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The Historian Tales #1
The Price of Creation
The Historian chances upon Surac, a land where people's destinies are defined by powerful pendants they have from birth, called Stones. Those whose Stones give them useful skills call themselves Creators, and isolate themselves from all others with a wall that splits the entire continent. When Aric, a Creator blacksmith, has a son born with a Stone that marks him for violence and destruction, they find themselves in danger from those they called their friends.
When the boy, Sadavir, is ultimately banished, he discovers secrets far darker than the villagers' petty prejudices. On the far side of the wall, he learns the origin of the Stones' magic and a war that dates back centuries. As he uncovers the true power locked in the Stones, he must find a way to unite ancient enemies in order to save his family. To stop a genocide, Sadavir must face his own destiny of violence.
When the boy, Sadavir, is ultimately banished, he discovers secrets far darker than the villagers' petty prejudices. On the far side of the wall, he learns the origin of the Stones' magic and a war that dates back centuries. As he uncovers the true power locked in the Stones, he must find a way to unite ancient enemies in order to save his family. To stop a genocide, Sadavir must face his own destiny of violence.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published November 14, 2011
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1,369 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
November 8, 2019
(Note: This review is for an audio-book version)
I first heard about Price of Creation through one of my brothers, and I'm always open to a new fantasy novel.ÌýPrice of CreationÌýwas so terrible, and it's one of the few novels that left me feeling angry by the end; that hasn't happened since Angela Hunt'sÌýEsther.
First I'll talk about the pros. I liked the idea of people being born with stones, and the division between the land and the misunderstanding going on between the creators and the destroyers. I thought Sadivir's growth and training through his adolescence was well thought-out and -written.
That may be about all that this story really had going for it. The story had several cons, and they mostly circled around one thing.
The Historian.
The Historian made this story horrible on so many levels. Firstly, he plays NO active role. He even states to one of the other characters that he can't interfere with events. Rather, he's there for the “story.� None of the characters really get after him for not helping with the situations they're put through, and frankly, he doesn't seem to care about himself either. His lack of empathy towards ANY character made me despise him, and more than once I thought that he needed to just shut up.
If the Historian had played an active role along with observing the events, he would have been a great main character. The most he does is pump blacksmith bellows and follow Sadivir around and offer pretentious wisdom. I think he was meant to be an insert for the reader, which is very needless if the author had chosen to use third-person omniscient narrative instead of first-person limited POV. However, he only came across to me as anÌýauthorÌýinsert, so it became a story-teller telling a story telling a story-teller's story.Ìý
My second issue with the Historian has to do with the author's before-mentioned attempt to make him the reader's insert. When the Historian asks a question, others character info-dump to him, which gives the author an excuse to tell the reader a bunch of information about the world and characters instead of letting that information flow naturally with the story itself. From what I could tell listening to this book, I think there are at least 2 straight chapters of info-dumping about the destroyers. Other chapters involve at least one character who hardly knows him confiding important issues to him so that we, the readers, can somehow empathize with them. ÌýEmpathize, I did not.
The Historian refused to give any information about himself, although he never explains why he can't tell the other characters about himself or his true nature. He acts super mysterious, and the other characters don't really care. If he had either been cut from the story or played an active role,ÌýPrice of CreationÌýwould have been monumentally better for it.
The real protagonist of this story was Sadivir. I liked his progression up until he turned 19 and he went over the destroyer's wall. After this point, he turned into a Gary-Sue. He had insta-love with Olia (sp?), and through her gained super SPESHUUL POWERZ via her stone. People began to fear him instead of really love him, and he suddenly gained super leadership qualities after living an introverted life in his village.
Towards the end he managed to make the bad guys turn tail, and Sadivir gained psychopathic qualities. When some of his own warriors threaten to turn on him, Sadivir attacks themÌýviciouslyÌýto make a point about the horrors of war. So you need to kill your own pals in order to show your pals how bad it is to kill; that makes sense.
Here's another situation that really messed up this character for me: when some of his enemies finally retreat, they warn him that they'll be ready to defend themselves. Key word DEFEND, not attack, meaning if Sadivir were to come after THEM, they would have the weaponry and stuff they needed to stay alive. Sadivir, who had been taught all his life to protect people and told others he accepted that role, puts on a display of destruction and mocks their honest and rightful statement of defense, indicating he can come any time and crush them. ÌýHe smiles about it too. ÌýSuddenly our shining SPECHSUL hero is a terrorist! ÌýYay!
The other character I thought had a problem was the love interest, Olia. After she appears the first thing Sadivir does is drool over her. Her only role is to cling to our hero's arm and grant him his SPHECUL POWERZ. She does nothing else important. She has some of her background explained, which is interesting in itself, but it plays no role throughout the main story.
The story was cliched and pretty simple. There's a misunderstanding between two peoples, a boy goes on a journey to learn about his heritage, the misunderstanding comes to a head, and the boy saves the day and creates peace. There's nothing wrong with those points, but the way this story presented was blah. If there had been multiple character POVs instead of the single POV through our illustrious Historian, this story would have worked out a lot better.
Price of Creation was heavily plot-driven and, overall, pointless. We're presented with the Historian as the main character, but he's only an observer for Sadivir's story. Because of the Historian's passive role, I honestly didn't care about what was going on. I wanted to be behind Sadivir's eyes, or Olia's, or Arik's, or Sed What's-his-name's. Why should I care about the Historian, when he won't even talk about himself as well as the other characters?
At the end of the story, as the Historian walks off into the sunset and leaves behind these friends he's stayed with for decades, he suddenly indicates that this story was about “you,� aka the reader, even though he had never indicated in this entire story that I was involved in any way, shape, or form. I think the author meant to make some sort of overall moral point with this, but it only served to top the cake of my anger with the frosting of bewilderment and frustration.
I first heard about Price of Creation through one of my brothers, and I'm always open to a new fantasy novel.ÌýPrice of CreationÌýwas so terrible, and it's one of the few novels that left me feeling angry by the end; that hasn't happened since Angela Hunt'sÌýEsther.
First I'll talk about the pros. I liked the idea of people being born with stones, and the division between the land and the misunderstanding going on between the creators and the destroyers. I thought Sadivir's growth and training through his adolescence was well thought-out and -written.
That may be about all that this story really had going for it. The story had several cons, and they mostly circled around one thing.
The Historian.
The Historian made this story horrible on so many levels. Firstly, he plays NO active role. He even states to one of the other characters that he can't interfere with events. Rather, he's there for the “story.� None of the characters really get after him for not helping with the situations they're put through, and frankly, he doesn't seem to care about himself either. His lack of empathy towards ANY character made me despise him, and more than once I thought that he needed to just shut up.
If the Historian had played an active role along with observing the events, he would have been a great main character. The most he does is pump blacksmith bellows and follow Sadivir around and offer pretentious wisdom. I think he was meant to be an insert for the reader, which is very needless if the author had chosen to use third-person omniscient narrative instead of first-person limited POV. However, he only came across to me as anÌýauthorÌýinsert, so it became a story-teller telling a story telling a story-teller's story.Ìý
My second issue with the Historian has to do with the author's before-mentioned attempt to make him the reader's insert. When the Historian asks a question, others character info-dump to him, which gives the author an excuse to tell the reader a bunch of information about the world and characters instead of letting that information flow naturally with the story itself. From what I could tell listening to this book, I think there are at least 2 straight chapters of info-dumping about the destroyers. Other chapters involve at least one character who hardly knows him confiding important issues to him so that we, the readers, can somehow empathize with them. ÌýEmpathize, I did not.
The Historian refused to give any information about himself, although he never explains why he can't tell the other characters about himself or his true nature. He acts super mysterious, and the other characters don't really care. If he had either been cut from the story or played an active role,ÌýPrice of CreationÌýwould have been monumentally better for it.
The real protagonist of this story was Sadivir. I liked his progression up until he turned 19 and he went over the destroyer's wall. After this point, he turned into a Gary-Sue. He had insta-love with Olia (sp?), and through her gained super SPESHUUL POWERZ via her stone. People began to fear him instead of really love him, and he suddenly gained super leadership qualities after living an introverted life in his village.
Towards the end he managed to make the bad guys turn tail, and Sadivir gained psychopathic qualities. When some of his own warriors threaten to turn on him, Sadivir attacks themÌýviciouslyÌýto make a point about the horrors of war. So you need to kill your own pals in order to show your pals how bad it is to kill; that makes sense.
Here's another situation that really messed up this character for me: when some of his enemies finally retreat, they warn him that they'll be ready to defend themselves. Key word DEFEND, not attack, meaning if Sadivir were to come after THEM, they would have the weaponry and stuff they needed to stay alive. Sadivir, who had been taught all his life to protect people and told others he accepted that role, puts on a display of destruction and mocks their honest and rightful statement of defense, indicating he can come any time and crush them. ÌýHe smiles about it too. ÌýSuddenly our shining SPECHSUL hero is a terrorist! ÌýYay!
The other character I thought had a problem was the love interest, Olia. After she appears the first thing Sadivir does is drool over her. Her only role is to cling to our hero's arm and grant him his SPHECUL POWERZ. She does nothing else important. She has some of her background explained, which is interesting in itself, but it plays no role throughout the main story.
The story was cliched and pretty simple. There's a misunderstanding between two peoples, a boy goes on a journey to learn about his heritage, the misunderstanding comes to a head, and the boy saves the day and creates peace. There's nothing wrong with those points, but the way this story presented was blah. If there had been multiple character POVs instead of the single POV through our illustrious Historian, this story would have worked out a lot better.
Price of Creation was heavily plot-driven and, overall, pointless. We're presented with the Historian as the main character, but he's only an observer for Sadivir's story. Because of the Historian's passive role, I honestly didn't care about what was going on. I wanted to be behind Sadivir's eyes, or Olia's, or Arik's, or Sed What's-his-name's. Why should I care about the Historian, when he won't even talk about himself as well as the other characters?
At the end of the story, as the Historian walks off into the sunset and leaves behind these friends he's stayed with for decades, he suddenly indicates that this story was about “you,� aka the reader, even though he had never indicated in this entire story that I was involved in any way, shape, or form. I think the author meant to make some sort of overall moral point with this, but it only served to top the cake of my anger with the frosting of bewilderment and frustration.
December 5, 2014
Honestly, this book is great! I liked it because it's not the like the normal average story. It is clearly thought out and is very great to read when you want a bit of different in your life. I personally think that the story show true greatness within not only the Historian but as Sadvair as well. I don't want to give anything away but I really like how he decided to help Sadvair. Who? I guess if you don't read this book you will never figure it out.
March 15, 2018
Excellent
This was truly an exceptional read. It keeps you engrossed from beginning to end. I am looking forward to reading the next one in this series.
This was truly an exceptional read. It keeps you engrossed from beginning to end. I am looking forward to reading the next one in this series.
June 17, 2022
2.5
The first half is a long description of a Jackie Chan training montage. The second half is what you'd expect with that first half being a training montage. Typical YA premise and plot. One odd thing is the first person narrator being some sort of unexplained omnipotent God who watches and tells stories or some shit. This is obvious immediately and not spoilers for those of you who actually want to read this. Some embarrassing gender stereotypes and lines that make it pretty obvious that this was written by a guy. I couldn't stop laughing when I considered the types of names given to the two different classes of people. Two different classes of people in YA? HOLY SHIT! Anyway, they are fantasy names and then Russian names. It's fantasy vs Russians. On the fantasy side there's Aric, Lauria, or Sadavir, while the Russian side there is Nadia, Ivan, Igor, Vodkaman, and Vladimir Puton. Here comes genocide, division, and magic rocks or crystals that dictate how people live their lives, just like some real life people. Totally average. 2.5/5
The first half is a long description of a Jackie Chan training montage. The second half is what you'd expect with that first half being a training montage. Typical YA premise and plot. One odd thing is the first person narrator being some sort of unexplained omnipotent God who watches and tells stories or some shit. This is obvious immediately and not spoilers for those of you who actually want to read this. Some embarrassing gender stereotypes and lines that make it pretty obvious that this was written by a guy. I couldn't stop laughing when I considered the types of names given to the two different classes of people. Two different classes of people in YA? HOLY SHIT! Anyway, they are fantasy names and then Russian names. It's fantasy vs Russians. On the fantasy side there's Aric, Lauria, or Sadavir, while the Russian side there is Nadia, Ivan, Igor, Vodkaman, and Vladimir Puton. Here comes genocide, division, and magic rocks or crystals that dictate how people live their lives, just like some real life people. Totally average. 2.5/5
March 3, 2023
The Price of Creation is a fantastic story in need of a good editor. I really enjoyed the world of Surac. I loved the concept of the wandering historian who observes and sometimes influences. The magic system was fantastic, and the ending was great. However, the prose was a bit awkward at times, giving the narrator/historian less of the character the author seemed to be going for. Also, the grammar errors were pretty bad. Spelling errors, missing words, and most frequently, commas to separate two (or more) independent clauses. Of course, I am an editor and can only partially turn off my editor brain. If you can silence your inner editor, this book is easily a 4-star book. I will still probably recommend this to fantasy enthusiasts who have already thoroughly explored the genre. It's just a shame that such a great story was left without the layer of polish that would have made it excellent.
January 20, 2016
The Price Of Creation by Lance Conrad is a very exciting book for middle schoolers . First, Lance uses lots of exciting descriptions. For example, the Historian writes, "He came flying through the solid wood door." That describes how strong one of the characters has to be. Likewise, the main character is about 13, the age of a 7th or 8th grader. Above all, this is a very good and exciting book for middle schoolers.
February 3, 2015
I absolutely loved this book! (I have read it three times now) Once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down!! The historian tales are a must read!! This book has a wonderful theme and great language!! Lance Conrad is a great author and truly puts himself out there. I highly recommended his books!!
December 5, 2014
I really loved this book. My favorite part of this book was the narrator, he was an immortal who was so wise due to the fact that all he does is view and record stories, which he learns and teaches from. I really saw myself in this book and it just drug me along with the story. It was amazing!
August 4, 2012
Excellent book for young adults and kids. An excellent message packaged in a fast-paced, stimulating novel that should be read by everyone!
February 15, 2023
This book is amazing. It's adventurous creative and very thought provoking.
February 9, 2015
This book is like taking a mini vacation with lots of adventure. Great job Lance!
February 13, 2015
This book was amazing. I loved it so much I went and read it twice. This author is the best.
February 28, 2017
Very good book. I hope he makes the 15 he promised.
July 29, 2023
I stayed up past midnight to finish this, if that tells you anything. Be pRePaReD for overelaboration...
There were maybe a few points in the book that I felt could use a little refining. Not a portion of the story, simple a paragraph or two I would have liked to be more subtle to the reader or phrased differently, though I know most of them were on purpose.
There were quite a few turns I didn't expect, not as dramatic and shocking as in the book "Wings of Olympus" but still executed well.
Wonderful story. Most books have a lot of hidden morals and such, which I'm sure this does too if I were to take the time to study it (which I hardly ever do...) but this one was very direct at the end.
The firm, plain way the narrator sums up the story at the end is very conclusive, and while it leaves mildly less space for thoughtfulness, theories, etc. to be left hanging at the end, it makes for a nice, solid way to really drive the main point home.
I really liked this way of cutting off the story so fixatedly, rather than leaving it at "they lived happily ever after." There is still space for pondering, but the author made a point out of a point, and it was made clear and concise that this was exactly what they wanted you to think about, rather than hiding it all up within endless poetic lines you must read between to understand how it was woven. It has it's own type of poetry.
I'll tire down now and leave it at that...
There were maybe a few points in the book that I felt could use a little refining. Not a portion of the story, simple a paragraph or two I would have liked to be more subtle to the reader or phrased differently, though I know most of them were on purpose.
There were quite a few turns I didn't expect, not as dramatic and shocking as in the book "Wings of Olympus" but still executed well.
Wonderful story. Most books have a lot of hidden morals and such, which I'm sure this does too if I were to take the time to study it (which I hardly ever do...) but this one was very direct at the end.
The firm, plain way the narrator sums up the story at the end is very conclusive, and while it leaves mildly less space for thoughtfulness, theories, etc. to be left hanging at the end, it makes for a nice, solid way to really drive the main point home.
I really liked this way of cutting off the story so fixatedly, rather than leaving it at "they lived happily ever after." There is still space for pondering, but the author made a point out of a point, and it was made clear and concise that this was exactly what they wanted you to think about, rather than hiding it all up within endless poetic lines you must read between to understand how it was woven. It has it's own type of poetry.
I'll tire down now and leave it at that...
July 13, 2018
I'm not sure why I really like this book. It's not super courageous, nor inventive -- it even leans a bit on existing fantasy tropes, but I love the way magic works in this world, and I also found the narrative situation engaging and mysterious. The idea of a series of books centered around an observer narrative that travels between worlds is marvelous for "plain fun" and sometimes when you read a book, you do it purely for entertainment. Lance Conrad succeeds here for me, and probably would for you too if you enjoy the genre.
Spoiler:
Overturning the tropes of a big final battle, the epic culmination of a group that travels spreading happiness and repair instead of conquest and destruction was something to revel in as a reader. When I hit that particular moment, I was boarding a bus, and I couldn't help but grin even though I had to set the book (kindle) down for a few moments to get seated. There's something purely euphoric and rightly human about this sort of ending, and it is the farthest thing from expectation in what I would generally think of as a fairly generic plot, with a chosen one, beautiful healing woman, a wise sage, a blacksmith father, exile, etc.
All in all, I really liked it, give it a read if you want a good time.
Spoiler:
Overturning the tropes of a big final battle, the epic culmination of a group that travels spreading happiness and repair instead of conquest and destruction was something to revel in as a reader. When I hit that particular moment, I was boarding a bus, and I couldn't help but grin even though I had to set the book (kindle) down for a few moments to get seated. There's something purely euphoric and rightly human about this sort of ending, and it is the farthest thing from expectation in what I would generally think of as a fairly generic plot, with a chosen one, beautiful healing woman, a wise sage, a blacksmith father, exile, etc.
All in all, I really liked it, give it a read if you want a good time.
March 29, 2019
The story is about a man who follows people and tell their stories, he goes by “The Historian�. The historian is following the story of a boy named Sadavir, a child born into the Creators, people blessed with certain abilities depending on their stones, Sadavir however is born a Destroyer, with a dark stone. He is exiled by his people to cross a giant wall that was built by the people’s ancestors. He goes on his journey in hopes of being accepted but soon learns of a past that will change things. Some people have said that there are parts in the story that are “choppy� and I can agree, some parts are phrased in odd ways but over all I really enjoyed this book. Some reasons I really enjoyed the book was because of the characters. The characters Lance came up with are amazing. The way he builds them up and makes you interested in even the meanest of characters is great. I like the pace there is behind the story, reading I felt calm as if I myself were in the story, which not being a really big reader was interesting. I highly recommend and I will surely continue reading the rest of The Historian Tales.
August 28, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I have read it a few times before, and it was just as enjoyable this time around as it was the first time I read it. I like how deep and meaningful the book can be if you choose to see it that way. Even if you don't, there is enough action and adventure to keep you completely satisfied, but the fact that this book is often thought provoking and poignant, makes this book stand out among many other fantasy adventure books. The whole idea of Sadavir being trained in the manner of war and yet raised with love, for the purpose of peace, is quite compelling and intriguing. However, it isn't so deep that it is hard to read, rather the opposite, the book flows smoothly from one scene to the next, and the characters are well developed and intriguing. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I also wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants a quick, enjoyable, fantasy book.
July 23, 2024
I found the story interesting. The progression was decent and moved at a good pace. It is a short read.
I would have liked it better if the wall would have been larger. They made it sound smaller than some medieval town walls. It could have at least been the size of the grate wall of China or the walls of Constantinople.
I would have liked it if more types of stone had been introduced.
Also, It would have been a good idea to have more friends for Sadavir on the creator side of the wall. Something to give him hope. As it is now he was just a perfect warrior from the get-go. never doubting anything his father said. There could have been a lot of character growth if there had been a little more drama.
I would have liked it better if the wall would have been larger. They made it sound smaller than some medieval town walls. It could have at least been the size of the grate wall of China or the walls of Constantinople.
I would have liked it if more types of stone had been introduced.
Also, It would have been a good idea to have more friends for Sadavir on the creator side of the wall. Something to give him hope. As it is now he was just a perfect warrior from the get-go. never doubting anything his father said. There could have been a lot of character growth if there had been a little more drama.
May 7, 2018
I was very hesitant to read this book at first. I thought it was heavy fantasy, which is definitely not my favorite genre. While it has some elements of fantasy, it is mostly a story about life. I couldn't put it down. It is a story about people torn apart by judgment and labeling, and how working together strengthens people. The best parts of this book are the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. They come from the main character, who is a narrator for the story. Those, along with the story itself makes you reflect deeply about yourself and others, and the importance of mankind in general.
June 14, 2020
I’d say 3 star but it’s my sons fav book so I’ll go 4 stars. This book is perfect for 5-7/8 graders. I can see why my 6th grader loved it so much! I liked it too. The idea of a storyteller that wanders and watchers the stories of people or civilizations lives is a great idea and premise for a book series. I’m curious about his other books and will read them. I think kids like the book so much bc it’s a quick engaging read. As an adult I felt like the book could have been so much more but there just wasn’t much depth to the characters.
October 15, 2019
Never too old for a good quest
Although Mr. Conrad probably aims his books toward a young demographic, and I was thinking I'd recommend them to my grandsons, I too found them engaging. They are an easy read, but I love the clean and moral tenor of the story. The plot was interesting and the struggle's resolution had some unexpected turns. I also enjoyed the characters and their interaction. Think the series would be a great gift for a young man between ten and fifteen.
Although Mr. Conrad probably aims his books toward a young demographic, and I was thinking I'd recommend them to my grandsons, I too found them engaging. They are an easy read, but I love the clean and moral tenor of the story. The plot was interesting and the struggle's resolution had some unexpected turns. I also enjoyed the characters and their interaction. Think the series would be a great gift for a young man between ten and fifteen.
October 18, 2021
A great book with a captivating tale. I enjoyed the first-hand viewpoint and narration from the Historian. How would you set up the world so that people *had* to cooperate? The interplay between the Creators and the Destroyers, and their Stones, is novel and satisfying. I was delighted by many phrases: "... what our people lack in [fighting] skill, they make up for in cowardice." (page 12, Chapter 1)
September 27, 2024
The price of creation was a book that I had chosen to read simply because I had read it before and wanted to reread it. Even still as I was reading the book I found greater meaning and found meaning in phrases that I didn't find the first time through. The third person omniscient point of view is something I like to see when I read a book and the story is definitely intriguing to me. It's a story that I will cherish for years to come.
November 16, 2021
A wandering historian stumbles upon a story of two peoples who hate each other. One side is born with clear stones that are theirs for life, the color of which denotes it's attribute. The other side is born with opaque stones. The clear stones are Creators. The opaque Destroyers. Where will the tale of one born to the Creators with the wrong stone lead?
January 3, 2025
I read about half of the book but couldn’t get myself to finish it. Although the story was somewhat interesting, the dialogue and pacing were so bad it was very distracting. The use of the “Historian� as a non-participatory bystander did not help the book flow. He just appeared out of nowhere, and no one questioned him about his past, despite living there for decades??
May 18, 2018
I hope this came up 5 stars because that's what I rated it!
I really enjoyed this book. It caught me up from the first chapter... and the way he worked in to the main character was really clever. Loved it. Anxious to read the next book!
I really enjoyed this book. It caught me up from the first chapter... and the way he worked in to the main character was really clever. Loved it. Anxious to read the next book!
May 30, 2018
I thought it was a really good book, one that i would read again many times over. The characters are very well done where they each have their own distinct personality. And the story plot was unlike any other that i have read it was very invigorating and has given me new ideas.
November 26, 2023
My Favorite Book
This book is action packed from beginning to end, once you start it is hard to stop. The ending was fantastic, this book has many lessons that if people in real life learn, this world would be much better
This book is action packed from beginning to end, once you start it is hard to stop. The ending was fantastic, this book has many lessons that if people in real life learn, this world would be much better
May 25, 2018
A Good Read
This was a competently crafted story that kept my interest until the end. It was good fantasy that, much like the fables of old, was really a morality tale in disguise.
This was a competently crafted story that kept my interest until the end. It was good fantasy that, much like the fables of old, was really a morality tale in disguise.
October 6, 2018
Lance is a great speaker and inspires the kids to live and write. The story was interesting.
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