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The Arm of the Stone
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Long ago, when the worlds were one... So begins the Tale, the ancestral legend Bron's family has guarded for a thousand years. Once they were the keepers of the Stone, the most sacred object on earth, from which all powers of Mind are drawn. But when the conflict between Mind and Hand split the worlds apart, the Stone was seized by an ambitious sorcerer. To keep the new world from contamination, he established rigid Limits circumscribing which tools might be made and which knowledge might be pursued--laws brutally enforced by a group of Guardians known as the Arm of the Stone. For centuries Bron's family has concealed the secret of its heritage. But when Bron's brother invents a new plow--an unpardonable heresy--the Arm of the Stone reaches in once again to tear them apart. Fleeing for his life, Bron vows revenge. To strike the Guardians down, he becomes a Guardian himself. But he does not realize how much his years in the Order will change him. Nor does he anticipate the hatred of a powerful enemy, or the love of a beautiful Guardian named Liliane...whose mission is to destroy him. - A Science Fiction Book Club Editor's Choice - See the SFBC Cover This book was so compelling that I put everything else aside and read it. It is a really brilliant novel...a most unusual and fascinating novel, exceedingly well done. - Anne McCaffrey - Involving fantasy...treated with unusual depth. - Locus - The Arm of the Stoneis an intelligent, fascinating novel...the complicated politics and social structure of this world give it a depth most fantasy novels lack. - SF Site - A rich story about human nature, this fantasy is a thought-provoking page-turner. The characters are deeply etched, and the plot turns are credible yet arresting. The author doesn't need arcane words or obscure descriptions to further the tale. A thoroughly enjoyable read. - Kliatt - An excellently crafted piece of work. Strauss has created a world rich in detail, fascinating characters whom you instantly like or dislike and who never lose your interest...I look forward to seeing more of her intriguing work. - Vector (Journal of the British SF Association) - A powerful novel...Neatly avoiding many of the cliches that seem to permeate the epic fantasy genre, Strauss creates a world from a fascinating premise. An exciting and unusual novel which lovers of epic fantasy will not want to miss. - The Internet Writing Journal-
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