The Great Stone of Sardis

The Great Stone of Sardis is a short story written by Frank R. Stockton in 1892. It tells the tale of a man who discovers a magical stone that grants him any wish he desires, but with unexpected consequences. The story explores themes of greed, power, and the dangers of unchecked ambition.

By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1891 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy · 25 chapters · 67,242 words

First lines

It was about noon of a day in early summer that a westward-bound Atlantic liner was rapidly nearing the port of New York. Not long before, the old light-house on Montauk Point had been sighted, and the company on board the vessel were animated by the knowledge that in a few hours they would be at the end of their voyage.

What this Textopian page supports

The Great Stone of Sardis is listed on Textopian as a novel by Frank R. Stockton, dated 1891 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: Frank R. Stockton
• Date: 1891 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery
• Length: 67,242 words
• Structure: 25 chapters, 899 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Great Stone of Sardis by Frank R. Stockton
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

• What should a reader notice first when entering The Great Stone of Sardis?
• How does this novel by Frank R. Stockton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Science Fiction first become important in the reading?

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Genres

• Science Fiction — The plot revolves around futuristic technology and exploration.
• Adventure — The story includes elements of exploration and discovery.
• Fantasy — The narrative incorporates fantastical elements and imaginative scenarios.
• Romance — There are underlying romantic subplots within the story.

Tags

adventure · mystery · fantasy · historical · exploration · treasure · ancient · legend · sardis · cultural · mythology · narrative

Contents

• The Arrival of the Euterpe-Thalia
• The Sardis Works
• Margaret Raleigh
• The Mission of Samuel Block
• Under Water
• Voices from the Polar Seas
• Good News Goes from Sardis
• The Devil on the Dipsey
• The Artesian Ray
• "Lake Shiver"
• They Believe it is the Polar Sea
• Captain Hubbell Takes Command
• Longitude Everything
• A Region of Nothingness
• The Automatic Shell
• The Track of the Shell
• Captain Hubbell Declines to Go Whaling
• Mr. Marcy's Canal
• The Icy Gateway
• "that is how I Love you"
• The Cave of Light
• Clewe's Theory
• The Last Dive of the Dipsey
• Rovinski Comes to the Surface
• Laurels

More by Frank R. Stockton

• The Lady, or the Tiger? (1882)
• Old Applejoy's Ghost (1902)
• The Great Staircase at Landover Hall (1902)
• The Magic Egg (1894)
• His Wife's Deceased Sister (1897)
• The Widow's Cruise (1893)
• Captain Eli's Best Ear (1890)
• Love before Breakfast (1896)
• All works by Frank R. Stockton