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The Five Cursed Kingdoms: The Stone of Despair
“Still alive?”
Enter the cursed Kingdom of Allamar and follow a young soldier as he confronts his fate, and faces the consequences of entering the fray, by debut novelist Lawrence Davidson.
Fate has spoken. A brutal curse afflicting two war-torn Kingdoms is to come to an end, and with it, their generations-long war. The first to succeed in finding a gemstone of power, and using it against the other nation, shall prevail. While nobody is destined for victory, there is one who could tip the scales in Allamar's favor...
When young trainee Vidalm is imprisoned for killing a fellow soldier, he is certain that death is the only path left for him. But the Fates have been kind, and have named him to the King as the only one who can turn the tide in the war against Jaaltrup, and against the monsters that roam free. Average in stature, ability, and intelligence, Vidalm knows that this is an assignment way out of his league. But it is also a chance for him to pursue the life he has always desired: the life of a hero.
Alongside Allamar's famed Spymaster, the Kingdom's two best warriors, an erudite outsider, and a loyal friend, Vidalm sets off on a quest for the only force powerful enough to break the curse in their Kingdom.
Will Vidalm be able to face his flaws and set aside his own ideals of heroism to save his Kingdom? Or will be buckle under the weight of fate?
From debut author Lawrence Davidson comes an adventure for the ages, begging the question: can just anyone become a hero?
Enter the cursed Kingdom of Allamar and follow a young soldier as he confronts his fate, and faces the consequences of entering the fray, by debut novelist Lawrence Davidson.
Fate has spoken. A brutal curse afflicting two war-torn Kingdoms is to come to an end, and with it, their generations-long war. The first to succeed in finding a gemstone of power, and using it against the other nation, shall prevail. While nobody is destined for victory, there is one who could tip the scales in Allamar's favor...
When young trainee Vidalm is imprisoned for killing a fellow soldier, he is certain that death is the only path left for him. But the Fates have been kind, and have named him to the King as the only one who can turn the tide in the war against Jaaltrup, and against the monsters that roam free. Average in stature, ability, and intelligence, Vidalm knows that this is an assignment way out of his league. But it is also a chance for him to pursue the life he has always desired: the life of a hero.
Alongside Allamar's famed Spymaster, the Kingdom's two best warriors, an erudite outsider, and a loyal friend, Vidalm sets off on a quest for the only force powerful enough to break the curse in their Kingdom.
Will Vidalm be able to face his flaws and set aside his own ideals of heroism to save his Kingdom? Or will be buckle under the weight of fate?
From debut author Lawrence Davidson comes an adventure for the ages, begging the question: can just anyone become a hero?
- GenresFantasy
237 pages, Paperback
Published June 20, 2024
2 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Davidson
1 book7 followersLawrence Davidson is an award-winning screenwriter with a love of great story and character, travel and mischief, humor and heart. He is passionate about connecting to the human experience through writing in all its forms, bringing imaginative worlds and experiences to life for avid story-consumers. Lawrence has traveled extensively throughout Europe, and finds inspiration in the mythology, history, and culture of the people he meets. His debut novel The Five Cursed Kingdoms: The Stone of Despair is available now on Amazon!
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 4, 2024
I'm thrilled for my great friend Lawrence Davidson on the release of his first YA fantasy novel. It brings me immense joy to see his creativity come to life in The Five Cursed Kingdoms: The Stone of Despair. This beautiful story makes you experience the world through Vidalm's eyes, a novice soldier in the Allamar army, as he embarks on a dangerous quest to find the Stone of Despair.
Davidson masterfully balances serious themes of fate versus free will and the unintended consequences of our actions with moments of humor and camaraderie among the characters. The richly detailed world, well-developed characters, and thought-provoking plot make this an exceptional debut. It's a must-read for fans of epic fantasy and a promising start to a series that promises to delve even deeper into its awesome and well-detailed lore!!
It also offers a fun and immersive reading experience, appealing to both male and female YA readers and providing a fresh take on classic fantasy tropes. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging and thoughtful adventure.
Congratulations!
Davidson masterfully balances serious themes of fate versus free will and the unintended consequences of our actions with moments of humor and camaraderie among the characters. The richly detailed world, well-developed characters, and thought-provoking plot make this an exceptional debut. It's a must-read for fans of epic fantasy and a promising start to a series that promises to delve even deeper into its awesome and well-detailed lore!!
It also offers a fun and immersive reading experience, appealing to both male and female YA readers and providing a fresh take on classic fantasy tropes. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging and thoughtful adventure.
Congratulations!
June 6, 2024
Being not a huge fan of the medieval fantasy genre, this novel is an exception for me. There is a real blueprint that brings what seems to be a conventional, simple story way more depth and anticipation than expected. The genre rarely explains the initial situations, or if they try, it's always convoluted and seems to come straight out of history books. It's something that the reader must accept in order to fully appreciate the story. In The Five Cursed Kingdoms, the stakes are high and seen from the point of view of multiple characters, but mostly from Vildalm, a rookie with no experience, wanting more than he knows he could ever offer to the world. When a quest that could bring him what he desires emerges, this is when things get really interesting.
The author knows how to develop his characters, giving them all full arcs, making them diverse and deep. It's definitely the strongest aspect of the book. All the characters are flawed but relatable. They offer unexpected developments and real philosophical questions. This novel provides more than entertainment, even though it could be seen as just that.
If I wasn't convinced by the story as a whole, the ending would still give me full satisfaction and interest. It nicely brings the story to a close while also focusing on a grander scheme that comes to the reader's attention. This is where the real story happens. I'll be following the progress of that story. This is an excellent debut novel.
The author knows how to develop his characters, giving them all full arcs, making them diverse and deep. It's definitely the strongest aspect of the book. All the characters are flawed but relatable. They offer unexpected developments and real philosophical questions. This novel provides more than entertainment, even though it could be seen as just that.
If I wasn't convinced by the story as a whole, the ending would still give me full satisfaction and interest. It nicely brings the story to a close while also focusing on a grander scheme that comes to the reader's attention. This is where the real story happens. I'll be following the progress of that story. This is an excellent debut novel.
June 9, 2024
Wow-I don’t normally read fantasy genre-but I thoroughly enjoyed this surprising journey that had many unexpected twists and turns. Life is full of choices-I enjoyed the characters and the humor as well in this book. Looking forward to reading more from Lawrence.
June 9, 2024
It's rare for a book to genuinely surprise me, but this one did. I love when an author can catch you off guard with plot twists. The characters were well developed and beautifully imperfect. I highly recommend reading this!
June 29, 2024
Loved reading the first of this series! I was instantly pulled in by the detailed writing and complex characters. I had a hard time putting it down and I’m really excited for the next in the series! Lawrence Davidson, please see this and put out your next novel!!
June 9, 2024
What a great read. I enjoyed the many surprises and relationship between the characters - great humor as well!!
June 21, 2024
The creativity and attention to detail the author imbues into this world is fantastic. I found it an engaging read from start to finish!
I will definitely be keeping this on my re-read shelf.
I will definitely be keeping this on my re-read shelf.
June 3, 2024
The Stone of Despair is the first book in The Five Cursed Kingdoms series, written by a long time friend of mine and I am unbelievably excited to see this book in print!
Now obviously I am super pumped to see a friend get published, but why should anyone else be chomping at the bit to read this book? The Stone of Despair is a YA epic high fantasy novel, a subgenre I don't usually enjoy reading (all that magic and yet somehow know one manages to figure out indoor plumbing?), but I was enthralled with this one! Readers are transported to a different world where magic exists, war and curses plague the kingdoms, and the Fates enjoy toying with the lives of mortals. In this first book of the series, readers follow Vidalm, a newish recruit to the Allamar army. He's committed to becoming a better soldier, but also more than a little brash and immature. Through a series of bad decisions, Vidalm finds himself in some serious trouble, but he's saved by intervention of the Fates. And by saved, I mean thrown into even more dangerous situations all in an effort to stop the war that his country has been fighting for generations.
And thus the quest to find a mysterious stone of power begins with a cast of fun and interesting characters. Vidalm manages to get his best friend Dranzull roped into the adventure as well, much to the chagrin and frustration of the spymaster Seybanno who has been tasked with ensuring the mission to find the stone is successful. They are joined by a a burly scholar and two female warriors described as armies unto themselves.
The central themes of the book address the tensions between fate and free will, as well as the negative repercussions of the decisions we make even when we think we are doing something good. The Fates decreed that Vidalm was the key to solving the end of the war, but how he is supposed to do this remains a mystery to him. And, as he tries to serve his kingdom and make the right choices, he is constantly barreling into bad decisions that have devastating consequences. It is easy to say that you want to do good, but what does that even mean in a war?
Though The Stone of Despair is a serious book that contemplates some heavy ideas, there's still plenty of levity to be found in the relationships between the characters. Poor Seybanno spends most of the book exasperated at Vidalm's and Dranzull's antics as they are truly a chaotic duo that get into some ridiculous situations.
So overall, this is a fun book that deals with some challenging themes without becoming too grimdark. It's probably a great read for male YA readers, but it's certainly not going to turn off female readers either given there are good female characters as well. All in all, an excellent debut for Lawrence Davidson and the start of a series I am excited to see develop!
Now obviously I am super pumped to see a friend get published, but why should anyone else be chomping at the bit to read this book? The Stone of Despair is a YA epic high fantasy novel, a subgenre I don't usually enjoy reading (all that magic and yet somehow know one manages to figure out indoor plumbing?), but I was enthralled with this one! Readers are transported to a different world where magic exists, war and curses plague the kingdoms, and the Fates enjoy toying with the lives of mortals. In this first book of the series, readers follow Vidalm, a newish recruit to the Allamar army. He's committed to becoming a better soldier, but also more than a little brash and immature. Through a series of bad decisions, Vidalm finds himself in some serious trouble, but he's saved by intervention of the Fates. And by saved, I mean thrown into even more dangerous situations all in an effort to stop the war that his country has been fighting for generations.
And thus the quest to find a mysterious stone of power begins with a cast of fun and interesting characters. Vidalm manages to get his best friend Dranzull roped into the adventure as well, much to the chagrin and frustration of the spymaster Seybanno who has been tasked with ensuring the mission to find the stone is successful. They are joined by a a burly scholar and two female warriors described as armies unto themselves.
The central themes of the book address the tensions between fate and free will, as well as the negative repercussions of the decisions we make even when we think we are doing something good. The Fates decreed that Vidalm was the key to solving the end of the war, but how he is supposed to do this remains a mystery to him. And, as he tries to serve his kingdom and make the right choices, he is constantly barreling into bad decisions that have devastating consequences. It is easy to say that you want to do good, but what does that even mean in a war?
Though The Stone of Despair is a serious book that contemplates some heavy ideas, there's still plenty of levity to be found in the relationships between the characters. Poor Seybanno spends most of the book exasperated at Vidalm's and Dranzull's antics as they are truly a chaotic duo that get into some ridiculous situations.
So overall, this is a fun book that deals with some challenging themes without becoming too grimdark. It's probably a great read for male YA readers, but it's certainly not going to turn off female readers either given there are good female characters as well. All in all, an excellent debut for Lawrence Davidson and the start of a series I am excited to see develop!
June 14, 2024
"The Stone of Despair" by Lawrence Davidson was an absolute delight to read. I found myself completely enthralled by this book from start to finish. Davidson has created an immersive world where magic, war, and curses intertwine, and the Fates toy with the lives of mortals in the most intriguing ways.
The protagonist, Vidalm, is an inexperienced soldier who quickly grew on me with his determination and flaws. The dynamic between the characters is both hilarious and heartwarming, providing much-needed levity amidst the serious themes.
Davidson's storytelling is both engaging and thought-provoking, and the world he has built is rich with detail and history. I couldn't put the book down and devoured it over a single weekend.
As a long-time fantasy fan, "The Stone of Despair" reminded me why I fell in love with the genre in the first place. It's a fantastic debut, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy adventure.
The protagonist, Vidalm, is an inexperienced soldier who quickly grew on me with his determination and flaws. The dynamic between the characters is both hilarious and heartwarming, providing much-needed levity amidst the serious themes.
Davidson's storytelling is both engaging and thought-provoking, and the world he has built is rich with detail and history. I couldn't put the book down and devoured it over a single weekend.
As a long-time fantasy fan, "The Stone of Despair" reminded me why I fell in love with the genre in the first place. It's a fantastic debut, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy adventure.
May 30, 2024
I'm a sucker for a wildly inadequate hero.
A rookie soldier (who doesn't seem to know how to keep his mouth shut) that ends up trusted with the fate of Kingdoms. This book was mystic, action packed, and all kinds of funny. I really enjoyed the unconventional squad that takes Vidalm on, especially Ovallu's character. I was not expecting his journey. I finished the story thinking about all the little choices that make up a life... and you know, if choice is just an illusion or if we do have real agency. Great read. Can't wait to see what Lawrence Davidson writes next.
The Five Cursed Kingdoms: The Stone of Despair
A rookie soldier (who doesn't seem to know how to keep his mouth shut) that ends up trusted with the fate of Kingdoms. This book was mystic, action packed, and all kinds of funny. I really enjoyed the unconventional squad that takes Vidalm on, especially Ovallu's character. I was not expecting his journey. I finished the story thinking about all the little choices that make up a life... and you know, if choice is just an illusion or if we do have real agency. Great read. Can't wait to see what Lawrence Davidson writes next.
The Five Cursed Kingdoms: The Stone of Despair
May 13, 2024
One of the most immersive worlds I've found in years. All the characters feel like they have more going on then what you see, the world feels larger then where they go, and I look forward to seeing more in this series so I can keep exploring the world that's been created.
I couldn't put it down, and finished it over one weekend. I highly recommend reading this book if you like any type of fantasy, it hits all the right notes and reminds me why I first fell in love with the genre when I was younger. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next one in the series!
I couldn't put it down, and finished it over one weekend. I highly recommend reading this book if you like any type of fantasy, it hits all the right notes and reminds me why I first fell in love with the genre when I was younger. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next one in the series!
June 14, 2024
I was recommended this book by a friend as I've been an avid reader of medieval fantasy novels for most of my life and was looking for a new one to dive into. All in all, it turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable read with the author doing a wonderful job in the characterization of Vadalm along with building out the arcs of his team throughout. If you're a fan of an epic adventure-style story with its fair share of twists and turns, give this one a go. Needless to say, I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
July 24, 2024
The Stone of Despair, a medieval fantasy written by novelist Lawrence Davidson, his debut novel. This story is alluring with the characters, tempo, and plot. It has a little of everything. From magic to romance to friendship to action battles. There is an intelligence with the writing which kept me pleasantly engaged. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I look forward to Book Two. I highly recommend this novel. It is a worthwhile read!
June 15, 2024
It was a bit of a slow burn at first, but once I got into it I found myself swept away with the momentum of the story. A fantasy novel that really focuses on the struggles of the underdog, and the chaos of being flung into the middle of events far beyond your control. I've always enjoyed that kind of epic novel.
June 22, 2024
The Five Cursed Kingdoms has appeal for young and old(er). My tween son and I were both able to share in this novel with delight. Not the typical story you may expect when reading the back cover. Once you fall down the rabbit hole on this one, you'll be searching to see what else this author has to pull you in.
May 29, 2024
A fantastic debut novel! A true page-turner; there wasn't a moment that I wanted to set the book down. Thoughtful detailed maps kept me enthralled in the characters' world throughout the read!
Highly recommended for any fan of the fantasy genre.
Highly recommended for any fan of the fantasy genre.
June 9, 2024
This was a great read from start to finish. I can honestly say I am thrilled to see the direction of this tale, and I can't wait to continue reading!
Keep up the fantastic work, I'll definitely be adding the physical books to my library as soon as possible!
Keep up the fantastic work, I'll definitely be adding the physical books to my library as soon as possible!
May 30, 2024
Hard to put down! Eagerly awaiting the next in the series!
June 9, 2024
I can't wait for the next book to come out! I found the story exciting, the characters unique and intriguing, and the ending was incredibly satisfying. I couldn't put it down!
June 13, 2024
What a wildly fun read! I love goofy and unpredictable Vidalm and absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series.
June 14, 2024
This was a really fun read, the woman were bad ass and the ending comes out of nowhere!
July 2, 2024
It's a well built world and enjoyable fantasy content.
July 2, 2024
This debut novel takes you on a rapid and eloquent journey through a world that is fraught with tension and danger at every turn. The magical elements are sometimes devastating and often hilarious. I enjoyed the droll humour alongside the fast-paced action of the age-old story of a somewhat hapless misfit tasked with an epic assignment. I love reading novels where female supporting characters are strong presences in the storyline.
I read this one quickly and avidly await the second book in this fantasy series.
I read this one quickly and avidly await the second book in this fantasy series.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews