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Jacob Whaler
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Stones: Data (Stones #1) Kindle Edition

by Jacob Whaler (Author), Erica Orloff (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 440 ratings

#1 Amazon Thriller! A New Take on Good versus Evil!

A novel that will blow your mind and open your eyes!

Alexander the Great. Genghis Kahn. Julius Caesar. Attila the Hun. Mao. Stalin.

For thousands of years, the Stones have been hidden among us, giving a privileged few power to rule over masses, destroy empires and create new ones.

It's near the end of the 21st century. When Matt Newmark was ten years old, his mother was killed in a vicious corporate assassination. For the last twelve years, he's been living off grid under the over-protective care of his father, running from dark forces, trying to stay alive. Now Matt finally has a chance to break away and start a new life. On the eve of a trip to Japan, he finds a dark rock in the shape of a claw. Life is never the same again. With the help of a Shinto priest, Matt discovers it’s a Stone, a piece of ancient alien technology that gives him a sweeping view of history and control over time, matter and energy.

But Matt is not alone.

Mikal Ryzaard has a Stone of his own and a burning vision to eliminate suffering from the earth and bring back Paradise. With all the resources of a massive multinational corporation behind him, he tracks down Matt and makes him an offer.

Join me or die.

˃˃˃ "It Sucked Me in and Didn't Let Go Until the End!"

--Dirk V

˃˃˃ "Great for All YA/Adults!"

--LA Wonder

˃˃˃ "I was Totally Unprepared for How Much I Would Enjoy it!"

--Sophia Gampton

˃˃˃ Debuting with 28,000 Downloads Worldwide in 3 Days!

#1 Amazon Thriller

#1 Amazon Technothriller

#1 Amazon Mystery, Thriller and Suspense

#1 Amazon Action and Adventure Fiction

#1 Amazon Science Fiction

Grab your copy and begin the journey today.

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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Stones
  2. Print length
    540 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    22 Aug. 2013
  6. File size
    804 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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 See full series
There are 4 books in this series.

Product description

About the Author

As a teenager, I read Ray Bradbury's horror stories into the dark hours of the night, afraid to move for fear that I'd stir up something evil. I consumed Alan Dean Foster's Alien in one sitting, glued to the La-Z-Boy recliner in our family room, heart beating in unison with the characters on the page as they pursued, and were pursued by, the nightmare aboard their starship. I sat in a secret corner of our house with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat as I savored the end of The Lord of the Rings. My belief in the power of words to fire our imaginations and lift our minds to new heights pushes me to write. My favorite places are near oceans or mountains. I love to spend time in Japan exploring its unique culture, history and language. As a six-year-old on a fishing trip with my dad and grandpa, I found an obsidian rock half buried in the mud, blunt on one end and pointed on the other, about the size of an adult fist. My grandpa, a lifelong rock hound, tried in vain to get it away from me. He begged, threatened and offered me money. He told me what a perfect addition it would make to his collection. But I refused to let it part from my fingers. For some reason, I felt an immediate bond to that rock. I took it home, washed it off and put it on the window ledge above my bed. (There's a photo of it on my website.) Decades later, I still keep that rock close by and often pick it up to feel the way it naturally fits the curve of my palm. I like to stare into its glassy surface and daydream about where it came from and the secrets it might hold. It was on such a day, as I looked into my Stone, the seed of an idea took shape in my mind. Little by little, that idea grew and sprouted tentacles until it got such a hold on my brain that I was left with no choice but to start writing it down. The result was four long books. In a way, I think of the STONES novels as keeping a promise to my six-year-old self, a promise to always keep room in my heart for child-like wonder. A promise to stay who I am. In my professional life, I've used words to build meaning into arcane corporate documents that control the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars around the globe. But I've grown tired of using words to control something as mundane as money. So I've become a writer of novels. Jacob Whaler

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00EQEF2LI
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jacob Whaler
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 22 Aug. 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 804 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 540 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0989704403
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 4 ‏ : ‎ Stones
  • Customer reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 440 ratings

About the author

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Jacob Whaler

Jacob Whaler

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I first learned about the power of words when, at the age of 14, I picked up a torn copy of The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury. It blew me away. I devoured his other books in quick succession: Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451. I didn't just read his books; I lived them. His novels and short stories were my secret world, not just a place of escape, but a universe where my imagination could soar beyond the limits of time and space. In high school I discovered other writers like J.R.R. Tolkien and Edgar Rice Burroughs. I fancied myself to be Strider or John Carter and made a sword from a machete, complete with a leather sheath.

My English teacher insisted that we try creative writing ourselves. To my surprise, I enjoyed it immensely. From time to time, there were fleeting thoughts about writing my own novels. By the time I went to college to study economics and philosophy, reading and writing were an essential part of my life. Along the way, I spent time in Japan and learned to read Japanese. Then came law school and work in international law firms. I still made time to read, but my writing consisted of drafting corporate documentation. It taught me once again the power of words, not only to stimulate our imaginations, but also to control the flow of money around the globe.

As time passed, I felt the urge to write my own novels. My inner voice said it couldn't be done, that novel writing was for other, loftier minds. Then one day, I got tired of the inner voice telling me what I could and couldn't do. With it screaming in my ears, I grabbed my laptop and began to write the kind of books I wanted to read. The rest is, well, history.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
440 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written with an excellent story. They describe it as interesting, with one customer noting it's a must-read for fantasy lovers.

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ReadabilityInterest
13 customers mention ‘Readability’13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written and easy to read, praising its excellent story.

"...beginning there is a sense of menace and the action is fast-paced and exciting...." Read more

"...However I am glad I persevered because it is turning out to be a really good read and I am now on book 3, so that should say something...." Read more

"Is ok, and would benefit from decent proof-reading...." Read more

"...Fast paced and although not a completely original idea well written and interesting ideas...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Interest’3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting, with one describing it as a sci-fi novel and another noting it's a must-read for fantasy lovers.

"...This book is a must for lovers of fantasy and will not fail to reel you into its world." Read more

"...and although not a completely original idea well written and interesting ideas...." Read more

"An interesting sci-fi novel set not too far into the future with a believable level of technology...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Sophia Gampton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 October 2013
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Having no idea what to expect when I started this book, I was totally unprepared for how much I would enjoy it! From the very beginning there is a sense of menace and the action is fast-paced and exciting.

    This tale follows Kent and his son, Matt who have been used to living their lives on the run and hiding from an unknown threat.
    Then there is the strange character of Ryzaard. Part of me wanted to feel sorry for this Polish Jew who survived the horrors of WW2 and Auschwitz. Yet he has become evil and obsessed with gaining ultimate power.

    The stones of the title give their holders magical powers and abilities and when Matt comes across a stone he is destined to face Ryzaard in a battle of good versus evil which continues to the final pages of the book and promise an exciting sequel.

    This book is a must for lovers of fantasy and will not fail to reel you into its world.
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  • Marianne
    4.0 out of 5 stars Such a slow boring start. However I am glad I persevered because ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 December 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I have only given this 4 stars because so many times I nearly gave up on it. Such a slow boring start. However I am glad I persevered because it is turning out to be a really good read and I am now on book 3, so that should say something. Please give this book a chance because the story really picks up and grips you to read more. Well done Jacob Whaler
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  • Martin Rodgers
    3.0 out of 5 stars Needs a good proof-reader.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 January 2015
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Is ok, and would benefit from decent proof-reading. I think that the author relies too heavily on 'spell-checker', and this allows silly errors to pass through. I find silly mistakes off-putting, such as 'pouring over a map'...should be 'poring over a map'. Childish errors unfortunately.
    The storyline is a bit of a mish-mash of sci-fi and fantasy, but left open for the next book in the series.
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  • Kim Mather
    5.0 out of 5 stars Did not expect to enjoy this book but found could not put it down
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 December 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Did not expect to enjoy this book but found could not put it down. Fast paced and although not a completely original idea well written and interesting ideas. The characters are totally absorbing and you find you want to know more of their history. Kept me thinking long after reading the book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • E. Briggs
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 May 2017
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    An interesting sci-fi novel set not too far into the future with a believable level of technology. Well-written with none of the plot holes so common in this type of story.
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 May 2017
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    EASY READING
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  • sushiewushie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping and interesting!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 October 2017
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I really liked the premise of this. An interesting story. It flowed well and kept me hooked till the end. Looking forward to reading the next instalment. Shame it's not on Prime Books!
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  • Steve M
    5.0 out of 5 stars great reading
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 February 2015
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Never read any Jacob whaler before! Well pleased with the stones book, very easy read and hard to put down, on the third book now and still can't put it down, will be definitely looking forward to reading more of his books.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • 伊丹まどか
    5.0 out of 5 stars アメリカに渡った「勾玉」
    Reviewed in Japan on 2 November 2013
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    アメリカに住む青年が、スキー場で何故か心惹かれて拾った石。その石を抱いて日本に留学した青年は、石の不思議な力を知り。なぜ、この石が自分の元に来たのかをも、日本で知ることになる。日本の文化をふんだんに盛り込んだ物語で、石を巡って人類の存亡を守る戦いが激しく繰り広げられる中に、アメリカ人の作者が感じた日本の魅力がふんだんに盛り込まれ、一気に物語の世界に飛び込みます。
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  • Demelza Carlton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant scifi - that'll make you want to visit Japan
    Reviewed in Australia on 17 January 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I love scifi and alternative history, I have a thing for snow and I'm particularly partial to Japan and its food - even more so because I've spent time there. How could I not pick up this book?

    Yes, it's a long one. Good thing, too. I would have been mightily annoyed if it had finished any sooner than it did.

    This book is very descriptive - not overly so, but very precise for those who have never been in some of the places and situations described. The only time I felt the description was too much was in the detailed accounts of how the Japanese food is prepared and where the best restaurants are - I'm familiar with both of these things, so for me it was overkill. For any reader who hasn't spent a fair bit of time in Japan and frequented the ramen bars...after reading this book, believe me, you'll want to.

    Unusually, this isn't a dystopian scifi - whilst set in the near future, the society seems to be muddling along about as well as we are now. That doesn't make it a perfect world - but not one that's impossible to live in, either.

    The action flows effortlessly - from scene to scene, though there are two split plot lines here, as Matt and his dad are in different places, living out different stories in the same timeline.

    I'm very interested to see where Whaler takes this story next, for I'll definitely be looking out for the sequel.
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  • MICHAEL JENSEN
    5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT!!!! GREAT STORY- EVEN GREATER MESSAGE EXPRESSED WITHIN!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on 26 November 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I ENJOYED THE FIRST BOOK SO MUCH THAT I INSTANTLY BOUGHT THE OTHER 3 BOOKS IN THE SERIES!

    From The Heart I Thank you Mr. Whaler for words that not only form an exciting story that excites and entertains the Mind, but better still, for creating words that excite the Child within our Souls to Awaken to The Magical Mystery Tour that Each of Us And Every Other Sentient Being Is On In This Life From The Instant That We Clothe Ourselves With And Within The Indescribable Beauty Of Physical Matter. Your Words Inspire One To Strive To Master The Art Of Living Well, Living Properly, Aligning Oneself With The Ever Changing Mystical Waters of The Tao. Aligning Oneself With THE WAY Things Really Are... As Buddha Would Say... Inspiring One To Choose To Dance And Play Filled With Extasy, Joy, Peace, Beauty And Wonder Amongst The Immense Suffering of the World!!!

    Your CareFully Crafted Words in This Book and I'm Sure The Equally Well Crafted Words In Rest Of The 'Sones' books...Your Words Inspire One To Choose To Become A Part Of The Solution In This LifeTime, Instead Of Continuing Along Stumbling Blindly Unaware To Being A Part Of The Problem, Endlessly Adding To And Supporting The Cycle Of Pain and Violence, That We Are All Responsible For Creating Simply By The Fact That To One Level Or Another We All Still Continue To Feed The Ignorant Beliefs, Ideas And Actions That Support Keeping Our Presently Ignorant Mass-Consciousness Ignorant & Thusly Keeping It Cruel And Violent.

    Your Words Instead Inspire Us To Stop Perpetuating The Endless Cycle Of Violence, Self-Hatred, Judgements, And Lust For False Power, That Each One Of Us Had Imprinted Upon Us Starting The Very Moment We Entered the Sacred Womb Of Time, Space And Matter. This Very Same Darkness That Was Shoved Down All Our Throats As We Were Helpless Children, Burying Almost Completely Our Awareness Of The Mind-Boggling Wonder And Joy That All Of Creation Is!

    Your Words With Absolutely No Preaching, Brilliantly Inspire One To Stop Following What We Were Taught To Do And Believe, And Instead Begin To Reclaim Our Personal Power And Take Full Responsibility For Our Lives And CHOOSE To Start BREATHING JOY IN AND OUT INTO EVERY MOMENT... Making The CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO BREATH AND LIVE JOY, OPENING UP AND SEEING AND ACCEPTING ALL THINGS EXACTLY AS THEY ARE, THEREBY TRANSMUTING All The Karmic, Emotional, Physical, Psychic and Spiritual Garbage That You Find In The Moment, And CHOOSING TO TRANSMUTE All That Garbage Instead INTO JOY, BECOMING A SPIRITUAL JANITOR OF SORTS, BRINGING LIGHT INTO THIS DARKNESS THAT MASSIVELY HELPS ALLOW ALL OTHERS TO SEE AND AND ACCEPT THINGS EXACTLY THE WAY THEY ARE, INSPIRING ONE TO COMPLETELY ALIGN WITH THE WAY- THE TAO, WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY BRING ABOUT TRUE CHANGE ON EVERY LEVEL!

    Job extremely Well Done Mr. Whaler! I will & do recommend this book to Everyone, as not only a creative and fun story to read, but also for the insightful ideas that remind us that True Joy, Peace And Beauty Can Never Be Found Through Seeking Power Over Others, Or Power/Control Over Life, Or Seeking Anything, Because TRUE JOY Is Instead Found In Completely Limitless Supply Already Within Us, Just Waiting To Be Experienced Upon Each Inbound Breath Of The Infinitely New PRESENT MOMENT, And Then Eternally Multiplied And Strengthened As We Revel In That Beautiful Joy And Then Share It Back With The Entire World As We Co-Create This Incredible Life In Our Own Perfectly Unique Way With Every Single One Of Our Sacred Exhalations!

    I Gratefully Acknowledge The Wonderful Gift Of Insight And Awareness That You Offer To Everyone In This Book (and the rest of the 'Stones' series), and Applaud The Way That You Creatively Convey That Amazing Gift Of Awareness Into An Exciting, Interesting And Fun Story!

    I also Gratefully Applaud Your Choice To Give Your First Book In The Series Away For Free, And Your Choice To Price The Other Books In The Series At A Very Reasonable And Affordable Price!!! All Authors Should, What With The Amazing Technological Advances Devices Such As Apple's Ipad and Amazon's Kindle Offer To The World, Making It So Very Easy To Find and So Very Fast To Obtain The Seemingly Endless Supply Of Enjoyable Works Of Creation, And To Provide This Content In A Wonderful Format That Can Be Altered In Size And Brightness To Fit The End-Reader's Eyesight, And The Content In Small Enough Format To Allow The Readers To Take Their Entire Library With Them Wherever They Go, Also This Advanced Technology Allows For The Content To Be Cheaply Distributed To The Consumers With Extremely Little Overhead Cost In Comparison And Absolutely No Need To Kill The Millions Of Blessed Trees That Provide Us With The Oxygen That We Need To Breath. Only Downside That I Have Seen Is The Stubborn Refusal Of So Many Established Authors Refusing To Lower The Cost's Of Their Books, Even Though Their Cost's Are Way Down...
    You Get What You Give and I Know That You Will Do Great $$$

    THANK YOU!
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  • Sue K.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Hidden gem
    Reviewed in Canada on 17 May 2015
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was fast-paced, flowed effortlessly & kept me entertained from start to finish. The story of the stones is incredibly creative, giving a new, fresh slant on the theory of an all powerful being, as well as the possibility of other life forms somewhere in the galaxy. It is essentially a futuristic power struggle between good & evil. It's a fun ride and as it continues through 3 more books, you might as well settle in. Bring on book two!
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  • LAWonder10
    4.0 out of 5 stars 'Stones (Data)' - Clean!. Great for all YA/Adults - Futuristic new series!
    Reviewed in the United States on 4 October 2013
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Stones is the first book of a new, exciting futuristic series. The beginning setting is within the late twenty first century. Matt and Jennifer have been close friends for years. Matt's feelings are so strong for Jessica and he wants to take their relationship to the next level. Jessica seems to feel the same, yet, she has never allowed him any intimacies.
    The story opens with Jessica and Matt texting. He is on the slopes for the last ski trip for the season. Jessica warns him not to do anything crazy. They had a date that night. She is going on to bike race and afterwards she wants him to share their special evening together after the race. Jessica, also, reminds Matt of his father's insistence on wearing head gear and all the other safety equipment. Matt feels his father, Kent, is over protective. He doesn't wear the safety gear and makes a careless choice. Miraculously, he survived but fell on a strange looking rock... one he decided to keep - at least for now.
    In a few days Matt will be going to Japan to the university. He is anxious for this opportunity to go back to the land where he was born and happily lived for a few years with both his parents...Before his mother was killed. His father had quickly packed up necessities then fled Japan with him from the airport. Matt wanted to know where his mother was. It was much later when his dad explained her death and his son's life was threatened as well. They had moved quickly and frequently during the following years. His dad was a high profile lawyer and worked with the government agency. He was also trained in combat.
    It is extremely difficult for Kent to let Matt go into the world. The people still want his son dead. Matt is twenty-two now so Kent cannot make him stay with him. He has spent ten years constantly looking out for him and protecting him. He has taken every precaution to make sure Matt is safe on this venture and cannot be traced...but only if Matt obeys his detailed instructions. Matt agrees to follow through on everything.., everything except one. Here the adventure truly begins! Matt has been asked by his mother's old professor to join him and assist him in searching out ancient history and legends. The relationships between the United States and Japan have been very strained for years. Matt is an American.
    Strange things had been happening the past several days. As the days pass, stranger things occur, increasingly life-threatening. Soon Matt has to make serious choices and is forced to face dangerous situations. Which path does he choose? Who can he trust? Is there any hope? Will he lose all?
    Except for some typographical errors, this was very well written. It smoothly flowed from one scene to the next, except for a couple of areas. One instance was with dialogue in reference to Jessica. Although she was brought back in later, it left a "hitch". I felt a couple of interactions with Matt and Ryzaard were excessive and needed to be eliminated.
    The imagination of the author, though incredulous, was still feasible. He was very creative in his thinking of what some future possibilities might be. His characters were all very interesting and strongly created. There were various personality types which increased interest. Various situations were implemented well, giving a detailed description encompassing each one. The cover was simple but good. Increased images may have deflected from the title.
    The novel deserves a solid four stars rating and with a few corrections a solid Five Stars rating.
    Recommended for Y/A and adults.
    This was given me from a publisher to do an honest rating/review on, of which I have given.
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