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The Stone Cycle #1
The Stone of Knowing
Even a small stone creates big ripples
In the kingdom of Arvenon, young Thomas Stablehand stumbles upon an unusual stone. Suddenly able to read the thoughts and intents of others, his life sours as he eagerly indulges his curiosity. But dangerous enemies seek the stone.
With overwhelming forces attacking the kingdom, Thomas has no one to turn to except his friend Will Prentis, a born leader who has seized his opportunity to command. To thwart the invaders, Will leads a small band on a perilous quest. Fearing exposure, Thomas flees with him, along with Brother Vangellis, a conflicted monk hiding from his past.
They can ill afford distractions, least of all a fiery young woman with a sharp tongue. But more may depend on Elbruhe than they can foresee.
As Thomas struggles to unravel the enigma of the stone, Will must outwit a relentless adversary whose true purpose remains a mystery.
Staying alive is a formidable challenge. Defeating their enemies seems an impossible dream.
Note: The Stone of Knowing is not a standalone book--the saga continues and concludes in The Cost of Knowing, book two of The Stone Cycle.
The Stone Cycle reading order:
The Stone of Knowing (Book One) The Cost of Knowing (Book Two) The Rending (A novelette length Prequel to The Cost of Knowing) - subscribe to my mailing list at my website for a free copy
In the kingdom of Arvenon, young Thomas Stablehand stumbles upon an unusual stone. Suddenly able to read the thoughts and intents of others, his life sours as he eagerly indulges his curiosity. But dangerous enemies seek the stone.
With overwhelming forces attacking the kingdom, Thomas has no one to turn to except his friend Will Prentis, a born leader who has seized his opportunity to command. To thwart the invaders, Will leads a small band on a perilous quest. Fearing exposure, Thomas flees with him, along with Brother Vangellis, a conflicted monk hiding from his past.
They can ill afford distractions, least of all a fiery young woman with a sharp tongue. But more may depend on Elbruhe than they can foresee.
As Thomas struggles to unravel the enigma of the stone, Will must outwit a relentless adversary whose true purpose remains a mystery.
Staying alive is a formidable challenge. Defeating their enemies seems an impossible dream.
Note: The Stone of Knowing is not a standalone book--the saga continues and concludes in The Cost of Knowing, book two of The Stone Cycle.
The Stone Cycle reading order:
The Stone of Knowing (Book One) The Cost of Knowing (Book Two) The Rending (A novelette length Prequel to The Cost of Knowing) - subscribe to my mailing list at my website for a free copy
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2019
227 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
Allan N. Packer
29 books28 followersAllan Packer writes epic fantasy. The Ruptured Kingdom is his second published series, following The Stone of Knowing and the other novels of The Stone Cycle series.
Allan grew up surrounded by books and became an avid reader during his childhood. In his university years fantasy displaced science fiction as his favorite genre, thanks primarily to J. R. R. Tolkien. He later shared this love with his four children by reading The Lord of the Rings to them aloud - a three-month marathon he completed twice during their formative years.
Born in Australia, Allan has lived and worked on three continents, and spent one quarter of his working years abroad. Having worked as an IT professional throughout his career, he was first published as a technical author.
Today he lives with his wife in Adelaide, South Australia, at the heart of a growing and geographically distributed extended family.
Allan is currently working on the final instalment in his series The Ruptured Kingdom. For news and information about Allan's books, visit his website.
Allan grew up surrounded by books and became an avid reader during his childhood. In his university years fantasy displaced science fiction as his favorite genre, thanks primarily to J. R. R. Tolkien. He later shared this love with his four children by reading The Lord of the Rings to them aloud - a three-month marathon he completed twice during their formative years.
Born in Australia, Allan has lived and worked on three continents, and spent one quarter of his working years abroad. Having worked as an IT professional throughout his career, he was first published as a technical author.
Today he lives with his wife in Adelaide, South Australia, at the heart of a growing and geographically distributed extended family.
Allan is currently working on the final instalment in his series The Ruptured Kingdom. For news and information about Allan's books, visit his website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 11, 2019
I volunteered to receive a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I’m an avid fantasy fan, and the premise of the novel intrigued me: a stone which confers to its owner the ability to see others’ true motives and thoughts. In the afterword, Mr. Packer describes that the plot developed organically as a bedtime story for his children, and that is the sense you get reading it—that someone is recounting a Tolkienesque tale fraught with perilous journeys and savage combat. At times, pages go by without any dialogue. This may be off-putting to some readers, but I don’t mind this style, especially since Packer masterfully pens plenty of action scenes and develops some fascinating secondary characters. In fact, I found myself far more intrigued with the protagonist’s companions than with the main character himself throughout much of the book. The ending of the novel left many unresolved questions—I’m glad I don’t have to wait to read the prequel/sequel. I definitely want to learn more about this mysterious stone!
September 5, 2022
The Stone of Knowing
(The Stone Cycle #1)
by Allan N. Packer
This is the start of Thomas's adventures. I have read several books already and just now reviewing them. You can see the change in him as the books go one. Thomas finds the stone initially. The characters building in here is great. I think the characters drive the story. I don't normally like that kind of book but the author does it so well. Set in the time of king/queens, Thomas is a stable hand for his father. But Thomas knows horses better than anyone! He is like the Horse Whisperer for that time! This skill helps him when he needs it most! Great start for the series.
(The Stone Cycle #1)
by Allan N. Packer
This is the start of Thomas's adventures. I have read several books already and just now reviewing them. You can see the change in him as the books go one. Thomas finds the stone initially. The characters building in here is great. I think the characters drive the story. I don't normally like that kind of book but the author does it so well. Set in the time of king/queens, Thomas is a stable hand for his father. But Thomas knows horses better than anyone! He is like the Horse Whisperer for that time! This skill helps him when he needs it most! Great start for the series.
November 26, 2022
Great book! I love the duality of perspectives and the way the story focuses on more than just the main character. I also love that the author holds off on giving major details until they’re told from another perspective. At first I was upset because I didn’t think we would get much detail, but was I wrong! Excited for the next.
August 8, 2019
I enjoyed this book! It's been a bit since I read a straight up fantasy, having dabbled pretty extensively in YA fantasy and adult literature recently. This was a nice, approachable place to dive back in.
Thomas, a young man working with his father in a stable, discovers a stone that gives him access to the thoughts of others. His future is sharply altered by his relationship with Will, a soldier who quickly ascends from lineman to commander of the king's army. Thomas quickly learns about the limitations of the stone, including requirements associated with intent when using and acquisition of the stone. Ultimately, a neighbor kingdom attempts to attack and Thomas must use the stone to attempt to thwart the nefarious plots.
High epic fantasy this is not. There is no magic system, which is fine, but it means that the world building is not at all complicated. My major complaint is that it appears as if women are just not at all important to this world - the only female character of real importance is not introduced for hundreds of pages and is of another nationality, limiting her dialogue, of course. This always stands out to me, and is a common issue with fantasy - outside of our three main heroes, very few characters are provided with backstories or are more than two dimensional, and not one of those that are "on the bubble" are female.
All of that said, I became more and more invested in this book as it went on. I appreciated the sections that were political in nature, and thought Thomas' journey to understand the potential impact of his choice to use the stone was relatable and believable. We continued to pick up scope and momentum throughout the book, and while the pacing was slow at the beginning it was much better toward the end.
Ultimately, this is a good and enjoyable read, and while it has its flaws, I would recommend it for a quick, digestible read. My thanks for the provision of a free copy of this book in exchange for a unbiased and thoughtful review.
Thomas, a young man working with his father in a stable, discovers a stone that gives him access to the thoughts of others. His future is sharply altered by his relationship with Will, a soldier who quickly ascends from lineman to commander of the king's army. Thomas quickly learns about the limitations of the stone, including requirements associated with intent when using and acquisition of the stone. Ultimately, a neighbor kingdom attempts to attack and Thomas must use the stone to attempt to thwart the nefarious plots.
High epic fantasy this is not. There is no magic system, which is fine, but it means that the world building is not at all complicated. My major complaint is that it appears as if women are just not at all important to this world - the only female character of real importance is not introduced for hundreds of pages and is of another nationality, limiting her dialogue, of course. This always stands out to me, and is a common issue with fantasy - outside of our three main heroes, very few characters are provided with backstories or are more than two dimensional, and not one of those that are "on the bubble" are female.
All of that said, I became more and more invested in this book as it went on. I appreciated the sections that were political in nature, and thought Thomas' journey to understand the potential impact of his choice to use the stone was relatable and believable. We continued to pick up scope and momentum throughout the book, and while the pacing was slow at the beginning it was much better toward the end.
Ultimately, this is a good and enjoyable read, and while it has its flaws, I would recommend it for a quick, digestible read. My thanks for the provision of a free copy of this book in exchange for a unbiased and thoughtful review.
May 20, 2019
I enjoyed this take. You get to live through the perhaps if a handful of strong personalities that are very enjoyable. Be aware of one thing... This is only part one....
February 26, 2019
A stone that allows the bearer to know the thoughts of others. . .
My rating is 4.5 stars
A stone that allows the bearer to know the thoughts of others. . .
When I received the invitation to review The Stone of Knowing, I was intrigued. And seeing that Allan Packer is a debut author had me jumping at this opportunity. I can say unreservedly that I am thrilled that I did.
He may be newly published, however his writing is quite accomplished. The language he uses is rich and colorful. The plot was very interesting with many twists and turns. The characters were very well developed. I was invested from the very start.
There are a number of principal characters. Thomas Stablehand, the finder of the stone and a master at working with horses. Will, a soldier. Rufe, another soldier. Vangellis, the monk. Stefan, the king. Elbruhe. . . Each one plays a significant role in this saga.
Thomas and Will are the primary characters. Thomas is actually a fairly typical teenage male, making choices that have far-reaching implications. Shortly after discovering the stone, he made some very poor choices that caused pain and grief to those around him and to himself.
Will was my favorite character. He was the very definition of bravery - not because he wasn't fearful but because of how he responded to the fear. With great determination and fortitude, he rose above his circumstances and truly embodied the description ""mighty man of valor"". One of the best scenes in the story, if not the best, was when he was a captive - his bravery and his quick thinking had a stunning result.
While I was still at the beginning of the book, the author contacted me to see if I had finished reading yet, curious as to my thoughts. Here is what I told him:
According to my Kindle, I'm at 33%. So far, I'm mad at Tom, intrigued by Rufe and love Will! :-)
I'm certainly enjoying it so far. I'm very curious about why the stone only works sometimes. Depending on what I make for dinner, I may be able to finish it tonight. Maybe. Hopefully.
I'm certainly invested. If only my job didn't interfere with my reading!
Your writing style is great! And I love that you aren't afraid to use multi-syllabic words.
The enemy encroaching on the land is evil and very dangerous. Thus the tone of the story is somber and there is much talk of battles. Despite this, there is humor (I laughed out loud at the encounter with the bear!) and hope is injected in such a way as to keep it from being dark. The battle scenes are kept from being gruesome and yet provided enough detail to allow me to follow what was going on.
Years ago I read the series The Dragon King Trilogy by Stephen P. Lawhead. At the time, I didn't have thousands of books on my Kindle (or even a Kindle!) and therefore I tended to read the ones I liked over and over. I probably read these books twenty times, maybe more. The Stone of Knowing reminded me very much of the style that I recall from those readings.
Read my full review with a Preview Do not post
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
My rating is 4.5 stars
A stone that allows the bearer to know the thoughts of others. . .
When I received the invitation to review The Stone of Knowing, I was intrigued. And seeing that Allan Packer is a debut author had me jumping at this opportunity. I can say unreservedly that I am thrilled that I did.
He may be newly published, however his writing is quite accomplished. The language he uses is rich and colorful. The plot was very interesting with many twists and turns. The characters were very well developed. I was invested from the very start.
There are a number of principal characters. Thomas Stablehand, the finder of the stone and a master at working with horses. Will, a soldier. Rufe, another soldier. Vangellis, the monk. Stefan, the king. Elbruhe. . . Each one plays a significant role in this saga.
Thomas and Will are the primary characters. Thomas is actually a fairly typical teenage male, making choices that have far-reaching implications. Shortly after discovering the stone, he made some very poor choices that caused pain and grief to those around him and to himself.
Will was my favorite character. He was the very definition of bravery - not because he wasn't fearful but because of how he responded to the fear. With great determination and fortitude, he rose above his circumstances and truly embodied the description ""mighty man of valor"". One of the best scenes in the story, if not the best, was when he was a captive - his bravery and his quick thinking had a stunning result.
While I was still at the beginning of the book, the author contacted me to see if I had finished reading yet, curious as to my thoughts. Here is what I told him:
According to my Kindle, I'm at 33%. So far, I'm mad at Tom, intrigued by Rufe and love Will! :-)
I'm certainly enjoying it so far. I'm very curious about why the stone only works sometimes. Depending on what I make for dinner, I may be able to finish it tonight. Maybe. Hopefully.
I'm certainly invested. If only my job didn't interfere with my reading!
Your writing style is great! And I love that you aren't afraid to use multi-syllabic words.
The enemy encroaching on the land is evil and very dangerous. Thus the tone of the story is somber and there is much talk of battles. Despite this, there is humor (I laughed out loud at the encounter with the bear!) and hope is injected in such a way as to keep it from being dark. The battle scenes are kept from being gruesome and yet provided enough detail to allow me to follow what was going on.
Years ago I read the series The Dragon King Trilogy by Stephen P. Lawhead. At the time, I didn't have thousands of books on my Kindle (or even a Kindle!) and therefore I tended to read the ones I liked over and over. I probably read these books twenty times, maybe more. The Stone of Knowing reminded me very much of the style that I recall from those readings.
Read my full review with a Preview Do not post
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
February 26, 2019
A stone that allows the bearer to know the thoughts of others. . .
My rating is 4.5 stars
A stone that allows the bearer to know the thoughts of others. . .
When I received the invitation to review The Stone of Knowing, I was intrigued. And seeing that Allan Packer is a debut author had me jumping at this opportunity. I can say unreservedly that I am thrilled that I did.
He may be newly published, however his writing is quite accomplished. The language he uses is rich and colorful. The plot was very interesting with many twists and turns. The characters were very well developed. I was invested from the very start.
There are a number of principal characters. Thomas Stablehand, the finder of the stone and a master at working with horses. Will, a soldier. Rufe, another soldier. Vangellis, the monk. Stefan, the king. Elbruhe. . . Each one plays a significant role in this saga.
Thomas and Will are the primary characters. Thomas is actually a fairly typical teenage male, making choices that have far-reaching implications. Shortly after discovering the stone, he made some very poor choices that caused pain and grief to those around him and to himself.
Will was my favorite character. He was the very definition of bravery - not because he wasn't fearful but because of how he responded to the fear. With great determination and fortitude, he rose above his circumstances and truly embodied the description ""mighty man of valor"". One of the best scenes in the story, if not the best, was when he was a captive - his bravery and his quick thinking had a stunning result.
While I was still at the beginning of the book, the author contacted me to see if I had finished reading yet, curious as to my thoughts. Here is what I told him:
According to my Kindle, I'm at 33%. So far, I'm mad at Tom, intrigued by Rufe and love Will! :-)
I'm certainly enjoying it so far. I'm very curious about why the stone only works sometimes. Depending on what I make for dinner, I may be able to finish it tonight. Maybe. Hopefully.
I'm certainly invested. If only my job didn't interfere with my reading!
Your writing style is great! And I love that you aren't afraid to use multi-syllabic words.
The enemy encroaching on the land is evil and very dangerous. Thus the tone of the story is somber and there is much talk of battles. Despite this, there is humor (I laughed out loud at the encounter with the bear!) and hope is injected in such a way as to keep it from being dark. The battle scenes are kept from being gruesome and yet provided enough detail to allow me to follow what was going on.
Years ago I read the series The Dragon King Trilogy by Stephen P. Lawhead. At the time, I didn't have thousands of books on my Kindle (or even a Kindle!) and therefore I tended to read the ones I liked over and over. I probably read these books twenty times, maybe more. The Stone of Knowing reminded me very much of the style that I recall from those readings.
Read my full review with a Preview Do not post
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
My rating is 4.5 stars
A stone that allows the bearer to know the thoughts of others. . .
When I received the invitation to review The Stone of Knowing, I was intrigued. And seeing that Allan Packer is a debut author had me jumping at this opportunity. I can say unreservedly that I am thrilled that I did.
He may be newly published, however his writing is quite accomplished. The language he uses is rich and colorful. The plot was very interesting with many twists and turns. The characters were very well developed. I was invested from the very start.
There are a number of principal characters. Thomas Stablehand, the finder of the stone and a master at working with horses. Will, a soldier. Rufe, another soldier. Vangellis, the monk. Stefan, the king. Elbruhe. . . Each one plays a significant role in this saga.
Thomas and Will are the primary characters. Thomas is actually a fairly typical teenage male, making choices that have far-reaching implications. Shortly after discovering the stone, he made some very poor choices that caused pain and grief to those around him and to himself.
Will was my favorite character. He was the very definition of bravery - not because he wasn't fearful but because of how he responded to the fear. With great determination and fortitude, he rose above his circumstances and truly embodied the description ""mighty man of valor"". One of the best scenes in the story, if not the best, was when he was a captive - his bravery and his quick thinking had a stunning result.
While I was still at the beginning of the book, the author contacted me to see if I had finished reading yet, curious as to my thoughts. Here is what I told him:
According to my Kindle, I'm at 33%. So far, I'm mad at Tom, intrigued by Rufe and love Will! :-)
I'm certainly enjoying it so far. I'm very curious about why the stone only works sometimes. Depending on what I make for dinner, I may be able to finish it tonight. Maybe. Hopefully.
I'm certainly invested. If only my job didn't interfere with my reading!
Your writing style is great! And I love that you aren't afraid to use multi-syllabic words.
The enemy encroaching on the land is evil and very dangerous. Thus the tone of the story is somber and there is much talk of battles. Despite this, there is humor (I laughed out loud at the encounter with the bear!) and hope is injected in such a way as to keep it from being dark. The battle scenes are kept from being gruesome and yet provided enough detail to allow me to follow what was going on.
Years ago I read the series The Dragon King Trilogy by Stephen P. Lawhead. At the time, I didn't have thousands of books on my Kindle (or even a Kindle!) and therefore I tended to read the ones I liked over and over. I probably read these books twenty times, maybe more. The Stone of Knowing reminded me very much of the style that I recall from those readings.
Read my full review with a Preview Do not post
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
March 13, 2019
This is the first book in the Stone Cycle series and has as its main character a young lad called Thomas Stablehand. He lives with his family and helps his father to look after the horses of the king. He feels his father doesn’t love him and is too hard on him and has a lot of growing up still to do. One day a small and unusually coloured stone catches his eye and his picks it up and puts it in his pouch. This turns out to be the stone of knowing from the title. It lets him see the thoughts, feelings and intentions of others around him.
He doesn’t realise quickly enough the effect the stone has on him and how he begins to treat others. He uses it for his own amusement and indulgence and hurts some of those around him, making a lifelong enemy of one. He dreams of being a brave warrior like Will, but soon comes to realise that he could never be this. He finds a place training young recruits to ride, under Will’s command. He has to grow up and learn how to gain respect from others and lead by example as he tries to train absolute beginners.
He is still not a confident young man and sticks with the few people, such as Will, Rufe and a monk he gets to know, as their journey and the war they must fight against an ever more powerful evil enemy continues. Each main character is faced with problems of their own, things from their past and trials to overcome in the present. Others want this stone for evil purposes and it must be kept from their hands at all costs. Once Thomas would use it without thought. Now when he needs it most, it stops working for him. He and Will have to find out more about this stone and others with powers, to find out how it can be used for their safety and success in the war they are fighting.
This is a good coming of age story for the young main character. He has some very strong characters to learn from and still makes the mistakes of youth and has to take the hard knocks and learn from his mistakes. The characters all have flaws and are never always perfect, but then no-one really is. There are battles to be fought and places to escape from, which bring a lot of action to the story. It is a good length of book, just shy of five hundred pages, so is able to fill out the background of characters and the place settings in good details.
There is a second book in the series, The Cost of Knowing, and I am eager to read it, to see what happens to the main characters and whether they succeed in their quest to defeat the evil enemy and which of them may survive. It was certainly an interesting book which left me wanting to know what happened next and left me intrigued to find out more out this stone and the others mentioned. You feel for the characters in different ways and get involved in their lives as the story progressed. I received and ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
He doesn’t realise quickly enough the effect the stone has on him and how he begins to treat others. He uses it for his own amusement and indulgence and hurts some of those around him, making a lifelong enemy of one. He dreams of being a brave warrior like Will, but soon comes to realise that he could never be this. He finds a place training young recruits to ride, under Will’s command. He has to grow up and learn how to gain respect from others and lead by example as he tries to train absolute beginners.
He is still not a confident young man and sticks with the few people, such as Will, Rufe and a monk he gets to know, as their journey and the war they must fight against an ever more powerful evil enemy continues. Each main character is faced with problems of their own, things from their past and trials to overcome in the present. Others want this stone for evil purposes and it must be kept from their hands at all costs. Once Thomas would use it without thought. Now when he needs it most, it stops working for him. He and Will have to find out more about this stone and others with powers, to find out how it can be used for their safety and success in the war they are fighting.
This is a good coming of age story for the young main character. He has some very strong characters to learn from and still makes the mistakes of youth and has to take the hard knocks and learn from his mistakes. The characters all have flaws and are never always perfect, but then no-one really is. There are battles to be fought and places to escape from, which bring a lot of action to the story. It is a good length of book, just shy of five hundred pages, so is able to fill out the background of characters and the place settings in good details.
There is a second book in the series, The Cost of Knowing, and I am eager to read it, to see what happens to the main characters and whether they succeed in their quest to defeat the evil enemy and which of them may survive. It was certainly an interesting book which left me wanting to know what happened next and left me intrigued to find out more out this stone and the others mentioned. You feel for the characters in different ways and get involved in their lives as the story progressed. I received and ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
June 6, 2025
Is it woke?
Not at all.
Is it good?
'The Stone Of Knowing' is a thrilling debut. The story is enthralling, though there are classic pacing issues and occasionally the story feels disjointed. This may benefit struggling readers who can read them slowly in the short story format that causes this.
Packer has avoided the traditional YA traps, with the main character not being a combatant but a horse trainer. He is not all knowing or all powerful, but he is endearing and realistic of a seventeen year old boy. His friends are in the army, and there are plenty of classic battles and great tactics to keep adventure fans engaged.
This is enjoyable for teen boys, adventure loving girls, and adults.
Is it appropriate for your children?
There is no swearing or sexual content, aside from a man, tricked into marrying a younger bride, says that "she cannot become his wife in more than name for years." There are battles scenes that are detailed without being graphic.
Religion is an overarching theme in the novel. There are 'dark gods' of the enemies that are briefly described but any further details are hinted at rather than shown. The author appears to be Christian, as is the religion of our heroes' kingdom. The individuals do not seem to be religious, so this shouldn't be confronting to non Christians or rebellious children. Religious people and the church are encountered in the novel, but the doctrine shown is only basic. Despite this, it is perfectly written, and the religious characters are neither unrealistically perfect nor secular in their sinfulness. This is a hard line to walk and I applaud Packer.
I highly recommend. 12+
Not at all.
Is it good?
'The Stone Of Knowing' is a thrilling debut. The story is enthralling, though there are classic pacing issues and occasionally the story feels disjointed. This may benefit struggling readers who can read them slowly in the short story format that causes this.
Packer has avoided the traditional YA traps, with the main character not being a combatant but a horse trainer. He is not all knowing or all powerful, but he is endearing and realistic of a seventeen year old boy. His friends are in the army, and there are plenty of classic battles and great tactics to keep adventure fans engaged.
This is enjoyable for teen boys, adventure loving girls, and adults.
Is it appropriate for your children?
There is no swearing or sexual content, aside from a man, tricked into marrying a younger bride, says that "she cannot become his wife in more than name for years." There are battles scenes that are detailed without being graphic.
Religion is an overarching theme in the novel. There are 'dark gods' of the enemies that are briefly described but any further details are hinted at rather than shown. The author appears to be Christian, as is the religion of our heroes' kingdom. The individuals do not seem to be religious, so this shouldn't be confronting to non Christians or rebellious children. Religious people and the church are encountered in the novel, but the doctrine shown is only basic. Despite this, it is perfectly written, and the religious characters are neither unrealistically perfect nor secular in their sinfulness. This is a hard line to walk and I applaud Packer.
I highly recommend. 12+
November 26, 2024
The Stone of Knowing is an easy-to-get-into fantasy novel that's paced in such a way as to avoid initially overwhelming the reader with the usual fantasy tropes about dragons, heroes, and impossibly powerful artefacts. Indeed, Thomas - one of the main characters - is very much an ordinary bloke, who to begin with is simply attempting to live his life in a believable way without getting into trouble. That changes, however, when the realities of war and his acquisition of a peculiar (and quite mysterious) stone begin to change his life, and not always in a way he might like. Thomas is swept up in events not of his own making, yet the pace of the story remains consistent and easy to enjoy, allowing the reader to follow amicably as more of this fascinating fantasy world unfurls before them. The book is well written, also, and what violence there is is never gratuitous, making this an ideal read for those seeking a clean adventure story set in a fantastical yet believable setting. I'd recommend it as such, and I'll certainly be reading more from this series!
March 10, 2019
Good Fantasy Adventure Novel 3.5 Stars
This book is not my favorite kind of novel, but I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review and I gave it a go. This book is part one with at least one book to follow. I finished it because it is well written, I liked some of the characters (Will, Ruge, Vangellis), and I wanted to know what happened! It felt long to me and took me much longer to read than usual, but I think that was because the content made me reflect. I am still reflecting on it now, and I think it will stick with me for a while.
This is an adventure of a 17-year-old young man (Thomas) in a country at war, who finds himself in the middle of all the adventures. Thomas seemed to be younger (14/15) to me based on his behavior, but later it was revealed he was 17. The writing style is more realistic than I like in a fantasy book, meaning not everything works out for the best, bad things happen and not everything has a “reason,” much like the real world. The characters all have flaws and there is a lot of character development and description of the world around them, which made it a slow read for me. I still think it is well-written, just not what I usually look for in a fictional novel. That being said I still wanted to know what happened and read it to the very end!
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys books like Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, adventure fantasy, or fantasy with some magic but not outright wizards and such.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is not my favorite kind of novel, but I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review and I gave it a go. This book is part one with at least one book to follow. I finished it because it is well written, I liked some of the characters (Will, Ruge, Vangellis), and I wanted to know what happened! It felt long to me and took me much longer to read than usual, but I think that was because the content made me reflect. I am still reflecting on it now, and I think it will stick with me for a while.
This is an adventure of a 17-year-old young man (Thomas) in a country at war, who finds himself in the middle of all the adventures. Thomas seemed to be younger (14/15) to me based on his behavior, but later it was revealed he was 17. The writing style is more realistic than I like in a fantasy book, meaning not everything works out for the best, bad things happen and not everything has a “reason,” much like the real world. The characters all have flaws and there is a lot of character development and description of the world around them, which made it a slow read for me. I still think it is well-written, just not what I usually look for in a fictional novel. That being said I still wanted to know what happened and read it to the very end!
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys books like Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, adventure fantasy, or fantasy with some magic but not outright wizards and such.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2019
I love a good coming of age / coming to (magical) power tale, and Allan Packer’s The Stone of Knowing (The Stone Cycle Book 1) is most definitely that. Young Thomas Stablehand is a great leading character, and he and the rest of the cast of characters were very well done. Similarly, care was taken in the world-crafting of the kingdom of Arvenon, and in plot development (though my one criticism is that I’d have far preferred at least a satisfying “Happily Enough for Now” even if it’s too soon for a true HEA). But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.
February 29, 2024
It is always such a pleasure when I come across a new fantasy where the world building is unique, well thought out and related in such an immersive way so as to make you totally oblivious to any reality but the one your eyes pursue with fanatical diligence.
The Stone of Knowing book 1 is such a happy find. I am very glad I also have book 2 in this duo to read as I can continue the adventure of one young man, Thomas Stablehand, after he found a rather peculiar stone enabling him to gain knowledge of whomever he needs to discover more of.
No, it got nothing to do with telepathy. Nor is it a talisman. Or whatever you would like to guess.
The Stone of knowledge is unique in many ways. And people will kill for possession.
As Thomas has discovered too.
Enjoy.
The Stone of Knowing book 1 is such a happy find. I am very glad I also have book 2 in this duo to read as I can continue the adventure of one young man, Thomas Stablehand, after he found a rather peculiar stone enabling him to gain knowledge of whomever he needs to discover more of.
No, it got nothing to do with telepathy. Nor is it a talisman. Or whatever you would like to guess.
The Stone of knowledge is unique in many ways. And people will kill for possession.
As Thomas has discovered too.
Enjoy.
October 19, 2021
The Knowing Stone is the story of Thomas, a young stable hand, who finds a mysterious stone imbued with special powers. When he is befriended by a soldier, Will, his life becomes an adventure.
This is a coming of age meets action/adventure fantasy that is absolutely charming. Allan Packer created realistic and likable characters who worm their way into your heart. The story is well told and weaves seamlessly between the key plotlines.
I would highly recommend this book to young adults and young-at-heart adults alike.
This is a coming of age meets action/adventure fantasy that is absolutely charming. Allan Packer created realistic and likable characters who worm their way into your heart. The story is well told and weaves seamlessly between the key plotlines.
I would highly recommend this book to young adults and young-at-heart adults alike.
October 20, 2021
Meh. I felt like the characters never really got fully developed. You know when you start a book, how everything is very surface and you have to get through that stuff before the characters really start developing? The whole book is that way. I felt like it was all very surface and I never got to connect with the characters. Based on this book I would say the best developed character was not the main character but one of his friends. I am not intrigued enough to read the next book. And I am annoyed that there is a planned prequal. Just put them out in order.
September 19, 2024
This is kind of all over the place, an ADD adventure where the titular element is ignored for long stretches and is never used in any interesting way. It’s sort of like Sauron’s ring from LotR except less thought-out. The world has similar issues, one where there are dark gods but also Catholicism. There’s also the problem of characters and animals getting killed randomly, causing the story to swerve between YA Epic Fantasy and grimdark. It’s an unconvincing jambalaya of fantasy tropes which never meld.
December 15, 2022
Thomas Stablehand finds a stone and is able to read other people’s thoughts. Thomas’ friend Will Prentis a soldier who rises to the rank of commander in the King’s army. Thomas finds out that another kingdom wants to attack their kingdom and steal the stone from Thomas. Together they go on a quest to save the stone from getting into the wrong hands. I really enjoyed this epic sci-fi fantasy novel.
February 21, 2021
I stumbled across this book in a Fantasy/Sci-Fi promo and I'm so glad I did! The story was very well written and the character development was excellent.
Like others have noted, the main character Thomas had to grow on me. He is the child of an emotionally abusive father and behaves like it. When another character, Will, takes young Thomas under his wing, Thomas begins to grow and thrive. It's actually an interesting case study in the differencess between being a "boss" (Thomas' father) and "leader" (Will). With Will's encouragement and empowerment, Thomas has a more meaningful job and life. I enjoyed watching their friendship and the growth that takes place in both of them.
While I enjoyed it from the start, the book takes on an "I can't put it down" quality about halfway though. The storyline picks up drastically. It does end a bit abruptly, but I luckily read it after the second installment had already come out so I don't have to wait to see what happens!
I look forward to reading the rest of this series!
Like others have noted, the main character Thomas had to grow on me. He is the child of an emotionally abusive father and behaves like it. When another character, Will, takes young Thomas under his wing, Thomas begins to grow and thrive. It's actually an interesting case study in the differencess between being a "boss" (Thomas' father) and "leader" (Will). With Will's encouragement and empowerment, Thomas has a more meaningful job and life. I enjoyed watching their friendship and the growth that takes place in both of them.
While I enjoyed it from the start, the book takes on an "I can't put it down" quality about halfway though. The storyline picks up drastically. It does end a bit abruptly, but I luckily read it after the second installment had already come out so I don't have to wait to see what happens!
I look forward to reading the rest of this series!
December 11, 2022
I really enjoyed this book
I enjoyed this book, mostly because it was a wonderful flowing story, but also because it was very clean, (no cuss words or sexual innuendos). It also had a hint of a deeper, religious faith in some of the characters that I found very intriguing and enjoyable. I only hope that the last book is finished before I get to it.
I enjoyed this book, mostly because it was a wonderful flowing story, but also because it was very clean, (no cuss words or sexual innuendos). It also had a hint of a deeper, religious faith in some of the characters that I found very intriguing and enjoyable. I only hope that the last book is finished before I get to it.
December 21, 2022
Story through growth and change
Thomas is a youth with heart and grows throughout the story into a thoughtful and respected young man. Follow his journey through confusion and emotional highs and lows as his world becomes bigger and more dangerous. Recommended for those who enjoy Historical coming out age stories.
Thomas is a youth with heart and grows throughout the story into a thoughtful and respected young man. Follow his journey through confusion and emotional highs and lows as his world becomes bigger and more dangerous. Recommended for those who enjoy Historical coming out age stories.
May 12, 2023
A story that draws you in
I found this book to start slowly for me, but kept reading because the characters were so well developed. The stone of the title is important for the way it affects the protagonist and the people around him, but does not command center stage. The book is much more interesting because of this.
I found this book to start slowly for me, but kept reading because the characters were so well developed. The stone of the title is important for the way it affects the protagonist and the people around him, but does not command center stage. The book is much more interesting because of this.
August 31, 2025
I like the idea of a mysterious artifact and a group of people on an adventure and chaos ensues. The banter and adventure is a bit thin though. I have had to put this down quite a bit because i got bored and i just wanted to focus on something else. I don’t know if i will jump into the rest of this series.
February 13, 2021
I was enjoying this story, but I stopped reading it after several chapters. The violence was too graphic for me. And the stone was a little creepy. Too bad. I felt like the story had potential but wasn't worth continuing for me.
December 17, 2022
A very good pseudo-historical (I did not recognize the kingdom names which makes me think that it is not real history) fantasy book. There were a lot of aspects that I have not seen in any other books.
Slightly grim dark.
Slightly grim dark.
January 31, 2023
This was a very nice read. The characters held my interest, the story went at a good pace, but the ending was random, I thought. I feel I definitely have to read the next one just to continue the story line.
June 13, 2025
I'm loving this series. The story is rich in details and likable characters. I've been listening to the audiobooks and sometimes I can't wait to take a short car ride just to hear more of the story.
July 14, 2021
I believed that the book will be awesome like THE SEER
September 14, 2022
I wasn't too sure about this for probably three or four hours of listening. It was a great premise so I kept it going and ended up relishing the drive time.
Read
November 26, 2022I couldn’t get past 30%. I got to 26% and started over. Second time 30% DNF because I still don’t know when the plot might possibly show up.
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