The Lair of Bones (The Runelords, Book 4) [Kindle Edition]

David Farland (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

According to Farland's Web site, the Runelords series, of which this is the fourth book after 2001's Wizardborn, was inspired by a hallucination. It also reads like one at times, full of rich and brilliant descriptions, but not always making much sense. Magical endowments-attributes such as sight, brawn or endurance transferred between people, leaving one crippled and the other superhuman-permit Averan, a nine-year-old wizard-in-training, to keep pace with the Earth King, Prince Gaborn and his cohorts as they search underground for the Queen of the Reavers. As those above ground prepare for war, Gaborn learns that his elemental powers are nothing compared to those of the Glories, forces of light who exhort their followers to love all men equally and beware the corrupting powers of the One True Master of Evil. The author rushes the action in the final chapters, the last one so condensed it reads almost like the summary of another complete book. Hopefully, the strength of the setting will help Farland to find a better pace for future volumes; this one, despite its promise, is strictly for the fans.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The apparent conclusion of the Runelords brings the saga's conflicts to a resounding climax in a three-cornered confrontation. For Raj Athen has given up his humanity for immortality and has marshaled hordes of magicians and sorcerers; Prince Gaborn has been victorious as the Earth King and is holding his ground; and the insectoid Reavers have found their ruler, lurking deep underground in the Lair of Bones and wielding its subjects against everyone else. The suspense is real, the action is nonstop, and the characterizations continue to convince. The amount of explicit violence and gore delivered by natural and supernatural means remains as high as ever in the Runelords--high enough, perhaps, to have cost Farland some of the saga's initial readers. Readers not put off thus far, however, surely will hang on to the end of a series that has put Farland on high-fantasy readers' maps. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 7398 KB
• Publisher: Tor Books : Tom Doherty Associates; First Edition edition (November 8, 2003)
• Sold by: Macmillan
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000RY5G58
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #393,202 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Oh yes, it ends abruptly. (possible spoilers), June 6, 2005

By 

Absimilard "absimilard" (AK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lair of Bones (Runelords) (Mass Market Paperback)

It ends so quickly with so many things unanswered or forgotten that it HAS to be a set up for another book or series. It isn't that I necessarily wanted a "happy" ending. I just wanted some resoultion, good or bad. Here are a few things that I can remember (possible spoilers):

Remember the book that was such a big deal in chapter one of book one? Everyone had to get a hold of it because it had secrets about the Days? Well, forget it because it's barely hinted at.

Daylan Hammer, Borenson's quest, etc.? Dropped. There's mention, and it's key for some of the characters, but after that, nothing.

Waggit who?

Erin has a large part in this book. Ultimately, though, nothing comes of her story and that plot is dropped.

Another key character is introduced in Inkarra, but he's there only to move the story forward, apparently. Repurcussions to his actions were not told.

Borenson discoveres a new rune, and must get to a facilitator to show it to them, but that is forgotten.

There's more, but what's the point. I was going to give this four stars, but with the abrupt ending, I'm giving it 3. It's still a solid read all the way through, I was just hoping for more resolution.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Break from Endless Epics, December 25, 2003

By 

R. C. Smith "jam_ing" (Bancroft, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lair of Bones (The Runelords, Book 4) (Hardcover)

Yes, the other reviews were right in that it has a very abrupt ending, and the final chapter has a pace that leaves the reader wanting an endowment of metabolism, but there IS an end. How many fantasy series coming out of the '90s can say that? The pace leaves the characters a little less developed than I would have preferred, but not so much so that you can't cheer for them. I was pleased with this book for its intense action and closure (I'm not saying more isn't forthcoming, but this story line is done).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Bit Dissapointing, December 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lair of Bones (The Runelords, Book 4) (Hardcover)

I believe Craig Daniel's review summed up all that I wanted to say about it. And, like Craig, I would of given this book a 2 if it weren't for the other three books. And, unfortunetly, I don't think I'm interested in this series anymore...

Beware, fans of Farland. This book may surprise you in a 'bad' way.