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

David Farland (Author)
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)


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Book Description

November 8, 2003
Certain works of fantasy are immediately recognizable as monuments, towering above the rest of the category. They have been written by the likes of Stephen R. Donaldson, Robert Jordan, and Terry Goodkind. Now add to that list David Farland, whose epic fantasy series began with The Runelords, continued in Brotherhood of the Wolf and the New York Times bestseller Wizardborn, and reaches its peak now in The Lair of Bones.

Prince Gaborn, the Earth King, has defeated the forces arrayed against him each time before: the magical and human forces marshaled by Raj Ahten, who seeks immortality at any cost and has given up his humanity in trade; and the inhuman, innumerable, insectile hordes of the giant Reavers from under the Earth, whose motives are unknowable, but inimical to human life. Now there must be final confrontations, both on the field of battle, with the supernatural creature that Raj Ahten has become, and underground, in the cavernous homeland of the Reavers, where the sorcerous One True Master who rules them all lies in wait--in the Lair of Bones. The survival of the human race on Earth is at stake.


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

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 429 pages
  • Publisher: Tor Books : Tom Doherty Associates; 1st edition (November 8, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0765301768
  • ISBN-13: 978-0765301765
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,204,697 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

50 Reviews
5 star:
 (12)
4 star:
 (17)
3 star:
 (12)
2 star:
 (5)
1 star:
 (4)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.6 out of 5 stars (50 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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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
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.
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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).
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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.

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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
"Milord, there you are," someone called. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
dead reavers, reaver horde, knight gig, frowth giants, gray imperial warhorse, sweet triangle, dozen endowments, worm dreaming, other reavers, cape pin, fell mage, taken endowments, many endowments, more endowments, taking endowments, glowing runes, wolf lord, green woman, true sending, ballista bolts, blood metal, world worm, great endowments, force horses, sulfur water
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Raj Ahten, Earth King, King Anders, One True Master, Consort of Shadows, Erden Geboren, Sarka Kaul, Darkling Glory, Storm King, Castle Sylvarresta, Lair of Bones, Earth Warden, Bright Ones, Courts of Tide, Sir Borenson, Nut Woman, South Crowthen, Keep Haberd, King Criomethes, Lake Donnestgree, Mouth of the World, Rialla Lowicker, Alcair Mountains, Earth Spirit, Erin Connal
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