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Legend of the Stone Keepers #1
Legend of the Stone Keepers: Book One
The bottom line is this: the world of Terranum cannot survive without a soul. If the soul of our world is shattered, it has to make due with other sources.Like mortal souls. Young and inexperienced, Elaro of Agraxia is made captain of a journey with stakes of life and death for the whole world of Terranum: to prevent the endless winter that has plagued his land from taking over the rest of the world. To save the world, he and his companions must heal Terranum's soul by reuniting its shattered fragments. One of which is The Stone of Courage, a magic relic kept by the humans. But centuries' worth of bad blood between the Agraxians and the humans, Elaro must find a way to recover the human
- GenresFantasy
315 pages, Paperback
Published December 8, 2018
19 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Trepanier
2 books7 followersMy name is Jess Trepanier and I am an independent author and audiobook narrator, cur renting residing in Arizona with my wonderful husband, Michael, one very good boi Rito, and one pending tiny Trepanier coming May 2020.
My goal as an independent author is to bring magic and adventure to young people of all ages (that includes us young-at-heart old folks too!) Thank you to everyone who has continued to support me through my endeavors. I promise there will be more tales to come.
My goal as an independent author is to bring magic and adventure to young people of all ages (that includes us young-at-heart old folks too!) Thank you to everyone who has continued to support me through my endeavors. I promise there will be more tales to come.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 30, 2019
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've tried to listen to Audiobooks before, but never got through. I was willing to try and listen to this book while driving my car. Sadly, when I was at a very exciting part in the book, my car broke down. I couldn't wait to keep listening to this book! I feel like this debut by J.L. Trepanier is magical. The author made some bold decisions in this book, that not many authors dare to make.
A longer review can be found at BiteIntoBooks
If you're a fan of Audiobooks and if you're not a fan or have never tried to listen to one, you should with this book! It's so easy to listen to, the story is amazing, there is adventure, friendship and lessons learned. And this ending...
I've tried to listen to Audiobooks before, but never got through. I was willing to try and listen to this book while driving my car. Sadly, when I was at a very exciting part in the book, my car broke down. I couldn't wait to keep listening to this book! I feel like this debut by J.L. Trepanier is magical. The author made some bold decisions in this book, that not many authors dare to make.
A longer review can be found at BiteIntoBooks
If you're a fan of Audiobooks and if you're not a fan or have never tried to listen to one, you should with this book! It's so easy to listen to, the story is amazing, there is adventure, friendship and lessons learned. And this ending...
June 23, 2019
If you’ve been reading our reviews for some time now, you probably know we don’t pull punches. If a book deserves critique, we critique it; if a book deserves praise, we praise it.
We try our best to avoid being mean, and I think we do a decent job.
So when I say Legend of the Stone Keepers is the best YA fantasy I’ve read yet by an Indie Author, you know I’m telling the truth. This book blew me away with its worldbuilding, characters, and themes. I’m a sucker for strong themes, and the narrative J.L. Trepanier plays with in Stone Keepers has far-reaching implications not only for the world of her book (Terranium) but for our world too.
The world’s in crisis. A group of people (the Agraxians) have been outcasts for centuries, but now a deadly winter is devastating their people. The world sees Agraxians as monsters, but the Agraxians send their heroes, led by Elaro (the POV character) on a mission to unite the world to fight back this deadly threat.
Not only did Legend of the Stone Keepers remind me of my own writing in Legion of Mono, it made me happy to see someone approach the same issues and expand them in a direction worth exploring. I think it’s proper to classify Stone Keepers as climate fantasy, a genre I have plans to engage in future stories. As our planet faces its own climate crisis, its a genre that needs to grow!
There’s a particular moment in Stone Keepers where the narrative hits incredibly close to home. The heroes visit a town of humans, and the human reaction to their stories of death and destruction amounts to disbelief and an inability to accept a threat capable of disrupting their comfortable lifestyle. I hope everyone reading this review recognizes the analogy utilized by Trepanier.
Oh, and did I mention there’s a lot of fun magic in this story?
Read this book. You won’t regret it.
Writing: 8/10. A few POV lapses here or there, but otherwise the writing is solid and perfect clarity for YA fiction.
Characters: 9/10. By the end of the story, you’ve grown attached to the party of seven traversing across human lands to save the world. Which is a mighty feat in 300 pages; it’s hard to care about that many characters so quickly, especially with only one POV character.
Setting: 9/10. I want a map! They visit plenty of exciting and exotic locales, and near the end of the book, Trepanier intersects her magic with her world in a way rarely seen in fantasy fiction.
Plot: 10/10. Incredibly character-driven yet global in scope, the story leaves you hanging waiting to know what happens next. And there’s so many incredible possibilities for the future of Elaro and the Legend of the Stone Keepers.
Overall: 9/10. Five stars! It deserves it. What a story. Read it . . . it’ll suck you in, thrusting you on a whirlwind of magic, fantasy, and introspective thought as you consider the roadblocks facing our own world. We’re facing down a climate crisis, just like the Agraxians. The stakes are just as high, the barriers just as big.
We try our best to avoid being mean, and I think we do a decent job.
So when I say Legend of the Stone Keepers is the best YA fantasy I’ve read yet by an Indie Author, you know I’m telling the truth. This book blew me away with its worldbuilding, characters, and themes. I’m a sucker for strong themes, and the narrative J.L. Trepanier plays with in Stone Keepers has far-reaching implications not only for the world of her book (Terranium) but for our world too.
The world’s in crisis. A group of people (the Agraxians) have been outcasts for centuries, but now a deadly winter is devastating their people. The world sees Agraxians as monsters, but the Agraxians send their heroes, led by Elaro (the POV character) on a mission to unite the world to fight back this deadly threat.
Not only did Legend of the Stone Keepers remind me of my own writing in Legion of Mono, it made me happy to see someone approach the same issues and expand them in a direction worth exploring. I think it’s proper to classify Stone Keepers as climate fantasy, a genre I have plans to engage in future stories. As our planet faces its own climate crisis, its a genre that needs to grow!
There’s a particular moment in Stone Keepers where the narrative hits incredibly close to home. The heroes visit a town of humans, and the human reaction to their stories of death and destruction amounts to disbelief and an inability to accept a threat capable of disrupting their comfortable lifestyle. I hope everyone reading this review recognizes the analogy utilized by Trepanier.
Oh, and did I mention there’s a lot of fun magic in this story?
Read this book. You won’t regret it.
Writing: 8/10. A few POV lapses here or there, but otherwise the writing is solid and perfect clarity for YA fiction.
Characters: 9/10. By the end of the story, you’ve grown attached to the party of seven traversing across human lands to save the world. Which is a mighty feat in 300 pages; it’s hard to care about that many characters so quickly, especially with only one POV character.
Setting: 9/10. I want a map! They visit plenty of exciting and exotic locales, and near the end of the book, Trepanier intersects her magic with her world in a way rarely seen in fantasy fiction.
Plot: 10/10. Incredibly character-driven yet global in scope, the story leaves you hanging waiting to know what happens next. And there’s so many incredible possibilities for the future of Elaro and the Legend of the Stone Keepers.
Overall: 9/10. Five stars! It deserves it. What a story. Read it . . . it’ll suck you in, thrusting you on a whirlwind of magic, fantasy, and introspective thought as you consider the roadblocks facing our own world. We’re facing down a climate crisis, just like the Agraxians. The stakes are just as high, the barriers just as big.
September 18, 2019
Ok. I may accidentally include a spoiler or two. Read at your own peril ;)
I "read" this book as an audio book tester helping Jessica to ensure audio continuity. I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my services.
I didn't listen in one setting, because I only have time when I'm driving. I found myself finding little errands to run, so I could drive a LITTLE bit more and get to hear a little more! Hearing the story in the author's own voice helps add to the emotional rollercoaster ride.
There was a point (maybe more) when I sobbed along with Elaro. I yelled out loud. And I'm fairly certain that I punched my steering wheel more than once in more than one emotion. I did also pause the book at one point and tell it (I can't be the only one who speaks to the book can I?) that 'if Miss Jessica pulls a "Neverending Story" in that swamp I'll have to drive out there and give her a piece of my mind!!!'(ok, I may have wanted to kick her but I'm keeping this review PG-13! and she didn't pull a Neverending Story because she's like Elaro and SHE'S NOT A MONSTER!!!!)
This story came to an end. And I felt the grief. There was loss. My heart grew. My heart was ripped. I had found some new friends. I lost some. I adventured.
I want more.
The book is dead, long live the book.
I "read" this book as an audio book tester helping Jessica to ensure audio continuity. I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my services.
I didn't listen in one setting, because I only have time when I'm driving. I found myself finding little errands to run, so I could drive a LITTLE bit more and get to hear a little more! Hearing the story in the author's own voice helps add to the emotional rollercoaster ride.
There was a point (maybe more) when I sobbed along with Elaro. I yelled out loud. And I'm fairly certain that I punched my steering wheel more than once in more than one emotion. I did also pause the book at one point and tell it (I can't be the only one who speaks to the book can I?) that 'if Miss Jessica pulls a "Neverending Story" in that swamp I'll have to drive out there and give her a piece of my mind!!!'(ok, I may have wanted to kick her but I'm keeping this review PG-13! and she didn't pull a Neverending Story because she's like Elaro and SHE'S NOT A MONSTER!!!!)
This story came to an end. And I felt the grief. There was loss. My heart grew. My heart was ripped. I had found some new friends. I lost some. I adventured.
I want more.
The book is dead, long live the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2019
I was gifted a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
In this YA Fantasy, J.L. Trepanier takes her readers on an amazing journey. The mission of her beautifully fleshed-out characters is to find the shattered pieces of the world’s soul in order to fuse them back together and thus banish Nixa Somnia, the everlasting winter that freezes a being from the inside out. On this journey are the young, newly graduated Elaro, his classmate Cirra, his hero–and the Obsidian Warrior in the flesh–Plutollo, brothers Garenth and Ronin, the fiery Kindle, and the asthmatic scientist Atlas. Each have their role to play in obtaining the first piece of Terranum’s soul, which lies with the humans. Will Elaro find the confidence within himself to lead his crew to the stone? Will the humans help the Agraxians save the world, or will they be too focused on their differences?
Starting off, let me just say that the plot was unpredictable and engaging. It was also so unique, in that I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like it! To think that not only does the world have a soul, but it was shattered by the wars the creatures upon its earth waged. And now each piece of it bestows some kind of protection within its vicinity? It is interesting to believe that each race has its own purpose in the world (Agraxians were charged with protecting the skies, being descended from dragons). It’s almost comforting to those of us in the real world, who have no idea what our purpose in life is (at least, I don’t!). I just had no idea what was going to come next.
Going along with this, the writing style was absolutely phenomenal. We were given only tidbits at a time of each character’s background, as well as the background of the world. And rather than being frustrated by this piecemeal (as I tend to get in most books), it actually enhanced my reading. It was as if I was experiencing this amazing world for myself, walking alongside the characters on their journey. Everything was revealed so naturally that it hardly felt like I was reading a fantasy at all, but rather living it.
In addition to the amazing plot and writing style, I also loved the characters themselves. They each had their own unique personalities and stuck with them; there was no discontinuity with their actions or beliefs. I was also dumbfounded by the pure inner conflict plaguing Elaro. He was quite the dynamic character, a young as-of-yet untested commander, taking charge of seasoned warriors, some twice his age. In the beginning, he is unsure of himself and so terribly concerned with how others view him that he is unable to lead. But by the end of it, he truly embraces his leadership role and fills its shoes with grace and courage. This inner conflict, such a large part of the novel, helps us to really dig down deep and get to know Elaro as an Agraxian. It helps make him so realistic as if we were traveling with him on this adventure. It was also quite something to read a novel where a human (or even a human-like character) was not the protagonist. In fact, Elaro did not even have much information to go on about humans, and thus it was very interesting to see how he categorized our race.
One last thing that I also found to be remarkable was the underlying climate implications. The novel never comes right out and parallels Terranum’s plight with that of our own world, but the subtleties are still there (unless I am totally mistaken!). The everlasting winter that will destroy the planet unless all of its inhabitants come together as one to fix it… Sounds eerily similar to our own global warming predicament.
All the emotions in this book. I felt everything. I was nervous, surprised, anxious, scared, off-balance, content, enthused, and crestfallen. I actually cried at one part in the novel, though I won’t say which to protect against spoilers! Just know that this book will hit you in all the feels. Be prepared to laugh out loud, smile ’til your cheeks hurt, and cry your ugly cry (maybe it’d be best not to read this in public). Enjoy! I will also note that I read through this book so fast and lost myself so completely in it that I completely forgot to look for quotes along the way, hence why I only have 2… That’s how immersed I was in the story!
In this YA Fantasy, J.L. Trepanier takes her readers on an amazing journey. The mission of her beautifully fleshed-out characters is to find the shattered pieces of the world’s soul in order to fuse them back together and thus banish Nixa Somnia, the everlasting winter that freezes a being from the inside out. On this journey are the young, newly graduated Elaro, his classmate Cirra, his hero–and the Obsidian Warrior in the flesh–Plutollo, brothers Garenth and Ronin, the fiery Kindle, and the asthmatic scientist Atlas. Each have their role to play in obtaining the first piece of Terranum’s soul, which lies with the humans. Will Elaro find the confidence within himself to lead his crew to the stone? Will the humans help the Agraxians save the world, or will they be too focused on their differences?
Starting off, let me just say that the plot was unpredictable and engaging. It was also so unique, in that I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like it! To think that not only does the world have a soul, but it was shattered by the wars the creatures upon its earth waged. And now each piece of it bestows some kind of protection within its vicinity? It is interesting to believe that each race has its own purpose in the world (Agraxians were charged with protecting the skies, being descended from dragons). It’s almost comforting to those of us in the real world, who have no idea what our purpose in life is (at least, I don’t!). I just had no idea what was going to come next.
Going along with this, the writing style was absolutely phenomenal. We were given only tidbits at a time of each character’s background, as well as the background of the world. And rather than being frustrated by this piecemeal (as I tend to get in most books), it actually enhanced my reading. It was as if I was experiencing this amazing world for myself, walking alongside the characters on their journey. Everything was revealed so naturally that it hardly felt like I was reading a fantasy at all, but rather living it.
In addition to the amazing plot and writing style, I also loved the characters themselves. They each had their own unique personalities and stuck with them; there was no discontinuity with their actions or beliefs. I was also dumbfounded by the pure inner conflict plaguing Elaro. He was quite the dynamic character, a young as-of-yet untested commander, taking charge of seasoned warriors, some twice his age. In the beginning, he is unsure of himself and so terribly concerned with how others view him that he is unable to lead. But by the end of it, he truly embraces his leadership role and fills its shoes with grace and courage. This inner conflict, such a large part of the novel, helps us to really dig down deep and get to know Elaro as an Agraxian. It helps make him so realistic as if we were traveling with him on this adventure. It was also quite something to read a novel where a human (or even a human-like character) was not the protagonist. In fact, Elaro did not even have much information to go on about humans, and thus it was very interesting to see how he categorized our race.
One last thing that I also found to be remarkable was the underlying climate implications. The novel never comes right out and parallels Terranum’s plight with that of our own world, but the subtleties are still there (unless I am totally mistaken!). The everlasting winter that will destroy the planet unless all of its inhabitants come together as one to fix it… Sounds eerily similar to our own global warming predicament.
All the emotions in this book. I felt everything. I was nervous, surprised, anxious, scared, off-balance, content, enthused, and crestfallen. I actually cried at one part in the novel, though I won’t say which to protect against spoilers! Just know that this book will hit you in all the feels. Be prepared to laugh out loud, smile ’til your cheeks hurt, and cry your ugly cry (maybe it’d be best not to read this in public). Enjoy! I will also note that I read through this book so fast and lost myself so completely in it that I completely forgot to look for quotes along the way, hence why I only have 2… That’s how immersed I was in the story!
January 3, 2020
Legend of the Stone Keepers is the first book in an upcoming series by J.L Trepanier. It tells the story of Elaro, an Agraxian caught between between the cusps of childhood and adulthood, and his adventures in leading a squad of warriors on a quest far from home. It documents the challenges he faces in the newly-promoted position of captain amongst a group of peers who are not overly welcoming.
This YA fantasy novel is very well written and extremely well polished. The world of Terranium is engaging and exciting, the characters (particularly Plutollo and Cirra) are interesting and diverse, and the plot reels you in early on. The first chapter, however, serves more as a prologue, and when the timeframe jumps ahead on the second chapter there was not much of an explanation as to what purpose it served. This was a little jarring at first but it sets the rest of the story up well (and I imagine this scene will be elaborated on in the upcoming books).
In a sense, this is a novel of two halves. The first half explores each of the seven heroes in turn and establishes their motivations in quite some depth. This goes on for some time and with only a couple of incidents happening, I did find myself wanting to read about some more action early on. I found that some of the characters were a little inconsistent as well (i.e. the book starts with a playful and light-hearted fight with Kindle, who then pages later is trying to undermine Elaro's authority) and the fact that they were all a race of people called Agraxians was introduced a little too late for me. I was picturing human characters in my head until they were described, and by then the interpretation I was left with felt a little cartoony.
But minor and nit-picky complaints beside, the writing of Trepanier truly shines during the second half. Once the action arrives this book is unstoppable. With the use of swordsmanship, vitira (magic) and monsters, I was really engaged throughout the entirety of the second half. Mixed in with more than a couple of laugh-out-loud moments (mostly from one of the warriors, Kindle), I could not stop reading this book. It reminded me a lot of the video games I used to play when I was younger - I got a very strong Final Fantasy-esque adventurous vibe that really resonated with me.
The ending is bittersweet (in terms of what happened to the characters). And I like that a lot. I was left with a warm feeling inside. I am very much looking forward to the next instalment of the Legend of the Stone Keepers.
This YA fantasy novel is very well written and extremely well polished. The world of Terranium is engaging and exciting, the characters (particularly Plutollo and Cirra) are interesting and diverse, and the plot reels you in early on. The first chapter, however, serves more as a prologue, and when the timeframe jumps ahead on the second chapter there was not much of an explanation as to what purpose it served. This was a little jarring at first but it sets the rest of the story up well (and I imagine this scene will be elaborated on in the upcoming books).
In a sense, this is a novel of two halves. The first half explores each of the seven heroes in turn and establishes their motivations in quite some depth. This goes on for some time and with only a couple of incidents happening, I did find myself wanting to read about some more action early on. I found that some of the characters were a little inconsistent as well (i.e. the book starts with a playful and light-hearted fight with Kindle, who then pages later is trying to undermine Elaro's authority) and the fact that they were all a race of people called Agraxians was introduced a little too late for me. I was picturing human characters in my head until they were described, and by then the interpretation I was left with felt a little cartoony.
But minor and nit-picky complaints beside, the writing of Trepanier truly shines during the second half. Once the action arrives this book is unstoppable. With the use of swordsmanship, vitira (magic) and monsters, I was really engaged throughout the entirety of the second half. Mixed in with more than a couple of laugh-out-loud moments (mostly from one of the warriors, Kindle), I could not stop reading this book. It reminded me a lot of the video games I used to play when I was younger - I got a very strong Final Fantasy-esque adventurous vibe that really resonated with me.
The ending is bittersweet (in terms of what happened to the characters). And I like that a lot. I was left with a warm feeling inside. I am very much looking forward to the next instalment of the Legend of the Stone Keepers.
November 17, 2019
Legend of the Stone Keepers; Book One is a fantastic example of a self-published author creating a book to rival any publishing house. Well written, well read (BY THE AUTHOR!) and entertaining (Avatar meets Harry Potter entertaining). This is exactly the quality which all indie-authors should be striving towards.
YA fantasy is not normally my genre but I'm super happy JL Trepanier gave me a free Audible code for me to check it out. It's been a while since I couldn't wait for my morning commute just to listen to a few more chapters (traffic? no problem, got a great book...) Looking forward to the next in the series. Good job, J.L!!!
YA fantasy is not normally my genre but I'm super happy JL Trepanier gave me a free Audible code for me to check it out. It's been a while since I couldn't wait for my morning commute just to listen to a few more chapters (traffic? no problem, got a great book...) Looking forward to the next in the series. Good job, J.L!!!
July 30, 2019
It’s little bit slow at the beginning
I actually like how author reveals characters’ details. Not linear, but word dropped in dialog here, hint there. So you are realizing that main character is not human only on page 10th, and then what from they evolved ... I hope the second book will follow shortly...
I actually like how author reveals characters’ details. Not linear, but word dropped in dialog here, hint there. So you are realizing that main character is not human only on page 10th, and then what from they evolved ... I hope the second book will follow shortly...
September 9, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! I was captivated from start to finish, and found myself having emotional responses to the characters and events. I couldn't wait to read the next book when I finished this one. I would recommend this to adults and young adults alike.
October 14, 2019
Loved this so much! Such an original concept, which is hard to come by in the fantasy genre. Can't wait for book two!
January 13, 2021
When I bought the book, I really didn't expect anything. I just read the other reviews and thought, it may be a good book to read. I let myself surprise.
And yes I was. Great fantasy story.
And yes I was. Great fantasy story.
December 9, 2021
Interesting story, good characters.
September 28, 2019
The book has a good story and amazing characters. I love how the author developed characters as well as the relationship among them through the plot. I don't know but it looks like the book brought me to another World of Warcraft. Waiting for the next book.
If you are a fan of Lord Of The Ring or World of Warcraft or just find a great fantasy book to read, please give the book a try.
If you are a fan of Lord Of The Ring or World of Warcraft or just find a great fantasy book to read, please give the book a try.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews