Talisman of El (Talisman of El, #1)
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Talisman of El (Talisman of El #1)

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4.03 of 5 stars 4.03  ·  rating details  ·  302 ratings  ·  151 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
Kindle Edition, 398 pages
Published May 18th 2012 by Centrinian Publishing Ltd
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    One Planet. Two Worlds. Mankind's only hope is not human.

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    (showing 1-30 of 2,499)
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    Alecia
    Feb 05, 2012 Alecia rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  (Review from the author)  ·  review of another edition
    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.
    ~Tina~
    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
    Cortney
    3.5 stars
    Best
    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
    Giulia~Bubbles
    Aug 13, 2012 Giulia~Bubbles rated it 4 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition 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
    Mith
    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
    Tracy
    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
    Nicole
    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
    Sarah
    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
    Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews)
    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
    Christine H
    Nov 12, 2012 Christine H rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition Recommends it for: YA fantasy, mythology, adventure lovers
    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
    Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes
    May 19, 2012 Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
    Recommended to Mallory Anne-Marie by: Great Minds Think Aloud
    “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
    Angela
    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
    Tana
    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
    Carolyn Tepe
    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.
    Lois
    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
    YA Novelties
    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
    Tammy
    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
    Step Into Fiction
    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
    Tahlia Newland
    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
    Jo

    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 en...more
    Sarah Hulcy
    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
    Tsana Dolichva
    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
    Patrick
    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
    Kim
    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
    Renee Rearden
    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
    Heather Boustead
    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
    Myth
    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
    Chayse Sundt
    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
    Alison
    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
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    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
    More about Alecia Stone...
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    “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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