The universe is always a mix of bad and good. While there are times that we may experience periods of greatness and peace, there comes a time when chaos and darkness become inevitable because of the emergence of people with selfish desires. The only question is how and what can we do to finally achieve the balance between bad and good? Author Dean G.E. Matthews answers this tough and complex question through his book. Encapsulating his philosophy into a powerful novel with magic, war, and the rise of armies and heroes.
The Dark Taal (The Foundation Stone ) is the first book of the Foundation Stone Series and is set thousands of years ago when gods and goddesses ruled the earth. Seeing the imbalance in the world, they decided to forge two stones: the Firebrand stone, a stone made of darkness, and the Chimera stone, a stone made of light. The two powerful stones helped keep the balance in the universe, keeping the world in check. However, as years progressed and civilizations changed and selfishness prevailed, the Chimera stone slowly became forgotten. The Firebrand stone’s power becomes unchecked with its disappearance, leaving the world ravaged by another war. The rise of the powerful wizards intensifies the threat, but the hero Aridain was born, destined to save it.
The narratives within this book are astounding and go deeper than just showing off wards and magic. Matthews’ concept of a born rising out of the wreckage is illustrated very well and is masterfully shown through his description of the world he created in his book. The diversity of characters also helps the story expound on certain issues and topics such as friendship, family, and the adventures in which they take part. Perhaps, one of the most important lessons that this book will give its readers is that to bring balance, we must awaken the heroes within us because we are the ones who have the most power. That we are the heroes that we actually need. Aridain is just a personification of our courage and bravery, and Matthews’ perfect depiction of this trait will inspire you to know your skills well and know how much more you can contribute to the world.
The author, Dean Matthews, is a lover of all things magical. He fell in love with literature and reading after his English teacher read them The Hobbit, inspiring him to build his own world from his imagination. From then on, he found himself writing stories. While he excelled in different areas of academia, he lacked direction, which took his feet to different parts of the world. This is when he found that he enjoys traveling. Thus, his travels have helped him gain knowledge to finally write the book with a burning passion in his heart.
The Foundation Stone series is a great way to start reading fantasies, and Dean Matthews does not hold back in his writing. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a copy now!