Stone of Fire, ARKANE Thriller #1, Paperback

The first book in the Arkane series is adventurous and intense. Morgan and Jake have to find the 12 Pentecost stones before resurgam comet hits. Everett needs the stones to try to heal his brother Michael. Everett has Morgans sister Faye and Gemme and she needs to get the stones to Everett to save her family. Morgan and Jake had to overcome lots of life and death situations. If you enjoy intense and adventure, you will greatly enjoy this series.

I’m pretty sure I reviewed Stone of Fire already, but a second can’t do any harm.

It’s far too early to judge completely. I enjoyed it, so I’ll be onto the next book in the series soon. Recommended, I'm curious to see what happens next, I want more.

This is an action-oriented thriller, with a feisty heroine, exotic locations, and a Dan Brown-style plot. The quest for the twelve apostolic stones is a race against time. With her sister being held by evil forces, Morgan is sent in pursuit of the stones, and she must bring all twelve to the kidnapper before the major cosmic event. She teams up with Jake, a member of the secret organization Arkane -we don't know if he's one of the good guys or not. Morgan travels the world, following the trail of the twelve apostles and competing with other evil forces who are also seeking the stones. I loved the rich detail J.F. Penn gives at each of the locations and it feels genuine, I imagine it's the result of intense research. The plot is also satisfyingly complex. It's an enjoyable read, an entertaining and page-turning thriller.

It hooked me in since the beginning, even though I do not cherish super-natural stuff. I like Rollins, Cussler and the like, and I suggest this to all those that are into the same authors.

J. F. Penn has established a brand that keeps readers coming back for more and it’s easy to see why. This is a great adventure tale with immersive multicultural environments and intelligent characters. Perhaps this is the way thrillers should be written. The story moves at an exciting pace, the female lead is strong and daring both physically and mentally, it deals with complex subject matter in an entertaining way and has an ending one may desire. On the other hand, I felt the formula betrayed the intelligence of the characters and some resolutions were pat without really challenging the substance of the lead. All the plot points are in order and it’s a solid work. Perhaps something was cut that should have been left in. I heard J. F. Penn talk about writing this book and she expressed her concern that she was writing another Davinci Code. That’s definitely here. If you loved the Davinci Code you just may love this book. The thing is that the Davinci Code shook the reader with an idea that challenged our view of women and religion. Stone of Fire is a page-turner that impresses with flash and formula. I will say there is something there about the reconciliation with self and some convergence of male and feminine energies but due to the antagonist's broad Freudian sketch it isn’t able to loosen the seams of perception in a way that is more than cerebral. There’s no doubt this would make a fun movie and with the right stars a great franchise that could motivate the hearts and minds of a generation. Maybe that should happen for J. F. Penn because I know this book was written in 2012 and since then I’m sure Hollywood has picked the bones of certain elements in this work. For instance, the compelling female Mossad agent in the hit show The Blacklist and the subject matter of the current NBC show Evil. Certainly, those are just a couple of elemental similarities to have been produced.

I really liked the action in this book and although a lot was just made up as the author shares at the end, there was some biblical truth to the fact that Pentecost actually took place. Gemma world view was one of rational thinking, while her sister Faye was based on a relationship with God. Although the two were twins their lives went in different directions and drives you to delve deeper in this gem of a book.

This is the first book in the ARKANE series; a thrilling series that mixes religious mythology, ancient archaeology, action and adventure while taking you on a campaign across the globe to save humanity from the forces of evil. In the first book, Morgan Sierra reluctantly joins Jake Timber of the ARKANE institute, a British government agency that specialises in ancient religious artefacts and paranormal occurrences. Together they find themselves in a race against time to stop a group of religious fundamentalists from acquiring all the Pentecost stones before they can be used to summon all the powers of evil. The stones, forged from the blood of martyrs, are kept hidden and scattered around the globe by their keepers. The stones are thought to contain great power and have always been used for good, until now. When one of the stones is stolen and the keeper protecting it is murdered, an international hunt is begun to investigate the crime and recover the artefact. Morgan is forced to get involved risking her own life to save her sister and niece after they are kidnapped. Jake from the ARKANE institute offers his help but can Morgan really trust him or does he have an ulterior motive? The book is fast paced and action packed, combining adventure with a dose of religious mystery. It flows well and is entertaining. The characters are interesting and well developed, making them realistic and likeable. The reader is taken on a journey across the globe, visiting ancient religious sites in Spain, Italy, Israel, Iran and Tunisia Overall this is a great action and adventure story. Fans of James Rollins and Dan Brown will enjoy it, as did I. I look forward to reading more books in the series.

A very well written thriller in the genre of Dan Brown. Very good characters with a hint of romance. Will definately read the series

Loved this 1st book by J.F.Penn! The fight to save lives, mixed with the adventure of finding the stones of the apostles in exotic locations, makes this a book you won't be able to put down:-). Can't wait to read Book #2!

Short, Entertaining, Clever, and Intriguing! I did NOT buy this book in order to strengthen my spirituality or Christianity. When I read in the book description "shades of Dan Brown", I knew this was not a motivational book on Christianity. I have enjoyed some of the Dan Brown books because they base the story on religious ideas and create conclusions that the educated reader knows is pure fantasy. Sometimes I want to read a book that is simply a good story, not necessarily a historical account of fact. The thing I enjoyed about author J.F. Penn's book Stone of Fire was that it was an easy and fast read. Easy read because there were only two main characters and a handful of minor characters. This allowed me to take over a week and pick up the book when I had a few minutes, read a few pages, without feeling lost, stop just before a climactic event, and put it down knowing that the next time I picked it up I could do it all again. It gave me a fun break each day and something to look forward to in the midst of my regular daily activities. I thought the author succeeded in writing a short suspense, thriller that stayed focused on the story and kept the reader's attention. I think anyone who was offended at the idea that the Apostles had supernatural stones they received from the day of Pentecost, simply took the story too literal. I never once believed that the author was trying to make a religious point beyond the biblical text in the New Testament. I think her concept was amusing, well written and enjoyable. I gave it five stars because it met my expectations. As a recently published best-selling author of a historical/fiction called Not Without Mercy The Black Death , the story of a family's survival during the Black Plague in England, I can appreciate the difficulty to write a book that captures the reader's attention from the very first page, keeps it there, gives them more as they read, and leaves them filling fulfilled at the end. J.F. Penn did all of this in her FIRST action thriller, Stone of Fire. Kudos, and I look forward to reading many more of her books!

Morgan Sierra, an Oxford psychologist and former Israeli Army conscript, finds herself the target of an attack by a shadowy group of religious fanatics known as Thanatos. Her sister and niece are kidnapped by another religious whacko and Morgan is left to save everyone. Luckily, a military hunk from a long forgotten branch of the English bureaucracy called ARKANE offers a helping hand. Sorta. We understand early on that ARKANE and Morgan have differing end games planned. Nonetheless, they work together to solve ancient riddles and take on the bad guys. Until he walks out on her. The scum. The plot follows a traditional thriller plot and does it well. It is as fascinating as it is educational. Joanna Penn achieves what Steve Berry dreams of, a thriller that takes the reader deep into remote locations, ancient myths, and local histories with a passionate, compelling voice. Where Steve Berry's passages read like a travelogue, Ms. Penn flows like an informed adventure with an enthusiastic guide. No doubt this is due to her Masters in Theology and her love of psychology. She uses her knowledge to flesh out a thriller with real details lovingly told. And oddly it is not a religious book. When I heard her podcasts, I wondered if she were suppressing a spiritual theme to keep agnostics and atheists from fleeing for the exits. When I read the blurb and even into the first few chapters, I remained suspicious, expecting an imminent Bible or Koran thumping. I would not mind. I like religion. I have my favorite but believe all of them. I'm easy. However, many readers slam books closed at any discussion of faith. Ms. Penn walks the tightrope with amazing skill that can only come from honesty. Throughout the book, I noticed others had highlighted passages that explained beliefs with an open, non-judgmental philosophy. And that strikes a chord with readers. I think Ms. Penn speaks for a generation when she writes (her heroine's voice): "I believe in something beyond our experience," she said, "a realm above the physical that I can't see or touch, but that I feel sometimes in certain places. I don't believe in a savior who died for my sins, or a personal God who cares if I'm hurting. But I know there's an energy beyond us, a power of good and evil, a light that gives life and a darkness that can destroy us. I don't know. What do you think?" Indeed. Read the book. Give copies away for birthdays and holidays.

Stone of Fire is Joanna Penn's debut thriller novel and it's a good one. The hero, Morgan Sierra, is a biblical scholar and an Oxford trained clinical psychologist. Before becoming an academic she was a member of the Israeli Defense Forces, where she was trained in combat and uses the self-defense art of Krav Maga to kick some serious ass in this fast-paced religious thriller. Morgan and her sister are keepers of two of the 12 Pentecost stones once carried by the Apostles. The stones came from the rock that covered the tomb of Jesus and together the stones are believed to hold incredible mystical powers. Morgan's sister and niece are kidnapped by Joseph Everett, a wealthy and sadistic madman, who wants Morgan to find the rest of the stones and bring them to him - so he can use their power to resurrect his dying brother. This mission sends her on a globe-hopping, rollercoaster ride of adventures, tracing the footsteps of the Apostles, to find the stones of the Pentecost - before her sister and niece are sacrificed. She's aided by Jake Timber from the ARKANE group, a secret British government agency. They specialize in locating powerful paranormal and religious objects, and keeping them safe from other groups like Thanatos (the Greek personification of death), who seek to use the stones for their own evil ends. Joanna Penn's passion for the subject is evident by the in-depth research she conducted to craft this story. Given the rich descriptions of places in the story, it's obvious she's been to many of them. As you read the book you'll feel influences of Dan Brown thrillers and Indiana Jones adventures. The characters are richly drawn and stand out every bit as much as those in Clive Cussler novels. Stone of Fire will definitely appeal to all thriller fans. The story is immediately engaging and has you caring not only for the main character, but even finding sympathy for the antagonist. It hits the right plot points and has some good twists and is well-paced, increasing in intensity right to the explosive ending. This was a very solid first effort, and I can only imagine the novelist Joanna will evolve into as she continues to thrill her fans. I can hardly wait to see what adventures Morgan faces in Joanna's new thriller Crypt of Bone. Stone of Fire is a real pager turner. Get it, read it and you too will become a fan.

Others have summarized the plot of Joanna Penn's fascinating novel, so this review will skip repeating what has already been said well and often here. For those of us who love a crackling good thriller built on the stones and bones of authentic history and ancient artifacts, Stone of Fire is a true winner. The plot and pace of the book are excellent, with short diversions a la Dan Brown's The Symbol with intriguing historic detail as well as fictional backstory about organizations and their headquarters described to earn plausibility in readers' eyes. What drives the book powerfully is the brilliant concept of stones taken from Christ's tomb by the 12 Apostles entwined with the mystery of the Pentecost as related by the Bible. Stone of Fire may or may not have been sent to print, in the pre-ebook world of publishing, by a major traditional publisher. Most likely, for reasons having nothing to do with the excellent quality of this novel, it would have languished in the slush pile. But because self publishing via ebooks is rapidly transcending the old stigma of "vanity press" offerings, Stone of Fire has a chance to succeed on the merits of its fine story, high quality writing, breakneck pace, and 5-star entertainment value. We readers of this particular type of thriller are lucky self publishing enables us to get our hands on such exciting books as Stone of Fire. The novel has earned its way to stand in the same arena as Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and The Symbol as well as with Boyd Morrison's The Vault and The Ark. Atop all the kudos I can offer stands this: It appears Morgan Sierra will return for future adventures. And that is good news, indeed.