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Thorn of Breland #1
The Queen of Stone
The smarts and action of the spy thrillers meet the magic and worldbuilding of fantasy in this thrilling Eberron series.
Nyrielle Tam—better known by her code name, Thorn—is a Dark Lantern sent undercover to a summit in the monstrous kingdom of Droaam. The kingdom is washed with unrest, as the beasts of Droaam have organized and demand recognition from the kingdoms of Khorvaire.
As a secret envoy of Breland, one of the five nations of Khorvaire, Thorn’s mission in Droaam is to gauge her neighbors' reaction to the new state's demands of equality—and to take the opportunity to recover something long ago stolen by the mysterious Sheshka, Queen of the Medusas. Caught in the middle of the conflict and tasked with a perilous side-quest, it's up to Thorn to accomplish her mission while keeping her king and country out of war.
Nyrielle Tam—better known by her code name, Thorn—is a Dark Lantern sent undercover to a summit in the monstrous kingdom of Droaam. The kingdom is washed with unrest, as the beasts of Droaam have organized and demand recognition from the kingdoms of Khorvaire.
As a secret envoy of Breland, one of the five nations of Khorvaire, Thorn’s mission in Droaam is to gauge her neighbors' reaction to the new state's demands of equality—and to take the opportunity to recover something long ago stolen by the mysterious Sheshka, Queen of the Medusas. Caught in the middle of the conflict and tasked with a perilous side-quest, it's up to Thorn to accomplish her mission while keeping her king and country out of war.
293 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2008
41 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
Keith Baker
73 books190 followersI've been interested in games since I first fell under the sinister influence of the Dungeons & Dragons boxed set, back in sixth grade. Over the last few decades I have managed to turn gaming from a hobby into a career. Here is a list of the highlights of my life as a game designer. If you have any questions, let me know!
From 1994-2002, I fell into the computer games industry. My first job was with Magnet Interactive Studios, in Washington DC. Sadly, Magnet never managed to hit the big time as a game developer. I worked on a number of projects during my stay at Magnet; for a time I was lead designer on a game called BLUESTAR, a position that was held at other times by such roleplaying luminaries as Ken Rolston and Zeb Cook. However, the only work that ever saw the light of day was some level design on the abstract arcade game Icebreaker.
Magnet began a slow implosion in 1996, and along with a number of other people I went to work for a Colorado company called VR1. I started as lead designer on VR-1 Crossroads, a text-based MUD centered on warring conspiracies – The X-Files meets Illuminati, with a world of dreams thrown in for good measure. When VR1 decided to move away from text games, I started work on a graphical MMORPG based on the pulp serials. After a few twists and turns, the project ended up being known as Lost Continents. But early in 2002 I decided that I'd had enough of the computer games industry and left VR1 to focus on writing. Then in June of 2002, Wizards of the Coast announced their Fantasy Setting Search, and I thought: What about pulp fantasy? And the rest is history. . .
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
From 1994-2002, I fell into the computer games industry. My first job was with Magnet Interactive Studios, in Washington DC. Sadly, Magnet never managed to hit the big time as a game developer. I worked on a number of projects during my stay at Magnet; for a time I was lead designer on a game called BLUESTAR, a position that was held at other times by such roleplaying luminaries as Ken Rolston and Zeb Cook. However, the only work that ever saw the light of day was some level design on the abstract arcade game Icebreaker.
Magnet began a slow implosion in 1996, and along with a number of other people I went to work for a Colorado company called VR1. I started as lead designer on VR-1 Crossroads, a text-based MUD centered on warring conspiracies – The X-Files meets Illuminati, with a world of dreams thrown in for good measure. When VR1 decided to move away from text games, I started work on a graphical MMORPG based on the pulp serials. After a few twists and turns, the project ended up being known as Lost Continents. But early in 2002 I decided that I'd had enough of the computer games industry and left VR1 to focus on writing. Then in June of 2002, Wizards of the Coast announced their Fantasy Setting Search, and I thought: What about pulp fantasy? And the rest is history. . .
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 5, 2011
I liked Thorn but on the other hand she had nothing special about her (but that happens in the end of the book and feels almost as an after thought or a "it's fate" solution to end the story).
I like the setting (I have been is a Eberron DnD champaign for 2 years or so), but it's nice to get to know other parts of the world.
I guess I noticed some little details that are an Eberron flavor, like the fact that there are 12 nations + 1 nations trying to join them.
On the other hand some details are over reference but without consequence, we are reminded over and over that Thorn is an half elf, but she doesn't have any real advantage or handicap from it, apart from the other characters remarks. In my mind I kept seeing Thorn as a human man not as an elf woman, I had to make an effort to think of Thorn as a woman (that started to happen naturally somewhere along the book). Thinking of her as Half-Elf only happend when it was explicit in the scene...
Maybe is just me, or maybe is because I'm kind of familiar with the setting but not really familiar with the race, but Thorn feels all too human to me.
But then there is the medusa and all the other "monsters". That's a whole new spin on the way I'm used to see them...
All considered I enjoyed the book. I liked the characters. I want to continue to read Thorn's story, I want answers to a couple of pending questions. But for a "light" fantasy book with less than 300 pages it took me a long time to read. A book that size, that was really engaging would usually last me a weekend. I wanted this to be one of those books that I start to read at night and when I notice is already morning, and as I decide to read just to then end of the chapter because I really need to sleep, I know that at the end of the chapter I will decide that I can read one more and then another... Instead I found a book that worked wonders for insomnias. If I was in bed, after a couple of pages, my eyes were closing and I was reading the same sentence over and over.
I like the setting (I have been is a Eberron DnD champaign for 2 years or so), but it's nice to get to know other parts of the world.
I guess I noticed some little details that are an Eberron flavor, like the fact that there are 12 nations + 1 nations trying to join them.
On the other hand some details are over reference but without consequence, we are reminded over and over that Thorn is an half elf, but she doesn't have any real advantage or handicap from it, apart from the other characters remarks. In my mind I kept seeing Thorn as a human man not as an elf woman, I had to make an effort to think of Thorn as a woman (that started to happen naturally somewhere along the book). Thinking of her as Half-Elf only happend when it was explicit in the scene...
Maybe is just me, or maybe is because I'm kind of familiar with the setting but not really familiar with the race, but Thorn feels all too human to me.
But then there is the medusa and all the other "monsters". That's a whole new spin on the way I'm used to see them...
All considered I enjoyed the book. I liked the characters. I want to continue to read Thorn's story, I want answers to a couple of pending questions. But for a "light" fantasy book with less than 300 pages it took me a long time to read. A book that size, that was really engaging would usually last me a weekend. I wanted this to be one of those books that I start to read at night and when I notice is already morning, and as I decide to read just to then end of the chapter because I really need to sleep, I know that at the end of the chapter I will decide that I can read one more and then another... Instead I found a book that worked wonders for insomnias. If I was in bed, after a couple of pages, my eyes were closing and I was reading the same sentence over and over.
May 1, 2016
It is a game fiction tie in, but not a terrible one.
The beginning of the books weak, but a few chapters in it picks up and the writer seems to find his footing. It is apparently a follow up series, and unfortunately, it did not explain enough of the previous events to make the references to the previous events clear. The handling of the Queen of Stone character was very well done, as were a number of the interactions. I felt like character was obtuse at times to a frustrating degree, but that is a minor concern. There are a bunch of small points that take away from the whole of this story. The core tale, dealing with the relationship between monsters and men, was excellent, but enough of the elements were fumbled to make the book not live up to its core story. It was still good enough that I wish to read the rest of the series, and I guess that says something in and of itself. Ultimately, the book was a satisfying read, once you get past the awkward beginning.
The beginning of the books weak, but a few chapters in it picks up and the writer seems to find his footing. It is apparently a follow up series, and unfortunately, it did not explain enough of the previous events to make the references to the previous events clear. The handling of the Queen of Stone character was very well done, as were a number of the interactions. I felt like character was obtuse at times to a frustrating degree, but that is a minor concern. There are a bunch of small points that take away from the whole of this story. The core tale, dealing with the relationship between monsters and men, was excellent, but enough of the elements were fumbled to make the book not live up to its core story. It was still good enough that I wish to read the rest of the series, and I guess that says something in and of itself. Ultimately, the book was a satisfying read, once you get past the awkward beginning.
February 5, 2020
This is for the audiobook.
The audiobook is quite nice, with a great variety of voices and a cadence that its quite noteworthy. Bernadette Dune is a great actress and her ability to inflect emotion and this sense of dread during the second half was incredibly entertaining. But sadly, in the end, the story is still very bland and the characters are more like props than actual characters.
Many times (as is usual with Keith Baker) the decisions and actions are more about marketing the world and the classes than actual good drama. Decisions are constantly made that, even with the explanation, look insane or inane, which is less about don't actually make sense and more than the author honestly can't create prose that engages on the reader and his plot construction is wonky at best. All in all, it is a good novel if you want ideas of how to write a session in Eberron following the guidelines of Kaith Baker, but as a stand-alone novel, it would be just a waste of time.
The audiobook is quite nice, with a great variety of voices and a cadence that its quite noteworthy. Bernadette Dune is a great actress and her ability to inflect emotion and this sense of dread during the second half was incredibly entertaining. But sadly, in the end, the story is still very bland and the characters are more like props than actual characters.
Many times (as is usual with Keith Baker) the decisions and actions are more about marketing the world and the classes than actual good drama. Decisions are constantly made that, even with the explanation, look insane or inane, which is less about don't actually make sense and more than the author honestly can't create prose that engages on the reader and his plot construction is wonky at best. All in all, it is a good novel if you want ideas of how to write a session in Eberron following the guidelines of Kaith Baker, but as a stand-alone novel, it would be just a waste of time.
June 4, 2018
I loved this book! It was formulaic and a quick read but the action and narrative were spot on. Think James Bond in a high fantasy setting, but with him as a female half-elf instead of a white male. Great characters. I loved that the "monsters" were treated as actual people and not a thin template based on species.
I think there could've been more to the story to make it longer and more fleshed out, but it is still a good read. Maybe the main character could've had less magical gadgets or had to be creative with the ones she had, but I gather this book was meant to highlight the potential of the Eberron campaign setting, and so more gadgets was the way to go.
I will definitely be reading the entire series, and it's even made me want to read the earlier Eberron trilogy by Keith Baker, The Dreaming Dark.
I think there could've been more to the story to make it longer and more fleshed out, but it is still a good read. Maybe the main character could've had less magical gadgets or had to be creative with the ones she had, but I gather this book was meant to highlight the potential of the Eberron campaign setting, and so more gadgets was the way to go.
I will definitely be reading the entire series, and it's even made me want to read the earlier Eberron trilogy by Keith Baker, The Dreaming Dark.
February 13, 2021
A fun action+intrigue-packed and imaginative mystery-adventure in the setting of Eberron. I normally don't like assassin type characters but Thorn has some interesting facets to her and the supporting characters feel multidimensional as well. Offers a thoughtful view into the workings and culture of Droaam, the nation of monsters, creating for scenes like hydras fighting werebear trolls in forests of petrified armies. Keith improved greatly as a writer between this and the Dreaming Dark series.
December 4, 2020
I love the world that Baker has built in Eberron, and enjoy his interpretation of Gygaxian magic, but ultimately I prefer the stories my friends and I weave with these same tools.
February 19, 2019
I have to admit that I read this as research for my campaign which I was going to have the Daughters in. It's essentially the only source material available. Anyway, it was definitely worthwhile the read. Enjoyed the characters a lot. A bit too twisty for me though - the plot was an unsatisfying ever-unfolding mystery and the dragon reveal was
unnecessary
unnecessary
November 10, 2020
Surprisingly great read that really shows off the diversity of the Eberron setting in a few different ways. A spy action thriller set in a nation of monsters was a great break from the usual fantasy setting and tone. The main character was really fun to read and it set up some interesting threads for the rest of the series.
July 11, 2012
Though it wasn't until recently that I even enjoyed fantasy, but the Eberron setting with it's mixture of science fiction and fantasy adds to the action packed scenes and big reveal of an evil even inside a kingdom of monsters. Good read but it really isn't going to win awards.
March 10, 2013
I was intrigued by the premise of the book wherein the lead gets involved in a monster-ruled nation within Eberron (a D&D campaign setting). Sadly it's full of lifeless, one-dimensional characters with a simplistic plot and just not worth reading.
December 15, 2020
Good book
I was drawn into the book and it was an enjoyable read. It felt slightly abrupt at the end, but I'm looking forward to following Thorn on new adventures.
I was drawn into the book and it was an enjoyable read. It felt slightly abrupt at the end, but I'm looking forward to following Thorn on new adventures.
December 22, 2024
This was a surprisingly good read. Having only read one trilogy from Keith Baker (which was alsp his first) before and found it wanting, this actually swayed me the other way as far as believes in his writing abilities go. Maybe it is that having a single main character helped have her appear more multifaceted by virtue of increased exposure, but I have no critiques. I also found the secondary characters and story itself to be up to all standard, and the pacing being smooth helped as well - no fat to trim, no feeling of skimmed content, really all good stuff. The worldbuilding I won't mention - it is some of the best in fantasy in general, but that we expect.
I am cautiously optimistic and (dare I say?) eager to continue with the next one.
I am cautiously optimistic and (dare I say?) eager to continue with the next one.
January 19, 2018
The cover art is what got me interested in reading the book . The writing and characterisation of the many and varied peoples in the atory kept me reading . Thorn is a sympathetic protagonist .
September 16, 2020
An amazing look at Droamm and the unique way Eberron handles its monstrous races.
June 1, 2021
It's OK to get ideas for Eberron campaigns. Keith is far better at world building than pacing, plots and characters and it shows.
September 5, 2025
Read to get background on Eberron for a campaign. Plot relied way too much on plot armor for the rest of the series. Characters, descriptions and world building are solid.
December 21, 2014
Keith Baker returns to the game world of Eberron with the Queen of Stone. As the creator of the world, Baker obviously has ideas and plans for all aspects of the setting, and with the Queen of Stone he delves into one of the most fascinating and least developed countries there - Droaam, the land of monsters. While Galifar was distracted by it's 100 year civil war, monsters living on it's frontiers organized a brutal kingdom of creatures that normally wouldn't work together under the brutal leadership of a trio of hags. When the war was finally over, the fragmented nations that arose from it's aftermath didn't have the resources or capability to do anything about the land now ruled by an alliance of humanity's worst nightmares.
Instead, Thorn, a spy of Breland's Dark Lanterns is inserted into a diplomatic party of all nations, heading to Droaam to begin an attempt at peaceful co-existence, and allowing the still wary nations to continue focusing their resources against each other, rather than a new threat, which to date, haven't made any offensive moves against other sovereign nations. Of course, a mission that an elite agent like Thorn is given is never so simple as simple information gathering. Once on the way, her minder, the intelligent magical dagger Steel informs her that while maintaining her cover, she also has to rescue an ancient hero who disappeared in Droaam over a hundred years ago, and was turned to stone. All she has to do is infiltrate the hag's fortress, avoid their ogre, troll, gnoll, and werewolf guards, find the missing hero/statue, and get the medusa who petrified him to change him back...if only things were as simple as they sounded.
Baker does a wonderful job fleshing out an underdeveloped section of Eberron, and deftly draws the reader in with well developed new characters, mainly Thorn herself, and what makes her tick as a cold hearted spy in a fantasy industrial cold war setting. A fun read that shows Baker gets both fiction and the rules of the Dungeon and Dragons game, and his own Eberron setting. While this book was published after the 4th edition of the rules drastically changed how the game works, Keith thankfully limits the jarring change in game from impacting the novel too much.
Instead, Thorn, a spy of Breland's Dark Lanterns is inserted into a diplomatic party of all nations, heading to Droaam to begin an attempt at peaceful co-existence, and allowing the still wary nations to continue focusing their resources against each other, rather than a new threat, which to date, haven't made any offensive moves against other sovereign nations. Of course, a mission that an elite agent like Thorn is given is never so simple as simple information gathering. Once on the way, her minder, the intelligent magical dagger Steel informs her that while maintaining her cover, she also has to rescue an ancient hero who disappeared in Droaam over a hundred years ago, and was turned to stone. All she has to do is infiltrate the hag's fortress, avoid their ogre, troll, gnoll, and werewolf guards, find the missing hero/statue, and get the medusa who petrified him to change him back...if only things were as simple as they sounded.
Baker does a wonderful job fleshing out an underdeveloped section of Eberron, and deftly draws the reader in with well developed new characters, mainly Thorn herself, and what makes her tick as a cold hearted spy in a fantasy industrial cold war setting. A fun read that shows Baker gets both fiction and the rules of the Dungeon and Dragons game, and his own Eberron setting. While this book was published after the 4th edition of the rules drastically changed how the game works, Keith thankfully limits the jarring change in game from impacting the novel too much.
August 23, 2009
The Queen of Stone
Thorn of Breland
The medusa on the cover made me pick it up, but the writing sucked me in. The first three chapters are extremely well-done, and kept me guessing for quite some time. If you love strong female characters, this is a book for you.
The main character is a super spy named Nyrielle Tam. Code name: Thorn. Picture OO7, except she’s a female half-elf who uses magic. Instead of all the technical gadgets that James Bond has, Thorn has magical items to help her on her secret impossible mission. The coolest item that she does have is her dagger, Steel. He’s intelligent, meaning that he can speak to her telepathically, but only when she touches him. Steel and Thorn have a very, well, thorny relationship. Steel knows a ton of things, can detect magical spells, and acts like a kind of radar and annoying mentor all at the same time. All Thorn has to do is pass him over any language and he can read it for her. What a weapon for a spy to have.
Her mission involves . . . Forget it. The mission is classified.
One of the big strengths of this novel is that Keith Baker created the world, which several other authors are now writing in. He knows the material and uses it to add just enough complexity to make it interesting. By the way, Eberron is the world that won the Wizards of the Coast Contest a few years ago. It is a fascinating place and I’ve enjoyed learning about it immensely.
If you’re interested in a new take on fantasy, check out Queen of Stone. The writing is very strong and don’t forget to pay attention to the little hints along the way. They are a big payoff at the end, which I did not see coming.
Paul Genesse
Author of The Dragon Hunters
Book Two of the Iron Dragon Series
www.paulgenesse.com
Thorn of Breland
The medusa on the cover made me pick it up, but the writing sucked me in. The first three chapters are extremely well-done, and kept me guessing for quite some time. If you love strong female characters, this is a book for you.
The main character is a super spy named Nyrielle Tam. Code name: Thorn. Picture OO7, except she’s a female half-elf who uses magic. Instead of all the technical gadgets that James Bond has, Thorn has magical items to help her on her secret impossible mission. The coolest item that she does have is her dagger, Steel. He’s intelligent, meaning that he can speak to her telepathically, but only when she touches him. Steel and Thorn have a very, well, thorny relationship. Steel knows a ton of things, can detect magical spells, and acts like a kind of radar and annoying mentor all at the same time. All Thorn has to do is pass him over any language and he can read it for her. What a weapon for a spy to have.
Her mission involves . . . Forget it. The mission is classified.
One of the big strengths of this novel is that Keith Baker created the world, which several other authors are now writing in. He knows the material and uses it to add just enough complexity to make it interesting. By the way, Eberron is the world that won the Wizards of the Coast Contest a few years ago. It is a fascinating place and I’ve enjoyed learning about it immensely.
If you’re interested in a new take on fantasy, check out Queen of Stone. The writing is very strong and don’t forget to pay attention to the little hints along the way. They are a big payoff at the end, which I did not see coming.
Paul Genesse
Author of The Dragon Hunters
Book Two of the Iron Dragon Series
www.paulgenesse.com
June 20, 2016
This is one of the best Eberron books out there. It starts off a bit slows but more than makes up for it as the book goes on. The characterization of the inhabitants of Droaam was deep and engaging and really made you question the morality of the Five Nations and the necessity of wiping out the "evil" races of the world. At one point one of the Droaamites points out to a Brelander, "While you spent 100 years undoing the work of a kingdom that lasted a thousand, we created someting new." They never get a response because the Five Nations don't have a good rebuttal.
For longtime Eberron fans, the ending of this book drops some major revelations about the setting if you decide to take them as canon. Want to know about the Then read this book.
For longtime Eberron fans, the ending of this book drops some major revelations about the setting if you decide to take them as canon. Want to know about the Then read this book.
May 6, 2016
I enjoy books set in the D&D or Ebarron worlds as long as they are well-written. It's not just the world that I like - the story and characters have to be engaging as well. I want a well-crafted story. Baker really built the world of Eberron, so he does a good job of fleshing it out on the written page, and this novel is pretty solid for what it is. It does start kind of chaotically, and the beginning was a little hard to follow. However, it does settle into a cohesive story that kept me interested. Like a lot of these genre books, it does try to cram a little too many elements into one story. But there is a good level of consistency that brought the book around to a satisfying conclusion in the end.
July 18, 2021
I think Baker does a nice job of creating some central characters that you can actually care about, which isn't easy when one is a medusa. Unfortunately, the book ends with way too many unanswered questions. I'm sure those questions are answered in the books that follow, but I would have liked a little more explanation at the end.
Still, I did enjoy it, and it was a nice way to start off the new year.
Still, I did enjoy it, and it was a nice way to start off the new year.
December 29, 2013
This was a really good book. Not so many twists and turns or anything, but just a great story. Eberron was a great realm to base stories in, and I wish I could find a way to get others to play in something like it. Thorn is a great character with enough of a secret by the end, that I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy.
December 7, 2009
It started pretty mediocre and finished the same. It was terrible but it was never particularly interesting nor original - about the only reason I finished it was the fact that it was short and I figured I may as well see it through to the end.
January 21, 2011
Excellent pacing, and Thorn has now become my favorite D&D character. Really focuses on what an Eberron story is really like.
December 22, 2012
Interesting and involved plot with wonderful characters that draws you into the story, again not predictable like so many other books
December 14, 2018
[REVIEW TO COME LATER UPON RE-READ.]
October 8, 2020
Pretty good
Perhaps the best book of the eberron trilogy by Keith Baker. Short, that's the only flaw. Read it in 4-5 hours. But well written!
Perhaps the best book of the eberron trilogy by Keith Baker. Short, that's the only flaw. Read it in 4-5 hours. But well written!
June 27, 2018
Better than I expected. Excellent tale. =)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews