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The Stone of Destiny
Morgan Izaak is obsessed with his father’s ancient books about the legendary Philosopher’s Stone; he’s even got a little alchemy lab set up in the church tower next door. And when Morgan and his best friend, Eny, find out about another mysterious stone that may be hidden in their own town—the Irish Stone of Destiny, called Lia Fail—he’s determined to find it because he thinks it’s the last hope for someone he holds dear. But Morgan’s not the only one looking for the Stone, and by the time the two middle schoolers realize there’s trouble afoot, Morgan has betrayed their friendship, strange creatures are loose in the land, and the Stone is lost … perhaps forever. Can Morgan find a way to help those he loves?
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2011
22 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Jim Ware
42 books20 followersJim Ware is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary and is now a writer living in Colorado Springs. He is the author of several books, including the best-selling Finding God in the Lord of the Rings (with Kurt Bruner), as well as numerous books for children.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 13, 2011
The Stone of Destiny, the Sorcerer's Stone, the Philosopher's Stone, Lia Fail - these are all names given to the legendary stone that can turn any metal into gold and can also heal any illness, can prevent death.
Morgan is in desperate need of this stone. His mother is dying, and there is nothing anyone can do for her cancer. She tries to reassure Morgan that if they just have a bit of faith, things will all work out as they should. Morgan is not buying it. He sees his mother's faith as doing nothing more than turning her once vibrant self into a frail, weak shell of her former self. In the tower of the church next door, Morgan sets out to create this stone with a bit of help from the materials and books his father left behind.
His friend Eny watches, waits, and warns. When a mysterious shop opens up suddenly one day, the occupants worry and frighten her. She warns Morgan to stay away and to be wary of these people, but the promises they have expressed to Morgan are too good to pass up. Bring them the stone, and Eny to watch, and a cure for Morgan's mother is waiting. The stone has been hidden for centuries, only fables, fairy tales, and legends hint to its whereabouts. Morgan will search, Eny will pray, and the crow will watch it all.
I have been waiting for time in my schedule to read this book, I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to finish it. It didn't live up to all I was hoping for, but it was not a disappointment. As a book geared toward younger readers, I think this would be a good, in depth read. As an adult who is obsessed with YA literature, the story fell a bit flat. It had everything it needed for a spectacular story, a fantasy world, conflict, good vs evil, heroism, faith, love, scary monsters, and a touch of magic. But for some reason the story just didn't seem to come together for me.
I think part of the problem for me was that there was quite a bit of showing of the scenes instead of living the scenes. There was great description, but it was all narrated instead of us learning about the environment as we experienced it. To me that is a big deal when reading. I like the action and movement of a story. When I feel like I'm being held at a standstill too long, I tend to tune out, which I did at several parts of this story.
The relationships between the characters fell short to me as well, both of the main characters were well written, but they never seemed to really interact well or long enough for me to get a good feeling of solidarity. We seemed through parts of the book to have two separate stories going on instead of two interweaving tales leading us to the same ending.
I hope you are still reading because I do want to say, this would be a very strong read for a younger reader, and the values taught in the book are definitely worth paying attention to. A good lesson in faith is never a bad thing, and relearning it in a fun, adventurous way is one of the best ways to do it. If you are a fan of christian books, alchemy, and giants who can crush you with a single blow, pick this up. Maybe you know of your favorite YA who may have these interests.
Morgan is in desperate need of this stone. His mother is dying, and there is nothing anyone can do for her cancer. She tries to reassure Morgan that if they just have a bit of faith, things will all work out as they should. Morgan is not buying it. He sees his mother's faith as doing nothing more than turning her once vibrant self into a frail, weak shell of her former self. In the tower of the church next door, Morgan sets out to create this stone with a bit of help from the materials and books his father left behind.
His friend Eny watches, waits, and warns. When a mysterious shop opens up suddenly one day, the occupants worry and frighten her. She warns Morgan to stay away and to be wary of these people, but the promises they have expressed to Morgan are too good to pass up. Bring them the stone, and Eny to watch, and a cure for Morgan's mother is waiting. The stone has been hidden for centuries, only fables, fairy tales, and legends hint to its whereabouts. Morgan will search, Eny will pray, and the crow will watch it all.
