What do you think?
Rate this book
Century #2
Kamienna Gwiazda
Nowy York pogrążony w chłodzie. Harvey, Mistral, Elektra i Sheng znajdują się w holu hotelu Mandarin Oriental, znów razem. Siedzą przy stoliku z boku, przed olbrzymim oknem wychodzącym na Central Park. Mają ze sobą starą drewnianą mapę znalezioną w Rzymie. Każdy ściska w ręku starego drewnianego bączka. Są gotowi. Tylko w ten sposób mogą poznać tajemnicę i zdecydować co robić... Próbować odkryć, dlaczego zły właściciel Lucufera ich prześladuje? Odzyskać piąty bączek, który skradziono na ich oczach? A może zrobić rzecz najtrudniejszą ? odnaleźć Kamienną Gwiazdę? Widzą jednak, że muszą się spieszyć. I że nie mogą się już wycofać...
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 20, 2007
16 people are currently reading
596 people want to read
About the author
Pierdomenico Baccalario
464 books461 followersP.D. BACCALARIO was born in Acqui Terme, a beautiful little town in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. He grew up in the middle of the woods with his three dogs and his black bicycle. He loves seeing new places and discovering new lifestyles, although, in the end, he always returns to the comfort of familiar ones.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
June 7, 2016
this book series is claimed to be the "Da Vinci Code for kids". I think I agree with this and I enjoyed their adventure very much. It's in the same style like the 39 clues, though I think riddles are easier to be solved and they come to light due to logical conclusions, not by memorising myths, books and so on.
Four kids are trying to solve the mystery of Century, following every clue they find, not knowing the whole picture yet. The whole city is the map they try reach out where to go and what to find next. New York is the stop of this book, the city of stone and earth, following Rome, which was the city of fire. In the last chapter of the book we are aware that Paris is the next stop, the city of the wind.
I think I enjoyed Rome better, but this adventure is no bad at all.
Four kids are trying to solve the mystery of Century, following every clue they find, not knowing the whole picture yet. The whole city is the map they try reach out where to go and what to find next. New York is the stop of this book, the city of stone and earth, following Rome, which was the city of fire. In the last chapter of the book we are aware that Paris is the next stop, the city of the wind.
I think I enjoyed Rome better, but this adventure is no bad at all.
December 27, 2014
In the sequel of Ring of Fire, Pierdomenico Baccalario brings his readers to New York city. The four kids: Elettra, Harvey, Mistral, and Sheng continue their mission to discover the secret of the Century. This book is slightly better than the first one. Baccalario reveals more in this book. Since there are so many uncovered mysteries in the first book, the part when the children discuss about that made me curious and amazed. He is a smart author. He could make riddles and clues that revealed at a proper place, at a proper time. But one thing that make me sick of reading this book is... his style. This book, indeed, a translation (the original novel written in Italian), so perhaps this is the source of all the weird sentences. I don't know. There are also many details that hard to remember. This is - probably - the problem of mine. Too much detail that mentioned make me confused when he mentioned it again on other page. It feels like this: You know WHAT was mentioned but you don't know anything about IT. Many times I tried to recall my memories, I re-read the previous pages, but I couldn't find the page I want. The page that mentioned IT before. So I suggest you to prepare your brain before reading this book.
Talk about brain, this book indeed needs your brain or else, you won't enjoy it. This is about secrets and mysteries like Dan Brown's books, but it contains a little actions and thhriller. The actions in the second book is better than the first. Ring of Fire has no action at all. But here, P.D. B. presents a very good climax and resolution. The end made me keep sitting and reading until I reached the best part. Yeah that was fun. In the second book, he also presents a LOVE story. Okay.. that was between Harvey and Elettra. They're in love. It's strange to read about thirteen y.o kids falling in love... and kissing. How come a young people like them did that -__- Okay.. out of track. My point is, the love scene is not really entertaining. I hope it would be like Sadie and Anubis' love story in kane Chronicles but no... I don't really like that. It reminds me of something I experienced... Privacy :)
The character is more lovely though. I like the kids. They're smarter and... more mature. This book ends with a cliffhanger of course... and it tells us that the next journey will be in Paris. I can't wait to read the third book "City of Wind" but I don't know where to get it. If you know any information about it, please contact me :D
Talk about brain, this book indeed needs your brain or else, you won't enjoy it. This is about secrets and mysteries like Dan Brown's books, but it contains a little actions and thhriller. The actions in the second book is better than the first. Ring of Fire has no action at all. But here, P.D. B. presents a very good climax and resolution. The end made me keep sitting and reading until I reached the best part. Yeah that was fun. In the second book, he also presents a LOVE story. Okay.. that was between Harvey and Elettra. They're in love. It's strange to read about thirteen y.o kids falling in love... and kissing. How come a young people like them did that -__- Okay.. out of track. My point is, the love scene is not really entertaining. I hope it would be like Sadie and Anubis' love story in kane Chronicles but no... I don't really like that. It reminds me of something I experienced... Privacy :)
The character is more lovely though. I like the kids. They're smarter and... more mature. This book ends with a cliffhanger of course... and it tells us that the next journey will be in Paris. I can't wait to read the third book "City of Wind" but I don't know where to get it. If you know any information about it, please contact me :D
February 5, 2022
The mystery itself is rather interesting, though it’s not something I feel like thirteen year olds are capable of solving that quickly.
Also, Chapter thirteen pissed me off.
There was absolutely no chemistry, no buildup, I couldn’t have told you they were even closer than the others let alone that they “knew from the first time they saw each other that they liked each other?” Also what was the point of throwing that in there? (I’m leaving out names because spoilers)
Also, the sentence, Harvey’s hand is as big and strong as a boxers glove. Is just weird. Like, why does a 13 year old have massive hands?
I’m concerned. He’s thirteen. Still growing, I know kids grow at different rates but I don’t know anyone alive with hands that large an I don’t think he’s anywhere near done growing, Is he going to be a literal 14 foot giant?
Also hate the girl says that kissing -blank- made her feel “Incredibly pretty” and “wanted?” What. WhAt.
someone tell me how this makes any sense.
Overall, I don’t really care for the characters. I like the story but wish it was more mystery and less magic and or “prophecy” I don’t really care for the writing style either. The way this author does Descriptions and quotes aren’t something I would choose to remember or actually look at and go, wow, that’s a cool way of looking at/writing it.
Also, Chapter thirteen pissed me off.
There was absolutely no chemistry, no buildup, I couldn’t have told you they were even closer than the others let alone that they “knew from the first time they saw each other that they liked each other?” Also what was the point of throwing that in there? (I’m leaving out names because spoilers)
Also, the sentence, Harvey’s hand is as big and strong as a boxers glove. Is just weird. Like, why does a 13 year old have massive hands?
I’m concerned. He’s thirteen. Still growing, I know kids grow at different rates but I don’t know anyone alive with hands that large an I don’t think he’s anywhere near done growing, Is he going to be a literal 14 foot giant?
Also hate the girl says that kissing -blank- made her feel “Incredibly pretty” and “wanted?” What. WhAt.
someone tell me how this makes any sense.
Overall, I don’t really care for the characters. I like the story but wish it was more mystery and less magic and or “prophecy” I don’t really care for the writing style either. The way this author does Descriptions and quotes aren’t something I would choose to remember or actually look at and go, wow, that’s a cool way of looking at/writing it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2010
I find it hard to believe that four 13 year olds can solve the clues put forth in the book when I (at 28) have trouble following the logic. But that being said, an enjoyable read.
If this type of book is what interests you, an easier to read and follow alternative would be the 39 clues series.
If this type of book is what interests you, an easier to read and follow alternative would be the 39 clues series.
June 23, 2019
The writing is so delicious to read :p
April 28, 2022
Enchanted #BooklyReadathon
August 8, 2022
4.85/10
Całkiem przyjemnie się czytało<3
Całkiem przyjemnie się czytało<3
April 18, 2024
Ik vond hem beter dan het eerste deel. De 4 kinderen hebben weer veel avonturen beleefd😉
March 24, 2015
I’ve always thought that the only thing sadder than a really bad book is a really bad book with the potential to be a really good book. So it is with Star of Stone, the second book in the incalculably off the wall Century Quartet. There are parts of this book that almost make me weep with their sheer perfection. If only I could say the same for most of the novel. Star of Stone is, with a few extremely notable exceptions, an incoherent, rambling, ridiculous mess.
It’s kind of sad, really, because Baccalario is a pretty good writer normally. I’m not sure what prompted him to falter so much, but falter he does. The book drags on without many answers, as our heroes go from place to place in New York, dodging danger, in the pursuit of…what, precisely? It’s clear that the hunt that the children are on is important, but it’s really ambiguous what makes is so important. Vague pronouncements of doom if they fail are made, but I’d prefer more of a motivation for my protagonists, especially with how many ridiculous stunts they conduct.
Although this sounds paradoxical, Star of Stone is made especially bad by the occasional bits and pieces of beauty embedded in the text, because it gives us a taste of how this book could be. There are pieces of prose in this novel that I will never forget, especially the ritual ceremony conducted by the Seneca tribe. I also admire the way that Baccalario describes New York, a city that I have a love/hate relationship with for reasons that are too complicated to describe here. Baccalario generally has a good understanding of setting, and I felt like New York was a three dimensional character.
Which is more than I can say for the villain of this novel. I’ve always thought that antagonists should be just as three dimensional as heroes. True villains, I have always felt, should be motivated by either ideals, power, or insanity, or any combination of the above. It’s difficult to say exactly what the villain of this piece, Egon Nose, is motivated by, but it might be a desire to be as much of a caricature as possible. Even the most clichéd of cartoon villains have more depth and sophistication than Nose. I never thought that he was very intimidating, and I never doubted the protagonists would triumph against him.
Should you read Star of Stone? Probably not, but it might be helpful if you intend to read the rest of this series, which you should. City of Wind and Dragon of Seas are amazing books, and Baccalario’s writing style seems more suited to telling those stories. But, for me, the stink of failure is too overwhelming to return to this book.
It’s kind of sad, really, because Baccalario is a pretty good writer normally. I’m not sure what prompted him to falter so much, but falter he does. The book drags on without many answers, as our heroes go from place to place in New York, dodging danger, in the pursuit of…what, precisely? It’s clear that the hunt that the children are on is important, but it’s really ambiguous what makes is so important. Vague pronouncements of doom if they fail are made, but I’d prefer more of a motivation for my protagonists, especially with how many ridiculous stunts they conduct.
Although this sounds paradoxical, Star of Stone is made especially bad by the occasional bits and pieces of beauty embedded in the text, because it gives us a taste of how this book could be. There are pieces of prose in this novel that I will never forget, especially the ritual ceremony conducted by the Seneca tribe. I also admire the way that Baccalario describes New York, a city that I have a love/hate relationship with for reasons that are too complicated to describe here. Baccalario generally has a good understanding of setting, and I felt like New York was a three dimensional character.
Which is more than I can say for the villain of this novel. I’ve always thought that antagonists should be just as three dimensional as heroes. True villains, I have always felt, should be motivated by either ideals, power, or insanity, or any combination of the above. It’s difficult to say exactly what the villain of this piece, Egon Nose, is motivated by, but it might be a desire to be as much of a caricature as possible. Even the most clichéd of cartoon villains have more depth and sophistication than Nose. I never thought that he was very intimidating, and I never doubted the protagonists would triumph against him.
Should you read Star of Stone? Probably not, but it might be helpful if you intend to read the rest of this series, which you should. City of Wind and Dragon of Seas are amazing books, and Baccalario’s writing style seems more suited to telling those stories. But, for me, the stink of failure is too overwhelming to return to this book.
February 14, 2011
Harvey, Elettra, Mistral, and Sheng from Century 1: The Ring of Fire are reunited, this time in New York, as they work to solve the mystery of the Star of Stone. Harvey and how his family is coping with the loss of his brother, are the focus of this outing. There are new bad guys, more mysterious notes, and cryptic conversations as the kids works towards a solution.
It might be worthwhile to wait until all the books are out before reading any of them as there are a lot of details to remember in these plot-driven mysteries. Knowledge of the previous book is essential to understanding this title.
It might be worthwhile to wait until all the books are out before reading any of them as there are a lot of details to remember in these plot-driven mysteries. Knowledge of the previous book is essential to understanding this title.
November 1, 2015
The Century Quartet: Star of Stone was pretty good. I enjoyed the storyline, the new twists in the plot, and how the author saves some surprises for the reader throughout the whole book. There is going to be a next book though, right? I really want to know what happens to Mistral, Elettra, Sheng, and Harvey!
December 9, 2010
I really liked this book and how the story sifts itself together It was different following the boy Harvey Miller as the main character, but thoroughly enjoyed the ride and twist of the story. All in all definitely a book I would recommend.
November 8, 2010
Second in the Century Quartet series I felt there was much more action and intrigue in this book. The four children meet again in NYC to look for the next clue in understanding how the professor's tops and map work, why they were all chosen and what the Star of Stone is.
March 9, 2011
This book is pretty good. I like how the book has a new but similar adventure that seems fresh. It's kinda cool to think that a place like New York City can be used as a place for this book, with pictues that is "evidence." I would read this again. ☺
December 4, 2011
It was very interesting compared to the first book. well they were bothe interesting. The four kids find themselves facing another hard mysteries while getting a bit sidetract. if you like this book i would recomend the uyless moore series by the same author.
April 8, 2017
An amazing second to the first of the "Century" series. It kept me on my toes the whole time wondering what the clues meant and how high speed chases were going to turn out. As said before just an amazing job on Mr. Baccalario's part just overall a must read for all adventure/mystery lovers!
January 27, 2013
More predictable than the last one. I have a really hard time believing that the main characters are 12. They should be much older, like mid- to late-teens. I'm in love with Ermete though!
April 20, 2015
Ready to start reading the third!
June 19, 2020
This book was a gem from the very beginning. I read the first novel in the series a while back and went into this one with very faint memories of it. But Baccalario makes sure to remind you of the details that matter. I wasn't lost in the book and it didn't take me long to get into it.
The mystery aspect of it is thrilling - no surprise there. I really enjoyed the adventures of Harvey, Elettra, Mistral and Sheng around New York. It takes a lot to create a mystery that is clear to read yet purposefully confusing and hard to figure out. Add to this the great comedy and romantic subplot...
But the book is not short of serious scenes. It deals with grief and danger in a way that seems extremely realistic.
If you are interested in discovering the world of the Century Quartet - a mysterious agreement that has existed for centuries - and go along on a journey with the four diverse main characters (and Hermes) as they run from clue to clue then give this book a try.
Five stars from me.
The mystery aspect of it is thrilling - no surprise there. I really enjoyed the adventures of Harvey, Elettra, Mistral and Sheng around New York. It takes a lot to create a mystery that is clear to read yet purposefully confusing and hard to figure out. Add to this the great comedy and romantic subplot...
But the book is not short of serious scenes. It deals with grief and danger in a way that seems extremely realistic.
If you are interested in discovering the world of the Century Quartet - a mysterious agreement that has existed for centuries - and go along on a journey with the four diverse main characters (and Hermes) as they run from clue to clue then give this book a try.
Five stars from me.
May 28, 2017
L'avventura dei 4 ragazzi scelti per qualcosa che è ancora misterioso,si sposta a New York,patria di Harvey Miller che stenta a credere nel suo potere. La mappa resta sempre incompresa,ci sono nuovi indizi ed enigmi da risolvere e,nella parte finale del libro,qualcosa si può intuire sullo scopo della missione.
Questa volta si è venuta a creare un po' di confusione su quale dei 4 giovani avesse in mano la scena,ma la curiosità di sapere mi porta a proseguire. Quindi via a Parigi che io amo,la patria dell'altra ragazzina,Mistral.
Questa volta si è venuta a creare un po' di confusione su quale dei 4 giovani avesse in mano la scena,ma la curiosità di sapere mi porta a proseguire. Quindi via a Parigi che io amo,la patria dell'altra ragazzina,Mistral.
April 8, 2020
This book was not as good as the first one and, for my taste, focused too much on a relationship that I felt had no chemistry. Adding to that, the story in this installment dragged on for a while in the middle.
But the beginning and the end were genuinely strong, so I still liked this book, just not as much as the first one.
But the beginning and the end were genuinely strong, so I still liked this book, just not as much as the first one.
Read
December 19, 2020I actually haven't read it, idk why Goodreads thinks I have. I just wanted to ask: where can I get it on English? I have read the first one on my language, but they are not going to translate the second one. If anyone knows, please tell me😁
November 26, 2017
This book is amazing as the first one! In this book P.B reveals us Harvey's and Electra's love!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2017
Its a good book and lots of mystery.
July 14, 2018
a reread.
March 25, 2020
*3,5*
September 23, 2020
I loved this book even more than the first one! Best in the series in my opinion.
October 31, 2022
2.5⭐️
Ik voelde me niet echt verbonden met dit verhaal. Ik kan er niet echt meer over zeggen
Ik voelde me niet echt verbonden met dit verhaal. Ik kan er niet echt meer over zeggen
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews