The Stone Key: The Obernewtyn Chronicles 6 [Mass Market Paperback]

The Stone Key (2008) is the sixth Fantasy novel in the US version of the Obernewtyn Chronicles series, following Wavesong. Note: This is the second half of The Stone Key, the fifth volume in the original Australian series.

In the previous volume, Elspeth discovered that Ariel was taking a null to the west coast as a carrier of a new -- and deadlier -- plague. Stormdancer needed repairs, so Elspeth called a shipfish to take her across the strait.

While she was clinging to the shipfish, Elspeth had a true dream. She learned that Dragon was the daughter of the Red Queen and must go with them to trigger a revolt within the people of that far land. Then the shipfish reached the coastline and Elspeth was washed ashore.

In this novel, Elspeth Gordie is a Misfit who leads the Farseeker Guild. She has many Talents and has been told that she is the Seeker
who must find the weaponmachines of the Beforetimers.

Rushton Seraphim is the Master of Obernewtyn, leader of the Misfits. He has some latent Talent and was captured and tortured by Ariel. He was freed during the rebellion, but remains cold and withdrawn.

Maruman is a mutant cat. He has been with Elspeth for many years. He is getting old and lazy, but he is also her contact with the oldOnes, the Agyllian birds. He is the Moonwatcher.

Gahltha is a large black stallion. He often provides rides for Elspeth. He is the Daywatcher.

Rawen is a young mare who has never been free. She originally belonged to a kind master, but now she belongs to a very possessive man. Yet she carries a young, feckless and kind young woman.

Dragon is a youngster who was found by Elspeth on the West Coast. Nothing was known about her until Elspeth dreamed about her past. She disappeared while Elspeth was on Herder Island.

Domick was a Misfit spy in Sutrium. He had disappeared at the same time as Rushton.

Dardelan is the High Chieftain within The Land. He is frustrated with the separation of The Land and the West Coast at the Suggredoon.

Brydda Llewellyn was a Rebel leader in Sutrium. He is also known as the Black Dog. He is the son of Grufyyd and Kathlyn.

Arolfic Smithson is a crippled smith in Halfmoon Bay, a West Coast port. Rolf has many friends in the market and elsewhere in the city.

In this story, Elspeth wakes on the beach sands near a port city. A pair of plains cats have been feeding her. They don't quite understand while she doesn't eat flesh.

After several days, Elspeth feels well enough to walk to the city. She gathers driftwood as she walks along the shore to give her an excuse to enter the gates. She is rather eager for water, food and clean clothes. She still is angry at herself for leaving her shoes behind.

The city is fully walled with tainted stone, so Elspeth cannot farseek those inside. She enters through a side gate without any problems and farseeks the city again, but she doesn't detect any familiar minds. She finds a public fountain and relieves her thirst.

Then she sells the wood to a vendor with a brazier. She declines his offer of a bowl of shellfish stew and insists on a copper coin. Next she coerces another vendor into thinking it a silver coin and does the same with the appearance of the change, eventually buying herself ragged -- but clean -- clothes. Yet she cannot find shoes to fit her.

Finding that the Black Ship has not recently visited Morganna, she steals Rawen and heads out the far gate. The gate guard recognizes Rawen and believes Elspeth to be a hireling exercising the horse. He waves then through and they travel to the next coastal town.

Nearing Halfmoon Bay, Elspeth buries Rawen's saddle and takes her bridle. She sends the mare around the city to wait for her of the other side. The city is only partially walled, so Elspeth farseeks and detects a familiar mind for a second.

Elspeth walks through the gate and the farseeks again. This time she doesn't sense any familiar minds. So she starts looking for a place to sell Rawena's fancy bridle and buy a plainer version.

Within Halfmoon, Elspeth meets Rolf within the market square, where he is tending a small smithy. She is impressed by him and his contacts. He informs her that the Black Ship has been in port and that two men had come ashore. She reads his mind and learns the Ariel had accompanied Domick into town. Domick must be the plague carrier.

Rolf sends her to meet the leader of a youth gang. They locate Domick and then join in an effort to free him. But Domick has been driven insane and his alter ego Mika is dominant. They dope him and tie his body in a canvas wrap.

This tale leads Elspeth into a desperate journey to find a safe place to keep the plague carrier. She smuggles Domick out of Halfmoon Bay and heads toward the ruins, where she expects to find lost Misfits. Then she plans to take him out into the desert until the plague has run its course.

Yet her plans soon go astray. The next installment in this series is The Sending. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Carmody fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of high adventure, psionic talents, and a persevering woman.

-Arthur W. Jordin

My 17 year old asked for the next book in the series, as she "loves" the story so far! She is a big reader of fantasy, and said this one fits right in great!!

This was the hardest book to read because the next in the series is not yet available. These series of books are excellent reading, at times I've had to put a book down for a few days because they seemed bogged down in details. But when I picked it up again I was anxious to continue reading. Am looking forward to the next book.

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