He will soon find out that he doesn’t actually belong here, in the world he knows, but he’s coming from the second dimension of the Earth, a place called Arcadia. He and his friends, Derkein, Alex and Richmond, embark on a journey to the center of the Earth, trying to find Charlie’s homeland and find out what his destiny really is.

I must admit that the first thing that caught my attention was the premise of this book: we have one planet and two different worlds, one at the surface of the Earth, and the other one deep underneath it. The world of Arcadia is truly fascinating and I loved the fact that the author took her time with describing the people who lived there. We have a large array of fantasy creatures and learning about each of them is absolutely amazing. Alecia Stone has managed to create a magical, compelling universe which Charlie needs to accept in order to fulfill his great destiny. The surprising discoveries the four friends make along their dangerous journey kept me turning the pages and wishing for this story to never end.

Alecia Stone has also created some believable, very likeable characters I could really relate to, which made the story even more interesting. I liked Charlie for his courage and determination to find out the truth about his origins, as well as for his power of accepting that he belongs in a world he knows nothing about and that he needs to trust his instincts and his newly discovered powers in order to succeed. I also liked Alex, the 14-year-old girl who is Charlie’s love interest. These two were so adorable together and I loved how their friendship grew into a sweet romance. Alex is strong, determined and extremely intelligent. Just my type of female character.

“Talisman of El” is already an Amazon bestseller and readers have been comparing it with “Harry Potter” and “Percy Jackson”. Moreover, it is now available in the Kindle Lending Library. If you want to learn more about the author and purchase the book, just follow the links:

AleciaStone.com
TalismanOfEl.com
Amazon
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Aug 19, 2012 Sarah Hulcy rated it 4 of 5 stars

August 19, 2012: Talisman of El Review

I received a free copy of Talisman of El by Alecia Stone in return for a review on netgalley.com and I will be posting this review to Amazon, Goodreads, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble.

This is a good, solid beginning to a series with an interesting series arc, unique characters both human and otherwise and is quite well-done for a first-time author. I will be looking for future books in this series because it does what a series is supposed to do: make t...more August 19, 2012: Talisman of El Review

I received a free copy of Talisman of El by Alecia Stone in return for a review on netgalley.com and I will be posting this review to Amazon, Goodreads, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble.

This is a good, solid beginning to a series with an interesting series arc, unique characters both human and otherwise and is quite well-done for a first-time author. I will be looking for future books in this series because it does what a series is supposed to do: make the reader want to find out what else happens to the characters and the story. The pacing of the story overall is good because it moves right along without rushing or dragging. The main characters are very consistent in their behavior and are described well, with the reader learning more about each character as the story continues. The characters are pre-teen/teen in age and it appears that we will stay with them as they grow up some and grow into their abilities, especially Charlie, the main character. It is also nice to see a book without incorrect homophones (bear, bare, etc.) and with proper sentence structure. The author obviously put a great deal of work into this book and it shows.

There are some first-time author issues that should be addressed such as getting to a character's back story a little sooner in more detail because it would answer questions the reader has that really are not major parts of the story arc but are waiting to be answered a bit too long. It is obvious very early in the story that the protagonist is an orphan who has been placed with a foster father in a small village away from London, where Charlie grew up with his dad until the father died. However, the manner in which it was decided that Charlie be placed with this widower so far from his home and why with this particular man stays a mystery for almost the entire book. There seems to be no reason to wait until almost the end of the book to find out why Charlie ended up with Jacob. Not only would it help for the reader to know why Charlie ended up where and with whom he did, but some of the foster father's behavior is completely at odds with someone who would volunteer to be a foster father to orphans from as far away as London. We would not need to know absolutely everything about Jacob, but it would help to understand why Charlie is sent to him instead of being placed closer to where he grew up.

The story is a bit choppy in places and could use fuller descriptions of some of the characters (like Richmond), their motivations and the reasons for some of the activities, but overall it is well-plotted and a fun read.

