The Indigo Stone

by Simone Snaith

[New 2020 Edition.] In the "Old World," a gifted race known as the Laxens evolved, bringing new creativity and innovation to a primitive world. The group lived together with people for centuries in relative peace, until the year that Eine was born and a mysterious order called the Indigo took over a thriving trade center and began to hunt down all the Laxens.

Seventeen years later, Eine -- a half-Laxen in hiding -- scrapes together a meager existence in the alleys of the once great city of Thela, where the oppressed people are terrorized by giant guards and cut off entirely from the outside world. Stoic Eine barely dreams of a different kind of existence until she stumbles across someone else hiding a nameless but charismatic soldier sent as a spy from a foreign city, where politicians and scholars are investigating the Indigo’s power. Together they join Noname’s fatherly companion in an escape under the Thelan walls and travel to the beautiful but aging city of Enahala, where the ruling order must decide how best to prevent the Indigo’s destruction from spreading beyond Thela.

Along the way, Eine discovers that the world holds wonders of which she’s never dreamed, including technology, legends, romance, and a power she never suspected was hers, one that will be the Indigo’s downfall.

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 26, 2014

About the author

THE QUAVERING AIR (Fantasy) is out now on Amazon.

Simone Snaith is an author of Fantasy, Young Adult, and Urban Fantasy novels. She also sings in the Los Angeles band Turning Violet. Her YA Fantasy, BETWEEN THE WATER & THE WOODS, is available through Holiday House Publishing wherever books are sold. It is illustrated by Sara Kipin.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Indigo Stone by Simone Snaith

There was a gifted raced known as the Laxens, they lived a peaceful life. Then The Indigo took over and started to hunt the Laxen. Eine is half Laxen and hiding in the city of Thela, cut off from the entire world, out of fear. She meets up with another one in hiding and they join Noname. They travel to the city of Enahala, where they try to stop the Indigo. Along the way she discovers, technology, legends, romance and a special power she never knew she had.

A well written fantasy. I really Liked young Eine. She wants to be accepted and be looked on as an adult, not a child. The characters are all well developed, each having their good qualities, while some are not likable. There is adventure, secrets , danger and love discovered. The detailed prose really brings the story to life. I feel that those who love fantasy will enjoy The Indigo Stone. The cover does capture the mystique of the story, very fitting and appealing.

[Kelly Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful story. It had all of the elements of greatness that are desirable for books primarily written for the young adult. We have a strong female character, who is dismissed at the beginning by the "foreigner" not so much because she is a girl, but because she is young. She quickly proves that she is highly needed. The story portrays several different modes of thought processes and mores, some of which are discussed swiftly regarding appropriateness, without becoming preachy.

Much of what I liked was that it was difficult to anticipate many of the steps in the stories. I wanted to give the book a 5th star; however, it takes 98% of the book for the protagonist to figure out the prophesy, and then ends in moments. I would have liked the struggle some struggle to utilize the results of the prophesy. Still, I have passed the book on to my son who will then give it to his sister.

November 25th, 2015

Just finished again, still great!

[Christine Wall · Rating 3 out of 5]

overall an ok book, parts were slow and a little confusing.

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely entranced with the book from the moment it started. One of the things I look for when I begin reading a book is how quickly I'm tossed into the story. This book threw me right in within the first few paragraphs. From that point on, I was hooked. Believe it or not, I read this whole book in one sitting.

I loved all the characters in the book. The relationships between them are all unique to the two people involved. It made for a great read. I was glad to see the romance the book was building up to eventually fell into place as well!

The Indigo are the main villains in this book, with the head of the order being Enemy #1, so to speak. I was pleased that you eventually get to hear the head Indigo's story, and that the interactions with him are consistent with what you learned beforehand. I almost felt bad for Indigo, but he was just too evil by the time the story takes place.

A lot of times, I feel a little let down by action sequences. They're not natural to every writer, so it's usually forgivable. This book had decent action scenes. I found the other aspects of the book, like the suspense about whether or not the story will end in a war, much better written, but the action scenes were by no means bad.

The ending of the book was good. The author didn't just drop me off at the end of the war and give me a little prologue. It was an extra chapter that flowed seamlessly from the story, and I was quite happy with the ending.