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The Averraine Cycle #1
Casting in Stone
They said ill winds blew at her back. They said she was cursed, a dreading and a hissing in the dark. And it was true: everywhere she went, no matter what she did, misfortune seemed to follow in her wake. But that, of course, wasn’t the worst of it.
The curse that seemed to follow Caoimhe throughout her life had caused many tragedies. She fled her old life, trying to lose herself in anonymity, but the unholy circumstances of her birth, and the machinations of those who sought to use her existence to further their own schemes followed her still. Can she overcome a long-dead evil and finally be free?
The curse that seemed to follow Caoimhe throughout her life had caused many tragedies. She fled her old life, trying to lose herself in anonymity, but the unholy circumstances of her birth, and the machinations of those who sought to use her existence to further their own schemes followed her still. Can she overcome a long-dead evil and finally be free?
- GenresFantasy
Unknown Binding
First published June 15, 2015
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34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 2, 2015
I lucked upon, “Casting in Stone” for a weekend read. I am more than pleased I did and was pleasantly surprised.
From the very start, the author grabs your attention and holds it throughout. “Casting in Stone,” is an expertly crafted and woven tale taking place in a wondrous mythical world. The protagonist piqued my interest and I was immediately plunged into a story I could not seem to put down.
“Casting in Stone” is told from Caoimhe’s point of view and starts with a devastating tragedy and mystery. The protagonist is one I truly enjoyed. She is an unintentional and worthy hero not often seen in fantasy.
Each chapter is more intriguing than the last, weaving a stimulating tale leaving you wanting more. The mysteries of Caoimhe’s birth, childhood and benefactors—a host of peoples spinning their webs of deceit and manipulation.
Most of the story takes place in Rhwyn. However, through flashbacks, we are introduced to different places, times and given greater pieces of the tragedies of Caoimhe’s life. Starting with the hatred of her parents and shunning of all those about her, save her grandfather.
The characters are well thought out and described. I found myself empathizing and rooting for Caoimhe. Though, she seemed an unlikely hero, she was also an inevitable one. Her past was devastating and cruel and yet she survived by repressing any emotion. Actually, she may have had the greatest emotion and loyalty, especially for he sister, Meryn.
The level of intrigue is mind-blowing with just the right amount of twists and surprises to keep you interested, not frustrated. I read this book in one sitting and started looking for book II as soon as I finished. Morgan Smith has written a fabulously engrossing tale filled with believable and fallible characters. There is just the right amount of magical/spiritual elements as not to overshadow the story, but to enhance it.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Casting in Stone” and will be searching for more titles from this author.
From the very start, the author grabs your attention and holds it throughout. “Casting in Stone,” is an expertly crafted and woven tale taking place in a wondrous mythical world. The protagonist piqued my interest and I was immediately plunged into a story I could not seem to put down.
“Casting in Stone” is told from Caoimhe’s point of view and starts with a devastating tragedy and mystery. The protagonist is one I truly enjoyed. She is an unintentional and worthy hero not often seen in fantasy.
Each chapter is more intriguing than the last, weaving a stimulating tale leaving you wanting more. The mysteries of Caoimhe’s birth, childhood and benefactors—a host of peoples spinning their webs of deceit and manipulation.
Most of the story takes place in Rhwyn. However, through flashbacks, we are introduced to different places, times and given greater pieces of the tragedies of Caoimhe’s life. Starting with the hatred of her parents and shunning of all those about her, save her grandfather.
The characters are well thought out and described. I found myself empathizing and rooting for Caoimhe. Though, she seemed an unlikely hero, she was also an inevitable one. Her past was devastating and cruel and yet she survived by repressing any emotion. Actually, she may have had the greatest emotion and loyalty, especially for he sister, Meryn.
The level of intrigue is mind-blowing with just the right amount of twists and surprises to keep you interested, not frustrated. I read this book in one sitting and started looking for book II as soon as I finished. Morgan Smith has written a fabulously engrossing tale filled with believable and fallible characters. There is just the right amount of magical/spiritual elements as not to overshadow the story, but to enhance it.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Casting in Stone” and will be searching for more titles from this author.
September 29, 2018
This book was an awesome surprise. I hadn't expected it to be nearly as good as it was. It's a medieval fantasy that's loosely based on pre-Christian Celtic culture. Magic is limited to the priestesses trained on the holy island of Braide, and the main character is a young warrior girl drawn into the occult against her will. Actually, she seems much older than she is. I was surprised to learn midway through that she was only twenty-two.
It gets off to a bit of a rocky start. Caoimhe (pronounced "Kiva", according to Google) is sent out to hunt the wolves which have killed several babies in her village. With a prologue that also alludes to the birth of a baby, it's not clear that the first few pages of the story are not about the same child, and that we're looking at a wolf mauling, not a stillbirth. After that initial slightly graphic tale, the story delves into an extended flashback sequence about Caoimhe's childhood and what brought her to this point. I found it plenty entertaining - this woman has led an eventful life, and I really enjoyed getting to know her better through her history - but I know others found the length of the flashback jarring. By the time you return to the present day, you've forgotten the names of the present-day characters, and there's no mention in the writing to help you link them back to the figures in Caoimhe's youth.
Like a lot of indie books, the presentation is rough around the edges. The cover design is unnaturally dark, the chapter headings are nonstandard, and there are still some typos. But it passes the all-important indie test: I got caught up in the story and forgot about all that stuff. It has a realistic take on both psychology and warrior culture, and that's a winning combo in my estimation. I don't mind the darkness that comes along with it. Magic is a subtle and mysterious thing, and evil is real and lurks under the surface. The setting is well researched and while not strictly historical, it includes enough historic detail to provide a rich background for the story.
It gets off to a bit of a rocky start. Caoimhe (pronounced "Kiva", according to Google) is sent out to hunt the wolves which have killed several babies in her village. With a prologue that also alludes to the birth of a baby, it's not clear that the first few pages of the story are not about the same child, and that we're looking at a wolf mauling, not a stillbirth. After that initial slightly graphic tale, the story delves into an extended flashback sequence about Caoimhe's childhood and what brought her to this point. I found it plenty entertaining - this woman has led an eventful life, and I really enjoyed getting to know her better through her history - but I know others found the length of the flashback jarring. By the time you return to the present day, you've forgotten the names of the present-day characters, and there's no mention in the writing to help you link them back to the figures in Caoimhe's youth.
Like a lot of indie books, the presentation is rough around the edges. The cover design is unnaturally dark, the chapter headings are nonstandard, and there are still some typos. But it passes the all-important indie test: I got caught up in the story and forgot about all that stuff. It has a realistic take on both psychology and warrior culture, and that's a winning combo in my estimation. I don't mind the darkness that comes along with it. Magic is a subtle and mysterious thing, and evil is real and lurks under the surface. The setting is well researched and while not strictly historical, it includes enough historic detail to provide a rich background for the story.
March 12, 2018
a beautifully crafted book
Morgan Smith writes such amazingly strong, scarred, and obstinately honest women. And then she writes plots that push them to the edge of breaking, but only so they can find their own way to heal. At this point I’ll read anything that has her name on it.
Morgan Smith writes such amazingly strong, scarred, and obstinately honest women. And then she writes plots that push them to the edge of breaking, but only so they can find their own way to heal. At this point I’ll read anything that has her name on it.
December 12, 2017
Back in August 2016 I reviewed Smith's A Spell in the Country, which is one of the best indie fantasy novels I’ve come across. Both of these books are in Smith’s high fantasy series The Averraine Cycle, taking place in the same world and referencing some of the same locations and history, but not sharing characters or plot points.
Like A Spell in the Country, Casting in Stone is told from the first person point of view of a tough and fierce female warrior in a medieval-esque land of castles, knights, and dangerous magic. Our hero is Caoimhe, an orphan with notoriously ill luck and a penchant for killing. In a flashback we learn that she served as champion for a young duke named Einon during a period of power struggle and court intrigue in the town of Rhwyn. There were a lot of court intrigues in the story, and I regret to say that I couldn’t very well keep up with all of them. The main story was centered on Caoimhe’s investigation into a curse that she believes has been plaguing her, and the ways that the people around her manipulate her to keep her ignorant of the curse or help guide her to discovering the source of the curse.
There’s some action in the story: descriptions of one-on-one battles between champions, descriptions of skirmishes against feral supernatural wolves, battle against wicked supernatural entities. With the descriptions of fighting and the daily routines of being a soldier in this kind of grim pre-industrial fantasy world, the author spares no detail. The weapons and processes and fighting techniques are elaborated in a way that reveals how much time Smith researched her source material, creating a very believable setting. This was the case in A Spell in the Country as well, and I’m again impressed and inspired by it. In my own fantasy work, I would do well to imitate that commitment to research. That being said, there were long stretches of the book where things moved slowly, and where I really wanted to see more things happening. Where the story was interesting, it was great, but there were stretches when it dragged on.
Like A Spell in the Country, Casting in Stone is told from the first person point of view of a tough and fierce female warrior in a medieval-esque land of castles, knights, and dangerous magic. Our hero is Caoimhe, an orphan with notoriously ill luck and a penchant for killing. In a flashback we learn that she served as champion for a young duke named Einon during a period of power struggle and court intrigue in the town of Rhwyn. There were a lot of court intrigues in the story, and I regret to say that I couldn’t very well keep up with all of them. The main story was centered on Caoimhe’s investigation into a curse that she believes has been plaguing her, and the ways that the people around her manipulate her to keep her ignorant of the curse or help guide her to discovering the source of the curse.
There’s some action in the story: descriptions of one-on-one battles between champions, descriptions of skirmishes against feral supernatural wolves, battle against wicked supernatural entities. With the descriptions of fighting and the daily routines of being a soldier in this kind of grim pre-industrial fantasy world, the author spares no detail. The weapons and processes and fighting techniques are elaborated in a way that reveals how much time Smith researched her source material, creating a very believable setting. This was the case in A Spell in the Country as well, and I’m again impressed and inspired by it. In my own fantasy work, I would do well to imitate that commitment to research. That being said, there were long stretches of the book where things moved slowly, and where I really wanted to see more things happening. Where the story was interesting, it was great, but there were stretches when it dragged on.
August 30, 2020
Casting in Stone works well primarily as a "snapshot" of a gritty high fantasy setting through a character study. The story is focused at a relatively small scale with hints of the broader world and its people provided largely through flashbacks. This feels refreshing to a reader whose last read in this (very broad genre) was the weighty Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson. Smith tells the story of Caoimhe, a warrior woman with an unhappy past living a kind of self-imposed exile in a small town beset, at the opening, by some suspicious animal attacks.
Through Caoimhe's eyes and history we a world run along feudal lines drawn with something of a Gaelic influence. Magic is present here, but is primarily controlled by a matriarchal priesthood who vie for power and influence with a medieval nobility. The central conflict emerges as a byproduct of this, with Caoimhe's past catching up with her in an unexpected way. The faith of the land centres on Goddess-worship and women appear to have equal access and obligations to power, landholding and martial pursuits. The closest things to an overarching "grand narrative" outside the central conflict of the story appear through reference to a fallen kingdom of Averraine (its downfall is hinted to be magic-related) and a rather ominous epilogue.
The character study presents itself in the worldly Caoimhe's insights on the warrior culture she inhabits, the nature of power and those who wield it and her connections with other characters within the story. We gain an interesting view on the small details of this society, everyday village life, hunting, feasting, political machinations and fighting. Smith's background in archaeology clearly makes itself known here. This was an engaging read and I look forward to continuing with further books in the cycle.
Through Caoimhe's eyes and history we a world run along feudal lines drawn with something of a Gaelic influence. Magic is present here, but is primarily controlled by a matriarchal priesthood who vie for power and influence with a medieval nobility. The central conflict emerges as a byproduct of this, with Caoimhe's past catching up with her in an unexpected way. The faith of the land centres on Goddess-worship and women appear to have equal access and obligations to power, landholding and martial pursuits. The closest things to an overarching "grand narrative" outside the central conflict of the story appear through reference to a fallen kingdom of Averraine (its downfall is hinted to be magic-related) and a rather ominous epilogue.
The character study presents itself in the worldly Caoimhe's insights on the warrior culture she inhabits, the nature of power and those who wield it and her connections with other characters within the story. We gain an interesting view on the small details of this society, everyday village life, hunting, feasting, political machinations and fighting. Smith's background in archaeology clearly makes itself known here. This was an engaging read and I look forward to continuing with further books in the cycle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2021
Great stuff! I left out a star because due to the style of storytelling there were some critical plot pieces that seem to have been left out. Actually I think what may have happened is the author's assumption that the reader is following along realllly close, knows all the characters as well as the back of their hand and so, when something really important was merely inferred, not stated outright, the reader got it immediately. I am not that reader.
Sooo...the king was her dad? Was he at the ritual? Why did everyone around her growing up think she was evil, if she herself didn't know her own origin story until much later? I really couldn't follow along at all however I still really enjoyed it and will read the next book im sure.
Sooo...the king was her dad? Was he at the ritual? Why did everyone around her growing up think she was evil, if she herself didn't know her own origin story until much later? I really couldn't follow along at all however I still really enjoyed it and will read the next book im sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2019
Enjoyable, exciting fantasy with a beautiful Celtic-style historical setting. I especially liked how this is a story in a world with magic, about magic in some ways, but told from a soldier's point of view, so the magic is more of a side note. As others have mentioned, the flipping between flashback & present time is a little bit confusing, but after the first one the plot moves ahead pretty quickly so it's easier to keep track of what is when.
Somehow I got this for free on Instafreebie, which is amazing considering the quality. So glad I found it!
Somehow I got this for free on Instafreebie, which is amazing considering the quality. So glad I found it!
January 11, 2022
I originally bought this book for my husband as a Christmas gift. He enjoyed it so much that he went and purchased all other books by Morgan Smith he could find and read them too.
I got pulled into the story myself and couldn't put it down. I read it in a single long day (thank goodness for cold winter days, soft blankets, and cats for company) I thoroughly enjoyed the read and am looking forward to more.
I got pulled into the story myself and couldn't put it down. I read it in a single long day (thank goodness for cold winter days, soft blankets, and cats for company) I thoroughly enjoyed the read and am looking forward to more.
November 27, 2018
Excellent!
I am so happy to find such an excellent new author, and excited to see where this Cycle is going.
I am so happy to find such an excellent new author, and excited to see where this Cycle is going.
April 23, 2016
Caoimhe is a warrior in the principality of Rhywn. She is somewhat feared because the circumstances of her life have been scarred by a malign force that has followed her always, unbeknownst to her. The story is told in first person from Caoimhe's point of view and starts with a bang as she and a fellow hunter named Joss have to find and kill some wolves that have been killing children in the village. At least one of the wolves is supernatural, changing briefly into a man at the end of their battle.
Caoimhe's story is revealed gradually in flashbacks of her life. Her grandfather was the only relative who cared for her until her little sister Meryn comes along. Even her life with her little sister is marred by horrible circumstances, but I don't want to give away too much of the story.
Caoimhe is a fascinating woman, tough as a warrior must be, yet always dogged by the curse on her life. The rest of the characters are also engaging. Be prepared for a lot of swashbuckling in an excellent read.
Caoimhe's story is revealed gradually in flashbacks of her life. Her grandfather was the only relative who cared for her until her little sister Meryn comes along. Even her life with her little sister is marred by horrible circumstances, but I don't want to give away too much of the story.
Caoimhe is a fascinating woman, tough as a warrior must be, yet always dogged by the curse on her life. The rest of the characters are also engaging. Be prepared for a lot of swashbuckling in an excellent read.
November 25, 2016
3.5
The writing was engaging, but it felt like nothing much happened for a long time then, BOOM, plot, the end. Felt more like a novella with overly detailed backstory. I suppose the balance of plot elements was off.
The writing was engaging, but it felt like nothing much happened for a long time then, BOOM, plot, the end. Felt more like a novella with overly detailed backstory. I suppose the balance of plot elements was off.
April 16, 2020
What can I say? I was hooked by the end of the first chapter. The characters are engaging, and the plot keeps you guessing and wanting more. I highly recommend this book to everyone. You won't be disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews