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The Petralist #3
No Stone Unturned
Connor has a problem.
No, it's not the fact that his student army is pitiful compared to the competition. It's not even the spies infesting the school, the allies lining up to kill him, or even the fact that Shona plans to force him to lead a bloody war of conquest across the continent.
It's what to do about all the secrets.
Conspiracies centuries in the making are beginning to unravel and truths about patronage, the unclaimed, and the very stones that fuel Petralist powers threaten to emerge from their shadowy grave.
If he's not careful, Connor will get dumped in that grave with them.
To survive, Connor must outsmart conniving noble houses, dodge international assassins, survive unbelievably bad poetry, and risk new powers that were concealed for very good reasons.
Only then can he face his real enemy, concealed in the shadows and waiting to transform him into the worst monster since Tallan himself.
Connor's best hope is to embrace the thing he most fears.
And become the ultimate unclaimed.
No, it's not the fact that his student army is pitiful compared to the competition. It's not even the spies infesting the school, the allies lining up to kill him, or even the fact that Shona plans to force him to lead a bloody war of conquest across the continent.
It's what to do about all the secrets.
Conspiracies centuries in the making are beginning to unravel and truths about patronage, the unclaimed, and the very stones that fuel Petralist powers threaten to emerge from their shadowy grave.
If he's not careful, Connor will get dumped in that grave with them.
To survive, Connor must outsmart conniving noble houses, dodge international assassins, survive unbelievably bad poetry, and risk new powers that were concealed for very good reasons.
Only then can he face his real enemy, concealed in the shadows and waiting to transform him into the worst monster since Tallan himself.
Connor's best hope is to embrace the thing he most fears.
And become the ultimate unclaimed.
- GenresFantasy
535 pages, Hardcover
Published November 1, 2016
66 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Frank Morin
37 books436 followersFrank Morin loves great stories, great food, and great humor. He is an outdoor enthusiast, and loves to travel for inspiration.
Frank is the author of fast-paced adventures with quirky humor including:
• The Petralist - epic teen fantasy series, full of magic, adventure, and humor.
• The Facetakers - fast-action urban fantasy
• Bacon Master of the Apocalypse – humorous epic fantasy
He and his wife are often found hiking, camping, Scuba diving, or traveling to research new books. Find out more about his novels and his shorter fiction, or join his readers group at:
https://bio.to/authorfrankmorin
Frank is the author of fast-paced adventures with quirky humor including:
• The Petralist - epic teen fantasy series, full of magic, adventure, and humor.
• The Facetakers - fast-action urban fantasy
• Bacon Master of the Apocalypse – humorous epic fantasy
He and his wife are often found hiking, camping, Scuba diving, or traveling to research new books. Find out more about his novels and his shorter fiction, or join his readers group at:
https://bio.to/authorfrankmorin
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 8, 2017
Reader thoughts: Bigger secrets and gealls than the second book. Connor has to run an army without becoming Shona's slave. He's masked and still pretending to be normal on the side while learning to master twin elements. He makes allies and enemies every chapter, and it seems that everyone wants to kill him for some reason but hold back for the right situation.
Shona has some serious control issues. Hamish is as fun to read as always. Verena is a scientific experimenter at heart and a warrior by necessity. Ailsa is just awesome at ninja level. Jean is a library researcher and secret finder. Evander is a secret keeper and shadowy death-god reaper guy. Ivor and Paidraigan are sensible and stout opponents.
I loved the game aspect of the whole thing and that Connor had a secret identity. I loved the brewing war and the mounting tension. I loved the creative ways the petralists invented to use their powers in new ways. I loved learning about the new power stones and the elfonnel and unclaimed.
I did NOT like the whole "first breeding rights" fiasco.
The fights were so satisfying. Punching, flying, exploding aside, everything in the battles was based on rocks! Rock dust and rock tokens and rock snacks are suddenly the most valuable war asset. How cool! This magic doesn't involve any of the --admittedly fun -- handwavium or wandwavium (either literally or figuratively). No, it takes stomping and drowning and burning and running and swallowing. (How many books feature defeat enemies by having them swallowed?)
So, a great read, and I'm clamoring for the next! At least FM writes faster than I do.
Writer thoughts: There were several missing (and extra) commas and quotations. Maybe two or three missing words.
The pov switching was well done. I kept wanting to stay in whichever pov I was reading, and the break to visit Verena or Hamish or Ailsa (or back to Connor) only added to the overall tension. These breaks didn't happen quite often enough to feel like interruptions but kept me excited for the rest of the story.
Shona has some serious control issues. Hamish is as fun to read as always. Verena is a scientific experimenter at heart and a warrior by necessity. Ailsa is just awesome at ninja level. Jean is a library researcher and secret finder. Evander is a secret keeper and shadowy death-god reaper guy. Ivor and Paidraigan are sensible and stout opponents.
I loved the game aspect of the whole thing and that Connor had a secret identity. I loved the brewing war and the mounting tension. I loved the creative ways the petralists invented to use their powers in new ways. I loved learning about the new power stones and the elfonnel and unclaimed.
I did NOT like the whole "first breeding rights" fiasco.
The fights were so satisfying. Punching, flying, exploding aside, everything in the battles was based on rocks! Rock dust and rock tokens and rock snacks are suddenly the most valuable war asset. How cool! This magic doesn't involve any of the --admittedly fun -- handwavium or wandwavium (either literally or figuratively). No, it takes stomping and drowning and burning and running and swallowing. (How many books feature defeat enemies by having them swallowed?)
So, a great read, and I'm clamoring for the next! At least FM writes faster than I do.
Writer thoughts: There were several missing (and extra) commas and quotations. Maybe two or three missing words.
The pov switching was well done. I kept wanting to stay in whichever pov I was reading, and the break to visit Verena or Hamish or Ailsa (or back to Connor) only added to the overall tension. These breaks didn't happen quite often enough to feel like interruptions but kept me excited for the rest of the story.
September 19, 2016
This book is fantastic. How can I tell? I finished it after 3 in the morning. Always a good sign that it's a keeper. It hooked me right from the start with explosive action and Connor's trademark snark. And it got better. How could it not, with all the ancient secrets, hilarious poetry, giant monsters, romance, and conspiracies? Like all the previous books in the series, No Stone Unturned faces down very serious dangers and conflicts with a shrug and a sweetbread.
September 21, 2020
Poor Connor
He does get pummeled very regularly. When he had a lesson on working with earth, she shoved him under ground then up then under and then the lesson got hard. That was funny poor guy but he takes it so well. You really are a phenomenal writer. Not just for what I just described but also how you beautifully write the natural surroundings. The forses of nature and his interaction with them. Which takes a broad understanding of the sciences. I very much appreciate your maps and orientation, both direction and surroundings, which many authors leave out or too much more often way too little, here the mix is just right The maps are very well done, form and function. These are the best books I've read in a long time, thank you
He does get pummeled very regularly. When he had a lesson on working with earth, she shoved him under ground then up then under and then the lesson got hard. That was funny poor guy but he takes it so well. You really are a phenomenal writer. Not just for what I just described but also how you beautifully write the natural surroundings. The forses of nature and his interaction with them. Which takes a broad understanding of the sciences. I very much appreciate your maps and orientation, both direction and surroundings, which many authors leave out or too much more often way too little, here the mix is just right The maps are very well done, form and function. These are the best books I've read in a long time, thank you
August 31, 2020
Overdone
This third book is not as good as the first two. The author really indulged himself with the "game". There was so much useless prose concerning the " game" that it got very tedious to read. I skipped or just scanned over a pretty big section of this book, and never got lost in the flow of the plot. The author failed in describing clearly all the different complex areas. I have read books with pencil drawings that would help greatly to convey what the author was trying to describe. This book needed something like that. I am not sure I am going to get #4.
This third book is not as good as the first two. The author really indulged himself with the "game". There was so much useless prose concerning the " game" that it got very tedious to read. I skipped or just scanned over a pretty big section of this book, and never got lost in the flow of the plot. The author failed in describing clearly all the different complex areas. I have read books with pencil drawings that would help greatly to convey what the author was trying to describe. This book needed something like that. I am not sure I am going to get #4.
March 20, 2019
A good book, better than the first two... thus the five star rating! However, it’s still not Sanderson level, but if was a fun read. I liked how this one felt more focused on a single story arc rather than two smaller arcs in the books, it made reading more fun. Anyways if you’ve gotten this far into the series, I’m sure you get the gist.
January 8, 2017
Cliffhanger
Great series with so many twists that you can't predict what will happen next. Love that there were limits to there power.
Great series with so many twists that you can't predict what will happen next. Love that there were limits to there power.
June 24, 2020
Another great read! Enjoying the creativity and the journey. Thanks to the Author.
September 10, 2020
Continue to please
The absurdities of different languages and the complexity of communication is fun at its best. Morin has an abundance of humor.
The absurdities of different languages and the complexity of communication is fun at its best. Morin has an abundance of humor.
February 25, 2017
De cliffhanger aan het einde van boek twee maakte dat ik direct aan boek drie begon. Ik wilde graag weten hoe het verder ging. In plaats van door te gaan waar deel twee eindigde, hield Frank Morin me nog even in spanning.
Kon deel drie me evenzo boeien?
Ja dat kon het. Hoewel ik in deel drie soms het gevoel had dat er iets teveel aandacht werd geschonken aan de technieken die uitgevonden werden ( ga er niet teveel op in om spoilers te voorkomen), bleef het verhaal boeien. Connor leert steeds meer over zichzelf, maar blijft door alle geheimen nog steeds een beetje achter de feiten aanlopen. Frank introduceert nieuwe personages in dit deel. Ze passen mooi in het verhaal (Elfonel, Unclaimed) en maken duidelijk wat er allemaal op het spel staat. We verblijven in deel drie voornamelijk in de Carraig, de school voor Petralists.
Eigenlijk ontdek je samen met Connor wat de geheimen zijn die eeuwenlang verborgen zijn gebleven. Iedereen heeft een eigen agenda, iedereen wil winnen in het grootste evenement in de Carraig, waar iedereen zijn kunsten kan laten zien. Connor maakt nieuwe vrienden, maar ook vijanden. Terwijl het gevaar het hoogtepunt bereikt, vechten Verena en Shona om zijn liefde. Connors hart behoort echter maar toe aan een van hen, maar om haar leven te redden moet hij met de ander een deal sluiten. En dan gebeurt waar niemand op had gerekend... zeker Connor niet. Maar als hij zich veilig waant, weet je eigenlijk al dat dat van korte duur is.
Ik kijk uit naar deel 4!
Kon deel drie me evenzo boeien?
Ja dat kon het. Hoewel ik in deel drie soms het gevoel had dat er iets teveel aandacht werd geschonken aan de technieken die uitgevonden werden ( ga er niet teveel op in om spoilers te voorkomen), bleef het verhaal boeien. Connor leert steeds meer over zichzelf, maar blijft door alle geheimen nog steeds een beetje achter de feiten aanlopen. Frank introduceert nieuwe personages in dit deel. Ze passen mooi in het verhaal (Elfonel, Unclaimed) en maken duidelijk wat er allemaal op het spel staat. We verblijven in deel drie voornamelijk in de Carraig, de school voor Petralists.
Eigenlijk ontdek je samen met Connor wat de geheimen zijn die eeuwenlang verborgen zijn gebleven. Iedereen heeft een eigen agenda, iedereen wil winnen in het grootste evenement in de Carraig, waar iedereen zijn kunsten kan laten zien. Connor maakt nieuwe vrienden, maar ook vijanden. Terwijl het gevaar het hoogtepunt bereikt, vechten Verena en Shona om zijn liefde. Connors hart behoort echter maar toe aan een van hen, maar om haar leven te redden moet hij met de ander een deal sluiten. En dan gebeurt waar niemand op had gerekend... zeker Connor niet. Maar als hij zich veilig waant, weet je eigenlijk al dat dat van korte duur is.
Ik kijk uit naar deel 4!
September 24, 2016
This is the third installment of the Petralist series books. It seems each volume gets larger and more involved with the established storylines and adding more plots, and subplots. We again find Connor expanding his born affinities and stretching himself to improve while in a new part of his country. His identity at first is secret known only to his Aunt and this allows him to move more freely among his new surroundings to learn, develop and become acquainted first hand with how everyone in this part of the country functions on secret plans and wagers. Unwittingly, he finds himself getting sucked deep into power struggles and must quickly learn to outwit and outmaneuver those who would want to use him and his powers for their own selfish means. Why can’t he just be free to live his life as he chooses?
We are introduced to new characters to mingle with familiar ones from the previous books but quickly as a reader you must figure out if they will become friend or foe. With the many games both out in the open and in secret, it can be a challenge to keep up. As with the other books, it’s a roller coaster of up and downs as we think our hero’s are going to win but then the foundation is kicked out from under them and a new plan must emerge. We also get fast paced gaming and racing.
The story is far from over so the ending still leaves questions, unanswered plots, and perhaps gives us hope of the happily ever after we think Connor deserves. But there are so many characters to still feel out, figure out, and see how their story ends too. Four starts only because of length, with my busy life reading long involved chapter books is quite the challenge to stick with them. But I want to see how this story ultimately ends.
We are introduced to new characters to mingle with familiar ones from the previous books but quickly as a reader you must figure out if they will become friend or foe. With the many games both out in the open and in secret, it can be a challenge to keep up. As with the other books, it’s a roller coaster of up and downs as we think our hero’s are going to win but then the foundation is kicked out from under them and a new plan must emerge. We also get fast paced gaming and racing.
The story is far from over so the ending still leaves questions, unanswered plots, and perhaps gives us hope of the happily ever after we think Connor deserves. But there are so many characters to still feel out, figure out, and see how their story ends too. Four starts only because of length, with my busy life reading long involved chapter books is quite the challenge to stick with them. But I want to see how this story ultimately ends.
December 16, 2016
I liked it at first and I thought the minor issues I had with the first two novels have been fixed, but then it turned for the worse. In my opinion the author tried too hard to weave intriguing plots and failed doing so. There were several inconsistencies, some minor, some major. Characters acting contrary to previous actions and convoluted and at times nonsensical events. Main character went from likeable to annoying over and over and in the end landed squarely into frustrating.
I'll most likely read the next one simply because the overall story is still interesting and I still have that Mistborn vibe, but the series had lost some of its appeal to me.
I'll most likely read the next one simply because the overall story is still interesting and I still have that Mistborn vibe, but the series had lost some of its appeal to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2016
Idk
Absolutely love this series. I love longer reads, and stories that set up for the next book not at the last second, but throughout the entire book not just at the last second. I can't wait for the next one.
Absolutely love this series. I love longer reads, and stories that set up for the next book not at the last second, but throughout the entire book not just at the last second. I can't wait for the next one.
Read
December 17, 2016Amazing series, I'm also very happy considering I assumed the series would be a trilogy so knowing there's going to be more is a very nice surprise.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews