What do you think?
Rate this book
Mirror of Stone
On a frontier moon, Eleanor stumbles into a long-buried conspiracy and must go on the run to survive. Caught between a government of lies and an unknown alien world, is there anyone she can trust? "A bright, original voice in young adult fiction." - Walter Jon Williams, Nebula winning author of Hardwired and This is Not a Game. A believably crafted alternate world populated by dramatic and refreshing characters brings intensity to this sci-fi journey. - Foreword Magazine
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 25, 2014
1 person is currently reading
21 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 3, 2017
Mirror of Stone, an exciting and refreshing science-fiction novel for adults and young adults, takes readers on an adventure of heroism and treachery, political intrigue, alien civilization, and page-turning plot twists.
Protagonist Eleanor Weber is part Cinderella and part Luke Skywalker, trapped under the thumb of a nasty and abusive Aunt Susan, who has assumed control of her family’s tavern/inn. Eleanor chafes under her table-waiting life on a dreary mining colony on her world of Travbon, while her broken and hopeless father drinks himself to death.
Eleanor longs for escape, but how? Where? Navy enlistment is over for the year, and she can’t return the passion held for her by Doug, the hometown boy who longs for her to wed him. Then comes the strange old miner who dies under her kind care at the inn and leaves behind an odd video player with scenes of a city of jeweled spires and its inhabitants—peculiar people with elongated forms and hidden faces.
So begins a story that puts Eleanor into conflict with dangerous and corrupt government powers and into a world of alien beings—themselves dealing with lies and conspiracies among their leaders. A twisting plot takes Eleanor to places she could never have imagined, and unlocks talents and bravery she has never known lie hidden inside her. But will they be enough for her ultimate task—to stop a brooding planetary war that could destroy humanity?
Much of the joy in Mirror of Stone comes from following the development Eleanor from a fearful girl to a brave and brilliant young woman, with a cleverness that reminds me of Miles Vorkosigan in Lois McMaster Bujold’s Miles terrific Vorkosigan Saga.
Author Corie J. Weaver’s writing reminds me not only of Bujold but also of the classic science fiction I grew up with, from Asimov to Zelazny. I don’t know whether there’s a sequel possible to Mirror of Stone, but I would love to read more in the same vein.
Protagonist Eleanor Weber is part Cinderella and part Luke Skywalker, trapped under the thumb of a nasty and abusive Aunt Susan, who has assumed control of her family’s tavern/inn. Eleanor chafes under her table-waiting life on a dreary mining colony on her world of Travbon, while her broken and hopeless father drinks himself to death.
Eleanor longs for escape, but how? Where? Navy enlistment is over for the year, and she can’t return the passion held for her by Doug, the hometown boy who longs for her to wed him. Then comes the strange old miner who dies under her kind care at the inn and leaves behind an odd video player with scenes of a city of jeweled spires and its inhabitants—peculiar people with elongated forms and hidden faces.
So begins a story that puts Eleanor into conflict with dangerous and corrupt government powers and into a world of alien beings—themselves dealing with lies and conspiracies among their leaders. A twisting plot takes Eleanor to places she could never have imagined, and unlocks talents and bravery she has never known lie hidden inside her. But will they be enough for her ultimate task—to stop a brooding planetary war that could destroy humanity?
Much of the joy in Mirror of Stone comes from following the development Eleanor from a fearful girl to a brave and brilliant young woman, with a cleverness that reminds me of Miles Vorkosigan in Lois McMaster Bujold’s Miles terrific Vorkosigan Saga.
Author Corie J. Weaver’s writing reminds me not only of Bujold but also of the classic science fiction I grew up with, from Asimov to Zelazny. I don’t know whether there’s a sequel possible to Mirror of Stone, but I would love to read more in the same vein.
April 9, 2022
Surprise book found at the thrift store. Great story, interesting aliens that are reastic, add government intrigue and fantastic characters. Make time to read this.
January 4, 2016
http://maniparna5002.wordpress.com/
Mirror Of Stone by Corie J. Weaver is placed very rightly in the popular sci-fi /dystopian genre . The author has taken us to a time in future when human civilization has extended beyond the planet earth . But the nature of exploitation and differences among the various strata of the society somewhat remain the same. The story starts in the backdrop of a colony moon Travbon which is treated by the Planer Claro just in the same way as a greater empire treats her offshoot colonies .
The protagonist of the story sixteen-year-old Eleanor Weber finds it hard to deal with life after the death of her mother . Her father finds his recluse in alcohol and her dominating aunt Susan begins to reign over their family inn making her life exacerbating . One day when an unknown prospector dies a natural death in their inn she finds a strange device among other stuffs which he left behind. The device dazzles her mind with a live recording , a video of some unknown place , colorful and bright , marked by the presence of some masked creatures. One day , when a strange woman arrives the inn and her aunt connives with her threatening Eleanor to take everything away from her , she settles her mind to find out the city which she had seen in that device and one night starts her journey toward a destination of which she has little clue.
Eleanor Weber ,once outside the shelter of her inn , begins to realize the harshness of the world outside . Moreover a false charge of theft is reported against her by Susan and eventually she finds a Guardsman , Adam Cole , chasing her frantically . In order to escape she jumps into a river but is rescued by a group of prospectors . She starts her journey again under strange circumstances with Adam Cole trailing her way . By some unexpected turn of incidents she finds her way to the desired city , Ladril , where aliens or Tamkers reside.
The story doesn't stops here , rather , it starts to bifurcate from this point. One branch dealing with Eleanor's findings and adventures in Ladril , and the other with Adam Cole , his grandfather Jake and the Claro government headed by the power-hungry woman Olympia Norris .
The story is actually a dissection of social and political structures of modern times. The way our leaders , in order to fulfill their own pride and interest , put the prosperity and wellness of common men at stake , has been cautiously delineated . The mentioned lady , Olympia , remains insouciant even at the threat of a civil war and takes it as a casual loss when a whole lot of soldiers die in a war which she camouflages just to turn the civilians' eyes away from something more sinister.
There are several sub-plots which run parallel to the main . I think the story sometimes gets stuck due to the introduction of so many incidents happening simultaneously . As we find in any sci-fi the names of places and persons are out-of-the-world , literally , and so it's difficult to keep track of so many of them . There are certain issues which remain unexplained at the end as what happens to Eleanor's aunt and father or to the owner of the farmhouse Laura and her family . I couldn't understand why Laura killed her brother , no concrete reason or confession is there.
The story seems dragging too at the end. It could have shed a few extra pages to get a trimmed look .
However , it's a story which I think the young readers will like . It has a message too , the message of peace which our younger generation needs to understand. The language is lucid and simple . The characters are well-built with different shades and dimensions. I liked the description of the Tamkeris and their ways of life. Especially the concept that they are not capable of changing their facial expressions according to their emotions but the changing of mood is figured by their fingers .
I recommend it for all readers , more for those who are fond of Y/A science fictions and fantasies.
Mirror Of Stone by Corie J. Weaver is placed very rightly in the popular sci-fi /dystopian genre . The author has taken us to a time in future when human civilization has extended beyond the planet earth . But the nature of exploitation and differences among the various strata of the society somewhat remain the same. The story starts in the backdrop of a colony moon Travbon which is treated by the Planer Claro just in the same way as a greater empire treats her offshoot colonies .
The protagonist of the story sixteen-year-old Eleanor Weber finds it hard to deal with life after the death of her mother . Her father finds his recluse in alcohol and her dominating aunt Susan begins to reign over their family inn making her life exacerbating . One day when an unknown prospector dies a natural death in their inn she finds a strange device among other stuffs which he left behind. The device dazzles her mind with a live recording , a video of some unknown place , colorful and bright , marked by the presence of some masked creatures. One day , when a strange woman arrives the inn and her aunt connives with her threatening Eleanor to take everything away from her , she settles her mind to find out the city which she had seen in that device and one night starts her journey toward a destination of which she has little clue.
Eleanor Weber ,once outside the shelter of her inn , begins to realize the harshness of the world outside . Moreover a false charge of theft is reported against her by Susan and eventually she finds a Guardsman , Adam Cole , chasing her frantically . In order to escape she jumps into a river but is rescued by a group of prospectors . She starts her journey again under strange circumstances with Adam Cole trailing her way . By some unexpected turn of incidents she finds her way to the desired city , Ladril , where aliens or Tamkers reside.
The story doesn't stops here , rather , it starts to bifurcate from this point. One branch dealing with Eleanor's findings and adventures in Ladril , and the other with Adam Cole , his grandfather Jake and the Claro government headed by the power-hungry woman Olympia Norris .
The story is actually a dissection of social and political structures of modern times. The way our leaders , in order to fulfill their own pride and interest , put the prosperity and wellness of common men at stake , has been cautiously delineated . The mentioned lady , Olympia , remains insouciant even at the threat of a civil war and takes it as a casual loss when a whole lot of soldiers die in a war which she camouflages just to turn the civilians' eyes away from something more sinister.
There are several sub-plots which run parallel to the main . I think the story sometimes gets stuck due to the introduction of so many incidents happening simultaneously . As we find in any sci-fi the names of places and persons are out-of-the-world , literally , and so it's difficult to keep track of so many of them . There are certain issues which remain unexplained at the end as what happens to Eleanor's aunt and father or to the owner of the farmhouse Laura and her family . I couldn't understand why Laura killed her brother , no concrete reason or confession is there.
The story seems dragging too at the end. It could have shed a few extra pages to get a trimmed look .
However , it's a story which I think the young readers will like . It has a message too , the message of peace which our younger generation needs to understand. The language is lucid and simple . The characters are well-built with different shades and dimensions. I liked the description of the Tamkeris and their ways of life. Especially the concept that they are not capable of changing their facial expressions according to their emotions but the changing of mood is figured by their fingers .
I recommend it for all readers , more for those who are fond of Y/A science fictions and fantasies.
August 9, 2016
*** I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***
“Mirror of Stone” follows the life of Eleanor Weber who currently lives with her drunken father. Living the life of “Cinderella” she is discontent and looking for more. When an old miner dies in the family inn she discovers an object that reveals a beautiful city that offers her adventure and something more. Beguiled and intrigued she makes a hard choice and decides to leave. Her journey is not an easy one but vital none the less.
There was much to like about this story. First I liked that Eleanor was just simply a 16 year old girl. She isn’t special in any way. No super human powers – no prophecy to fulfill – just average. She is down to earth, altruistic and likeable. Ultimately she stumbles onto her destiny and it takes some time before she accepts it.
The author did a wonderful job introducing the new world which included a new species. She didn’t just introduce them but built layers and gave them depth from their day to day life down to their political and sociological standards. She made it very easy to envision and relate to this world. Weaver is not overly wordy but gives just enough to make it interesting and inviting.
While the story does revolve around Eleanor and the alien race Weaver does a great job of giving both sides of the political story. While Eleanor is simple Adam is her opposite. His character helps to reveal the police state and corruption in the current administration giving credence to the plot.
Overall I would say that I’ve seen the plot before but I found this chronicle to be well written with plenty of action to go along with the well defined characters. There are a few twists that I didn’t see coming and the author wasn’t afraid to kill off a character or two. Personally I enjoyed the story and look forward to a sequel if there is one.
“Mirror of Stone” follows the life of Eleanor Weber who currently lives with her drunken father. Living the life of “Cinderella” she is discontent and looking for more. When an old miner dies in the family inn she discovers an object that reveals a beautiful city that offers her adventure and something more. Beguiled and intrigued she makes a hard choice and decides to leave. Her journey is not an easy one but vital none the less.
There was much to like about this story. First I liked that Eleanor was just simply a 16 year old girl. She isn’t special in any way. No super human powers – no prophecy to fulfill – just average. She is down to earth, altruistic and likeable. Ultimately she stumbles onto her destiny and it takes some time before she accepts it.
The author did a wonderful job introducing the new world which included a new species. She didn’t just introduce them but built layers and gave them depth from their day to day life down to their political and sociological standards. She made it very easy to envision and relate to this world. Weaver is not overly wordy but gives just enough to make it interesting and inviting.
While the story does revolve around Eleanor and the alien race Weaver does a great job of giving both sides of the political story. While Eleanor is simple Adam is her opposite. His character helps to reveal the police state and corruption in the current administration giving credence to the plot.
Overall I would say that I’ve seen the plot before but I found this chronicle to be well written with plenty of action to go along with the well defined characters. There are a few twists that I didn’t see coming and the author wasn’t afraid to kill off a character or two. Personally I enjoyed the story and look forward to a sequel if there is one.
March 9, 2014
The author did a great job building up a world that she will potentially destroy. A very lively one filled with miners and small space bars. The words reminded me that excellent editing and well placed verbs and scenes really make a book shine. The characters are really good. Main character isn’t a typical female type hero in any sense (not Katniss Everdeen) plus she is a good negotiator.
Check the rest of the review at the link below!
http://bit.ly/1hAWZic
Check the rest of the review at the link below!
http://bit.ly/1hAWZic
March 23, 2014
(I'm rounding up a bit.)
This is an engrossing, generally well-written, and original YA SF story.
Most of the characters are multi-dimensional and/or evolve during the events of the story. There's some nice world-building and attendant description.
It leaves room for a sequel, and I would enjoy reading one!
This is an engrossing, generally well-written, and original YA SF story.
Most of the characters are multi-dimensional and/or evolve during the events of the story. There's some nice world-building and attendant description.
It leaves room for a sequel, and I would enjoy reading one!
June 21, 2014
Fun to read.
Excellent book in the YA genre, but older readers might enjoy it too.
The story is well written and moves forward at a good pace. I could easily identify with Eleanor as she fought to overcome the injustices piled on her by her circumstances, and decided to do something about it. There are enough unexpected twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages to find out more.
Excellent book in the YA genre, but older readers might enjoy it too.
The story is well written and moves forward at a good pace. I could easily identify with Eleanor as she fought to overcome the injustices piled on her by her circumstances, and decided to do something about it. There are enough unexpected twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages to find out more.
March 5, 2014
Fun, fast-paced book - great details and scope
July 7, 2015
After the steady build up it felt like things started happening too fast towards the end but I still enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews