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The Sea-Stone Sword
"Heroes are more than just stories, they're people. And people are complicated, people are strange. Nobody is a hero through and through, there's always something in them that'll turn sour. You'll learn it one day. There are no heroes, only villains who win." Rob Sardan is going to be a legend, but the road to heroism is paved with temptation and deceit. Exiled to a distant and violent country, Rob is forced to fight his closest friends for survival, only to discover his mother's nemesis is still alive, and is determined to wipe out her family and all her allies. The only way the Pirate Lord, Mothar, can be stopped is with the Sea-Stone Sword - yet even the sword itself seems fickle, twisting Rob's quest in poisonous directions, blurring the line between hero and villain. Nobody is who they seem, and Rob can no longer trust even his own instincts. Driven by dreams of glory, Rob sees only his future as a hero, not the dark path upon which he draws ever closer to infamy.
332 pages, Paperback
First published June 19, 2014
3 people are currently reading
877 people want to read
About the author
Joel Cornah
11 books33 followersJoel Cornah is an author, journalist, and blogger. They are the author of The Sword Breaker Trilogy, published by Wizards Tower Press, as well as many short stories and novellas.
They were also the producer and Dungeon Master of The Campaign Trail podcast, a D&D game about getting a goblin elected prime minister. Moreover, they also ran the comedy Twitter account, The Miliverse.
They were an editor for The Science-Fiction and Fantasy Network, head of the Doctor Who department, and member of the Tolkien Society. They were a contributor to the Pack of Aces blog, focussing on issues of Asexuality in media, specialising in sci-fi and fantasy.
They were also the producer and Dungeon Master of The Campaign Trail podcast, a D&D game about getting a goblin elected prime minister. Moreover, they also ran the comedy Twitter account, The Miliverse.
They were an editor for The Science-Fiction and Fantasy Network, head of the Doctor Who department, and member of the Tolkien Society. They were a contributor to the Pack of Aces blog, focussing on issues of Asexuality in media, specialising in sci-fi and fantasy.
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January 3, 2015I received this via goodreads first reads in exchange for an honest review.
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Great concept and the loved the writing but just couldn't connect with it unfortunately :( Not a bad novel, but just not for me.
Check it out if your still curious, you may like it more than me.
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Great concept and the loved the writing but just couldn't connect with it unfortunately :( Not a bad novel, but just not for me.
Check it out if your still curious, you may like it more than me.
March 10, 2015
I liked The Sea-Stone Sword. It was a refreshing and entertaining adventure with dark and heroic moments, set in a beautiful world.
It would've been even a four star book for me if the characters (always my #1 thing) had had a little more depth. And don't get me wrong, the characters weren't BAD - many of them were unique, and I actually really enjoyed them; I only wish we'd had more time to drill into their psyche.
That being said, the time was, instead, used to forward the plot. The story is full of George R.R. Martin esque twists and turns, and seeing Rob struggle between becoming a hero and becoming a villain is a breathtaking ride. This was one of those books were you just have to keep turning the pages because you have no idea how the heroes will get out of trouble or what's going to happen next.
The thing I liked the best, however, was the world. It was one of the freshest fantasy worlds I've seen in many years. It has an atmosphere entirely its own - quirky, colourful and sometimes dark; with several intelligent non-humanoid races, great legends of heroic deeds casting their shadow on those who would rival them, and a cheerful assortment of pirates and monks, traders and artisans, healers and innkeeps, smugglers and warlords, all going about their lives while when our hero pops up and crosses their paths, mostly uninvited.
AND that's not the best part of the world. Imagine a world with no sexism, no racism, no homophobia. It's this world, and I can't even start to describe how refreshing it is. I caught myself surprised when a person labelled just "the guard" was referred to as "she", because I had automatically assumed he was a man. The book is full of these little "surprises", and that alone is a reason why I'd recommend this book to anyone who feels underrepresented in the fantasy genre.
You don't want to miss this book if adventure fantasy is your genre, or if you're a fantasy reader looking for a break from the stereotypical patriarchal pseudo-medieval fantasy! I'm waiting for the sequel now.
It would've been even a four star book for me if the characters (always my #1 thing) had had a little more depth. And don't get me wrong, the characters weren't BAD - many of them were unique, and I actually really enjoyed them; I only wish we'd had more time to drill into their psyche.
That being said, the time was, instead, used to forward the plot. The story is full of George R.R. Martin esque twists and turns, and seeing Rob struggle between becoming a hero and becoming a villain is a breathtaking ride. This was one of those books were you just have to keep turning the pages because you have no idea how the heroes will get out of trouble or what's going to happen next.
The thing I liked the best, however, was the world. It was one of the freshest fantasy worlds I've seen in many years. It has an atmosphere entirely its own - quirky, colourful and sometimes dark; with several intelligent non-humanoid races, great legends of heroic deeds casting their shadow on those who would rival them, and a cheerful assortment of pirates and monks, traders and artisans, healers and innkeeps, smugglers and warlords, all going about their lives while when our hero pops up and crosses their paths, mostly uninvited.
AND that's not the best part of the world. Imagine a world with no sexism, no racism, no homophobia. It's this world, and I can't even start to describe how refreshing it is. I caught myself surprised when a person labelled just "the guard" was referred to as "she", because I had automatically assumed he was a man. The book is full of these little "surprises", and that alone is a reason why I'd recommend this book to anyone who feels underrepresented in the fantasy genre.
You don't want to miss this book if adventure fantasy is your genre, or if you're a fantasy reader looking for a break from the stereotypical patriarchal pseudo-medieval fantasy! I'm waiting for the sequel now.
January 26, 2015
First and foremost, this book has an original world-setting, which is something lots of otherwise good fantasy books lack. If I were to point out two things about it, it would be:
1. obviously the non-cliché attitude to the plot - the author takes the main character on the classic "Hero leaves his home"-adventure, but takes it in a completely different direction. There is no idealisation of the path of the hero whatsoever, what is shown perfectly is the grim side of it and how painful it is for the main character's companions to walk along that path. I liked some of the companions or acquaintances actually much more than the main character, who I found difficult to relate to, but I am not even sure if that's what one would be expected to do. In either case, whereas I did not care that much for what happened to the main hero, I cared a lot about what happened to those around him and that, fortunately, is equally big part of the story. One thing that I missed a was a bit more space for getting to know the characters more in depth. But even just as they are, they are quite original, both those more major (e.g. one of my favourite, a soldier-woman in the position of a kind of self-appointed local ruler) and more minor (e.g. a ship's doctor on a wheelchair).
2. the colorful fantasy world - it doesn't have the all-time-boringly overused dwarves and elves and orcs, but rather a couple of pretty fantastic races (even if some are mostly just mentioned, but they are there, and they are positively "alien" in the good sense - Draigs, Pengs... and the scary pterodactyle-like Air-keepers). The world also seems to have very interesting history we can see glimpses of. At times you can sense the world's almost lovecraftian ancientry, and I am actually hoping to slowly uncover more about the world and the different races inhabiting it in the sequels. Joel Cornah is good in showing this background, but not overflooding the reader with the information. The world is there, ever-present, but the focus is on the story of Rob and his quest.
Overall, a nice read, with quite a few plot twists, some of which are really nasty, and with lots of tension and surprises. The world is as far from "idealistic fantasy" as it gets, neither the characters nor the world are black-and-white (I'd almost say it's rather dark grey), even though the main character takes hard time parting from that idea (and in fact, keeps struggling with it all the time). The book also captures well the atmosphere of the setting (sea, pirates, lawless lands full of conflict...), so I'd recommend it to anyone who likes that kind of things.
1. obviously the non-cliché attitude to the plot - the author takes the main character on the classic "Hero leaves his home"-adventure, but takes it in a completely different direction. There is no idealisation of the path of the hero whatsoever, what is shown perfectly is the grim side of it and how painful it is for the main character's companions to walk along that path. I liked some of the companions or acquaintances actually much more than the main character, who I found difficult to relate to, but I am not even sure if that's what one would be expected to do. In either case, whereas I did not care that much for what happened to the main hero, I cared a lot about what happened to those around him and that, fortunately, is equally big part of the story. One thing that I missed a was a bit more space for getting to know the characters more in depth. But even just as they are, they are quite original, both those more major (e.g. one of my favourite, a soldier-woman in the position of a kind of self-appointed local ruler) and more minor (e.g. a ship's doctor on a wheelchair).
2. the colorful fantasy world - it doesn't have the all-time-boringly overused dwarves and elves and orcs, but rather a couple of pretty fantastic races (even if some are mostly just mentioned, but they are there, and they are positively "alien" in the good sense - Draigs, Pengs... and the scary pterodactyle-like Air-keepers). The world also seems to have very interesting history we can see glimpses of. At times you can sense the world's almost lovecraftian ancientry, and I am actually hoping to slowly uncover more about the world and the different races inhabiting it in the sequels. Joel Cornah is good in showing this background, but not overflooding the reader with the information. The world is there, ever-present, but the focus is on the story of Rob and his quest.
Overall, a nice read, with quite a few plot twists, some of which are really nasty, and with lots of tension and surprises. The world is as far from "idealistic fantasy" as it gets, neither the characters nor the world are black-and-white (I'd almost say it's rather dark grey), even though the main character takes hard time parting from that idea (and in fact, keeps struggling with it all the time). The book also captures well the atmosphere of the setting (sea, pirates, lawless lands full of conflict...), so I'd recommend it to anyone who likes that kind of things.
May 6, 2015
So there's this boy, Rob Sardan, who wants to be a hero, to earn his place in history through adventure and swashbuckling daring. And to defeat the legendary Pirate King Mothar, who killed his mother, Rob Sardan needs the Sea-Stone Sword. So far, so bread and butter, but Joel Cornah's take on the epic coming-of-age hero story takes quite a different tack, and sets sail instead into deeper waters.
Rob Sardan's initial breathless naivety carries the plot quickly into a series of adventures and battles, all part of his larger quest to carve his name into history. Joel's prose focuses heavily on movement, on the rhythms and beats of the body: the flashes of a shared gaze, a stolen breath and a hint of a breeze all matter as much as a thought. It can be difficult to read this way at first until you realise that Joel, well-versed in anime and manga, has actually managed to write The Sea-Stone Sword as a tribute to the genre and then suddenly the waves of hard emotion, the flashing of an angry eye, the soaring movements - they all make brilliant sense. I pictured Rob in the mould of Escaflowne's Van - your own heroes may vary...
Joel's characters grow beyond their stereotypes through this, especially the brother and sister team of Niall and Eimhir. And, like the best modern fantasists, he knows when to cut the strings and break a reader's heart.
If I quibble at anything at all, it's that Joel rushes past some of the set-pieces, such as the battle to retrieve the Sea-Splitter, but then Rob Sardan himself is focused almost entirely on his own quest, rather than that of his companions, and that sidelining suits his mindset. The end of the book gives him some small chance at redemption - we'll have to wait to see if he takes it...
Rob Sardan's initial breathless naivety carries the plot quickly into a series of adventures and battles, all part of his larger quest to carve his name into history. Joel's prose focuses heavily on movement, on the rhythms and beats of the body: the flashes of a shared gaze, a stolen breath and a hint of a breeze all matter as much as a thought. It can be difficult to read this way at first until you realise that Joel, well-versed in anime and manga, has actually managed to write The Sea-Stone Sword as a tribute to the genre and then suddenly the waves of hard emotion, the flashing of an angry eye, the soaring movements - they all make brilliant sense. I pictured Rob in the mould of Escaflowne's Van - your own heroes may vary...
Joel's characters grow beyond their stereotypes through this, especially the brother and sister team of Niall and Eimhir. And, like the best modern fantasists, he knows when to cut the strings and break a reader's heart.
If I quibble at anything at all, it's that Joel rushes past some of the set-pieces, such as the battle to retrieve the Sea-Splitter, but then Rob Sardan himself is focused almost entirely on his own quest, rather than that of his companions, and that sidelining suits his mindset. The end of the book gives him some small chance at redemption - we'll have to wait to see if he takes it...
April 26, 2015
All Rob Sardan wants is to be a hero. The broken boy who washes up on the shores of Khamas is determined to make a name for himself somehow. But the line between hero and villain is not an easy one to walk.
Rob’s quest for the mythical Sea-Stone Sword, the quest he believes will make him a legend, will instead force him to question every value he has, and to look into his soul with fresh eyes, to confront the darkness that dwells there.
Joel Cornah’s debut novel is refreshingly unusual take on swashbuckling heroic fantasy that explores the sometimes ragged line between heroism and villainy. There is no black and white here, every colourful character has many shades of grey. (It’s also refreshing to see so many LGBT characters featured prominently in the novel). He’s created an intricate world of pirates, dinosaurs, broken gods and penguins (yes, penguins), that extends far over the edges of the map. It’s refreshing to see how much thought has gone into the world and to know how many stories could emerge from it. I think this is the start of a long and promising career.
It’s slightly over-written in places, and Sardan is often an unlikeable protagonist (there are several occasions where he is, frankly, a bit of a knob) as he struggles with both personal losses and his own dark heart. But in the end he and his crew win and then break our hearts in their battle for the sword against a deranged immortal and the Lord of The Air.
Apparently Joel Cornah is working on a sequel (I’m secretly hoping it has more pengs in it, I’m intrigued by the pengs….) That’s one to look forward to, and I hope The Sea-Stone Sword is the first of many…
Rob’s quest for the mythical Sea-Stone Sword, the quest he believes will make him a legend, will instead force him to question every value he has, and to look into his soul with fresh eyes, to confront the darkness that dwells there.
Joel Cornah’s debut novel is refreshingly unusual take on swashbuckling heroic fantasy that explores the sometimes ragged line between heroism and villainy. There is no black and white here, every colourful character has many shades of grey. (It’s also refreshing to see so many LGBT characters featured prominently in the novel). He’s created an intricate world of pirates, dinosaurs, broken gods and penguins (yes, penguins), that extends far over the edges of the map. It’s refreshing to see how much thought has gone into the world and to know how many stories could emerge from it. I think this is the start of a long and promising career.
It’s slightly over-written in places, and Sardan is often an unlikeable protagonist (there are several occasions where he is, frankly, a bit of a knob) as he struggles with both personal losses and his own dark heart. But in the end he and his crew win and then break our hearts in their battle for the sword against a deranged immortal and the Lord of The Air.
Apparently Joel Cornah is working on a sequel (I’m secretly hoping it has more pengs in it, I’m intrigued by the pengs….) That’s one to look forward to, and I hope The Sea-Stone Sword is the first of many…
September 21, 2015
I have never read a pirate story, nope, not even Treasure Island, so this was a new experience for me.
I have to say I really enjoyed the Sea-Stone Sword. Rob is an interesting character that certainly goes through a journey of self discovery. At times the journey felt a little repetitive with him going over the same issues, but that’s true to life, we never learn, so it's not really a weakness at all. The story is full of creative characters and Cornah does a wonderful job of making characters that I found very interesting to read about. I look forward to learning and reading more about the Pengs. The overall story is very enjoyable. It does jump a little at various points but once you realise this is the style, I think it works very well. The ending is very captivating and leaves it open for a lot more adventure, which is awesome.
Well done to Cornah for creating a splendid story, in a vivid and original world, that covers its themes well and makes them clear. A solid four stars.
I have to say I really enjoyed the Sea-Stone Sword. Rob is an interesting character that certainly goes through a journey of self discovery. At times the journey felt a little repetitive with him going over the same issues, but that’s true to life, we never learn, so it's not really a weakness at all. The story is full of creative characters and Cornah does a wonderful job of making characters that I found very interesting to read about. I look forward to learning and reading more about the Pengs. The overall story is very enjoyable. It does jump a little at various points but once you realise this is the style, I think it works very well. The ending is very captivating and leaves it open for a lot more adventure, which is awesome.
Well done to Cornah for creating a splendid story, in a vivid and original world, that covers its themes well and makes them clear. A solid four stars.
February 24, 2015
The Sea-Stone Sword is a swashbuckling adventure and a coming of age tale. However it is also more than that. Rob Sardan, the 'hero' of the novel is a far more complex character, a boy heading into his teens, wanting the riches and glory of adventure and of being a great hero. However, every decision Rob makes for himself, where he feels his intentions are good, can also been seen as villainous. I loved how this was portrayed in the book as there was no clear cut 'good vs bad' guy/gal in it and other deeper, darker motivations were explored by the characters.
The coming of age part of the book was handling very well, as we see Rob mature, and beneath the somewhat 'villainous' crimes he has committed, he grows to understand that the quest he finds himself on is not about glory, but about friendship and how exerting choice can impact the world around him.
There are a host of great characters - my favourite being the quiet Eimy, who has a wisdom far above her years. There are also a few heart tugging moments, and while I was quietly thinking to myself, 'I can't believe that just happened! Why!' I could also see that it reflected the fact that sometimes terrible things happen to people who don't deserve it. And it can lead to consequences people can never truly understand.
With plenty of twists and turns, amazing world building and adventure, The Sea-Sword Stone is a great tale of adventure and an exploration of how good intentions can go bad. But it also shows that no one is beyond redemption. Thought provoking and thoroughly entertaining. More than worthy of its four stars.
The coming of age part of the book was handling very well, as we see Rob mature, and beneath the somewhat 'villainous' crimes he has committed, he grows to understand that the quest he finds himself on is not about glory, but about friendship and how exerting choice can impact the world around him.
There are a host of great characters - my favourite being the quiet Eimy, who has a wisdom far above her years. There are also a few heart tugging moments, and while I was quietly thinking to myself, 'I can't believe that just happened! Why!' I could also see that it reflected the fact that sometimes terrible things happen to people who don't deserve it. And it can lead to consequences people can never truly understand.
With plenty of twists and turns, amazing world building and adventure, The Sea-Sword Stone is a great tale of adventure and an exploration of how good intentions can go bad. But it also shows that no one is beyond redemption. Thought provoking and thoroughly entertaining. More than worthy of its four stars.
September 22, 2016
This is a tardy review because this was a tardy read--The Sea-Stone Sword sat on my bookshelf for nearly a year before I was in the "mood" for it--whatever that means. And then, once I settled in to it, my reading rhythm was rudely disrupted by a funeral back home 3000 miles away and I lost the thread of the story for a couple months.
So I am probably not in the best possible position to review the book, but I can say a few definitive things about it. First of all, this is the author, Joel Cornah,'s first book. It is also the hero, Rob Sardan,'s first book. (One benefit of having been slow to read it is that I do not have to wait for the sequel, which has just been released!) The Sea-Stone Sword does feel like a first book--but it would be more fair to say that it feels like the first book of the hero, rather than the first book of the author. The broader history and many stories of Diyngard leak through; it is clear that we are not reading a world that has only been invented just now for this story; rather, we are reading a story that has been invented just now for a world that has been here forever.
Put another way, even where The Sea-Stone Sword feels in a couple of places where it is a bit rushed or something isn't quite explained, this still feels like a world where an explanation exists and that one is reading an author who knows what happened in the meantime. Indeed, in a world where 1000-page doorstoppers are habitually released under the pseudonym of "fantasy novel," it is hardly a criticism to say that Cornah skips the intervening action in a couple of places: the heart of the story is not the day-to-day plodding interminably from Point A to B to C and on through Z to the Greek alphabet; rather, it is to be found in the emotional interior growth of the hero.
Rob Sardan isn't the easiest hero to get used to--imagine if you met Harry Potter for the first time in Order of the Phoenix, only not quite so angsty as that. Cornah has actually written somewhere that he has second-guessed whether Rob was a little too unpleasant for the reader--and as soon as I read that, I found him far easier to read, as if knowing that The Sea-Stone Sword is a prequel for adventures to come was all that it took to make me not give up on a boy prone to a fair amount of (usually justified) anger.
"Adventure," even more than "fantasy," seems the right word to use to describe The Sea-Stone Sword's genre, and I mean that term in the best, childhood-thrilling sense of the word--but not adventure that has been sanitized to be fit for Saturday morning cartoons. It is finding the thrill of adventure in the midst of blood and salt and sweat in a world that is equally fantastic and "gritty."
The best part of The Sea-Stone Sword is that it ends pointed towards more adventures and more promise. Rob is just getting to be his most likeable, the plot has opened towards both the unknown and the epic, and though an emotional arc is resolved, so much is left dangling that the desire for more is the predominant emotion I take away from it.
So I am probably not in the best possible position to review the book, but I can say a few definitive things about it. First of all, this is the author, Joel Cornah,'s first book. It is also the hero, Rob Sardan,'s first book. (One benefit of having been slow to read it is that I do not have to wait for the sequel, which has just been released!) The Sea-Stone Sword does feel like a first book--but it would be more fair to say that it feels like the first book of the hero, rather than the first book of the author. The broader history and many stories of Diyngard leak through; it is clear that we are not reading a world that has only been invented just now for this story; rather, we are reading a story that has been invented just now for a world that has been here forever.
Put another way, even where The Sea-Stone Sword feels in a couple of places where it is a bit rushed or something isn't quite explained, this still feels like a world where an explanation exists and that one is reading an author who knows what happened in the meantime. Indeed, in a world where 1000-page doorstoppers are habitually released under the pseudonym of "fantasy novel," it is hardly a criticism to say that Cornah skips the intervening action in a couple of places: the heart of the story is not the day-to-day plodding interminably from Point A to B to C and on through Z to the Greek alphabet; rather, it is to be found in the emotional interior growth of the hero.
Rob Sardan isn't the easiest hero to get used to--imagine if you met Harry Potter for the first time in Order of the Phoenix, only not quite so angsty as that. Cornah has actually written somewhere that he has second-guessed whether Rob was a little too unpleasant for the reader--and as soon as I read that, I found him far easier to read, as if knowing that The Sea-Stone Sword is a prequel for adventures to come was all that it took to make me not give up on a boy prone to a fair amount of (usually justified) anger.
"Adventure," even more than "fantasy," seems the right word to use to describe The Sea-Stone Sword's genre, and I mean that term in the best, childhood-thrilling sense of the word--but not adventure that has been sanitized to be fit for Saturday morning cartoons. It is finding the thrill of adventure in the midst of blood and salt and sweat in a world that is equally fantastic and "gritty."
The best part of The Sea-Stone Sword is that it ends pointed towards more adventures and more promise. Rob is just getting to be his most likeable, the plot has opened towards both the unknown and the epic, and though an emotional arc is resolved, so much is left dangling that the desire for more is the predominant emotion I take away from it.
February 8, 2015
The Sea-Stone sword is a treasure; a darker, alternate look on the hero's desire to be a hero. Rob Sardan's journey is one that doesn't ever take the turns you expect it to, and the characters that he meets along the way are fascinating, complex and as interesting as Rob himself. Joel's writing style is succinct and his worlds draw you in, making you want to know more - and read the next book in the series!
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November 22, 2020I won't rate this as I DNFed it at around 50%
It isn't a bad book in any way, I just never clicked with the main character, and only managed to get a slight bond to one of the side characters.
So while the story was interesting enough, I simply didn't care about what happened to any of the characters, which left me bland and neutral, and never hooked me on the story.
When I noticed I started to skim more than actually reading it, because I simply wasn't that interested I decided to move on to something else.
It isn't a bad book in any way, I just never clicked with the main character, and only managed to get a slight bond to one of the side characters.
So while the story was interesting enough, I simply didn't care about what happened to any of the characters, which left me bland and neutral, and never hooked me on the story.
When I noticed I started to skim more than actually reading it, because I simply wasn't that interested I decided to move on to something else.
July 22, 2017
Well wow! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I signed up for a review copy of ‘The Sea Stone Sword’ but Joel Cornah just blew all my expectations out the window with his intriguing and conflicted characters, a brilliant, original and exciting new fantasy world, and the stunning prose throughout the novel. ‘The Sea Stone Sword’ really is a fantastic read.
I loved the way that Joel Cornah created the characters that become a driving force throughout this story. I love stories that are very much character driven, and Rob was the perfect character for us to see this world through his eyes. I loved how he wasn’t a typical hero. From the get go we knew that he was likely to get into trouble with his driving desire to become a hero, to be remembered, to make a difference. It made for some brilliant character development throughout the course of Rob’s adventure, and really set the tone for some really amazing relationships that he formed. What I really liked though was how Rob constantly made mistakes. It can get a bit unrealistic when the hero of the story is perfect all the time, so to see Rob’s conflicted feelings, his desire to be accepted and remembered, and his desire to seek the Sea Stone Sword for himself despite knowing the consequences he will face for wielding so much power.
The story was really nicely split into sections of Rob’s life. We see Rob’s early teen years and the way that he grows into a young man in a fortress far from home, under the eye of a leader who you don’t know whether to trust or not, how devastating loss drives him away from the only friends he had and move on desperately to a new stage of adventure when he joins a ship crew on the quest to find the Sea Stone Sword. This then nicely links into the final chapters of the novel where Rob is once again alone and believes it is his duty to end the devastation. Throughout there is some brilliant character and story development where we see some unexpected changes in allegiance, some shocking truths and absolute despair in a world where there seems to be no chance of freedom.
My favourite character throughout this novel had to be Eimhir. She was one of those characters that I just connected to straight away. Her ability to forgive was something that had caused her a lot of pain and heartbreak, but she was the strongest character, and never allowed the misdeeds done to her make her feel the victim. I was devastated when we left Eimhir behind as Rob continued on in his journey, but I knew that in some shape of form she would be the one that would lead Rob onto the right road, even in just the memory of her, and the similarities she held with Niall, her brother and Rob’s first love.
This was an absolutely stunning story with some amazing characters, plots and a strong narrative voice throughout.
5 Stars and a definite recommended read for all lovers of fantasy!
I loved the way that Joel Cornah created the characters that become a driving force throughout this story. I love stories that are very much character driven, and Rob was the perfect character for us to see this world through his eyes. I loved how he wasn’t a typical hero. From the get go we knew that he was likely to get into trouble with his driving desire to become a hero, to be remembered, to make a difference. It made for some brilliant character development throughout the course of Rob’s adventure, and really set the tone for some really amazing relationships that he formed. What I really liked though was how Rob constantly made mistakes. It can get a bit unrealistic when the hero of the story is perfect all the time, so to see Rob’s conflicted feelings, his desire to be accepted and remembered, and his desire to seek the Sea Stone Sword for himself despite knowing the consequences he will face for wielding so much power.
The story was really nicely split into sections of Rob’s life. We see Rob’s early teen years and the way that he grows into a young man in a fortress far from home, under the eye of a leader who you don’t know whether to trust or not, how devastating loss drives him away from the only friends he had and move on desperately to a new stage of adventure when he joins a ship crew on the quest to find the Sea Stone Sword. This then nicely links into the final chapters of the novel where Rob is once again alone and believes it is his duty to end the devastation. Throughout there is some brilliant character and story development where we see some unexpected changes in allegiance, some shocking truths and absolute despair in a world where there seems to be no chance of freedom.
My favourite character throughout this novel had to be Eimhir. She was one of those characters that I just connected to straight away. Her ability to forgive was something that had caused her a lot of pain and heartbreak, but she was the strongest character, and never allowed the misdeeds done to her make her feel the victim. I was devastated when we left Eimhir behind as Rob continued on in his journey, but I knew that in some shape of form she would be the one that would lead Rob onto the right road, even in just the memory of her, and the similarities she held with Niall, her brother and Rob’s first love.
This was an absolutely stunning story with some amazing characters, plots and a strong narrative voice throughout.
5 Stars and a definite recommended read for all lovers of fantasy!
June 23, 2015
The Sea-Stone Sword is like a tapestry, with threads of character and internal struggle, plot twists and adventures, history and philosophy, imagination and breath-taking descriptions of an entirely new and different world weaving together to form the full picture. It is a story full of surprises in every one of these areas. And it's certainly something new.
I really enjoyed the multiple levels of depth in this story. The characters are multi-layered and subtle, with both faults and strengths. No one is perfect, but also no one is perfectly evil. At times, they are a touch ambiguous, which makes them even more intriguing - like you are dealing with real people as opposed to biographies. As the story progresses, more beautiful landscapes and imaginative places and creatures are revealed to the readers. We find out bits of history and legend that make you love this new country. Over that, there is a nice mythical touch; it adds a mysterious layer of some greater forces - it contrasts reality with a feel of magic that no one can explain.
When I first began reading it, I thought it would be your typical fantasy novel. Not a chance! The Sea-Stone Sword does every possible thing to defy expectations. Almost every stereotype is broken, from gender roles to plot development of fantasy novels. Reading this book is like listening to the Surprise Symphony over and over again. After a while, you begin to challenge the way you look at things. You begin breaking your own stereotypes about how people look, what people do, how the story will go. You begin understanding that the story can really end up anywhere - that there isn't a set pattern for neither the characters nor the plot. You become most genuinely excited and concerned for the characters because you don't have predictions for them anymore; it's like you're living the tale with them rather than looking from above.
I would recommend this book to, well, anyone who isn't opposed to a fantasy setting. For those of you who like to dig deeper into characters and themes, this book is full of them to bursting. For those of you who would rather pursue an adventure book with a sweeping plot, you'll be swept along by this one. There is a lot of dark - both character and story-wise, but that just means that every time a new light appears, it just seems that much brighter. In a way, it makes you appreciate everything much more.
I hope more people take a look at this book and enjoy the read! I think there is something in it for everyone.
I really enjoyed the multiple levels of depth in this story. The characters are multi-layered and subtle, with both faults and strengths. No one is perfect, but also no one is perfectly evil. At times, they are a touch ambiguous, which makes them even more intriguing - like you are dealing with real people as opposed to biographies. As the story progresses, more beautiful landscapes and imaginative places and creatures are revealed to the readers. We find out bits of history and legend that make you love this new country. Over that, there is a nice mythical touch; it adds a mysterious layer of some greater forces - it contrasts reality with a feel of magic that no one can explain.
When I first began reading it, I thought it would be your typical fantasy novel. Not a chance! The Sea-Stone Sword does every possible thing to defy expectations. Almost every stereotype is broken, from gender roles to plot development of fantasy novels. Reading this book is like listening to the Surprise Symphony over and over again. After a while, you begin to challenge the way you look at things. You begin breaking your own stereotypes about how people look, what people do, how the story will go. You begin understanding that the story can really end up anywhere - that there isn't a set pattern for neither the characters nor the plot. You become most genuinely excited and concerned for the characters because you don't have predictions for them anymore; it's like you're living the tale with them rather than looking from above.
I would recommend this book to, well, anyone who isn't opposed to a fantasy setting. For those of you who like to dig deeper into characters and themes, this book is full of them to bursting. For those of you who would rather pursue an adventure book with a sweeping plot, you'll be swept along by this one. There is a lot of dark - both character and story-wise, but that just means that every time a new light appears, it just seems that much brighter. In a way, it makes you appreciate everything much more.
I hope more people take a look at this book and enjoy the read! I think there is something in it for everyone.
April 13, 2015
The Sea-Stone Sword is the story of a boy’s quest to become a hero in a world almost suffocating under the glorious deeds of its many legends.
It’s been a while since I read a fantasy novel and at first glance this story seemed overwhelming. The Sea-Stone Sword is bursting to the seams with pirates, dinosaurs, towns, inns, harbours, heroes and villains, gods and legends. Once I got over some of the tongue twister names I actually raced through it and enjoyed this quirky adventure.
Let's cover the things I liked less first. I found it difficult to sympathise with Rob, the protagonist, because he is just… not very sympathetic. His character arc is as relentless as the rest of the book and he moves quickly from and between misguided and naive boy to hotheaded mass-murdering menace to society (sorry, Rob. You know it, though). Some other characters get too little time in the limelight (also because Rob has a hard time sharing) and I did not get a chance to get to know them, making it harder to care when horrible things happen. And horrible things do happen because this is a dark, brutal world. Even the penguins are nasty.
I wonder if there was just too much plot for a relatively short book. I found myself longing for interludes and sidequests so I could sit back and get to know some characters a little before they would meet with some brutal end or other. There is just so much happening that I felt the words sometimes barely scratched the surface, and this story could have done with more deep gashes.
But that also leads me to the good. The greatest strength of the Sea-Stone Sword is undoubtedly the colourful and unique world: the book is crammed with so many details that Hollywood would eagerly make at least fifty films out of it. Imagination is seeping through the pages; the setting and background are playful, bold and full-on technicolour. The writing is solid and very quotable. There are some wise characters saying wise things and outrageous characters saying outrageous things, which is always excellent.
I also have to mention how wonderful it is to read a story set in a fantasy world where misogyny and homophobia are complete non-issues; I have never seen that done before and it is so refreshing, confronting in a completely casual way and well done. I'd recommend this book to any adventure fantasy fan based on that alone.
It’s been a while since I read a fantasy novel and at first glance this story seemed overwhelming. The Sea-Stone Sword is bursting to the seams with pirates, dinosaurs, towns, inns, harbours, heroes and villains, gods and legends. Once I got over some of the tongue twister names I actually raced through it and enjoyed this quirky adventure.
Let's cover the things I liked less first. I found it difficult to sympathise with Rob, the protagonist, because he is just… not very sympathetic. His character arc is as relentless as the rest of the book and he moves quickly from and between misguided and naive boy to hotheaded mass-murdering menace to society (sorry, Rob. You know it, though). Some other characters get too little time in the limelight (also because Rob has a hard time sharing) and I did not get a chance to get to know them, making it harder to care when horrible things happen. And horrible things do happen because this is a dark, brutal world. Even the penguins are nasty.
I wonder if there was just too much plot for a relatively short book. I found myself longing for interludes and sidequests so I could sit back and get to know some characters a little before they would meet with some brutal end or other. There is just so much happening that I felt the words sometimes barely scratched the surface, and this story could have done with more deep gashes.
But that also leads me to the good. The greatest strength of the Sea-Stone Sword is undoubtedly the colourful and unique world: the book is crammed with so many details that Hollywood would eagerly make at least fifty films out of it. Imagination is seeping through the pages; the setting and background are playful, bold and full-on technicolour. The writing is solid and very quotable. There are some wise characters saying wise things and outrageous characters saying outrageous things, which is always excellent.
I also have to mention how wonderful it is to read a story set in a fantasy world where misogyny and homophobia are complete non-issues; I have never seen that done before and it is so refreshing, confronting in a completely casual way and well done. I'd recommend this book to any adventure fantasy fan based on that alone.
April 29, 2015
As a disclaimer I know the author - had I not then I probably would not have read The Sea-Sword Stone as I'm not a big fantasy reader, however I'm glad that I did.
The Sea-Sword Stone reminded me of adventure books I read as a child with plenty of characters, exciting lands and a quest at the heart of it. At the start of the book our protagonist, Rob, is a naive and somewhat egotistical boy with dreams of becoming a hero. He's a bit annoying to be honest but as he grows older and learns to hone his skills he becomes much more intriguing.
Intriguing is probably a good word to describe the book, there are lots of really well fleshed out secondary characters and there's no doubt that Cornah will be able to mine those stories to expand the Diyngard universe.
I think I enjoyed the travelling more than the action packed pay off but that's just the sort of reader I am - I enjoy journeys, emotional and physical, and both can be found here.
The Sea-Sword Stone reminded me of adventure books I read as a child with plenty of characters, exciting lands and a quest at the heart of it. At the start of the book our protagonist, Rob, is a naive and somewhat egotistical boy with dreams of becoming a hero. He's a bit annoying to be honest but as he grows older and learns to hone his skills he becomes much more intriguing.
Intriguing is probably a good word to describe the book, there are lots of really well fleshed out secondary characters and there's no doubt that Cornah will be able to mine those stories to expand the Diyngard universe.
I think I enjoyed the travelling more than the action packed pay off but that's just the sort of reader I am - I enjoy journeys, emotional and physical, and both can be found here.
June 26, 2014
One of my favourite reads from the last few years - this book has everything that I love. Great story, humour, pirates, fantasy, action, adventure, loss and love...brilliant.
The story follows Rob Sardan, and his quest to become a hero. He doesn't *quite* know how he's going to become a hero, but he'll do what he can!
Longer review to come - when I'm not tapping away on my phone.
The story follows Rob Sardan, and his quest to become a hero. He doesn't *quite* know how he's going to become a hero, but he'll do what he can!
Longer review to come - when I'm not tapping away on my phone.
June 17, 2016
Sorry its taken me awhile to get here but I have been super busy. I received this book from goodreads for an honest review. Easy book to read. Got into it super fast read it in two days. A must read.
March 21, 2021
This is a cool book with very unique and original world-building. It goes beyond all the “usual” mythical creatures and incorporates so much more! This book definitely had “adventure” and “fantasy” written all over it, so I was drawn to it from the beginning. I liked Rob as a character and how his journey was at times unexpected. Rob was a pretty young character too which I really liked to see, and I liked how the book went beyond “good guy” and “bad guy” to show you that characters can be somewhere in the middle (just like in real life). My main critique is that there is a LOT going on and the book isn’t that long, which sometimes makes it feel crammed or - in other cases - skimmed over and not explored enough. This book could have benefited from being longer and allowing for more in-depth. Overall though this is a fun read that is very original, and though I wish it would not have had as much going on (or been longer to accommodate for that), it was fun regardless. Consensus: 3/5
For more reviews and book boards, visit my IG! @katiebreads
For more reviews and book boards, visit my IG! @katiebreads
January 22, 2023
I found it hard to connect with this book. There are fun ideas with worldbuilding and lots of action, but the characters didn't work for me. The protagonist was very inconsistent: he's supposed to be 13 and we veer between bizarre flashes of insight that would be unusual in someone 3 times his age, people treating him like a middle-aged man, and idiotic behaviour that is entirely typical of 13 year old boys. He starts the book desperate to fight everyone and early on suddenly decides thats not working and stops being angry. While a logical reason is presented for this, there's no emotional reason, so it's all quite unconvincing. I found "heroes aren't actually all that heroic" interesting as a concept, but personally I needed more of a bond with the protagonist for it to work in this book. The side characters are pretty flat and we're told (not shown) that the protagonist cares about them. I liked the reveal at the end but wish it had come half a book earlier so we could have had a character arc from it.
August 30, 2025
All Rob Sardon wants, more than anything else in the world, is to be a hero. He wants the world to know his name, to revere his name and for songs to be sung of his exploits even after he is long gone. So when he is sent to live with his uncle in far off Khamas he begins a journey that will see him go from being a naive, thirteen year old boy to something more. Just maybe not the hero he imagines himself to be.
This is an interesting and engaging first novel by author Joel Cornah, and there’s a lot more to it than a cursory read of the blurb might suggest. What seems to start out as a classic Hero’s Journey soon becomes an exploration of what it means to be the hero, and the effect that journey has on the hero’s companions and friends. While Rob is driven by an insatiable need to become the scourge of all evil, those closest to him pay the price for his ambition. The people he loves are killed to teach him a lesson, his friends and comrades abandon him, and his goals are used to draw him deeper and deeper into the villain’s plans.
For much of the narrative Rob’s main focus is on finding the eponymous Sea-Stone Sword, a mighty weapon forged with the power of the Sea God in a time long forgotten. For many the Sword is nothing more than a myth, but for Rob it is the very essence of his quest and if he can just find and wield the sword then he will become the hero he has always known himself to be. Rob is so wrapped up in his own personal narrative that he even fails to acknowledge the warnings embedded in the myth; that any who hold the Sword shall ultimately become the evil they wish to defeat.
As well as presenting an alternative take on the Hero’s Journey, this book also provides a very different sort of fantasy world to what most people might expect. There are no elves or dwarves, no hobbits, no aged wizards in spindly towers manipulating eldritch forces from the dawn of time. No, instead we get intelligent dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes, magically infused pterosaurs that suck the life force out of their victims, and the Pengs, a race of powerful, aggressive penguins. The author has gone to a lot of trouble to infuse the world of Diyngard with a lot of history, much of which is hinted at by the various characters. This is a world that has been built up over time, and as a result it adds a ‘lived-in’ feel to the world in general and especially to the various places and cultures we’re introduced to in this first book.
On the subject of characters, there are so many major and minor players in this story that that narrative takes on an epic feel, even though the core arc of the story stays focused just on Rob. Even more impressively, all of those characters have something to say, some small gem of wisdom or some well-intentioned insight that adds meaning to the action taking place. Even the least involved of the characters make an impression, both on Rob himself and on the story as it unfolds.
All-in-all this is an impressive debut by an author with a lot of potential. It’s also a fantastic example of how small press publishers are keeping genre fresh by publishing the works that the larger, more traditional publishers might shy away from. If all you’re after is typical western medieval fantasy with elves and dwarves then this really isn’t for you. However, if you want a cracking adventure yarn that throws convention in the bin and follows its own path then grab yourself a copy of this book and consume it forthwith.
This is an interesting and engaging first novel by author Joel Cornah, and there’s a lot more to it than a cursory read of the blurb might suggest. What seems to start out as a classic Hero’s Journey soon becomes an exploration of what it means to be the hero, and the effect that journey has on the hero’s companions and friends. While Rob is driven by an insatiable need to become the scourge of all evil, those closest to him pay the price for his ambition. The people he loves are killed to teach him a lesson, his friends and comrades abandon him, and his goals are used to draw him deeper and deeper into the villain’s plans.
For much of the narrative Rob’s main focus is on finding the eponymous Sea-Stone Sword, a mighty weapon forged with the power of the Sea God in a time long forgotten. For many the Sword is nothing more than a myth, but for Rob it is the very essence of his quest and if he can just find and wield the sword then he will become the hero he has always known himself to be. Rob is so wrapped up in his own personal narrative that he even fails to acknowledge the warnings embedded in the myth; that any who hold the Sword shall ultimately become the evil they wish to defeat.
As well as presenting an alternative take on the Hero’s Journey, this book also provides a very different sort of fantasy world to what most people might expect. There are no elves or dwarves, no hobbits, no aged wizards in spindly towers manipulating eldritch forces from the dawn of time. No, instead we get intelligent dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes, magically infused pterosaurs that suck the life force out of their victims, and the Pengs, a race of powerful, aggressive penguins. The author has gone to a lot of trouble to infuse the world of Diyngard with a lot of history, much of which is hinted at by the various characters. This is a world that has been built up over time, and as a result it adds a ‘lived-in’ feel to the world in general and especially to the various places and cultures we’re introduced to in this first book.
On the subject of characters, there are so many major and minor players in this story that that narrative takes on an epic feel, even though the core arc of the story stays focused just on Rob. Even more impressively, all of those characters have something to say, some small gem of wisdom or some well-intentioned insight that adds meaning to the action taking place. Even the least involved of the characters make an impression, both on Rob himself and on the story as it unfolds.
All-in-all this is an impressive debut by an author with a lot of potential. It’s also a fantastic example of how small press publishers are keeping genre fresh by publishing the works that the larger, more traditional publishers might shy away from. If all you’re after is typical western medieval fantasy with elves and dwarves then this really isn’t for you. However, if you want a cracking adventure yarn that throws convention in the bin and follows its own path then grab yourself a copy of this book and consume it forthwith.
February 20, 2015
I won this book in a giveaway and would like to start by saying thanks!
Okay. Firstly I credit Joel for his idea, the concept of this book sounded amazing, and the world and creatures was what really intrigued me. In my head, this was going to be an EPIC fantasy.. Points for trying! There were some characters in this that were great and I really enjoyed reading about. Also, the cover art on the front is beautiful.
However, I was very disappointed, I'm really sorry to say. I just couldn't get into this book at all. I just didn't connect with this world and found that Joel's writing style was not detailed enough at all, as if he was trying to cram a big book/trilogy into 300 pages. I found that it was a slow start and I just didn't want to pick it up, and the end left me unsatisfied (even though there is another book). There were many grammatical/editing errors (in my copy at least) and it was just poorly written. I also struggle to understand this book's target audience, because one minute there would be really graphic violence and child neglect, the next there would be pirates and swords! I also found all of the relationships within this book were confusing and in my opinion really glossed over.
But maybe this book just wasn't for me! If you find the concept interesting, maybe pick it up! :)
Okay. Firstly I credit Joel for his idea, the concept of this book sounded amazing, and the world and creatures was what really intrigued me. In my head, this was going to be an EPIC fantasy.. Points for trying! There were some characters in this that were great and I really enjoyed reading about. Also, the cover art on the front is beautiful.
However, I was very disappointed, I'm really sorry to say. I just couldn't get into this book at all. I just didn't connect with this world and found that Joel's writing style was not detailed enough at all, as if he was trying to cram a big book/trilogy into 300 pages. I found that it was a slow start and I just didn't want to pick it up, and the end left me unsatisfied (even though there is another book). There were many grammatical/editing errors (in my copy at least) and it was just poorly written. I also struggle to understand this book's target audience, because one minute there would be really graphic violence and child neglect, the next there would be pirates and swords! I also found all of the relationships within this book were confusing and in my opinion really glossed over.
But maybe this book just wasn't for me! If you find the concept interesting, maybe pick it up! :)
May 26, 2015
This book is the kind of epic fantasy I wish I was reading every day. The pacing never really slows down, yet the fast-moving and tense story doesn't stop major themes from emerging. This is such an original, honest, and brutal take on the hero's journey, I'm not sure I can read your typical boys-goes-out-to-become-a-hero again. Sometimes I wished I could have slapped some sense into Rob, but his obsession with heroic deeds and legends is what makes him such an interesting character.
I think the only problem this book had is that I found it hard to really connect with most side characters (except Niall. I love Niall so much). I liked them well enough, but as someone who tends to latch on secondary characters and devote all my love and excitement to them, that was a bit weird. I wish we'd seen more of the crew.
All in all, this was a great book and I'm really glad I read it. :)
I think the only problem this book had is that I found it hard to really connect with most side characters (except Niall. I love Niall so much). I liked them well enough, but as someone who tends to latch on secondary characters and devote all my love and excitement to them, that was a bit weird. I wish we'd seen more of the crew.
All in all, this was a great book and I'm really glad I read it. :)
December 4, 2016
This is an interesting tale modelled on the traditional fantasy style, while it challenges the traditional fantasy tropes of black/white, good/evil, hero/villain. The real world is more complex than that and this book explores that as Rob goes out into the world with the goal of recovering the powerful Sea-Stone Sword so that he can become a hero. But what really motivates him? Is it the power? The fame? Or does he genuinely just want to be able to help when the call comes? These are questions he must face in order to work out what kind of young man he is and what kind of man he is going to become.
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