THE FIRE STONE

Despite obvious similarities with some fantasy and kids’ classics, The Fire Stone is a charming story with relatable characters for young-adult readers.

Reading book one of Carney’s series about a young boy setting out on an adventure, it’s impossible to forget the debt the book owes to The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Matt, the central character, leaves home to learn he has powers and abilities he couldn’t have imagined. He garners the help of two elves, a dwarf, a wizard, a “mergling” warrior and a rare magical creature called an alorath. Like Harry Potter, he is surprised to learn he is a special being whose full importance has not yet been revealed. And similar to Frodo Baggins, Matt and his companions must keep three stones from falling into evil hands. In spite of these comparisons, the story zips along with much action and humor, and the characters are likable beyond their archetypes. Carney has imbued Matt with an appealing combination of humility and longing for adventure, making him an easy character to root for. When he rescues a baby alorath (a largish catlike creature with feathers and magical abilities) from abusive circus workers and goes to live with his teacher, Alem, the tale is kicked off with true excitement. The elves, Emmon and Arden, have their own separate quest, but their story–along with that of Lucien, the wizard–dovetail nicely as the story evolves. There are a few nagging problems, as in a messy scene near the end where the action is stopped abruptly and then described in a flashback. Carney has four other books planned, and the development of these characters in future editions will be the real test of the series’ durability.

Flawed, but abundantly blessed with adventure and appeal.