There is a problem with the Kindle formatting that makes it a bit difficult to follow the story, but those can be dealt with and the file re-uploaded. Where a scene change occurs or when the action jumps forward in time, there is no indication of any change in the text -- the paragraph that starts the new scene or time frame is directly after the last paragraph of the prior action, so it is a bit confusing and causes the reader to have to stop and check back to figure out what has just happened. A division or extra spacing would help very much so the story moves more smoothly in those situations. Having formatted a fair number of Kindle books, I completely understand there being problems with the initial formatting.

I give Talisman of El four stars and will be watching for more from this author.

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Aug 17, 2012 Tsana Dolichva rated it 2 of 5 stars

Talisman of El is Alecia Stone’s first novel and the first book published by Centrinian Press. It’s marketed as YA, but the protagonists are on the younger side for YA (14 years old), so I expect a younger reader would enjoy it more than a 16-18 year old.

Plot-wise, I was hoping for a fun read with some adventure thrown in. It started promisingly with Charlie, an orphan, living with his new foster-father. At the start he’s mostly concerned with fitting in at school and the adoption going well. Th...more Talisman of El is Alecia Stone’s first novel and the first book published by Centrinian Press. It’s marketed as YA, but the protagonists are on the younger side for YA (14 years old), so I expect a younger reader would enjoy it more than a 16-18 year old.

Plot-wise, I was hoping for a fun read with some adventure thrown in. It started promisingly with Charlie, an orphan, living with his new foster-father. At the start he’s mostly concerned with fitting in at school and the adoption going well. That is until the social worker’s back is turned and his new guardian abruptly turns nasty. Then confusing dreams and mysterious strangers lead Charlie and his friends on a quest to find a mysterious world hidden inside the Earth (a la Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne but with more magic).

The writing is clunky and unpolished. At times there were completely wrong word choices (more than just typos, I mean), but the main thing was the lack of flow in the prose, sometimes within individual sentences. Also, the dialogue was unnatural and at times awkward. In the middle, large chunks of dialogue were info-dumps. A stronger editorial hand might have improved the writing, but on the other hand, a crit group might also have helped. As it was, I wanted to get a red pen and start scribbling on my Kobo. Your mileage and sensitivity to language may vary.

The plot started out all right, and I liked Charlie’s grungy friend Alex. She added contrast to both the school bullies and the other girls who liked Charlie (but of whom he was oblivious).

Once the weird things started happening, I didn’t feel that the story hung together as well, most notably the section set in the other world. I liked the way in which Charlie’s abandonment issues are explored in relation to Derkein, an adult that gets involved in the magic quest.

Overall, the book started all right, flagged in the middle and the ending was nice. It had potential but didn’t quite reach it.

2.5 / 5 stars

You can read more of my reviews on my blog, Tsana's Reads.(less)

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Aug 14, 2012 Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Talisman of El illustrates the unfortunate upbringing of Charlie Blake, an orphan who’s had the worst luck with adoptive parents. When he finally settles into a home with an adequately paternal adoptive father and a new friend named Alex, things appear to take a positive turn. But with strange occurrences happening all over and Charlie’s absurd dreams resurfacing, how long can normality endure?
Alecia Stone’s thrilling debut impressively accommodates an imaginative coexistence of two worlds: the...more Talisman of El illustrates the unfortunate upbringing of Charlie Blake, an orphan who’s had the worst luck with adoptive parents. When he finally settles into a home with an adequately paternal adoptive father and a new friend named Alex, things appear to take a positive turn. But with strange occurrences happening all over and Charlie’s absurd dreams resurfacing, how long can normality endure?
Alecia Stone’s thrilling debut impressively accommodates an imaginative coexistence of two worlds: the world on Earth’s surface and the world within it. Arcadia is an elaborately constructed domain that has been distanced from the reality we know. Inside this world live angels, demons, werewolves, shape shifters, and every fantasy one can imagine. Arcadia particularly explores a remarkably fresh take on buried and prevailing mythologies. Charlie and company, left to their own devices, venture across the Arcadian terrain where they cross horrors and graces and find more trouble than they were looking for.
The story’s protagonist, Charlie, communicates an honest range of emotions one would expect to express were they to be placed in the same predicament. He is horrified, heroic, conflicted, and certain in accepting his predetermined role that Acadia grants him. Charlie is a determined character who does not soon forget the purposes and promises that he is asked to perform.
Charlie’s story centers on a captivatingly larger-than-life adventure, though I felt it awkwardly contrasted his experience in school. His schooling pulled the story in a different direction and tries to involve a secondary story which doesn’t really go anywhere. The story also provides infrequent though noticeably redundant narration which I felt could have been easily avoided.
In Talisman of El, the reader will be indulgently lured into the perilous and vivacious world of Arcadia and witness an odyssey of a lifetime.
Rating: ★★★1/2 (3.5/5)
Many thanks to Centrinian Publishing for supplying this galley for review!
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Aug 04, 2012 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was intrigued by the storyline as soon as I saw it offered on Net Galley. For about the first 100 pages I could not stop reading; I was totally absorbed trying to figure out the plot and the characters. From the intro and build-up, I knew that the storyline would be big, and I cannot resists a storyline that creates suspense.

Charlie is an ordinary seeming boy who grabbed the sympathy vote right from the get-go. He is an orphan who has been moved from home to home. all he wants to fit in, and h...more I was intrigued by the storyline as soon as I saw it offered on Net Galley. For about the first 100 pages I could not stop reading; I was totally absorbed trying to figure out the plot and the characters. From the intro and build-up, I knew that the storyline would be big, and I cannot resists a storyline that creates suspense.

Charlie is an ordinary seeming boy who grabbed the sympathy vote right from the get-go. He is an orphan who has been moved from home to home. all he wants to fit in, and his first few months at Jacob’s house seem to be the dream come true. Until Jacob’s personality shifts and Charlie begins to see him for what he truly is. The plot shifts, and the tone of the book shifts along with it. Still, Charlie manages to make two very real, truel friends, Alex and Richmond, and I found myself applauding for him.

For all his life, Charlie has had vivid dreams, which he attributes to the loss of both parents. When he meets a man from his dreams (Derkein), he realizes that his dreams are actually images of the past. As he tries to save his new friend Derkein from an inevitable death, Charlie discovers a place where incredible creatures and monsters reside, and believe Charlie may be the key to saving the world.

I truly wanted to like this book. Filled with bright promise, a vivid fantasy world, and likeable Charlie at the start, I found myself floundering through the middle and never caught my stride again. I was tempted not to finish it, and did skim through much of the middle of it. I found myself frustrated with cliff-hanging lines, then jumps forward into the future; it was distracting to me as a reader. Some of the action scenes confused me and skipped around a bit; the storyline was good, but difficult to follow much of the action.

Although I cannot consider it a favorite read, I can see that some people can and will enjoy this story and look forward to the next books in the series. As a school librarian, I was grateful that there was little in the book that would be inappropriate for middle school readers.
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Jul 31, 2012 Renee Rearden rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

ARC provided by NetGalley

Rating: 3 Stars

I cut my reading teeth on fantasy novels. Nothing cured my school angst better than escaping to different worlds filled with interesting characters and never before seen creatures. So when I read the synopsis for Talisman of El, I couldn’t wait to find some reading time and jump right in.

The idea of an orphaned young boy having trouble fitting into his new life—family, school, friends—is not new, but Ms. Stone found a way to create a story with her own twi...more ARC provided by NetGalley

Rating: 3 Stars

I cut my reading teeth on fantasy novels. Nothing cured my school angst better than escaping to different worlds filled with interesting characters and never before seen creatures. So when I read the synopsis for Talisman of El, I couldn’t wait to find some reading time and jump right in.

The idea of an orphaned young boy having trouble fitting into his new life—family, school, friends—is not new, but Ms. Stone found a way to create a story with her own twist.

Charlie is a young boy suffering from nightmares. He gets through the day by rationalizing his dreams. But when Charlie meets a man from his dreams in real life, he discovers nothing is as it seems. A different world exists, and he has a vital connection to it.

As Charlie journeys through this new land called Arcadia, searching for a way to save his new friend Derekin, he encounters allies and foes at every turn. Mythical creatures, people with the ability to shape shift, even demons and angels populate Arcadia.

Talisman of El is the first step in Charlie’s coming of age story. He must decide who his true friends are and how much he is willing to sacrifice for them.

Ms Stone has created a vivid fantasy world in Talisman of El. The creatures, the land they inhabit, and even the “other” beings are clear and detailed. I pictured every nuance described. Unfortunately, the fantasy elements were the best part of the story.

I wish I could say I loved this book, but I can’t. The characters are written younger than described. I felt I was reading a middle school book, not a young adult novel. The characters were not as dimensional as other aspects created by the author.

The plot was also a little difficult to follow. I had to reread several passages to ensure I had not missed a transition. I’m sure the world and its inhabitants are clear in the author’s mind. Regrettably, the story on the page does not reflect the same precision.

Will I read the rest of the series? No. But I do recommend the book to younger kids and tweens who enjoy fantasy. My issues with the book may not matter to them at all.
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Apr 29, 2012 Heather Boustead rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, clean-romance, ebook, romance, young-adult, fantasy, religious-inspirational

Talisman of El
By Alecia Stone

Charlie has had a rough life his mother died when he was born and when he was ten years old a tornado claimed the life of his father. Now four years later he has been placed with a thief and murderer. Even though things may seem at their worst it is only the beginning of a set of events that will make all the hardships worth it. Charlie meets a set of people who will accompany him on a journey that will lead him to the center of the earth where he will find a magical...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Myth rated it 5 of 5 stars

One word: Otherworldly

All I have to say is that it has been a long time since I read a book in just one day.

I don’t know where this book came from, but I am glad it fell into my hands. My 16 year old son won a copy of this book and he wouldn’t stop yapping on about it. Now I don’t read young adult books but I do read many fantasy books particularly ones featuring mythology, so because my son was adamant that I would love the book, I thought I’d give it a try. I actually decided to read it to kee...more One word: Otherworldly

All I have to say is that it has been a long time since I read a book in just one day.

I don’t know where this book came from, but I am glad it fell into my hands. My 16 year old son won a copy of this book and he wouldn’t stop yapping on about it. Now I don’t read young adult books but I do read many fantasy books particularly ones featuring mythology, so because my son was adamant that I would love the book, I thought I’d give it a try. I actually decided to read it to keep him from bothering me every second talking about this kid named Charlie and his adventures.

So I opened the book to the first page and read the prologue. Right away, I was pulled in. I had no idea what was happening, but I wanted to find out. This, I must say, is the way to start a story. So I kept on reading and the more I read, the more I became enthralled by the story. By the end of the book, my son and I were talking like we have never talked before. We have never connected on such a level before and all because of this book called Talisman Of El. We are fighting over the one copy he has, so clearly I have to get my own. Now everyone in our house wants to read it. There is a war currently going on in our household.

The story is set in England in 2013 and follows the life of a young orphan named Charlie Blake. I’m a person who loves mythology so any book that delves into the world of ancient civilizations and mythical beings is bound to grab my focus. Talisman Of El, however, does not deal with mythology in the way I was expecting it to. The mythology presented in this book is not the kind I’ve grown up loving. This is something different entirely. Stone’s imagination surpasses reality.

There are mythologies in this book I have never come across before, and I thought I knew it all. In fact, I thought most of the events and names mentioned in this book were made up until I did a little research. Sephirah, Annus Magnus ... these are all intriguing topics and I’m looking forward to finding out more. The most fascinating thing about this book is how everything comes together. I’ve never read a story that was so logical. I’m still going over the events in my head. My son and I had a blast discussing this amazing story.

I have never heard of this author before, but she has a writing style that is truly captivating. Stone’s writing is so visual and most of all she doesn’t drag on with unnecessary details. The one thing I always have problems with in stories is the issue of TELLING. That’s not the case here. The story flies off the pages. There are no coincidences in this book.

I will be keeping an eye out for the next instalment. If this is what young adult fiction is like, then clearly I have been missing out. I can’t stop thinking about this book so, of course, I had to comment about it. I’m looking forward to talking to people about this book. The one question that keeps running through my mind when I think of this story is: What goes on in the mind of a person who can create something like this? That, I would love to explore.(less)

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Apr 21, 2012 Chayse Sundt rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book starts off with a intro that immediately captures my attention and lets me dive into its pages with an interest of wanting more. There were so many connections but overall it was good.

Charlie had my love with him from the moment he stepped onto the bus. Bullied from not only the other school students but also from his caretaker, Charlie's life is a life no one would wish for. However, Alex is the one person in the book that he can call a friend. Well until he meets his other soon to be...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Alison rated it 5 of 5 stars

THERE WILL BE NO STONE LEFT UN-TURNED!

When first reading this title, I was sceptical, as I am not an avid reader of young adult books. The title, Talisman Of El, created several initial ideas in my mind. I imagined a very stuffy, old-fashioned story with a complicated plot. Instead, I got Action! Personality! Humour! Mythology ... answers with no question, beautiful imagery and finally a competent writer with something new and exciting to bring to the table. With the additional enjoyment of not...more THERE WILL BE NO STONE LEFT UN-TURNED!

When first reading this title, I was sceptical, as I am not an avid reader of young adult books. The title, Talisman Of El, created several initial ideas in my mind. I imagined a very stuffy, old-fashioned story with a complicated plot. Instead, I got Action! Personality! Humour! Mythology ... answers with no question, beautiful imagery and finally a competent writer with something new and exciting to bring to the table. With the additional enjoyment of not being able to compare the actual story to anything I’ve ever heard or read, the concept of this story blew my mind.

The story is portrayed through the eyes of Charlie Blake, who, with a trio of friends, embark on an intense and vividly beautiful adventure to Arcadia, changing their lives and in turn changing the lives of all. I found my imagination working in overdrive as I went from one dimension to the next. After the vivid descriptions of the first few chapters, I made it a point to read this book at night before going to bed, and all I can say is my imagination has well and truly been unlocked. Imperative? Yes... With brilliant and realistic characters, the world of Arcadia remained quite comfortably in my subconscious, luring me back into its pages even when making a conscious effort to put the book down. This book is nothing less than powerful.

The prologue to this book was excellent. I say this because it usually takes several chapters for me to be enticed by either the characters or plot. With the addition of Stone's refreshing writing style (which I must add is overly suitable for its intended audience) as well as relatable characters and believable plot, this book is a definite Must Have - Must Read.

I found no omissions within this book to put any doubt in my mind behind the logics of the story itself. You cannot help but ask yourself ‘What if?’ For me that in itself was incredible. Never have I read a book that has left me thinking long after finishing the book. This being said, Talisman of El is the first of a trilogy, leaving space for two more books which I have no doubt in my mind Stone will cram full of Original wonder.

Finally, I rest my attention to the book cover. What do I see? An eye formed out of a snake consuming itself, a blazing world surrounded by orbs of light ... Failure is not an option? The cover in itself creates a story, hinting at what is and perhaps what is to come. I find myself re-reading this book repeatedly through new metaphorical eyes. Nothing less than perfect, it is an original in its own right.(less)

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About Alecia Stone

An excerpt of Talisman Of El can be found at: http://bit.ly/ZGJZkD

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/JSap7N

Alecia Stone has been in love with anything and everything paranormal for many years. She graduated with a BA in Film & TV and has worked in television for a short period of time before branching out into storytelling.

When she isn't writing, she enjoys going to the movies, listening to mus...more

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Quotes from Talisman of El

“Mortals cannot perceive me with the physical eye whilst in my pure form unless it is of my choosing, for it would result in fatality, which leaves the question as to why you are an exception.” — 111 people liked it

“This will be the greatest discovery since the extinction of dinosaurs.”
“Assuming dinosaurs did exist, that is,” Derkein said.
Alex shook her head. “Couldn’t just let me have this moment, could you?” — 19 people liked it

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