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Ettison #2
The Bones
Mahlia Ettison thought she had left terror behind. But the quiet community she thinks of as sanctuary hides an ancient evil -- voodoo magic that steals lives and souls from the most innocent: children.
The bones rise from their mud-clogged grave, bringing visions of horror and death: Mahlia's children are to be the next sacrifice.
And all her witchcraft may not be enough to save them.
The bones rise from their mud-clogged grave, bringing visions of horror and death: Mahlia's children are to be the next sacrifice.
And all her witchcraft may not be enough to save them.
315 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
3 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Sheri S. Tepper
74 books1,083 followersSheri Stewart Tepper was a prolific American author of science fiction, horror and mystery novels; she was particularly known as a feminist science fiction writer, often with an ecofeminist slant.
Born near Littleton, Colorado, for most of her career (1962-1986) she worked for Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, where she eventually became Executive Director. She has two children and is married to Gene Tepper. She operated a guest ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
She wrote under several pseudonyms, including A.J. Orde, E.E. Horlak, and B.J. Oliphant. Her early work was published under the name Sheri S. Eberhart.
Born near Littleton, Colorado, for most of her career (1962-1986) she worked for Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, where she eventually became Executive Director. She has two children and is married to Gene Tepper. She operated a guest ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
She wrote under several pseudonyms, including A.J. Orde, E.E. Horlak, and B.J. Oliphant. Her early work was published under the name Sheri S. Eberhart.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 17, 2019
This is the follow up to 'Blood Heritage'. Unfortunately, for me it didn't come up to the same standard. I had a few issues with the first book but in this they were compounded. The female lead from book 1, Mahlia, returns and now she is married to Badger and they have a child Elaine as well as the five year old son from Badger's first marriage, Robby. Badger is not in this story very much, apart from a few cameos where he makes one flying visit and makes a few phone calls from where he is working abroad, and that is just as well. He was rather annoying in book 1 and is beyond annoying in this sequel as he has made Mahlia promise to put aside her psychic abilities - as if that would be possible - and to cut off all contact with the three witches, led by Molly, who previously saved the lives of himself, Mahlia, Robby and their book 1 helper, the Professor.
Not only that, but despite Mahila working on a doctorate, he insists that she moves to the wilds of New England, find a suitable house and have it done up ready for his return! In another more realistic story, the resulting chaos, building site mess and general stress would take up most of the book, but here is skated over as Mahlia finds a really nice realtor (estate agent in UK parlance) who happens to be connected via marriage to various craftsmen who are all really helpful and can turn up at a moment's notice to do any work, plus get it done in no time flat. Also superhelpful is the spry old lady and her children/grandchildren who can come by to do any cleaning or garden work that Mahlia needs done. Just as well, considering her childcare duties.
Mahlia suffers from headaches caused by bottling up her psychic abilities - though I don't really see how she could - and worries that Badger will blame her for Robby's increasing absorption in a couple of "imaginary friends", a little girl called Cynthia and a sea captain called Captain Bone, both of whom seem to have told Robby quite a bit about the disturbing history of the area in which they live.
The book has a very longwinded build-up and consists for about two thirds of people having conversations. Eventually a couple of really nasty scenes appear: unlike book 1, where I had been sure that the Professor was 'for the chop', in this book being a nice person is no guarantee that you won't come to a nasty end. Book 1 had reserved that fate for various villains alone. Then Mahlia has to go to Haiti and get advice from a priestess called Mambo Livone. At that point, things start to motor and the book's pace and involvement picks up. But that is really late in the story.
I liked the sequence in Haiti and the character of Mambo Livone. However, unlike book 1, the characters of the witches, Molly in particular, didn't come over as well as before. Perhaps there were just too many characters in this story, with umpteen different ones in the community into which Mahlia had moved. And if a lot of development is spent on one in particular who is then killed off, that does tend to leave a hole in things as far less time was spent developing others, who remained ciphers.
The story is more grisly than book 1 and has a real trigger warning, stronger than the first book's, in the scene in Haiti set in a graveyard. I had a continuing problem with Mahlia also; if anything, she comes across as more of a wimp than in book 1. So I'm afraid this could only reach a 2 star "OK" rating as far as I'm concerned.
Not only that, but despite Mahila working on a doctorate, he insists that she moves to the wilds of New England, find a suitable house and have it done up ready for his return! In another more realistic story, the resulting chaos, building site mess and general stress would take up most of the book, but here is skated over as Mahlia finds a really nice realtor (estate agent in UK parlance) who happens to be connected via marriage to various craftsmen who are all really helpful and can turn up at a moment's notice to do any work, plus get it done in no time flat. Also superhelpful is the spry old lady and her children/grandchildren who can come by to do any cleaning or garden work that Mahlia needs done. Just as well, considering her childcare duties.
Mahlia suffers from headaches caused by bottling up her psychic abilities - though I don't really see how she could - and worries that Badger will blame her for Robby's increasing absorption in a couple of "imaginary friends", a little girl called Cynthia and a sea captain called Captain Bone, both of whom seem to have told Robby quite a bit about the disturbing history of the area in which they live.
The book has a very longwinded build-up and consists for about two thirds of people having conversations. Eventually a couple of really nasty scenes appear: unlike book 1, where I had been sure that the Professor was 'for the chop', in this book being a nice person is no guarantee that you won't come to a nasty end. Book 1 had reserved that fate for various villains alone. Then Mahlia has to go to Haiti and get advice from a priestess called Mambo Livone. At that point, things start to motor and the book's pace and involvement picks up. But that is really late in the story.
I liked the sequence in Haiti and the character of Mambo Livone. However, unlike book 1, the characters of the witches, Molly in particular, didn't come over as well as before. Perhaps there were just too many characters in this story, with umpteen different ones in the community into which Mahlia had moved. And if a lot of development is spent on one in particular who is then killed off, that does tend to leave a hole in things as far less time was spent developing others, who remained ciphers.
The story is more grisly than book 1 and has a real trigger warning, stronger than the first book's, in the scene in Haiti set in a graveyard. I had a continuing problem with Mahlia also; if anything, she comes across as more of a wimp than in book 1. So I'm afraid this could only reach a 2 star "OK" rating as far as I'm concerned.
February 11, 2014
This is a 'cosy horror' that is truly chilling. It mixes Midwestern American moving into new house and domestic bliss with a young woman newly married, (Mahlia Ettison), left alone by her husband to discover her power and confront a truly malevolent series of characters that threatens her family.
Voodoo is exotic and terrifiying and the sequences in Haiti are amazing.
Witches, ghosts, 'petit cochon'. The stakes are very high and the characters and settings gothic in a Carribean sense.
This is the second book of a series, but is my favourite horror novel and I have reread it countless times and will again.
As another reviewer wrote, one of the death scenes is amazingly written - horrifying and beautiful. "paper rustling", Baron Samedi - excellent.
Read this and watch or read James Bond's Live and Let Die as a perfect companion piece.
Voodoo is exotic and terrifiying and the sequences in Haiti are amazing.
Witches, ghosts, 'petit cochon'. The stakes are very high and the characters and settings gothic in a Carribean sense.
This is the second book of a series, but is my favourite horror novel and I have reread it countless times and will again.
As another reviewer wrote, one of the death scenes is amazingly written - horrifying and beautiful. "paper rustling", Baron Samedi - excellent.
Read this and watch or read James Bond's Live and Let Die as a perfect companion piece.
October 23, 2019
No, no es una metáfora de haber encontrado este libro en un puestecillo callejero: el libro se titula así. Pensaba que el original se titulaba Fateful Findings (antes de haberlo pensado, mira que sois malos), lo cual me hizo reir bastante: adoro esa peli. Pero, bueno, que no, que eran paranoias mías, que el original es The Bones, para que os hagáis una idea...
Igual es que no me gustó por ser la segunda parte de una trilogía de la que no he leído el primer tomo... Pero apuesto este libro y subo otros diez a que, sencillamente, es un tostón.
Igual es que no me gustó por ser la segunda parte de una trilogía de la que no he leído el primer tomo... Pero apuesto este libro y subo otros diez a que, sencillamente, es un tostón.
July 26, 2021
Ghosts, and zombies, and witches, oh my! A great story and highly worth the read. A sequel to Blood Heritage, but it stands alone just fine. If you like a little horror with your suspense, give this one a try.
June 9, 2017
Polos opuesto con su otra novela “La puerta al país de las mujeres”, no parece que sea la misma escritora.
Ahora toca el tema del terror o por lo menos lo intenta. Es la clara historia ochentera mala que podría catalogarse en ese amplio abanico de telefilm de Telecinco para la siesta.
Una mujer que compra una gran casa se va con sus hijos, para que comiencen a llegar vecinos cotillas. Todo muy americano. Hasta que explota para que empiecen a sentirse acosada por cosas.
