Stonewiser

The Heart of the Stone

By: Dora Machado

Narrated by: Melissa Reizian Frank

As a Stonewiser, Sariah can read the stories hidden deep within the sacred stones.

She has the power to witness the past and change the future.

But when she discovers dangerous lies that have been interwoven with the truth in the stones, she is forced to turn to her enemy: A man who is as intoxicating as he is powerful....

....and her world won’t ever be the same again.

©2008 Dora Machado (P)2013 Dora Machado

Fairly complex and compelling fantasy

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes. I would say its a 3.5 / 5

The book is ultimatley enjoyable and worth the time spent listening. It has a difficult (but not a bad) start - you are thrown into the book midway through and event with little explanation of what is going on, and then a few chapters later subjected to a rape scene. However these two events/scene are catalysts for a lot of the rest of the book, as the push Sariah out of her santuary and into the wider mystery.

Once that is done there is intrigue, changing allegances and a variety of multi-dimensional characters to keep you interested.

What does Melissa Reizian Frank bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Reizian does well with the reading. Clear enjoyable narration with distinct character voices. I enjoyed her reading

Any additional comments?

There are certain 'adult' moments in the book - including a couple of rape or attempted rape scenes - so if you don't like that then probably not a good book for you.

Imaginative Tale of High Fantasy

Any additional comments?

Stonewiser Saraiah was raised to believe that the Stonewiser's Guild stands for truth and justice. But when she nearly dies wising twin stones no sane person would touch, she learns that the stone truth may not be as it appears. Deception surrounds her and the rebllious Sariah sets off on her own desperate quest for truth.

The Heart of the Stone is a difficult story to describe. It's high fantasy that steps outside of cliched genre norms to tell the story of a woman hungry for both love and truth, cast adrift in a world full of selfish deceit and manipulation. I suppose there's a certain uncomfortable truth to that: It isn't safe to assume that the things we've been taught our entire lives are true just because someone told us they are.

This is an imaginative, thought-provoking tale. Sariah is easily sympathetic, even if her need for stones sometimes felt strange or alien -- that was a part of the other worldliness of the story.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. Melissa Reizian Frank did a very nice job with the story. She has a strong voice for story-telling.

I recommend this book (in audiobook or text format) to fantasy lovers looking for something a little outside the mold.

High fantasy in a brand new world.

If nothing else, Machado has come up with a very interesting and thought out world. I wouldn't be surprised if this series turned into a multiseries like the Dragons of Pern books. I really enjoyed the book, although it started out slow and quite confusing (although, it didn't exactly get less confusing as the book went on.) I thought the characters were pretty interesting and their upbringing impacted their emotions/ reactions believably. There were some extremely graphic mutilation and rape scenes, but I honestly didn't find the (consenting) sex scenes all that graphic. If anything, the metaphors and similes were irritating after the first scene. One big frustration for me was the “Meliahs help me” in every other paragraph. Even die hard Christians don't have this sentiment as often as our protagonist.

I must say that Melissa Reizian Frank did an excellent job. Her pace was refreshingly fast and her characters were distinct. The only real issue I had was the strange accent for the Guild and the Shield characters. It just felt like too much.

High fantasy in a brand new world.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

A vivid book and a hot listen

If you could sum up Stonewiser in three words, what would they be?

Vivid, suspenseful and steamy!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Stonewiser?

One of the most memorable moments was the final wising at the wall. That particular scene felt cinematic with all its striking details, which highlight a thrilling denouement.

What does Melissa Reizian Frank bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I thought the narrator's pacing was very well done, and allowed me to get wrapped up in the story in a different way than when I read the book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were definitely laugh out loud moments, but I think that Sariah's brand of humor is much more appealing than that. It is the witty and wry humor in this heroine that calls out to me much more.

Any additional comments?

A wonderful listen to get lost in.

A wonderful & imaginative thought-provoking story.

What made the experience of listening to Stonewiser the most enjoyable?

The writing was packed to bursting with evocative descriptions of all things, from ever changing environments, to the intense emotions of the characters. The romance between Sariah and Kael was dealt with beautifully, if a little predictably (they hate each other, then they love each other). The sex scenes (only a few, no smut, beautifully done) were so well written, and their emotion so infused me, my tears gushed on more than one occasion.

Sariah was likeable, if difficult to understand in places due to her emotionless upbringing. And Kael was the typical strong brooding silent type, with a big a heart and burning passion beneath the tough exterior. I found the cast, on the whole, well developed; I found it easy to picture them, their actions, their expressions, and I cared for them.

What other book might you compare Stonewiser to and why?

No idea.

What about Melissa Reizian Frank’s performance did you like?

I had the great experience listening to the very enthusiastic Melissa Reizian Frank. Her ability to take on different characters and add different voices really helped me to digest the story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I cried at some high emotional moments and laughed at others.

However, when characters mentioned Ars (a name) e.g. Kael, son of Ars. it pulled me but of the story. Am I child? Perhaps. It wouldn’t have been so bad if this word were mentioned once or twice, but it was mentioned a lot at one point, and interchangeably with mention of actual ‘arses’ (he slapped her arse, etc). Especially on Audio, it was confusing and inappropriately amusing.

Any additional comments?

Overall, this is a superb high fantasy. If you love fantasy, you’ll be glad you took a chance on this one, and will no doubt be as eager as I am to see what is in store for Sariah in books two and three.

Great Story - Great Performance!

Where does Stonewiser rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Among the best and over the years I have listened to a lot since I travel by car for hours at a time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Stonewiser?

Spoiler alert - in case you have not read the book. My favorite is the description of Kael on the quartering stone when Sariah comes to save him.

Which character – as performed by Melissa Reizian Frank – was your favorite?

Definitely Sariah, although Mia comes in a very close second.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

An action adventure fantasy that keeps you guessing.

Any additional comments?

Melissa did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life. I always get audiobooks of book I have read in book form - since I listen while I am driving it makes it easier to get into the story. I like the way that the performer did her characterizations, particularly of the New Blood and Sariah. The voices she gave them fit very closely with what I had in my mind before beginning the audiobook. It was a very enjoyable experience. Thank you!!

Love It!!!

Wow. I absolutely enjoyed listening to this audiobook. It’s really good from start to finish. There is a lot angst. But I love that. To me there are different emotions through the book, and I love it.

Stonewiser by Dora Machado

Would you try another book from Dora Machado and/or Melissa Reizian Frank?

My thoughts:
The storyline is original and interesting. The world has been created with great detail. I admit that I was somewhat lost at the beginning of the story, wishing for more explanation about Stonewising. It was a slow starter, but as the book progressed I found myself very interested. My heart went out for Sariah. The author has filled her story with a wide range of emotions and action. I will be getting the next book in the series so I can see where the story goes next.
This review is of the audio book, so I want to include just a quick piece about the audio itself. The reader of Stonewiser did a great job. The reading was well paced and easy to listen to. I listen to at least one audio book a week while I commute to and from work, so the reader is vital to the enjoyment of the book.

Any additional comments?

This was my first audible experience and I found that I prefer audio CDs that I can listen to in my car. I was unable to convert this book into a format that burned onto CD and therefore had to listen on my computer. I am sure that there is an easy way to have this happen, but I was not able to find it.

Great story!

I loved this book. Cannot wait to read book 2. Sariah is a stonewiser and can read stories that are in stones. She is very powerful. Calen falls in love with her and she him. Can they have a life together or will something always get in their way.



This book was given to me for free at my request for and I provided this voluntary review.

A great genre mixing fantasy!

I was given this book for free by the narrator in return for an honest review, so here goes. I had never heard of the Author or narrator, but after listening to this, they are both a revelation. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world that has been rebuilt somewhat by separating the rotten lands from the still viable areas. Knowledge is stored on stones in a magic process, and they are readable by magic users called Stonewisers. The stonewisers guild controls all the stonewisers, keeping them in a form of slavery. The main character, Sariah, is a particularly rebellious but strong stonewiser. She breaks into the archive and wises Twin Stones, which are supposed to be unreadable. They show her a scene from the breaking of the world, and an Intrusion gives her a prophesy. She is punished for her troublemaking, and as she ends up escaping with some badlanders who had been captured by the Shield, which is the enforcement arm of the Stonewisers. They escape to the badlands after a series of adventures, where Sariah Stonewises for the clan, until circustances force her to return to the goodlands. There, she is held by the main Shield as she trys to finish learning the rest of the knowledge of the breaking. When she does, it changes everything about the world, causing multiple forces to be arrayed against her to try and keep her silent. Meanwhile, she discovers that love is a real thing, haveing never seen it before. This is a very original take on these themes, with the action moving along at breakneck speed. The characters are deep and thoughtfully created, with strengths and flaws to help flesh them out. The villains are suitably evil and not cliched, with realistic motivations. I can't wait to get into the second book. Melissa's narration was spectacular. She used multiple voices, tones and accents, handling both male and female voices while giving each character a distinct flavor. I would recommend this book to any fantasy fan, you won't regret it!