| Professional Reviews for Book 3, The Hollows of Candlewick by Scot R. Stone |
| Review by: The Beezer Review
Website: www.beezermn.laethyn.com "The Hollows of Candlewick" by Scot R. Stone is the third book in The Snowtear Wars. The first book is titled "The Chimes of Yawrana" (The Snowtear Wars) and the second is titled "The Ice Shadows of Arna" (The Snowtear Wars, Book 2). With this third installment of this saga, Mr. Stone proves he is no longer a new fantasy author. Rather, he shows that he has firmly planted himself as a name to be read within the fantasy genre. Other fantasy authors should take note of Mr. Stone and understand they can no longer be complacent with the stories they write. While Mr. Stone may be a lesser known author, it is by no means a correlation to the quality of tale he can spin. The plot of this story is actually several plots interwoven together to create a grand tale. The main story arc is that of the threat to Castle Candlewick by a familiar face. However, there are also several sub-plots as well. Things such as new visitors that appear on the shores of Yawrana, a mysterious beast roaming the countryside destroying herds of cattle as well as people, and once-loyal subjects suddenly turning their allegiance to threaten the crown. The previously mentioned sub-plots are the only ones listed on the book's jacket. There are also a few more present within the pages that I will not spoil for readers. Rest assured if you are a fan of a deeply involved, richly detailed plot, then you will surely appreciate the effort put forth in this book. With this, the third book in the series, Mr. Stone has proven that not only can he write wonderful books, but he has also shown an ability to control the story. At no time did I feel as though the story was becoming too big. It always felt as though the main story line was solidly grounded. He has also shown that he can write a story that can transcend several books. This is another solid addition to The Snowtear Wars without a doubt. The characters in this book are largely the same cast as the first two books. Of course, there are always additions when a new book comes along, yet most remain in this novel. Characters such as Oreus Blake, King Noran, Boris, Rydor, Jada, Heirikech and many more. As with the previous two books, the characters in this novel are all unique. They each talk with their own unique voice and have their own actions and motivations as well. It seems common in today's fantasy genre that books either have a good story and flat characters, or good characters and a flat story. That is not the case with this novel. The combination of a solid story and very good characters makes this novel an even more enjoyable read. The thing I appreciate most about the characters in this novel is that the good guys don't always win. They do suffer, and some even die. All too often fantasy characters survive even when the situations they face are beyond dire. Not so in this novel, and series. The `good guys' do suffer and their loved ones do get hurt. It makes the entire novel feel more real. Personally, I appreciate that quite a bit. Unlike the second book, there is no portion of this novel that feels sluggish or slow. Rather, the entire pace of this novel is almost perfect. That speaks a great deal of Mr. Stone's development as a writer. Reading the first three books so closely together, I can definitely see the growth of Mr. Stone. The only criticism I have with this novel, aside from not having ~ ~ ~ between perspective shifts, is that there were a couple of times in the novel where I almost felt that the villain, Heirikech, was too powerful. Yet, once I finished, it seemed to fit pretty well. Taken as a whole, this is a very solid fantasy book. However, taken as a series it is much more impressive. Mr. Stone has remained consistent with characters/ plot lines. As a reader, it's nice to have that continuity in a series. As I said above, I have been very impressed at the growth of Mr. Stone's writing throughout these past three novels. I am excited to see what the next two books will bring. The fourth book is titled "The Mirrors of Methalis" and is scheduled for release in December, 2008, which right now seems like a very long time away. If you are a fan of the fantasy genre, even a little bit, I would strongly suggest tracking down this series. There are elements in it that I believe everyone will enjoy. It is my belief that this series will mark the start of a very successful career for Mr. Stone. |
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