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The Sunlit Lands #1
The Crescent Stone
A girl with a deadly lung disease . . .
A boy with a tragic past . . .
A land where the sun never sets but darkness still creeps in . . .
Madeline Oliver has never wanted for anything, but now she would give anything just to breathe. Jason Wu skates through life on jokes, but when a tragedy leaves him guilt-stricken, he promises to tell only the truth, no matter the price. When a mysterious stranger named Hanali appears to Madeline and offers to heal her in exchange for one year of service to his people, Madeline and Jason are swept into a strange land where they don't know the rules and where their decisions carry consequences that reach farther than they could ever guess.
A boy with a tragic past . . .
A land where the sun never sets but darkness still creeps in . . .
Madeline Oliver has never wanted for anything, but now she would give anything just to breathe. Jason Wu skates through life on jokes, but when a tragedy leaves him guilt-stricken, he promises to tell only the truth, no matter the price. When a mysterious stranger named Hanali appears to Madeline and offers to heal her in exchange for one year of service to his people, Madeline and Jason are swept into a strange land where they don't know the rules and where their decisions carry consequences that reach farther than they could ever guess.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2018
82 people are currently reading
1806 people want to read
About the author
Matt Mikalatos
40 books253 followersMatt Mikalatos writes in a variety of genres, and also writes for film and TV. He lives in the Portland, Oregon area with his wife, three daughters, and a gigantic rabbit named Bruce.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
August 6, 2019
Update - Re-read
This is definitely a solid 5 Stars since it was even better the second time around. These are characters you can bond with and want to walk a mile in their shoes.
I do have to say that Jason is my favorite character since he MADE this book the 5 star read that it is. His humor and honesty win hands down, especially with his side kick Dee.
I'm getting ready to start the second book in this series but as soon as I saw the price...it broke my heart that I will have to wait until my next payday...UGH. I was so looking forward to see what happens next for Madeline and her crew!
Original Review
This was an awesome read full of adventure, fantasy, humor, memorable characters. I can't wait to read the next in this series!
This is definitely a solid 5 Stars since it was even better the second time around. These are characters you can bond with and want to walk a mile in their shoes.
I do have to say that Jason is my favorite character since he MADE this book the 5 star read that it is. His humor and honesty win hands down, especially with his side kick Dee.
I'm getting ready to start the second book in this series but as soon as I saw the price...it broke my heart that I will have to wait until my next payday...UGH. I was so looking forward to see what happens next for Madeline and her crew!
Original Review
This was an awesome read full of adventure, fantasy, humor, memorable characters. I can't wait to read the next in this series!
March 7, 2018
The twists keep coming in The Crescent Stone, a fabulous young adult fantasy with a great cast of characters. I particularly loved Jason, whose humor, logic, and honesty will make readers eager to follow him into a sequel. I found the Sunlit Lands a fantastically engaging place to visit and grew ever more delighted as I discovered more about each culture, their knotted histories, and how the magic worked. Fantasy fans will devour it and ask for seconds.
October 2, 2019
DM if you'd like to hear my thoughts.
December 3, 2019
About this book:
“A girl with a deadly lung disease . . .
A boy with a tragic past . . .
A land where the sun never sets but darkness still creeps in . . .
Madeline Oliver has never wanted for anything, but now she would give anything just to breathe. Jason Wu skates through life on jokes, but when a tragedy leaves him guilt-stricken, he promises to tell only the truth, no matter the price. When a mysterious stranger name Hanali appears to Madeline and offers to heal her in exchange for one year of service to his people, Madeline and Jason are swept into a strange land where they don’t know the rules and where their decisions carry consequences that reach farther than they could ever guess.”
Series: Book #1 in “The Sunlit Lands” series.
Spiritual Content- Parts of the history of the Sunlit Lands could come across as an allegory for the Bible and creation (The Majestic One being God, and Ele and Nala being Adam and Eve); Mentions of a priest; A few mentions of a blessed place & blessings; A couple mentions of missionary schools; A mention of eating something when God intended; A mention of going with God; A mention of Godspeed; A mention of a Christian church that helped Muslims in a refugee status; A mention of only being allowed to be Christian and not any other religion;
*Note: Magic is heavily used in this book’s world; Mentions of curses; A couple mentions of messiahs or saviors for the Sunlit Lands; A couple mentions of demons; A mention of the Stone Age.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘shut up’, two ‘stupid’s, two ‘gah’s, three forms of ‘dumb’s, and four forms of ‘idiot’; A couple fantasy curses are said (“starless night”); Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Jason believes his parents hate him; Jason’s sister died in a tragic car accident & he found her near death (barely-above-not-detailed); Lots of fighting, shooting weapons towards the enemy, harming them, & seeing others injured and near death (semi-detailed); Lots of very creepy and scary creatures, fighting them, seeing them injured/dead, & hearing their violent plans/threats (semi-detailed); Killing (human-like creatures and other creatures) & see them kill/eat other creatures (semi-detailed); Pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of wars, fighting, & weapons; Many mentions of creepy and scary creatures, fighting them, & hearing their violent plans/threats (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of killing & injuring others (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of possible murder/assassination attempts & break-in; Mentions of venomous plants & injuries; Mentions of seeing someone pass out & cough up blood; Mentions of blood & needles; Mentions of fires; Mentions of being whipped & scars; Mentions of revenge; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of drugs, selling them, & dealers; Mentions of prisons/jails, arrests, & inmates; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of toilets, body waste, & nasty smells; A few mentions of beheadings; A few mentions of slavery; A few mentions of gossip & rumors; A couple mentions of the Holocaust; A couple mentions of a smell like something died; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of alcohol & drunks; A mention of a massacre; A mention of thinking someone committed suicide; A mention of cruel and abusive parents; A mention of a man who killed a man-eating tiger;
*Note: Mentions of books & fictional places (including Harry Potter); A couple mentions of car brands; A couple mentions of zombies; A mention of a parent possibly not liking his daughter’s boyfriend because he’s black (not confirmed or denied).
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss; Touches & Embraces; Wanting to touch & embrace; Crushes & Blushes; Noticing; Mentions of dating, dates, boyfriends, exes, & break-ups; A few mentions of a guy’s pregnant girlfriend; A couple mentions of kisses; A couple mentions of flirting; A tiny bit of love, possibly falling in love, & the emotions.
-Madeline Oliver, age 17
- Jason Wu, age 17
P.O.V. switches between them
411 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)
Well. That was interesting.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
It’s no secret at all that I’m not a fantasy person. My head will honestly start to hurt as soon as I start a book in the large majority of that genre.
“So, why, Lindsey would you try to read this fantasy book?” is what I’m sure you are wondering, because I had my concerns:
a. fantasy.
b. fantasy. (It should count for two reasons.)
c. a male author writing in a teen girl’s POV. (This typically never goes well. I can only think of one other series where it went well, and his daughter helped with it.)
So, yes, concerns. How did it all go, though?
Overall, decent.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
~ Let’s first mention that there is a lot of diversity in this book. And I’ll be honest, sometimes it felt like certain characters were diverse for the sake of the book just being diverse. But I’ll look on the positive that there is another book with diverse characters in the Christian Fiction market. Something we are quite lacking.
~ Next, my concern about the male author writing a teen girl’s POV. I was truly bracing for impact when I started the opening chapter. (I would like to note that I truly enjoyed all the parts before the fantasy elements entered into the plot. It could have just stayed that way and I would have been just A-Okay.) I’ve read books by dads of girls before that still don’t come across right (kind of like you can hear the dad hat go on the author instead of the writing hat, if that makes any sense). This book, though, did very well. No emotional breakdowns, no hormones mentioned. Madeline was a good character (even if hinted to be the “chosen one” trope) and I give major props to the author.
~ This next point is part-good and part-wish-it-was-better: The battle scenes and ethics surrounding killing. Without Jason’s humor (this is the part-good), a lot of the book can be depressing at times (the part-wish-it-was-better). Jason’s wit made me laugh at many points and I was grateful for that because the rest of the book (especially towards the end) made me feel conflicted and sad inside for different characters and topics.
~ Continuing on with the battles and fighting: there were many parts that were a bit much for me. No where near the fight scenes and deaths like the “Remnants” series by Lisa T. Bergen reviewed a while back, but still enough details that I wasn’t happy with it. Sensitive readers might need to skip over those parts or not pick up the book at all.
~ A slightly negative thing: Some things (like the time difference between the Sunlit Lands and Earth) were brushed to the side that while I would have preferred a clear answer about, the characters and myself as well just chalk it up to magic/fantasy.
~ A positive thing: Yay for no love triangles! I think most who read the description of this book might be worried about such a plot point, but no! There is not a love triangle and that’s something I truly appreciate.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
So? Final verdict? It wasn’t bad. I say that as someone who is definitely not a fantasy fan. It’s probably one of the better books of that genre I’ve read. I might try to finish out the series, but I will say it’s not at the top of my list.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“A girl with a deadly lung disease . . .
A boy with a tragic past . . .
A land where the sun never sets but darkness still creeps in . . .
Madeline Oliver has never wanted for anything, but now she would give anything just to breathe. Jason Wu skates through life on jokes, but when a tragedy leaves him guilt-stricken, he promises to tell only the truth, no matter the price. When a mysterious stranger name Hanali appears to Madeline and offers to heal her in exchange for one year of service to his people, Madeline and Jason are swept into a strange land where they don’t know the rules and where their decisions carry consequences that reach farther than they could ever guess.”
Series: Book #1 in “The Sunlit Lands” series.
Spiritual Content- Parts of the history of the Sunlit Lands could come across as an allegory for the Bible and creation (The Majestic One being God, and Ele and Nala being Adam and Eve); Mentions of a priest; A few mentions of a blessed place & blessings; A couple mentions of missionary schools; A mention of eating something when God intended; A mention of going with God; A mention of Godspeed; A mention of a Christian church that helped Muslims in a refugee status; A mention of only being allowed to be Christian and not any other religion;
*Note: Magic is heavily used in this book’s world; Mentions of curses; A couple mentions of messiahs or saviors for the Sunlit Lands; A couple mentions of demons; A mention of the Stone Age.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘shut up’, two ‘stupid’s, two ‘gah’s, three forms of ‘dumb’s, and four forms of ‘idiot’; A couple fantasy curses are said (“starless night”); Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Jason believes his parents hate him; Jason’s sister died in a tragic car accident & he found her near death (barely-above-not-detailed); Lots of fighting, shooting weapons towards the enemy, harming them, & seeing others injured and near death (semi-detailed); Lots of very creepy and scary creatures, fighting them, seeing them injured/dead, & hearing their violent plans/threats (semi-detailed); Killing (human-like creatures and other creatures) & see them kill/eat other creatures (semi-detailed); Pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of wars, fighting, & weapons; Many mentions of creepy and scary creatures, fighting them, & hearing their violent plans/threats (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of killing & injuring others (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of possible murder/assassination attempts & break-in; Mentions of venomous plants & injuries; Mentions of seeing someone pass out & cough up blood; Mentions of blood & needles; Mentions of fires; Mentions of being whipped & scars; Mentions of revenge; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of drugs, selling them, & dealers; Mentions of prisons/jails, arrests, & inmates; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of toilets, body waste, & nasty smells; A few mentions of beheadings; A few mentions of slavery; A few mentions of gossip & rumors; A couple mentions of the Holocaust; A couple mentions of a smell like something died; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of alcohol & drunks; A mention of a massacre; A mention of thinking someone committed suicide; A mention of cruel and abusive parents; A mention of a man who killed a man-eating tiger;
*Note: Mentions of books & fictional places (including Harry Potter); A couple mentions of car brands; A couple mentions of zombies; A mention of a parent possibly not liking his daughter’s boyfriend because he’s black (not confirmed or denied).
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss; Touches & Embraces; Wanting to touch & embrace; Crushes & Blushes; Noticing; Mentions of dating, dates, boyfriends, exes, & break-ups; A few mentions of a guy’s pregnant girlfriend; A couple mentions of kisses; A couple mentions of flirting; A tiny bit of love, possibly falling in love, & the emotions.
-Madeline Oliver, age 17
- Jason Wu, age 17
P.O.V. switches between them
411 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)
Well. That was interesting.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
It’s no secret at all that I’m not a fantasy person. My head will honestly start to hurt as soon as I start a book in the large majority of that genre.
“So, why, Lindsey would you try to read this fantasy book?” is what I’m sure you are wondering, because I had my concerns:
a. fantasy.
b. fantasy. (It should count for two reasons.)
c. a male author writing in a teen girl’s POV. (This typically never goes well. I can only think of one other series where it went well, and his daughter helped with it.)
So, yes, concerns. How did it all go, though?
Overall, decent.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
~ Let’s first mention that there is a lot of diversity in this book. And I’ll be honest, sometimes it felt like certain characters were diverse for the sake of the book just being diverse. But I’ll look on the positive that there is another book with diverse characters in the Christian Fiction market. Something we are quite lacking.
~ Next, my concern about the male author writing a teen girl’s POV. I was truly bracing for impact when I started the opening chapter. (I would like to note that I truly enjoyed all the parts before the fantasy elements entered into the plot. It could have just stayed that way and I would have been just A-Okay.) I’ve read books by dads of girls before that still don’t come across right (kind of like you can hear the dad hat go on the author instead of the writing hat, if that makes any sense). This book, though, did very well. No emotional breakdowns, no hormones mentioned. Madeline was a good character (even if hinted to be the “chosen one” trope) and I give major props to the author.
~ This next point is part-good and part-wish-it-was-better: The battle scenes and ethics surrounding killing. Without Jason’s humor (this is the part-good), a lot of the book can be depressing at times (the part-wish-it-was-better). Jason’s wit made me laugh at many points and I was grateful for that because the rest of the book (especially towards the end) made me feel conflicted and sad inside for different characters and topics.
~ Continuing on with the battles and fighting: there were many parts that were a bit much for me. No where near the fight scenes and deaths like the “Remnants” series by Lisa T. Bergen reviewed a while back, but still enough details that I wasn’t happy with it. Sensitive readers might need to skip over those parts or not pick up the book at all.
~ A slightly negative thing: Some things (like the time difference between the Sunlit Lands and Earth) were brushed to the side that while I would have preferred a clear answer about, the characters and myself as well just chalk it up to magic/fantasy.
~ A positive thing: Yay for no love triangles! I think most who read the description of this book might be worried about such a plot point, but no! There is not a love triangle and that’s something I truly appreciate.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
So? Final verdict? It wasn’t bad. I say that as someone who is definitely not a fantasy fan. It’s probably one of the better books of that genre I’ve read. I might try to finish out the series, but I will say it’s not at the top of my list.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
February 15, 2023
3 ½ stars 🌟
2 pages in I wasn't feeling whatever was going on and was ready to quit. But I wanted to give it a fair chance so I pushed through. Jason was the main thing that kept me reading for the first several chapters, I found him silly but amusing. And then I actually became invested in the story. I'm not sure if my rating will stay the same after I've had more time to think on it, but as of right now I plan to continue the series.
2 pages in I wasn't feeling whatever was going on and was ready to quit. But I wanted to give it a fair chance so I pushed through. Jason was the main thing that kept me reading for the first several chapters, I found him silly but amusing. And then I actually became invested in the story. I'm not sure if my rating will stay the same after I've had more time to think on it, but as of right now I plan to continue the series.
February 26, 2020
This was honestly interesting and that's all I gotta say right now.
The Crescent Stone was something new for me. Didn't know much about it but I saw that the first two books were available as audio on my hoopla app. So, I figured why the hell not? It's a new author and new series for me and I was determined to see how it was all going to play out.
Okay, first off, I'm happy that this whole thing had no love triangles or love shapes whatsoever. In it, you will meet Madeline who has moments of her breath being taken away. She has some weird lung disease that she has been dealing with for sometime. Nearing her deathbed, she is given an offer. Travel to a land, stay for a year, and she will live. Pretty simple, right?
Eh, it wasn't. Now she was an okay character and the plot was interesting enough. However, I feel like things were kind of just pushed the side? Not a lot of explanation on things. Or maybe that's just me? Then there's Jason, ugh.. I have no idea what to say about it. At first, I liked him but then the narrator's voice for him just ended up annoying me.
Maybe the next book will be a little bit better?
The Crescent Stone was something new for me. Didn't know much about it but I saw that the first two books were available as audio on my hoopla app. So, I figured why the hell not? It's a new author and new series for me and I was determined to see how it was all going to play out.
Okay, first off, I'm happy that this whole thing had no love triangles or love shapes whatsoever. In it, you will meet Madeline who has moments of her breath being taken away. She has some weird lung disease that she has been dealing with for sometime. Nearing her deathbed, she is given an offer. Travel to a land, stay for a year, and she will live. Pretty simple, right?
Eh, it wasn't. Now she was an okay character and the plot was interesting enough. However, I feel like things were kind of just pushed the side? Not a lot of explanation on things. Or maybe that's just me? Then there's Jason, ugh.. I have no idea what to say about it. At first, I liked him but then the narrator's voice for him just ended up annoying me.
Maybe the next book will be a little bit better?
April 5, 2022
There is decent storytelling in The Crescent Stone. Unfortunately, it's overshadowed by uneven writing filled with preachy messages. Jason used to lie a lot but now he tells the truth. And he likes to wax poetic, dropping major infodumps here and there. The one that stuck out to me most was his infodump on immigration and Angel Island. I'm not trying to diminish what happened to the immigrants there, but when you're in the middle of a fantasy plot and you start giving me a history lesson on something completely unrelated, well, I'm gonna have a problem with that.
The diversity feels a lot like tokenism, and the one Hawaiian character says "brah" and is just a ridiculous stereotype of what a Hawaiian male is like. It was at that point that I just knew I could not go on.
The diversity feels a lot like tokenism, and the one Hawaiian character says "brah" and is just a ridiculous stereotype of what a Hawaiian male is like. It was at that point that I just knew I could not go on.
July 11, 2018
The Crescent Stone has one of the prettiest covers I've seen in a long time, and it's even better in the physical book (versus the ebook.) Cover aside, Mikalatos has drawn me into his stories before. I read his "The Sword of Six Worlds" and "Capeville: Death of the Black Vulture", enjoying each one with its unique milieu. "The Crescent Stone" continues in the Mikalatos tradition of imaginative, fantastical tales with humorous zest and an underlying depth that threads underneath the surface of the tale like tree roots.
Madeline and Jason end up in the Sunlit Lands thinking they've agreed to one year of service for the desires of their hearts. In Madeline's case that is her very life itself, and Jason . . . well, let's just say Jason has his own demons from the past. But things are definitely not as they first seem, which creates some terrific intrigue as the pair slowly discover the truth. The references to well-known fantasy worlds like Narnia as well as other novels pleased me as a reader.
Mikalatos does delve into social commentary at times that while not forced did seem like agenda. But after all, most authors have a particular message to convey in their tale, and it definitely made me think. That's always a good thing. I enjoyed my journey into the Sunlit Lands, and I daresay Mikalatos will gain many more fans with this series. Yes, there's an excerpt to the next book in the back!
Madeline and Jason end up in the Sunlit Lands thinking they've agreed to one year of service for the desires of their hearts. In Madeline's case that is her very life itself, and Jason . . . well, let's just say Jason has his own demons from the past. But things are definitely not as they first seem, which creates some terrific intrigue as the pair slowly discover the truth. The references to well-known fantasy worlds like Narnia as well as other novels pleased me as a reader.
Mikalatos does delve into social commentary at times that while not forced did seem like agenda. But after all, most authors have a particular message to convey in their tale, and it definitely made me think. That's always a good thing. I enjoyed my journey into the Sunlit Lands, and I daresay Mikalatos will gain many more fans with this series. Yes, there's an excerpt to the next book in the back!
November 25, 2021
I had very mixed feelings while reading this book 😐. So, some pro’s and cons:
Pro: very engaging and intriguing plot. It kept me guessing, and I didn’t know exactly who to trust.
Pro: interesting characters with fun personalities (Jason never failed to provide comedic relief)
Con: Madeline and Jason’s lack of respect for authority figures was aggravating. Sure, maybe the authority figure was being a nincompoop, but when said authority figure has the power to kill you with a snap of his fingers, and you also swore to be loyal to him when you entered the Sunlit lands, it doesn’t seem right to be disrespectful and noncooperative.
Con: I was told going into this book that it would have a bit of politics. What I didn’t realize was that basically the whole moral side of the plot would be a political metaphor. This wasn’t necessarily bad, but I’m still having trouble determining if the morals were sound and true. Basically the idea was that, if you have some sort of privilege, power, or gift, it has been taken from someone else. To some extent this may be true. There are certainly those who will fight their way up the financial and social ladder with no regard for others. I just can’t tell how far the author is taking this, so I will be approaching the rest of the series with caution.
These are my major takeaways. I did enjoy the book, and it kept my attention well, but I would take caution with the moral implications throughout the book.
Pro: very engaging and intriguing plot. It kept me guessing, and I didn’t know exactly who to trust.
Pro: interesting characters with fun personalities (Jason never failed to provide comedic relief)
Con: Madeline and Jason’s lack of respect for authority figures was aggravating. Sure, maybe the authority figure was being a nincompoop, but when said authority figure has the power to kill you with a snap of his fingers, and you also swore to be loyal to him when you entered the Sunlit lands, it doesn’t seem right to be disrespectful and noncooperative.
Con: I was told going into this book that it would have a bit of politics. What I didn’t realize was that basically the whole moral side of the plot would be a political metaphor. This wasn’t necessarily bad, but I’m still having trouble determining if the morals were sound and true. Basically the idea was that, if you have some sort of privilege, power, or gift, it has been taken from someone else. To some extent this may be true. There are certainly those who will fight their way up the financial and social ladder with no regard for others. I just can’t tell how far the author is taking this, so I will be approaching the rest of the series with caution.
These are my major takeaways. I did enjoy the book, and it kept my attention well, but I would take caution with the moral implications throughout the book.
November 30, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this book, but some parts of it I found really frustrating. One of the things that bugged me was that the main characters in this book made some choices that were really unrealistic. Another thing is that it was very wordy is spots when it didn't need to be. Overall, I thought it was a decent book and had an intriguing plot.
January 11, 2022
3.5 stars. I would take the goodreads reviews with a major grain of salt. I talk about that here in this video:
Why do fundies hate this Christian fantasy book?
https://youtu.be/w_xFSEdqlsY
I can understand why this pisses off fundamentalist Christians and to be honest that made me like it more. Most of the negative reviews talking about this are from Christians who complain it’s “preachy” which is hilariously ironic. It’s no more preachy than literally jesus himself, and in the same way, which is to say it deals with themes of social justice. Which in this time we live in, Christians would do well to lean INTO rather than whine about.
The book did some really cool stuff that I loved. There was a twist I really liked with a particular character, I appreciated the theme of “magic has a price”, I really appreciated the conversation surrounding war and how those in power write history books. I loved the idea of certain cultural ideas he created for the beings of the sunlit lands, like stories being a form of currency. That was really cool. This had some very Narnia-ish qualities to it that fans of that series will find appealing.
I think it struggles in a few areas like pacing, worldbuilding, and a lot of the characters sort of blended together for me because they didn’t really stand out. I struggled to care about them because they felt more like they were there to serve a purpose.
I don’t think I’ll continue with the series but I appreciate what this book offers and think that this is a needed book in the Christian publishing industry.
Why do fundies hate this Christian fantasy book?
https://youtu.be/w_xFSEdqlsY
I can understand why this pisses off fundamentalist Christians and to be honest that made me like it more. Most of the negative reviews talking about this are from Christians who complain it’s “preachy” which is hilariously ironic. It’s no more preachy than literally jesus himself, and in the same way, which is to say it deals with themes of social justice. Which in this time we live in, Christians would do well to lean INTO rather than whine about.
The book did some really cool stuff that I loved. There was a twist I really liked with a particular character, I appreciated the theme of “magic has a price”, I really appreciated the conversation surrounding war and how those in power write history books. I loved the idea of certain cultural ideas he created for the beings of the sunlit lands, like stories being a form of currency. That was really cool. This had some very Narnia-ish qualities to it that fans of that series will find appealing.
I think it struggles in a few areas like pacing, worldbuilding, and a lot of the characters sort of blended together for me because they didn’t really stand out. I struggled to care about them because they felt more like they were there to serve a purpose.
I don’t think I’ll continue with the series but I appreciate what this book offers and think that this is a needed book in the Christian publishing industry.
July 14, 2022
2.5 stars
September 6, 2018
Matt Mikalatos has a way of making me laugh out loud and cry quietly all within a few pages of one another! The story of an ailing teenage girl and her friends magically propelled into a fantastic adventure in another world is compelling as a story and convicting as an illustration as the themes of power and privilege and unintended consequences. I loved the development of the characters and once I got to the second half of the book I found it hard to put down.
As I found true in his book My Imaginary Jesus, Matt is at once both silly and profound, lighthearted and philosophical. And the story while it tells of a land in a far off magical destination, the implications hit really close to home. I'm grateful to have had the chance to read this and I'm looking forward to the next one!
As I found true in his book My Imaginary Jesus, Matt is at once both silly and profound, lighthearted and philosophical. And the story while it tells of a land in a far off magical destination, the implications hit really close to home. I'm grateful to have had the chance to read this and I'm looking forward to the next one!
October 4, 2018
Fantasy is always a hard genre to write in. I love reading it. Especially when the author does a great job in creating a world with a history. And Matt Mikalatos did just that. The Sunlit Lands are rich in history to the point there are legends and reasons behind why the people believe the way that they do.
I'll admit. The book dragged on at times. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but there were times it was slow.
I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series because I do want to know what happened to the characters Jason especially. I'd also like to know more about the Sunlit Lands in general.
I received a copy from the publisher for free in order to give my honest opinion. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recommended to fans of fantasy, Tolkien
Rating - 4 stars
I'll admit. The book dragged on at times. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but there were times it was slow.
I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series because I do want to know what happened to the characters Jason especially. I'd also like to know more about the Sunlit Lands in general.
I received a copy from the publisher for free in order to give my honest opinion. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recommended to fans of fantasy, Tolkien
Rating - 4 stars
August 5, 2018
"The Crescent Stone" is more social commentary than traditional fantasy. There is no great Evil to be fought, just social inequality and greed to be recognized. Human children are offered a deal--your hearts desire in return for service to the Elenil. These children come from all backgrounds, and we get brief descriptions of past racial discrimination in America (out of context, so it sounds even more shocking and baffling).
Jason is the comic relief in an otherwise depressing story with a sad ending. Ironically, he's the most realistic and complex character. Madeline is more a role than a person. She's dying, so she agrees to fight the Scim for 1 year in return for her health. After gaining her health and while in awe of the Elenil, she still decides not to fight in the war because she couldn't kill anyone. She doesn't like how the magic in the world works and harshly judges the locals for how they use it, yet she greatly benefits from it. After only two months of living in this world and despite warnings about the consequences from the people who live there, she decides that she knows best how to fix things, even if it'll cause the death and suffering of many innocent people.
She's a self-centered, arrogant gal (though apparently still "pure of heart") who seemed intent on passing her pain on to the entire fantasy world. I felt so frustrated by her attitude that I didn't enjoy the story. The ending had the obvious solution that took her forever to recognize. While I'm in favor of pointing out and inequalities, I felt like the author was going for shock value more than truth in an attempt to prompt action in the readers. There was no sex or bad language.
I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher.
Jason is the comic relief in an otherwise depressing story with a sad ending. Ironically, he's the most realistic and complex character. Madeline is more a role than a person. She's dying, so she agrees to fight the Scim for 1 year in return for her health. After gaining her health and while in awe of the Elenil, she still decides not to fight in the war because she couldn't kill anyone. She doesn't like how the magic in the world works and harshly judges the locals for how they use it, yet she greatly benefits from it. After only two months of living in this world and despite warnings about the consequences from the people who live there, she decides that she knows best how to fix things, even if it'll cause the death and suffering of many innocent people.
She's a self-centered, arrogant gal (though apparently still "pure of heart") who seemed intent on passing her pain on to the entire fantasy world. I felt so frustrated by her attitude that I didn't enjoy the story. The ending had the obvious solution that took her forever to recognize. While I'm in favor of pointing out and inequalities, I felt like the author was going for shock value more than truth in an attempt to prompt action in the readers. There was no sex or bad language.
I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher.
August 14, 2018
Loved this book. For me this is way better then Narnia, (blasphemous I know) it had a great cast of characters and a well crafted and thought out fantasy world. Personally speaking I preferred Jason over Madeline, both were well done, but Jason was much more likable and Madeline just didn't ask many of the important questions or question anything about the world. The magic is a lot different from anything I've read before and the magic toilets sounded fascinating. Will definitely be reading the second book whenever it gets released.
August 7, 2018
Amazing book
Another amazing YA Fantasy gem! The Crescent Stone is an adventure to not be missed. I happily recommend it to everyone.
Another amazing YA Fantasy gem! The Crescent Stone is an adventure to not be missed. I happily recommend it to everyone.
August 19, 2018
This is a young adult fantasy. And while I'm not often a fan of fantasy in general, I did enjoy this read. What got me curious? The cover. For me, this felt like a good book to take on vacation or when relaxing at the beach. The story felt slow at first, but it really picks up, especially toward the end. There's a lot of world-building, which was probably why it felt slow to me. But that building was necessary to the story. The story revolves around Madeline Oliver. I don't remember if the book called it specifically, but her symptoms reminded me of interstitial lung disease. A slow progressing yet fatal lung disease. As time continues, each breath becomes more work and more precious to her.
Madeline is offered a chance to breathe normally again if she would agree to service for one year in the Sunlight land. Seems like a no-brainer. Except that things are not always what they seem in this strange new world. And trying to figure out who is telling the truth and who is lying becomes more and more difficult for her. Madeline is accompanied by a friend from school, Jason (aka Su Wong). For me? Jason was a great character addition. I'm so glad the author included him. He was a character with internal conflict and yet at the same time funny and entertaining. From the start, Jason was the character that kept me invested in the story. Plus, nightmarish warriors at night, and other fascinating creatures. Not to mention Dee, the loveable, uh, "unicorn". :)
A story with some tough questions and moral dilemmas, The Crescent Stone helps open the minds and hearts of its readers to see beyond our day-to-day and look to those that are truly suffering. The author has carefully crafted this story into an entertaining format and at the same time offers contemplation as the Sunlit Lands mirror our own and the pain and torment within is no different from that seen throughout our world. I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale in exchange for my honest opinion.
Madeline is offered a chance to breathe normally again if she would agree to service for one year in the Sunlight land. Seems like a no-brainer. Except that things are not always what they seem in this strange new world. And trying to figure out who is telling the truth and who is lying becomes more and more difficult for her. Madeline is accompanied by a friend from school, Jason (aka Su Wong). For me? Jason was a great character addition. I'm so glad the author included him. He was a character with internal conflict and yet at the same time funny and entertaining. From the start, Jason was the character that kept me invested in the story. Plus, nightmarish warriors at night, and other fascinating creatures. Not to mention Dee, the loveable, uh, "unicorn". :)
A story with some tough questions and moral dilemmas, The Crescent Stone helps open the minds and hearts of its readers to see beyond our day-to-day and look to those that are truly suffering. The author has carefully crafted this story into an entertaining format and at the same time offers contemplation as the Sunlit Lands mirror our own and the pain and torment within is no different from that seen throughout our world. I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 20, 2018
Mikalatos gives readers a thought provoking fantasy adventure in the style of C. S. Lewis. There are allusions to Christian truths in the story and the plot contains many ethical decisions. There are unusual creatures inhabiting many kingdoms. There are intense battles and life and death situations. There are complex loyalties and underlying motives that made me wonder who the good guys really were. Perhaps like reality, the good and evil motives in beings were often hidden.
The characters are well developed and very interesting. One character, for example, is the King of Mirrors. He is always looking into one, when he is not fighting, that is. My favorite character was Jason. His truth telling and sarcasm brought humor to the narrative.
Mikalatos has included a number of moral issues in the plot. We learn about Angel Island and the historical woes of immigrants coming to the west coast of the U.S. We are informed about privatized prisons in the U.S. and the profitability of filling them, even if it requires made up charges. Most glaringly, we readers are faced with living our comfortable middle class lives at the expense of others.
This novel is in the young adult genre. I enjoyed it as an older adult too. The prevalence of social justice issues contained in the book makes me suggest the novel would be good for older teens. It would be a good choice for a teen reading group as there would be much to discuss.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy an allegory with hints of the gospel and other spiritual truths as well as many social justice issues.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
The characters are well developed and very interesting. One character, for example, is the King of Mirrors. He is always looking into one, when he is not fighting, that is. My favorite character was Jason. His truth telling and sarcasm brought humor to the narrative.
Mikalatos has included a number of moral issues in the plot. We learn about Angel Island and the historical woes of immigrants coming to the west coast of the U.S. We are informed about privatized prisons in the U.S. and the profitability of filling them, even if it requires made up charges. Most glaringly, we readers are faced with living our comfortable middle class lives at the expense of others.
This novel is in the young adult genre. I enjoyed it as an older adult too. The prevalence of social justice issues contained in the book makes me suggest the novel would be good for older teens. It would be a good choice for a teen reading group as there would be much to discuss.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy an allegory with hints of the gospel and other spiritual truths as well as many social justice issues.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
December 17, 2018
A Delightful Read
As a volunteer reader/reviewer for Goodreads.com, I have the opportunity to read a lot of books for free in exchange for honest reviews. As you can imagine, I read quite a few mediocre books, a couple of bad ones, and now and again, a book like "The Crescent Stone" that makes everything worth it.
It starts with the usual formula, someone from our world, a girl named Madeline with a terminal progressive lung disease and her friend Jason are swept into a magical realm ruled by the elegant Elanil. Of course, only they can save the world.
Ah, but things stray from the usual script. They discover to their horror that magic has a cost, a yin yang balance to it. For everyone helped by the magic, someone is harmed in an equal way. For every beautiful castle constructed of magic, a family is doomed to live in a disgusting hovel. For everyone cured of a battle wound someone is stricken with the same wound in exchange.
What is worse, a whole race of people, the Scim, are the ones who hate the pain of this curse as punishment for a wrong committed long ago. And they agreed to it. They're destitute. A family offers up a child to suffer a wasting disease in the place of one of the favored, in exchange for enough food for the whole family to eat for years.
It's fair. Right?
Except there are these magical items the Elanil took from the Scim, and the Scim want them back, and they will kill to get them.
As a volunteer reader/reviewer for Goodreads.com, I have the opportunity to read a lot of books for free in exchange for honest reviews. As you can imagine, I read quite a few mediocre books, a couple of bad ones, and now and again, a book like "The Crescent Stone" that makes everything worth it.
It starts with the usual formula, someone from our world, a girl named Madeline with a terminal progressive lung disease and her friend Jason are swept into a magical realm ruled by the elegant Elanil. Of course, only they can save the world.
Ah, but things stray from the usual script. They discover to their horror that magic has a cost, a yin yang balance to it. For everyone helped by the magic, someone is harmed in an equal way. For every beautiful castle constructed of magic, a family is doomed to live in a disgusting hovel. For everyone cured of a battle wound someone is stricken with the same wound in exchange.
What is worse, a whole race of people, the Scim, are the ones who hate the pain of this curse as punishment for a wrong committed long ago. And they agreed to it. They're destitute. A family offers up a child to suffer a wasting disease in the place of one of the favored, in exchange for enough food for the whole family to eat for years.
It's fair. Right?
Except there are these magical items the Elanil took from the Scim, and the Scim want them back, and they will kill to get them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2022
*no (major) spoilers*
The Crescent Stone opens up by introducing us to Madeline Oliver, in her senior year of high school, who has a fatal lung disease that gives her extreme difficulty breathing and will kill her in a few more months. One day when she’s at school, she passes out in class. Her chemistry partner, Jason Wu, and her ex-boyfriend Darius Walker, rush her into the hospital. While fighting for her life, a strange man appears and freezes time. He tells Madeline his name is Hanali, and he is an Elenil, a race of people that live in the Sunlit Lands, a faerie world that exists parallel to Earth. In the Sunlit Lands the sun never sets, and it is a world of peace, magic, and strange people. Hanali tells Madeline that in exchange for one year of service to the Elenil, helping them battle the Scim, their enemies, then the Elenil will use their magic to heal Madeline and give her back her breath. Surprisingly, Hanali’s time freezing trick doesn’t work on Jason, and he hears the deal. Jason advises Madeline to not do it, but at that moment Hanali stops freezing time and disappears. Madeline is instantly thrown into a huge coughing fit decides to accept Hanali’s offer, thinking that life on earth is no use to her if she will die. Jason goes to Hanali to tell him her decision, but tells him that he has to go with her. In exchange for his service, Jason will receive one chocolate pudding cup a day for the rest of his life and a unicorn because that’s the kind of hilarious person he is. Once Madeline puts on the magic bracelet tattoo that Hanali gave Jason, she is able to breathe, and she and Jason (they had to leave Darius behind because he couldn’t get in on the deal in time) travel to the Sunlit Lands through a series of bizarre passages. They settle in the Transition House, run by another human. Turns out there are lots of humans in the Court of Far Seeing, the Elenil City, who have all had some tragic history, and then Hanali has appeared to them and offered them a deal similar to Madeline’s. There are many magical things to marvel at, such as a toilet that doesn’t flush but empties itself magically (Jason was obsessed with that), a magic laundry hamper that instantly returns your clothes clean and folded, and other kinds of creatures, such as the Aluvoreans, the Kakri, and the Maegrom. They slowly start to make friends with the other humans. Shula Bishara is Madeline’s roommate, and has the power to light her body on fire. Jason’s roommates are David Glenn and Kekoa Kahananui. But soon they realize that things are not what they seem in the Sunlit Lands. Jason and the rest of the humans in the Court of Far Seeing go to battle every night with the Scim, and Madeline is forced to help out in the aftermath with all the wounded warriors. Gilenyia, the Elenil healer, has a strange, magical way of healing. She finds a warrior (Scim or Human) that is injured but fixable, and a warrior that is too far gone for her magic. Then she’ll transfer the almost dead person’s life to the one that’s injured, and the injured is made whole. Madeline struggles with the system, feeling that it’s unjust, but she has to make that choice to save Jason’s life. Other things are making them question the Elenil as well. The Elenil look down all the other creatures and consider themselves superior in every way. When Jason and Madeline find out a terrible secret, well guarded by the Elenil, will they make the right choice in order to do what would cost them but would grant freedom to others?
Worldviews: Mikalatos is a Christian author, and while God is not mentioned by name, there are other “God figures” in here. It’s like Aslan in Narnia. The “God” is the Elenil’s God, The Majestic One, and The Peasant King is the Jesus figure, the Scim’s God. I did not find any prominent worldviews here. There is one mention of the “necromancer” people who coexist with the Elenil but they don’t have any interaction in this book. By the way, there’s a funny twist about it later shown in The Heartwood Crown, so check my review of that.
Foul Language: N/A
Violence: There is the element of battles, but nothing too gory or bloody. There were a few descriptions, with some detail.
Romance: Madeline had a boyfriend, Darius, but she broke up with him when her breathing troubles started because she didn’t want to tie him down. There was not a whole lot poured into their relationship, at least in this book, and they only hugged once and Madeline kissed him on the cheek once. *spoiler alert* Jason meets this Kakri warrior Baileya and instantly develops a giant crush on her, and accidentally proposes to her later in the book. Darius also told Madeline a story about his cousin Malik, and mentions that Malik’s girlfriend was pregnant, in passing motion. There was no further detail or later mention.
Drugs/Alcohol: N/A
Racism: Darius is black, so he tells Madeline about the rude comments and the hateful words and actions he’s received over the years. Darius is strongly against that, so *spoiler alert* he champions the Scim as he sympathizes with them and the Elenil look down on them. However, there is a positive view on this presented here. I can tell Mikalatos feels strongly about this, advocating for equality even within the story. I loved that, and I think that’s a great principle to learn.
Rating and recommended age level: 5 stars! Got this for my birthday about a month ago, and this book series is my favorite (ties with some others, but you know:) novel series that i have ever read! Great worldviews, lessons, character development and world building (the world dynamic is actually really complicated so I don’t have time to explain all of it but hopefully I’ll be able to in The Heartwood Crown review). Just the right level of action, suspense, and a great plotline. Jason made me die of laughter with all his sarcasm and wisecracks. If I could, I would beg everybody in the world to read this book!!! 11+ age level. I think the content is suitable for a younger age, such as 10, but with all the complexity and dynamics, I’m going to keep it at 11, because it would be a bit hard for 10 yr olds to follow along. I love love love it! Heartwood Crown review coming out soon, and please check out my YT channel where I have these reviews in video format! Can’t wait for book #3 to come out, and make sure you check out Mikalatos’s other books!
The Crescent Stone opens up by introducing us to Madeline Oliver, in her senior year of high school, who has a fatal lung disease that gives her extreme difficulty breathing and will kill her in a few more months. One day when she’s at school, she passes out in class. Her chemistry partner, Jason Wu, and her ex-boyfriend Darius Walker, rush her into the hospital. While fighting for her life, a strange man appears and freezes time. He tells Madeline his name is Hanali, and he is an Elenil, a race of people that live in the Sunlit Lands, a faerie world that exists parallel to Earth. In the Sunlit Lands the sun never sets, and it is a world of peace, magic, and strange people. Hanali tells Madeline that in exchange for one year of service to the Elenil, helping them battle the Scim, their enemies, then the Elenil will use their magic to heal Madeline and give her back her breath. Surprisingly, Hanali’s time freezing trick doesn’t work on Jason, and he hears the deal. Jason advises Madeline to not do it, but at that moment Hanali stops freezing time and disappears. Madeline is instantly thrown into a huge coughing fit decides to accept Hanali’s offer, thinking that life on earth is no use to her if she will die. Jason goes to Hanali to tell him her decision, but tells him that he has to go with her. In exchange for his service, Jason will receive one chocolate pudding cup a day for the rest of his life and a unicorn because that’s the kind of hilarious person he is. Once Madeline puts on the magic bracelet tattoo that Hanali gave Jason, she is able to breathe, and she and Jason (they had to leave Darius behind because he couldn’t get in on the deal in time) travel to the Sunlit Lands through a series of bizarre passages. They settle in the Transition House, run by another human. Turns out there are lots of humans in the Court of Far Seeing, the Elenil City, who have all had some tragic history, and then Hanali has appeared to them and offered them a deal similar to Madeline’s. There are many magical things to marvel at, such as a toilet that doesn’t flush but empties itself magically (Jason was obsessed with that), a magic laundry hamper that instantly returns your clothes clean and folded, and other kinds of creatures, such as the Aluvoreans, the Kakri, and the Maegrom. They slowly start to make friends with the other humans. Shula Bishara is Madeline’s roommate, and has the power to light her body on fire. Jason’s roommates are David Glenn and Kekoa Kahananui. But soon they realize that things are not what they seem in the Sunlit Lands. Jason and the rest of the humans in the Court of Far Seeing go to battle every night with the Scim, and Madeline is forced to help out in the aftermath with all the wounded warriors. Gilenyia, the Elenil healer, has a strange, magical way of healing. She finds a warrior (Scim or Human) that is injured but fixable, and a warrior that is too far gone for her magic. Then she’ll transfer the almost dead person’s life to the one that’s injured, and the injured is made whole. Madeline struggles with the system, feeling that it’s unjust, but she has to make that choice to save Jason’s life. Other things are making them question the Elenil as well. The Elenil look down all the other creatures and consider themselves superior in every way. When Jason and Madeline find out a terrible secret, well guarded by the Elenil, will they make the right choice in order to do what would cost them but would grant freedom to others?
Worldviews: Mikalatos is a Christian author, and while God is not mentioned by name, there are other “God figures” in here. It’s like Aslan in Narnia. The “God” is the Elenil’s God, The Majestic One, and The Peasant King is the Jesus figure, the Scim’s God. I did not find any prominent worldviews here. There is one mention of the “necromancer” people who coexist with the Elenil but they don’t have any interaction in this book. By the way, there’s a funny twist about it later shown in The Heartwood Crown, so check my review of that.
Foul Language: N/A
Violence: There is the element of battles, but nothing too gory or bloody. There were a few descriptions, with some detail.
Romance: Madeline had a boyfriend, Darius, but she broke up with him when her breathing troubles started because she didn’t want to tie him down. There was not a whole lot poured into their relationship, at least in this book, and they only hugged once and Madeline kissed him on the cheek once. *spoiler alert* Jason meets this Kakri warrior Baileya and instantly develops a giant crush on her, and accidentally proposes to her later in the book. Darius also told Madeline a story about his cousin Malik, and mentions that Malik’s girlfriend was pregnant, in passing motion. There was no further detail or later mention.
Drugs/Alcohol: N/A
Racism: Darius is black, so he tells Madeline about the rude comments and the hateful words and actions he’s received over the years. Darius is strongly against that, so *spoiler alert* he champions the Scim as he sympathizes with them and the Elenil look down on them. However, there is a positive view on this presented here. I can tell Mikalatos feels strongly about this, advocating for equality even within the story. I loved that, and I think that’s a great principle to learn.
Rating and recommended age level: 5 stars! Got this for my birthday about a month ago, and this book series is my favorite (ties with some others, but you know:) novel series that i have ever read! Great worldviews, lessons, character development and world building (the world dynamic is actually really complicated so I don’t have time to explain all of it but hopefully I’ll be able to in The Heartwood Crown review). Just the right level of action, suspense, and a great plotline. Jason made me die of laughter with all his sarcasm and wisecracks. If I could, I would beg everybody in the world to read this book!!! 11+ age level. I think the content is suitable for a younger age, such as 10, but with all the complexity and dynamics, I’m going to keep it at 11, because it would be a bit hard for 10 yr olds to follow along. I love love love it! Heartwood Crown review coming out soon, and please check out my YT channel where I have these reviews in video format! Can’t wait for book #3 to come out, and make sure you check out Mikalatos’s other books!
October 25, 2018
The Crescent Stone is an imaginative portal fantasy with a powerful message of power having a price.
Madeline and Jason are two teens from our world who are drawn into a new magical world. Since Madeline has a fatal lung disease that is slowly killing her, she takes an offer to serve in the Sunlit Lands for one year in exchange for her complete healing. Jason agrees to go to help Madeline, in exchange for pudding.
As the two learn to work with the Elenil, the people who brought them over to help with their constant battle against the Scim, they discover the amazing world around them. But they also learn that power comes at a price, and they will have to make choices that have drastic consequences for themselves and the people around them.
Mikalatos has created an in-depth world, complete with a smattering of folktales and poems in the appendix. Madeline and Jason are characters you care about, and Jason especially steals the show. With tension, drama, and moral quandaries, he makes you think beyond a simple fantasy adventure. You may agree with his conclusions or not, but it is a quality book that brings questions along with a whole lot of entertainment.
Highly recommended for fans of fantasy and young adult fiction.
Madeline and Jason are two teens from our world who are drawn into a new magical world. Since Madeline has a fatal lung disease that is slowly killing her, she takes an offer to serve in the Sunlit Lands for one year in exchange for her complete healing. Jason agrees to go to help Madeline, in exchange for pudding.
As the two learn to work with the Elenil, the people who brought them over to help with their constant battle against the Scim, they discover the amazing world around them. But they also learn that power comes at a price, and they will have to make choices that have drastic consequences for themselves and the people around them.
Mikalatos has created an in-depth world, complete with a smattering of folktales and poems in the appendix. Madeline and Jason are characters you care about, and Jason especially steals the show. With tension, drama, and moral quandaries, he makes you think beyond a simple fantasy adventure. You may agree with his conclusions or not, but it is a quality book that brings questions along with a whole lot of entertainment.
Highly recommended for fans of fantasy and young adult fiction.
September 18, 2018
https://audrasbookblabbing.wordpress....
4.5 stars
Cleanliness: Very Clean (No cursing. Topics to consider: terminal illness, blood, war, and death.)
With mystery, magic, humor, and even history, The Crescent Stone is a very fun book to read! In a land where everyone keeps their word (except when they don't...), the Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy is taken to the extreme. You have to remember, there are always two sides to a story.
The story began with very tough, real-life and developed quite quickly into a wonderful fantasy world. This book has amazing world-building! I found it very easy to get swept away into. It reminded me of the worlds in The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. The characters are very interesting, likable, and some were relatable.
One of the main characters, Jason, is an obvious comic relief and very good at it! I would compare him to Ronald Weasley from Harry Potter because not only is he cute and makes lame jokes, but he also cares deeply about his friends and shows great bravery.
The Crescent Stone causes the reader to think about some very important questions. What would you give up for your friends? What's the price of health and happiness to you? Would you sacrifice someone else to save yourself?
I loved all the extra fables and quotes from the fictional cultures that were mentioned in the book! I think that really brought the story to life.
I really enjoyed this book and am really looking forward to it's sequel! It taught a wonderful message of love and sacrifice, while still giving you an amazing, magical story. I definitely recommend it to all lovers of fantasy!
~I was sent a free copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review~
4.5 stars
Cleanliness: Very Clean (No cursing. Topics to consider: terminal illness, blood, war, and death.)
With mystery, magic, humor, and even history, The Crescent Stone is a very fun book to read! In a land where everyone keeps their word (except when they don't...), the Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy is taken to the extreme. You have to remember, there are always two sides to a story.
The story began with very tough, real-life and developed quite quickly into a wonderful fantasy world. This book has amazing world-building! I found it very easy to get swept away into. It reminded me of the worlds in The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. The characters are very interesting, likable, and some were relatable.
One of the main characters, Jason, is an obvious comic relief and very good at it! I would compare him to Ronald Weasley from Harry Potter because not only is he cute and makes lame jokes, but he also cares deeply about his friends and shows great bravery.
The Crescent Stone causes the reader to think about some very important questions. What would you give up for your friends? What's the price of health and happiness to you? Would you sacrifice someone else to save yourself?
I loved all the extra fables and quotes from the fictional cultures that were mentioned in the book! I think that really brought the story to life.
I really enjoyed this book and am really looking forward to it's sequel! It taught a wonderful message of love and sacrifice, while still giving you an amazing, magical story. I definitely recommend it to all lovers of fantasy!
~I was sent a free copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review~
August 20, 2018
Matt Mikalatos has created such a fascinating land that I was completely drawn into. The landscapes, the architecture, the magic, and most especially, the people and their cultures. The Elenil, The Scim, The Kakri... Along with being an adventurous epic fantasy, this book confronted many social issues. Mikalatos had an amazing way of weaving past and current American injustices into the story. Jason and Madeline were great main characters and they both grow and develop in unique ways. Jason had me laughing constantly and his character infused so much humor into the story. But the real highlight of the book, three words: Delightful Glitter Lady. I’m really looking forward to book 2.
February 20, 2025
Original, unpredictable, provocative. I can’t remember the last time when I’ve had to ponder the content of a YA novel for a such long time after finishing.
There was a definite agenda to this novel; while I didn’t necessarily fully agree or disagree with the agenda, there were some holes and unanswered questions. But I found myself in a humble place of making mental adjustments I hadn’t thought I had previously needed.
There was a definite agenda to this novel; while I didn’t necessarily fully agree or disagree with the agenda, there were some holes and unanswered questions. But I found myself in a humble place of making mental adjustments I hadn’t thought I had previously needed.
February 22, 2025
Ein todkrankes Mädchen bekommt die Gelegenheit, magisch geheilt zu werden, wenn sie ein Jahr in den Dienst eines magischen Volks in deren Welt tritt. Ein Freund, der sich geschworen hat, nur die Wahrheit zu sagen, begleitet sie. Vor allem sein Charakter hat mir sehr gut gefallen, aber auch insgesamt war es eine sehr schöne Narnia-artige Geschichte.
September 18, 2018
This is a very woke fantasy novel that humanizes and showcases some of the atrocities perpetuated by humankind. It speaks to privilege and lack there of. It has so many culturally aware moments that it's pure magic. I recommend this book to EVERYONE!!
June 18, 2021
A modern fantasy, set in a land where everything comes at a cost. Excellent world building and compelling characters, I especially loved Jason's honestly and humor that helps keep the books moving. At times the book was slow. The book has messages of Social Justice, talking about wealth, race, and privilege inequality.
August 11, 2018
This is an excellent adventure, with great pace, that effortlessly entwines a strong fantasy narrative (with nods to Narnia), depth and humor in the characters, and prejudices and injustices in our world and a way we can address them. This book is strongly recommended from young teens to adults that can stir passions and deeper conversations.
September 4, 2018
I enjoyed this book tremendously. It was one of those stories I couldn't put down, and I've already recommended it to others.
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