The Fire Stone (Reign of the Elements, Book 1)

Fifteen-year-old Matthias demonstrates courage and unexpected abilities while seeking the Fire Stone, one of the elusive Stones of the Elements which, when joined, can decide the future for the world of Mundaria.

Ages 9-15 "The Fire Stone is a charming story with relatable characters for young adult readers...the story zips along with much action and humor, and the characters are likable... Carney has imbued Matt with an appealing combination of humility and longing for adventure, making him an easy character to root for. When he rescues a baby alorath (a largish catlike creature with feathers and magical abilities) from abusive circus workers and goes to live with his teacher, Alem, the tale is kicked off with true excitement. The elves, Emmon and Arden, have their own separate quest, but their story - along with that of Lucian, the wizard - dovetail nicely as the story evolves...abundantly blessed with adventure and appeal." --Kirkus Discoveries

"This YA Fantasy is exceptionally remarkable in that it is the first in a series (Reign of the Elements) of five books, with a new series soon to begin, all written by a sixteen-year-old young lady from Colorado. It features a Cinderella-like human boy, Matt, a magical giant bird-like Alorath named Sam, two elves, a dwarf, a wizard, and a warrior. Matt has been abused by his parents all his fifteen years. In between his many chores, he has been taught by the dwarf, and now the wizard steps forward to watch over Matt and guide him on a totally new path on his own. He can't help but pick up more friends along the way to saving small kingdoms and searching for the first elemental talisman--the Fire Stone. All the time he and his friends and mentors fight against forces of the Dark Lord in a race to obtain the stone. Matt discovers he is capable of magic and also learns how to fight to defend himself and the forces of good.

"Ms Carney reminds me so much of Christopher Paolini and his youthful start. She includes the best elements of a good fantasy without going overboard. Her characters are likeable and realistic. The plot has plenty of twists, with friends and family really being totally what they did not seem. There is humor, coming of age, values, and logic buried throughout the story. It's a pleasant read for young and old. We rated this book five hearts." --Bob Spear, Author, Editor, Owner/The Book Barn

"A treasure for genre fans that should not be overlooked!

"Five stars out of five stars! "The Fire Stone" is the first entry in Riley Carney's 'The Reign of Elements' telling the tales of the land of Mundaria. Following a boy from the backwoods of the land and his adventures in searching for the fire stone, "The Fire Stone" is a treasure for genre fans that should not be overlooked." -- Midwest Book Review