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Lodestone #3
The Crucible of Dawn
The multiple award-winning "Lodestone" series returns in an all-action third installment.Having finally secured the four components of Annata's ancient device, ten Kelanni, together with the enigmatic Chandara Boxx, set sail for the Island of Helice in order to neutralize the human weapon designed to eradicate the planet's indigenous life and to give them control over lodestone - the most powerful substance in the universe. After fending off an attack from an immense sea creature, the party is attacked by human flying machines. Shann and Rael, two of the four component carriers, are lost somewhere on the island, their fate unknown.Will the Kelanni be able to reach the human weapon and disarm it? With time against them, they must battle to overcome internal conflicts and, along the way, uncover shocking new truths about themselves; about their enemies, the humans; and about the strange creature Boxx, whose ultimate purpose yet remains a mystery.
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2011
6 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Mark Whiteway
29 books50 followersMark Whiteway (1959- ) lives in rural West Sussex, England, near the former home of H G Wells. The Lodestone series of novels is built around the concept of negative matter-an extension of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 19, 2018
Another excellent book from a excellent Author. I have built a rapore with the wonderful characters, Mark manages to keep it nail biting all the way through and I am now looking forward to enjoying book 4. Thank you Mark..
February 26, 2022
Wonderful reading
Another wonderful fantasy Sci-Fi adventure thriller by Mark Whiteway book three in the Lodestone Series. I highly recommend this series to readers of fantasy. Enjoy reading 2019
Another wonderful fantasy Sci-Fi adventure thriller by Mark Whiteway book three in the Lodestone Series. I highly recommend this series to readers of fantasy. Enjoy reading 2019
November 8, 2011
Article first published as Book Review: Lodestone, Bood Three: The Crucible of Dawn on Blogcritics.
In a world of Science Fiction, what seems unbelievable at first glance seems to come to fruition some years later. Many of the gadgets we are familiar with today, first found credence in the mind of a writer.
In Lodestone, Book Three: The Crucible of Dawn by Mark Whiteway, we follow the continued exploits of a group of Kalani who are trying to save their world, and release their people from oppression. The humans have found a cache of Lodestone, a substance from a different universe, located on Kalani, and have enslaved much of the population, forcing them to mine the ore. Using the powerful Keltar to force obedience, life for the Kalani has become a hopeless drudgery. Lodestone is highly sought for its use in weaponry, although the Keltar have used it for generations as a tool to help them quell the Kalani. Assigned to take charge of the mining, the Keltar do not realize the treachery of the humans. While the Keltar feel they are in charge, the humans have found a way to hide their real purpose.
A spirited young female Kalani and a group of ten unlikely heroes set out to cross the Sea of Storms, ready to use the four components of Annata, to save their world. Having secured the components necessary, Shann and Rael, two of the carriers are lost at sea, with their fate unknown. Lost on an island, Shann and Rael find themselves right where they need to be. As time winds down, and with the help of a strange and legendary Chandara, Boxx, can they overcome the internal conflicts and work together to find a way to find to disarm or destroy the human’s strange new weapon?
In their quest to find the answers, they find unique and remarkable truths about themselves. As the time grows short and all is at stake, will the Chandara make a stand? What is their place in the interplanetary dispute? With the strange abilities of Boxx, and his odd way of speaking in riddles, can our group of heroes convince the Chandara to help them in their final quest?
Whiteway has done a remarkable job of staying true to the Science Fiction of old. He has developed a world full of promise and passion, and peopled it with a race of beings, unique in appearance. Along with the Kalani, and the Keltar, the planet is also home to some dangerous beasts, such as the murghal and valthar. Also making their home on this planet are the strangely enigmatic Chandara, once thought extinct. By weaving technology and learning, a superior avionics division, and a hostile world full of strangely barbaric inhabitants, Whiteway has given us an unusual twist to the credibility of his world and characters.
Described in detail his world is easy to envision, and his characters have the ability to come alive and leap off the pages. A fun and exciting read, the story is also full of angst and personal demons. The flow is exceptional, and the story is quite enthralling.
I would recommend this to the science fiction aficionado, but the story would also be appropriate for the YA reader. Full of fun and danger, action and adventure, and characters that either charm or repel the story holds an unforgettable appeal. This would be a great book for your library, and while you are contemplating the purchase, you might check out his previous novels. He just gets better and better.
I received the book free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
In a world of Science Fiction, what seems unbelievable at first glance seems to come to fruition some years later. Many of the gadgets we are familiar with today, first found credence in the mind of a writer.
In Lodestone, Book Three: The Crucible of Dawn by Mark Whiteway, we follow the continued exploits of a group of Kalani who are trying to save their world, and release their people from oppression. The humans have found a cache of Lodestone, a substance from a different universe, located on Kalani, and have enslaved much of the population, forcing them to mine the ore. Using the powerful Keltar to force obedience, life for the Kalani has become a hopeless drudgery. Lodestone is highly sought for its use in weaponry, although the Keltar have used it for generations as a tool to help them quell the Kalani. Assigned to take charge of the mining, the Keltar do not realize the treachery of the humans. While the Keltar feel they are in charge, the humans have found a way to hide their real purpose.
A spirited young female Kalani and a group of ten unlikely heroes set out to cross the Sea of Storms, ready to use the four components of Annata, to save their world. Having secured the components necessary, Shann and Rael, two of the carriers are lost at sea, with their fate unknown. Lost on an island, Shann and Rael find themselves right where they need to be. As time winds down, and with the help of a strange and legendary Chandara, Boxx, can they overcome the internal conflicts and work together to find a way to find to disarm or destroy the human’s strange new weapon?
In their quest to find the answers, they find unique and remarkable truths about themselves. As the time grows short and all is at stake, will the Chandara make a stand? What is their place in the interplanetary dispute? With the strange abilities of Boxx, and his odd way of speaking in riddles, can our group of heroes convince the Chandara to help them in their final quest?
Whiteway has done a remarkable job of staying true to the Science Fiction of old. He has developed a world full of promise and passion, and peopled it with a race of beings, unique in appearance. Along with the Kalani, and the Keltar, the planet is also home to some dangerous beasts, such as the murghal and valthar. Also making their home on this planet are the strangely enigmatic Chandara, once thought extinct. By weaving technology and learning, a superior avionics division, and a hostile world full of strangely barbaric inhabitants, Whiteway has given us an unusual twist to the credibility of his world and characters.
Described in detail his world is easy to envision, and his characters have the ability to come alive and leap off the pages. A fun and exciting read, the story is also full of angst and personal demons. The flow is exceptional, and the story is quite enthralling.
I would recommend this to the science fiction aficionado, but the story would also be appropriate for the YA reader. Full of fun and danger, action and adventure, and characters that either charm or repel the story holds an unforgettable appeal. This would be a great book for your library, and while you are contemplating the purchase, you might check out his previous novels. He just gets better and better.
I received the book free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
August 16, 2011
The genre of science fiction has never been one that has attracted me. So when afforded the opportunity to write a pre-publication review I was concerned that the time spent might not be so enjoyable. This was not the case, however. Author Mark Whiteway pulled me into the third book of the Lodestone series with his creative use of description for both the setting and characters. My other concern was that having not read the first two books in the series, the third might not make sense to me. That was not the case, either. The Crucible of Dawn can and does stand on its own. But I must share that the first two books of the series are going to become summer reading for me! I am so glad that this book has crossed my path and opened my eyes to stories I may have cheated myself out of reading or may have never discovered on my own. I will definitely be reading the whole series as I hear there are more to come.
Mysteries have always drawn my attention, and that is what will keep the reader turning pages in The Crucible of the Dawn. Just who should be trusted? The fact that there are creatures of another world is very interesting and adds another dimension to the story. The reader is taken to the planet Kelanni which needs to be rescued from the humans who are building a weapon to try to eradicate the planet’s indigenous life and want to gain control over the lodestone—which is the most powerful substance in the universe.
A quote from Alondo to Shann was one that hit home: “There’s not much we can do about our feelings, Shann. They have a way of creeping up behind us and catching us unawares. It’s what we do about those feelings that determine what kind of a person we are.” It is with these emotions and the fact that the characters question themselves and end up depending on intuition and instinct from time to time, that Author Whiteway connects his readers to his characters—both human and nonhuman.
Wisdom comes to the planet of Kelanni from the Chandara, who have a symbiotic relationship with the Great Tree. They are an intelligent life form with a segmented shell and round head whose speech is difficult to understand. Boxx, one of the main characters, sounds like a small child and a wise old sage all rolled up into one. Mark Whiteway has been extremely imaginative in creating this world of Kelanni. Readers will be able to tell how much he has enjoyed putting together both the characters and the storyline. He continues to put forth themes such as this quote portrays: “We all have our dark places that we must try to conquer.” And isn’t that just the truth?
Having been a teacher for four decades, I loved reading “…that’s all any of us can do. Learn, and then try to do better.” So, I’ve learned that science fiction is a genre that I can enjoy and I’m betting that readers of this series are going to be thrilled with this third adventure. So, whether you are a science fiction reader or not, don’t let this book pass you by. Mark Whiteway is a gifted storyteller who knows how to take his readers to an amazing new world.
November 15, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed books one and two of this 'trilogy'. Having reached the end of book three however, I now discover it is no longer a trilogy but has become a series. This leaves me feeling as though I am being milked. Three books is a commitment in time that I am happy to make if the story is good and well-written. Once it becomes a series it has to be exceptional for me to continue to a fourth book.
Book three of the Lodestone 'trilogy' was not exceptional. It was good and the ending satisfactory but it lacked the sparkle and attention to detail of the previous two. The ending was a little rushed. The author did not give us time to savour the conclusion or share the responses to that conclusion of the characters we had travelled with for three books. His priority seemed to be to quickly move to the epilogue which introduces the next book and story in the hope of keeping the reader.
The Crucible of Dawn is not so well edited as the two previous books with a number of typographic errors and the repetition of certain phrases that was a little irritating at times. It also was not crafted so beautifully as the previous books.
I shall not be reading book four. Because of the emphasis at the end of book three of moving on to the next Lodestone story rather than dealing with the conclusion as if it is indeed a full stop and finality, my overall feeling is one of disappointment - which is a shame because the trilogy was a good yarn that held my attention. My feeling is that if I read book four, there will probably turn out to be a book five, and I signed up for a trilogy not a series. This seems to be a characteristic of our age - in television, film and books - that if something is successful it is stretched and stretched until it is no longer so good. I prefer things to be tighter even if it means they are short and sharp. I would have liked to have finished book three of the Lodestone 'trilogy' wanting more rather than feeling teased.
I may return to it and read book four in the future, but my feeling of disappointment will have to have subsided first.
Book three of the Lodestone 'trilogy' was not exceptional. It was good and the ending satisfactory but it lacked the sparkle and attention to detail of the previous two. The ending was a little rushed. The author did not give us time to savour the conclusion or share the responses to that conclusion of the characters we had travelled with for three books. His priority seemed to be to quickly move to the epilogue which introduces the next book and story in the hope of keeping the reader.
The Crucible of Dawn is not so well edited as the two previous books with a number of typographic errors and the repetition of certain phrases that was a little irritating at times. It also was not crafted so beautifully as the previous books.
I shall not be reading book four. Because of the emphasis at the end of book three of moving on to the next Lodestone story rather than dealing with the conclusion as if it is indeed a full stop and finality, my overall feeling is one of disappointment - which is a shame because the trilogy was a good yarn that held my attention. My feeling is that if I read book four, there will probably turn out to be a book five, and I signed up for a trilogy not a series. This seems to be a characteristic of our age - in television, film and books - that if something is successful it is stretched and stretched until it is no longer so good. I prefer things to be tighter even if it means they are short and sharp. I would have liked to have finished book three of the Lodestone 'trilogy' wanting more rather than feeling teased.
I may return to it and read book four in the future, but my feeling of disappointment will have to have subsided first.
August 25, 2016
We start with two men, brothers, who are lodestone hunters, sorry, prospectors now according to the Directorate's change. There is a storm coming in and they race to a large spot they believe to be lodestone, only to find a body ~ a hu-man body, McCann. Our crew is back, after the trials, which now has put relationships in a new light and brought back old worries and feelings in which each needs to work through. They are on their way to the island the humans were banished to so many years ago, to disable the hu-man weapon with the components they received. But, will the hu-mans do as they are thought too? Or will more tribulations come about and they will have to figure out how to handle it. Could one of their own turn on them, or is something else going on?
I feel like there is a science and physics at work here with the lodestone. It is neat to think on the lodestone uses and abilities.
I liked the first two books of this series. Meeting the characters and getting to know them, through their trials and tribulations. And they are all present here. However, this book I was a little slow at reading. I blame my mood at the time, I don't think it was what I was needing. As there was action here, and the characters came across strange new things in this amazing world, I was a little bored. I'm sorry. And one of the characters kind of irritated me. I know, she is created that way, and it's not the only excuse for my feelings of the book. She is just as she should be, and for where she came from.
If you like reading alien worlds where humans invade and they fight back, this very well could be a good read for you. Or even for a young reader who hasn't read a lot of human invasions yet.
This book is very good for young readers as well, as it's geared toward the young readers for no bad language our sexual content. Their is friendships, strong and changing for them to read of.
I feel like there is a science and physics at work here with the lodestone. It is neat to think on the lodestone uses and abilities.
I liked the first two books of this series. Meeting the characters and getting to know them, through their trials and tribulations. And they are all present here. However, this book I was a little slow at reading. I blame my mood at the time, I don't think it was what I was needing. As there was action here, and the characters came across strange new things in this amazing world, I was a little bored. I'm sorry. And one of the characters kind of irritated me. I know, she is created that way, and it's not the only excuse for my feelings of the book. She is just as she should be, and for where she came from.
If you like reading alien worlds where humans invade and they fight back, this very well could be a good read for you. Or even for a young reader who hasn't read a lot of human invasions yet.
This book is very good for young readers as well, as it's geared toward the young readers for no bad language our sexual content. Their is friendships, strong and changing for them to read of.
March 28, 2013
ADDICTIVE! I finished the entire book – all 51 chapters plus epilogue – in three days.
This third book in The Lodestone Trilogy is Whiteway’s finest work yet. A certified page-turner from page one, the exquisitely crafted plot with its breathtaking twists and turns and gut-wrenching moments cements his status as a master storyteller.
The battle for the possession and control of lodestone reaches unprecedented heights. LODESTONE. So precious and rare, with the potential for unlimited power. Found on no other planet save for Kelanni.
The deadly game of shassatan plays out on the battlefield of life like never before, forcing its combatants to engage in the highest levels of skill and risk.
In the heat of battle, the loyalties of the Kelanni freedom fighters are tested as they clash not only with their foes but with each other. Each turns out to have his or her own agenda. Each one must fight the greatest battle – with himself. Will they make it through their mission alive…or become casualties of war?
Adding to the mix are new characters – including three humans with highly suspicious motives but essential to the destruction of the Prophet’s weapon. Which one will betray them?
This epic story of greed and redemption flows seamlessly, hypnotically weaving in and out of multilayered storylines and scenes of unsurpassed beauty with masterful ease, and climaxes in a stunning conclusion. The Chandara, a legendary ancient race possessing the wisdom of the ages, hold the most surprising secret of all.
Exhilarating.
With a cryptic ending.
Hollywood would be crazy not to turn this trilogy into a movie.
The Lodestone Trilogy
This third book in The Lodestone Trilogy is Whiteway’s finest work yet. A certified page-turner from page one, the exquisitely crafted plot with its breathtaking twists and turns and gut-wrenching moments cements his status as a master storyteller.
The battle for the possession and control of lodestone reaches unprecedented heights. LODESTONE. So precious and rare, with the potential for unlimited power. Found on no other planet save for Kelanni.
The deadly game of shassatan plays out on the battlefield of life like never before, forcing its combatants to engage in the highest levels of skill and risk.
In the heat of battle, the loyalties of the Kelanni freedom fighters are tested as they clash not only with their foes but with each other. Each turns out to have his or her own agenda. Each one must fight the greatest battle – with himself. Will they make it through their mission alive…or become casualties of war?
Adding to the mix are new characters – including three humans with highly suspicious motives but essential to the destruction of the Prophet’s weapon. Which one will betray them?
This epic story of greed and redemption flows seamlessly, hypnotically weaving in and out of multilayered storylines and scenes of unsurpassed beauty with masterful ease, and climaxes in a stunning conclusion. The Chandara, a legendary ancient race possessing the wisdom of the ages, hold the most surprising secret of all.
Exhilarating.
With a cryptic ending.
Hollywood would be crazy not to turn this trilogy into a movie.
The Lodestone Trilogy
November 29, 2011
It’s difficult to review this book without leaving it full of spoilers for the first two, but I’ll give it a try. Our heroes continue in their efforts to stop The Prophet, with help from some unlikely allies. The action was well paced and exciting; the plot moved along at a good clip; and uses of the magnet-like lodestone technology continued to be inventive and consistent. I was unconvinced by Lyall’s sudden obsession with his missing sister, a fact that had barely been mentioned since he was first introduced, but I was able to more or less just go with it. Whiteway’s depiction of relationships is interestingly lopsided: the platonic interactions are complex and realistic, especially those between Keris and Boxx, Keris and Shann, and Shann and Alondo. The romantic relationships, on the other hand, leave a bit to be desired. Oliah’s introduction was too swift and I never felt Alondo’s connection with her; Rael is a whiny little doormat who doesn’t deserve Shann’s affections. (She needs someone with at least as strong a personality as herself.) All the same, I enjoyed this installment of the Lodestone series easily as much as the other two, and with the ending clearly leading into another sequel, I am looking forward to finding out what happens next.
August 24, 2011
Whiteway blurs the lines between magic and advanced science, not as a way to avoid making the homeworld of the Kelanni believable, but to heighten the cultural tension which runs through this series like milk through a sieve. Two societies, separated by the strange dynamics of their planet, collide in a common purpose that is instigated by interloping aliens from the stars - “hu-mans.”
In truth, the technology is every bit as credible as it is fantastic. This is par for the course with Whiteway, who has a knack for choosing phrases that root the reader in a very alien world, such as the color “blood-white.” This allows him to take a bold move – not using the point-of-view of his human characters – and pull it off with panache.
The balancing of action against character development is sublime. This volume is packed with action, but the reader is feels grounded by the solid personalities of the hardened and conflicted Keris, maid-turned-leader Shann, and mysterious creature Boxx, along with their companions. This is no mere pulp fiction between these covers . . . Whiteway is good enough to grace the world with a science fiction masterpiece.
In truth, the technology is every bit as credible as it is fantastic. This is par for the course with Whiteway, who has a knack for choosing phrases that root the reader in a very alien world, such as the color “blood-white.” This allows him to take a bold move – not using the point-of-view of his human characters – and pull it off with panache.
The balancing of action against character development is sublime. This volume is packed with action, but the reader is feels grounded by the solid personalities of the hardened and conflicted Keris, maid-turned-leader Shann, and mysterious creature Boxx, along with their companions. This is no mere pulp fiction between these covers . . . Whiteway is good enough to grace the world with a science fiction masterpiece.
November 27, 2012
The multiple award-winning "Lodestone" series returns in an all-action third instalment.
Having finally secured the four components of Annata's ancient device, ten Kelanni, together with the enigmatic Chandara Boxx, set sail for the Island of Helice in order to neutralize the human weapon designed to eradicate the planet's indigenous life and to give them control over lodestone - the most powerful substance in the universe.
After fending off an attack from an immense sea creature, the party is attacked by human flying machines. Shann and Rael, two of the four component carriers, are lost somewhere on the island, their fate unknown.
Will the Kelanni be able to reach the human weapon and disarm it? With time against them, they must battle to overcome internal conflicts and, along the way, uncover shocking new truths about themselves; about their enemies, the humans; and about the strange creature Boxx, whose ultimate purpose yet remains a mystery.
Having finally secured the four components of Annata's ancient device, ten Kelanni, together with the enigmatic Chandara Boxx, set sail for the Island of Helice in order to neutralize the human weapon designed to eradicate the planet's indigenous life and to give them control over lodestone - the most powerful substance in the universe.
After fending off an attack from an immense sea creature, the party is attacked by human flying machines. Shann and Rael, two of the four component carriers, are lost somewhere on the island, their fate unknown.
Will the Kelanni be able to reach the human weapon and disarm it? With time against them, they must battle to overcome internal conflicts and, along the way, uncover shocking new truths about themselves; about their enemies, the humans; and about the strange creature Boxx, whose ultimate purpose yet remains a mystery.
February 27, 2012
This is the third book in the Lodestone Series. I have previously read the other two books and I was worried that this book would not live up to my expectations. However The Crucible of the Dawn not only lived up to my expectations but exceeded them.
The description present throughout the book is flawless. The characters leap off the page and come alive in front of your eyes. The Plot kept me hooked throughout till the last page and in my opinion Mark Whiteway is just getting better and better with every book he writes.
I am looking forward to what Mark Whiteway writes next as I will be waiting, eager to get my hands on a copy.
A copy of this book was received for free from the author and all thoughts are my own through reading it.
This review first appeared on http://everybookhasasoul.wordpress.com
The description present throughout the book is flawless. The characters leap off the page and come alive in front of your eyes. The Plot kept me hooked throughout till the last page and in my opinion Mark Whiteway is just getting better and better with every book he writes.
I am looking forward to what Mark Whiteway writes next as I will be waiting, eager to get my hands on a copy.
A copy of this book was received for free from the author and all thoughts are my own through reading it.
This review first appeared on http://everybookhasasoul.wordpress.com
February 21, 2012
Whiteway 's writing pulled me in. His characters became my innermost circle. I enjoyed the journey of the small band attempting to spoil the plans of "the prophet". Twists and turns abound in the plot. Conflict within the small group is well defined, furthering the development of the characters. I started this series thinking that it was a fantasy trilogy. I'm a scifi fan. I was pleasantly surprised that it morphed into scifi within this volume. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
Spoiler Alert:
I was a little upset with the ending. There now must be a book to follow. I'm not finished reading about Lodestone!
Spoiler Alert:
I was a little upset with the ending. There now must be a book to follow. I'm not finished reading about Lodestone!
June 26, 2012
Took me a while to get through these books, that is usually a sign that I am not interested. Like a lot of fantasy books I've read recently I like the concepts but the execution was not superb. The author tried to develop the characters, but failed to make them realistic or deep for me. The stories pacing seemed to be off as well. Not horrible but maybe a little below average for an epic series.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews