An absorbing read taking readers into an ancient and mysterious world.

A strong yet gentle authorial voice that relates the truth of Petronius's courageous adventure and search for wisdom in dangerous days. The philosophy is handled sensitively via master Petronicus’s stories and his novice, Petronius’s, part-thoughts. It lingers in the mind.

A heart warming tale of love, devotion and commitment to saving their world. I recommend it. Carol Thistlethwaite, from the field book

The Stones of Petronicus is the first in a series of books, chronicling 'The Petronicus Legacy'.

Expertly penned by Peter Tomlinson, the book tells the compelling story of a young boy's journey into adulthood, and his battles against the evils of an oppressive society.

Early in the story, we meet Petronicus, a travelling healer who rescues an orphaned baby from abandonment, and almost certain death. As the child grows, the two form an impenetrable bond, forged through the great wisdom of Petronicus, and the boy's unwavering loyalty to his guardian.

What follows is a tale of companionship, virtue and deep human integrity; following the pair as they embark on a relentless quest for wisdom.

Tomlinson's gripping dialogue is cleverly interwoven with fantastical imagery and enchanting narrative to produce a thoroughly captivating read. Highly recommended. Biblos - Resident bookworm - Newcastle University Alumni Association magazine issue 10

This is a First Class epic tale. The story is utterly compelling and set in ancient history. The characters really come to life and touch your heart, the imaginary places and distant lands seem so realistic you find yourself wondering where in the world they could be.

Peter Tomlinson certainly has a love of words and a feeling for them as the story just flows so easily full of imagination and knowledge. I have never read anything like it before and could not put the book down, so understandably, I have also recently read the second book in the trilogy `The Time of Kadrick' which is equally brilliant and am very much looking forward to reading the third book 'The Voyages of Delticos' which has just been published.

I can definitely envisage this on the big screen with blockbuster magnitude. Paula Penny

This is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Through his meticulous attention to detail, Peter Tomlinson has created an enthralling and believable read. I cant wait to read the next book in this series. Mala Mason, poet, London

The Stones of Petronicus is an imaginative story full of tension and a real ‘page turner’. Petronicus’s journey with his son, through a fascinating and vivid landscape, holds the reader’s attention to a moving and satisfying end. Joyce Freedman, Australia.

‘The Stones of Petronicus’ is an uplifting and inspiring book. The story of a healer, wise in the ways of herbs and plants, and the novice he trains in the ways of healing and of life, having found the boy abandoned as a baby.
          The tale soon becomes as complex and intriguing as any crime thriller, with the added virtues of a good literary style and amazing characters. In the dark times in which the book is set we meet the good and the evil in men, their fears and hopes, their despairs and aspirations. Cruelty and kindness, hatred and love, oppose each other in the struggle for truth as it may be known.
          The boy Petronius learns wisdom, as well as how to heal, from his Master, by the way of the stories Petronicus tells and the way he makes the boy find the answers to his own questions. The writing flows, carrying the reader to a world of mystery, and obviously springs from a deep and powerful imagination, which should be no surprise, as Peter Tomlinson is a powerful, evocative poet, as well as a great storyteller.
          A compelling book, that leaves the reader longing to be a better person, and with a thirst for more knowledge, and perhaps to acquire some of the wisdom of Petronicus. Kate O’Mayer - poet.

I have just finished reading this most amazing book - The Stones Of Petronicus by Peter Tomlinson.
          Peter’s writing style is charming as well as incredibly intelligent and falling in love with his characters became inevitable. They held me enthralled throughout the story. It is a heart-warming yet harrowing account of ancient man’s quest for knowledge, truth and reason and is woven around a wise healer and his novice. Peter has taken a potentially complicated story and written it with simplicity and beauty. In my humble opinion Peter Tomlinson is an immense talent who deserves a wider audience.
          He tells me he is hoping to get a sequel to his book published in the near future.. I will certainly try to be among the first in the queue to buy it. The Stones of Petronicus is one book that will live in my memory for a very long time. Bradene

'The Stones of Petronicus' is a wonderful story about a man on a journey with a boy. No. Wait… It's a wonderful tale about a boy on a journey to becoming a man. Nope… It's an epic tale about a boy and a man, together on a journey of the utmost importance. Petronicus - a revered healer on his way to becoming a legend. His apprentice, a boy left to die on the walls of a town, on a journey to becoming a man.
          It is a time of faith and superstition, logic and confusion. A time when the simple words of a priest could invoke discord and bloodshed amongst the people.
          It is a time when few knew how to write the words, when few knew how to harness the healing power of nature and a time when few had what was needed within.
          It tells of Gods and of mortals. It deals in power and in betrayal; love and service, honour and dedication. It speaks of death and sacrifice, truths and lies and discards the veil of nostalgia to show how the past could so easily have been altered, were it not for men and boys on epic journeys.
          It is all of these and more!
          What it isn't, is, Hollywood. So if you want hollow, meaningless imagination that offers a once-only-high before being discarded for the next of the current batch of disposable literature, don't read this.
          But if you like epic tales of uplifting proportion, I urge you to not only buy this, but to lend it to your Grandma & Granddad when you've finished. Ian Deal - Editor, Partners.

This book has a way of setting your mind back to young puppy days, it’s like listening to oneself, one is growing up, starting the think training, one is afraid, one is rather silly, tripping up in one’s own feet, looking around for something or someone to emulate and stop the guess footwork one is involved day and night.
          It is a very good book for kids to look at themselves in three dimensions, or rather four; move on from the virtual world of Pc games and electronic stuff to a universe of personal competence, guts building and discoveries of relevance for the young and adult human he is going to be.
          A book of reassurance for the more pickled middle age cynicism giving a bloody good hiding to all ideas that we cannot be … say … better, bigger, winners, MORE; at any time, any age, any place. It works with hand tools creating the ultimate technology, the technology of the mind, the mind working out futures and dreams of any size, yet it remains firmly rooted on the best traditions of down to earth democratic intransigence, liberty and personal freedom built by legitimate ethics and sheer strength of character.
          This is a unique and brave book written despite all hostility and opinion from the dictators of ‘taste’ and ‘style’, THE STONES OF PETRONICUS deserves a very fast entrance into the main stream literature. Gaston Hidalgo Campusano April 2005

It is indeed a first-class novel, combining a gripping story-line with those gems of wisdom which make Petronicus such a special character in these difficult times. He''s worth his weight in gold. I wish the novel the success it so thoroughly deserves. Pamela Constantine

I couldn’t decide if it were be fair to draw comparisons to Peter Tomlison’s tale with our modern times, but as a reader I couldn’t help but do so. The themes of innocence lost might be too familiar to us, but “Stones of Petronicus” prevails in presenting it in a completely new “thobe”, as we say here in the Mid-East. Engaging, touching and emotionally charged, the story of a young boy and his fascinating journey to self-realization and knowledge is a revelation in many sense of the word. When its father is hanged in public for petty theft, the little unwanted baby is left out in the open and under the scorching son to die. But it is saved by Petronicus one of the very wisest and finest of Healers to ever exist. He embraces the unwanted child as his own and takes it upon himself to teach him as his apprentice, handing down his great wisdom and miraculous healing skills to the young boy as he grows older in his care. But things go drastically wrong when the Gods suddenly “turn up” on the shores of Bedosa, the birth town of the boy, and the place where his father was hanged. The innocent, beautiful world that the child was raised in is violently taken away in a blink of an eye and things derail into madness! The struggle between wisdom and evil ensues and with it unfolds a remarkable, dangerous adventure and a story of light and darkness, friendship, love, loyalty and wisdom, good and evil. The relationship between Petronicus and his adopted son is saturated with emotion, passion and love and the reader is left helplessly falling in love with these characters, caring for them greatly as they go through the many horrors and dangers. Tomlison’s ability as a writer, as well as his imaginative vision, is undoubtedly special. His use of words and his structure of sentences are both intriguing and intelligent, making this story a far more stimulating read than any similarly-tuned book. The language he employs is of the highest standards and could on its own hold the story strongly. To me, this was one of the most philosophically challenging, thrilling books I’ve read. The reader will find himself shaking his head in agreement at the wise thoughts viewed explicitly through it and shriek at the horrors, and will come out of it, dare I say, a better person. Ali Al Saeed

Merseyside-born Peter Tomlinson has ever evinced a remarkable talent for storytelling. Over the years, many published short-stories have displayed exceptional insight and convincing didactic appeal. Peter is also well known in the poetry world.
          Peter Tomlinson’s first published novel transports us to the shadowy, often fearsome world of the Dark Ages; to a land where superstition and amorality largely prevail, and where people, in general, are helplessly subservient to a powerful ruling caste of priests, who perpetrate all manner of injustice, evil and corruption in their apparent service to those supposed Gods that they so adamantly purport to worship. Counterbalanced against such infamy, we find a virtuous, well-organised cult of high-minded scribes, learned men who combine wisdom of the written word with prayer and healing techniques; this they practice throughout widespread communities of town and smaller village settlements. Thus, we have here a well-conceived background to a gripping ongoing struggle between Good and Evil, in the colourful emerging narrative that subsequently unfolds.
          Central to the dominant theme, the lives, interdependence and perils of wise old scribe Petronicus and his young novice (and adopted son) Petronius, faithfully play their part. This, then, is a story set in an age long before our recorded times; it is a story of human integrity, personal dedication and a relentless quest for wisdom, as the author unfolds a detailed progression of events with such brilliant mastery of portrayal. It was, I must confess, with some trepidation that I had initially decided to tackle this delightful novel but, quite honestly, I found myself unable to put Peter’s book down. Highly recommended. Bernard M. Jackson

I have just finished reading this book and it truly delighted me…I was enthralled.
          It was an amazing tale that engrossed me completely and I loved the main characters of the wise elder and the child/youth. Of course at a deeper level it’s a complex tale of life and growing up and growing old, of love, understanding, of overcoming fear and prejudice, of good triumphing over evil and much, much more. Each chapter contained timeless words of wisdom. I loved the idea of Petronicus and Petronius being healers and gathering herbs and plants for healing and making potions, this appealed to me personally and the words used at times were quite magical, the different names for all the lands, and explanations of the sky and moons and stars. I just loved it all. It was at times a very moving and emotional read and at one point I had tears streaming down my face. The language, the writing…everything just flowed…it was perfect. I was sad to reach the end as I had grown to care so much for the characters. Wonderful stuff, a mesmerising and entertaining read full of wisdom. Eileen Carney Hulme

Author Peter Tomlinson takes the reader through another time - often tender, often enlightening, immensely enjoyable. Idris Caffrey - Poet in Residence at Look Out Magazine.

Peter Tomlinson is well known to me as a poet, but The Stones of Petronicus is my first introduction to his natural, easy way with words as a novelist. This is an unusual tale, unusually told – the quiet, assured voice that is synonymous with Tomlinson drawing us slowly but surely into a strange world of ancient history quite as intriguing as that uncovered by real-life historians. There is an Ishiguro quality in the writing – nothing is over-stated or ‘in your face’. We become intrinsically involved in the simple yet deeply meaningful lives of Petronicus and his adopted son and in the fascinating implication of ‘other worlds’ and of language (its roots and development) introduced by the towering figure of Zilk. Look back when you reach the last page and consider with pleasure the aptness of the book’s title. Carolyn King

Reviewing the second of a three book series is not always easy. Perhaps the potential buyer and reader of this review hasn't read the first in the series, The Stones of Petronicus, which received great acclaim from its readers and from reviewers, including my humble self who thought it to be a masterpiece of our time. Where Peter Tomlinson's character, Petronicus relates to the history of his times and to the fatherless child he befriends, the readers relate to the philosophy that the author skilfully weaves for his hero as he grows in manhood.
          Why such a long introduction before anything is mentioned about The Time of Kadrik? Simply this: The Petronicus Legacy is a series of journeys where wise words can be gathered from the ancients and harvested in today's world. In The Time of Kadrik, author, Peter Tomlinson writes of courage in a unique style that leads the reader through this amazing adventure where the land is in serious decline or as the author puts it in its death throes. I'm sure every reader will relate to every word as they look at the world around us. And maybe, just maybe in Tomlinson's powerful story there are also some answers for the so called world leaders of today.
          The Time of Kadrik is a novel that is self contained, (a complete story) and instead of brackets I would like to have put a hook before and after a complete story. If the reader should read The Time of Kadrik first. They will then want to read Book 1, The Stones of Petronicus and the forthcoming Book 3, The Voyages of Delticos. Then no doubt like myself, and other fans of the relatively undiscovered Peter Tomlinson, they will wonder why hasn't someone picked up this amazing saga and made the three books into films or a series for television. Where some unknown actor can received the acclaim for Kadrik, that David Carradine did as Caine (Grass Hopper) in Kung Fu. And, I will be satisfied that a writer known personally to me as earned the just rewards for his original storytelling. Les Merton

Surely the time has come! The time, that is, for the world to discover the great talent and imagination in its midst, that is the author of this latest work - Peter Tomlinson! This, 'The Time of Kadrik', being the second in the series of 'The Petronicus Legacy' is a book and a story that stands alone on its own merits. It is a gentle whirlwind of a book, at once civilized and barbaric, panoramic yet personal. Yes, it is a great morality tale and an indictment on our times too, and please excuse what some may consider just oxymoronic hyperbole, but I do not believe in pussyfooting about with the truth.
          The 'truth' of this book is one that no reader can fail to appreciate - if you can read - then this is something you will understand! My words, I believe, are well and wisely chosen, as much as they can be, for there are very few words, phrases or tropes, of any kind, sufficient to give adequate praise for such a masterful work of fiction as 'The Time of Kadrik'!
          Peter Tomlinson is a Master Craftsman of the imagination and of the soul. I say this as I find that so very deep feeling of spirit and that great warmth for Humanity that shines through so much of Peter's work. This is equally true for Peter's poetry, which I would also eagerly recommend to anyone. There are true words of wisdom to be found in these pages.
          As the journey and the story unfolds, then so do you, in your mutual feelings and longings as a Human Being, for you also are on your own life's journey and so discovering the miseries and the joys of the Human condition! This book is a Masterpiece, simple as that - and as a wise man once said … Steve Langley, Poet

Following on from the first book `The Stones of Petronicus', this book 'The Time of Kadrik' is a truly inspirational read. I couldn't put the book down. It's a brilliantly written book that transports you back through time to a primitive world that's long been forgotten and opens your eyes and heart to the wonderful characters involved. Avidly awaiting the third book in the trilogy - The Voyages of Delticos. Paula Charman

This is an absolutely marvellous 1st class, brilliant and wise book. It has the intelligence applied by the mind of an individual who relies on no technology, no tools, no device, no gimmicks, no tricks, no written rules, no artificially created means of any kind whatsoever; it is pure undiluted personal input, an ingenious and clever weaving of the English language into a perfect, impossible to miss: Work of Art. Kadrik is a big show of the power an individual can muster to create. The author did not even need to have a usable body. As it is done; he could have dictated the book. He had no need of anything but his pure and wonderful understanding of mankind and his talent to produce it. Gaston Hidalgo Compusano, Poet

Those who enjoyed Peter Tomlinson's "The Stones of Petronicus" will be equally charmed and engrossed in Book 2 of the trilogy - "The Time of Kadrik" - in which the title character involves the reader in his life story just as Petronius/Petronicus did in the first novel. And, although there is a fascinating link between the stories, this new book can be read and enjoyed just as pleasurably by those who have not previously encounted Tomlinson's characters and quietly enigmatic style of writing. This is not a roller-coaster ride - but a thoughtful, compassionate and intriguing read, full of understated excitement which rises assuredly to a revelational conclusion. How long can Peter Tomlinson go on unwinding this legendary tale? - How long is a ball of string? Carolyn King

A magical, mystical book, full of thought and ideas, but also a book of great adventures, both in a mental and physical sense. A difficult combination, this balancing of the adventures of the mind and of the body, but Peter Tomlinson has pulled it off. The reader is immersed deeply in the thoughts of Kadrik and the scribes, then pulled suddenly into some great happening or struggle, fighting or treachery. Kadrik is a young, seeking boy who wants to know the truth of life, not fully believing what the older scribes tell him about the Hidden Ones, and the history of his people. As he matures, he finds his own way to the truth, he makes a perilous journey to discover there is a world beyond, where he finds knowledge of healing to take back to the Middle World, and has his ideas confirmed about his ancestor, revealed to him so far only by marks on ancient, broken tablets. All the characters are clearly depicted, with their own ways and motives, many clinging to the legends of the past, the more enlightened encouraging Kadrik in his search for new knowledge. His wife Halsa and his Mother are particularly well delineated, as caring and resolute women who often guide their menfolk into what they should do without the men even being aware of it. All the families, aiding each other in times of hardship and surviving by simple ways and ordinary means, contribute to this vast canvas, which could well be a morality tale for today, as much as for the time in which the book is set. You will enjoy this book, according to your nature,either as a deep searching into the purpose of mankind, or as a brilliant, action filled story. Either way, Peter Tomlinson's writing fully engages our attention again, a second triumph. Kate Edwards

The Time of Kadrik is the second novel in the series The Petronicus Legacy by author Peter Tomlinson. From the opening page it is easy to immediately take the character, Kadrik, into your heart. Once again the magical pen of Tomlinson takes us on a journey that touches our deepest souls as we share the adventures of Kadrik as he seeks to find truths and uncover the secrets of the past. Like his previous novel, this sequel is an absolute delight to read, the language and story telling flows in the most satisfying manner with so many intricate twists and turns, and by the end there is only one thought in the mind of the reader … when will the next book be available? I heartily congratulate Peter Tomlinson on a superb sequel to The Stones of Petronicus and for those who begin with The Time of Kadrik you will immediately wish to obtain a copy of the first book, to unravel the threads that bind them together and to share the unforgettable journeys of these wonderful characters. Eileen Carney Hulme, Poet

THE TIME OF KADRIK (Book 2 of The Petronicus Legacy) No doubt like myself and other fans of Peter Tomlinson; those who read this book will wonder why someone hasn't picked up this amazing saga for films or a television series. Les Merton, Editor. Bardhonyeth Kernow/Poetry Cornwal, 2007

Peter Tomlinson has written a powerful, moving, and sometimes disturbing book. Disturbing in that it leads one to question ones own ideas and taken for granted beliefs as the author takes his characters on a journey of discovery during which they learn that questions can be more important than the answers.

A storm tossed, perilous journey across the ocean takes Kadrik and Bantius to the Land of the Faraway people. Kadrik is seeking the wisdom that will help him to save his own people from pestilence, famine, and the marauders who break up their homes and settlements. Delticos, a healer, shows him how to treat wounds, and teaches him about plants with healing powers to cure illness, while gently leading him to doubt the wrong thinking and myths that have taken hold amongst his own people. As well as learning how to heal the body, Kadrik also becomes aware of ways to heal the mind and soul.

Delticos sails back with them to their own land, where amidst the prevailing chaos the three men endeavour to restore calmer, happier times. As they meet with old friends and old enemies the tension builds rapidly, their exploits and journeys taking them to the Great Cave where the tablets of Zilk are concealed. The truth lies there, stronger than the falsities and myths of later scribes.

This story can be enjoyed as a tale of heroic adventures, as Kadrik travels across his land and Delticos sails to and fro across the ocean, but the underlying philosophy, summed up in the aphorisms at the end of the book, is valuable and impressive. If you have not already read the other two books in the trilogy 'The Petronicus Legacy' you will surely wish to repair that omission. Kate Edwards - Poet.

Peter Tomlinson is a wonderful storyteller. In this the third book in The Petronicus Legacy we are once again transported to a world where good seeks to triumph over evil on a journey with characters who find their way into our hearts and minds.
     We are re-united with our favourites and introduced to new ones and with breath held we become travelling companions experiencing the highs, lows, fears, doubts, misery and ultimate joy of a time of learning, listening and understanding.
     We visit magically named places such as The Land of the Faraway People, The Mountain of the Year, The Settlement of the Jagged Rock and we learn about truth, wisdom and healing while we touch hands and gather mindseeings.
     As ever Tomlinson's language and story is beautifully driven and leads us from darkness into light with a huge sigh of satisfaction, perfect. Eileen Carney Hulme

Wherever power exists it will be abused; this is not a statement about the nature of power but about the nature of Man." These are the words of the hero Petronicus as written on the tablets of wisdom read by Delticos and discussed with the former outcast Bantius.

Four characters travel to an ancient land to learn the art of healing sickness that is devastating their homeland. But what Delticos, Kadrik, Bantius and the Man Half Man learn and experience will arm them with something infinitely wiser than natural healing techniques.

So begins the tale of these heroes who come armed to this strange but peaceful land. Welcomed by the Revered One and later by the natives, they learn what it is that causes dissension; and the answer is not power through money or weapons. The answer will leave you the reader astonished and reflective for quite some time.

As they study and listen, they learn that their questions will always continue and their answers will come from a still center to which they listen.

Lest you think this is only a collection of wise sayings, know that this novel is packed full of tense adventure and conflict, together with the ancient stories told about tyranny, secrets, distortions and crippling superstition.

The Voyage of Delticos is a fine adventurous novel with a perfect balance of action and epic wisdom that closes the Petronicus Legacy series.

Nicely done, Peter Tomlinson! A rousing good tale with plenty to appreciate even after the reading is finished! Viviane Crystal

Peter Tomlinson writes with a gentle low-key style ... his characters are more interested in personal growth than in redeeming their homeland. In spite of the low-key writing, the characters are engaging and well developed. The thesis that individuals must be prepared to constantly question their beliefs is presented in a way that moves the story forward.

Tomlinson’s book is that rarest of creatures, the story that has a moral, yet does not feel like I am being preached to. I would be interested in reading the first two books of the trilogy to fill in the gaps in the story. Alex McGilvery, Armchair Interviews

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