The Bone Maker: A Novel
"Durst consistently defies expectations."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.
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."
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
I was so, so wrong. What I had predicted did come to pass...in the next couple chapters and then we opened up into a whole other plot that was such a ride. I was so sad when it was over!!
This book is about a bone maker named Kreya. She has lived like a hermit for 25 years after she suffered tragedy and loss during the Bone War when she and her team fought Eklor, the evil bone maker determined to destroy the Bone Guild. Kreya has studied and researched and she's now ready to perform bone magic that is forbidden buuuuuut she needs some help in order to complete her mission. One thing leads to another and through hilarity, danger, anger, forgiveness and about 40 other emotions - we follow Kreya and her reassembled team as they once again find themselves united to save the world.
I *loved* the characters in this story, especially the Five Heroes. Their dynamic was such a joy to read and the author did a great job making them 3D and how I would imagine a close knit group of friends would act and treat one another, especially since some of them did not separate on the best of terms.
I found the different types of bone specialties interesting and enjoyed learning what each of the different classes could do with their talents. The politics of the Bone Guild added a nice touch of flair and spice and made up for the lack of world building, in my opinion. The writing style was easy to read and follow and I found myself flying through the pages.
This was my first book to read by Sarah Beth Durst, but it certainly won't be the last! Looking forward to continuing on to her Queen of Renthia series next!
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.