Book Description

Set before the advent of the Bronze Age, The Gift of Stones centers around a community of stoneworkers who live in a village near the sea. Wealthy and complacent, they survive by the trade of their unrivaled skills, secure in the supremacy of their craftsmenship. A small boy, outcast by misfortune, ventures from the confines of the enclave to explore the unknown. He returns with enchanting tales of ships and the seashore, of new vistas and horizons, that beguile and disturb the villagers. In spite of his words and intuitive wisodm, the stoneworkers remain oblivious to the winds of change beginning to blow in the outside world. Until, that is, the storyteller brings back to the village a strange and angry woman whose presence foretells the coming of metal, the end of stone, and the demise of their way of life.

This came in a box of books from Irishajo, and while it reminds me a LOT of The White Dawn, I'm curious...

This has to be one of the ugliest books I've ever read. The first paragraph alone was almost enough to make me put it down and walk away.

Unfortunately, this slim volume was TOO slim; the story in the first 75 pages is ugly, harsh -- and compelling as anything I've read lately. Yet after that, it lost its way and became ... meandering and a bit pointless.

Overall, I'd have to say it's a neat read because it is SO very different, and so ugly. But don't expect it to live up to its blurbs.

Thanks WoM - I cannot remember why you sent me this LOL but thank you :-)

to the book table at the unconvention

Picked up from the book swap table at the unconvention in Swindon.

I will read, add a new journal entry, then wild release.

An interesting story about a stone age storyteller weaving tales about the world outside his village. This main character is the only one from his village who dares to venture out of the village and sees he sights that are alien to his fellow stone workers. The story tells of the change in fortunes of the stone workers and flint knappers when the outside world no longer needs the flint tools their create. It takes time before the villages realise the change in the demand for their flint tools is because there is a better product available now - bronze.

I really enjoyed this book. It is thought provoking about technological change and the dangers of society becoming too dependant on one main product/craft.

Left beside the bridge across the burn at the track to Rothiemurchus Lodge.




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If you are new to BookCrossing and find this book and this site; welcome! Enjoy the site, the book and hopefully the BookCrossing community. I hope you'll join BookCrossing (it doesn't cost anything to join!) and if you do, please feel free to send me a Private Message, by clicking on the name “swan-scot”, to ask for help with anything.

I found this book beside the track I was walking with my dog, never heard of this website and while I did not like the book I do like the idea of finding books.
This book would be a lot more interesting if the author had done some research into stone/bronze age life and was able to weave his story around some facts. Instead it waffles on about a sexually frustrated one armed man...
Planning on leaving the book at Edinburgh airport next week.