I have been waiting for time in my schedule to read this book, I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to finish it. It didn't live up to all I was hoping for, but it was not a disappointment. As a book geared toward younger readers, I think this would be a good, in depth read. As an adult who is obsessed with YA literature, the story fell a bit flat. It had everything it needed for a spectacular story, a fantasy world, conflict, good vs evil, heroism, faith, love, scary monsters, and a touch of magic. But for some reason the story just didn't seem to come together for me.
I think part of the problem for me was that there was quite a bit of showing of the scenes instead of living the scenes. There was great description, but it was all narrated instead of us learning about the environment as we experienced it. To me that is a big deal when reading. I like the action and movement of a story. When I feel like I'm being held at a standstill too long, I tend to tune out, which I did at several parts of this story.
The relationships between the characters fell short to me as well, both of the main characters were well written, but they never seemed to really interact well or long enough for me to get a good feeling of solidarity. We seemed through parts of the book to have two separate stories going on instead of two interweaving tales leading us to the same ending.
I hope you are still reading because I do want to say, this would be a very strong read for a younger reader, and the values taught in the book are definitely worth paying attention to. A good lesson in faith is never a bad thing, and relearning it in a fun, adventurous way is one of the best ways to do it. If you are a fan of christian books, alchemy, and giants who can crush you with a single blow, pick this up. Maybe you know of your favorite YA who may have these interests.
April 11, 2013
Title: THE STONE OF DESTINY
Author: Jim Ware
Publisher: David C. Cook
March 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6464-5
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Morgan Izaak is obsessed with his father’s ancient books about the legendary Philosopher’s Stone; he’s even got a little alchemy lab set up in the church tower next door. And when Morgan and his best friend, Eny, find out about another mysterious stone that may be hidden in their own town—the Irish Stone of Destiny, called Lia Fail—he’s determined to find it because he thinks it’s the last hope for someone he holds dear. But Morgan’s not the only one looking for the Stone, and by the time the two middle schoolers realize there’s trouble afoot, Morgan has betrayed their friendship, strange creatures are loose in the land, and the Stone is lost … perhaps forever. Can Morgan find a way to help those he loves?
THE STONE OF DESTINY turned up in my review pile and when I set it out to read, my eleven year old daughter snagged it and started reading it. I told her that if she reads the book, she writes the review. I’d be more honest from her anyway, as the book is intended for her age group, and not forty-something year old Moms. Especially Moms who don't like fantasy. So I am letting my daughter write the review from here on out.
THE STONE OF DESTINY is the first book I’ve read by Jim Ware and it is hard to describe, it’s so great. I loved everything about it. It is totally awesome, a must have. Mr. Ware writes great books. Morgan was mostly honest, but sometimes he didn’t tell the truth. He had a friend Eny which is American for Eithne and she has mismatched eyes, one blue eye and one brown eye. She is totally honest and never told a lie at all. She claims she went to Sidhe and everyone believes her because she never lies. Morgan has doubts about it and he keeps going to this woman named Madam Medea and she’s kind of like an enemy to the Danaan people and she has these giants and one of them doesn’t have an eye any more, because one got hit by a stone in a sling, kind of David and Goliath. She teaches the Danaan people to sling rocks. A glossary and an interview are included at the end of the book. Awesome book! $4.00. 352 pages.
Author: Jim Ware
Publisher: David C. Cook
March 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6464-5
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Morgan Izaak is obsessed with his father’s ancient books about the legendary Philosopher’s Stone; he’s even got a little alchemy lab set up in the church tower next door. And when Morgan and his best friend, Eny, find out about another mysterious stone that may be hidden in their own town—the Irish Stone of Destiny, called Lia Fail—he’s determined to find it because he thinks it’s the last hope for someone he holds dear. But Morgan’s not the only one looking for the Stone, and by the time the two middle schoolers realize there’s trouble afoot, Morgan has betrayed their friendship, strange creatures are loose in the land, and the Stone is lost … perhaps forever. Can Morgan find a way to help those he loves?
THE STONE OF DESTINY turned up in my review pile and when I set it out to read, my eleven year old daughter snagged it and started reading it. I told her that if she reads the book, she writes the review. I’d be more honest from her anyway, as the book is intended for her age group, and not forty-something year old Moms. Especially Moms who don't like fantasy. So I am letting my daughter write the review from here on out.
THE STONE OF DESTINY is the first book I’ve read by Jim Ware and it is hard to describe, it’s so great. I loved everything about it. It is totally awesome, a must have. Mr. Ware writes great books. Morgan was mostly honest, but sometimes he didn’t tell the truth. He had a friend Eny which is American for Eithne and she has mismatched eyes, one blue eye and one brown eye. She is totally honest and never told a lie at all. She claims she went to Sidhe and everyone believes her because she never lies. Morgan has doubts about it and he keeps going to this woman named Madam Medea and she’s kind of like an enemy to the Danaan people and she has these giants and one of them doesn’t have an eye any more, because one got hit by a stone in a sling, kind of David and Goliath. She teaches the Danaan people to sling rocks. A glossary and an interview are included at the end of the book. Awesome book! $4.00. 352 pages.
March 23, 2019
Surprisingly well-written for a children's novel - and especially for a Christian piece of fiction for any age. The storyline was not predictable, the characters were likeable, and the morality-tale angle did not detract from the plot. My only complaint would be a somewhat inconclusive or unfulfilling ending, but I'm guessing that's just to leave plenty of room for a sequel.
z-did-not-finish
December 4, 2024Not my cup of tea
August 10, 2019
wbk i only read this bc somebody gave it as a gift
April 2, 2013
About the Book:
Morgan Izaak is obsessed with his father’s ancient books about the legendary Philosopher’s Stone; he’s even got a little alchemy lab set up in the church tower next door. And when Morgan and his best friend, Eny, find out about another mysterious stone that may be hidden in their own town—the Irish Stone of Destiny, called Lia Fail—he’s determined to find it because he thinks it’s the last hope for someone he holds dear. But Morgan’s not the only one looking for the Stone, and by the time the two middle schoolers realize there’s trouble afoot, Morgan has betrayed their friendship, strange creatures are loose in the land, and the Stone is lost … perhaps forever. Can Morgan find a way to help those he loves?
About the Author:
Jim Ware is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary and is now a writer living in Colorado Springs. He is the author of several books, including the best-selling Finding God in the Lord of the Rings (with Kurt Bruner), as well as numerous books for children.
My Review:
Morgan Izaak is just like any other middler schooler, he is all caught up in life and enjoying his family, his friends and school and then the unthinkable happens. His mom who means the world to him is diagnosed with cancer. Morgan's main thought and drive at this point is to find a way to cure his mother's illness. To help with his experimenting he has set up a chemistry lab in the tower behind the church. He took the old chemistry things he had acquired and began this journey. Luck for him he had all he needed to get started because these things belonged to his dad, he has already passed away at this point or say they think.
His dad was researching the legendary Philosopher's Stone, when he mysteriously vanished. So little Morgan decided to continue the tradition of looking for a cure.
**Disclosure** This book was provided to me for free from the publisher.
Morgan Izaak is obsessed with his father’s ancient books about the legendary Philosopher’s Stone; he’s even got a little alchemy lab set up in the church tower next door. And when Morgan and his best friend, Eny, find out about another mysterious stone that may be hidden in their own town—the Irish Stone of Destiny, called Lia Fail—he’s determined to find it because he thinks it’s the last hope for someone he holds dear. But Morgan’s not the only one looking for the Stone, and by the time the two middle schoolers realize there’s trouble afoot, Morgan has betrayed their friendship, strange creatures are loose in the land, and the Stone is lost … perhaps forever. Can Morgan find a way to help those he loves?
About the Author:
Jim Ware is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary and is now a writer living in Colorado Springs. He is the author of several books, including the best-selling Finding God in the Lord of the Rings (with Kurt Bruner), as well as numerous books for children.
My Review:
Morgan Izaak is just like any other middler schooler, he is all caught up in life and enjoying his family, his friends and school and then the unthinkable happens. His mom who means the world to him is diagnosed with cancer. Morgan's main thought and drive at this point is to find a way to cure his mother's illness. To help with his experimenting he has set up a chemistry lab in the tower behind the church. He took the old chemistry things he had acquired and began this journey. Luck for him he had all he needed to get started because these things belonged to his dad, he has already passed away at this point or say they think.
His dad was researching the legendary Philosopher's Stone, when he mysteriously vanished. So little Morgan decided to continue the tradition of looking for a cure.
**Disclosure** This book was provided to me for free from the publisher.
May 2, 2011
The Stone of Destiny by Jim Ware
A sick Mom, an obsessed junior alchemist, wee people, giants and magic combine in a hunt for treasured stones.
Morgan Izaak is trying to follow in his father’s footsteps, striving to save his mother from dying. His friend, Eny, finds her self embroiled in her own mystic journey. The book ties together typical fantasy components with Christian overtones. I found it a bit confusing.
I didn’t get wrapped in the characters. I felt all the ingredients were there but they just didn’t captivate me. I don’t know if it is my mood or the book so take my lack of enthusiasm with a grain of salt. It is worth reading and even redeeming in some ways and most definitely faith affirming.
A sick Mom, an obsessed junior alchemist, wee people, giants and magic combine in a hunt for treasured stones.
Morgan Izaak is trying to follow in his father’s footsteps, striving to save his mother from dying. His friend, Eny, finds her self embroiled in her own mystic journey. The book ties together typical fantasy components with Christian overtones. I found it a bit confusing.
I didn’t get wrapped in the characters. I felt all the ingredients were there but they just didn’t captivate me. I don’t know if it is my mood or the book so take my lack of enthusiasm with a grain of salt. It is worth reading and even redeeming in some ways and most definitely faith affirming.
April 25, 2011
When Morgan Issak learns of his mother’s cancer he turns to magic instead of God. He decides to seek it out along with his best friend Eny. The problem is, the more he tries the worse trouble he creates. Maybe I liked the book because I like Irish legends. Maybe it was because Jim Ware was so good at his descriptions that he painted pictures in my mind. It was almost like watching a movie in the mind. The lessons of true friendship, especially the friendship God offers is not lost in this story. I enjoyed the book and know that fantasy lovers will like it as well. This is a book I will proudly put on my shelves at school.
July 21, 2011
Stone of Destiny is a fantasy adventure aimed at young adults, middle-schoolers to be precise. Hero Morgan Izaak is awkward and geeky. Heroine Eny is the epitome of a mixed-up emotional tween but with the spunk and determination of someone much older.
Eny disappears to an alternate reality of sorts, which ties in through her mom’s legendary storytelling. At times, however, it seemed like I was reading two different books and ended up skimming a fair portion in the middle.
Overall, I’d say this book is geared more toward boys, specifically those who have mad scientist leanings and a bent toward fantasy.
Eny disappears to an alternate reality of sorts, which ties in through her mom’s legendary storytelling. At times, however, it seemed like I was reading two different books and ended up skimming a fair portion in the middle.
Overall, I’d say this book is geared more toward boys, specifically those who have mad scientist leanings and a bent toward fantasy.
November 19, 2013
Probably one of the worst books I've read in a long time. The characters are not developed. it reads kind of like an acid trip (not that I've ever had one) and just when you think the book has reached its climax it is actually over...I was like "huh? you've got to be kidding me...that's the end??" I keep thinking, when I pick up my tablet to read, about these characters and that there is going to be more added to the story - but it is over... A big disappointment - because it could have been so much MORE.
August 28, 2016
Starts off decent and there is a lot here to like, but the ending is somewhat of a letdown. Also, more time needed to be spent on establishing the relationships between the various characters; there is a lot that is assumed rather than shown. Not a bad read but not a great one either. I liked a lot of the detail of Ware's world-building, but the world and the novel never quite come together as a satisfactory whole. Still, I've read far worse.
August 6, 2011
online book club week of Aug 1
August 4, 2014
The book was a little slow, but interesting enough to finish.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews