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Alastair Stone Chronicles #7
Heart of Stone
Librarian's note: This an alternate cover for: B01LYWTPHW
Strange Attractions
With Jason and Verity in southern California, Alastair Stone quickly discovers he misses his best friends and favorite confidants far more than he expected to. It isn't long, though, before he's got some new matters to occupy his mind: a student who may have fallen under the influence of a magical cult leader, and a budding relationship with a sexy, intelligent, and stunningly beautiful woman who's everything he never dared to dream of.
As his connection with his new lover grows ever deeper, Stone is drawn into a dangerous web of dark magic, an ancient, malevolent grimoire, and plans within plans that could lead not only to his own destruction, but those of his beloved and his student as well. Pursued by a terrifying duo who are immune to magic, Stone must unravel the purpose of the grimoire and defeat a powerful enemy before it's too late.
But what will he do if he's forced to choose between his own student and the woman he loves?
Strange Attractions
With Jason and Verity in southern California, Alastair Stone quickly discovers he misses his best friends and favorite confidants far more than he expected to. It isn't long, though, before he's got some new matters to occupy his mind: a student who may have fallen under the influence of a magical cult leader, and a budding relationship with a sexy, intelligent, and stunningly beautiful woman who's everything he never dared to dream of.
As his connection with his new lover grows ever deeper, Stone is drawn into a dangerous web of dark magic, an ancient, malevolent grimoire, and plans within plans that could lead not only to his own destruction, but those of his beloved and his student as well. Pursued by a terrifying duo who are immune to magic, Stone must unravel the purpose of the grimoire and defeat a powerful enemy before it's too late.
But what will he do if he's forced to choose between his own student and the woman he loves?
- GenresUrban FantasyFantasy
385 pages, ebook
First published September 21, 2016
183 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
R.L. King
69 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 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 18, 2026
More like a 3.5-3.75 because of Diedra, I feel like that plot point got a bit drawn out or maybe it's because I figured out her deal from the very first scene she was in.
I wish Verity and Jason and then made the book so much better at the end
I also love seen Stone work with other people.
Not sure I'd I would skip the flashback book or read it next yet.
I wish Verity and Jason and then made the book so much better at the end
I also love seen Stone work with other people.
Not sure I'd I would skip the flashback book or read it next yet.
September 7, 2017
I began the Alastair Stone Chronicles with a sample of the first book and I quickly purchased that first book and as soon as I finished I purchased the second, then the third and so on. I have been binge reading the series since that first book.
This book #7 is another exciting episode in the life of the intrepid Dr Alastair Stone, professor of occult studies, mage (his preferred name to his magical abilities) extraordinaire, defender of the clueless mundane world against supernatural evils.
Alastair has been duped by a beautiful woman who plays with his mind and his heart. He is studying a dangerous grimoire of dark, dark rituals involving human sacrifices and there are magic immune bad guys determined to take it from him. Friends Jason and Verity have to come check on him when he doesn't return their calls and they get involved with helping him take down a powerful dark mage, intent on performing one of the rituals in the grimoire.
Now on to book #8, Flesh and Stone!
This book #7 is another exciting episode in the life of the intrepid Dr Alastair Stone, professor of occult studies, mage (his preferred name to his magical abilities) extraordinaire, defender of the clueless mundane world against supernatural evils.
Alastair has been duped by a beautiful woman who plays with his mind and his heart. He is studying a dangerous grimoire of dark, dark rituals involving human sacrifices and there are magic immune bad guys determined to take it from him. Friends Jason and Verity have to come check on him when he doesn't return their calls and they get involved with helping him take down a powerful dark mage, intent on performing one of the rituals in the grimoire.
Now on to book #8, Flesh and Stone!
December 18, 2020
3.5 stars Though a good read, it started loosing points the moment I realized the main character is being led around by his libido by the female character (who, though she doesn't call herself such, is a succubus). Things pick up after Jason and Verity return to Palo Alto and pull Stone's head out of his, er, that is, the sand.
>sigh<
>sigh<
December 1, 2016
Back to the true Stone
A wonderful story with many of your favorite characters. A multifaceted story blended with excitement and magical action. New characters that may foreshadow the next stories. All around great work.
A wonderful story with many of your favorite characters. A multifaceted story blended with excitement and magical action. New characters that may foreshadow the next stories. All around great work.
January 26, 2022
These stories click up that first hill, raising tension and expectation, but those second and third hills hit even harder. A bittersweet addition to the series. Nice to see Jason and Verity coming into their own in a very realistic, approachable way as well.
September 30, 2016
Heart of Stone, The Alastair Stone Chronicles Book 7
by R.L. King
Vanity, thy name is woman. This faux quote is usually credited to Shakespeare, but he didn't write that. He wrote: "Frailty, thy name is woman." Still, the oft misquoted line is a perfect description of this novel's plot. Some spoilers may follow, so read at your own risk.
Alastair Stone is in love with the most breathtakingly beautiful woman he has ever seen. When she rescues him from the drunken wrath of two burly college boys who have decided he's poaching their dates, and then wants to spend time with him after, he can't imagine how he's managed to attract a woman so obviously out of his league. That is basically the start of this story. From there the reader will be engaged in a very interesting mystery and will begin to find out how this romance not only fits in, but controls this so-called powerful mage's actions. Verity and Jason are back for the latter half of the story, as is "Passage To India" and it's travel portal. Stefan Kolinsky also makes a couple of cameos in this interesting plot. We meet three not-quite-human entities (who are never totally explained in the book -- one of my dislikes -- but, for all intents and purposes succubus and incubus will suffice). We meet a new character in a low-level black mage in Matthew Caldwell, and, briefly, another new character in the high-level black mage, Elias Richter. I'm wondering if Caldwell, Richter, and the survivor of the three not-quite-humans will recur in upcoming novels in the series.
The new woman in Alastair's life, Deirdre Lanier, has captivated him totally. He thinks of her constantly when he is not with her and can hardly wait until he sees her again. He is neglecting his friends, his work, and his health, and it shows. Friends and co-workers, even his students, are concerned about his health, but he brushes all concerns aside in his desire to spend time with his new love. When he tells her that he teaches occult studies, she tells him of an old book her grandmother had; a book full of strange runes, written in a language she's never seen before, and a book that frightened her mother. She says it's been in storage for years since her grandmother died, but she can have her mother send it to her so he can examine it. The book turns out to be a grimoire full of rituals of the blackest, vilest magic Stone has ever seen. He's repeatedly checked Deirdre with his magical sight and knows she is not a mage. Could her grandmother have been one?
After he is attacked and beaten by two men who are seemingly immune to magic and who want the grimoire badly, he takes the travel portal at A Passage To India to store the book in his heavily warded vault in England. His life becomes a whirlwind of teaching, traveling to and from England via the portal at all times of the night and day, spending long hours translating the grimoire, carrying on a passionate affair with Deirdre and feeling more and more depleted of energy, yet more and more entangled in Deirdre's web. When his student, Tabby Wells, who has become a disciple of the low-level black mage, Matthew Caldwell, and his Church of the Rising Sun, brings him a vial of liquid which she claims will renew his energy, he knows it is an elixir created by black magic, but he uses it anyway, in order to keep up with his schedule. He is again attacked by the two non-humans, and threats against Deirdre are made. Marta, the owner of A Passage To India, contacts Verity and Jason about Stone's deteriorating condition. As they were already concerned because Stone was not answering their calls, they take time off and travel up to visit. When Stefan tells him that the grimoire may have been stolen from the black mage Richter just a short 6 months ago, Stone must question Deirdre's entire story. Things come to a very magical head when Tabby is kidnapped and Stone learns that the grimoire, which he believed he and Deirdre had destroyed, still exists and is in the hands of Richter. Lots of dangerous action ensues, and the entire novel wraps up with a bittersweet ending.
I enjoyed this book very much. Good plotting and pacing. Relatively well-drawn characters. Believable dialogue and situations. And, for the most part, great editing and proofing.
But, there are things I didn't like. For instance, King describes Stone as a high-level white (or no more than gray) mage. Yet he is always just barely up to fighting the enemies in this series, and usually would not prevail without the help of at least Jason and Verity, and in this book, Matthew Caldwell. While I know that having enemies of at least the same if not greater power/creativity/determination than the main character is necessary for the danger factor, it still seems that our powerful mage ought to at least occasionally along the way meet up with characters who he is able to easily overpower. I can only really remember that happening once in the 7-book series.
And he is often oblivious to problems that are literally (see what I did there?) right in front of him. In this particular novel, he never connects his continuing loss of energy and feeling of unwellness to his relationship with Deirdre. Love is blind, but you'd think a mage could do simple arithmetic and put 2 + 2 together.
Through this 7-book series, the author seems to have a love affair with the word "scrub" in all its forms. In this book, it's used only 6 times and three of them are legit uses of the word. However, the others are how she has used the word in former novels -- scrubbed at his face (and not in the sense of washing it) at 3267 on my Kindle, to scrub at his face (again, not washing it) at 4416, and again scrubbed at his face at 5898. It always stops me. I've never heard the word used in that context from anyone else, in a book or in real life. It obviously is a term the author is well-acquainted with, and I assume believes to be part of everyday speech, but it stops me every time as, in the context of the emotion/action, I can't see how scrubbing at one's hair or face or whatever is a better description than just "rubbing." At 5267 she also has Stone swipe sweat from his face, rather than wipe sweat from his face. I tried to imagine one movement over the other and couldn't see the difference in movement it conveyed, but somehow the "swipe" seemed off to me (your mileage may vary, I know I'm being picky. I get to be as I paid full price for the book). BTW, my Grammarly software thinks I've confused the word swipe with wipe. Yeah. I think R.L. King has confused it, too. And lastly, at 3362, there is this: "...What are the odds he's gone off looking for something man wasn't mean to know, ..." This was the only real proofing error I noticed, as I'm sure the author intended it to be: ...something man wasn't meant to know.
So, yes, I very much like this series. Maybe because it seems there could be so much more to Stone's character than I've seen to date, and because he tends to come off unprepared and not up to the task so often, coupled with the author's fascination with the word "scrub" that just RUBS me the wrong way, I seem to always come out of the novel feeling a bit disappointed. I do plan to keep reading the series. So - a very mixed review, I know. My bottom line is there is much more to like in these novels than to dislike.
by R.L. King
Vanity, thy name is woman. This faux quote is usually credited to Shakespeare, but he didn't write that. He wrote: "Frailty, thy name is woman." Still, the oft misquoted line is a perfect description of this novel's plot. Some spoilers may follow, so read at your own risk.
Alastair Stone is in love with the most breathtakingly beautiful woman he has ever seen. When she rescues him from the drunken wrath of two burly college boys who have decided he's poaching their dates, and then wants to spend time with him after, he can't imagine how he's managed to attract a woman so obviously out of his league. That is basically the start of this story. From there the reader will be engaged in a very interesting mystery and will begin to find out how this romance not only fits in, but controls this so-called powerful mage's actions. Verity and Jason are back for the latter half of the story, as is "Passage To India" and it's travel portal. Stefan Kolinsky also makes a couple of cameos in this interesting plot. We meet three not-quite-human entities (who are never totally explained in the book -- one of my dislikes -- but, for all intents and purposes succubus and incubus will suffice). We meet a new character in a low-level black mage in Matthew Caldwell, and, briefly, another new character in the high-level black mage, Elias Richter. I'm wondering if Caldwell, Richter, and the survivor of the three not-quite-humans will recur in upcoming novels in the series.
The new woman in Alastair's life, Deirdre Lanier, has captivated him totally. He thinks of her constantly when he is not with her and can hardly wait until he sees her again. He is neglecting his friends, his work, and his health, and it shows. Friends and co-workers, even his students, are concerned about his health, but he brushes all concerns aside in his desire to spend time with his new love. When he tells her that he teaches occult studies, she tells him of an old book her grandmother had; a book full of strange runes, written in a language she's never seen before, and a book that frightened her mother. She says it's been in storage for years since her grandmother died, but she can have her mother send it to her so he can examine it. The book turns out to be a grimoire full of rituals of the blackest, vilest magic Stone has ever seen. He's repeatedly checked Deirdre with his magical sight and knows she is not a mage. Could her grandmother have been one?
After he is attacked and beaten by two men who are seemingly immune to magic and who want the grimoire badly, he takes the travel portal at A Passage To India to store the book in his heavily warded vault in England. His life becomes a whirlwind of teaching, traveling to and from England via the portal at all times of the night and day, spending long hours translating the grimoire, carrying on a passionate affair with Deirdre and feeling more and more depleted of energy, yet more and more entangled in Deirdre's web. When his student, Tabby Wells, who has become a disciple of the low-level black mage, Matthew Caldwell, and his Church of the Rising Sun, brings him a vial of liquid which she claims will renew his energy, he knows it is an elixir created by black magic, but he uses it anyway, in order to keep up with his schedule. He is again attacked by the two non-humans, and threats against Deirdre are made. Marta, the owner of A Passage To India, contacts Verity and Jason about Stone's deteriorating condition. As they were already concerned because Stone was not answering their calls, they take time off and travel up to visit. When Stefan tells him that the grimoire may have been stolen from the black mage Richter just a short 6 months ago, Stone must question Deirdre's entire story. Things come to a very magical head when Tabby is kidnapped and Stone learns that the grimoire, which he believed he and Deirdre had destroyed, still exists and is in the hands of Richter. Lots of dangerous action ensues, and the entire novel wraps up with a bittersweet ending.
I enjoyed this book very much. Good plotting and pacing. Relatively well-drawn characters. Believable dialogue and situations. And, for the most part, great editing and proofing.
But, there are things I didn't like. For instance, King describes Stone as a high-level white (or no more than gray) mage. Yet he is always just barely up to fighting the enemies in this series, and usually would not prevail without the help of at least Jason and Verity, and in this book, Matthew Caldwell. While I know that having enemies of at least the same if not greater power/creativity/determination than the main character is necessary for the danger factor, it still seems that our powerful mage ought to at least occasionally along the way meet up with characters who he is able to easily overpower. I can only really remember that happening once in the 7-book series.
And he is often oblivious to problems that are literally (see what I did there?) right in front of him. In this particular novel, he never connects his continuing loss of energy and feeling of unwellness to his relationship with Deirdre. Love is blind, but you'd think a mage could do simple arithmetic and put 2 + 2 together.
Through this 7-book series, the author seems to have a love affair with the word "scrub" in all its forms. In this book, it's used only 6 times and three of them are legit uses of the word. However, the others are how she has used the word in former novels -- scrubbed at his face (and not in the sense of washing it) at 3267 on my Kindle, to scrub at his face (again, not washing it) at 4416, and again scrubbed at his face at 5898. It always stops me. I've never heard the word used in that context from anyone else, in a book or in real life. It obviously is a term the author is well-acquainted with, and I assume believes to be part of everyday speech, but it stops me every time as, in the context of the emotion/action, I can't see how scrubbing at one's hair or face or whatever is a better description than just "rubbing." At 5267 she also has Stone swipe sweat from his face, rather than wipe sweat from his face. I tried to imagine one movement over the other and couldn't see the difference in movement it conveyed, but somehow the "swipe" seemed off to me (your mileage may vary, I know I'm being picky. I get to be as I paid full price for the book). BTW, my Grammarly software thinks I've confused the word swipe with wipe. Yeah. I think R.L. King has confused it, too. And lastly, at 3362, there is this: "...What are the odds he's gone off looking for something man wasn't mean to know, ..." This was the only real proofing error I noticed, as I'm sure the author intended it to be: ...something man wasn't meant to know.
So, yes, I very much like this series. Maybe because it seems there could be so much more to Stone's character than I've seen to date, and because he tends to come off unprepared and not up to the task so often, coupled with the author's fascination with the word "scrub" that just RUBS me the wrong way, I seem to always come out of the novel feeling a bit disappointed. I do plan to keep reading the series. So - a very mixed review, I know. My bottom line is there is much more to like in these novels than to dislike.
January 12, 2018
With Jason & Verity living in southern California now, Alastair is getting used to being on his own again. He has 1 student whose father fears she's fallen under the influence of some kind of cult, & then she disappears. Stone meets a beautiful women, Deidre, who he becomes totally obsessed with. But the more he sees her, the more sleep he loses, which starts affecting his health, looks, & judgement. People become worried about him. Deidre gives him a book to see if there might be any kind of magic associated with it. She says it belonged to her grandmother, but things don't seem to be adding up. Then Jason & Verity, concerned about him, show up to make sure he's ok, & things really start to happen.
August 4, 2023
I think I am addicted to R.L. King's Alastair Stone Chronicles. I find I have gotten into his Mage, Alastair, and some of his characters in the same way I was attached to the Dresden Files. They are both about modern wizards/mages functioning in the contemporary world.
This is a very good book, well platted and well written. It is the first of the series in which Alastair has a serious love interest. Plenty of action and the pacing is reasonable. No details but it is not a happy ending. This is the first one of his books to actually make me sad at the end.
I am currently most of the way through #8 in the series. YES, I do recommend it for anyone who likes fantasy fiction set in the contemporary world, you should check out R. L. Kind and his character Alastair Stone
This is a very good book, well platted and well written. It is the first of the series in which Alastair has a serious love interest. Plenty of action and the pacing is reasonable. No details but it is not a happy ending. This is the first one of his books to actually make me sad at the end.
I am currently most of the way through #8 in the series. YES, I do recommend it for anyone who likes fantasy fiction set in the contemporary world, you should check out R. L. Kind and his character Alastair Stone
July 31, 2019
I'm on book 7 and one question keeps popping up in my mind. Does Stone prepare for anything? How he's a talented mage & scholar is beyond me. I have literally never encountered a magical hero who constantly wears nothing protective, doesn't seem to store any power amulets or anything, so he's constantly caught by surprise. Come on, man. First book or 2 it seemed a bit silly, but ok, he's not about that life, so fair. Now? Dude.
Not to mention the Huge RED FLAGS in his new love. No spoilers from me, largely because I haven't finished the book yet, but I think we have some very obvious clues.
The mysteries and general story are good. Verity & Jason often improve the stories overall, but Stone is often the weakest part of his books. And that's a shame. His best outing was when he lost his powers and had to think more. Thinking makes Alastair shine, so why not just write him a little smarter?
Not to mention the Huge RED FLAGS in his new love. No spoilers from me, largely because I haven't finished the book yet, but I think we have some very obvious clues.
The mysteries and general story are good. Verity & Jason often improve the stories overall, but Stone is often the weakest part of his books. And that's a shame. His best outing was when he lost his powers and had to think more. Thinking makes Alastair shine, so why not just write him a little smarter?
December 30, 2018
Heart renchingly brilliant!
When at last we thought Alastair was going to find love despite magic not getting in the way - alas it was not meant to be. Briiliantly written & heart renching end!!!!
When at last we thought Alastair was going to find love despite magic not getting in the way - alas it was not meant to be. Briiliantly written & heart renching end!!!!
May 27, 2025
Awesome Book
I don’t know when I have enjoyed a book series as much as I have this one. The characters are very interesting and their relationships with each other have developed in a bonding loving way that’s become the integral part of the series.
I don’t know when I have enjoyed a book series as much as I have this one. The characters are very interesting and their relationships with each other have developed in a bonding loving way that’s become the integral part of the series.
February 4, 2017
Oh, the affairs of the heart. I thought the author nicely portrayed desire and, of coarse, awesome action adventure.
September 16, 2018
This series continues to improve.
May 29, 2020
Another great read!
Yet another in this captivating series. King weaves a complex tale with great description without being verbose. Once you start you won't be able to put it down.
Yet another in this captivating series. King weaves a complex tale with great description without being verbose. Once you start you won't be able to put it down.
May 29, 2022
I gave a 4 star rating to all of the other books (1 to 6) but this one was a bit off for me. I’ll definitely continue the series though.
January 22, 2023
New Series
I have read the first seven books of this series, and find them very attention grabbing. From beginning to end. Moving on too number 8.
I have read the first seven books of this series, and find them very attention grabbing. From beginning to end. Moving on too number 8.
July 11, 2023
Great book which surprised me by bringing me to tears at the end. Professor Stone is awesome and I loved the character development which is well done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2016
Excellent! I knew Deidre was up to something as Alastair was always tired. I thought succbus but I knew she was getting something out of him more than just sex. Until the black mage Richter was introduced I thought she was looking for a way to remain younger forever. She was but Richter wanted to be immortal through black magic. The whole student professor relationship was well done and Dr. Stone's care for his students is normal. He helped Matthew Caldwell save Ms. Wells but Matthew lost her in the end. What I really like is Alastair is now realizing there is more to Verity than since he originally met her. Question is will he act on it? I hope as he does deserve a permanent romance in his life. Keep writing Ms. King as I will continue to read them!
Read
August 17, 2017Enjoyed it immensely. Alastair is a fascinating character.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews