Bone, Vol. 3: Eyes of the Storm [Paperback]

Jeff Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2006

In "Eyes of the Storm," book three in the epic BONE series, Gran'ma Ben reveals long-kept secrets about Thorn's royal heritage and the ancient enmities that may lead to war.

In "Eyes of the Storm," volume three of the nine-book BONE saga, Lucius, Smiley, and Phoney survive an attack by the rat creatures and return safely to Lucius' tavern in Barrelhaven. Phoney, desperate to win a bet with Lucius, stokes the townspeople's fear of dragons and boasts that he is a professional dragonslayer.

Back at the farm, Fone Bone and Thorn are troubled by strange dreams, and Gran'ma Ben's reaction to them is stranger still: She reveals long-kept secrets and warns of great danger. Thorn, Fone Bone, and Gran'ma Ben may have to leave the farm forever.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As the first Bone trilogy comes to a conclusion, questions are answered, mysteries are revealed, and the stage is set for the brewing conflict in the valley. Jeff Smith is in top form in Bone: Eyes of the Storm. His artful balancing of humor, suspense, and pathos makes for an unforgettable reading experience. The dream sequences in this volume are inspired pieces of comics storytelling, especially the six-page "Moby Bone" sequence: the pacing, illustration, symbolism, and panel layout are close to perfect. A special addition to this collection is a set of more than 40 pages that have been retouched from the already near-perfect original comics. There are also 5 never-before-seen story pages and 9 new illustrations. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up–Exiled from their home, the Bone cousins have discovered a beautiful but frightening world in the valley. The tone darkens in this volume as their friend Thorn learns of her tragic past, the bloodthirsty rat creatures become even more menacing, and war appears imminent. Already a gripping, striking work in black and white, Bone is even more appealing in color. The lighter palettes highlight the story's playful humor, while darker shades heighten the immense drama unfolding in the valley. This offering should bring Smith's work a deservedly wider audience.–Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Graphix (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439706386
• ISBN-13: 978-0439706384
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't call me Ishmael December 21, 2002

By Ventura Angelo

Format:Paperback

Bone's saga strange mix of fantasy and poetic surrealism is at its peak in these stories. Fone Bone hopelessly loves Thorn, who in these chapters will learn excruciating truths about her past. The rat creatures are on the prowl (save the two local idiots) and Phoney Bone can't think better than casting doubt on the most valid defender against them...the Red Dragon. And this, only because of a foolish bet in which poor Lucius let himself be drawn.Harbingers of all these developments are strange dreams of Thorn and Fonebone (who dreams of Moby Dick,what else? And Thorn's image is sculpted on the Pequod's prow). The better moments are the return of Lucius, Phoney and Smiley under the rain to Barrelhaven, and Ted the Bug who ironizes at Fonebone's poetry, and when moments later the Dragon to whom unwittingly Fonebone offers flowers says "don't you think daisies would be better for my eyes"? At this you'll laugh, then you'll be chilled at the Dragon's knowledge of Fone's dreams. Thus the "don't call me Ishmael"! Jeff Smith is truly the better comic artist of this turn of the century

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bone series lays seeds for epic adventure May 10, 2004

By Eric San Juan VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

And here is where the "Bone" series' epic flourishes begin to show.

Still rooted in humor, still geared towards an all-ages audience, still showing its strong Carl Barks (Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge) and Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes) influence, the third volume of the nine-volume "Bone" series, "Eyes Of The Storm," picks up where the first two left off, showing the wacky adventures of the bone creatures as they get involved with the characters populating a quaint little valley.

But here Smith begins to sow the seeds of tragedy, despair and darkness that make their way into the series later on.

Yet it's still all in good fun, with plenty of laughs, thrills and excitement.

Timeless is every way, "Bone" is an expansive story about three "bone creatures" (you'd have to see them to understand) that find themselves in a valley peopled with an assortment of crazy and interesting characters. Looming over it all is the menace of a great evil, first glimpsed by the ferocious (and funny) rat creatures, but later revealed to be something much more disturbing.

Jeff Smith's "Bone" series is a critically acclaimed but criminally overlooked epic. Critics recognize Smith's masterful storytelling abilities and are drawn to his mix of all-ages humor and more mature darkness, but the black and white art and lack of superheroes is anathema to most comic book readers, making it a hit only in the "underground" sense.

Readers able to look past the lack of men in tights and color artwork will delight in this series.

Smith combines the kind of classic storytelling perfected by the likes of the legendary Barks and Watterson - gleefully funny cartooning with outrageously expressive faces and gestures - with the epic and engaging plotting of a sweeping fairy tale.... "Bone" walks a tightrope and walks it well, managing to be something fans of both Donald Duck and Bilbo Baggins can enjoy.

"Bone" is essential reading that no lover of the comic artform should skip. Little doubt people will still be reading "Bone" 50 years from now. Broad in scope yet personal and quaint, this is a charming story in every way that will surely outlast 90 percent of other comic works on the shelf. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Near Perfect! April 22, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This volume is less a conclusion to the first trilogy than it is a setup for the second. Fone Bone and Thorn's dreams start to become an increasing factor and indirectly lead to a chilling escape from a pack of rat creatures during a fierce thunderstorm. Also, much of the truth is explained regarding Thorn's past.

While this volume does not have the quantity of zany humor found in the first two volumes, it does meet its quota of unforgettable moments. Smiley's dubious rescue of Phoney and Lucius the bartender from another pack of rats, as well as the bet made between Phoney and Lucius soon after are to be forever etched into the memory. Also notable is the introduction of the mastermind behind the ill befalling the valley, the incorporeal Lord of the Locusts.

If it were not for some of the details surrounding Thorn's past, which seem a bit overused to me, I would give this 5 stars in an instant. As it is, I am giving it 4, but consider this volume a must-have despite the missing star.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Bone series August 18, 2002

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

I loved this book. It is, I find, the most emotionally stirring of all the Bone books. In fact, there are times when it seemed the emotions in this book were so powerful it was nearly violent.
Bombshell after bombshell is dropped, and in the end... what are we left with ?
A thirst for all things Bone after this book. A very powerful addition to the series.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bone, Books 1 through 4 January 28, 2007

By Michelle J. Marquard

Format:Paperback

These books are fantastic! I have two 7yr old boys that cry if I don't read this book to them at night.

Parents:

Imagine using, I won't read to you tonight if you don't stop right now, and it works...that's how good this series is. At first I thought the book might be a little too scary for them but they were hooked and it wasn't until book 4 that I had to consider sensoring some of the language (things like "idiot"). Any book that brings kids back to the well again and again is worth purchasing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The plot thickens! July 29, 2004

By Sibelius

Format:Paperback

Those of you who have read through the first 2 volumes of Jeff Smith's, 'Bone,' series will be glad to know that in vol. #3 the high quality of storytelling and artwork that we have been accustomed to is solidly maintained. Storywise, the mood grows darker as the turn of events take a grim direction sending the story into a seemingly darker chapter. Readers are also treated to a rich backstory on the origins of Rose and Thorn that does much to flesh out the epic storyline even further. Even with this darker mood settling in, Smith still manages to balance things off nicely with sprinklings of humour that in the end balances the dark/light atmosphere remarkably well.

FYI - an excerpt from Jeff Smith's biography in this book, explains the story/character genesis of the series:

"Jeff created the Bone characters in kindergarten while growing up in Columbus, Ohio. Batman, Peanuts and Uncle Scrooge were some of his favorite comics, but when he was nine, somebody showed him one of Walt Kelly's Pogo books. From that moment on, he wanted to be a cartoonist."