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Lodestone #5

Lodestone Book Five: The Conquered Shore

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Following a momentous journey across space, two groups of Helvenans are locked in a struggle for survival on the strange, virgin planet they have named Kelanni.

Their long journey over, the exiles from the planet Helvena must now carve out a new existence. But the stain of war still blights the two factions - the hubbers with their strict caste system, now enforced by the new, fearsome keltar in their flying cloaks, and the free community of rimmers. On an alien world beset by unknown dangers and complex life forms they must find a way to come together...or be destroyed.

"This is the fifth book in Mark Whiteway's beautifully crafted Lodestone series".

350 pages, ebook

First published November 20, 2013

4 people are currently reading
24 people want to read

About the author

Mark Whiteway

29 books50 followers
Mark Whiteway (1959- ) lives in rural West Sussex, England, near the former home of H G Wells. The Lodestone series of novels is built around the concept of negative matter-an extension of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity.

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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Profile Image for Siddharth Singh.
2 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2013
The fifth book of the Lodestone series – The Conquered Shore, blew me away completely. Having read all the previous books I was waiting for the book eagerly and the book didn’t disappointed me at all.
The book is loaded with a dose of twists and turns and intrigued to stick to the story until the very end. This book creates a whole new world explaining the origin of the Kelanni and also introduces new fearless characters, terrains, landscape and a new powerful enemy.
Whiteway’s warm, piquant characters flutter the heartstrings and capture the soul- for aliens, his superb balance between the grand imagination of the plot and subtly compelling character development is a continual joy, and most of all, in a sea of gritty, self-conscious pomposity, the Lodestone series is wonderfully unpretentious and charmingly sincere.
I highly recommend this book to all sci-fi nerds, sci-fi newbies, or anyone who just wants a great story excellently told. Even if you have not to read the previous books, you will still get the full impact. This book will affect all of your emotions and leave you wanting more.. .
My request the Author - there must be a Book Six and I can't wait to read it!
Profile Image for Mark Whiteway.
Author 29 books50 followers
November 27, 2013
Thw Conquered Shore builds on the previous books of the series, with a strong environmental theme and an exploration of some of the strange principles of quantum mechanics.
Profile Image for Arianne The Bookworm on the Loose.
124 reviews4 followers
November 27, 2013
The Conquered Shore is the fifth book from the Lodestone series. Author Mark Whiteway blew me away! He is absolutely genius. I actually read the first book (The Sea of Storms) before reading this one to better understand the characters and get familiar with the scenes. I was then transported to another dimension where I discovered a world with three suns shining up above, two of which rise from the west, and the other one is stationary. I discovered the world of Kelanni, the world where non humans exist. Kelanni people did not originate on this planet but they have travelled from a faraway world called Helvena.

Truth is, I have read a bunch of Sci-fi/thrillers before and the last one that really impressed me was the legendary Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Now, this! Yes, I am comparing the author Mark Whiteway to one of my favorite sci-fi genius because his works are at par with Heinlein. I am utterly astonished with these men because of their wild imagination and creative juices. I am jealous of their talent of creating a futuristic world, filled interplanetary devices and different races. I wish I could create worlds like them.

After the first book, which I actually couldn't put down, I found myself liking The Conquered Shore more. I felt like I was getting involved emotionally with Keris and the quirky hu-man, Alexander McCann. The author made the Kelanni native Keris more relatable as a human while Alex McCann was as always a delight to read. I also loved the other characters in the book, like Lokk, Aevan, Zemira, even the keltars, Glaisne, Torile and Ash.

Usually, when I read a book, it's either I forget about the characters and events right away, or I maintain them inside my head and dream about them. When these characters invade my sleep, it can only mean one thing: the book was highly effective and very engaging. And I felt this after dreaming about Alex and Keris. I would want to go with them in seeking out the Guardians of the Forest. In short, there must be a Book Six to watch out for and I can't wait to read it!

If you're in the mood to read some sci-fi, i highly suggest you read this one. Perfect for sci-fi fans like me. If you want to read a modern-day Robert A. Heinlein masterpiece, read Mark Whiteway's Lodestone series and be blown away!
Profile Image for Michelle Randall.
715 reviews21 followers
November 27, 2013
This book may be the fifth book in the series, but it is the first one that I have read. Normally, I hate to do that. I have this thing about reading books in order. It just happened that I got this book without knowing about the others until it was too late, so I went ahead and jumped in. Let me say this about that, you can do that. This book can easily stand on it’s own very well. I don’t think I missed anything by not reading the others first, although now I want to read them.

Science Fiction has always been a favorite genre of mine. It allows you to think of worlds so far away and so different. That is one of the things I loved the most about this book, the world that it created. This is the story of how the people that live on the planet now actually came to live on the planet and how the planet came to look the way it looks now. It hasn’t always been like this.

You meet Keris and McCann and they are searching for a stolen memory ball, or orb. You will really only see these characters and the now timeline, briefly in the beginning of the book to set up the story, a couple of times in the story and at the end of the story. The rest of the book is what they see in the memory ball of when the people first landed on the planet and what happened to make it what it is now.

I found myself understanding certain characters more than others. Being able to relate to them and wanting them to win out over others. It’s not a typical good vs evil, it is more can two cultures co-exist together on the same planet? I knew pretty quickly where I landed and it was easier to see the reasoning that one side put forth. The beauty of it is that you can take some of the bits of the final ten chapters and apply them to current life. Use them as teaching moments with your teens. I am always looking for books that I can do that with, and I will be able to do that with this one.

It is well-written. The dialogue and descriptions are not too wordy, but give you enough to allow you to picture it in your mind. I would recommend it to adults and teens alike. In fact I have already passed my copy on to my teenage son. This is a great book. If you like science fiction, or even if you think you might like reading about another planet, this is one you should go for.
Profile Image for Dini.
27 reviews24 followers
November 28, 2013
Though I’m not a big fan of science fiction, I enjoyed reading previous four books in Lodestone series. The 5th novel “The Conquered Shore” was one of the most anticipated novels for me this year and I was ever so happy to get an ARC of this to read and review.

Just like it was in the earlier books, the story telling is excellent. The first page is enough to intrigue the reader to stick to the story until the very end. The author has a rich vocabulary and he excels in using it appropriately. The events are well connected and have a smooth flow. The characters are unique and well developed and the plot twists make the story quite interesting.

The story is mostly about the adventures which happened longtime back and currently observed by Keris and McCann with the use of the sphere. It was much more exciting to get to know the origin of Kelanni and of course the mission ahead which Keris is responsible to complete. I appreciate the author for giving in details one by one at a moderate pace and get us absorbed to such a marvelously created new world. In this book, I couldn’t stop admiring Zemira for her courage. The character McCann also is quite amusing.

Even if you are new to the Lodestone series, this book would be as exciting as it was for me. But, I would suggest you to read the first four books so there won’t be any kind of confusions at all while reading this book. In fact it is always good to read from the first to fifth rather than reading the fifth one and then starting the series all over again.

Hats off to the author for gifting us yet another masterpiece! One of the best reads ever!
Profile Image for Cheri Roan .
115 reviews6 followers
November 27, 2013
In present day Kelanni the sphere seems to hold all the secrets of the past and the beginning of those who came from Helvena to this planet of Kelanni. “There’s something strange about the ecology of this world… very strange… ” as Zemira, Lokk and Treowe encounter the planet that has been named Kelanni for the first time. But all is not peaceful as they are not the only ones to arrive there are rimmers, naals, hubbers, castes and the Keltar and those are just from the planet Helvena as it seems enemies on Helvena have remained enemies and there is no way to return to their home planet. On the planet there are even more alien creatures Blood-letters, Valthar, Rime Slayers and more. But “the first ones” the Chandara the child-like, six legged shell creatures seem to be the most intelligent of all. But can Zemira and her group stop the others in time to save the “Great Tree” or will the trees, land and the Chandara all perish in the power struggle?

What an excellent sci-fi tale! Whiteway has a way with words that create outstanding word descriptions that leap off the page and come alive especially the forest, the land, the creatures and the “Great Tree”. But there seems to be so much more to this story with underlying teachings and philosophy that is so powerful and moving. The reader will greatly enjoy the interactions with the Chandara with lessons of calmness, beauty, with a desire to be accepted and to get along with others. An outstanding easy, read for those new to sci-fi and yet unique and entertaining for devout sci-fi fans that readers will want to read the whole series.

Profile Image for S.
330 reviews54 followers
November 30, 2013
Although I wasn't able to read all Lodestone series, I never felt lost at all. I was able to read
the first book, The Sea of Storms and enjoyed it despite my not really into the sci-fi or fantasy
genre. I wasn't able to read books 2, 3 and 4 but didn't feel lost when reading the 5th installment.
Admittedly, I had to go back to some parts in book 1 to fully grasp The Conquered Shore.
Reading the book in this manner is a rather rare case for me. I mean, reading book series not in a
chronological order is against my principles. That is why I recommend this books to be read in order
to fully appreciate it.

What I like about the fifth book is that it was able to supply the details not in an overwhelming
fashion. Whiteway may have tried to see it in his readers' perspectives while writing the book.
I think no one would like to be swarmed with too much details in every chapter.
The Conquered Shore was able to give a clearer picture of the Kelanni origin and the urgency and
significance of Keris's mission.

The setting(s) was my special favorite. Reading their outlined nature and characteristics was like
seeing it coming real before me.

The characters were all given their time to shine with their distinct qualities and personalities.
I like the dynamic characters of Keris and McCann and the admirable bravery of Zemira.

I've only read a few sci-fi-fantasy novels but this one really leaves its mark to me. So yes,
highly recommended for noobs like me.
Profile Image for Fouzia Khan.
4 reviews
November 27, 2013
"New dimension in Science Fiction World"

I love science fictions and this book – “The Conquered Shore”- is a really great stuff. The concept is absolutely unique and very well written. Quite an excellent book that is full of a ton of twists and mysteries, which drives me to turn the pages until I reached at the end. Not only that as a new reader of the Lodestone series, I never suffered from boredom while reading this fantastic story; not surprisingly, as soon as I had finished the book I felt an eagerness to read the earlier four books of this series. I have a vivid imagination when reading books so this one got me really excited. While the plot is brilliant, it is also fun in many ways. I enjoyed the book overall, even though each character was new to me. The author creates a whole new world explaining the origin of the Kelanni and introduces an intriguing new powerful enemy. It's worth reading and I will read the next book as well once it’s available.

If anyone has never read a book of science fiction or fantasy, then I would suggest his/her to get started with this one. I believe the novice readers won't be disappointed. I will read anything this author puts out. I also recommend this to anyone who likes classic science fictions.
Profile Image for Jovarie.
18 reviews
November 29, 2013
The Conquered Shore is the fifth entry in the Lodestone series and tells the continuing struggles of the Helvenans as they fight each other for dominance over the strange planet called Kelanni. This time, the ongoing conflict is set on a planet that is filled with mystery. The characters each have a different twist.
Each sub-plot inside the book slowly reveals to the ultimate thrust of the story. The fifth book expands on the four previous books as it deals with the themes of coming together and accepting differences during a crisis.

Mark Whiteway has what it takes to tell a compelling story of struggles within a world that is unknown and dangerous. The characters, though alien and mysterious, still resonate with readers. The humanity in each character is the ultimate driving force of the story as they struggle with their experiences in this strange world.
All in all the fifth book continues the trend that Mark Whiteway has in store for us readers of his Lodestone series. A compelling story of survival and bravery. Pick up the Lodestone series and put The Conquered Shore at the top of the list.
7 reviews4 followers
November 29, 2013
I really loved this book and its characters. I must admit after reading the first four books in the Lodestone series, I wondered if the author could make the fifth book better than the others. I was really surprised to read it and find the fifth book was just as interesting if not better than the first four books. Something strange happened to me while reading this book that has never happened to me before. I connected with a character and I knew what she would say and her actions in the book. I have never had that happen before, and I have read hundreds of books in my life. I am always mesmerized when I read one of the author’s books. While he gives us a glimpse of characters, it is up to our own imagination to try and create what each one looks like. I have always enjoyed that in each of the author’s stories. This book left me wanting to read more. I felt the same way with the first four books. I sincerely hope the author takes us on another journey soon. Excellent book and series.
Posted by Whispering Winds Book Reviews
1 review
December 23, 2013
A must read for fans of classically told science fiction books. As a huge fan of the previous books that Mark Whiteway has written in his series, I was very excited to hear about this installment. I was left very impressed with what the author has created here and glad that this series has not, like many, run out of steam.

I love any type of book that takes me away from this world and “Lodestone Book Five: The Conquered Shore” does just that. Reading this book reminds me of the fiction that made me fall in love with reading and the author's passion for the series shines through more than ever
.
It is often hard to find a science fiction book that has such amazing characters as well as all the attention to detail on the fantastic, beautiful world that is created as you read this piece of fiction.

The plot, though detailed and well thought out, never leaves you waiting to get to the good part as this whole book is an adventure in itself and one that I look forward to hearing and reading more from!
Profile Image for Ambrosia Sullivan.
327 reviews12 followers
June 28, 2014
In the fifth instalment of the Lodestone series the long journey from the exiles of planet Helvena is over. What happened during war however leaves a mark that still haunts everyone. The Hubbers still must follow their strict caste system that is now enforced by the keltar.

Just when you think a series can’t get any better it comes out of left field with the next instalment and shows you that it can indeed still get better. This book is full of the excellent writing I have come to expect in this series along with the plot lines and twists that keep your brain on high alert. I simply love that in the course of reading this book you can’t take time to get passive about the story. If you get passive you may miss something and in all the action and complex plot you don’t want to miss something. Not a single moment. This is science fiction at its best
Profile Image for Nastassia Leslie.
6 reviews11 followers
December 4, 2013
I've read the other books in this trilogy, and for the first time, I've enjoyed science fiction. The Lodestone Series is like the future and past combined. I also loved the terminologies used by the author. The story just keeps you going and going and honestly, I sometimes find myself thinking what would I do if I were a character in the book. The lessons in the book is also applicable to reality, and not just for kids and teens, the adults as well.

Mark Whiteway's writing style is brilliant! I've found the story worded perfectly, and it easily plays into my imagination.

If you're adventurous (when it comes to reading books) like me, I suggest you get a copy of this book (and the other parts as well).
Author 1 book3 followers
December 3, 2013
I received an ARC from the author, unsure of what I was getting into. I had no idea that this was the fifth book in a series; it could be a standalone novel, but I will be going back to read the other four books because I can't get enough!
Now right off the bat, I'm going to say that I don't usually read Sci-Fi, but was pleasantly surprised by this book! The author's worldbuilding is incredible and his characters are realistic and three-dimensional. There were twists that kept me surprised and guessing until the very end. This is a very good read!
Profile Image for Sarah Mcgovern-valero.
1 review1 follower
December 3, 2013
Finally more to the story, I have been waiting for the next book. Finally, it’s available. It seems that the story is even more captivating now than in the beginning. This book is a true work of art, and I have read every book in the series. I couldn’t put the book down. I am a true fan of Mark Whiteway. I would read any of his books, rather in this series or not. The stories are well developed, and well written. I love the Kelani Characters; they remind me a bit of the Aliens on the movie Avatar. The whole series is a must read in my opinion.
Profile Image for Howell Crisostomo.
3 reviews
November 27, 2013
An amazing science fiction epic that brought me to a new dimension. Each chapter leaves you hanging and wondering what is going to happen next. This book which is the fifth in the Lodestone series is a fascinating story. The series is a must read for those who hunger for good science fiction. The author uses elements perfectly to produce an intriguing and fascinating plot. I would recommend this book and definitely wait for the next works of this author. Two thumbs up!
1 review
November 27, 2013
I just can't imagine this book really excites me while reading, especially when the Helvanans struggle much in their journey.
I like the flow of the story. The author's direction and the imagination was a gargantuan.This book for all, if you are going to read this book, I assure you will never be disappointed.

This is an exciting Sci-fi story.
Profile Image for Patience Adella.
71 reviews15 followers
February 21, 2015
I thought this installment was much slower than previous in the series. It felt like a bridge between the previous book and the next one to come, as if it didn't need to be it's own book but rather the second half of the last one. I'm still excited about the story and can't wait to read the next installment.
36 reviews5 followers
March 8, 2014
Nice continuation to the series

The story flows well once we start viewing the disks. Nice look into the past of Keris's people. Can't wait to see how this storyline plays out.
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