The Official Website of Fantasy Author Scot R. Stone

Professional Reviews for
The Snowtear Wars: Book 1--The Chimes of Yawrana by Scot R. Stone

Science Fiction with Heart~
by Austin Diaz - Summit Daily News Staff Writer July 29, 2004

DILLON, CO - The cover of "The Chimes of Yawrana" combines soft hues of red and pink to create a picture of a dragon perched atop a tower, with two avant garde warriors riding its back.

It's sure to make any science-fiction or fantasy fan salivate and make pretty much everyone else run.

Which is unfortunate.

The book centers around young bowman Oreus, who finds himself in the center of a century-old prophecy of Yawrana, a land Oreus just entered.

Oreus' coming brings deadly portents. To gain the trust of his newfound friends (and perhaps his new love), Oreus must make a treacherous journey.

The book has love, boozing, hand-to-hand combat, warrior races and dragons, or "draguls," as they're called.

Author Scot Stone obviously spent a lot of time developing his own world, complete with maps and different languages - something that will please fans of "Lord of the Rings."

Unlike many other books in the genre, "Chimes" does not allow itself to be bogged down by its other-worldliness or become dull with dry, monotone dialogue.

Every character is given a distinct personality and cadence in his or her speech, and though Stone creates a very mythic and surreal place, you can still understand the characters' plights.

Stone plans for "Chimes" to be the first in a series of an indefinite number of books, and he may be on to something - if you begin the series, it may be hard to stop.

Round Table Reviews - Review by Beverly Forehand

The following review was posted on 6/18/2004 (www.roundtablereviews.com).
Oreus Blake feels lucky to be part of the crew of the Star Gazer, a Zonack exploratory ship on a mission to seek out new worlds and explore new cultures. Young, kind-hearted, and unexperienced in sea-faring, Oreus counts his blessings that he was chosen to be part of the crew, and, as an orphan, to learn a trade on the high seas. The Star Gazer's crew is a mixed lot, most of whom ignore Oreus as the youngest and most expendable member of the crew. But, Oreus' lot in life is about to change. When the Star Gazer makes berth in Yawrana, a mystical and enchantingly beautiful land, Oreus become caught up in politics, romance, war, and an ancient prophecy which declares that the future of Yawrana lies in Oreus' hands. Naturally, Oreus is more than a little dubious as to the validity of this prophecy. How could the life and death of a kingdom--of the very land of Yawrana itself--be up to him?

Before he knows it, Oreus is up to his neck in political twists and turns and high adventure. When the Queen and several members of the Star Gazer's crew are poisoned, Oreus, along with Noran, the winsome prince of Yawrana, and a hand-picked bevy of the Prince's finest, set out to find the Snowtears, a mythical flower that can cure any ill. But, can they find it in time to save the Queen and Oreus' shipmates? Even if they do secure the flowers in time, there's still the question of an assassin on the loose and an impending war. To top it all off, Oreus falls head over heels for Prince Noran's beautiful sister, Ola--but what hope does a lowly sailor have to win the hand of a princess--prophecy or not?

THE CHIMES OF YAWRANA is a wonderful book full of plot twists, intriguing mysteries, compelling characters, heart-stopping near-misses, and even romance. The characters are likeable and very human. I found Oreus, who can be petulant at times, particularly believable. He gets angry and annoyed, but in the end, he proves himself a hero. This is very much a coming of age story for Oreus and for Prince Noran. There are many strong female characters in this story as well--something that is often missing from fantasy adventures. And, unlike many fantasy stories, the female leads, such as Baroness Jada, fight the good fight rather than wringing their hands or waiting for a convenient rescue. There are a lot of characters in this story, but Mr. Stone does an excellent job in bringing each one to life. There are heroes, villains, anti-heroes, and plenty of people who fall somewhere in between classifications. Even the villains of the story, the Lazul, have redeeming characteristics at times, which makes the story all the more believable and engrossing.

I was particularly captivated by Yawrana itself. This is a lush world, which Mr. Stone populates with a flora and fauna all its own. There is a comfort in the fact that the trees of Yawrana are, well, trees. But, they are also singularly the trees of Yawrana--the sequera. Likewise, the dragul are familiar enough that you can picture them clearly, but Mr. Stone has given them a unique twist--as he does with all the wildlife of Yawrana. Mr. Stone has created a verdant world that stays with the reader long after the story is complete, as well as characters that you truly come to care about. Part of the brilliance of this story is that the characters and the world of Yawrana are so interrelated. The true heroes of this story maintain the natural order, while the villains are those without regard for the environment. The snowtears, for example, can heal the sick, but they can also be used to unnaturally prolong life or even to reverse death. It is the decisions that Mr. Stone's characters make as to whether to use the environment for their own ends or for the greater good that define who they are and on which side of the war they stand.

This story is philosophical and mythic in its scope, but it's also a great adventure. Readers who love Tolkien and Terry Williams will be drawn into Stone's lavish world and Oreus' adventures. Fantasy and mystery fans alike would do well to curl up with this book. I couldn't bear to put it down! I'm looking forward to a sequel. Thanks, Mr. Stone, for this wonderful story.

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Midwest Book Review--

The Chimes of Yawrana, and novelist Scot Stone's abilities as a storyteller will leave the reader looking eagerly toward the next thrilling installment!

Summit Daily News - Colorado

New York Times Best Selling Fantasy Author T.A. Barron
(The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy,The Lost Years of Merlin epic) --

This is a grand, sweeping journey, full of adventure and intrigue, plus a rich array of characters. Once you enter Scot Stone's marvelous world, you'll return often and gladly.

Review for: The Snowtear Wars, Book 1 – The Chimes of Yawrana
Review by: The Beezer Review

Website: www.beezermn.laethyn.com

   The Chimes of Yawrana by Scot R. Stone is the first book in The Snowtear Wars. The second book is titled ‘The Ice Shadows of Arna’ and is available now, the third book titled ‘The Hollows of Candlewick’ will be released in early August, 2007. Mr. Stone is a relatively new name is the fantasy genre and a name that most fantasy fans may have never heard of before. Do not allow the unknown to cloud your judgment; with this book Mr. Stone adds a solid addition to the fantasy genre.

Being that this is the first novel of the series, readers can expect there to be a reasonable amount of world building. There is also an introduction of characters and races. However, at no time while I was reading this book did I feel overburdened by the amount of information being presented. The prose found in this novel reads like a conversation, in that it flows smoothly and is easy to understand. Mr. Stone does not throw excessive words around in a grandiose manner. It seems that every word is chosen for a reason and there is very little, if any, fluff in this novel.

   The plot of this novel is actually several plots woven together to create an engaging story. The first plot is that of a group of heroes who find themselves trekking across the land to find the fabled Snowtear that has mythical healing properties. There is also a companion plot of a pending war between the humans and a race known as the Lazuls. These two plot lines take up much of the novel, however, Mr. Stone still finds a way to weave in a couple of sub-plots as well just to keep things interesting. One of the sub-plots is that of the voyagers who appear in the land of Yawrana from across the sea and discovering just what motives they have for the trip. Another sub-plot is that of a plot to unseat the royal family and the methods used to both carry out the plot, as well as to discover who did it (and why). It is obvious from the start that Mr. Stone has poured a tremendous amount of energy into the plot, it’s tight, well thought out, and succinct. Every event that occurs has ramifications in several areas of the novel. This is certainly an engaging plot that I think main fantasy fans will enjoy.

   The characters of this book are equally as engaging. There is a wide array of characters within this novel. Mr. Stone does a good job of defining each character as their own entity by actions and dialog. There are characters that are obviously good guys, there are characters that are obviously bad guys, but more importantly, there are characters that are gray, which the reader is unsure which category they fall until key events occur. Characters such as Oreus, Noran and Rydor will surely endure themselves to most readers. I won’t get into other characters, because further discussion may lead to small plot spoilers and I would hate to spoil any part of this novel for anyone. I will leave it at this: almost every character in this book elicited some type of reaction from me, both positive and negative. That to me is a mark of good solid characters, and a definite positive of Mr. Stone’s work.

