The Bones of the Earth (The Dark Age) [Kindle Edition]

Scott Bury (Author)

Book Description

The Dark Age, eastern Europe: the earth has decided to rid itself of humanity with earthquakes, volcanoes and new plagues. Civilizations, even the mighty Roman Empire, crumble under the pressure of barbarian waves that are fleeing worse terrors.

Rejected by his own people, pursued by a dragon, young Javor heads for Constantinople, the centre of civilization, looking for answers to the puzzle of his great-grandfather's dagger and the murder of his family.

On the ancient, crumbling Roman highway across haunted, deserted Dacia, Javor rescues the beautiful Danisa from a human sacrifice. He cannot help falling in love with her. But Danisa has her own plans, and when she is kidnapped again, Javor has to wonder: what is the connection between his dagger, his lover and his enemies?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Scott Bury is a journalist, editor and writer living in Ottawa. His articles have been published in newspapers and magazines in Canada, the US, UK and Australia, including Macworld, the Ottawa Citizen, the Financial Post, Marketing, Canadian Printer, Applied Arts, PEM, Workplace, Advanced Manufacturing and others. His first published fiction is “Sam, the Strawb Part,” a children’s adventure story. It can be published from Amazon.com. All royalties from sales of this story go to Children at Risk, an Ottawa-based charity that supports families of children with autism spectrum disorders. For more information about them, visit http://www.childrenatrisk.ca/ He has also published a short story for free download as an e-pub, Dark Clouds, which is also available from Amazon in e-book format. The Bones of the Earth is his first novel to be published.

Product Details

• File Size: 678 KB
• Print Length: 446 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: The Written Word Communications Co.; Complete edition edition (December 22, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006PI0NRG
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #337,596 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating Read March 24, 2012

By The Kindle Book Review

Format:Kindle Edition

Scott Bury has defined this book as "historical magic realism" and after reading The Bones Of The Earth (The Dark Age) I totally agree. This genre of book is quite a departure for me but I found this story to be amazingly detailed, thought provoking and captivating on many levels. It is very apparent that a tremendous amount of research went into the writing of this book and coupled with the amazing characters and plot twists I could not put this book down.

Javor has just turned 14 years of age when his story begins. His village is violently attacked by horsemen and then by a horrible monster that attacks and kills his parent. He avenges their deaths using the dagger passed on to him from his Great Grandfather and an amulet that he wears around his neck. Upon his return the leaders in his village ask him to leave to alleviate the threat to their people. Javor then begins his long, treacherous journey accompanied by Potius a Greek traveler who was visiting his village.

The descriptive writing of their journey coupled with the horrors that they encounter is portrayed in a vivid and expressive style. The landscapes and incredibly memorable depiction of the hardships and evil they encounter clearly reflect the tremendous writing in this book.

This story will keep you totally absorbed and the plot twists are never ending. I found the historical references familiar and the research involved in this book is undeniable. Scott Bury has managed to capture the quality of fantasy mixed with the historical reality of the times to present a truly remarkable and magical story. I highly recommend this book!

Marilou George - The Kindle Book Review

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Fantasy! March 5, 2012

By E.L.S.

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I don't usually read fantasy, but after this novel it's a genre I'll explore more. Scott Bury is a talented storyteller and had clearly done his homework before launching into this one. His writing is solid and vivid. I had no problem picturing setting, mythical creatures, brutal battle scenes, and feeling the emotional turmoil warrior Javor experienced with the loss of his family, betrayal, and other challenges he faced on his quest. Javor is a brilliant character, brave, fierce, loyal, compassionate, and autistic. Yes, the hero is Asperger's. I confirmed this with Bury (@ScottTheWriter) on Twitter. I applaud how thoughtfully and subtly he "shows " Javor's disability. The clues are in how other characters react to Javor and how their reactions dumbfound him. However, this story isn't about Javor overcoming his disability. He is simply who he is: wonderful and heroic.

I have one caution, which I only give because I have seen this novel labeled as Young Adult. It contains explicit sexual content that makes it unsuitable for younger readers, in my opinion. So don't make presumptions based on Javor's age. The Bones Of The Earth is not written for someone his age. It's intended for an adult audience, which I highly recommend it to.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention my favorite scene, which is probably the most epic action scene I have ever read: a battle with a dragon. Talk about vivid! This is a scene that I hope one day to watch wide-eyed on "the big screen" while absently shoveling popcorn into my mouth. Bury sure knows how to choreograph and describe a fight.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Epic Fantasy Adventure! January 26, 2012

By Roger Eschbacher

Format:Kindle Edition

When his people are attacked -- first by vicious horsemen, then by an unspeakable horror from the depths of a dark pit -- village outcast Javor finds abilities stirring within that hint he might not be destined for the life of a simple farmer.

Armed with his great-grandfather's special dagger, Javor first sets out to rescue two village girls, then to seek revenge for his parents deaths -- the very beginning of an epic quest where nothing less than the fate of the human race is at stake.

Author Scott Bury demonstrates his considerable writing skills by masterfully weaving a story that, at times, has you holding your breath as you wonder what's coming next. Especially enjoyable is how he plays out Javor's gradual realization of what his true destiny might be.

More About the Author

Scott Bury is a journalist, editor and writer living in Ottawa, Canada. His articles have been published in newspapers and magazines in Canada, the US, UK and Australia, including Macworld, the Ottawa Citizen, the Financial Post, Marketing, Canadian Printer, Applied Arts, PEM, Workplace, Advanced Manufacturing and others.

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He holds a BA from Carleton University's School of Journalism. He has two sons, an orange cat and a loving wife who puts up with a lot.

He is a recipient of Maclean Hunter's Top 6 Award and a member of a team that won a Neal Award for business reporting.

The Bones of the Earth is his first novel.