Woman of the Stone

Modutan Empire #1

by S.V. Farnsworth

Emerald Stone broke her word only once. As the consequences catch up with her, it may cost her life, has already taken her virtue, and for certain will exact a toll on her freedom. Tasked by the Creator with a quest to reunite the ancient Modutan Empire, she escapes in search of a peace that can only be found on the other side of a war. If she survives the politics and peril of the journey, she will discover that oaths of the heart are not so easily broken.

463 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2019

About the author

S.V. Farnsworth speaks four languages and has lived in South Korea. She teaches English as a second language at Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri.

Farnsworth writes immersive deep-shelf fiction with noble characters battling dark worlds.

When forces split them apart, how do they come together?

Modutan Empire series', Woman of the Stone and Monarch in the Flames are epic fantasy with an appeal to readers who connect with #MeToo concerns and admire strong female characters.

Hard Start: Mars Intrigue and Tidal Pulse: Mars Revolution are space opera for readers who love it as much as they enjoy their furry brown Chewbacca slippers.

A Rare Connection is contemporary romantic suspense and a clean read.

Tucked Away in a Discolored Scrapbook: Creative Nonfiction with Poetry is a collection that speaks to your soul with strong prose and uplifting imagery.

Farnsworth was the 2020 and 2021 secretary of the Ozarks Writers League. She served in 2018 and 2019 as president of the Joplin Writers’ Guild. She coordinated their conferences and edited the guild’s 2019 anthology, Seasons of the Four States.

Get a FREE ebook and see for yourself at svfarnsworthauthor.com/newsletter.

Reviews

[S.V. Farnsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Em is the Woman of the Stone in three ways. She's had it rough and feels like her heart has turned to stone. Her clan has died, leaving her the queen of an empty land with enemies on every side. The man she intended to marry is forever out of reach because she can't face the idea of intimacy. On top of all that, she's responsible for reuniting a shattered empire. Through it all, she never surrenders her humanity and finds a way to overcome incredible odds. Book two in the series promises her a happy-for-now ending. Book three will have her happily ever after.

[R.M. Krogman, Dark and Epic Fantasy Author · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Woman of the Stone" is the first in series of the Modutan Empire, by S. V. Farnsworth. It is a fairly dark story, directly addressing the deep-seated trauma associated with SA by following a main character with nightmarish memories and little chance to heal.

Emerald is the Woman of the Stone, born with a destiny she finds beyond overwhelming when she hardly wishes to stray from her castle and her found family of orphaned children. Insulated by the walls around her life and her heart, Emerald strives to ignore the chasm and self-loathing inside of her. But circumstances don't allow her to ignore her past or her future.

Once this story starts, it doesn't let up, and I found myself wishing I could take a breath without something terrible happening to her or one of the other characters. As I said, the story is dark, set in a grim world with terrible, selfish, evil-hearted people. Although Emerald is a passionate, strong-willed woman, she was beyond magnetic to nearly every man around her. I was a bit frustrated by the ending, as I expected one person to be able to truly understand her, her choices, and her feelings after so much trauma. I will likely continue on with the next book "Monarch in the Flames" because I want to know whether certain people will end up together.

[Lara R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite different from the last few fantasy books I've read.
This might not be for everyone as there are topics like sexuall assault and rape, which might be difficult for some to handle. The story deals with the topics quite realistically and it's shown how difficult it is for survivors.
The story itself was well written and the questions you have in the beginning are all answered in the end.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Busick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good read, a story that pulls at your heart strings and makes you want to stand and fight all while secretly wishing for a happy ending.

[Reuben Farnsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. plots all seemed to work out in the end just not as I thought it would.

[Leigha Layne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is not a book I would necessarily recommend for a young adult, unless they are very mature. Some adults that have had trauma in their past may have trouble with reading simply because of some of the different elements that are a part of the story. Overall it portrays a very detailed story that ends with you wanting to know what is going to happen to the main character as her life begins to change even more.

[Gloria Bottom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engaging story line. Can't wait for the second book

[Sam Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

With WOMAN OF THE STONE, S.V. Farnsworth has created a story flowing with rich and tangible detail of a world that could have existed outside of fantasy. And in many ways probably did. She coaxes us through themes of pain and scars it leaves as we heal. For those who want romance, Farnsworth offers characters who, if social media had existed, would have listed their relationship status as “It’s complicated.” And for people like me looking for action, there is swordplay, roads concealing bandits, mystery, and murder.

[Ami Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very well written, and dealt with many extremely hard issues. There was a lot of violence and references to abuse and perversion that were very disturbing, and could definitely be triggering. There were also many twists in the plot that kept it from going in the direction I expected and redirected the whole story! I liked the way the different societies were discovered as the story progressed, and the growth that several of the main characters showed. The story ends with several issues unresolved, but without a cliffhanger.

[C. Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have reflected on the books I read in 2023 and S.V. Farnsworth’s first two books in the series the Modutan Empire were my favourite books that I read. Her books while being entertaining and enjoyable to read also are thought provoking. By this I mean that this series is much more than an easy read to pass the time, it also made me contemplate life and how fortunate I am not to have to struggle for my basic human needs to be fulfilled and my soul to be protected.
I am looking forward to reading book #3 once it is available.

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have to say that I was not prepared for the explicit sex. I felt it would have read just as well and perhaps better if details were left to the imagination. The writing was fair and the story line quite strong. I do not believe that I will read additional novels by this author but that is just my opinion.

[Robert Rozell II · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible read, thoroughly enjoyed it.
The ploy is complicated, with a nuance of personal stories.
The characters were well thought out with depth and flaws of real people.
I felt Emerald’s pain, distrust, and doubts.
There is violence, which was very prevalent in the time period the story is set in.
I will be reading the sequel and getting printed books ASAP.
Highly recommend

[Kritika · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing was easy to understand and I love the story

[TaniaRina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heavy - Trigger warning!
Among other things, this book deals with sexual abuse/violence and the aftermath. The topic is mentioned several times; appropriately so, as trauma affects so many of our decisions for the rest of our lives. It is a delicate subject, at best. As someone who has been dealing with this for decades, I personally felt okay with this author’s style of handling it; others may not.
Having said that, I enjoyed the storyline and would read the next in series.