Customer Reviews

Dragon Bones

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is my third Patricia Briggs novel and all the things she has done so well - interesting and sympathetic characters, a fast-moving story that doesn't need 500+ pages to get started, let alone finish a story, and new territory every outing - were all in Dragon Bones. The two central characters definately carry the story. Ward is an honorable man making do under trying circumstances that include the death of his tyrannical father, an ancient curse, a family ghost and some rather twisted political manovering. He deals with all this while attempting to preserve his land and family. The other standout, Oleg, is the family ghost/wizard/bastard cousin/? and if you thought Ward had problems wait til you hear Oleg's. Briggs' characters always draw you into the story, so that even if the plot isn't perfect you are willing to overlook it to find out what happens to your favorite characters.

Another thing I enjoy about Patricia Briggs' books is her sense of humor. The chapters all have headers of rather wry observations by Ward that add nice commentary to the story that follows. Or take Ward's horse. Ward decides to rename his father's vicious battle stallion from Stygian to Pansy and then enjoys using it to confound his uncle's attempts to have the horse put down -how can he be a frightful beast? His name is Pansy = ) I enjoy little touchs of the absurd like that.

The quest to restore Ward's birthright forms the bulk of the story and many, though not all, of the secrets that are hinted at are resolved. Fortunately for us the sequel, Dragons Blood, is scheduled for publication in 2003 and will hopefully provide us with another enjoyable story as well as clearing up some lingering questions. I recommend Patricia Briggs' Dragon Bones and her other works (When Demons Walk, Hobb's Bargain) and I think she should definately get more recognition. There aren't a lot of fantasy writers out there today who are willing to write good, short novels that don't rely on the reader investing huge sums of cash or time to slog through 12 volumes at 600 pages each. Not everyone has to write (nor read) the Grand Epic. I for one enjoy a refreshing sip of a light wine before my heavy meal.

Ms. Briggs weaves a richly detailed world, with dark overtones and obstacles that would leave the typcial fantasy hero searching for a quiet corner to hide in. Mental illness seems to be a common affliction in the land of Hurog. Ward's father is megalomaniacle with homocidal tendencies, his mother lives in a drug-assisted psychotic stupor, his suicidal brother has chosen fugue and exile, and his sister is mute. Ward only acts autistic to avoid attrating paternal attention!

After his father dies, his cousins betray him and the high king declares him unfit to rule, he gathers his siblings, a mentally-disturbed ghost, an aging stablemaster, and a dwarven prince masquerading as an armsman, and sets out to become a hero. . .

The amazing thing about this novel is that it worked. Really, really worked. The masterfully-drawn characters vibrate with life. The vein of humor that is Briggs's hallmark shines brighly against the dark and hostile world. Ward is a very sympathetic hero, and the story is colored by his determined, unflinching efforts to do the right thing. He and his band of wanderers echo the best parts of Robin Hood, Arthur's round table, and Miles Vorkosigan. The story is by turns tragic, humorous, adverturous and touching, and the pacing is flawless.

While I'm waiting for the promised sequel, I may have to laminate the cover (clear contact paper for those who don't know this trick) so that I can re-live this adventure often in the coming months.

Dragon Bones is a nice, light little fantasy. It's short, relatively self-contained (a sequel just came out, but this book does stand by itself nicely) book that goes down smooth and easy, though it doesn't really have much body. I enjoyed it and it has a really nice climax (though the ending is a bit of a cheat). It just didn't really seem to mean much.

The first thing I'll address is the ending, because it's really the only thing that's wrong with an otherwise very interesting plot. The climax was exciting, with Ward having to make a decision that really builds his character. I was beginning to wonder how Briggs was going to end the book, and thought that maybe it would be a typical cliffhanger, making the reader wait until the next book to find out what happens. But then I found out I was wrong, and I was so pleased. I love it when characters have to make hard decisions. The bad thing is, though, subsequent events make it so that the decision ultimately doesn't mean anything, and it's robbed of most of its drama. Sure, the fact that he had to make the decision is character-building, and I'm glad Briggs didn't take the decision out of his hands, like sometimes happens. The problem is that Ward is saved from the consequences of his actions, and I was a bit sorry to see that.

Otherwise, this is a very good novel. It won't take very long to read, as it's very light. It's not very filling, though. There's plenty of action, which is nice. Swords flash, arrows fly, and the bad guys die. It's quite an exciting book, once it gets going. It just doesn't seem to have a lot of substance. It's a snack, almost. It's well-written, with very good prose and an air-tight plot. You definitely won't go wrong by picking this up and spending an afternoon with it.

The characterizations are very well done, with only Kariarn being the two-dimensional villain. A few figures at the beginning of the book start out looking like stereotypical bad guys too, but they develop a depth to them when Briggs writes from their point of view (the book is mostly in first person from Ward's point of view, but there are sections of the book written from others' point of view that were told to Ward after the fact). Ward's cousins, Beckram and Erdrick, start out as typical tormentors of both Ward and his sister. Garranon and his brother Landislaw are the men who come to take Ward away to the insane asylum after Ward won't produce Landislaw's slave. However, we find out that Garranon is the enforced lover of the king who just wants freedom for his people. Landislaw disappears from the story, so he doesn't get much characterization, but the others are very well-rounded by events. We find out that they are just doing what they have to do in order to get by in a crazy world under a cruel and sadistic king. It's nice to see characters get this kind of treatment, rather than becoming complete stereotypes.

Ward, the main character, is very interesting as well. He's played a role for so much of his life that he doesn't know where the real Ward is anymore. He's always fantasized about being his ancestor (the one who killed the dragon, though he doesn't find that out until this book), a great hero in all of the stories. When he sets out to prove himself, that's what he sees himself becoming. Ward has to learn through what happens in this novel to be his own person and a good leader. He is devastated when he finds out that his ancestor killed the dragon, and that his ancestor is the one who brought the curse down on his family that has made it what it is today. He has to work through all of that, and it makes for a very interesting character arc. He's a very good storyteller, and I'm glad Briggs decided to write this book in first person. It adds a sense of immediacy to the actions, and makes some of the choices he makes that much more intriguing.

The other characters fulfill their roles well, though there really isn't a lot to them. Tosten, Ward's formerly suicidal brother, isn't very interesting. He sulks when he thinks that Ward likes Oreg better than him (not knowing what Oreg really is). He does what he needs to do, but doesn't really distinguish himself. Oreg is a child and most of the time acts like one. The rest of them are fairly nondescript. They're certainly not badly done, they're just there.

The book is well worth a read, though. I did really enjoy it. I will definitely look up the sequel and see if it's as good. If you're in the mood for light fantasy, you could do worse than picking up Dragon Bones.

This is a clever, likeable story that escapes the usual fantasy conventions. The hero's dilemna--a brutish, dangerous father from whom he would like to escape, but can't--is nothing unusual in the fantasy genre, but the way Ward combats his father's intentions is quite clever and amusing. The characters are complex and interesting, particularly the hero. Briggs doesn't fall into the typical fantasy trap of having flawless, perfect heroes and entirely sadistic, evil villains. And--hurray!--not a single one of her names has an apostrophe in it!

There are a few flaws in the text, all of which could have been avoided with an attentive editor. There are a few cases of awkward phrasing ("Like me, Ciarra was clad in a blue velvet gown...") Hmm. Ward, the muscular hero, was wearing a blue velvet gown? Sometimes Briggs has used the wrong word ("His face had a blank inward look that...usually precluded some of his odder moments.") She means "preceded," not "precluded." The queen is referred to as having "not born..an heir" when the word should have been "borne." Such errors are a distraction from the plot, and detract from the generally good impression the writer has made.

A good editor might have made some corrections to the pacing of the story, too. It takes nearly 90 pages for the author to get her hero on the road, and a mere 20 to describe climax (and anti-climax, as a reviewer below pointed out), and wrap up all the loose ends of the plot. The fate of two major characters is actually conducted "offstage," as it were; even though one of them was important enough to have parts of the story told from his point of view. It's almost as if Briggs was in a hurry to move on to another project.

Ms Brigg's last two books, Hob's Bargain and When Demons Walks were tightly plotted stories about in the first case, a village cut off from the wider world and in the second a Court intrigue. Dragon Bones is more sprawling, its action covering a vast area as it moves from the small, impoverished estate of Hurog to the king's court to the front of an undeclared war in an unprotected land.

Fenwyck, the lord of Hurog, was half mad. He abused his wife, his children, his servants and his animals. His wife hid in a haze of drugs. His daughter was mute. His youngest son had run away and was presumed dead. His heir, Wardwyck, was thought to be brain damaged since Fenwyck had beaten him nearly to death at the age of 12. As the reader is told on nearly the first page, though, Ward was no fool at all and had used his supposed imbecility to escape his father's abuse. Ward had lost his power of speech after the beating, had lost his ability to use magic to any great degree, had been forced to learn to reuse the left side of his body, but was not in the least stupid. He was a large young man, though with bovine eyes and a practiced look of stupidity.

When the story opens Ward is returning from an expedition which had taken him to the monumental bronze doors of Hurog, set in a mountain side, they had wrought on them images of a dragon. He overhears a discussion between his twin cousins Which leads him to conclude that they had been teasing his sister and she had taken refuge in the sewers of the castle. Determined to protect his sister from his father's wrath should she not present herself for dinner, he undertakes to find her in the tunnels underlying the castle.

When he does locate her, he also finds evidence that an ancestor of his had muzzled and chained a dragon in a cavern under the keep. He and his sister escape to the surface. Before, however, he can decide what to do about the remains of the dragon, he is told that his father is dying, thrown by his stallion during a hunt. He is approached by the family ghost who passes to him the platinum ring that is the symbol of lordship.

His father, with his last strength declares that his brother Duraugh will have control over Hurog during Ward's minority. Ward is afraid that his uncle will want to keep control and begins his own campaign to win over the victims, mundane and supernatural of his father's abuse.

Slowly, Ward starts to reveal that he is not as stupid as he has appeared over the years, but he is afraid to reveal everything to his uncle. Just as he decides to do so, though, two lords from the king's court arrive chasing an escaped slave. By ancient custom if a slave reached Hurog that slave was afterward free. Ward and Duraugh refuse to give up the slave and the lord's reveal that they have authorization from the king to confine Ward in a lunatic assylum.

Thus begins an adventure where Ward is forced to prove himself suitable to rule Hurog after all, protect his siblings and escape entrapment in the toils of politics. Ward's story, told in first person, is interwoven with the story of his twin cousins, the story of the King's favorite, and a threat from a neighboring kingdom.

Ms Briggs does a very good job of characerization. Just as the reader thinks he or she has the characters neatly pigeonholed, the author reveals some other aspect. Nothing is as it seems. There are betrayals and murders. Ward finds his magic again, but magic is not enough.

While the conclusion is satisfying, it is noted in the back that the author is working on a sequel, which will hopefully be published soon. Considering what has gone before, it would be very surprising, if there is not a few more twists and turns among these characters.

But then, I'm a sucker for lots of interesting and strong characters (both male and female), and a plot that thickens nicely into a bubbling brew of humor, action, adventure, magic and a touch of romance. Even if you are FED UP with dragon stories, ad nauseum, take a chance on this one. Because it's really not only about Dragons. Even if you could scream if you read one more stale yarn about sorcerers and their nefarious deeds, pick this one up. Because it ain't stale, and there's a whole lot more to it than that! And don't even think of missing this one because you're afraid it has any swooning maidens (yuck!) and MANLY (see the chest hair!) men just waiting to rescue them. It doesn't. Pat Briggs doesn't DO that!

If you're the type of reader that likes endless action with the protagonists blindly reacting to one crisis after another and miraculously coming out alive (but rarely wiser), this book isn't for you. You probably WILL like this book if you enjoy real fantasy with believable characters living and reacting in believable ways without overt sexual content driving the whole story. You will be exposed to a new world and hopefully finish wanting to know more.

In Dragon Bones, Briggs has a quiet (not flashy) writing style and, as usual, the plot flows naturally, even if the circumstances are out of this world (which they are supposed to be, after all). I don't need to suspend disbelief with Brigg's books, just take everything at face value and know I will be masterfully entertained. Her characterizations are excellent and add to the plot. The dialog only adds to the story. Telling the details of the story won't tell you anything else you need to know beyond "this is a good book."

Yes, I can quibble with details that left me hanging or that I don't really understand. I hate feeling like there's something implied that I'm just not getting, and there are a few places in her stories when that happens. But this is a sign of a well-built world that is real to the author and the characters of the story, and it makes it more interesting instead of frustratiing. I would have liked to know a little more about what happens at Ward's Uncle's holding after the climax. I'd like to understand better how intricately dragons are part of Ward's bloodline. And, what, exactly, does Oreg mean with his closing line?

The highest compliment I can pay an author is call her a storyteller instead of an author. Ms. Briggs is a consumate storyteller and I can't wait for her to tell me a new story. The only negative thing I can say about Briggs is that with the success of Moon Called she may never write more gems like she has with Dragon Bones, Hob's Bargain, When Demons Walk, and Steal the Dragon. I want MORE of those type of stories. I know werewolves and vampires are hot right now, but please don't forget us faithful readers who loved fantasy before it got kinky. I'm sorry I didn't know about her books earlier so I could have been enthusiastically supporting her by buying her new books. I'm even buying extra copies to give my local library in hopes that others will discover quality fantasy.

Please, please, please, Ms. Briggs, tell us more stories.

I loved this book. Just when I thought I'd seen it all, I discovered Patricia Briggs.

Dragon Bones has a fresh plot involving ghosts, magic, mayhem, jealousy, love, brothers, sisters, curses, and happily ever after. While other books may have the same ingredients, Briggs has made the hero, Ward, someone both clever and flawed, with a sense of honour and humour as well.

I can't wait to get Dragon Blood. If you liked Robin Hobb's Farseer series, Ward is somewhat similar, only not on as epic a scale.

This is the story of Ward, heir to a keep that had faked imbecility since entering his teens in order to avoid his violent father's wrath. When his father is killed in a hunting accident, Ward's facade becomes his undoing as he is declared unfit to rule. Exiled with an unlikely band of travelling companions, he and his friends encounter court intrigue, ancient magic, and a plot to use the dragon bones hidden beneath Ward's keep for corrupt magic.

The book has excellent pacing, fascinating characters, and a vivid setting, and I eagerly await the sequel. I also intend to seek out other books by this writer.

My only criticism is that Ward and friends at one point manage to take out several groups of bandits without serious injury. I understand training and surprise are invaluable, but some of Ward's party lacked armor. Some peasant raider would have gotten lucky eventually.

Wardwick of Hurog is the eldest son of a brutal psychopath father and an addict mother. In order to protect himself from his father's machinations, he pretends that he is a simpleton and too stupid to be any sort of threat to his father's position of hurogmeten (or leader) of Hurog. When his father is killed unexpectedly, Ward must suddenly step to the helm of the ship and prove to his his kinsmen and his people that he is not who they thought, and that he has the strength to hold his land against an invading force.

Before this book, I had only read Patricia Briggs' "The Hob's Bargain." I found that to be a relatively enjoyable book, but one that was quickly forgotten. Therefore, I was absolutely blown away when I sunk my teeth into "Dragon Bones." Ward is an entirely sympathetic character, and early in the book, you find yourself sharing sly smiles with him as he confounds some bullies with his supposed 'slow wit.' He's honorable, but never a prig; he benefits greatly from his heritage, but he's got to work extremely hard to keep it. It was hard not root for him from start to finish.

The plot of this book was not unique, but Briggs does an excellent job turning the archetypical plot of "Heir with Magic must Protect Homeland" into something that feels very real. Add interesting side characters (my favorite is Oreg) and you've got a tight little novel that is sure to please fantasy lovers.

I happily gave this five out of five.