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Ecosystem #3
House of Earth, House of Stone
The Ecosystem is at war
The dark queen Miriam has attacked the City of the Queens. Commanding an army of creatures from legend and nightmare, she appears unstoppable. Sarah is forced to flee into the treacherous mountains north of the city, where she seeks to discover word of the missing queen, Celestina. Only with their combined strength, Sarah believes, is there any hope of contesting the dark queen’s might.
But to wage the final battle against the dark queen, Sarah will have to overcome an ancient curse that threatens not only the survival of the city but the existence of the Ecosystem itself. And she will have to decide whether to save Isaac, the boy she loves, at the cost of losing everything else she holds dear.
House of Earth, House of Stone is a riveting fantasy-adventure set in a world where Nature holds dominion over humankind. The final book in the Ecosystem trilogy, it completes the journey Sarah began in Ecosystem and The Devouring Land.
The dark queen Miriam has attacked the City of the Queens. Commanding an army of creatures from legend and nightmare, she appears unstoppable. Sarah is forced to flee into the treacherous mountains north of the city, where she seeks to discover word of the missing queen, Celestina. Only with their combined strength, Sarah believes, is there any hope of contesting the dark queen’s might.
But to wage the final battle against the dark queen, Sarah will have to overcome an ancient curse that threatens not only the survival of the city but the existence of the Ecosystem itself. And she will have to decide whether to save Isaac, the boy she loves, at the cost of losing everything else she holds dear.
House of Earth, House of Stone is a riveting fantasy-adventure set in a world where Nature holds dominion over humankind. The final book in the Ecosystem trilogy, it completes the journey Sarah began in Ecosystem and The Devouring Land.
- GenresDystopia
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2019
4 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Joshua David Bellin
21 books271 followersI've been writing novels since I was eight years old (though the first few were admittedly very short). A college teacher by day, I've published numerous works of science fiction and fantasy: the Querry Genn Saga (SURVIVAL COLONY 9 and SCAVENGER OF SOULS), the deep-space adventure FREEFALL, the 5-part Ecosystem Cycle (ECOSYSTEM, THE DEVOURING LAND, HOUSE OF EARTH, HOUSE OF STONE, THE LAST SENSOR, and THE GREAT FOREST), and the 3-part Book of the Huntress series (DAUGHTER OF DUST, DARK'S DOMINION, and SCARRED CITY). My latest novel, the time-travel thriller MYRIAD, released in May 2023.
In my free time, I love to read, watch movies, and spend time in Nature with my kids.
Oh, yeah, and I like monsters. Really scary monsters.
In my free time, I love to read, watch movies, and spend time in Nature with my kids.
Oh, yeah, and I like monsters. Really scary monsters.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 6, 2019
This is book 3 in the Ecosystem series about the natural world taking control of the earth and people at its mercy. Action-packed, well-written, and a satisfying conclusion that brings the story full circle with answers to questions about what happened to the earth and how some people rose to power. An entertaining page-turner for science fiction fans of all ages.
April 29, 2019
Disclaimer: I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you kindly to Joshua David Bellin for my eARC.
This series has been a ride from start to finish. House of Earth, House of Stone is the third and final book in the Ecosystem trilogy, and it picks up in the midst of a war between the dark queen Miriam and the City of the Queens. Miriam has an army of deadly and nightmarish creatures at her command, and Sarah is left with no choice but to flee the City of the Queens in search of the missing Queen, Celestina. It is only together that they have any hope of defeating the dark queen and the ancient curse that threatens not only the City of the Queens but the entire existence of the Ecosystem.
In the final book of the Ecosystem trilogy, we explore even further into the Ecosystem, into the northern, treacherous, and snow-tipped mountains. We encounter and battle new monstrous creatures, uncover ancient curses, and delve into the tragic history of the dark queen. One thing about this series that I have continuously adored is how much attention has been paid into the Ecosystem and its workings and history. There’s just so much depth! The world that Joshua David Bellin has created leaves me completely engrossed from start to finish, it’s a truly immersive setting.
I’ve said in my reviews of both the first book, Ecosystem, and the second book, The Devouring Land, that I adore Sarah, our protagonist. She’s such a formidable and intelligent character and also a complex and flawed individual. She’s one of the few people who truly get the Ecosystem, and it’s been so amazing to see her growth throughout the series. There is a love triangle in here too, but it is done fantastically! Probably one of the few love-triangles I actually like because there’s no petty girl on girl hate, and it comes to such a nice (and probably realistic) conclusion.
A lovely little tidbit is that there are several confirmed queer characters in here and a couple of side f/f romances.
I’m sad that the series has ended, but I think it’s a fitting ending to such a great trilogy! If you’re a fan of post-apocalyptic and fantasy literature with a fierce protagonist, I do think this is a trilogy you should check out. It’s such a gem and one that will stay with me for a long time.
This series has been a ride from start to finish. House of Earth, House of Stone is the third and final book in the Ecosystem trilogy, and it picks up in the midst of a war between the dark queen Miriam and the City of the Queens. Miriam has an army of deadly and nightmarish creatures at her command, and Sarah is left with no choice but to flee the City of the Queens in search of the missing Queen, Celestina. It is only together that they have any hope of defeating the dark queen and the ancient curse that threatens not only the City of the Queens but the entire existence of the Ecosystem.
In the final book of the Ecosystem trilogy, we explore even further into the Ecosystem, into the northern, treacherous, and snow-tipped mountains. We encounter and battle new monstrous creatures, uncover ancient curses, and delve into the tragic history of the dark queen. One thing about this series that I have continuously adored is how much attention has been paid into the Ecosystem and its workings and history. There’s just so much depth! The world that Joshua David Bellin has created leaves me completely engrossed from start to finish, it’s a truly immersive setting.
I’ve said in my reviews of both the first book, Ecosystem, and the second book, The Devouring Land, that I adore Sarah, our protagonist. She’s such a formidable and intelligent character and also a complex and flawed individual. She’s one of the few people who truly get the Ecosystem, and it’s been so amazing to see her growth throughout the series. There is a love triangle in here too, but it is done fantastically! Probably one of the few love-triangles I actually like because there’s no petty girl on girl hate, and it comes to such a nice (and probably realistic) conclusion.
A lovely little tidbit is that there are several confirmed queer characters in here and a couple of side f/f romances.
I’m sad that the series has ended, but I think it’s a fitting ending to such a great trilogy! If you’re a fan of post-apocalyptic and fantasy literature with a fierce protagonist, I do think this is a trilogy you should check out. It’s such a gem and one that will stay with me for a long time.
March 28, 2020
I wish it had been better
I really loved the first book in the series and liked the second. However, the third did not hold my attention as the first two did. The more I read, the more questions I realized would never be answered. Don’t misunderstand me, the author tries to answer all your questions but it’s almost too much too fast and I could never quite catch on to what was happening. Some explanations were too subtle and I missed what he was going for and some too thorough that I just got lost. I still highly respect the author and I think the series is worth reading. I can see that he put a lot of care and thought into his world creation and the telling of these stories. Maybe others will appreciate the way the story unravels more than I. Everyone has their own taste. Happy reading!
I really loved the first book in the series and liked the second. However, the third did not hold my attention as the first two did. The more I read, the more questions I realized would never be answered. Don’t misunderstand me, the author tries to answer all your questions but it’s almost too much too fast and I could never quite catch on to what was happening. Some explanations were too subtle and I missed what he was going for and some too thorough that I just got lost. I still highly respect the author and I think the series is worth reading. I can see that he put a lot of care and thought into his world creation and the telling of these stories. Maybe others will appreciate the way the story unravels more than I. Everyone has their own taste. Happy reading!
August 10, 2019
This is a rousing and satisfying finale to the Ecosystem trilogy. We follow Sarah as she battles the dark queen Miriam, a battle that takes us through different terrains of the Ecosystem, including dangerous arctic mountains populated with ghostly wolves and other creatures. There are a lot of great battle scenes, too: the vivid, crowded descriptions of the combatants and fantastic creatures reminded me of a Hieronymus Bosch painting. There's plenty of thought-provoking commentary on the environment, and there are strong female characters to root for. The physical book itself is beautiful and features a lovely closing illustration of the queens by Jessica Khoury.
January 14, 2024
The Dark Queen has attacked the City of Queens. Sarah is forced to leave the city with her band of survivors. Then her and a group of her closest allies search for the missing Queen, Celstinia, in hopes that the two of them combined can take down the Dark Queen. Do they find her? Is the Dark Queen defeated? Find out in House of Earth, House of Stone.
I enjoyed this installment of the series. The lineages can get a little daunting, but there is a timeline at the end of the book that helps with understanding it and then a list of all of the species of animals and plants follows the timeline. This book is full of twists and turns. I did not want to put the book down.
I enjoyed this installment of the series. The lineages can get a little daunting, but there is a timeline at the end of the book that helps with understanding it and then a list of all of the species of animals and plants follows the timeline. This book is full of twists and turns. I did not want to put the book down.
February 13, 2020
Sarah has been through so much, lost many friends and loved ones. Now she has to find a missing queen, defeat a dead queen, and save the ones she loves. Easy. Through her journey she discovers she is stronger than she realizes, that even when she's ready to give up, she keeps fighting for peace and to change what she used to think was the right ways. I love that the author gives us many heros. He doesn't just give us Sarah. He shows that life isn't a fairytale, with fairytale endings. This series has kept me engaged and wanting more! I can't wait for the next book to come out.
September 25, 2022
This ending was certainly bittersweet, but it wraps things up pretty nicely. Not exactly a feel-good ending, but understandable, and mostly satisfying. Read book 4 at your own peril, though, lol.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews