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Alastair Stone Chronicles #39
Lightning in a Bottle
Deadly danger lurks beneath the surface…
When a portal trip home to visit Aubrey on a stormy Halloween night goes awry, Alastair Stone finds himself in a bizarre, alternate-reality version of his idyllic, wealthy adopted hometown, Encantada.
Not that much is different, really—except nobody can leave, most of the population doesn’t seem to know or care, and terrifying monsters prowl the streets when the sun goes down.
And if all that isn’t bad enough, this reality’s timeline is before Stone gained Calanarian magic—or immortality.
If he and a ragtag group of unlikely allies can’t get to the bottom of the horrific secret afflicting Encantada and put an end to it quickly, Stone might be stuck in this reality forever—
—or at least until the food runs out or the monsters devour them all first.
When a portal trip home to visit Aubrey on a stormy Halloween night goes awry, Alastair Stone finds himself in a bizarre, alternate-reality version of his idyllic, wealthy adopted hometown, Encantada.
Not that much is different, really—except nobody can leave, most of the population doesn’t seem to know or care, and terrifying monsters prowl the streets when the sun goes down.
And if all that isn’t bad enough, this reality’s timeline is before Stone gained Calanarian magic—or immortality.
If he and a ragtag group of unlikely allies can’t get to the bottom of the horrific secret afflicting Encantada and put an end to it quickly, Stone might be stuck in this reality forever—
—or at least until the food runs out or the monsters devour them all first.
420 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 2, 2025
51 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
R.L. King
67 books331 followersR. L. King is the author of the Amazon-bestselling urban fantasy series The Alastair Stone Chronicles.
When not doing her best to make life difficult for her characters, she works as a software technical writer for a large Silicon Valley database company.
She also freelances for Catalyst Game Labs, publisher of the popular roleplaying game Shadowrun, where she's contributed fiction and game material to numerous sourcebooks and one full-length adventure, "On the Run," which was included as part of the 2012 Origins-Award-winning "Runners' Toolkit."
Her first novel in the Shadowrun universe, "Borrowed Time," was published in Spring 2015. She's working on her second Shadowrun novel, "Veiled Extraction," which will be released in late 2016 or early 2017.
When not writing or working, she enjoys hanging out with her very understanding spouse and her small herd of cats, and watching way too much Doctor Who.
When not doing her best to make life difficult for her characters, she works as a software technical writer for a large Silicon Valley database company.
She also freelances for Catalyst Game Labs, publisher of the popular roleplaying game Shadowrun, where she's contributed fiction and game material to numerous sourcebooks and one full-length adventure, "On the Run," which was included as part of the 2012 Origins-Award-winning "Runners' Toolkit."
Her first novel in the Shadowrun universe, "Borrowed Time," was published in Spring 2015. She's working on her second Shadowrun novel, "Veiled Extraction," which will be released in late 2016 or early 2017.
When not writing or working, she enjoys hanging out with her very understanding spouse and her small herd of cats, and watching way too much Doctor Who.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 8, 2025
A throwback to earlier Stone books. Every now and then it's healthy to knock a character down, take away his powers and make him claw himself back. It reminds him - and us - of the personality and ingenuity that made us fall in love with him in the first place. That's what we have here: a fun, trippy interlude where Stone does what he does best - work out puzzles and form up a team to confront the bad thing.
March 23, 2025
Stone and the Mushroom People
Dr. Stone visits an old twilight episode. An homage perhaps to Rod Stirling but updated to a Stone story. Dr. Stone enters the twilight zone via his basement portal and lands in an inter dimensional copy of his town, meets the Mushroom People, makes new friends, and triumphs over evil. Just another day in the life of our favorite Stanford Mage. Really felt RL was having a bit of fun with her readers.
Dr. Stone visits an old twilight episode. An homage perhaps to Rod Stirling but updated to a Stone story. Dr. Stone enters the twilight zone via his basement portal and lands in an inter dimensional copy of his town, meets the Mushroom People, makes new friends, and triumphs over evil. Just another day in the life of our favorite Stanford Mage. Really felt RL was having a bit of fun with her readers.
March 4, 2025
Different focus on the Stone series
This is a slightly different take with the Stone series. Alastair is up to his neck in trouble, as usual, but this time it isn't really something he can solve with his magic. He needs to find allies, and use every bit of his wits and all the information he can gather to find a solution.
This is a slightly different take with the Stone series. Alastair is up to his neck in trouble, as usual, but this time it isn't really something he can solve with his magic. He needs to find allies, and use every bit of his wits and all the information he can gather to find a solution.
March 9, 2025
Wonderful fun!
This story actually scared me a little! I ran off to bed one night reading it! King's writing is so engaging it's like being in a different world and just pleasantly immersive the entire time. I always remember her stories like I've watched a movie! This story is a ton of fun, really well paced, and full of heart like always.
This story actually scared me a little! I ran off to bed one night reading it! King's writing is so engaging it's like being in a different world and just pleasantly immersive the entire time. I always remember her stories like I've watched a movie! This story is a ton of fun, really well paced, and full of heart like always.
March 9, 2025
All praise to this author
I love, love, love this series! It never gets old or repetitive. The evolution of the characters is amazing. I am so hoping for a glimmer of happiness to enter Stone's life, he deserves it. I am hoping for a family between Thelassanara, Morgana and him. No spoilers there if you've gotten this far. anyway that just my hope if the author reads this.
I love, love, love this series! It never gets old or repetitive. The evolution of the characters is amazing. I am so hoping for a glimmer of happiness to enter Stone's life, he deserves it. I am hoping for a family between Thelassanara, Morgana and him. No spoilers there if you've gotten this far. anyway that just my hope if the author reads this.
March 8, 2025
Another Outstanding Work from R. L. King!
This was a great one off in the series. It is nice to have a standalone story after so much big story arc stuff lately…tough to avoid spoilers lol.
This was a great one off in the series. It is nice to have a standalone story after so much big story arc stuff lately…tough to avoid spoilers lol.
March 11, 2025
Another spellbinding tale
Stone can’t even try to take a vacation without being thrown into a questionable scenario. Love all the characters so much! Can’t wait until the next installment!
Stone can’t even try to take a vacation without being thrown into a questionable scenario. Love all the characters so much! Can’t wait until the next installment!
March 20, 2025
Alastair Stone’s next Puzzle
A page turner as always. I loved it, couldn’t put it down. A farmers fest, nasty mushrooms, monsters and a hard to find witch hidden in plane sight. Awesome!
A page turner as always. I loved it, couldn’t put it down. A farmers fest, nasty mushrooms, monsters and a hard to find witch hidden in plane sight. Awesome!
March 26, 2025
Another good read!
I love this series so much! RL King never disappoints. Urban Fantasy/magic at its best! Give the series a try if you like this kind of thing! You’ll be happy you did.
I love this series so much! RL King never disappoints. Urban Fantasy/magic at its best! Give the series a try if you like this kind of thing! You’ll be happy you did.
July 30, 2025
Great, as usual. And the best part definitely was that it was just Alaistair. No Verity, no Jason and Amber, no Ian, no dragons, no Harrison. just Stone and some probably (hopefully) non-repeating characters.https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...#
March 4, 2025
R.L. King has done it again
Another great book that I couldn't put down. Stone situation was so different from his norm made for some great suspense. Never stop writing please!
Another great book that I couldn't put down. Stone situation was so different from his norm made for some great suspense. Never stop writing please!
March 5, 2025
Holy $#@#$!
Join Alastair as he takes an unusual (?) side trip and learns more about his local neighborhood. Enjoy some mushroom soup along the way 😊
Join Alastair as he takes an unusual (?) side trip and learns more about his local neighborhood. Enjoy some mushroom soup along the way 😊
March 10, 2025
Another fun book!
It was very nice to meet new people and have the story take place in a small local area. I really enjoyed it, unfortunately, I miss dragons.
It was very nice to meet new people and have the story take place in a small local area. I really enjoyed it, unfortunately, I miss dragons.
April 6, 2025
Very good book
This is a fine fantasy adventure novel. It is well written and edited. I especially like the old witch in the woods. I anxiously await the sequel.
This is a fine fantasy adventure novel. It is well written and edited. I especially like the old witch in the woods. I anxiously await the sequel.
May 12, 2025
mushrooms
I may never eat another mushroom. This book kept me on edge until the last page. I couldn’t put the book down until it was finished.
I may never eat another mushroom. This book kept me on edge until the last page. I couldn’t put the book down until it was finished.
July 26, 2025
This was an unusual book for the series. I was worried since parallel universe storylines, occasionally, can be a waste of time. Still, I had faith in the author.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews