Customer Reviews

Dream Stone

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book, by no stretch of the imagination, should have been found in the ROMANCE section. This book deserves to stand by the Tolkien books in the Fantasy section. Sure, when I picked it up, I expected some soppy Johanna Lindsey-ish farce.

Instead, I found a deep plot, excellent characters, and a well- used map of their location and the underworld. I also found characters torn apart by the past, reliving it at every turn in deep caverns filled with real danger.

There are trolls, elves, wyverns and some humans thrown in for a real Dungeons&Dragons time. Anyone familiar with Guy Gavriel Kay's work will notice many of the same references: dockalfar, liosalfar and several others. Those who love Irish lore will love trying to pronounce half the words in the book. Female Tolkien fans might enjoy the more romantic twist on the old battles for good and evil.

A very well written book by an excellent writer who knows her fantasy worlds and how to get a true readers attention.

This is a challenging fantasy novel. You have to pay attention to almost every sentence so you won't get lost in this fantastical world, but it's well worth it. Glenna McReynolds is a master weaver of words who gently draws you into her web of dreams. Be patient and your rewards will be great! This book is much more of a fantasy than a romance, but the romance that is at the core is exquisitely written and deeply moving. I'll definitely be looking for the next book in the series.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. However, I was rather disappointed with the ending! The whole book was a build up to a great battle and when the battle finally came, we didn't any details of the biggest battle; the one between the dragons and the blackness. I wanted to be there with Ailfinn Mapp, Ruddlahan, Varga and Owain to see what happened to them too and was disappointed with what I got.

I will be buying the next book, Prince of Time, when it comes out. I really do enjoy the stories Ms. McReynolds has written so far.

In 1198 Wales, the rightful keepers of Carn Merioneth have successfully regained possession of the land. However, to the victors may go the spoils, but for Michael ab Arawn, the triumph is tainted by the fact that the two dragons, who repel the forces of darkness, appear to be missing.

Regardless of the peril to himself, Michael knows that he must find the missing guardians or else. He begins his quest into the dangerous caverns where the spawn of dragons, the pryf, dwell. All his so-called allies except one have personal agendas, making each of them more dangerous to Michael and his quest than his known enemies, including an evil so malevolent that his eternal soul is at stake. Only Llynya of the Quicken-tree seems to really want to help him succeed, but he wonders what her agenda actually is.

DREAM STONE is an incredible experience that takes the reader into a Medieval world of fantasy where the unbelievable feels real. The characters, including the ultimate evil, the pryf, the dragons, and the mortals come across as genuine with realistic motives. The story line is romantic fantasy at its best. Glenna McReynolds has written an epic adventure that will elate fans of fantasy and Medieval romance as a stunning novel worth reading.

Harriet Klausner

ISBN 0553103938 - I am not a fan, at all, of fantasy. Throw in romance and you've pretty much written my worst nightmare of a book. So I was quite surprised to find out that this book was better than that. Still, there are a few things that bother me, even beyond the similarities to Dune.

Mychael ab Arawn is the son of the last rulers of Merioneth, now ruled by Rhuddlan, leader of the Quicken-tree clan. Mychael doesn't have all the facts about who he is and his destiny, but he knows that he has a wildness inside of him and the fire of dragon's blood in his veins. He meets and falls for the elf Llynya, who is part of his destiny in more ways than one. Slott, the Troll King, has been freed from an enchantment after 500 years and things are happening in the deep dark that brings Mychael's destiny ever closer. As war looms, he will be called on to call the dragons, and lead the Quicken-tree to victory over the forces arrayed against them - and he can't succeed without Llynya at his side.

For the Dune similarities, they're only in the beginning of the book: boy child born to a priestess from a long line of priestesses, who has him even though she was forbidden to do so. There's giant worms, twins, and reference to Transformation. On the weird front, Mychael has dragon's blood from his mother and "'Twas what came from allowing love to make a match"... which just leaves you wondering about who loved who. For language, there's at least a half dozen uses of "friggin", which clashes with common language in 1193; McReynolds has made up all kinds of names and language and then comes up with "quickety-split" for the name of a fast move which seems really lazy and cracked me up every time I read it. The sex scenes were totally unnecessary and pretty badly written but at least they were few and far between, with the first one not showing up until page 302.

A small positive note - the author's description of Christianity, in elf maid Llynya's voice: "I've heard they tie women to stakes and burn them, and that they keep their God alive in vats of wine and bits of bread and eat and drink his flesh and blood." Makes Christianity look a bit bizarre, which always endears an author to me. All in all, not horrible - just not my thing.

- AnnaLovesBooks

The author's imagination and detail for writing make her books very entertaining but I find her characters lacking and the romance not her best. I thought "The Blade and the Chalice" was much better. I do recommend this book it was a good read but I find myself waiting for her next book hoping her style is more like "The Blade and The Chalice."

DREAM STONE is an incredible experience. Glenna McReynolds has written an adventure Novel of Epic proportions. Her story transports the reader into the Medieval world of fantasy and adventure, complete with Dragons and Evil Forces. She makes the unbelievable feel totally real. Her characters not only come across as genuine with realistic motives, but reader becomes part of the story. Glenna puts you there. The story line is romantic fantasy at its best.

Her first Fantasy Novel, Chalice and the Blade introduced us to the fantastic Welsh/Celtic world of Cerridwen and Y Tylwyth Teg. Her latest title reveals a continuing adventure that will not only elate fans of fantasy and Medieval romance, but bring new fans aboard, who enjoy reading a stunning novel of Courage and Love.

In 1198 Wales, the rightful keepers of Carn Merioneth have successfully regained possession of the land. However, to the victors may go the spoils, but for Michael ab Arawn, the triumph is tainted by the fact that the two dragons, who repel the forces of darkness, appear to be missing.

Regardless of the peril to himself, Michael knows that he must find the missing guardians or else. He begins his quest into the dangerous caverns where the spawn of dragons, the pryf, dwell. All his so-called allies except one have personal agendas, making each of them more dangerous to Michael and his quest than his known enemies, including an evil so malevolent that his eternal soul is at stake. Only Llynya of the Quicken-tree seems to really want to help him succeed, but he wonders what her agenda actually is.

DREAM STONE is an incredible experience that takes the reader into a Medieval world of fantasy where the unbelievable feels real. The characters, including the ultimate evil, the pryf, the dragons, and the mortals come across as genuine with realistic motives. The story line is romantic fantasy at its best. Glenna McReynolds has written an epic adventure that will elate fans of fantasy and Medieval romance as a stunning novel worth reading.

Harriet Klausner

I had an extremely difficult time reading DREAM STONE and almost didn't get through it. You probably shouldn't try to read this book if you haven't already read THE CHALICE AND THE BLADE. I had no idea what was going on nine tenths of the time.

A mix of fantasy & romance novels sounds good. & it's been done well ... i've read some.
This isnt 1 of them.
From the beginning - Druid boy falls for Elf princess - the story is muddy & thick ... hard to read & harder to understand. The author skips from place to place w/o rhyme or reason, & the battles ... if ya can't write 'em, ya shouldn't have 'em in your story. 1 major flawed character is the Troll King, Slott, who's built up into the major Vile Thing of the tale & whose demise is quick, unanticipated & practically off-screen. 1ce the climactic 'battle royale' begins, it's over. Worse are the changes in the Druid boy, again unanticipated & unprepared for. *I've* written better - & i don't write fantasy to sell. For this tripe to get a *hardcover* contract showcases the greed & stupidity of Bantam Books to put out *any*tthing they think might sell. I found this at the local public library .... now i know why.
Not recommended.