Customer Reviews

Queen Ferris: Book Two of the Stoneways Trilogy

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After the escapades with the three powerful wizards who gave him the selection between being their puppet or being their puppet because they planned to put him on the thrones of Wayland and Banking (see REIFFEN'S CHOICE). However Reiffen endured their abduction until he was rescued, but also knows for him to survive and keep the thrones that are rightfully his, he must face the enemy in their lair and find a way to defeat them. Thus, he decides to leave the comfort of friends Avender and Ferris and his mom to return to the malevolent wizards' home in Ussene. There he hopes to persuade them that his time with them has turned him to the dark.

However, the wizards did not become so powerful by being stupid. They demand Reiffen prove his conversion by performing some ugly tasks. He reluctantly agrees to misuse his power to perform nasty deeds although he fears his inner soul will become tainted forever.

Whereas the first book of the Stoneway's saga was more a coming of age tale starring a twelve years old sheltered boy, the second book is more a morality play that is relevant in the world today. Reiffen justifies his behavior of performing evil deeds as a means to achieve a worthy end. His choices are much more complex and potentially hurtful to others than he had to face in the previous tale as for the most part only he was directly impacted. Thus Reiffen is even a more complicated protagonist leading fans of all ages to enjoy his latest adventures.

Harriet Klausner

Queen Ferris is the second book in friend and fellow author S.C. Butler's "The Stoneways Trilogy". In the first book, Reiffen's Choice, Reiffen is stolen by the Wizards in a plot to teach him magic and make him their puppet, since he is one of the (contested) heirs to the throne. Reiffen's two friends, Avender and Ferris, head off to rescue him . . . and succeed. But they weren't counting on Reiffen's choice.

Queen Ferris picks up almost immediately after the end of Reiffen's Choice. It's the story of how Reiffen learns how to use magic, while Avender and Ferris struggle to understand why he chose magic over them. It's also a story about the attempt by the Wizards to use Reiffen to seize control of the lands. If I say anything more than that, I'll end up spoiling some aspect of the plot of the book, so I'll stop there.

What I like about S.C. Butler's books is that he takes some of the tropes of the genre, sets you up to believe that the book is going to follow those tropes, and then at the end he turns those tropes on their head and does something completely different. For example (and because I know Sam, I know I'm not spoiling anything he hasn't tried to spoil himself numerous times), most people when reading that summary will think that Reiffen will eventually take back the contested throne and become King. That never happens. (I've read the third book already, and trust me, it never happens.) That's one of the minor tropes you might expect that gets turned on its head by Butler.

I thought that Queen Ferris was a strong book. I wanted to know how it was going to end, and couldn't predict where it was going at any stage of the reading. All three characters--Reiffen, Avender, and Ferris--play crucial rolls in the plot, and all of them have issues that they need to deal with, such as Reiffen's betrayal at the end of the first book. They all deal with their problems and responsibilities in different and believable--and sometimes not nice--ways.

And in the end, that's why these books work. The three main characters, friends at the beginning, are tested and they react like children and young adults would. These are being marketed as YA novels, and they are, but like the Harry Potter books, I think that the adult market will love them as well. I think the entire series is a nice bridge from the Harry Potter novels to Tolkein, covering the rough and tumble years in between the two age groups. I highly recommend them to all YA and adult fantasy readers.

This is a brilliant follow-up to Reiffin's Choice. Butler's world is as intriguing as it is believable. I can't wait to read the next.

....about not judging a book by its cover. I have to admit, though, that the cover art was what caught my eye first. I'm a great fan of Daniel dos Santos's work - he's also illustrated the covers for Patricia Briggs' "Mercy" series - and I can generally be sure that, when I see one of his cover illustrations, the book will be worth picking up. In this case, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this was in fact the second book in the trilogy, and that I'd have the pleasure of exploring even more of a new author's work. And what work it is! This is a mesmerizing new fantasy series, full of characters who have to confront difficult and painful situations and cope with them. This isn't just about dropping a nasty relic into a volcano or pulling a sword from a stone; the characters must face the darkness within themselves as well as their opponents and somehow prevail. Even more wonderfully, I have no idea how or if they'll do it. S. C. Butler has a gift for keeping his readers guessing, and I'll be eager to follow this trilogy and his future work. Bravo, Mr. Butler, and many encores!

Queen Ferris by S.C. Butler is the second book of the new young adult fantasy series, The Stoneways Trilogy.

Reiffen, Avender, and Ferris have grown to adulthood, and are capable of ruling the land or detroying it. Ferris is wooed by the prince Brizen, whose father (might or might not have) usurped the reign of the kingdoms of Banking and Wayland from Reiffen when he was a babe. Avender patrols the border, guarding the kingdom against the three evil wizards who are about to unleash a war from the north.

Reiffen voluntary returned to the Wizards at the end of Reiffen's Choice; he now serves the wizards. Is he ensorceled or turned traitor? Does it matter? If he leads theWizards' armies, only his death will save the lives of the people of the land. Or so the powerful and wise declare.

But the years have not weakened the friendship between Avender, Ferris, and Reiffen. What do their hearts tell them about Reiffen? What will they do when he, because of love and friendship, willingly gives himself into their power?

I enjoyed Queen Ferris even more than Reiffen's Choice, which is saying a lot. Mr. Butler used the power of description in Reiffen's Choice to anchor the reader in the land. He drives Queen Ferris forward with the power of characterization, for Reiffen, Avender, and Ferris have grown to adulthood.



Everybody always wants to be something they're not," said Ferris. "I'm sure I'd love to be a princess."
Brizen's foot scuffed closer across the brown needles. With a bit of a shock, Ferris realized what she'd said.
"You can be a princess a lot easier than I can not be a prince," he told her.
"I don't love you, Brizen," she replied, trying to recover what she hadn't even known she might let slip.
"I know." He sighed quietly and looked at his empty hands.


In Reiffen's Choice, Mr. Butler hints at a new creation mythos. In Queen Ferris, he develops the creation story more fully. I enjoyed seeing how the story lines arose from and were driven by his creation mythos. Imagining the beginning of a new world that is so different from our own is quite a feat. To logically carry the creation mythos forward so that the story is internally consistent is amazing.

With this volume, Reiffen and Ferris's story is nearly complete. I'm looking forward to the third volume to see how Avender's story comes to completion.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Reiffen's Choice, S.C. Butler's first book of the Stoneways Trilogy, I was thrilled to discover that Queen Ferris, the second book, stands up just as well. The characters age into young adults in this sequel, which takes place over several years, and become more complex as they move through their world and develop other relationships. In addition to the dark deeds and challenges Reiffen experiences as part of the frightening world of the wizards, Butler layers on the emotional entanglements of family and friends, self-doubts and struggles that are common to all young adults. Once again, Butler balances the dark evil and cruelty of the wizards and their minions with a dose of humor, compassion, nobility and warmth from other characters. Butler's descriptions of the characters and their surroundings are so incredibly detailed and precise, you may begin to wonder if this is really fiction or if he actually lived among the dwarfs in Issinlough, was a captive in Ussene, or spent time in Valing observing the habits of shape-shifting bears. He describes not only the scene of the current adventure but has imagined a whole mythology for the creation of his world. This is a terrific series. While I look forward to reading book three, I dread the end of the Stoneways Trilogy and not being able to follow the further adventures of the characters I have come to love.

Everyone who loved Reiffen's Choice - rejoice, for Queen Ferris is here!

As is to be expected, the second book in the Stoneways Trilogy delivers adventure and humor. What readers of the first book may not have expected is that this one also packs a good solid dose of romance. The children have grown up, they are now young adults with young-adult concerns, and everything has become more complicated than it was when they were children together in Valing.

Ferris in particular gets her chance to shine, as she has to juggle loyalties and friendships, balancing the demands of her heart against the demands of her position in society.

Redburr is back, bigger (and funnier) than ever, and a few new characters add depth and realism to this story of magic and its terrible cost.

In this book, the consequences of Reiffen's Choice first become apparent, as everyone in the story has to find a way to live with the decision he made. Don't miss this trilogy, and keep an eye open for the third book next year. This is the best book I've read all year. Absolutely a keeper!