The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone Series I am always surprised that this series does not get anymore attention, because it deserves more. I picked up the first book, The Briar King, on a whim. I was looking for something to read to pass the time and just picked it up at the bookstore because it sounded interesting. I am always looking for books that are good fantasy, but not predictable repetitive like some other fantasy books. You know, the usual young boy finds out he is special in some way; goes on epic journey, fights bad guy, and win...it can be a bit much. So this book sounded like a change and I was glad I picked it up once I got going.The first thing that stood out to me was the fact that the main protagonist is a female, and a good character at that. Once complaint I always have about fantasy books are that the females in it are always flat and one dimensional. They either are there to serve as love interest for the male character, who sit about and annoy me with their uselessness and weak personalities. Little pure princesses, that don't actually exist in real life. Or they are the evil witch who must be defeated. That whole Madonna, whore thing...but then Fantasy is mostly written by men. So I was happy to see that this series has a strong female lead character that is useful and central. Yeah in the first book she makes mistakes that make you want to smack here, but because they character is well thought out...the mistakes are understandable, and you can see growth. She learns and changes from her mistakes.Another aspect of this series I enjoy is the action. There are plenty of fighting scenes complete with blood and guts and sword fighting for those that enjoy that sort of thing. But it not only has physical action, but literary action..the book never stalls and has a great pace..that almost makes you feel like you are one this frantic journey with these people. But the series is not also without lots of plot driven action as well. The plot is complicated and thick.Which gets to the final thing I liked...the mystery of what is exactly going on. There are plots within plots, and just when you think you know what is going on, and who is behind it...another layer is peeled of and you realize that there is more going on than meets the eye. As you answer on question, two more pop up..and all evidence seems to point to this not just being a wild goose chance with no satisfying pay off at the end. It seems the writer knows where he is going and what is going to happen...that this story line will be wrapped up.But with a plot so dense, there can be time when there is confusion. There is a large group of characters and sometimes more are introduced. It is definitely a series that requires re-read before a new installment to make sure that the players and events are fresh in your mind.So, having finished the third book, The Blood Knight, I can say that this series is very good and worth the read. I have the final book, The Born Queen, and look forward to finishing this underrated series.
For the most part, I enjoyed reading Keyes's third installment to his Kingdom of Thorn and Bone series. The mysteries that drive the plot kept me interested, and each revelation that Keyes dropped increased the scope of the story and raised the stakes for the characters. There were moments when I felt an intake of breath and marveled at the ramifications of what passed and what was said. It is this epic feel that brought me back to the genre of fantasy (as in: swords and sorcery and the like), and it was fun to experience that again.If anything held this book back, it is Keyes's reliance on an episodic structure that relies upon cliff-hanger endings. Every single chapter ends with on a note of suspense that is then prolonged until that narrative thread is picked up again a few chapters later. For some scenes this works well, and encourages interest; in other parts of the book, however, this breathless delivery undercuts any drama or introspection or pause that necessarily accompanies all of the action. Much as I enjoyed the pace of events, there were times that I wanted everything to slow down and just let the characters be for a moment - especially after some of aforementioned revelations. Wouldn't people need to dwell on what they've learned at some point, even in a time of war? According to Keyes, no, events just keep pushing people forward. Even if this is true historically, in the context of fiction it makes for narrative that can be wearisome and almost absurd. Just how much punishment can Aspar take before he sits down and says, "Sceat, I'm gonna take a bloody nap."Lack of narrative variety aside, I do look forward to the fourth and final installment, and the answers that it will bring. I can also say that I'm glad I picked this series up.
What do You think about The Blood Knight (2006)?
The story continues...And I am seriously enjoying this series. The pacing is great with each chapter ending on an almost-cliffhanger without the repeated trick feeling "cheap" as it does when so many other authors do it. The characters are complex and varied - you understand why each is making the decisions they are, while simultaneously realising they are not headed in the same direction. The world-building is awesome with layer after layer of complexity. None of the "reveals" feel "cheap and nasty". They all make sense while being true revelations. I really don't know where the series is going to end, but I am loving the ride. (I also like that all the books are about the same length. It feels like the author has the whole thing under tight control).
—Esther
Like the first two books in the series, this one caught my interest right away. I have to say, though, that (like many of the other reviews I've seen) it was probably my least favorite book, so far. Some time had passed since the last book (although, only a month or so), but many of the characters seemed to have developed without us. Anne's sudden confidence seemed to come out of nowhere, and a lot of the little plot twists are neatly wrapped up with some prophecy. But, with that said, I still enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the final chapter of the series. Will Anne keep the throne? What will Stephen do? And, what happened to the Briar King?
—Tony J
A word of advice: do not let too much time pass before reading each next instalment in this tetralogy. This novel opens somewhat in the thick of things, and I had to refer back to both The Charnel Prince and The Briar King to catch up on the characters and the back story. This is not a bad thing though. It is, to be honest, a quite seamless transition between novels. As the story progresses, the reader’s memory is jogged more than adequately, so no harm done.Again, I have to commend Keyes for his action sequences. Really good stuff! Anybody who has read my review of The Charnel Prince will know that I have a rather high regard for this series, and this instalment certainly didn’t disappoint. It is dark and grim and moody, for the most part, but has some sly offerings of humour as well. Something interesting was how Keyes actually altered the history of his world this time round, making much of what we learn in the earlier novels moot, as the characters become aware of hidden truths and deceptions. There are also some shocking reveals and twists to keep thing interesting.The trend of ending almost every chapter on a cliff-hanger is continued here. This makes for some pretty exciting reading. I love the pacing in these books. Keyes doesn’t allow the story to get bogged down. There is intrigue, but Keyes offsets it nicely with suspense and high drama. The creatures of his world also continue to impress. A new one is introduced here, namely the Woorm. The horde of Slinders, introduced in The Charnel Prince, is developed in much more detail here. Really, really creepy. And then, of course, there is The Kept…The elements of music and languages are explored, again, and I was impressed, again. This series is a roller coaster ride that I am thoroughly enjoying.This novel, like its predecessors, drips with atmosphere. I am looking forward to reading the closing chapter in this saga: The Born Queen.
—Dirk Grobbelaar
