"The reason why I haven’t given up completely on
fantasy trilogies is because there are people out there who believe in the genre
and continue to put out interesting books rather than following the formula.
Sean Williams is one of those people." (Cheryl Morgan)
Written for a YA/crossover audience, these fantasy
novels follow the story of Sal Hrvati through a very
Australian landscape, but one populated with strange creatures not usually
found in indigenous or European myths.
Locus described it as "poised between Earthsea
and Mad Max [Road Warrior], where the magic of fantasy meets the wonder of
science fiction". The West
Australian praised it as "superior Australian fantasy [and] more than this; it is simply
superior fantasy".
By avoiding many
of the usual tropes of category fantasy--orphans that become king, warriors on
horseback, northern settings, etc--the Books of the Change have found a very
wide readership and been loved by readers of all ages and tastes.
"What
happens to people who use the Change in ways the Sky Wardens don't like? People who aren't evil,
just different. What happens to
them?"
"Well,
that depends," said Sal's father, "on whether they're caught..."
In a world where the huge,
red-sanded deserts are ruled by Stone Mages and the vast coastlines by Sky
Wardens, any child with magic ability is taken away to the
Fundelry is a small town much like
any other in the
But soon the Sky Wardens will come
to Fundelry -- before then Sal must uncover the connection between Lodo and the
mother he never met, in order to escape a fate that seems to have been chosen
for him before he was even born ...
"The Stone Mage and the Sea is a welcome
and assured debut that understatedly blends elements from both fantasy and
science fiction in a way bound to intrigue and engage the interest and
imagination of most readers, be they young or old. Immediately setting
out its own territory, and written with a realism and appreciation of
descriptive detail and characterization that generates a great degree of
vitality, this opening narrative may well herald a new series already on its
way to gaining the author a wider, more international audience. This
first book is certainly deserving of notice." William Thompson, SF Site
"Sean Williams' The
Stone Mage and the Sea is an alchemical blend of elemental magic, tragic
romance and the coming of age of a young boy who is yet to come into his own
power which exists, poised between Earthsea and Mad
Max, where the magic of fantasy meets the wonder of science fiction. It is one
the most rewarding genre novels to come out
"Magical and
mesmerising, The Stone Mage and the Sea is a story to disappear into,
whether you're 15 or 50." Kim
Wilkins
"A wonderful,
magical fantasy set in a landscape that is both eerily familiar and strangely
alien, and peopled with mages and villains and heroes that keep the story
pounding along." Simon Brown
"A
stunning new fantasy - a world where Sky Wardens and Stone Mages wield
unthinkable power. And caught in the
middle, between the forces of Air, Water, Cloud, and Earth, Sun, Fire, is a
young fugitive whose own raw talent for magic is the greatest risk of all.
Williams has a sure touch: he invents a future that feels as real as
today." Janeen Webb
"[Williams] has delivered a Fantasy story that has a texture and vibrancy that captures, enraptures and carries the reader along on a journey they will not wish to end... The tension builds well and the pages turn easily. [Williams] delivers poetical images of a world where imagination is still the vital key to existence. And beneath the harshness of the landscapes of the world, of life and its changes weaves a softer tale of developing love, understanding and acceptance. This is a book all will enjoy." Robert Stephenson
Sal went cold at the feel of this
new, more sophisticated pursuer. Had
Behenna found him? Did he know where Sal
and Shilly were, and where they were headed?
Ultimately it didn't change
anything. They were still running. They simply had a better idea, now, of who
they were running from.
Sal's life has
been thrown into turmoil. Homeless and haunted
by a past he never suspected he had, he is unsure where he is running to -- but
Shilly is very clear on what she wants.
She wants to find Lodo's old teacher and learn from him. To search for the Mage Van Haasteren they
must head north to the Interior, where Sal's mother was born. But even if they reach the Interior there is
guarantee that the Stone Mages will help them.
The journey over
rugged mountainous country on the Old Line is dangerous and the Sky Warden,
Shom Behenna, is in hot pursuit. It will
take all their ingenuity and courage to reach the Divide and get across to the
other side...
"whip-crack
adventure... [Williams'] layering of innocence and mystery and unknown forces
is very effective, as is the scale of his vision." (Tim Lloyd,
"In The Sky Warden and the Sun Williams paints
the world like an artist [paints] a canvas and then weaves a story around the
fine brush strokes to deliver us into true wonder, true excitement - true
fantasy. From opening page to final
scene the reader is enraptured with colourful scenery
and equally colourful characters. The most
disappointing thing was that the story had to end... Williams is fast becoming a master
storyteller in
"I'm
all around you, Sayed," said the voice... A torrent of icy water seemed to pour down
Sal's back He
knew what the voice belonged to. He had
met it once before.
"You
said we might meet again," he said to the golem, hoping his fear wouldn't
show.
When the three
runaways--Sal, Shilly and Skender--finally arrive at the remote island of the
But the Syndic
isn't the least of Sal's worries. The ghost that live behind the ancient glass of the city are
restless and no one know why or what they can do. The golem will force Sal to do its bidding by
whatever means necessary...even murder.
And it seems that the Weavers have their own plans for the three of them--but
what and who are they? Few people
believe they exist, and those who do keep their knowledge close to their
chests.
Whichever path
Sal chooses, it seems the price to pay is very high for those closest to
him. But he must decide...or submit to a
future not of his making.
"Sean Williams
is one of the most successful and amazingly prolific science fiction and
fantasy writers in
"Every
character in the novel has his or her own voice and own agenda, and the
relationships between father and son, and student and teacher, are explored
with a depth and insight that is rare in genre fiction.
"The
strongest point of the series, however, is the setting. Instead of the usual pseudo-medieval European
background of Tolkien imitators, Williams has created a new world of deserts
and beaches, camel caravans and bone ships, Stone Mages and Storm Weavers,
ghosts and golems, man'kin's and strandbeasts. There are no swords, but plenty of sorcery;
no dragons, but some great dungeons.
"The
Storm Weaver & the Sand is a superior Australian fantasy novel, but more
than this; it is simply superior fantasy." (Stephen Dedman, The
West Australian)
"The last book of the Change trilogy, drawing
its inspiration from the varied landscapes of Eyre Peninsula rather than
"a
complex, moody tale that remains inconclusive but oddly satisfying in the
end" (Carolyn Cuishman, Locus)
"...one
of the best things about the entire series is that the world does not need
saving. There is, in fact, no Dark Lord at all. That doesn’t mean to say that
there are no bad guys, but Williams has a much more subtle approach to evil
than most fantasy writers. Sure, Sal, the young hero of the books, gets pursued
by the Sky Wardens who are eager to harness his magical talents. And indeed Sal
knows that the Sky Wardens were responsible for the deaths of his mother and
stepfather. But as we find out in The Storm Weaver and the Sand, not
everyone is as dastardly as they might seem, and even the nastiest of
characters have good reasons for their actions.
"Furthermore,
while Sal does have awesome magical powers, he is not a Lost Prince. He’s just
a young boy with a lot to learn about the world. In many ways if there is a
Dark Lord in the series it is Sal himself. He is the one who can conjure deadly
magical storms. And because he is young and inexperienced he is easily
manipulated by those who would use his powers for their own ends. The Sky
Wardens have a point when they say he is a menace who can’t be left to wander
the world on his own without proper training.
"Ultimately
the story of The Book of the Change is not about the battle between Good and Evil, it is about the battle between stability and change.
Stability brings peace and prosperity, and of course safety. Change drives
invention and evolution. Sal, if you like, is a forest fire that threatens to
sweep unchecked through Williams’ future Australian landscape. And quite
possibly the spooky remnants of high tech cities with their ghostly and
vengeful inhabitants are supposed to act as an example of a world that changed
too rapidly.
" Cleverly, Williams contrasts his wider sociological message with the much more
personal one of adolescence. His heroes are teenagers, filled with boundless
passion and confidence. Their enemies are older people — mainly family — who
seek to rein them in and teach them a little wisdom, but who are heavy-handed
and insensitive in the process."
(Cheryl
Morgan - the full review here)