Ahora toca el tema del terror o por lo menos lo intenta. Es la clara historia ochentera mala que podría catalogarse en ese amplio abanico de telefilm de Telecinco para la siesta.
Una mujer que compra una gran casa se va con sus hijos, para que comiencen a llegar vecinos cotillas. Todo muy americano. Hasta que explota para que empiecen a sentirse acosada por cosas.
March 3, 2015
Creepy - mysterious - well written!
August 11, 2010
The only horror novel that brought tears to my eyes when a character died.
March 30, 2019
Me encanta Sheri S. Tepper y me propongo leer todo lo que pueda de ella, poco a poco, sin saturarme claro, pero escribe tan bien y le da este género de la ciencia ficción, fantasia y/o terror tanta dignidad con su estilo, que a mi me resulta todo un placer leerla.
La primera novela que lei suya Beauty, fue un descubrimiento total, esta mezcla de géneros deconstruyendo el cuento de hadas de la La Bella Durmiente y dotándola de tanta vida que me impresionó mucho; luego lei Hierba, novela entre ciencia ficción y fantasia, con varios personajes femeninos muy poderosos, y ahora con Hallazgo fatídico, la novela que acabo de terminar, terror entre atmosférico y medio pulp, sí, una mezcla algo surrealista pero es lo que le da sabor, y ya con esta tercera novela suya, me termina de confirmar que esta autora no estaba para nada encasillada y era capaz de abordar cualquier género sin cortapisas, géneros que en su época eran monopolio masculino y sin embargo, ella los dominaba.
Hallazgo fatídico sin ser una novela perfecta es muy disfrutable por sus personajes, por la trama cada vez más atmosférica que se va volviendo más y más horripilante mezclando vudú, vampiros y niños desparecidos; la resolución puede ser ingenua pero el estilazo de Sheri Tepper es la esencia y como he dicho antes lo que le confiere dignidad, a una novelita como ésta. Adoro a Sheri Tepper, vaya.
La primera novela que lei suya Beauty, fue un descubrimiento total, esta mezcla de géneros deconstruyendo el cuento de hadas de la La Bella Durmiente y dotándola de tanta vida que me impresionó mucho; luego lei Hierba, novela entre ciencia ficción y fantasia, con varios personajes femeninos muy poderosos, y ahora con Hallazgo fatídico, la novela que acabo de terminar, terror entre atmosférico y medio pulp, sí, una mezcla algo surrealista pero es lo que le da sabor, y ya con esta tercera novela suya, me termina de confirmar que esta autora no estaba para nada encasillada y era capaz de abordar cualquier género sin cortapisas, géneros que en su época eran monopolio masculino y sin embargo, ella los dominaba.
Hallazgo fatídico sin ser una novela perfecta es muy disfrutable por sus personajes, por la trama cada vez más atmosférica que se va volviendo más y más horripilante mezclando vudú, vampiros y niños desparecidos; la resolución puede ser ingenua pero el estilazo de Sheri Tepper es la esencia y como he dicho antes lo que le confiere dignidad, a una novelita como ésta. Adoro a Sheri Tepper, vaya.
October 3, 2024
Este es el segundo libro de la "duología" de terror de "Ettison", aunque los libros son auto-concluyentes. En inglés el libro se llama "The Bones", y por una vez creo que le queda mucho mejor el título que le inventaron para la edición en español.
Tengo problemas con este libro pues la primera vez que lo leí fue en español y no tenía ni idea de que era parte de una pequeña serie. En ese entonces era casi una niña y todo lo que se cuenta en la historia me dejó sin poder dormir bien por varias noches. Digo tiene fantasmas, vudú, magia negra, y una madre que lo da todo por salvar a sus pequeños. Si esta reseña la hubiera hecho en ese momento, el libro tendría 10 estrellas si dudarlo.
La cosa es que la segunda vez que leí el libro fue 20 años más tarde, después de por fin haber conseguido y leído "Blood Heritage" el primer libro de la duología, y resulto que había muchas cosas que no había notado 20 años antes. Mientras la Mahlia de "Blood Heritage" es una mujer fuerte, segura de sí misma y capaz de hacer todo lo necesario para conseguir salvar a quien decide ayudar, la Mahlia de "Hallazgo fatídico" es una triste sombra de esta mujer, quien por alguna razón que supongo tenía que ver sólo con la trama, resulta estar casada con Badger Ettison, el cual después de haber sobrevivido a los sucesos de "Blood Heritage" y haber vivido en carne propia los tormentos que la magia negra puede crear, decide comportarse como Darrin Stevens de "Hechizada" y prohibirle a Mahlia el usar sus poderes de bruja. Y la mensa de Mahlia accede. Fuera de este incomprensible inicio de la historia, el relato no es malo y es bastante más terrorífico que el de "Blood Heritage", así que si no son como yo, que tengo problemas con las mujeres fuertes que deciden comportarse de manera estúpida por estar enamoradas, esta novela vale la pena.
Tengo problemas con este libro pues la primera vez que lo leí fue en español y no tenía ni idea de que era parte de una pequeña serie. En ese entonces era casi una niña y todo lo que se cuenta en la historia me dejó sin poder dormir bien por varias noches. Digo tiene fantasmas, vudú, magia negra, y una madre que lo da todo por salvar a sus pequeños. Si esta reseña la hubiera hecho en ese momento, el libro tendría 10 estrellas si dudarlo.
La cosa es que la segunda vez que leí el libro fue 20 años más tarde, después de por fin haber conseguido y leído "Blood Heritage" el primer libro de la duología, y resulto que había muchas cosas que no había notado 20 años antes. Mientras la Mahlia de "Blood Heritage" es una mujer fuerte, segura de sí misma y capaz de hacer todo lo necesario para conseguir salvar a quien decide ayudar, la Mahlia de "Hallazgo fatídico" es una triste sombra de esta mujer, quien por alguna razón que supongo tenía que ver sólo con la trama, resulta estar casada con Badger Ettison, el cual después de haber sobrevivido a los sucesos de "Blood Heritage" y haber vivido en carne propia los tormentos que la magia negra puede crear, decide comportarse como Darrin Stevens de "Hechizada" y prohibirle a Mahlia el usar sus poderes de bruja. Y la mensa de Mahlia accede. Fuera de este incomprensible inicio de la historia, el relato no es malo y es bastante más terrorífico que el de "Blood Heritage", así que si no son como yo, que tengo problemas con las mujeres fuertes que deciden comportarse de manera estúpida por estar enamoradas, esta novela vale la pena.
August 23, 2021
Novela de terror que combina de manera muy satisfactoria diferentes elementos, en una trama consistente y con una pluma fluida.
En lo personal, me gustaron mucho las brujas y su manera naturalizada de enfrentar lo sobrenatural.
Advertencia: imágenes gore y sangrientas no aptas para estómagos sensibles.
Libro idóneo para la temporada de Halloween.
En lo personal, me gustaron mucho las brujas y su manera naturalizada de enfrentar lo sobrenatural.
Advertencia: imágenes gore y sangrientas no aptas para estómagos sensibles.
Libro idóneo para la temporada de Halloween.
May 31, 2019
I don't usually read horror stories but as usual Sheri Tepper didn't disappoint and this one held my attention.
August 21, 2021
A decent follow-up that both provides character growth and a novel story concept, adding voodoo into an already magical mix.
May 24, 2024
Recomendable. Mis expectativas no eran demasiado altas con esta obra de Sheri S. Tepper. No obstante, lo cierto es que sí me gustó. Me dirigí a la biblioteca en busca de 'La puerta al país de las mujeres', libro que no tenían, de modo que saqué el único que había de la autora. La portada y el título en castellano de la novela- tiene título de telefilm de sábado por la tarde- no generaban mucha confianza, pero me sorprendió. Al parecer es parte de una serie de dos libros- éste es el segundo- y pienso leerme el otro.
April 18, 2016
I thought I had read all of Sheri S Tepper's books, but discovered this one in an OpShop. I found it slow to get going, and there were a lot of references to the prequel to this one, which I also haven't read. However, once it got going, it was very tense and exciting and quite disturbing. An early one of her works I think (mid-80s) and different from the others of hers I've read. Recommended.
April 17, 2009
Sin duda el PEOR libro de sheri Tepper que he leído
August 12, 2011
Solo recuerdo que no me gustó...
September 12, 2016
I enjoyed it, but I missed the badger character. Fun quick read of supernatural/horror fiction.
June 18, 2014
Un bon petit roman d'horreur. Dommage que le premier tome ne soit pas traduit en français.
April 21, 2022
I enjoyed the second book much more than the first, altho' they were both good. Not very Sheri S Tepper-y, much more straight forward horror.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews