Stone Heart [Paperback]

Candace Sams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2004

Tales of the Order - Stone Heart By Candace Sams Book 3 in the Tales of the Order series. Three hundred years ago, Angus MacGregor was the most feared and hated man in his village. Appalled by his lack of compassion, the Sorceress of the Ancients turned him into a statue as ugly as his demeanor, condemning him to miserable solitude in a stone prison. Unbeknownst to them, however, one of his rare strokes of kindness would be the key to his freedom. Karen Matthews' strong spirit is no longer enough to sustain her weakening body. She knows she doesn't have long to live, but she's determined to fulfill her beloved aunt's unusual last wish. And while she's off on this bizarre quest, she might as well enjoy the adventure. What she doesn't count on is the existence of a magical Order, where Fairies, Elves and Druids exist and freely practice magic. Neither does she expect to meet Angus, or to uncover the endless depths of his heart.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Imajinn Books; Original Cover/ 1st Print edition (March 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893896986
• ISBN-13: 978-1893896987
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,361,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

CANDACE SAMS (also writing as C. S. Chatterly) graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in agriculture. She worked as a police officer with the State of Texas, the San Diego Police Department, and in a teaching capacity for the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Candace is the senior woman on the US Kung Fu Team (three black belts), and has been awarded the Medal of Putien and the Statue of Tao by the Chinese Martial Arts Confederation in Quanzhou, China. She holds international martial arts titles, and is an award-winning fiction author. Contact her through her web site at www.candacesams.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 1/2 Lovely, Enchanting!...Good fantasy romance!, August 7, 2004

By 

S. Rujirabanjerd "Syd" (Thailand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stone Heart (Paperback)

The third book from 'Tale of the order'. Although I think it can stand alone, I highly recommend you to make yourself familiar with the first two books (Gryphon's Quest/ The Gazing Globe) before starting this one.

The theme of the book is very touching. A villian druid warrior, Angus MacGregor was cursed by the Sorceress of the ancient to spend his tormented eternity as a stone statue... However, of all horrible things he did when he lived, he actually unintentionally did one tiny good deed... and that little good thing was the only thing that saved him from the cursed three hundred years later. The heroine, Karen Matthews was born with heart defect and the knowledge that she would never have a chance to live a normal life and grew old with someone she loved... However, because of a-three-hundred-year-old promise passed in her family line, she lifted the curse placed on Angus... however one problem still remained. With her time running out from her heart condition, she needed to find a way to help the first man she came to love with all her life to get back to the world he really belonged...

As a die-hard fan of 'Tale of the order', I'm still confident to say that Candace Sams still did an excellent job with this book. Karen was a very adorable character and her vision to the world in the eyes of the one who's dying can bring tears to your eyes. If you're already familiar with the first two books, this one will let you learn more about the secret of the ancient order and all the magical creatures from the ancient world. However, if you never read the first two books before, as mentioned previously, I recommend you to read at least one of them in order to familiarize youself with this enchanting world and to make this book a lot more fun. So if you're looking around (and reading this review) in order to help you decide whether or not you should buy this book, I say, go for it!... and you will learn that, even 'The stone can cry'... It's worth every penny you spend.. .Happy reading!

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific fantasy romance, August 4, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stone Heart (Paperback)

His parents and he were driven out of The Order into the realm of the Outsiders for violating the prime directive of not sharing magical solutions with the humans. The adults died not long afterwards leaving five years old David Angus MacGregor struggling to survive. He becomes an acrimonious hateful soul punishing anyone for the slightest supposed affront. Finally disgusted with his malicious behavior, the Lead Sorceress changes Angus into a hideous statue and he will remain that way until someone frees him from his stone coffin.

When he was still flesh, Angus did a kind deed for a child. She vowed to repay him and over the next three centuries that debt has passed down from her to her descendents. In the present, a dying Aunt Aggie asks her niece Karen Matthews to go to Scotland to free the soul inside the statue. Though thinking this is foolishness, Karen, in spite of also dying from a defective heart and not believing, completes her deathbed vow freeing Angus. They immediate fall in love, but how will he react when he realizes that his beloved is ironically dying?

STONE HEART is a terrific fantasy romance, the third tale in the Order universe (see GRYPHON'S QUEST and THE GAZING GLOBE). Karen is an inspirational person embracing life while near death; Angus has a second chance to redeem his soul, but life's cruelty hits home when another loved one is near death. Will he choose salvation as his cherished redeemer is dying or will he turn bitter and angry at fate? Candace Sams enchants her readers with a fabulous magical story in which the strength of sorcery seems genuine but feeble next to the power of love.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, June 1, 2009

By 

Lulu (Doh, Qat) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Stone Heart (Paperback)

I came across this book quite by accident and I'm so glad I got it.

3 centuries ago, a cruel man feared and hated by the villagers is cursed to become a stone statue, as ugly as his demeanor by a Sorceress appalled by his lack of compassion. However, because of his one rare deed of kindness on that fateful day, it would become his key to freedom...
Present day, a frail Karen Matthews is determined to fulfill her beloved, dying aunts unusual and bizarre last wish to look for a statue and keep a 3 century promise.

300 years was a long time of frozen, tormented solitude for Angus MacGregor to repent the awful things he had done, when the curse is finally broken.
The irony was that the woman who breaks the spell and saves him from eternity as a stone statue, the gentle peace loving, Karen, is seriously ill.
The time spent in Karen company on the journey back to his home, Angus he learns what love and compassion is truly all about.

This was a wonderful fantasy story and with a heart-wrenching romance and a roller-coaster of emotions. I shed numerous tears while reading it. Karen was a very believable heroine and you see the changes Angus goes through and his unconditional love for Karen.
Love, loved the ending.
Go ahead and get the book, it's worth reading.

Although this was part of a series, book 3, I was able to follow the story and enjoyed it very much. (despite the many glaring errors, a proof reader would have aided enormously)
I have now ordered the rest of the series. I really liked Gryphon, and I want to read his story, and also find out what happened to Tearach, when he realizes just what his punishment is going to be. After all, he hates Outsiders! (humans)