The Round Red Stone by Jeff Burton

This tale concerns a lad of twelve, who sets off unwillingly on a journey with his uncle. In the course of his adventures, he obtains a stone, whose ultimate meaning is tied up with the fate of a war between two cities. As commonly happens with boys, he finds himself at the center of the conflict. Can he divine the stone's purpose in time? Even more importantly, can he even hang on to it? The story includes a mystery, long journeys, prisons, adventure, and living out-of-doors. There is also a fairly large battle at the end, with plenty of blood. Death appears throughout. I believe that no one washes his hands at any point in the account, but sometimes my memory is faulty. It takes place long ago, but not in a place you'll find in an atlas. Some may be disappointed in the absence of wizards and dragons. Girls are welcome to listen, but they should be forewarned. Horses are mentioned, but no person develops any meaningful friendship with one. Talking animals, while interesting, do not figure in any way (unless one considers boys between the ages of ten and fourteen to be talking animals). There is absolutely no kissing of any kind. With those cautions in mind, I invite you to listen to The Round Red Stone.