THE BONE MAKER by Sarah Beth Durst
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 496
Author’s Website
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
THE BONE MAKER by Sarah Beth Durst is a story about five heroes who defeated the greatest evil their land has seen and how it affected them 25 years later. Let’s say it didn’t end all in glory and happy endings for them. That alone made me want to read this nook.
THE BONE MAKER was a fun read with an intriguing magic system based on the use of bones and filled with complex characters. It struck a chord with me when I read the first two chapters. Instead of the usual fantasy world-building, Durst started the story with the main protagonist Kreya’s desperate need to accomplish an almost impossible act forbidden by the laws of her society. It was a need and want almost anyone can identify with, and it made me like and root for Kreya instantly. As we are introduced to Kreya’s companions, we learn more about the horrors they faced in the past, how it scarred them, and the trauma they still deal with or don’t deal with. It made them fascinating. I will say the bone wizard Zera stole the spotlight and added humor in the right places to make the story not so dark.
Durst also explores the ideas about power, how it can be a double-edged sword, something that could so easily be tipped to the side of evil even with good intentions. The forgiveness of others and themselves is another theme that made this story even more enjoyable to me.
THE BONE MAKER is a fantastic book with intriguing characters, an exciting and original narrative, and enough twists and turns to satisfy the most demanding of readers.