The Telling Stone

Time Out of Time #2

by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

The race of the free Scots shall flourish, if this prediction is not false: wherever the Stone of Destiny is found, they shall prevail by the right of Heaven.

Following the malicious attack by Balor the One-Eyed, Timothy James returns home to tend to his ill mother. Jessica, feeling lost and alone, is left at the Traveler’s Market to try to rescue Sarah, Timothy’s sister, who’s imprisoned there. Meanwhile, Balor has concocted a plot to use Jessica as bait to draw Timothy into the battle between Light and Dark…

The children must embark on a quest to seek the Four Treasures of the Market—including the all-important Telling Stone. Armed with an ancient map that contains a secret code, they travel to Scotland, where the stone is rumored to be hidden. In their quest, they are both helped and hindered by characters from the pages of myth and folklore. Balor will stop at nothing to prevent them from completing their quest, and it will require courage, cunning, and cooperation for them to survive. Each discovers unexpected strengths when it seems all hope has been lost.

The Telling Stone, the second volume in Maureen Doyle McQuerry’s acclaimed Time Out of Time series, continues the excitement and mystery. Included is a map with a secret code to decipher. There is also a glossary of mythic names and terms, so readers can explore the ancient stories behind the story.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade

368 pages, Hardcover

First published May 12, 2015

About the author

All of my books have an element of mystery and magic, even the realistic stories. And as a friend pointed out, there is a library in every one of them. It must be because libraries have always been magical places for me.

Maureen McQuerry is an award winning poet, novelist and teacher. Her YA novel, The Peculiars (Abrams/Amulet 2012) is an ALA Best Book for Young Adult Readers 2013, Bank Street and Horne Book recommended book, and a winner of the Westchester Award. Her most recent book is Beyond the Door (Abrams/Amulet), a Booklist top Ten Fantasy/SciFi for Youth. It is the first in a MG duo that combines, Celtic myth, shapeshifters and a secret code in a coming of age story. The adventure continues in The Telling Stone. Beyond the Door is a current finalist for the WA State Book awards.

Reviews

[Aeicha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timothy, his older sister Sarah, and their friend Jessica, once again find themselves traveling through Time out of Time as they seek four important treasures and try desperately to avoid the evil Balor. The trio’s journey takes them all the way to Edinburgh, Scotland, where they use a coded map to search for the Telling Stone, finding help and enemies in unexpected places.

Maureen Doyle McQuerry returns to her exciting Time Out of Time series with book two, The Telling Stone. Like book one, The Telling Stone is full of action, adventure, magic, mystery, and fantastical, wondrous elements! This series is rich in captivating lore and mythology that McQuerry spins and explores with enthralling, smart storytelling and excellent world-building. From the mystical Market to the picturesque Edinburgh and the hills of Scotland, The Telling Stone is brimming with great, vivid details and settings that come to life. McQuerry does a wonderful job of making the sometimes complex mythology very accessible to young readers, who will find these elements absolutely fascinating and riveting.

McQuerry has crafted some truly compelling and engaging characters in this series. I’ve very much enjoyed getting to know our hero, Timothy, and two heroines, Sarah and Jessica. Young readers will love how capable, likable, and relatable these young characters are and how they grow throughout the series. And, like in book one, we are introduced to some intriguing and unforgettable characters that have stepped right out of myths, folklore, and history, and been given new life.

The Telling Stone picks up right where book one ends and opens with quite the explosive beginning, and the thrills, action, and adventure don’t stop! McQuerry sprinkles some clever twists and turns throughout the book that took me by surprise.

my final thoughts: Full of fascinating lore and myths, engaging characters, and fantastic storytelling, The Telling Stone is a wonderful sequel in an equally wonderful series.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

McQuerry is masterful in her characterizations of the three children who are the main characters in this story. Her ability to ground them in the realities of school, friendships, and their interests makes them believable. For example, Timothy savors words that specifically describe his situations. He especially enjoys thinking of how each word would win him Scrabble points. He loves researching and learning. The local librarian is his friend and guide who helps him find books, like Chaos Theory, to discover more about his passions. Sarah and Timothy are two years apart and very close siblings. Jessica is one of the popular girls in seventh grade. As the story progresses Jessica gets pulled into the quest and joins Sarah and Timothy becoming their friend. One of the most positive aspects of the first two books in the series is how McQuerry shows the characters growth over two years through experiences that require their intelligence, humanity and bravery. The changes Jessica makes are believable and inspiring. Timothy and the girls discover their special gifts through the sacrifices and perils they experience in their battles against the evil creatures of the dark.

Some of the settings in both books are similar. However, in the second book the children travel to Scotland during the Christmas season because Timothy and Sarah’s father is going to speak at a conference on climate change. The children are at first reluctant to travel, but then they learn that Scotland may have clues to advance their quest. The colorful setting of the Edinburgh Christmas German market, the huge ferris wheel and seasonal displays as well as the famous Edinburgh castle at the center of the city become the focus of solving the puzzles that will give them a way to triumph over the evil forces of Darkness.

To further entice young readers, McQuerry has also included a secret code based on an ancient system of writing, Ogham, developed in Ireland in the fourth century. McQuerry includes a key to the code at the end of the Book I. A note to the reader gives background on the ancient language. The author also explains the background about Ogham in her Author Corner entry. “When I discovered the ancient Ogham writing system based on the tree alphabet, I was fascinated to learn you can still find Ogham carved on stones today in the British Isles. I wanted young readers to share my fascination. Timothy discovers Ogham on an ancient map and readers can experience the discovery as they read. An Ogham font runs along the bottom pages (Book I ) and can be decoded, giving more information about the myths.” ( http://wowlit.org/books/maureen-mcque... ) Book II gives the reader an opportunity to work along with Timothy and the girls as they solve the Ogham code on an ancient map that is a key to making their quest. The second book also contains a map that will help readers understand the action.

The audience for these books are sixth graders through tenth grade The books make terrific read alouds that engage listeners. Clearly, McQuerry’s background as a teacher makes her aware of how teens talk and engage with each other as well as contemporary issues. Readers who have enjoyed Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series will be eager to discover other mythic powerful figures. The books of Susan Cooper in the Dark is Rising series also feature epic struggles between the Light and Dark. The Wee Free Men series by Terry Pratchett is another series to recommend to young people who have enjoyed McQuerry’s books.

I am eager for the third book in the series because I have enjoyed the theme that good does overcome evil through sacrifice and pain. The other theme of how the ancient stories can be guides to our lives in the 21st century can be inspiring to young readers. With these books, McQuerry can take her rightful place as a writer of high fantasy in the tradition of Ursula Le Guin, Susan Cooper and Phillip Pullman.

[Pop Bop · Rating 5 out of 5]

High, High Fantasy for Middle Grade

There are three things you should know about this book right up front.

First, it is well written, fast paced, and populated by strong major characters and fascinating supporting players. Even if you aren't big on Celtic mythology this is a fine and ripping quest/fantasy/adventure choice.

Second, the Celtic angle is handled just right. Some books just drop a few references to Merlin or Taliesin and call it good. Some books are so slavishly committed to reflecting all of the author's knowledge and deep research that they read like text books instead of ripping fantasy tales. This book hits the Celtic mythology sweet spot. It is deeply and richly connected to the great traditional tales and characters, but that does not get in the way of the well told story.

Third, this is a sequel. Some have said that you could start with this book, but I'm not sure. The first part of this is really is a wrap up of the preceding book, and if you aren't familiar with that first book you could easily become lost, or at least discouraged. It's like the "Lord of the Rings". You could start with "The Two Towers", but you'd miss a lot and it would take a while to figure out the characters and the plot. If you are going to like this second book you're going to like book one, ("Beyond the Door"), so you might as well start there.

And I trust you will like this book. I'm mostly Welsh. I know my Mabinogion, and my Taliesin and my Red Book of Hergest. Heck, I used to sing the lullaby "Ar Hyd y Nos" to my daughter. I was very happy with the way Ms. McQuerry incorporated Ceridwen, the Green Man, Herne and the Wild Hunt, the battling trees, and so much more into this story. I'm not so strong on Irish mythology, and even did a little Filidh research on Wikipedia to get up to speed on that as I read this book. My larger point, though, is that you don't have to do research or know that sort of material in order to really enjoy this book. Like Susan Cooper's "Dark is Rising" sequence, or Jenny Nimmo's "Magician Trilogy", all of that mythic background informs the story, and sets off little flashes of recognition, and provides insight and richness, but it is not necessary to enjoyment of the tale. Like those books, the story is "self-explaining", meaning that you learn enough about the characters in the body of the story, and there's enough monologuing and explaining and exposition, that you don't need some annotated concordance in order to enjoy what's going on. If you do get some of the more obscure references, that's just a bonus.

But, put all of that aside. You have a brother and sister hero pair, along with an extra guy and an extra girl. That way you get sibling bonding, and a chance for mild crushes to liven up the story. You have all sorts of reliable and supportive adults. You also have deception and betrayal and, of course, rising darkness. There's peril and suspense. And puzzles. A quest. Lots of talking animals and a few time-out-of-time other worlds and eras. All of this is set against a world of magic and myth that connects the story to the original high fantasy that has existed in story form for, literally, over five hundred years. And it's fast paced. And it's aimed right at confident middle grade readers, (or any older readers who like a good story). I'm not sure what more I could ask for.

(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that, and meeting the author once at the L.A. Times Book Fair, I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Gretchen O'donnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Telling Stone, while a sequel to Beyond the Door, stands perfectly well on its own. Full of adventure from the start, the story keeps its readers hooked though intrigue, suspense, and compelling characters. I felt like a kid again, sitting in my playhouse reading Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series, books which I have gone back to as an adult. The Telling Stone too, will bring me back in the future because it is told by a writer who correctly handles her research. She includes interesting details that don’t overwhelm, has realistic characters and exciting plot twists, all of which prove McQuerry’s powers as an exceptional storyteller. We need more books like this in today's world!

[Clare Doornbos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series., it reminds me of all the books I loved as a kid, but unlike them it isn't dated. The truly malevolent British folktales characters are terrifying. Whilst the distinctive characters of the children really elevate the book above twisted fairytale.. I love that the big battle is at the beginning of the book, because a battle doesn't tie up any loose ends, it just creates more mess. .

[Rena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most "Dark is Rising" series ever!

[Susan B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would not recommend 12 and 13 year olds to read this book without reading the first in the series. tit took the first 20 or so pages for me to figure out what was coming over from the 1st book,after that I enjoyed the story. 3 kids who go thru a portal to a parallel time Timothy, and his sister Sarah and their friend Jessica. They are on a quest to find the telling stone and 3 other objects of value by deciphering a map with a code on it they must decipher.

[Donelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent read for anyone who loves interesting characters and non stop action.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a book for intermediate children but still rich with mythical legends and an interesting plot line.

[Annalise Drye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I didn’t read the first one I was able to understand it. It was really interesting!

[Richard Badalamente · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maureen Doyle McQuerry’s second novel in the Time Out of Time series, The Telling Stone, leaps right into a cataclysmic battle for the Travelers Market. Timothy James Maxwell, the young hero of the first book in the series, Beyond the Door, is joined by the forces of Light against the forces of Dark, led by Balor, of the Evil Eye, the mythic leader of the dark and demonic race of Formorians of Scottish lore. McQuerry’s description of the battle is filled with the cacophony and catastrophe of a combat waged by humans, monsters, shape-shifters, demons, and spirits, with Timothy, his sister, Sarah, and their friend Jessica, in the midst of the melee. It’s hard to imagine the author being able to maintain the excitement after such an explosive beginning. It’s a testament to her skill with the pulse and pacing of the story that she does just this, and then some.

McQuerry’s story is replete with Scottish and Celtic myth, as well as Scottish history and tradition, all woven together seamlessly in an exciting tale of exploration, adventure, and courage. Readers with the curiosity to do so, are provided sufficient clues to solve the riddle of the map that is to lead Timothy to a very old and revered stone that has disappeared -- the famous Scottish coronation stone, or Stone of Destiny. According to legend, the stone, Lia Fail, roars with joy when a rightful king places his feet on it. And thus the story gets it title, “The Telling Stone.”

Timothy, a nerdy 12-year-old obsessed with codes and cyphers, and an annoying prodigy at Scrabble, may be the hereditary Filidh, a special class of Celtic druid much revered by the people as a poet-seer, composer, councilor, diviner, and healer -- a Keeper of the Word, of wisdom, and of the truth. If Timothy is to be the Filidh, he must first find and step on the Telling Stone. The evil Balor, with his minions of the underworld, will do anything to stop Timothy. Failing that, Balor will use his wiles to corrupt Timothy, as he has done with a Filidh of the distant past.

Although Timothy is an extraordinary boy, he is still a human boy, subject to the frailties of any 12-year-old. He is vulnerable to self-doubt, to sudden changes of mood, to blandishments. At the same time he is bright, adventurous, and when the chips are down, remarkably courageous. He is a boy we can all relate to, and we do. And all through the story we hope against hope that Timothy and his companions will lead the forces of Light over the forces of the Dark. Balor is an ancient, odious, and powerful force. Is Timothy up to the challenge? Read this wonderfully engrossing and beautifully written book and you too, can become a Keeper of the Word.

[Rach · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was originally attracted to this by the enchanting cover art and a line comparing it to The Dark Is Rising and the works of Neil Gaiman (two things that are definitely going to catch my attention). I leapt into this eagerly, not realising that it was the second in a series - and to be fair, nothing on the cover indicated it was a series, with the back of the book was crammed full of throwaway praise lines and no blurb to indicate the same. The prologue was slow, and dull. The first chapter wasn't great. Still, I pressed on, eager to enter a Neil Gaiman-esque world. I never got there.

To say that this resembles a Susan Cooper or a Neil Gaiman novel is an insult to them. The storytelling isn't great - just mediocre at best, and filled with too many adjectives (he growled/she whispered/he said breezily/he trembled, etc). The lines don't flow very well, and despite all the action going on in the first three chapters, it isn't seamless, and comes across more choppy and disjointed. Characters make decisions that don't make a whole lot of sense: for example, the market people are aware that the Animal Tamer is dangerous, but make no effort to run him out or move their market, and are caught wholly off-guard when he brings out snakes and giant toads that start eating everyone. (I mean come on, you should have known about the giant man-eating toads!)

Parts of the plot are clearly taken from Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter , and the Dark is Rising. I won't even use the term 'inspired', because certain bits are exact replicas of what happens in those novels, with no attempt to put a new spin on things. I gave up at around chapter 9, because the story just wasn't interesting enough for me to carry on. There was no hook, the characters were flat and two-dimensional, and this didn't even feel an original story, but rather, was just clobbered together from different fantasy novels. Disappointing, and undeserving of such high praise to be compared to a Neil Gaiman work.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout human history, people have created myths, or tribal stories that explain the world and celebrate values like courage, generosity, and healing. In the Time Out of Time series, the modern world is shown in much the same way ancient people of the British Isles must have experienced their world: only the visible part of a much larger reality, in which great spiritual battles are enjoined between forces of Good and Evil. Such stories are inherently dramatic, and mythological characters tend to tap into some deep truths of reality and the human character.

In The Telling Stone, the three children from Book 1 who became ensnared in the world of Celtic mythology end up in Scotland, at "ground zero" of the ancient stories, where they again encounter ageless personalities like the Greenman, Gerridwyn, and the fearsome Balor. The result is a an irresistible tale that appeals on many levels, to children and adults, and informs as well as entertains. It's a story in which both the human characters and the mythological ones change and grow and, as in real life, the same battles must be fought again and again, at higher levels and on different battle fields. Characters change, but every individual and generation must somehow deal with the conflicting demands of Good and Evil.

I'm really hooked on this series! I can only hope the author is currently busy writing Book 3!

[Jeanette Mendell · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Telling Stone,’ book two of Maureen McQuerry’s Time out of Time series, continues the adventures of Timothy and Sarah Maxwell and their friend Jessica Church. After a battle against the evil Baylor in the Marketplace, the three friends travel to Scotland to face even greater challenges. They must now locate the Telling Stone, which will secure Timothy as the new Filidh, keeper of Memories and Wisdom, but the forces of evil are stronger than ever.

Maureen McQuerry delves the reader deep into Celtic mythology. Her characters are complex and real. Her writing is superb. The novel is filled with mysterious codes, puzzles and situations that require intelligence, determination and strength. Timothy, Sarah and Jessica are pushed from one dire situation to the next, not knowing which of the remarkable characters they encounter they can trust.

‘The Telling Stone’ is an exciting and insightful read, sure to be enjoyed by readers of any age. I would write more, but I’m off to pack my bags for Scotland.

[Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

McQuerry has written yet another wonderful, captivating story that keeps company with the best of George MacDonald, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Neil Gaiman. Book Two continues the story of Timothy, Sarah and Jessica’s journey to reckon the Light against the growing Darkness, battling to find The Telling Stone. Mythical creatures meet them along the way, dressed as ever day people. It is a discovery for each to know what they are made of and growing into their destiny. Even more consuming than “Time out of Time: Book One: Beyond The Door”, “The Telling Stone” will keep you up late at night with the turn of each page, trying to decipher the map and code along with Timothy, Sarah, and Jessica.

[Randy R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in McQuerry's Time Out Of Time series, Middle Grade and early YA readers will find plenty in this book to grab their attention. With the help of an ages-old map and an Ogham Code, Timothy, Jessica and Sarah travel to Scotland to search for the Telling stone that will confirm Timothy's place as the new Filidh (the Keeper of Memories and Wisdom). But to find the stone they must battle to defeat the forces of the Dark in order to keep Light in the World. This is a wonderfully fun book to read to your kids and (in my case) grandkids.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a First Read. It's the second book in the series. It does so-so as a standalone but I think is better served reading the first book beforehand. It's a quick read with well developed characters. The classic struggle between good and evil, light and dark is spun into a tale with Celtic ties. The animals and magic make it an interesting read for the middle grade set.

[Brenda Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

A engaging story, great characters. I received this book through Good reads.

[Kate Alleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had forgotten about this series since I read the first book about a year ago. Luckily, it was easy to get back into the series.

Great for readers who love mythology and adventure.

[Chuck Ledger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done.