"The Stone Mage and the Sea" is the first volume in the fantasy series "Book of the Change".
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Jul 02, 2010
Katharine
rated it: 
Oh how I wish I could have read this book sooner, but so many things got in my way. In a way it was a good thing - the book lasted longer - but I could have devoured this in a day if I'd had my wishes.
I discovered Sean Williams in the Legends of Australian Fantasy anthology - something I HIGHLY recommend - and I'm so glad I've started with him.
The Stone Mage & The Sea is the first in a trilogy called The Change. Sean Williams is incredibly visual. Though he writes of ama More...
I discovered Sean Williams in the Legends of Australian Fantasy anthology - something I HIGHLY recommend - and I'm so glad I've started with him.
The Stone Mage & The Sea is the first in a trilogy called The Change. Sean Williams is incredibly visual. Though he writes of ama More...
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Jul 25, 2009
Karen
rated it: 
The Stone Mage and the Sea by Sean Williams has been sitting on my book shelf for a couple of years and I thought it was about time I read it. I’m glad I made that decision.
Sean Williams is an Australian writer and I was pleased to see the Australianisms come through in his writing. In fact, it made for a nice change. The setting is clear and feels so real that I would almost be willing to guarantee that the author did his research by sitting in the Australian desert.
W More...
Sean Williams is an Australian writer and I was pleased to see the Australianisms come through in his writing. In fact, it made for a nice change. The setting is clear and feels so real that I would almost be willing to guarantee that the author did his research by sitting in the Australian desert.
W More...
May 19, 2009
David
rated it: 
I picked this novel up before boarding a flight. The writing style is visual, direct and engaging. It reads fast and easy, and reminds me of the juvenlie fiction of Heinlein. I suspect that the protagonist will "grow up" as the story progresses in later novels. The story is fantasy fiction, where the "Change" referred to in the title of the series is an inheritable trait for magical ability. However, this may be "Arthur C. Clarke" magic, as there are plenty of indic
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May 10, 2010
Marc
rated it:
The Stone Mage and the Sea was an all right book. It wasn't anything special nor did it bring anything new to the table. It was also a bit slow. That's not to say I didn't like it.
It's hard to judge the first book in a series. The Stone Mage does an excellent job at world building and for setting up the rest of the series. If that's what Williams wanted then he accomplished that. However, since I was hard pressed getting through this book then I'm on the fence to whether I want to co More...
It's hard to judge the first book in a series. The Stone Mage does an excellent job at world building and for setting up the rest of the series. If that's what Williams wanted then he accomplished that. However, since I was hard pressed getting through this book then I'm on the fence to whether I want to co More...
Jul 11, 2011
Mike
rated it:
I read "The Crooked Letter" before this book and despite the fact that "Stone Mage" is more simplistic, as befits a work written largely from the point of view of a pre-pubescent boy, the former work gives great insights into the background of the Change. A well-written novel, with great descriptive language encompassing what is undoubtedly the Australian outback complete with camels and native fauna. A few Americanisms creep in (airplane) to Sean's work, alas, that's Austral
Feb 19, 2011
Daniel G
rated it:
Before I'd read any of his books, I met Sean through the South Australian Writers' Centre and I liked him. Despite his lofty New-York-Times-bestseller status, he gave a lot of time and support to this fledgling speculative fiction writer.
This was the first book of Sean's that I read. It's fantasy in a landscape uniquely (South) Australian. Captivating and unnerving.
This was the first book of Sean's that I read. It's fantasy in a landscape uniquely (South) Australian. Captivating and unnerving.
Jul 29, 2011
I didn't know what to expect with this book. I found a rich world with an engaging system of magic. The characters are interesting and everything seems to work together well. I particularly enjoyed references to native Australian animals in a fantasy setting. Doesn't happen often. I would probably classify it in a teen fantasy category.
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