What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bone Maker
Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. But victory came at a tragic price. Only four of the heroes survived.
Since then, Kreya, the group’s leader, has exiled herself to a remote tower and devoted herself to one purpose: resurrecting her dead husband. But such a task requires both a cache of human bones and a sacrifice—for each day he lives, she will live one less.
She’d rather live one year with her husband than a hundred without him, but using human bones for magic is illegal in Vos. The dead are burned—as are any bone workers who violate the law. Yet Kreya knows where she can find the bones she needs: the battlefield where her husband and countless others lost their lives.
But defying the laws of the land exposes a terrible possibility. Maybe the dead don’t rest in peace after all.
Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, “the end.”
Since then, Kreya, the group’s leader, has exiled herself to a remote tower and devoted herself to one purpose: resurrecting her dead husband. But such a task requires both a cache of human bones and a sacrifice—for each day he lives, she will live one less.
She’d rather live one year with her husband than a hundred without him, but using human bones for magic is illegal in Vos. The dead are burned—as are any bone workers who violate the law. Yet Kreya knows where she can find the bones she needs: the battlefield where her husband and countless others lost their lives.
But defying the laws of the land exposes a terrible possibility. Maybe the dead don’t rest in peace after all.
Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, “the end.”
478 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 2021
About the author
Sarah Beth Durst
38 books3,404 followersSarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 653 reviews
November 12, 2021
"Do you trust me?"
"I know you want me to say 'with my life,' but in the interest of complete honesty, I'm going to have to go with 'sometimes.'"
As with every other book I've read by Durst, I had such a fun time reading The Bone Maker. I'm going to say right here that I don't feel this book is quite as dark in tone as the cover might have you think. Some of the themes it touches upon are dark - death, war, PTSD, etc. - but the tone was reminiscent of late 2000s urban fantasy. It's a fast-paced, highly-readable story with memorable characters, and the banter between them was one of the main highlights of the novel.
I found this similar in concept to Roth's Chosen Ones, but I enjoyed this one much more. Years after a band of heroes defeated the bad guy, they are now older and jaded, living with PTSD, still nursing dead-ish loved ones, or else seeking out a simpler happy life. This is about the "after", when the young heroes who saved the world have grown up and need to live with the trauma of everything they've been through. And also what happens when it looks like old foes might be stirring once again.
As the blurb says: "Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, 'the end.'"
That's not all though. I have loved every place Durst's imagination has taken me so far, and this one was no exception. This world, with its bone magic, bone makers, and bone readers, many of whom stoop to stealing from corpses to perform the magic they need, is absolutely enthralling. And I found the magic system here really creative.
But, more than anything, I fell for the characters. The dynamic between Kreya and Zera-- two old friends who have grown apart --is just hilarious. Then we have Marso, Stran and Jennt, each of whom have gone down different paths since they won the war, some weirder than others, but each one carved themselves a place in my heart.
Six out of six for Ms Durst. I'm wondering if I should check out some of her earlier stuff...
April 19, 2024
Twenty-five years ago, the five heroes of Vos waged an epic battle against an evil magician, Eklor. Although the heroes won, only four lived to tell the tale.
Now the stuff of legends, the battle was memorialized in songs and stories, but the ones who fought it went their separate ways when it was over.
Kreya, the group's leader, lost her husband, Jennt, tragically in the battle. Saving his body, she has moved the two of them into a tower in the mountains, far from other people.
Kreya is a bone worker and continuously resurrects Jennt for short periods of time. She is busy formulating a spell she believes will bring him back for good, but it requires copious amounts of human bones to work. A resource she doesn't currently have.
She knows where to find all she will need, however; the old battlefield. It's illegal though and will be dangerous as heck. She's going to need help.
Thus, she goes to her old friend and fellow fighter, Zera. Even though Kreya ghosted her for 25-years, Zera is a good sport and agrees to go on the mission.
Reunited, the two women, embark on a cross-country quest to steal some bones; all for a good cause.
Once on the battlefield, however, they discover the fight might not actually be over.
Kreya and Zera stumble upon evidence that indicates Eklor's reign of terror may be resurrecting itself.
Eklor had created an inhuman army from animal bones. It was believed all had been destroyed, but they find a few of his horrifying constructs still functioning and still murderous. They rush back to the city, assemble the old crew, and prepare for round two!
The Bone Maker is a story of second chances. It is creative, pulse-pounding, nail-biting, full of danger and twists and turns. I had a lot of fun with this story.
The characters were fantastic. I loved the five heroes. Their relationship dynamic was heart-warming. They supported one another and played off of each other's strengths and weaknesses beautifully.
Even though they had moved on, and some would consider them past their prime, they were still willing to put it all on the line for one another and to fight for what was right.
Eklor was a marvelously constructed villain. His motivations, powers, abilities to deceive; it was all so well done. I also enjoyed how Durst framed Kreya's relationship with Eklor. They were similar in a lot of ways. It sort of reminded me a bit of the dynamic between Harry and Voldemort.
Additionally, I was impressed by the magic system. The bone magic was fascinating. The different types of bone workers and what powers they could wield.
Certain aspects had a sort of steampunk feel that I rather enjoyed. So, yeah, overall, really good standalone Adult Fantasy. I would absolutely recommend it.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Harper Voyager, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I really appreciate it and will definitely be picking up more from Sarah Beth Durst!
Now the stuff of legends, the battle was memorialized in songs and stories, but the ones who fought it went their separate ways when it was over.
Kreya, the group's leader, lost her husband, Jennt, tragically in the battle. Saving his body, she has moved the two of them into a tower in the mountains, far from other people.
Kreya is a bone worker and continuously resurrects Jennt for short periods of time. She is busy formulating a spell she believes will bring him back for good, but it requires copious amounts of human bones to work. A resource she doesn't currently have.
She knows where to find all she will need, however; the old battlefield. It's illegal though and will be dangerous as heck. She's going to need help.
Thus, she goes to her old friend and fellow fighter, Zera. Even though Kreya ghosted her for 25-years, Zera is a good sport and agrees to go on the mission.
Reunited, the two women, embark on a cross-country quest to steal some bones; all for a good cause.
Once on the battlefield, however, they discover the fight might not actually be over.
Kreya and Zera stumble upon evidence that indicates Eklor's reign of terror may be resurrecting itself.
Eklor had created an inhuman army from animal bones. It was believed all had been destroyed, but they find a few of his horrifying constructs still functioning and still murderous. They rush back to the city, assemble the old crew, and prepare for round two!
The Bone Maker is a story of second chances. It is creative, pulse-pounding, nail-biting, full of danger and twists and turns. I had a lot of fun with this story.
The characters were fantastic. I loved the five heroes. Their relationship dynamic was heart-warming. They supported one another and played off of each other's strengths and weaknesses beautifully.
Even though they had moved on, and some would consider them past their prime, they were still willing to put it all on the line for one another and to fight for what was right.
Eklor was a marvelously constructed villain. His motivations, powers, abilities to deceive; it was all so well done. I also enjoyed how Durst framed Kreya's relationship with Eklor. They were similar in a lot of ways. It sort of reminded me a bit of the dynamic between Harry and Voldemort.
Additionally, I was impressed by the magic system. The bone magic was fascinating. The different types of bone workers and what powers they could wield.
Certain aspects had a sort of steampunk feel that I rather enjoyed. So, yeah, overall, really good standalone Adult Fantasy. I would absolutely recommend it.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Harper Voyager, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I really appreciate it and will definitely be picking up more from Sarah Beth Durst!
March 18, 2021
✨ (too long, oops) review now posted!! ✨
I've written so many notes and most of them seem petty and useless now but first of all, I have one thing I want to say before my review goes all over the place (sorry) : you should be wary of your expectations, because for some reason*** I was convinced that I'd find a dark fantasy novel, and dark fantasy novel it is not. Had I known what I'd find, it wouldn't have taken me so much time to come to peace with what The Bone Maker is offering and above all, I would have savored its undeniable strengths more. Indeed while The Bone Maker deals with bones and necromancers, grief and revenge, after the first scenes its tone doesn't match what we've (I've?) come to associate with dark fantasy novels. And I mean, that's valid! But I am a woman of habit, and I rarely like surprises, except wait, no, that's not true: it's not that I don't like surprises as a whole, it's that I resent being faced with one and I definitely need time to apprehend the new frame of reference I'm hurled into, to adjust (yes, I'm so melodramatic, I do know). But in the end, I want to think that I can see things clearly.
What I see here is: I had so much fun. It is dark however, just not in the all-good-is-doomed regular way. It is dark, but in such a mundane way that it hides in a corner of our eye at first, its motion camouflaged in the peripheral visual field of our expectations until it hits us with the knowledge that oh, damn, we care, don't we?
But, what The Bone Maker is really about, you ask? Once upon a time there were five heroes who defeated the bone maker Eklor, a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. They saved the world. Hurrah, et cetera. But, as it's often the case, one of them died. And, you see, when we read fantasy novels we foresee great battles and sacrifices, so really, nothing in the last sentences should surprise you. That's not what this book is about however. No. This book deals with the aftermaths, when all is good in the world except, you know, that's not true. Kreya's husband died on the battlefield 25 years ago. So, he's dead. Except - sometimes he isn't. Sometimes, driven by despair and love, Kreya transgresses the biggest taboo of the bone maker guild : she uses human bones to give him a few hours of life. Until one day she can't fight alone anymore, and has to ask her former friends for help. Her friends she broke ties with 25 years ago, so, yeah: awkward. With her group of friends, Kreya must accept the past, and survive the new threats they'll face.
Now she couldn't help but look at everyone and wonder what loss they were hiding. All of it - all the rushing, all the shouting - felt tinged with frenetic desperation.
Or maybe it's just me, Kreya thought.
The story was fast-paced, and I'll argue that it was too fast-paced at times in my opinion. I was never bored, but for the longest time, I wished the author would have included bubbles of peace for me to have the time to gather my thoughts and get attached to the characters. I was so afraid I wouldn't. I did get my bearings in the end, and I came to care deeply for them, so perhaps it's for the best but I can't help but feel that The Bone Maker would have been a favorite if it had happened earlier. For so long I felt as if the Bone Maker didn't know what it was supposed to be, which confused the fuck out of me. At times it relied on grim foreboding and suddenly one character (Zera, I blame Zera) would joke around and I'd deflate. When it changed though - when I finally recognized and appreciated what this book had to offer, I loved it. Truly. It was just - so intensely readable, and the 496 pages flew by. Most of all though, I'm so glad I got to know Kreya's friends.
"Some of us are better at hiding it than others, but we are all broken. You can't live without breaking a few things. But that doesn't mean that's a bad thing. It just means you've lived in the world."
Because these former heroes? Well. They all have PTSD, for starters, and their sense of self preservation is so ridiculously tiny, I can't even. They joke around at the most inappropriate times and frustrated me to no ends way too often. God, they really are disasters waiting to happen. How did they dare carving a path into my heart? Disgusting. First there's Zera, whose introduction coincides with the change of tone I've mentioned earlier, and it took me a while to appreciate her. I kinda hated her at the beginning, because characters designed as comic reliefs stress me the fuck out. But I should have known better. She's so much more and I wouldn't trade her for a grimer character. Then there's Marso, who gave up on himself and doesn't want to be saved. Stran, whose days on the battlefield are behind him and who would rather take care of his farm and his family, thank you very much. And Jennt, former thief extraordinaire, well. He's dead sometimes, so. Saving the world again is out of question, except maybe they won't have a choice in the matter (but they'll whine all the way). The dynamics of this found family threw me off balance, and were not what I expected at all. Somewhere along the way however, the most baffling thing happened : I welcomed these fools into my heart, and never let go.
"Do you trust me?"
"I know you want me to say 'with my life,' but in the interest of complete honesty, I'm going to have to go with 'sometimes.'"
Finally, the magic system was inventive and the climax amazing. I loved everything about it and I wouldn't have changed a thing.
Last thing I want to mention: I've read a few reviews that stated that The Bone Maker felt like Young Adult, and I'm a bit annoyed. Even though I respect everyone's opinion, that's a declaration I'm very wary of making, because it's flung so often when adult fantasy novels written by women are concerned. I, for one, don't agree with it: as I said, this novel isn't dark fantasy in my opinion, but come on! Would you say that Terry Pratchett's novels are Young Adult? No? So what is it, really? Is it because the main character is a woman? A middle-aged woman, at that? I don't know, but I think that we shouldn't dismiss adult fantasy novels on the grounds that they're not grimdark. Grimdark novels are so sexist most of the time anyway, so. I rest my case.
I'll leave you with a few words from Sarah Beth Durst, because they really resonated with me, and I wish I'd have read them before starting:
We all know how the stories go:
Someone saves the say. The end.
Someone rides off into the sunset. The end.
Someone kisses the love of their life. The end.
But our stories - our real stories - don't end after a Great Moment. We keep living, day after day, until our last day. And sometimes our story doesn't go the way we thought it would, for better or for worse. Sometimes it's terrifying how much of our future is unknown and out of control. We never know how much time we will have or if we've made the right choices on the way. That's why I wrote The Bone Maker.
This book is about life after "the end." It's about second chances.
I'm saying to you, "Keep living your story."
CW - death, violence, PTSD
*** I said at first that it was marketed this way, but after reinspection, it seems that the early reviews I've read + the cover + the blurb threw me off.
It would mean the world to me if you'd visit my new blog!
March 30, 2021
The concept behind this book is amazing. The execution failed me. I wanted more from this book than I got. I kept waiting for that moment when I fell in love with the story and the character, but it never came.
When I started this book, I was sure that I was going to like it. Right from chapter one, I felt this had the potential to be a five-star book. But, that's because it started interestingly and fast-paced.
There are three types of bone magic users in the novel, bone seers who see the future using bones, bone wizards who create bone talismans imbued with power, and bone makers. The main character, Kreya, is a bone maker who uses the power of bones to animate machines and inanimate objects and have them function to her will. Until she breaks the law and steals human bones to bring her husband's corpse back to life. Her husband, Jentt, had died 25 years prior in a war to defeat the evil bone maker Eklor, the very man who had created the forbidden resurrection spell.
After doing everything in her power and getting the help of an old friend to bring back Jentt, Kreya discovers that Eklor too is resurrected, and she needs her old team to save the world one more time.
Sounds cool right?
Too bad the story was pretty 'meh' from then on.
The stakes in this book were high. An evil magic user with an army of bone-powered automatons was on the verge of destroying their entire society. And yet, the characters spend most of the book chilling in the city and sitting around talking. I never felt the threat or urgency. Even as the villain was constantly looming over them, an ever-present reminder of his power and previous wrongdoings, there was no tension or anticipation of what was to come. Even though I knew of the danger and impending doom, I never felt it.
Then there were the characters. They were all complex and dealing with their traumas for the past 25 years since the bone war. The book is written in the third person and occasionally switched points of view to other characters, most of who I liked more than Kreya. It's not that I didn't like the main character, but I never felt a connection to her. She was just sort of there, you know. I would have loved to know more about the group's bone seer, Marso, who was constantly on the verge of losing his mind from the visions he'd seen. I would also have liked to see more of Jentt and his experiences with dying and coming back to life all those times. I just wanted to care more about the characters, and I didn't.
All of that said, this book wasn't bad. While I didn't love the pacing, I was interested in the story and seeing where it would go. I'm giving this book two stars because on Goodreads, two stars translate to it was ok, and it was. The book was 'ok'. Nothing more, nothing less. I would still probably recommend this book to people that don't mind slower fantasy novels.
**I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
Follow Me Here Too: My Blog || Twitter || Bloglovin' || Instagram || Tumblr || Pinterest
When I started this book, I was sure that I was going to like it. Right from chapter one, I felt this had the potential to be a five-star book. But, that's because it started interestingly and fast-paced.
There are three types of bone magic users in the novel, bone seers who see the future using bones, bone wizards who create bone talismans imbued with power, and bone makers. The main character, Kreya, is a bone maker who uses the power of bones to animate machines and inanimate objects and have them function to her will. Until she breaks the law and steals human bones to bring her husband's corpse back to life. Her husband, Jentt, had died 25 years prior in a war to defeat the evil bone maker Eklor, the very man who had created the forbidden resurrection spell.
After doing everything in her power and getting the help of an old friend to bring back Jentt, Kreya discovers that Eklor too is resurrected, and she needs her old team to save the world one more time.
Sounds cool right?
Too bad the story was pretty 'meh' from then on.
The stakes in this book were high. An evil magic user with an army of bone-powered automatons was on the verge of destroying their entire society. And yet, the characters spend most of the book chilling in the city and sitting around talking. I never felt the threat or urgency. Even as the villain was constantly looming over them, an ever-present reminder of his power and previous wrongdoings, there was no tension or anticipation of what was to come. Even though I knew of the danger and impending doom, I never felt it.
Then there were the characters. They were all complex and dealing with their traumas for the past 25 years since the bone war. The book is written in the third person and occasionally switched points of view to other characters, most of who I liked more than Kreya. It's not that I didn't like the main character, but I never felt a connection to her. She was just sort of there, you know. I would have loved to know more about the group's bone seer, Marso, who was constantly on the verge of losing his mind from the visions he'd seen. I would also have liked to see more of Jentt and his experiences with dying and coming back to life all those times. I just wanted to care more about the characters, and I didn't.
All of that said, this book wasn't bad. While I didn't love the pacing, I was interested in the story and seeing where it would go. I'm giving this book two stars because on Goodreads, two stars translate to it was ok, and it was. The book was 'ok'. Nothing more, nothing less. I would still probably recommend this book to people that don't mind slower fantasy novels.
**I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
Follow Me Here Too: My Blog || Twitter || Bloglovin' || Instagram || Tumblr || Pinterest
February 23, 2021
4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/02/23/...
The Bone Maker is the sort of book you don’t see too often, in that it features an “aftermath” story. That is, the battle of epic proportions has already happened. The good guys prevailed, while the evil villain was vanquished forever. Everyone rejoiced and went home happy.
Or did they? Twenty-five years ago, a renegade bone maker named Eklor used his corrupted magic to raise an army of monsters against the realm. Five heroes, led by their leader Kreya, managed to defeat him but at a great cost. Only four of them came out alive, and the fallen was none other than Kreya’s beloved husband Jentt. As the rest of the world celebrated the survivors, celebrated their victory, Kreya retreated into solitude with her grief.
But what no one knew was that Kreya had a plan, one that could destroy her if she was discovered. For Jentt’s body had not been burned according to tradition, which was designed to prevent human bones from being collected and worked by magic. Any bone maker caught doing so would be committing the highest crime of their order, but that was exactly what Kreya had in mind. Before his death, Eklor had developed a method using human bone to resurrect the dead, and unbeknownst to all, Kreya had stolen away his grimoire and perfected the spell. All this time, she had kept Jentt’s body with the goal of one day bringing him back to life.
Still, human bones being so difficult to come by, she had never been truly successful, bringing him back for only days at a time. For the spell to last, she will need a large store of bones, and there is only one like that in existence—the very battlefield where Eklor was defeated all those years before. Problem was, getting there will be dangerous, not to mention an unforgivable violation of the law. For her to have any chance to succeed, Kreya will need help. But after so long, will any of her old comrades still heed her call, especially once they find out what she’s been up to?
Not too many authors can pull off a story like this, but I was confident that if anyone could, it would be Sarah Beth Durst. I’ve been a huge fan since The Queen of Blood, and once again she has shown me why I adore her work. One of the reasons why The Bone Maker works so well is its concept. Sure, the beginning of the book may have a “postscript” feel of sorts, but once readers are introduced to Kreya and her current dilemma, we are quickly made to care about her new purpose. For even though the great battle against Eklor happened a quarter of a century ago, the tale unfolding now is a more personal one. After all, we don’t often get stories about what the heroes get up to after the final showdown, but Durst explores a possible outcome that is not so glorious, where the winners don’t all get to live happily ever after.
Another reason why I think this story has legs is the way it flowed, almost like a great season of a TV show, in an episodic fashion. Once a conflict was resolved, another one would swiftly arise and continue the momentum of the plot. Past and present ultimately came together, filling in the gaps of the last twenty-five years and beyond, including world-building details and specifics related to the fascinating bone-based magic system. Gradually, it was revealed that maybe things hadn’t ended the way our heroes thought at all.
Of course, I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the characters. A middle-aged widow, Kreya isn’t your exactly your typical epic fantasy heroine, though writing unconventional albeit ferociously strong and well-developed female protagonists happens to be Durst’s forte. Case in point, I didn’t always agree with Kreya’s motivations and actions, but I could understand where they came from, thanks to the incredible layers of nuance woven into her character. Along the way, we also got to meet her old team, in a process that was very reminiscent of Kings of the Wyld. While each member had moved on, achieving various levels of success and stability (or lack thereof), all of them were affected by the war in some way. As far as “old gang getting back together” stories go, this one wasn’t anything too different, but the unique backgrounds and personalities of all those involved kept things fresh and interesting.
I know that I say this about pretty much all of the author’s books, but you really must read The Bone Maker to experience the wonder and surprises for yourself. Sarah Beth Durst has managed to pull off a challenging narrative by putting her characters first, building a riveting story around their lives while imbuing past and the present with the weight of history and complex magic. Truly, I never wanted this journey to end.
Audiobook Comments: My hat’s off to Soneela Nankani, who gave a fantastic performance. I believe this might be my first audiobook with her narration, but I’ll certainly remember her the next time. An excellent listen, and highly recommended.
The Bone Maker is the sort of book you don’t see too often, in that it features an “aftermath” story. That is, the battle of epic proportions has already happened. The good guys prevailed, while the evil villain was vanquished forever. Everyone rejoiced and went home happy.
Or did they? Twenty-five years ago, a renegade bone maker named Eklor used his corrupted magic to raise an army of monsters against the realm. Five heroes, led by their leader Kreya, managed to defeat him but at a great cost. Only four of them came out alive, and the fallen was none other than Kreya’s beloved husband Jentt. As the rest of the world celebrated the survivors, celebrated their victory, Kreya retreated into solitude with her grief.
But what no one knew was that Kreya had a plan, one that could destroy her if she was discovered. For Jentt’s body had not been burned according to tradition, which was designed to prevent human bones from being collected and worked by magic. Any bone maker caught doing so would be committing the highest crime of their order, but that was exactly what Kreya had in mind. Before his death, Eklor had developed a method using human bone to resurrect the dead, and unbeknownst to all, Kreya had stolen away his grimoire and perfected the spell. All this time, she had kept Jentt’s body with the goal of one day bringing him back to life.
Still, human bones being so difficult to come by, she had never been truly successful, bringing him back for only days at a time. For the spell to last, she will need a large store of bones, and there is only one like that in existence—the very battlefield where Eklor was defeated all those years before. Problem was, getting there will be dangerous, not to mention an unforgivable violation of the law. For her to have any chance to succeed, Kreya will need help. But after so long, will any of her old comrades still heed her call, especially once they find out what she’s been up to?
Not too many authors can pull off a story like this, but I was confident that if anyone could, it would be Sarah Beth Durst. I’ve been a huge fan since The Queen of Blood, and once again she has shown me why I adore her work. One of the reasons why The Bone Maker works so well is its concept. Sure, the beginning of the book may have a “postscript” feel of sorts, but once readers are introduced to Kreya and her current dilemma, we are quickly made to care about her new purpose. For even though the great battle against Eklor happened a quarter of a century ago, the tale unfolding now is a more personal one. After all, we don’t often get stories about what the heroes get up to after the final showdown, but Durst explores a possible outcome that is not so glorious, where the winners don’t all get to live happily ever after.
Another reason why I think this story has legs is the way it flowed, almost like a great season of a TV show, in an episodic fashion. Once a conflict was resolved, another one would swiftly arise and continue the momentum of the plot. Past and present ultimately came together, filling in the gaps of the last twenty-five years and beyond, including world-building details and specifics related to the fascinating bone-based magic system. Gradually, it was revealed that maybe things hadn’t ended the way our heroes thought at all.
Of course, I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the characters. A middle-aged widow, Kreya isn’t your exactly your typical epic fantasy heroine, though writing unconventional albeit ferociously strong and well-developed female protagonists happens to be Durst’s forte. Case in point, I didn’t always agree with Kreya’s motivations and actions, but I could understand where they came from, thanks to the incredible layers of nuance woven into her character. Along the way, we also got to meet her old team, in a process that was very reminiscent of Kings of the Wyld. While each member had moved on, achieving various levels of success and stability (or lack thereof), all of them were affected by the war in some way. As far as “old gang getting back together” stories go, this one wasn’t anything too different, but the unique backgrounds and personalities of all those involved kept things fresh and interesting.
I know that I say this about pretty much all of the author’s books, but you really must read The Bone Maker to experience the wonder and surprises for yourself. Sarah Beth Durst has managed to pull off a challenging narrative by putting her characters first, building a riveting story around their lives while imbuing past and the present with the weight of history and complex magic. Truly, I never wanted this journey to end.
Audiobook Comments: My hat’s off to Soneela Nankani, who gave a fantastic performance. I believe this might be my first audiobook with her narration, but I’ll certainly remember her the next time. An excellent listen, and highly recommended.
July 24, 2021
i really liked the magic system and the first half of the book and also it’s found family. i like the authors writing but unfortunately i did not care for any of the characters
March 9, 2021
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
5/5 stars: ★★★★★
"Maybe there were no perfect choices for anyone to make, hero or villain. Maybe there was only doing the best you could with the time you had."
Expected publication date: March 9, 2021
With elements of The Final Empire and Gideon the Ninth, a splash of V.E. Schwab, but with its own identity entirely, The Bone Maker held me entranced from unlikely beginning to poetic end. Bone-based magic, immortality, friendship, romance, wit, morality, and plan after clever plan kept me unable to put this one down, and if any of the aforementioned things appeal to you, then I have a feeling that you too will enjoy this unique tale.
Twenty-five years after they defeated an evil tyrant and became legendary heroes, five aging warriors come together once again to fight for the country of Vos. This time, however, the stakes are higher, the magic darker and more costly, and the trauma of their past deeds heavy on their shoulders. Will these five bone-magicians overcome their own struggles and defeat the evil force they failed to expunge the first time, or will they die trying?
Kreya, a bone maker who uses animal bones to animate the inanimate and the primary character leading readers through this story, has her own trials to contend with. She feels guilt over separating herself from her group of warriors after their initial battle, grief over the loss of her husband in that battle, and shame for what she does in order to get her husband and teammate, Jennt, back. I won't go into too much more detail on that latter point as it would be a slight spoiler, but let's just say that Kreya's internal monologue, in which she questions what separates her from her greatest enemy, the evil Eklor, is fascinating and one of my favorite parts of this book: what separates heroes from villains?
We also get to know Zera, a bone wizard who creates talismans out of animal bones that imbue their users with powers like strength, speed, and stealth, Marso, a bone reader who uses animal bones to glimpse the past, present, and future, and Stran, the "muscle" of the group who uses many of Zera's talismans to assist in battle and defense.
Following these heroes through their clever plans, witty banter, and heartbreaking failures, through lessons on time and love, and the costs of both, was one of the most satisfying reading experiences I have had in a long time. This is already my favorite book of 2021.
"Some of us are better at hiding it than others, but we are all broken. You can't live without breaking a few times. But that doesn't mean that's a bad thing. It just means you've lived in the world. What matters is you keep living in it, despite your broken bits- or even because of them.
5/5 stars: ★★★★★
"Maybe there were no perfect choices for anyone to make, hero or villain. Maybe there was only doing the best you could with the time you had."
Expected publication date: March 9, 2021
With elements of The Final Empire and Gideon the Ninth, a splash of V.E. Schwab, but with its own identity entirely, The Bone Maker held me entranced from unlikely beginning to poetic end. Bone-based magic, immortality, friendship, romance, wit, morality, and plan after clever plan kept me unable to put this one down, and if any of the aforementioned things appeal to you, then I have a feeling that you too will enjoy this unique tale.
Twenty-five years after they defeated an evil tyrant and became legendary heroes, five aging warriors come together once again to fight for the country of Vos. This time, however, the stakes are higher, the magic darker and more costly, and the trauma of their past deeds heavy on their shoulders. Will these five bone-magicians overcome their own struggles and defeat the evil force they failed to expunge the first time, or will they die trying?
Kreya, a bone maker who uses animal bones to animate the inanimate and the primary character leading readers through this story, has her own trials to contend with. She feels guilt over separating herself from her group of warriors after their initial battle, grief over the loss of her husband in that battle, and shame for what she does in order to get her husband and teammate, Jennt, back. I won't go into too much more detail on that latter point as it would be a slight spoiler, but let's just say that Kreya's internal monologue, in which she questions what separates her from her greatest enemy, the evil Eklor, is fascinating and one of my favorite parts of this book: what separates heroes from villains?
We also get to know Zera, a bone wizard who creates talismans out of animal bones that imbue their users with powers like strength, speed, and stealth, Marso, a bone reader who uses animal bones to glimpse the past, present, and future, and Stran, the "muscle" of the group who uses many of Zera's talismans to assist in battle and defense.
Following these heroes through their clever plans, witty banter, and heartbreaking failures, through lessons on time and love, and the costs of both, was one of the most satisfying reading experiences I have had in a long time. This is already my favorite book of 2021.
"Some of us are better at hiding it than others, but we are all broken. You can't live without breaking a few times. But that doesn't mean that's a bad thing. It just means you've lived in the world. What matters is you keep living in it, despite your broken bits- or even because of them.
February 16, 2022
The marketing for this book is so misleading. Looking at the cover, title, and synopsis, I expected dark adult fantasy. What I got was juvenile comedy which is not bad in and of itself but an opposite of what I wanted and expected from reading this novel.
The first 10% were also misleading because they were actually intriguing and atmospheric. But as soon as we were introduced to the second protagonist Zera (who turned out to be the most annoying, edgy, loud, and "special" character I've ever seen), the comedy club started. The cheekiness and cheesiness covered every page and only once did I actually like a joke. The characters were supposed to be in their 40s-50s but acted and spoke like modern people in their 20s. The writing had too much dialogue, especially during tense fight scenes where it felt unnecessary, and there was too much telling over showing. I couldn't suspend my disbelief and become invested in the story even for a second.
Reading this book was a chore and I would have definitely DNFed it very early on, as soon as I realized what it actually was. I was already very skeptical about beautiful covers and enticing synopses and thought I became more careful about the ARCs I request but apparently you can never trust anything.
The review copy was provided by Harper Voyager via Netgalley.
The first 10% were also misleading because they were actually intriguing and atmospheric. But as soon as we were introduced to the second protagonist Zera (who turned out to be the most annoying, edgy, loud, and "special" character I've ever seen), the comedy club started. The cheekiness and cheesiness covered every page and only once did I actually like a joke. The characters were supposed to be in their 40s-50s but acted and spoke like modern people in their 20s. The writing had too much dialogue, especially during tense fight scenes where it felt unnecessary, and there was too much telling over showing. I couldn't suspend my disbelief and become invested in the story even for a second.
Reading this book was a chore and I would have definitely DNFed it very early on, as soon as I realized what it actually was. I was already very skeptical about beautiful covers and enticing synopses and thought I became more careful about the ARCs I request but apparently you can never trust anything.
The review copy was provided by Harper Voyager via Netgalley.
October 17, 2021
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
The Bone Maker is a well written and fast paced adult fantasy novel. This is my third Durst book and as always, she excelled at creating a unique setting. There were gliIttering cities and so many cool monsters and creatures. I loved the magic system! I've seen bone magic before but not quite like this. For those of you who like your magic systems to have rules, I think you will be pleased with it.
The characters were likeable but flawed. We get the most time with Kreya and Zera so you are able to get to know them pretty well. I do wish there could have been a little more depth with the other characters. Especially the villain. However, I understand that this is a standalone book and there isn't as much time to flesh out every single character the way you can with a series. Overall, I really enjoyed this and I highly recommend it to those who love fantasy and don't want to commit to a series.
**ARC received from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Bone Maker is a well written and fast paced adult fantasy novel. This is my third Durst book and as always, she excelled at creating a unique setting. There were gliIttering cities and so many cool monsters and creatures. I loved the magic system! I've seen bone magic before but not quite like this. For those of you who like your magic systems to have rules, I think you will be pleased with it.
The characters were likeable but flawed. We get the most time with Kreya and Zera so you are able to get to know them pretty well. I do wish there could have been a little more depth with the other characters. Especially the villain. However, I understand that this is a standalone book and there isn't as much time to flesh out every single character the way you can with a series. Overall, I really enjoyed this and I highly recommend it to those who love fantasy and don't want to commit to a series.
**ARC received from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 16, 2020
"The Bone Maker" is a new standalone epic fantasy featuring a bevy of witches who use bones and spells on talismans to save the world. Twenty five years after saving the world, the five witches are in sad shape with one sort of dead, one who isolated herself in a tower among constructs made of bones and her late husband's corpse which like Dr. Frankenstein she reanimated with stolen human bones, and others not surviving too well.
Although marketed as an adult fantasy, this one hovers more closely around young adult fantasy in genre. It's a world that seems rather primitive except for the cable cars and the magic crawling carriages. Bones are what makes everything work here from mechanical contrivances to corpses. Overall, a bit disappointing.
Although marketed as an adult fantasy, this one hovers more closely around young adult fantasy in genre. It's a world that seems rather primitive except for the cable cars and the magic crawling carriages. Bones are what makes everything work here from mechanical contrivances to corpses. Overall, a bit disappointing.
Want to read
September 11, 2020I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2021
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC
I absolutely loved this book! It is the story of what happens after the heroes save the world.
We follow our heroes 25 years after their heroic act that saved the world and ended a brutal war.
I love following older protagonists, and I especially love how morally grey every character is! We really get to see how far is too far to save someone you love. What are lines that you won't cross, and what lines will you?
I also really loved the fact that I ended up empathizing with the villain in this story! to me, that makes a GREAT villain.
We get to see an exploration of grief and trauma and PTSD. We see the heroes so many years later, and it isn't hard to imagine they could be any of the heroes from any of our favorite stories.
This was a fantastic standalone, it wrapped up beautifully and the ending was beautiful and perfect!
Now though, I want the prequel. I want their young story and I want to see how we got here!
I absolutely loved this book! It is the story of what happens after the heroes save the world.
We follow our heroes 25 years after their heroic act that saved the world and ended a brutal war.
I love following older protagonists, and I especially love how morally grey every character is! We really get to see how far is too far to save someone you love. What are lines that you won't cross, and what lines will you?
I also really loved the fact that I ended up empathizing with the villain in this story! to me, that makes a GREAT villain.
We get to see an exploration of grief and trauma and PTSD. We see the heroes so many years later, and it isn't hard to imagine they could be any of the heroes from any of our favorite stories.
This was a fantastic standalone, it wrapped up beautifully and the ending was beautiful and perfect!
Now though, I want the prequel. I want their young story and I want to see how we got here!
February 12, 2021
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When I first read the blurb for this book, I was beyond excited to read it. Sarah Beth Durst is a new author for me, so I had no prior knowledge of her previous work, despite having a few of her books on my TBR shelf for years.
The premise of The Bone Maker was very cool, and I can’t compare it to any other book I’ve read. I thought the idea was original and unique, and I really appreciated that. Unfortunately, that’s really the only thing I loved about The Bone Maker.
The characters and world overall were lacking for me. The characters have been friends and fought beside each other for a long time, but the banter and conversations had between the core characters didn’t reflect that. There wasn’t a standout character or relationship for me, so I found myself not really invested in any one character more than the other.
There was also a TON of dialogue in this, way more than necessary. Usually that wouldn’t be a bad thing, but this was borderline too much a lot of the time, and I felt it definitely took away from some of the more intense moments.
The world building could have and should have been broadened a lot more. There weren’t enough descriptive details, and I found it very hard to picture what was happening at times. I wanted to know more about the past and what happened 25 years ago, but I was left feeling like we were missing key details or stories from the past.
I also never felt like any character was ever “truly” in danger, and the main conflict of the book was not nearly as epic as it should have been. I was hoping for more tension or problems in any sense to arise, but it just never did.
Overall I’m pretty disappointed I didn’t love this more, and it just didn’t meet my expectations. There was a lot of potential with this, so I’m sad to see this fall short of that. I’m glad this is a standalone and the ending ended the way it did, because I probably wouldn't read the sequel if there was one.
———————-
I GOT AN ARC AND I LEGIT CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS. I’M SO EXCITED!
When I first read the blurb for this book, I was beyond excited to read it. Sarah Beth Durst is a new author for me, so I had no prior knowledge of her previous work, despite having a few of her books on my TBR shelf for years.
The premise of The Bone Maker was very cool, and I can’t compare it to any other book I’ve read. I thought the idea was original and unique, and I really appreciated that. Unfortunately, that’s really the only thing I loved about The Bone Maker.
The characters and world overall were lacking for me. The characters have been friends and fought beside each other for a long time, but the banter and conversations had between the core characters didn’t reflect that. There wasn’t a standout character or relationship for me, so I found myself not really invested in any one character more than the other.
There was also a TON of dialogue in this, way more than necessary. Usually that wouldn’t be a bad thing, but this was borderline too much a lot of the time, and I felt it definitely took away from some of the more intense moments.
The world building could have and should have been broadened a lot more. There weren’t enough descriptive details, and I found it very hard to picture what was happening at times. I wanted to know more about the past and what happened 25 years ago, but I was left feeling like we were missing key details or stories from the past.
I also never felt like any character was ever “truly” in danger, and the main conflict of the book was not nearly as epic as it should have been. I was hoping for more tension or problems in any sense to arise, but it just never did.
Overall I’m pretty disappointed I didn’t love this more, and it just didn’t meet my expectations. There was a lot of potential with this, so I’m sad to see this fall short of that. I’m glad this is a standalone and the ending ended the way it did, because I probably wouldn't read the sequel if there was one.
———————-
I GOT AN ARC AND I LEGIT CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS. I’M SO EXCITED!
December 17, 2023
« I’m just a hero past her prime who literally loves you as much as she loves life itself » 🥺
Everyone should read this book
I went into it with an empty mind - and cried at chapter 2. I could picture myself doing exactly what Kreya did with Jentt (I cannot imagine living my life without my partner)
I really loved that they were older (their age isn’t specified but since events arrived 25 years ago and they fought during the war - we can obviously tell they’re older). It felt really refreshing
Eklor went through some terrible things but even then, he wasn’t a good person. I’ll leave it at that
I grew really attached to Kreya, Jentt, Zera, Stran, Marso & Amurra. They were such wholesome characters
Honestly, I read this book in one sitting and it has made it in my top 5 best reads of the year. I just loved this book so much
Everyone should read this book
I went into it with an empty mind - and cried at chapter 2. I could picture myself doing exactly what Kreya did with Jentt (I cannot imagine living my life without my partner)
I really loved that they were older (their age isn’t specified but since events arrived 25 years ago and they fought during the war - we can obviously tell they’re older). It felt really refreshing
Eklor went through some terrible things but even then, he wasn’t a good person. I’ll leave it at that
I grew really attached to Kreya, Jentt, Zera, Stran, Marso & Amurra. They were such wholesome characters
Honestly, I read this book in one sitting and it has made it in my top 5 best reads of the year. I just loved this book so much
March 21, 2021
4 stars
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
Durst has done it again -written a fantastic, can't-put-down, stand alone fantasy book. I love her writing, I love her characters and I love her original story-telling. I get excited every time she releases a new book - and this one does not disappoint.
The story is set in the kingdom of Vos. The kingdom has bone makers who can animate bones to create objects that can do a variety of things, like clean, send messages, etc. They also create charms that give people a limited amount of "super-powers", like strength, speed, stealth, etc. These creations are made from animal bones - the use of human bones is illegal.
Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. They defeated him - and supposedly killed him - but one of the heroes was killed, Kreya's husband. Since their defeat of Eklor, Kreya has hibernated away from everyone, scavenging human bones from dead people and illegally using them to bring her husband back to life. But it comes at a cost. For every day her husband lives, she will live one day less. Desperate to bring her husband back for more than a few hours at a time, she devises a plan to cross the wall to the forbidden land on which the battlefield of the war with Eklor lays to gather human bones left on the field.
She travels to the capital city to gain the assistance of one of her fellow heroes, a gifted bone maker who creates some of the best charms in the kingdom. Considering she hadn't seen any of her fellow heroes since the battle, she is not exactly welcome. Nevertheless, the teammate accompanies Kreya to the battlefield to gather the bones, and they run into some of Eklor's inhuman army. Could he still be alive?
Vowing to make certain Eklor is dead, Kreya gathers the rest of the heroes together to scout the battlefield. But are they still the heroes from the past, and are they ready to sacrifice their lives again for the kingdom?
The author does a great job of portraying Kreya's grief over losing her husband, and her grit and determination to bring him back to life. She is laser focused on that, and once she brings him back, is single-minded in her quest to destroy Eklor if he still lives - at times to the detriment of others in her team. The other members of the team aren't as fleshed out as Kreya, but it's ok, they lend a lot to the plot as minor characters and round out the story well. This book is fast paced and full of action. It's 496 pages, but is still a quick read because you won't want to put it down. I recommend you read this fantastic book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager. All opinions are my own.
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
Durst has done it again -written a fantastic, can't-put-down, stand alone fantasy book. I love her writing, I love her characters and I love her original story-telling. I get excited every time she releases a new book - and this one does not disappoint.
The story is set in the kingdom of Vos. The kingdom has bone makers who can animate bones to create objects that can do a variety of things, like clean, send messages, etc. They also create charms that give people a limited amount of "super-powers", like strength, speed, stealth, etc. These creations are made from animal bones - the use of human bones is illegal.
Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. They defeated him - and supposedly killed him - but one of the heroes was killed, Kreya's husband. Since their defeat of Eklor, Kreya has hibernated away from everyone, scavenging human bones from dead people and illegally using them to bring her husband back to life. But it comes at a cost. For every day her husband lives, she will live one day less. Desperate to bring her husband back for more than a few hours at a time, she devises a plan to cross the wall to the forbidden land on which the battlefield of the war with Eklor lays to gather human bones left on the field.
She travels to the capital city to gain the assistance of one of her fellow heroes, a gifted bone maker who creates some of the best charms in the kingdom. Considering she hadn't seen any of her fellow heroes since the battle, she is not exactly welcome. Nevertheless, the teammate accompanies Kreya to the battlefield to gather the bones, and they run into some of Eklor's inhuman army. Could he still be alive?
Vowing to make certain Eklor is dead, Kreya gathers the rest of the heroes together to scout the battlefield. But are they still the heroes from the past, and are they ready to sacrifice their lives again for the kingdom?
The author does a great job of portraying Kreya's grief over losing her husband, and her grit and determination to bring him back to life. She is laser focused on that, and once she brings him back, is single-minded in her quest to destroy Eklor if he still lives - at times to the detriment of others in her team. The other members of the team aren't as fleshed out as Kreya, but it's ok, they lend a lot to the plot as minor characters and round out the story well. This book is fast paced and full of action. It's 496 pages, but is still a quick read because you won't want to put it down. I recommend you read this fantastic book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager. All opinions are my own.
April 13, 2021
Narrated by Soneela Nankani, I was quickly pulled into the story. We meet Kreya, the warrior and hero of Vos who led her team to victory against the bone maker, Eklor, twenty-five years ago. The battle cost her her husband Jennt, and she has closed herself off in her tower, working bones to resurrect her beloved. To do so, she needs human bones. Using human bones to work magic is illegal in Vos, but when an idea strike to return to the forbidden battle zone, she reaches out to her friend. The tale that unfolds was spectacular and filed with danger, love, loss and more.
The world building is woven throughout the tale and told through the characters, their actions and flashbacks of the five warriors. The bone magic is something I loved. Some bones are used to make tokens that give the user abilities like agility, flight, balance, and more. Other bones are read, allowing the seer to see into the future or answer questions. Other bones are used to animate objects or to create constructs. Kreva wields this power and has rag dolls that do her bidding, along with mechanical birds and squirrels.
I loved the camaraderie between these aged heroes. Snark, compassion, respect and a keen ability to work together as a unit. The villain is infuriating. Each time they go to the leaders of Vos to expose him, he thwarted them. It was like he was constantly one step ahead. The mist was creeptastic and so were the creatures who lived there. Each part of the world Durst shared made me want to learn more.
I became completely caught up, cheering and jeering my way through. I shed a tear or two and laughed aloud with joy. Soneela Nankani’s narration added another level of enjoyment. She brought each character to life, giving them a unique voice and capturing the unique differences in each of them. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
The world building is woven throughout the tale and told through the characters, their actions and flashbacks of the five warriors. The bone magic is something I loved. Some bones are used to make tokens that give the user abilities like agility, flight, balance, and more. Other bones are read, allowing the seer to see into the future or answer questions. Other bones are used to animate objects or to create constructs. Kreva wields this power and has rag dolls that do her bidding, along with mechanical birds and squirrels.
I loved the camaraderie between these aged heroes. Snark, compassion, respect and a keen ability to work together as a unit. The villain is infuriating. Each time they go to the leaders of Vos to expose him, he thwarted them. It was like he was constantly one step ahead. The mist was creeptastic and so were the creatures who lived there. Each part of the world Durst shared made me want to learn more.
I became completely caught up, cheering and jeering my way through. I shed a tear or two and laughed aloud with joy. Soneela Nankani’s narration added another level of enjoyment. She brought each character to life, giving them a unique voice and capturing the unique differences in each of them. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
April 27, 2021
A terrific read with a well-thought out necromantic system, and eeewy-but-oddly-not eewy descriptions of this system in practice by all the characters, and wonderful relationships amongst the five members of the gang who saved the world, all of whom were interesting and sympathetic.
I particularly liked how Sarah Beth Durst explored friendship and love, and what people will do for these, in this violent, post-we-saved-the-world-and-who-are-we-now-25-years-later story.
I particularly liked how Sarah Beth Durst explored friendship and love, and what people will do for these, in this violent, post-we-saved-the-world-and-who-are-we-now-25-years-later story.
June 1, 2021
The Bone Maker featured a great concept and interesting magic system, but fell flat in its execution.
The opening chapters of The Bone Maker were incredible. Readers are introduced to the main character, Kreya, as she lives with the sole purpose of resurrecting her husband. These chapters give readers a sense of the world, Kreya as a character, and the magic system. They are practically perfect.
Unfortunately, as the story progressed it failed to keep my attention. I enjoyed the story while I was reading, but never felt an urgency to continue reading once I put the book down. The last half of the novel was action packed, but was slightly boring as well. It read as if Durst was checking off plot points from a list she had to get through.
The characters are older, but they don’t read like adults. Their past exploits and adventures explain their skillsets, but not all the characters read like hardened heroes. This may be due in part to the lack of character development for most of the heroes. However, I did enjoy the friendship dynamic between Zera and Kreya. Their struggle was easily one of the best aspects of the novel.
Overall, The Bone Maker fell flat in its execution despite its interesting concept and magic system. Durst’s writing is skillful, but she failed to keep me interested.
The opening chapters of The Bone Maker were incredible. Readers are introduced to the main character, Kreya, as she lives with the sole purpose of resurrecting her husband. These chapters give readers a sense of the world, Kreya as a character, and the magic system. They are practically perfect.
Unfortunately, as the story progressed it failed to keep my attention. I enjoyed the story while I was reading, but never felt an urgency to continue reading once I put the book down. The last half of the novel was action packed, but was slightly boring as well. It read as if Durst was checking off plot points from a list she had to get through.
The characters are older, but they don’t read like adults. Their past exploits and adventures explain their skillsets, but not all the characters read like hardened heroes. This may be due in part to the lack of character development for most of the heroes. However, I did enjoy the friendship dynamic between Zera and Kreya. Their struggle was easily one of the best aspects of the novel.
Overall, The Bone Maker fell flat in its execution despite its interesting concept and magic system. Durst’s writing is skillful, but she failed to keep me interested.
May 30, 2021
"Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, the end."
2.5
The concept of the story is interesting - five heroes reuniting to fight the villain they defeated 25 years ago - but unfortunately the rhythm was kinda off for me. Some parts were pretty boring and 70% of the book was narrated by Kreya... who I couldn't stand, I found her so annoying with her continuous self sacrificing. Zera and Marso were my favorites, they deserved a way bigger focus on them, especially my boy Marso. Stran was okay, Jentt was just as annoying as Kreya, they deserve each other lol.
2.5
The concept of the story is interesting - five heroes reuniting to fight the villain they defeated 25 years ago - but unfortunately the rhythm was kinda off for me. Some parts were pretty boring and 70% of the book was narrated by Kreya... who I couldn't stand, I found her so annoying with her continuous self sacrificing. Zera and Marso were my favorites, they deserved a way bigger focus on them, especially my boy Marso. Stran was okay, Jentt was just as annoying as Kreya, they deserve each other lol.
August 3, 2021
4 ⭐️
TW/CW: death, blood, bones, dead bodies, PTSD, death of a child, loss of a loves one, self-harm, violence
I did really enjoy that this was a stand-alone and we got the whole story and a decent amount of backstory to bring it all together, I did think certain parts were rushed but overall had a good time reading and really enjoyed several of the characters.
Note: just finished reading the Bone Shard Daughter and if you enjoyed the "magic" system there and some of the same base ideas I think you will definitely like this stand-alone with bone magic as well!
Part of my: #NamesakeChallenge where I read books by authors with the same first name as me!
TW/CW: death, blood, bones, dead bodies, PTSD, death of a child, loss of a loves one, self-harm, violence
I did really enjoy that this was a stand-alone and we got the whole story and a decent amount of backstory to bring it all together, I did think certain parts were rushed but overall had a good time reading and really enjoyed several of the characters.
Note: just finished reading the Bone Shard Daughter and if you enjoyed the "magic" system there and some of the same base ideas I think you will definitely like this stand-alone with bone magic as well!
Part of my: #NamesakeChallenge where I read books by authors with the same first name as me!
December 16, 2020
In The Bone Maker, you'll meet a bunch of people that reminded me a little of Kings of the Wyld. An old band getting back together to fight evil? Sign me up! In this book, you'll meet Kreya a middle-aged widow that is looking to resurrect her husband, Jent. He died sacrificing himself during the bone war twenty-five years ago where he and four other people acted as heroes to save Vos against a man who mass-murdered people to get to his goals. Kreya thought she'd killed him. Everyone thought Eklor was dead... but is he truly dead? After all, Kreya managed to resurrect Jent by using some of Eklor's notes so what is to say Eklor didn't plan in advance...
Overall, I really enjoyed this book but be aware that is it slow-going. I found the ideas behind the bone making, bone reading etc really interesting. I loved the characters and they made up for the slow-pace. It wasn't all white and black with Kreya as she did some forbidden things like use human bones to see her loved-one again. I'm happy I got to discover this standalone as it is my first book by this author. I might read some of her other books in the future.
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
Overall, I really enjoyed this book but be aware that is it slow-going. I found the ideas behind the bone making, bone reading etc really interesting. I loved the characters and they made up for the slow-pace. It wasn't all white and black with Kreya as she did some forbidden things like use human bones to see her loved-one again. I'm happy I got to discover this standalone as it is my first book by this author. I might read some of her other books in the future.
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
March 16, 2021
3.5 stars, pretty good fantasy but felt desperate for it to be over around 60%.
May 16, 2021
❐ Overall Rating 4¼⭐ | Narration 😕 = Should’ve had more narrators
❐ Narrated by Soneela Nankani
❐ Listening Length: 16H 35M
❐ Adult Fantasy
❐ Bone Magic
❐ A little bit dark, a little bit funny
While Soneela Nankani is an excellent narrator...this could have gone next level if it had separate narrators for each of the POVs.
This is an adult fantasy, and while it did feel like YA a few times...it did stay more adult-feeling for the most part. Let’s see...I loved the characters and their interactions with each other. Loved the Croco-raptors (not sure of spelling...because of audio); an imaginative mash-up of a predator. Loved the magic-ish bone-working system in this imaginary place called Vos. And last but definitely not least, I loved the reanimated objects/animals.
My only qualm is this did get a tad draggy, and not in a way of lacking action...it was more like it had too much action going on. And on and on. While I do love that it’s a stand-alone; I felt like it should’ve ended sooner than it did.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 8.14/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 9
🅐tmosphere ￫ 8
🅦riting ￫ 7.5
🅟lot ￫ 8
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7
🅛ogic ￫ 8.5
🅔njoyment ￫ 8.5
❐ Narrated by Soneela Nankani
❐ Listening Length: 16H 35M
❐ Adult Fantasy
❐ Bone Magic
❐ A little bit dark, a little bit funny
While Soneela Nankani is an excellent narrator...this could have gone next level if it had separate narrators for each of the POVs.
This is an adult fantasy, and while it did feel like YA a few times...it did stay more adult-feeling for the most part. Let’s see...I loved the characters and their interactions with each other. Loved the Croco-raptors (not sure of spelling...because of audio); an imaginative mash-up of a predator. Loved the magic-ish bone-working system in this imaginary place called Vos. And last but definitely not least, I loved the reanimated objects/animals.
My only qualm is this did get a tad draggy, and not in a way of lacking action...it was more like it had too much action going on. And on and on. While I do love that it’s a stand-alone; I felt like it should’ve ended sooner than it did.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 8.14/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 9
🅐tmosphere ￫ 8
🅦riting ￫ 7.5
🅟lot ￫ 8
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7
🅛ogic ￫ 8.5
🅔njoyment ￫ 8.5
January 12, 2021
Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, “the end.”The low-key premise reminded me of Roshani Chokshi's Gilded Wolves—obviously I was intrigued by this fantasy novel because of that alone and overall, this novel wasn't as impressive as I thought it would be.
Generally speaking, it was not terrible. Nor great. In layman's terms—meh...?
There was great potential there and I am a little surprised the author decided not to expand this to a series considering how each character brought something unique and fresh to the table, and of course, the short description below that initially won me over when picking up what I originally considered a gem:
“You’ve all heard the legends. There were five of us, tasked by the guild master to eliminate the threat posed by the rogue bone maker Eklor.” She held up one finger. “Kreya, our bone maker, a rising star in the guild, chosen for possessing a power that could rival Eklor’s— if she lived long enough to hone it.” A second finger. “Zera . . . that’s me, my loves.” Her audience cooed appreciatively, and Kreya rolled her eyes. “Bone wizard. Unknown until then, but soon to be unrivaled.” Third. “Marso, a bone reader, with a unique gift of seeing the truth of the past, present, and future that far exceeded the skills of other bone readers.” Four. “Stran, a warrior with experience in using bone talismans to enhance his already prodigious strength.” And five. “Jentt, a reformed thief, who specialized in using talismans of speed and stealth to win his battles.”That sounded good on paper, right? But the author, in my opinion, didn’t deliver. I felt like I was just going through the motions when reading this and truthfully, I was a bit bored by the halfway point despite finally meeting the rest of the original crew besides Kreya, Zera, and recently resurrected Jentt, who are each dealing with their own struggles/new lives after their disbandment and war.
“The legend says that the guild master tasked five, but he did not. He tasked only one. Kreya. She chose the rest of us. All that befell us is her fault. All the glory, and all the pain.”
More so, what made this a somewhat taxing read was the main character, Kreya. I honestly didn't care for her. And more times than not, my primary focus was on Zera, Marso, Stran and less frequently Jentt. I understand her husband died but for her to just abandon her crew/”best friends” after his sudden death (that she caused btw) and to then—after 25 years—go out to seek them for help/guidance in bringing back her dead husband and to save the world (again). Yeah no. I wasn’t feeling that. I would have gladly told her to fuck off.
Altogether, what I disliked—Kreya, slow-going storyline, lack of perspective of the other characters minus MC, did I mention Kreya?, lack of world-building, the abrupt ending (WTF was that?!) that could’ve been more fleshed out, and despite it being an adult fantasy (40’s + 50’s aged team), the strong YA vibes I got was not my cup of tea.
One of the few positives of this book that I really enjoyed was the concept of bone making, bone reading, magic, special use of talisman, etc. The magic system really intrigued me and it was something I haven’t seen in other adult *cough*YA with older characters*cough* fantasy books I have read thus far. I hope to see more of this in the future.
June 21, 2021
You can also read my review here:
https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....
Review: 5 Stars
Review: 5 Stars
While part of me was drawn to this book because it looked rather dark, the reason I requested a review copy is because it’s by Sarah Beth Durst. I absolutely loved Race the Sands and when I saw that this book was by Sarah Beth Durst I decided to give it a shot. I didn’t really have any expectations for this book, I just thought that I would give it a shot and see if it was any good. I struggle with slow beginnings, so when this book had me crying by the end of the second chapter, I knew that I was hooked. The Bone Maker absolutely blew me away and is my favorite book that I’ve read so far this year.
The characters were done so incredibly well. I loved them all fiercely and was emotionally invested in each of their lives. This book is the best example of a found family that I’ve ever read. These characters would die for one another, but they’d prefer to fight to keep each other alive. Each character is fully fleshed out and filled with personality. Kreya was the main character and I loved her fierce determination, but Zera was my favorite. Zera was theatrical and a bit full of herself, but she was also bold and a source of comic relief. Her character arc was fantastic, I loved watching her change from being narcissistic and petty to becoming someone who put others first.
The plot was filled with so much action and adventure that I had such a hard time setting it down, not that I wanted to. It was an emotional ride that had me on the edge of my seat a lot of the time. The first half of the book was filled with a lot of action and the second half was more political. I loved the characters so much and found myself rooting for them and at many times I was anxious with worry for them. It was really an emotional book that I think anyone who has lost a loved one will find impactful. The story made you want to cherish your loved ones and live life to the fullest. I cried, I laughed and I was tense with worry when reading The Bone Maker. It really was an incredible ride.
The world building was so fascinating. The magic system was so cool and unique, which by itself would have me raving about this book. Immediately I was reminded of another recent favorite, The Bone Shard Daughter, because in both books bone shards are used to create constructs, but that is where the similarities between the two books end. There are also bone readers who can read the past, present and future in the bones and bone wizards who create talismans for strength, speed and other things. The world revolves around bone magic and there are plenty of politics and history given as well. The world is incredibly vivid and magical, but it is also filled with horrors.
The Bone Maker blew me away. Prior to reading this I had read two of Sarah Beth Durst’s books, Race the Sands, which I absolutely loved and Fire and Heist, which I thought was pretty mediocre. After reading The Bone Maker I need to check out her other books because now I’ve read 2 books by her, both of which I went into with no expectations and they both absolutely blew me away. This book was powerful, it was emotional, but it was also fast paced and fun to read. I highly recommend this incredible stand-alone fantasy to those who love found family stories, action packed fantasy and unique magic systems.
https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....
Review: 5 Stars
Review: 5 Stars
While part of me was drawn to this book because it looked rather dark, the reason I requested a review copy is because it’s by Sarah Beth Durst. I absolutely loved Race the Sands and when I saw that this book was by Sarah Beth Durst I decided to give it a shot. I didn’t really have any expectations for this book, I just thought that I would give it a shot and see if it was any good. I struggle with slow beginnings, so when this book had me crying by the end of the second chapter, I knew that I was hooked. The Bone Maker absolutely blew me away and is my favorite book that I’ve read so far this year.
The characters were done so incredibly well. I loved them all fiercely and was emotionally invested in each of their lives. This book is the best example of a found family that I’ve ever read. These characters would die for one another, but they’d prefer to fight to keep each other alive. Each character is fully fleshed out and filled with personality. Kreya was the main character and I loved her fierce determination, but Zera was my favorite. Zera was theatrical and a bit full of herself, but she was also bold and a source of comic relief. Her character arc was fantastic, I loved watching her change from being narcissistic and petty to becoming someone who put others first.
The plot was filled with so much action and adventure that I had such a hard time setting it down, not that I wanted to. It was an emotional ride that had me on the edge of my seat a lot of the time. The first half of the book was filled with a lot of action and the second half was more political. I loved the characters so much and found myself rooting for them and at many times I was anxious with worry for them. It was really an emotional book that I think anyone who has lost a loved one will find impactful. The story made you want to cherish your loved ones and live life to the fullest. I cried, I laughed and I was tense with worry when reading The Bone Maker. It really was an incredible ride.
The world building was so fascinating. The magic system was so cool and unique, which by itself would have me raving about this book. Immediately I was reminded of another recent favorite, The Bone Shard Daughter, because in both books bone shards are used to create constructs, but that is where the similarities between the two books end. There are also bone readers who can read the past, present and future in the bones and bone wizards who create talismans for strength, speed and other things. The world revolves around bone magic and there are plenty of politics and history given as well. The world is incredibly vivid and magical, but it is also filled with horrors.
The Bone Maker blew me away. Prior to reading this I had read two of Sarah Beth Durst’s books, Race the Sands, which I absolutely loved and Fire and Heist, which I thought was pretty mediocre. After reading The Bone Maker I need to check out her other books because now I’ve read 2 books by her, both of which I went into with no expectations and they both absolutely blew me away. This book was powerful, it was emotional, but it was also fast paced and fun to read. I highly recommend this incredible stand-alone fantasy to those who love found family stories, action packed fantasy and unique magic systems.
March 27, 2021
I liked this. It was a what happens after the big battle, what happens to heroes when their work is done?
Well they disband their group. And the leader becomes a hermit and resurrects her dead husband time and time again. Even though it really is against the law. That was a bit of a dilemma, I mean yes she steals bones from dead people so he can live, but I mean they are dead! They do not need them. But then every time she uses that magic she looses time of her own life. Soon she will be dead because she has given him too much.
25 years later and Kreya is the hermit, her husband lives from time to time. And she sets out to seek her former companions because she needs help. I'd like to say what her friends are up too, but isn't that spoiling it? They have all gone on with their lives...
I liked the magic. Using animal bones for bursts of speed, for making a wagon run, for so much! They can read the future in bones, and Kreya for example can make contraptions from bones, and the things sort of live then.
And there will be a new adventure, and new fights. Our heroes must be 45-55 by now. I do wish it was felt more. Like they, they got a lot older. Like this is a fantasy world, shouldn't they be senior citizens by now. But yes, yay older heroes.
I enjoyed the book. She writes good fantasy. Always new interesting worlds and magic systems.
Soneela is a great narrator! If I have to say something bad then it is that her voice is almost too soothing, lol. But I always like her narrations, she is great with voices and she does fantasy so well
Well they disband their group. And the leader becomes a hermit and resurrects her dead husband time and time again. Even though it really is against the law. That was a bit of a dilemma, I mean yes she steals bones from dead people so he can live, but I mean they are dead! They do not need them. But then every time she uses that magic she looses time of her own life. Soon she will be dead because she has given him too much.
25 years later and Kreya is the hermit, her husband lives from time to time. And she sets out to seek her former companions because she needs help. I'd like to say what her friends are up too, but isn't that spoiling it? They have all gone on with their lives...
I liked the magic. Using animal bones for bursts of speed, for making a wagon run, for so much! They can read the future in bones, and Kreya for example can make contraptions from bones, and the things sort of live then.
And there will be a new adventure, and new fights. Our heroes must be 45-55 by now. I do wish it was felt more. Like they, they got a lot older. Like this is a fantasy world, shouldn't they be senior citizens by now. But yes, yay older heroes.
I enjoyed the book. She writes good fantasy. Always new interesting worlds and magic systems.
Soneela is a great narrator! If I have to say something bad then it is that her voice is almost too soothing, lol. But I always like her narrations, she is great with voices and she does fantasy so well
March 9, 2021
The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst is a fantasy novel.
First, let me thank Edelweiss, the publisher Harper Voyager, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
All she wants is her husband back. She lost him 25 years ago, when she and four others risked their lives to defeat the corrupt magician Eklor. Her husband did not survive the battle.
Since then, Kreya has lead a solitary life in a remote tower, trying to resurrect her dead husband using human bones and a sacrifice of her blood. For every day she resurrects him, her own life loses a day. That is no concern, but finding the bones has become an issue, and even though she uses the bones from the already dead, what she does is unlawful.
She has no choice left. She approaches Zera, once her best friend, and one of the five heroes who battled Eklor. Only Zera's skill at creating talismans can protect her while she searches for bones to resurrect her dead husband. But the reunion was not as she had hoped, and although Zera eventually agrees to Kreya's rather outrageous idea, nothing goes according to plan. It forces the original 5 hero's to re-unite to once again save the day.
And so they come together 25 years after the first battle. Kreya, the leader, the one who can make the bones into mechanical "constructs" to perform almost any task. Zera, who can make talisman's out of bones to empower them. Jentt, who could manipulate talismans and perform amazing feats. Marso, who could read the future in the bones. Stran, whose warrior strength is enhanced even more by the talismans that Zera creates. All of them have changed since that first battle, but their enemy remains the same. But this time, the five alone will not be enough.
My Opinions:
Well, this novel surprised me, as did the author. The author created a new world of magical creations that had me begging for more.
I loved the banter between Kreya and Zera. It felt like a true friendship. The characters were amazing, and they all sucked me in to caring about them. Both their strength and weaknesses made them "real". Strangely enough, even the "constructs" earned my admiration and devotion. Those little rag doll constructs had me on edge every time they were asked to do something. I feared for their lives! And that little bird.....
The plot was fast-paced, wildly entertaining, and it was very well-written. There were no major surprises, but none were needed. The story just carried the reader through. It is a long book, but it didn't drag.
It was a story of friendship, of love, of redemption, of second chances. It is also a story of overcoming fears, of ethics, of sacrifice, and of acceptance.
I liked the ending. It wasn't a true happily ever after, but it was right...and it left me wanting more.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information, the reason I chose to read/review this book, and a few favorite quotations from it), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
October 25, 2021
This is definitely the standalone fantasy book I didn't know I needed, I absolutely enjoyed it so much.
November 29, 2020
ARC provided by NetGalley for an Honest Review
Having read The Deepest Blue by this author and thoroughly enjoying it, I had high hopes for this book. The blurb had me intrigued but unfortunately I never really got into this book. I felt dropped into this unknown world that I really wish was developed more. I’ll be honest my mind has been on holiday mode which perhaps contributed to my lack of connection with the book but really I started lost and it took like a third of the book for things to make sense. The heroine was part of a group, let’s call them bone magicians, who all in their own way read, speak to, share power and manipulate bones. Years ago in the midst of a battle against their realms worst enemy Kreyas husband is killed and she basically just abandons everyone and everything she knows, for around twenty five years-if I remember correctly. Through this time Kreya has used her bone powers to give life to things, most importantly on occasion her husband (his time ‘alive’ is always limited). 😳 Long story short Kreya needs the help of her old friends to once again save the world. Parts of the story were fun and enjoyable but in a general sense it was a bit predictable. I also wasn’t a fan of the end which wrapped up far too quickly for my liking. While I never really connected with the book it was a very unique and interesting story, I think characters being able to use power from bones is a fascinating concept.
Having read The Deepest Blue by this author and thoroughly enjoying it, I had high hopes for this book. The blurb had me intrigued but unfortunately I never really got into this book. I felt dropped into this unknown world that I really wish was developed more. I’ll be honest my mind has been on holiday mode which perhaps contributed to my lack of connection with the book but really I started lost and it took like a third of the book for things to make sense. The heroine was part of a group, let’s call them bone magicians, who all in their own way read, speak to, share power and manipulate bones. Years ago in the midst of a battle against their realms worst enemy Kreyas husband is killed and she basically just abandons everyone and everything she knows, for around twenty five years-if I remember correctly. Through this time Kreya has used her bone powers to give life to things, most importantly on occasion her husband (his time ‘alive’ is always limited). 😳 Long story short Kreya needs the help of her old friends to once again save the world. Parts of the story were fun and enjoyable but in a general sense it was a bit predictable. I also wasn’t a fan of the end which wrapped up far too quickly for my liking. While I never really connected with the book it was a very unique and interesting story, I think characters being able to use power from bones is a fascinating concept.
July 21, 2021
I was interested in The Bone Maker because of this bone-craft concept. When I started listening to the audiobook, I was also intrigued by the fact that we have that obligatory big battle against the evil guy but… in the past. This is the first time, I guess when I see such a turn of events. Honestly, I really loved it.
Our heroine is a war hero. With a party of her friends and allies, she defeated a genius villain 25 years ago. She lost her husband, though, and never recovered. She never accepted his death… to the point when she started to revive him, paying with years of her life.
The concept is dramatic and pretty unique. I won’t retell the story here but I’ll say that Kreya’s reflection and feelings are so easy to believe in. She’s understandable, her pain is something you can sympathize with. Everything she feels and thinks is written in great detail but it was never boring to me. However, I like emotional pain and suffering so maybe someone can tire of all this.
At first I thought the book was a bit… dull. The setting is great but I really don’t like things like “every Monday my husband dies, every Friday I bring him back”. So I listened to the audiobook in hope of good worldbuilding.
So, what do we have here? The kinds of bone masters who can craft “golems” from bones, make amulets from bones, or see the future by using bones. The Amulets can give you temporary boosts like speed, strength, etc. And at this point I thought, wait, is this someone’s DnD module retelling?..
I mean, really. We have a typical party of adventurers! A rogue who’s fast and cunning (Kreya’s husband), a tank (the big guy), a damage dealer (Kreya), a support (amulet crafter), and a “mage” (the foretelling guy). I suddenly felt deeply nostalgic vibes. When I was at school, I read a lot of books in the Forgotten realms setting and was heavily traumatized by the recurring line about Drizzt Do’Urden swinging his swords. Ugh, the horror.
This book feels like it was written about 15 years ago. But it doesn’t make the book bad!
In fact, all the heroes are well-written and believable, all are different, with personal motivations. I could easily distinguish them even considering the fact there was just one reader.
However, I really laughed at some intro scenes. Especially from the “fountain sounded like two people pissing on the floor” one.
The book has its downsides, too, of course. Like, detailed writing sometimes is a problem. It usually happens with our protagonist. Like, Kreya is a victim of victims, giving her life away for her husband, accepting guilt and hate for “forcing” her friend to abandon his family and fight (he agreed voluntarily but she still found drama), another friend got poisoned – Kreya chopped a finger off to get a bone needed not to heal but to transfer the poison in herself and suffer instead!
I get it, she’s the leader of this party, duty and all, but could she give some screentime to others?
I really got interested when the main villain appeared. To avoid any spoilers, I’ll just say that he is one of the most hilarious evil guys I’ve seen in a long time. He managed to get in the good graces of people who knew his hatred for them and convince them he’s changed. Our protagonist kept running around yelling that he’s a bad guy still, and he just stood there near the guild leader, and was like, “I get it, you’re upset… I was so bad… I get it, I offended you and I was so evil… but I want to be friends. I’m just a good guy now… nothing suspicious…”
I legitimately laughed out loud at several of his scenes. And the
Jokes aside, he also has a legit motivation. You can easily understand why he’s like that, why he does what he does. He’s actually a very charming character.
I was only suspicious about him
So, overall, it’s a good standalone with a great atmosphere and a bit of nostalgic value (although it’s a 2021’s release). I really enjoyed it and I think that 15 years ago this book would’ve been a bomb.
To read if: you miss stories that resemble a tabletop game; you’re looking for a standalone; you like bittersweet motives in characters’ personal stories; you like seeing actual adults who try to get their lives together and fix their mistakes.
Do not read if: you want a classic fantasy romance like “meet and love” (this book has established relationships); you don’t like sly and too scheming villains; you don’t want to dive into worldbuilding to follow the plot (this book uses a major part of the setting’s rules to build the conflict and the solution to it).
Our heroine is a war hero. With a party of her friends and allies, she defeated a genius villain 25 years ago. She lost her husband, though, and never recovered. She never accepted his death… to the point when she started to revive him, paying with years of her life.
The concept is dramatic and pretty unique. I won’t retell the story here but I’ll say that Kreya’s reflection and feelings are so easy to believe in. She’s understandable, her pain is something you can sympathize with. Everything she feels and thinks is written in great detail but it was never boring to me. However, I like emotional pain and suffering so maybe someone can tire of all this.
At first I thought the book was a bit… dull. The setting is great but I really don’t like things like “every Monday my husband dies, every Friday I bring him back”. So I listened to the audiobook in hope of good worldbuilding.
So, what do we have here? The kinds of bone masters who can craft “golems” from bones, make amulets from bones, or see the future by using bones. The Amulets can give you temporary boosts like speed, strength, etc. And at this point I thought, wait, is this someone’s DnD module retelling?..
I mean, really. We have a typical party of adventurers! A rogue who’s fast and cunning (Kreya’s husband), a tank (the big guy), a damage dealer (Kreya), a support (amulet crafter), and a “mage” (the foretelling guy). I suddenly felt deeply nostalgic vibes. When I was at school, I read a lot of books in the Forgotten realms setting and was heavily traumatized by the recurring line about Drizzt Do’Urden swinging his swords. Ugh, the horror.
This book feels like it was written about 15 years ago. But it doesn’t make the book bad!
In fact, all the heroes are well-written and believable, all are different, with personal motivations. I could easily distinguish them even considering the fact there was just one reader.
However, I really laughed at some intro scenes. Especially from the “fountain sounded like two people pissing on the floor” one.
The book has its downsides, too, of course. Like, detailed writing sometimes is a problem. It usually happens with our protagonist. Like, Kreya is a victim of victims, giving her life away for her husband, accepting guilt and hate for “forcing” her friend to abandon his family and fight (he agreed voluntarily but she still found drama), another friend got poisoned – Kreya chopped a finger off to get a bone needed not to heal but to transfer the poison in herself and suffer instead!
I get it, she’s the leader of this party, duty and all, but could she give some screentime to others?
I really got interested when the main villain appeared. To avoid any spoilers, I’ll just say that he is one of the most hilarious evil guys I’ve seen in a long time. He managed to get in the good graces of people who knew his hatred for them and convince them he’s changed. Our protagonist kept running around yelling that he’s a bad guy still, and he just stood there near the guild leader, and was like, “I get it, you’re upset… I was so bad… I get it, I offended you and I was so evil… but I want to be friends. I’m just a good guy now… nothing suspicious…”
I legitimately laughed out loud at several of his scenes. And the
Jokes aside, he also has a legit motivation. You can easily understand why he’s like that, why he does what he does. He’s actually a very charming character.
I was only suspicious about him
So, overall, it’s a good standalone with a great atmosphere and a bit of nostalgic value (although it’s a 2021’s release). I really enjoyed it and I think that 15 years ago this book would’ve been a bomb.
To read if: you miss stories that resemble a tabletop game; you’re looking for a standalone; you like bittersweet motives in characters’ personal stories; you like seeing actual adults who try to get their lives together and fix their mistakes.
Do not read if: you want a classic fantasy romance like “meet and love” (this book has established relationships); you don’t like sly and too scheming villains; you don’t want to dive into worldbuilding to follow the plot (this book uses a major part of the setting’s rules to build the conflict and the solution to it).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 653 reviews