Customer Reviews

Servant of the Bones: A Novel

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(26)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(35)

 

 

I finished reading Servant of the Bones this morning after staying up as late as I could last night in an attempt to finish the book. Reading over many of the reviews I can think of one thing that would have helped some of those that read the book: reading further. At first I was almost put off by it being another interview book like Interview was, the only other book by Rice that I have read. I was glad that I continued, however, because once she reached the interesting parts the story picked up tremendously. The interesting parts to me would be everything to do with religion and history. I know this is in part because they are things I am currently hoping to research. She made them vibrant, brought the old stories alive and for days I could not get the image of Azriel painted in poisonous gold out of my mind. To me that is what a writer is supposed to do, create a living story, vivid images that haunt the reader day and night for a time before they can continue on with the tale. That is what Anne Rice did in this book. Many said they could not get past the first 50 pages and first 100 pages and that skimming ahead provided nothing. Of course, it did not. One has to take the time to think with this book and that's another thing I love about it. People may think the Belkin ideals and ideas were very contrived, but one never knows. We are very used to our safe and careful world where fights and cults are things that are distant from us. But who is to say what is out there and that this could not happen? In the mind of a madman anything can happen.

I told my husband about this book as I read it since he rarely gets a chance to read anything this long. I would recommend it to others as well, but be prepared. The book doesn't think for you. To fully appreciate it, you have to think for yourself and take in what Azriel tells us, take it deep inside and let it simmer like the gold that coated Azriel's bones. It is worth it.

Vampires, mummies, and witches (oh my!) are all subjects that have received the star treatment from renowned author Anne Rice. The great otherworldly writer tackles another aspect of the supernatural plane when a genie stars in her latest novel. In doing this, Ms. Rice brilliantly provides vivid insight into the biblical culture of Babylon.

Frightening is the tale of Azriel, an exiled Jew living in Babylon, who has the misfortune to become the favorite one of the great god, Marduk. Azriel comes to the attention of the temple priests, who have hatched a plan for King Cyprus of Persia to claim Babylon without bloodshed. In order for this plan to work, Azriel's father hands him over to the priests in exchange for the promise that the Hebrews living in Babylon will be allowed to return to Jerusalem. In a ceremony, Azriel is to play the role of Marduk, a role that always ends in death.

Death is not quite what fate has in store for Azriel because a witch's spell separates his spirit from his body at the time of death. This turns him into a genie or Servant of the Bones. Through two millennia, Azriel is paged by many different masters, but it is not until the 1990s that fate provides Azriel an opportunity for redemption. Terrorist tele-evangelist Gregory Belkin has a diabolical plan to put himself in control of a new world order. He summons Azriel to help him put his plan in motion. Azriel knows what will happen to the world if Gregory succeeds. The genie forces his "master" into a confrontation that will decide humanity's destiny.

Readers will give Anne Rice much credit for being a very visual and challenging story teller who uses words as a magical means to mesmerize her audience. Her perception of a genie's psyche has its roots in her vampire mythos. Although this tale is not as esoteric as some of her previous works, Servant of the Bones is a brilliant piece of fiction. The author cleverly combines elements from the horror and techno-thriller genres into a unique and thought-provoking novel. Fans of The Mummy will definitely want to read this work.

Anne Rice is a serious novelist. She does her homework, and incorporates important historical and philosophical elements. In Servant of the Bones, she ties together fascinating character studies with a supernatural "mystery thriller" flavor. Although she is clearly now a media figure, she does not shy away from poking fun at the fascination many people have with celebrities and pop culture. An intelligent work from an intelligent author. You won't be able to put it down during the final chapters.

Are our souls servants to our bones? Or vice versa? Is the dying more work than the living? If you had the power to save millions of people from a plan of destruction, would you?

I enjoyed Servant of the Bones so very much. The historical and timely events are captivating. Azriel swept me into his world from the beginning and I never wanted to leave. I wanted to see what he had known and was learning. Rice is brisk and descriptive.

My first taste of Anne Rice has been nothing less than a feast.

Anne Rice places the reader into a unimaginable world! The history she tells in this novel is really something to be admired. Much thought and prep had to have gone into writing this great novel! I will not give the story away-like so many other people, but it is definately worth reading.
Truly a great read!

This is one of Anne Rice's most under appreciated under rated novels. The historical elements alone deserve at least three stars. I found the story and characters moving as any of her vampire novels. Maybe having a BA History, my opinion is bias. I didn't find the beginning long or boring either as one reviewer mentions. The descriptions of Babylon and the Persian Empire were as informing as any textbook I had to read through; given the license of fictionalizing a historical character i.e. Cyrus the Great. You can't understand a character who was alive in the 5th century BC without learning about the world they lived in. Surpassing Ramses the Damned in detail an imagery this is probably her best novel to date.

Some people, apparently, did not like this book. However, I found it to be one of my favorite Anne Rice books, and she is one of my favorite authors. It is my opinion that Anne writes best in the first person which she does with both this book and Interview With the Vampire, and, in my opinion, they are her best.
Azriel's story is amazing and Rice's writing makes me wonder, at times, if her characters actually DID exist somewhere other than her imagination.

O.K., as a loyal Anne Rice fan, I feel that it is my honor, priveledge, and, yes, obligation to do a review. This was the very last Anne Rice book that I hadn't read. (Except for Vittorio which, though it breaks my heart to say it, was so awful I couldn't get through it). The Servent of the Bones sat unread on my book shelf while I finished off The Vampire Chronicles, The Lives of the Mayfair Witches, The Mummy, Cry to Heaven, and the Feast of All Saints. After a long period of waiting, (I was afraid to read this book for fear that it might be as bad as Vittorio and therefore shake my faith in Rice again), I finally picked this book up. And to my great surprise, I found that this book was indeed fairly good. (Which I'm sure you have all read in my one-line summary, but I thought you all might like the whole tale if perhaps you had nothing better to do on a Saturday night other than organize your sock draw). So, if you're hooked on Rice, this book is worth it. Hopefully it'll hold you over to the new one in the fall. Thank you for your time.

Azriel is a ghost, demon, and angel -- in love with good, in thrall to evil. He pours out his heart to Jonathan, a history professor-cum-writer, telling his astonishing story when he found himself in New York City, a dazed witness to the murder of a young girl, and became inexplicably obsessed by the desire to avenge her.

It turns out that the man behind the murder of the young girl is her own stepfather who would pay any price to fulfill his messaianic dream via his immense worldwide organization, the Temple of the Mind.

Azriel takes us back to his mortal youth, in the city of Babylon, where he was plucked from death by evil priests and sorceress and transformed into a genie commanded to do their bidding. Challenging these forces of destruction, Azriel embarked on his perilous journey through time, from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, to the Europe of the Black Death, to Manhattan in the 1990s.

As his quest approaches its climatic horror, he risks his supernatural powers to forestall in the nick of time, an attempt to destroy the world and redeems, at last, what was denied him so long ago: his own eternal human soul.

[...].

what can I say, except that I really liked this book. It was very interesting, it had a good history and a good storyline. I thought that Azriel was a very interesting character. I think that everyone should read this book. Thanks