They returned the floor stone to its place, and Owen mixed mortar in a pan, coloring it to match the surrounding mortar. When he was finished, Tyler said, “That’s it? Is it safe?”
Owen smiled at Jagger and said, “Things around here have a way of lasting a very long time.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
While my name appears on the cover, no endeavor like this can be completed without the love and encouragement, the help and advice of family, colleagues, readers, and experts. To name but a few, my deepest thanks to . . .
My family—thank you for constantly supporting my story-telling, even when I’m too lost in it to be much more than the guy roaming around the house mumbling about angels and demons, far off places, and the dilemmas of people who live only in my imagination. Honestly, I couldn’t write a word without you.
Team Nelson—especially my fabulous editors, Amanda Bostic and L.B. Norton, Becky Monds, and Allen Arnold, whose eye for story details I will sorely miss.
My agent, Joel Gotler at Intellectual Property Group. You’re right, life is good.
My beta readers—my wife, Jodi, Melissa Willis, Devin Berglund, John and Sarah Bolin, and Wayne Pinkstaff. Thank you for nudging the story into place.
For helping with the Russian language—Sharon Dupree and Jennifer Rose.
And for their inspiration, friendship, and just plain coolness, my thanks to Larry Hama, Burke Allen, Frank Redman, James Byron Huggins, James Rollins, Steve and Liz Berry, David Morrell, Thomas Perry, Jerry Jenkins, Connie and Dwight Cenac, Paul and Jennifer Turner, the Ruark family, Mark and Mari Nelson, John Fornof, Mike Landon, Tom Manzer, Rel Mollet, Mark Lavallee, Dave Rhoades, Nicole Petrino-Salter, Jake Chism, Joe Cuchiara, Kim, Ben and Matthew Ford, Ted Dekker, Tosca Lee, Kevin Kaiser, Eric Wilson, Steven James, and the Ragged Blue Monkeys.
Soli Deo gloria.
READING GROUP GUIDE
1. In the story, pieces of the first Ten Commandments—the ones Moses broke upon finding the Israelites worshiping a golden calf—allow people to see through the veil that separates our world from the spiritual realm. Throughout history, there have been claims that other religious relics hold special powers, such as invincibility and resurrecting the dead. What are your thoughts about relics holding special powers? Do you believe the claims? If so, why do you think God imbues items with supernatural power?
2. Owen worries that if the world found out about the God Stone’s powers, it could lead to chaos and destruction. What are some ways it could be misused? Do you think proof of a spiritual realm through something like the God Stone would lead to spiritual conversions and changed lives . . . or would most people think it was a trick or discount its significance?
3. One of the themes of The Judgment Stone is that there are beings all around us working for us or against us, and we should be more willing to have faith in things we cannot see. Do you believe this is true? Have you ever experienced a situation that defied logic and drew you closer to an understanding of invisible forces in your life?
4. Did the revelation about Father Leo’s true identity surprise you? Did you notice some things that indicated he was something more than he appeared to be? Why do you think he was undercover at the monastery?
5. Brother Ramón touches the fragment of the God Stone and sees demons around him. What do you think is going on with him? Could he be a man experiencing a crisis of faith . . . or does he have something more sinister going on? Do you think someone like that could have gone undetected in such a place as St. Catherine’s Monastery? Have you ever known anyone who completely deceived you?
6. For you, what is the most significant aspect of The Judgment Stone? What was the most exciting part? The most touching?
7. The Judgment Stone is a complex tale told through multiple points of view and two distinct storylines—Jagger and Owen chasing the Clan, and the Tribe at the monastery. Do you enjoy reading stories structured this way, or would you prefer stories told through the eyes of a single character? What are some of the benefits to a reader of experiencing a story through various characters? What are some drawbacks?
8. Would you like to see the spiritual world with your physical eyes? How would it change you?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert Liparulo has received rave reviews for both his adult novels (The 13th Tribe, Comes a Horseman, Germ, Deadfall, and Deadlock) and the best-selling Dreamhouse Kings series for young adults. He lives in Colorado with his wife and their four children.
Robert Liparulo, Judgment Stone (9781401687359)
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