   I do have a minor criticism with the book. At times, the character Oreus seems to act in a too ‘adult’ fashion. He is a nineteen-year-old kid and some of his dialog and decisions didn’t seem to fit him at times. I realize there are nineteen-year-olds in the world who are very grown up and make adult decisions, bit it just seemed “off” to me at times.

   Overall this is a very good book. It’s a solid debut into the fantasy genre by Mr. Stone. I am looking to continuing on with the series. I think most fantasy fans will enjoy this book. It has much to offer. If you are looking for a book with political intrigue, this will sate your thirst. If you are looking for a book with large-scale battles, this book has what you are looking for. If you are looking for solid world building, with new creatures, races, etc., give this book a chance. I quite enjoyed reading this novel, and I can already imagine myself recommending this novel to other fantasy fans. This is one of those books I would encourage others to take a chance on. I don’t think you will be disappointed. I know I wasn’t.

The Compulsive Reader --www.compulsivereader.com

Reviewed by Molly Martin

A sequence of maps over and above a prologue offer the reader a bit of setting and understanding for what is to come. The Chimes of Yawrana: The Snowtear Wars is book 1 in Stones excellent fantasy series. Without overburdening the reader, The Snowtear Wars as the first in the series sets the scene for the works to follow: The book contains an introduction of characters, other inhabitants and world structuring in addition to the basic quest storyline.Oreus Blake was now in his 19th autumn, and, as time would prove it was going to be one that would always stand out in is memory. Visitors to the Western Slope, a towering pillar, a battle to determine a sentence, protection by Rydor – champion of Baron Tauron Milet; The Snowtear Wars begins with a rapid succession of events, and the pace never stops right down to the last chapter –A Prophecy Fulfilled- where we find Oreus honored with a title: Baron.Oreus, denizen from a distant land, is one of a small group of travelers entering the mystic realm of Yawrana as the book opens. Oreus and his seven companions are voyagers aboard the flying ship The Star Gazer. Soon after their appearance in Yawrana, a lethal sickness ensues among a number of the Yawranan Royal Court. Suspicion is rampant, and no one is spared its gaze.The reader follows Oreus and his travels as a foretelling involving one of the travelers is slowly revealed. If the Yawrana people are to save their dying queen and insure their own continuation; the empire will face the Lazul, a ferocious race of people who were alleged to be only a legend. The only known cure for her infirmity will be found contained in the inexhaustible medicinal powers of an ancient flower known as the Snowtear. Oreus must attain the confidence of the Yawranan people as they begin the quest to take back the cosseted snowtears. There will be peril and hazard facing them before the quest is finished. Before the conclusion the sovereign of Yawrana will be murdered. Doubts form and all parties present will fall under suspicion, including the voyagers themselves.A noteworthy divination is to be revealed in Yawrana: The Elders, seers of the land, warn of ruin and devastation as the two civilizations meet. Oreus is a bit surprised to learn HE is the key to the prophecy's conclusion.Stone has crafted a persuasive, captivating study sure to please readers of fantasy. Backdrops filled with element and detail draw the reader into the setting. Sequera trees, underground beings, the Shonitaurs, with eyes that change color depending on their moods, massive fire-breathing draguls, are only a portion of the imaginative flora and fauna found in the work. The story plot itself is absorbing. It is an entwining of numerous plotlines woven together to create an appealing chronicle. In one instance is an assembly of stalwarts will who set out to locate the mythic Snowtear. Another line hinges upon the imminent combat between humans and the Lazul. Sub-plots are inserted to add to reader interest. There is a conspiring to overthrow the royal family, the course of action for carrying out the stratagem, as well as determining why it is happening and who is responsible; figure heavily in the maneuver. The Voyagers arriving to Yawrana from across the sea must learn what the driving force behind their trip really is.Stone has created a spell binding tale filled with stratagem, mission, death, battle scenes, treachery, mistrust betrayal, voracity and courage as well as a nineteen year old man who arrives to fulfill a 4,000-year-old prophecy. Writing is well crafted, characters are believable to the genre, settings draw the reader into the action and the quest is compelling.