Review: A Cast of Stones (The Staff and the Sword #1) by Patrick W. Carr

My summary:
Errol has been hiding for the past several years, since he was fourteen, in a barrel of ale. He is the town drunk, but a nice one and willing to do lesser jobs so that he can buy his next drink. He isn't necessarily comfortable with his life. It is just as it is and what he must do to keep the memories away.

Then one day he takes a job, better paying then any he has ever had. He agrees to take a message from the church to the hermit who lives some way out of town. It is a difficult trail to the hermit's home and he is the only one who knows it well enough to get there quickly. He is also too poor for the bandits who sometimes dwell in the area to bother him. The message is supposedly very important, although he doesn't do it for the church who he has no love for. He takes the job for the gold and the ale he will buy with it. Little does he know that this job will set him on a course that will greatly change his life.

Once he delivers his message, after barely surviving the trail, he is found to have some talent. He is coerced to travel with the hermit and some other companions to the capital. No one has ever thought much of him, but as he journeys he finds that he was wrong about himself, most of all.

What I thought:
I loved it! I had heard some good things about it, but hadn't actually read any reviews, so I had no expectations going in. It reminded me a little of Lord of the Rings and Juliet Marillier's Bridei Chronicles.

I love it when authors really make me feel the story. This one had plenty of grit due to the time period and plot. It also had such an interesting group of characters and they each had some depth to them. We learn about the land, its history, government, and people as Errol does. I liked this because it wasn't information overload at the beginning. We're just immersed in the world and the story. I didn't feel like anything was easy. Everything that occurred that was amazing or turned out okay took time, work, and some luck. No one came out unscathed either. I did feel Errol was still a little too naive after a little while, like proclaiming his talent when he shouldn't, but overall I felt he was true to his background and age (19 at the end of the story), as well as never having being outside of his village.  The ending had a good resolution, but also set us up for the next book. I highly recommend it!

Content: Some innuendo.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication date: February 1, 2013 by Bethany House Publishers
Source: NetGalley
Rating:




 









Purchase from Amazon
Purchase from Book Depository



Disclosure: This review is of a book I was given for free by an author or publisher, or through NetGalley or Edelweiss. This in no way influences the opinions shared in my review. You may see my complete policy on the sidebar and on my policies page. This post also contains link(s) to an affiliate program. If you make a purchase of any type using this/these link(s) I receive a small kickback.