Review: Flight of the Stone

Flight of the Stone
by Chris Thompson

Product Description (from Amazon.com):
Flight of the Stone is a fantasy tale full of drama, humour and action along with a little romance.

A desperate Elliot throws a stone to frighten off his pursuers. His actions ignite an alarming chain of events. Witnessing far more than they bargained for, Elliot’s teenage friends Miles and Abbi become drawn into a parallel world laden with excitement, adventure and horror.

As they gradually unlock the hidden secrets of leylines, the three youngsters learn how to travel vast distances in seconds, are terrorised by Fuddles, held captive by the menacing Larc while guided by their virtual mentor, Dylan.

In this other world they discover fascinating things about themselves, the people they live with as well as the world around them. So intense is their journey together they become far more emotionally attached than they ever thought likely.

Much of the story is set in and around the historic town of Christchurch, Dorset, UK and the reader can discover more about the actual places described in the book at Facebook, Flight of the Stone.

My Thoughts:
The WLC provided me with a free pdf review-copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. It’s worth noting that “Brandon” in the PDF has become “Elliot” in the Kindle edition, which I bought because the Kindle format is prettier. There are a few other differences between the pdf (which is essentially a proof) and the finished book, but they don’t detract from reading either.

I have to confess that I had a difficult time getting into this book, even though I generally like YA fantasy, because we’re introduced to SO many characters (Elliot, Abbi, the Johnson Brothers, Sam, etc.) in just the first few pages. At first it was difficult for me to differentiate them, but within a few pages I was more comfortable with the cast of kids and young adults, and really enjoying the story.

And it’s an epic story. Invisible fields that transport you from place to place (and time), horrible monsters, swords and sorcery, technology, and human guile and wit all combine in various forms to take you into this mad alternate version of the area around Christchurch. At times, I was reminded of the fantasy land in Bridge to Terabithia, and, in truth, there are some similar themes explored in Flight of the Stone, although it’s only in tone and theme that I found them similar.

Overall? An entertaining read, perfect for an imaginative reader of any age.

Goes well with a strawberry cornet (ice cream cone), obviously..