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C. L. Schneider

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The Wandering Isles: A Crown of Stones Novella (Soulbound Journeys Book 1) Kindle Edition

by C. L. Schneider (Author), Eerilyfair Design (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 79 ratings

Book 1 of 2: Soulbound Journeys

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Explore the darker side of magic in this epic fantasy adventure that takes you deep into the mind of two men bound by an ancient spell and haunted by their past.

Ian Troy sacrificed everything for peace. For the first time in his life, he is free to choose his own path, and sets sail on a journey of exploration with his friend and ally, Jarryd Kane. Months on the open sea, far from the shores of home, they arrive at an isolated chain of rocky islands shrouded in mystery. Assuming the lands abandoned, Ian is unaware of what awaits them: a race of insidious beings unlike any he has encountered before.

Coerced into a nefarious trade by the elusive islanders, reality blurs, as Ian and Jarryd become unwitting subjects in a series of mind-bending trials. Past and future fears, resurrected and melded into their own private hells, force them to face an inescapable enemy—the darkest recesses of their own minds. The only way off the isles is to complete the trade, but will their sanity survive the process?

*The Wandering Isles takes place after The Crown of Stones Trilogy. While it draws from characters and events from all three books, it can be read as a standalone/introduction to the Crown of Stones world or as a continuation of the trilogy.

From the Publisher

Bound by an ancient spell. Haunted by their past.

They sail into uncharted waters hoping for a fresh start.

But you can't run from what's inside you.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As with The Crown of Stones, The Wandering Isles is expertly written. I was sucked into the story within the first paragraph and felt like I was living in the book with the characters." ⁓ Naomi Valkyrie, Author

From the Author

Explore the darker side of magic in this sword and sorcery adventure set within The Crown of Stones universe. This novella (which can be read as a stand-alone or a continuation of the trilogy) dips into the realm of a psychological thriller, taking you deep into the minds two men linked by an ancient spell and haunted by their past.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08B8XWPTZ
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 30, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4553 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 192 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #1,150,000 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #9,079 in Dark Fantasy Horror
- #13,416 in Sword & Sorcery Fantasy eBooks
- #14,464 in Epic Fantasy (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 79 ratings

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About the author

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C. L. Schneider

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Born in a small Kansas town on the Missouri river, C.L. Schneider grew up in a house of avid readers and overflowing bookshelves. Her first full-length novel took shape while she was still in high school, on a typewriter in her parent's living room. Though Schneider has been writing all of her life, Magic-Price (the award-winning first installment in The Crown of Stones Trilogy) was her first published novel.

While her main focus is epic and urban fantasy for adults, she dabbles in all areas of speculative fiction. Her stories tend to be dark, conflict-laden tales full of magic and mystery, action and intrigue, antiheroes and villains, monsters and myths, friendship, love, loss and sacrifice—with enough twists to give you whiplash.

Learn more about C.L. Schneider, and the magical worlds she creates, at clschneiderauthor.com, where you can read reviews, excerpts, sneak peeks and teasers, subscribe to her newsletter, and join her Street Team. An active part of the online indie author community, you can connect with her on social media, or visit the News and Events page on her website for a full list of C.L. Schneider's in-person appearances in the NY, NJ, and CT area.

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4.5 out of 5

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Alan M. Brown

A wonderful mystical and magical tale

Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2024

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I enjoyed everything about this book.
It is a great choice for anyone that enjoys epic fantasy adventures.
I gave it the rating that I did because I felt was a well crafted tale worthy of it.

Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2021

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I read this book before any of the main trilogy. It was indicated that it would okay to do so. I do think this made it a little harder in the beginning since I had no background with the characters. But one I got the gist of who they were and their relationship I found this book very captivating. It is like a psychological thriller set in a fantasy world. I did enjoy it and am looking forward to reading the trilogy. I do think that while it can be read first it might be better to read the other books first or at least some of them. I do recommend it. Good world building, even if unusual and intense look into the 2 main characters as well as the antagonists they face.

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Theresa Snyder

A marvelous tale by a masterful author

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2020

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Most positive reviews are written by ardent fans of the author. I am not only addicted to Ms. Schneider's Crown series and her other books, but I would like to add my author's voice to her credit. Being an author myself, I would like to express how much I love her masterful descriptive narrative and dialogue. Her words bring pictures of magic to life unlike any other contemporary author I have read. Her character's dialogue is delivered with such realistic force that you feel as though you could feel their breath on your cheek as they speak. Her character's always stay true to their beliefs and are real in their reaction to obsticals. After the completion of her Crown series, I despaired of never hearing Ian's inner voice debate with his fears. The thought of never having anymore adventures with him, Jarryd and Kya was truly a loss in my mind. Lucky for us that Ian and Jarryd would not remain silent and CL was forced to rethink their exile from her keyboard. I long for the next novella, and the next, and the next. If you have not read this series, treat yourself to something truly magical.

Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2020

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"The Wandering Isles" by C.L. Schneider continues the adventure of Ian Troy as he sets out with his friend, Jarryd Kane, with peace finally achieved in Mirra'Kelen. But there is a special aspect for readers. If you haven't read The Crown of Stones, you can read this without having done so This story refers back to experiences from the trilogy, but are detailed enough that the story stands on its own. This is the mark of a superb storyteller. Good read. You'll be wanting more. I do.

Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2020

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I really enjoyed this novella and its interesting way of telling the characters' stories. Definitely a unique fantasy tale and fans of the genre should really enjoy it! Give this one a chance!

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Kindle Customer in VB

I read this in error!

Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024

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So here's my full disclosure: I'm a dufus. I thought this was the first book of the series but it was a companion novella. Smart Girl over here was running out of patience with the story until I realized that it was User Error the whole time.

Nothing- and I mean zip!- made sense. Some of this could be laid at the feet of the author, but that's only because of the plot itself. It was supposed to keep the characters wondering what the heck was going on. My main gripe was the references to people, places and things from the backstory of the characters. They really had me well and truly stumped. That's when I went back to the Kindle store and figured out that this wasn't Book 1 at all. Duh.

In all fairness the book wasn't to blame, so I was going to just write this review and leave out the star rating. Unless I'm doing something wrong, (and we've just established that I frequently mess up 😂), I couldn't write the review until I gave a star rating. I'm going to read the <i>actual</i> Book 1, and hopefully I'll enjoy it enough to read the rest of the series. If that's the case, I'll re-read this one, newly armed with knowledge, and revise this rating.

Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2020

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It could read. I can't wait for the next one. It looks like a few more good adventures are to come out of this set.

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Ayla Phipps

We know what you fear...

Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2023

Details. While this is not the first book, I have read by the talented C.L. Schneider, it is the first book about Ian Troy, and the world of A Crown of Stones that I have read. As the synopsis states this book can be either a continuation of the original series or an introduction. Being new to the series this book served as an amazing introduction to the characters of Ian Troy and Jarryd Kane.
Ian Troy was once the Fated savior of the Rellan people during the endless wars with the Langorians. Given nearly infinite power fear led him to give it all away and take on the addiction to magic of his entire race, Shinree. Jarryd Kane is the person, friend, crewmate, that Ian takes with him when he leaves his homeland and all that it represents. Leaving Mirra’kelan was one of Ian’s hardest decisions to make, and to ask Jarryd to leave his son and loved ones behind to follow him. Saving the people, he was a reminder of a history everyone wanted to forget and a savior that was no longer needed. Setting out on the fabled journey of his Shinree ancestors, the first stop was The Wandering Isles, thinking they were abandoned. Finding them they find more than they ever anticipated, they are magical beings but not one that Ian can identify or recognize the magic of. Isuara, their leader and her male attendant Taalman tell them the only way they leave is with a trade. With no choice they are taken from their ship, their clothes changed and thrown into their worst fears. Ian quickly becomes aware but when one moment can’t be contradicted with facts, he is left doubting himself. Jarryd is thrown back in prison, told Ian is dead and no help will ever come. He contradicts the words being said to him with his memories of events only for the hope to slip further away, his half soul left helpless and alone in the darkness. The only way to be free is to do it their way: Endure the process. Claim their bottles. Complete the trade.
Will they be able to endure the process, or will their minds be too broken to finish? Can they find their way back to each other and their ship? Did they make a mistake when they left their homeland? The first book I read by this amazing author was Necrosis, and like that book the level of details leave you sometimes squirming as the visual fills your mind. Her ability to give such a detailed, complete image in everything she describes is incredible. I anxiously await the next book in this series and am already planning to go back and read A Crown of Stones. This world is unlike any other I have ever read, and one little taste is not enough, I need more.

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Top reviews from other countries

Carrie

Fabulous continuation of Crown of Stones

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2024

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The Crown of Stones series is one of my favourite fantasy sagas, so I was thrilled to read The Wandering Isles, which continues the adventures of Ian Troy and Jarryd Kane.

Leaving behind everything and everyone, Troy and Kane sail to a new life, but the past is never far away. Swamped by a magical mist, they're subjected to their worst fears. How to escape? And what shape will they be in if they do?

These are two of my favourite characters ever written, so I loved this story and its clever use of previous characters and traumas.

Angela Hayes

Awesome!

Reviewed in Australia on July 22, 2020

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4 Stars

The Wandering Isles, A Crown of Stones Novella is the first book in the Crown of Stones Novella Series by C.L Schneider. As with the original Crown of Stones Trilogy, this is a very intriguing action-packed fantasy adventure- with wonderful originality, magic, discoveries, dramatic developments, and superb world building.
This could be read as a standalone, but I think that as this book draws on events and characters which occurred in the original trilogy, that this book would be better enjoyed and appreciated having read the Crown of Stones Trilogy first.
We watched Ian Troy go through so much, at great sacrifice to himself, in the Crown of Stones Trilogy. Now just because the realm doesn’t need him and his magic anymore- doesn’t mean his adventures are over. He just doesn’t realise that just quite yet. But he will. Ian sets sail to do some exploring, and soon finds himself on the shores of the mysterious Wandering Isles. The area seems to be abandoned- but are they really? What happens next makes for an exciting and intriguing read which will see Ian and Jarrod tested again in ways they could have never imagined.
A well-crafted, clever, and creative story that sets this new novella series off to a great start. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you, C.L Schneider!

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The Wandering Isles: A Crown of Stones Novella (Soulbound Journeys Book 1) Kindle Edition

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