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Hurog #1
Dragon Bones
PLAYING THE FOOL
Most everyone thinks Ward of Hurog is a simple-minded fool--and that's just fine by him. But few people know that his foolishness is [very convincingly] feigned. And that it's all that's saved him from death at the hands of his abusive father, who's always seen Ward as a bitter rival for power.
When his father dies, Ward becomes the new lord of Hurog... until a nobleman declares that he is too dim-witted to rule. Ward knows he cannot play the fool any longer. To regain his kingdom, he must prone himself worthy--and quickly.
Riding into a war that’s heating up on the border, Ward is sure he’s on the fast track to glory. But soon his mission takes a deadly serious turn. For he has seen a pile of magical dragon bones hidden deep beneath Hurog Keep. The bones can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and Ward is certain his enemies will stop at nothing to possess them...
Most everyone thinks Ward of Hurog is a simple-minded fool--and that's just fine by him. But few people know that his foolishness is [very convincingly] feigned. And that it's all that's saved him from death at the hands of his abusive father, who's always seen Ward as a bitter rival for power.
When his father dies, Ward becomes the new lord of Hurog... until a nobleman declares that he is too dim-witted to rule. Ward knows he cannot play the fool any longer. To regain his kingdom, he must prone himself worthy--and quickly.
Riding into a war that’s heating up on the border, Ward is sure he’s on the fast track to glory. But soon his mission takes a deadly serious turn. For he has seen a pile of magical dragon bones hidden deep beneath Hurog Keep. The bones can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and Ward is certain his enemies will stop at nothing to possess them...
295 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 26, 2002
About the author
Patricia Briggs
115 books30.5k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.
Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 702 reviews
September 24, 2018
4.5 stars
A fun and easy read with sword and sorcery and lots of political intrigue, as well as a great hero that had me in his corner from the very first page.
And now I'm off to read the sequel because... this story is a treat!
A fun and easy read with sword and sorcery and lots of political intrigue, as well as a great hero that had me in his corner from the very first page.
And now I'm off to read the sequel because... this story is a treat!
September 11, 2012
Final rating: 5/5 stars
What an awesome book. Really. I just couldn't put it down. I loved the writing even though it was switching from first person to third person, but i loved everything about it. Especially the characters, they were brilliant, fantastic and believable. I loved the story, i loved the setting and i loved everything about it.
P.s. the image/cover is Danish, but it's awesome ♥
I am at loss for words at how epic this book is.
The story was quite interesting and to me it was even darker than The Blade Itself or Wizard's First Rule combined. Patricia Briggs sure is brutal woman :D (good job).
____________________________________________
Story :
____________________________________________
In a world where there is one king who rules the five kingdoms and where all of the dragons had disappeared, the story is set into kingdom of Shavig - once home to Dragons.
Ward was always thinking that best way to keep staying alive was to act like an village idiot - because his father would kill him otherwise. His father thought of him as a threat to his own throne, and therefore injured him one day, severely, and from that moment on, Ward started to act like an idiot.
One day, while searching for his sister Ciarra, he found someone he didn't expect. Their keep's own ghost Oreg. And then, his father dies, but is he truly free? No, he isn't because he has to prove that he is not, in fact, an idiot, and that he is capable of ruling on his own.
Ward finds out later that Oreg is not an ghost, but rather a mage of the Hurog family, bastard son of the great hero Seleg of Hurog, who cursed Oreg into a guardian of Hurogmeten - the rulers of Hurog - by bounding him to a ring and a guardian of the Hurog keep. The same ring which now binds Ward and Oreg together.
____________________________________________
Characters :
____________________________________________
Characters were just amazing. They are of all kind, and all of them are unique.
♦ Ward:
I love Ward, he is also genius and is also fun and righteous guy.
He is also the main character and is hair to Hurog. His father was quite a monster, he abused everything he could. And when he almost killed Ward because he saw him as a rival, Ward decided to stay low and appear as stupid. So when his father died he didn't grieve at all.
Unfortunately for him, his playing of being stupid really made him talk slow and the perception of himself turned to be more serious than he thought it would be. Still, he is really smart, and having the chance to prove it, he took it.
Oh and he is 19 :D (and yet this book is still adult, thank god).He is not an user which i loved, because if you have powerful mage by your side who is in so many wrong ways bound to you, wouldn't you use him for your goals? He didn't and that is what i like. He thinks of others more than he thinks of himself. Except for the fact that he would be killed if he wasn't acting like an village idiot. Still, he is protective type, he would do anything for everyone his to be safe. He is also a wizard, and it's rare in his bloodline because of the family curse, so he can only track lost people and lost objects. His other powers were cut from him.
♦ Oreg:
Oreg on the other hand is my fav character (i just have a thing for tortured heroes ;P). He is actually very interesting guy. He is funny sometimes, sometimes sarcastic, but sometimes he reminds himself of what he is and that he will never be free. It was hard for him to understand that after almost a thousand years of slavery to whims of his masters, he finally got someone who treated him like an equal. Ward showed him patience and has never struck him or threatened him, but still for Oreg, it was his way of life which he didn't enjoy. In many situations he was afraid because even though he couldn't be killed he could still feel pain (and since he is powerful mage, if he is stuck into past, he will start feeling everything again in present). Oh, and he is very powerful mage.
I was shocked near the end though, MAJOR SPOILERS
.
Oh, and he has purple eyes and black hair (ftw combo)
♦ OTHERS:
Ciarra and Tosten, blood siblings of Ward were also great characters. None of them had good life, Ciarra being mute and Tosten being suicidal type who ran away after he couldn't take it anymore. So, all three are in a way screw ups. Tosten is even jealous of Oreg (lol xD). Anyway, i loved them both. I actually loved almost all of the characters except for King Jakoven and Bastilla and some other people. Others were quite <3. I loved Garranon, Axiel, Erdrick & Beckram as well :D (oh those twins were crazy).
____________________________________________
Overall :
____________________________________________
Anyway, very dark series (especially second book), good plot, very enjoyable and great writing + dragons and wizards :D This one can also be read as stand alone book, but Dragon Blood is a worthy sequel :D
____________________________________________
Read my review for Dragon Blood (Hurog, #2)
What an awesome book. Really. I just couldn't put it down. I loved the writing even though it was switching from first person to third person, but i loved everything about it. Especially the characters, they were brilliant, fantastic and believable. I loved the story, i loved the setting and i loved everything about it.
P.s. the image/cover is Danish, but it's awesome ♥
I am at loss for words at how epic this book is.
The story was quite interesting and to me it was even darker than The Blade Itself or Wizard's First Rule combined. Patricia Briggs sure is brutal woman :D (good job).
____________________________________________
Story :
____________________________________________
Hurog means dragon.
In a world where there is one king who rules the five kingdoms and where all of the dragons had disappeared, the story is set into kingdom of Shavig - once home to Dragons.
Ward was always thinking that best way to keep staying alive was to act like an village idiot - because his father would kill him otherwise. His father thought of him as a threat to his own throne, and therefore injured him one day, severely, and from that moment on, Ward started to act like an idiot.
One day, while searching for his sister Ciarra, he found someone he didn't expect. Their keep's own ghost Oreg. And then, his father dies, but is he truly free? No, he isn't because he has to prove that he is not, in fact, an idiot, and that he is capable of ruling on his own.
Ward finds out later that Oreg is not an ghost, but rather a mage of the Hurog family, bastard son of the great hero Seleg of Hurog, who cursed Oreg into a guardian of Hurogmeten - the rulers of Hurog - by bounding him to a ring and a guardian of the Hurog keep. The same ring which now binds Ward and Oreg together.
____________________________________________
Characters :
____________________________________________
Characters were just amazing. They are of all kind, and all of them are unique.
♦ Ward:
I love Ward, he is also genius and is also fun and righteous guy.
He is also the main character and is hair to Hurog. His father was quite a monster, he abused everything he could. And when he almost killed Ward because he saw him as a rival, Ward decided to stay low and appear as stupid. So when his father died he didn't grieve at all.
Unfortunately for him, his playing of being stupid really made him talk slow and the perception of himself turned to be more serious than he thought it would be. Still, he is really smart, and having the chance to prove it, he took it.
Oh and he is 19 :D (and yet this book is still adult, thank god).He is not an user which i loved, because if you have powerful mage by your side who is in so many wrong ways bound to you, wouldn't you use him for your goals? He didn't and that is what i like. He thinks of others more than he thinks of himself. Except for the fact that he would be killed if he wasn't acting like an village idiot. Still, he is protective type, he would do anything for everyone his to be safe. He is also a wizard, and it's rare in his bloodline because of the family curse, so he can only track lost people and lost objects. His other powers were cut from him.
♦ Oreg:
Oreg on the other hand is my fav character (i just have a thing for tortured heroes ;P). He is actually very interesting guy. He is funny sometimes, sometimes sarcastic, but sometimes he reminds himself of what he is and that he will never be free. It was hard for him to understand that after almost a thousand years of slavery to whims of his masters, he finally got someone who treated him like an equal. Ward showed him patience and has never struck him or threatened him, but still for Oreg, it was his way of life which he didn't enjoy. In many situations he was afraid because even though he couldn't be killed he could still feel pain (and since he is powerful mage, if he is stuck into past, he will start feeling everything again in present). Oh, and he is very powerful mage.
I was shocked near the end though, MAJOR SPOILERS
.
Oh, and he has purple eyes and black hair (ftw combo)
♦ OTHERS:
Ciarra and Tosten, blood siblings of Ward were also great characters. None of them had good life, Ciarra being mute and Tosten being suicidal type who ran away after he couldn't take it anymore. So, all three are in a way screw ups. Tosten is even jealous of Oreg (lol xD). Anyway, i loved them both. I actually loved almost all of the characters except for King Jakoven and Bastilla and some other people. Others were quite <3. I loved Garranon, Axiel, Erdrick & Beckram as well :D (oh those twins were crazy).
____________________________________________
Overall :
____________________________________________
Anyway, very dark series (especially second book), good plot, very enjoyable and great writing + dragons and wizards :D This one can also be read as stand alone book, but Dragon Blood is a worthy sequel :D
____________________________________________
Read my review for Dragon Blood (Hurog, #2)
January 3, 2022
I was in a mood for a high fantasy book filled with political intrigue without some grand romance story to back the whole plot up and this book delivered it.
This is my first Patricia Briggs story and it won't be the last.
It is pretty short for a high fantasy book. If 300 pages are short but I liked the plot and the characters weren't one dimensional and they were complex enough for me.
I really liked Ward. He isn't a perfect hero because we witnessed his flaws but he tried to do what he thought was right and I could understand his reasoning. Perfect heroes are hard to connect with anyway and they are usually infuriating and boring or both.
I would give it a 5 star rating if the book was a little bit lighter on the angst because almost all of the characters living in Hurog were heavily abused in some way. They were beaten, made sucidal, have gone crazy or mute or were raped. It was a little bit too excessive.
But what can I say, I am weak because of...
DRAGONS
This is my first Patricia Briggs story and it won't be the last.
It is pretty short for a high fantasy book. If 300 pages are short but I liked the plot and the characters weren't one dimensional and they were complex enough for me.
I really liked Ward. He isn't a perfect hero because we witnessed his flaws but he tried to do what he thought was right and I could understand his reasoning. Perfect heroes are hard to connect with anyway and they are usually infuriating and boring or both.
I would give it a 5 star rating if the book was a little bit lighter on the angst because almost all of the characters living in Hurog were heavily abused in some way. They were beaten, made sucidal, have gone crazy or mute or were raped. It was a little bit too excessive.
But what can I say, I am weak because of...
DRAGONS
March 8, 2017
This is one of Briggs' earlier works. It is a sword and sorcery type of fantasy. As some readers have stated, it does seem to pack an awful lot of world building into a relatively small space. It was also a bit jarring when she went from a 1st person chapter to a 3rd person chapter so she could include some info about other characters in another place. Despite the fact that some of the polish of her later works is missing, I was drawn into the story and didn't get bored at all.
I listened to the audio version and it was adequately done if sometimes a bit monotone.
I listened to the audio version and it was adequately done if sometimes a bit monotone.
June 13, 2014
Executive Summary: A fun political fantasy.
Audio book: Joe Manganiello is a fine reader, though nothing special. He neither adds nor detracts from the story at all.
Full Review
This is my first novel by Patricia Briggs. The name was familiar to me, but I wouldn't have been able to have named you any books or series by her.
I couldn't tell you if this is her usual style of book, but if it is, I'll definitely be interested in reading more. This doesn't seem to be as popular as some of her other series though. I found this a quick and enjoyable listen.
It's a play on the chosen one trope, but there is more of a focus on politics. Our protagonist has been playing stupid for years in an effort to reduce the chances his father finds him a threat and killing him.
Unfortunately for him, this means that his father also doesn't trust him to take over after he's gone and names his uncle to rule in his place, at least until his 21st birthday. So of course our hero sets out to make a name for himself and show his uncle that he's not really the fool he's been pretending all these years.
And of course he gets swept up into events bigger than himself and must rise to the occasion or see his friends, family and home suffer.
In a worlds where dragons are long extinct and magic is dwindling, this is more political than fantastical overall, but there is certainly enough in there to make it more than a historical fantasy.
This is book one of a duology, but I feel like it came to a pretty good stopping point where I don't feel I need to rush out right away to read the second book, or (given it's shorter length) like it was simply one book that was split in half.
Overall, I found this a fun and lighter book and I'm looking forward to listening to the conclusion soon.
Audio book: Joe Manganiello is a fine reader, though nothing special. He neither adds nor detracts from the story at all.
Full Review
This is my first novel by Patricia Briggs. The name was familiar to me, but I wouldn't have been able to have named you any books or series by her.
I couldn't tell you if this is her usual style of book, but if it is, I'll definitely be interested in reading more. This doesn't seem to be as popular as some of her other series though. I found this a quick and enjoyable listen.
It's a play on the chosen one trope, but there is more of a focus on politics. Our protagonist has been playing stupid for years in an effort to reduce the chances his father finds him a threat and killing him.
Unfortunately for him, this means that his father also doesn't trust him to take over after he's gone and names his uncle to rule in his place, at least until his 21st birthday. So of course our hero sets out to make a name for himself and show his uncle that he's not really the fool he's been pretending all these years.
And of course he gets swept up into events bigger than himself and must rise to the occasion or see his friends, family and home suffer.
In a worlds where dragons are long extinct and magic is dwindling, this is more political than fantastical overall, but there is certainly enough in there to make it more than a historical fantasy.
This is book one of a duology, but I feel like it came to a pretty good stopping point where I don't feel I need to rush out right away to read the second book, or (given it's shorter length) like it was simply one book that was split in half.
Overall, I found this a fun and lighter book and I'm looking forward to listening to the conclusion soon.
October 27, 2011
My Thoughts:
Okey, so I bought this audiobook because I wanna listen to Joe Manganiello's deep timbre. Can you blame me? Anyway, I like his voice so that makes the narrator a 5 out of 5, right? Well, the thing is I had to buy the paperback as well because there were parts I couldn't quite understand and had to replay them a few times before I get it. Having the book to read as well makes it easier for me. But I am pretty sure this is a fault on my part rather than Joe Manganiello's narration. And besides he is not really a professional audiobook reader like Johanna Parker and Jenna Lamia, now is he? He is a model, for Christ's sake!! Look at him! --> https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KbDUFKTuy4I/TqFzmLEcSNI/AAAAAAAAIiQ/Vph7-xqohxc/s512/AlcideHerveaux%252520%25252811%252529.jpg
However, Patricia Briggs' story telling quality is masterful! As per usual. And since I am a long time Patricia Briggs fan, that is biased as well. I am just disappointed that there isn't much dragons in this book. When I first encountered this book, I was expecting a dragon or two, by it's title. But more like just dragon remains, i.e., dragon bones. And if you are like me, a dragon freak, then that is a downer, because I like to see dragons flying. Anyway, Patricia Briggs' world building makes up for it because it is simply fabulous!! As you might have surmised by now that I really loved listening to this book... so I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 3
Pace = (8 hrs and 56 mins listening time)
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5
http://www.cherrymischievous.com/2011...
Okey, so I bought this audiobook because I wanna listen to Joe Manganiello's deep timbre. Can you blame me? Anyway, I like his voice so that makes the narrator a 5 out of 5, right? Well, the thing is I had to buy the paperback as well because there were parts I couldn't quite understand and had to replay them a few times before I get it. Having the book to read as well makes it easier for me. But I am pretty sure this is a fault on my part rather than Joe Manganiello's narration. And besides he is not really a professional audiobook reader like Johanna Parker and Jenna Lamia, now is he? He is a model, for Christ's sake!! Look at him! --> https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KbDUFKTuy4I/TqFzmLEcSNI/AAAAAAAAIiQ/Vph7-xqohxc/s512/AlcideHerveaux%252520%25252811%252529.jpg
However, Patricia Briggs' story telling quality is masterful! As per usual. And since I am a long time Patricia Briggs fan, that is biased as well. I am just disappointed that there isn't much dragons in this book. When I first encountered this book, I was expecting a dragon or two, by it's title. But more like just dragon remains, i.e., dragon bones. And if you are like me, a dragon freak, then that is a downer, because I like to see dragons flying. Anyway, Patricia Briggs' world building makes up for it because it is simply fabulous!! As you might have surmised by now that I really loved listening to this book... so I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 3
Pace = (8 hrs and 56 mins listening time)
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5
http://www.cherrymischievous.com/2011...
September 3, 2026
3.5 stars.
IN A NUTSHELL
‘Dragon Bones’ was pure fun. A fast-paced, energetic Sword and Sorcery adventure with original twists in both the plot and the magic, and a main character who made me smile. It reminded me of how much fun a fantasy novel can be and left me keen to read the second book in the duology.
When I was searching for a book for HERE BE DRAGONS Halloween Bingo square, after I set aside ‘Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons’, I was suprised to find that, in, 2002, four years before she published ‘Moon Called’, the first Mercy Thompson book, Patricia Briggs published a pair of sword and sorcery fantasy novels: ‘Dragon Bones’ and 'Dragon Blood’’. I’m a Patricia Briggs fan, so I grabbed the audiobook version of both books.
‘Dragon Bones’ was a delight. It felt good to relax into a fast-paced, action-packed Sword and Sorcery adventure that didn’t need me to commit to reading 4,000 pages over six or seven books to reach the end of the story.
In many ways, ‘Dragon Bones’ is a traditional Sword and Sorcery fantasy. It takes place in what feels like a world of castles, horses, crossbows, bladed weapons, warring kingdoms and feudal politics. Magic is a taken for granted part of the history of the kingdoms, but although there are still mages, magic is fading from the world. The dragons are gone, the gods are waning, and the dwarves have retreated in on themselves.
Patricia Briggs made this world her own by the magic system she uses and by the characters she centres the story around. Her interpretation of dragons and dragon magic was original, and her use of genus loci to focus magic in the ruins of once-great kingdoms gave the book a haunted feel.
What I liked most about the book was that the hero was an unconventional underdog. Wardwick is the heir to a once-great stronghold that used to house dragons, dwarves and humans. To protect himself from his filicidal father, convinced everyone that one of his father’s beatings had injured him badly enough to make him into an idiot. He’s a very large, very strong, often quietly kind idiot, but he thinks and speaks too slowly to be a threat to anyone. When the situation changes, the charade that had protected him now stands in his way and may even threaten his freedom. I enjoyed watching Wardwick find his way back to himself and convince others to follow him.
I liked that the story was told from multiple points of view and that the characters of the main players developed over the course of the story.
Patricia Briggs laces the novel with humour, often delivered via engaging dialogue and at Wardwick’s expense.
The plot kept me turning the pages. There was just the right mix of excitement and emotional turmoil to keep this as a fantasy adventure rather than a Grimdark dirge. The ending surprised me in a good way and meant the ‘Dragon Bones’ worked as a standalone novel. It also left me wanting to know what Wardwick will do in ‘Dragon Blood'
IN A NUTSHELL
‘Dragon Bones’ was pure fun. A fast-paced, energetic Sword and Sorcery adventure with original twists in both the plot and the magic, and a main character who made me smile. It reminded me of how much fun a fantasy novel can be and left me keen to read the second book in the duology.
When I was searching for a book for HERE BE DRAGONS Halloween Bingo square, after I set aside ‘Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons’, I was suprised to find that, in, 2002, four years before she published ‘Moon Called’, the first Mercy Thompson book, Patricia Briggs published a pair of sword and sorcery fantasy novels: ‘Dragon Bones’ and 'Dragon Blood’’. I’m a Patricia Briggs fan, so I grabbed the audiobook version of both books.
‘Dragon Bones’ was a delight. It felt good to relax into a fast-paced, action-packed Sword and Sorcery adventure that didn’t need me to commit to reading 4,000 pages over six or seven books to reach the end of the story.
In many ways, ‘Dragon Bones’ is a traditional Sword and Sorcery fantasy. It takes place in what feels like a world of castles, horses, crossbows, bladed weapons, warring kingdoms and feudal politics. Magic is a taken for granted part of the history of the kingdoms, but although there are still mages, magic is fading from the world. The dragons are gone, the gods are waning, and the dwarves have retreated in on themselves.
Patricia Briggs made this world her own by the magic system she uses and by the characters she centres the story around. Her interpretation of dragons and dragon magic was original, and her use of genus loci to focus magic in the ruins of once-great kingdoms gave the book a haunted feel.
What I liked most about the book was that the hero was an unconventional underdog. Wardwick is the heir to a once-great stronghold that used to house dragons, dwarves and humans. To protect himself from his filicidal father, convinced everyone that one of his father’s beatings had injured him badly enough to make him into an idiot. He’s a very large, very strong, often quietly kind idiot, but he thinks and speaks too slowly to be a threat to anyone. When the situation changes, the charade that had protected him now stands in his way and may even threaten his freedom. I enjoyed watching Wardwick find his way back to himself and convince others to follow him.
I liked that the story was told from multiple points of view and that the characters of the main players developed over the course of the story.
Patricia Briggs laces the novel with humour, often delivered via engaging dialogue and at Wardwick’s expense.
The plot kept me turning the pages. There was just the right mix of excitement and emotional turmoil to keep this as a fantasy adventure rather than a Grimdark dirge. The ending surprised me in a good way and meant the ‘Dragon Bones’ worked as a standalone novel. It also left me wanting to know what Wardwick will do in ‘Dragon Blood'
June 9, 2010
A really well-done, entertaining fantasy. I had heard that Briggs' was known for "romantic" fantasy, which made me a bit apprehensive, but there was really no relationship-type romance in this story at all.
However, it was definitely a 'romance' is the old sense of the term!
Ward, a young heir to a remote fiefdom, had pretended to be brain-damaged in order to avoid his vicious father's jealous beatings. But when the old man passes away, he discovers his ruse, although it may have saved his life, has now gotten him in further trouble. Emissaries from the king arrive, searching out a runaway slave, and when Ward sticks his neck out to protect her, that's simply more of an excuse to enforce an
order from the king that Ward should be institutionalized and the property left to the care of his uncle.
Not caring for the idea of the institution, Ward, with the helf of the 'family ghost' runs away with some loyal friends and followers, hoping to become a mercenary and rescue his reputation by gaining reknown as a warrior.
His true desire, however, is still to gain title to his hereditary lands - with which he feels a magical bond... which could have something to do with the mysterious dragon bones hidden in the basement of the castle.
A good mix of traditional elements and unexpected twists puts this story a good cut above the average fantasy.
However, it was definitely a 'romance' is the old sense of the term!
Ward, a young heir to a remote fiefdom, had pretended to be brain-damaged in order to avoid his vicious father's jealous beatings. But when the old man passes away, he discovers his ruse, although it may have saved his life, has now gotten him in further trouble. Emissaries from the king arrive, searching out a runaway slave, and when Ward sticks his neck out to protect her, that's simply more of an excuse to enforce an
order from the king that Ward should be institutionalized and the property left to the care of his uncle.
Not caring for the idea of the institution, Ward, with the helf of the 'family ghost' runs away with some loyal friends and followers, hoping to become a mercenary and rescue his reputation by gaining reknown as a warrior.
His true desire, however, is still to gain title to his hereditary lands - with which he feels a magical bond... which could have something to do with the mysterious dragon bones hidden in the basement of the castle.
A good mix of traditional elements and unexpected twists puts this story a good cut above the average fantasy.
August 5, 2013
Ward has only ever wanted to be the Lord of Hurog, he has protected himself and his siblings from the current Lord, his own father, with a shield of his own feigned stupidity and brute strength. However, his father has died and the very thing that has protected him, his pretend idiocy, has caused the Lordship of Hurog to pass to another. To protect himself and his sister and to get Hurog back Ward must prove that he is no idiot, and he sets out on a quest to regain his birthright.
Patricia Briggs is better known for her Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega series, series that I am a massive fan of, so I am not quite sure why I was so surprised when I absolutely loved this book. It is a complete different genre, Fantasy rather than Urban Fantasy/Romance, and there is little to no trace of romance in Dragon Bones, but that didn't stop me from reading this book cover to cover in one sitting.
What drew me in and kept me reading so avidly was the characters, especially the main character Ward and Oreg the enslaved "ghost" of Hurog. Ward's intensity in regard to Hurog was palatable and often mistaken for ruthlessness and I enjoyed watching him struggle into his mantle of leadership. However, the most interesting character was Oreg, enslaved to whomever is the Lord of Hurog he was the spirit of the keep. Sarcastic, tortured and slightly mad, Oreg was both heart wrenching and funny and the book wouldn't have been half as good without him.
In regards to the world that Briggs has created, it was interesting but also fairly simple in comparison to other Fantasy books I have read, it didn't have the deep and intricate histories that some authors build and as this is a duology I doubt this is something this series will build up. This isn't necessarily a bad point, just something to be aware of, if you are looking for an epic fantasy this won't be the book for you. But, if you would like something that will have great characters, an easy plot and a bit of action then this book is perfect.
I really loved this book, definitely one of my favourites so far this year and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.
August 27, 2009
Dragon Bones is an entertaining, fairly short fantasy story with a great main character. Ward has been pretending to be someone he's not for years since he fears his father, but after his father dies he has to prove he's capable of taking his father's place. The beginning and ending tie together quite satisfactorily, and despite some slow pacing, it's a fun book.
3 1/2 stars - Liked it and definitely want to read the next book!
Full Review: http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2016/0...
3 1/2 stars - Liked it and definitely want to read the next book!
Full Review: http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2016/0...
March 18, 2017
Presumably female author fails to depict a masculine point of view. I wish the details were laughable, but they just strike a false note. As a man, have you ever given another man a "beautiful" black eye? A sadistic man might be proud of his handiwork, but why is he beating his allies, anyway? Maybe I mistook the hero for the villain, or maybe he's a ponce. Either way, I'm abandoning this mess. Pay someone to edit, Ms. Briggs, you'll be glad you did.
August 22, 2013
**edited 12/08/13
Once upon a time, there were dragons.
Once upon a time, the men who made alliances with them became the Hurogmeten, the guardians of dragons.
Once upon a time, the lands of the Hurog were fertile, the people content, the world full of magic.
Once upon a time, there were dragons.
But that was long ago. Now, Ward, the son of the Hurog, lives in a decrepit castle where the lands themselves seem to be dying from the slow corruption of magic. The dragons may be gone, but Ward is quite familiar with monsters: his abusive father destroyed their family and drove Ward himself to apparent idiocy. After one of the many occasions in which his father beat Ward into unconsciousness, something in the boy's head was knocked a little loose: ever since, he has managed only stilted, halting speech. When Ward discovered that he was considered as slow as his speech, he cultivated an appearance of idiocy as a shield against his father, disguising his intelligence until he would finally be free. Now this day has finally arrived, but Ward's own disguise has backfired: because of his apparent mental handicap, he is considered unfit to rule over the Hurog. Determined to regain his lands, Ward decides to head off to an incipient war with a small band of loyal followers to become a war hero so that he can use his heroic reputation to regain his lands.
Due to my disapproval of GR's new and rather subjective review deletion policy, the rest of my (rather verbose) review is posted over here at Booklikes.
Once upon a time, there were dragons.
Once upon a time, the men who made alliances with them became the Hurogmeten, the guardians of dragons.
Once upon a time, the lands of the Hurog were fertile, the people content, the world full of magic.
Once upon a time, there were dragons.
But that was long ago. Now, Ward, the son of the Hurog, lives in a decrepit castle where the lands themselves seem to be dying from the slow corruption of magic. The dragons may be gone, but Ward is quite familiar with monsters: his abusive father destroyed their family and drove Ward himself to apparent idiocy. After one of the many occasions in which his father beat Ward into unconsciousness, something in the boy's head was knocked a little loose: ever since, he has managed only stilted, halting speech. When Ward discovered that he was considered as slow as his speech, he cultivated an appearance of idiocy as a shield against his father, disguising his intelligence until he would finally be free. Now this day has finally arrived, but Ward's own disguise has backfired: because of his apparent mental handicap, he is considered unfit to rule over the Hurog. Determined to regain his lands, Ward decides to head off to an incipient war with a small band of loyal followers to become a war hero so that he can use his heroic reputation to regain his lands.
Due to my disapproval of GR's new and rather subjective review deletion policy, the rest of my (rather verbose) review is posted over here at Booklikes.
October 25, 2012
Well, a good book. I was a bit torn about the rating. While I like the book and think it deserves a 4 star rating there were times that I found the story telling rather slow. I plan to "probably" read the next book but I'm not planning to grab it right away.
The story follows Ward and the story of his his family, his land and the kingdom (kingdoms) that land is a part of. Ward's family had in the past had a connection with the Dwarves...and dragons till a terrible wrong was done. Still the land has a hold on, an obsession for those who inherit it. Ward has that to.
Ward's father (as many rulers of Herzog) is cruel and harsh. Ward was born with magic but after one of his father's more viscous beatings (when he almost died) he found most of his magic gone.
He also began to play the "idiot" (forgive the non PC word) to convince his father he was no competition for Herzog. See, Ward's father had killed his own father to gain the position he held.
The book follows Ward as he has to flee, survive and find himself under all the masks he's been wearing all his life.
A good book, and I plan to follow it up after a break.
The story follows Ward and the story of his his family, his land and the kingdom (kingdoms) that land is a part of. Ward's family had in the past had a connection with the Dwarves...and dragons till a terrible wrong was done. Still the land has a hold on, an obsession for those who inherit it. Ward has that to.
Ward's father (as many rulers of Herzog) is cruel and harsh. Ward was born with magic but after one of his father's more viscous beatings (when he almost died) he found most of his magic gone.
He also began to play the "idiot" (forgive the non PC word) to convince his father he was no competition for Herzog. See, Ward's father had killed his own father to gain the position he held.
The book follows Ward as he has to flee, survive and find himself under all the masks he's been wearing all his life.
A good book, and I plan to follow it up after a break.
October 2, 2022
Ward: *Pretends to be stupid*
Ward: Nobody trusts me, everyone underestimates me!
Ward: "I'll kill my uncle!"
Ward: why does everyone think that I'll kill my uncle?
Oreg: *Pranks Ward, pouts*
Ward: how dare Oreg not just communicate with me. I'll be even more spiteful back at him. and not tell him my real plans.
Ward: why doesn't Oreg trust me? How dare.
Oreg: "I trust you, Ward."
Ward: He's definitely lying.
Ward: Nobody trusts me, everyone underestimates me!
Ward: "I'll kill my uncle!"
Ward: why does everyone think that I'll kill my uncle?
Oreg: *Pranks Ward, pouts*
Ward: how dare Oreg not just communicate with me. I'll be even more spiteful back at him. and not tell him my real plans.
Ward: why doesn't Oreg trust me? How dare.
Oreg: "I trust you, Ward."
Ward: He's definitely lying.
March 13, 2021
I am a simple woman. Promise me a badass character who pretends to behave like a fool to hide their secret identity and I'm there. As my Dad recently pointed out, all my favorite characters vaguely resemble The Scarlet Pimpernel.
Patricia Briggs name alone would have convinced me to read this one, but throw in that synopsis promising a young lord pretending to be a fool and...well, I'm there.
Unfortunately, this fell incredibly flat. And I know exactly where it lost me---the first chapter that switches POVs. (What was that, chapter 5? 6?) After creating a group of misfits headed off to do good deeds, it then throws in this pair of twins at court surrounded by overarching political intrigue. The band of misfits came with a pretty straightforward goal that I could get behind: win glory, take back the castle from evil uncle. But the twins didn't fit into that narrative and I never really captured the point of their existence. Except the story never does fully go back to that nice, straightforward narrative it promises. I lost sight of the end goal and never recaptured it. It meant that whatever the sacrifices, deal-making, and character arcs, I couldn't get behind it. I wasn't even sure who I was supposed to be rooting for half the time.
The book sets up this gang of unlikely misfits, grants them all scarring backstories, but then does not give any of them (except kind of the main character) any real screen time. I never particularly cared for any of them--there are simply too many. But the book really needs you to care about these characters to make any of the emotional punch in this story work.
So, overall I would say this was a disappointment. Lots of promise but never focused enough for me to get behind it.
And on top of the rambling plot and underdeveloped characters, there is this weird undercurrent of sexual abuse and darkness that made this one particularly hard to swallow. I thought initially that even if it ended up being a mediocre read, I could recommend it. But that undercurrent left it squarely a book I cannot recommend.
Patricia Briggs name alone would have convinced me to read this one, but throw in that synopsis promising a young lord pretending to be a fool and...well, I'm there.
Unfortunately, this fell incredibly flat. And I know exactly where it lost me---the first chapter that switches POVs. (What was that, chapter 5? 6?) After creating a group of misfits headed off to do good deeds, it then throws in this pair of twins at court surrounded by overarching political intrigue. The band of misfits came with a pretty straightforward goal that I could get behind: win glory, take back the castle from evil uncle. But the twins didn't fit into that narrative and I never really captured the point of their existence. Except the story never does fully go back to that nice, straightforward narrative it promises. I lost sight of the end goal and never recaptured it. It meant that whatever the sacrifices, deal-making, and character arcs, I couldn't get behind it. I wasn't even sure who I was supposed to be rooting for half the time.
The book sets up this gang of unlikely misfits, grants them all scarring backstories, but then does not give any of them (except kind of the main character) any real screen time. I never particularly cared for any of them--there are simply too many. But the book really needs you to care about these characters to make any of the emotional punch in this story work.
So, overall I would say this was a disappointment. Lots of promise but never focused enough for me to get behind it.
And on top of the rambling plot and underdeveloped characters, there is this weird undercurrent of sexual abuse and darkness that made this one particularly hard to swallow. I thought initially that even if it ended up being a mediocre read, I could recommend it. But that undercurrent left it squarely a book I cannot recommend.
February 10, 2015
wow I love dragons!
March 12, 2019
3.5 Stars... I want to preface this review by saying that my rating is based more on my personal reception to the book than the actual contents and structure of the writing... Overall, I enjoyed this read and felt the storyline was engaging with complex characters whose personalities were multilayered and dynamic... I think, for myself, that I enjoy a romantic component in my reads which was relatively absent here and that simply left me wanting... I also needed more clarification of the world building and the connection between characters; it was somewhat challenging for me to follow the intricacies of the story, which could simply be my abilities and not necessarily a flaw of the writing... If you enjoy high fantasy with little romantic aspect then I strongly recommend this read.:)
October 11, 2022
Why does Ward continue to play dumb for so long? It got frustrating to read about, and the pacing was super slow.
It was definitely a set-up book, yet much of the atmosphere was lacking, while more were set up on the politics of the book and the Hurog Lineage.
The dragon bones were the most interesting part of the book for me.
Eventually, I will return to book 2, but it wasn't love at first sight like previous Briggs books.
2.5-3 Stars
It was definitely a set-up book, yet much of the atmosphere was lacking, while more were set up on the politics of the book and the Hurog Lineage.
The dragon bones were the most interesting part of the book for me.
Eventually, I will return to book 2, but it wasn't love at first sight like previous Briggs books.
2.5-3 Stars
September 9, 2023
This was a bit of a slow starter, but I ending up loving it overall. One of Briggs' few books (that I've read) from a male perspective. At first, I struggled to find what I normally gravitate about her writing in this book, but it's an earlier book. However, It became clear as I stuck with it. Briggs has a way of writing pathos that is so distinctive and shall I say, impactful. Also, Ward fits in with her characters who are perceived as "flawed" by society. In this case, Ward has played the idiot to survive his cruel father. It's hard work pretending to be someone you are not, yet Ward has gotten exceptionally good at it. So much that when it's time to drop the act, it's much harder to allow his true personality to shine through.
I loved Ward as the main character. It's so refreshing to have a main character who would typically be considered the "muscle" or "brawn" foil to the "brains" character. And yet, he's a bit of both. I'm not saying he's brilliant, but he's very observant and is what you call a student of human nature. He is quite intelligent and excellent at strategy (playing the long game). Like children of abuse, he has learned very well to watch and learn and he employs those tool very well. He's a protector and manages to manipulate others who believe that have an advantage of him because they are unable to see his depths.
Briggs's books are always on the shorter side, but she packs a lot of story in that short page count. In this book, we get the intrigue (devious plotting, plans and machinations) that you'd see in a thicker epic fantasy like Game of Thrones. For sure, there's some of that kind of treachery and playing games with people's lives in this book. There's some really good action scenes (although not drawn out in gruesomeness). I was not expecting twists and turns in the story. And I will say that you have to be patient if you want the Dragon angle to pay off, but I loved what she did with it. I loved Auric's character as well. Auric has a tortured mien and an inner well of power that is a delightful juxtaposition. The slow development of their friendship and reliance on each other is intrinsic to this novel.
Joe Manganiello was the narrator for this audiobook. I will say that this was so quiet, I couldn't listen to it on a long drive out of state, but I enjoyed his soothing voice on short jaunts to and from work everyday. I appreciate that he used different accents and intonations for the different characters, so even though some of the names confused me at first, I was able to recognize and tell the characters apart based on their voices.
I am so in love with the Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega books, and I don't feel that same intensity towards this book. But by the end, I was very involved with the story and I loved the characterization (which is a strength of Patricia Briggs). That's why I gave it four stars despite the shortcomings. I feel like the short length of this book did leave me wanting more. The magic is more on the subtler side, although intriguing. Also, I wanted to explore Ward's relationships with his siblings to a greater degree. I'd definitely like more dragon focused scenes. I think this is a duology, so I'll be picking up the next book soon, and I imagine more of those elements will be in the second book. Having said all that I have, I would recommend this to fantasy readers who want a shorter book that focuses on characters, although with some good, albeit subtle fantasy elements.
I loved Ward as the main character. It's so refreshing to have a main character who would typically be considered the "muscle" or "brawn" foil to the "brains" character. And yet, he's a bit of both. I'm not saying he's brilliant, but he's very observant and is what you call a student of human nature. He is quite intelligent and excellent at strategy (playing the long game). Like children of abuse, he has learned very well to watch and learn and he employs those tool very well. He's a protector and manages to manipulate others who believe that have an advantage of him because they are unable to see his depths.
Briggs's books are always on the shorter side, but she packs a lot of story in that short page count. In this book, we get the intrigue (devious plotting, plans and machinations) that you'd see in a thicker epic fantasy like Game of Thrones. For sure, there's some of that kind of treachery and playing games with people's lives in this book. There's some really good action scenes (although not drawn out in gruesomeness). I was not expecting twists and turns in the story. And I will say that you have to be patient if you want the Dragon angle to pay off, but I loved what she did with it. I loved Auric's character as well. Auric has a tortured mien and an inner well of power that is a delightful juxtaposition. The slow development of their friendship and reliance on each other is intrinsic to this novel.
Joe Manganiello was the narrator for this audiobook. I will say that this was so quiet, I couldn't listen to it on a long drive out of state, but I enjoyed his soothing voice on short jaunts to and from work everyday. I appreciate that he used different accents and intonations for the different characters, so even though some of the names confused me at first, I was able to recognize and tell the characters apart based on their voices.
I am so in love with the Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega books, and I don't feel that same intensity towards this book. But by the end, I was very involved with the story and I loved the characterization (which is a strength of Patricia Briggs). That's why I gave it four stars despite the shortcomings. I feel like the short length of this book did leave me wanting more. The magic is more on the subtler side, although intriguing. Also, I wanted to explore Ward's relationships with his siblings to a greater degree. I'd definitely like more dragon focused scenes. I think this is a duology, so I'll be picking up the next book soon, and I imagine more of those elements will be in the second book. Having said all that I have, I would recommend this to fantasy readers who want a shorter book that focuses on characters, although with some good, albeit subtle fantasy elements.
January 24, 2011
This novel goes more toward the fantasy genre, than the paranormal, and I must say that Patricia Briggs somehow finds herself in this genre. It is perfectly suitable for her writing style, and she has the imagination and talent needed to pull it off.
I gave this book three stars because, even though Briggs is better in writing this than the paranormal genre, she is still treating it like paranormal and putting it in the paranormal box, while it is very clear that it doesn't belong there. It is very short, sometimes even very simplistic when it comes to the plot, and, most importantly for a fantasy novel, very, very short. Now, I may be biased when it comes to fantasy novels, because my ideals there are Tolkien, Hobb and Paolini, and each have stories with insurmountable backgrounds, so what Briggs did just seems a bit puny to me.
Aside from that smallish matter, I like Vard as a character (I didn't read this book in English, I read the Serbian translation, so some names may not be the same) but I have a feeling that he is a very complex person, and Briggs didn't describe him as one. Many of the characters have the same feeling to them, and I just don't know what to make of it - maybe she plans to delve deeper as the story progresses, and maybe not, it is too soon to tell.
The Hurog castle and the world in which Vard lives is very fantasy-landish. I loved it at first sentence. Dragons are creatures that really belong in the fantasy setting, and any mention of them is gladly received by me(alas, some authors have taken the dragon-shifters business to paranormal genre, and while some books are very good, dragons in fantasy are in their natural habitat - well, according to me, that is).
All in all, I can see a great potential in this book. Even though one story is told, I believe the others wil complete the cycle that is left very open in this one, and I cross my fingers to Briggs that she doesn't get pulled one side or the other, because this really is a great reading material.
I gave this book three stars because, even though Briggs is better in writing this than the paranormal genre, she is still treating it like paranormal and putting it in the paranormal box, while it is very clear that it doesn't belong there. It is very short, sometimes even very simplistic when it comes to the plot, and, most importantly for a fantasy novel, very, very short. Now, I may be biased when it comes to fantasy novels, because my ideals there are Tolkien, Hobb and Paolini, and each have stories with insurmountable backgrounds, so what Briggs did just seems a bit puny to me.
Aside from that smallish matter, I like Vard as a character (I didn't read this book in English, I read the Serbian translation, so some names may not be the same) but I have a feeling that he is a very complex person, and Briggs didn't describe him as one. Many of the characters have the same feeling to them, and I just don't know what to make of it - maybe she plans to delve deeper as the story progresses, and maybe not, it is too soon to tell.
The Hurog castle and the world in which Vard lives is very fantasy-landish. I loved it at first sentence. Dragons are creatures that really belong in the fantasy setting, and any mention of them is gladly received by me(alas, some authors have taken the dragon-shifters business to paranormal genre, and while some books are very good, dragons in fantasy are in their natural habitat - well, according to me, that is).
All in all, I can see a great potential in this book. Even though one story is told, I believe the others wil complete the cycle that is left very open in this one, and I cross my fingers to Briggs that she doesn't get pulled one side or the other, because this really is a great reading material.
September 24, 2019
I read this book for the first time about ten years ago. I only remembered bits and pieces, but it brought back a whole lot of nostalgia from my high school and pre-high school reading days. This is a good book. It's fantasy, but without a *ton* of magic and no quest and it's not really too sword and sorcery-y (if that made any sense at all). So, it's a bit different. There is a bit of court intrigue and family dynamics and a little bit of power play. Good for readers aged 14 and up.
July 14, 2017
I hate to say this, but for the most part I found this boring and forgettable. This audiobook was 9 hours long, and I found myself getting into it at 7 hours and 50 minutes. (I know because I had a "holy shit" moment when something finally sparked my interest, so I took notice of the time.) That said, I plan on listening to the next book; I'm hoping the boredom I endured with this book was in preparation for the next. And the narrator was easy to listen to.
January 19, 2013
All I can say is that I wish this book had lived up to its potential. It has such good bones (no pun intended) but it just didn't come together into a great story. I kind of wish Briggs had written this one later, I'm sure it would be something great if she had written it today.
January 6, 2023
Reading this book was so fantastic, I loved the characters and the world and the scope of the world and the politics, and I need to read the sequel now!
January 20, 2017
I enjoyed this, but the world building was lacking. It was obvious the author had thought it out, but she wasn't sharing. I would have liked a better explanation of the kingdoms, cultures, and gods. Backstory is such a necessity in novels that fall in this genre and it wasn't well developed in Dragon Bones. This felt very character driven, which I usually like, but it wasn't to this book's advantage.
I did enjoy the characters and found most of them intriguing. I'll still read the next and hope for a better explanation and a continuation of Ward's adventures.
I did enjoy the characters and found most of them intriguing. I'll still read the next and hope for a better explanation and a continuation of Ward's adventures.
September 17, 2017
Not a victim of the page 50 rule, but not a smashing success either. I was interested in the story but I wasn't caught up in it. I found myself putting the book down every few pages to do something else. I'm also left with an "Is it gay or is it just my wishful thinking?" feeling from the ending. I guess I could just read the sequel to find out but that's not in the spirit of my random reads experiment and, honestly, I'd like to read something different now.
January 17, 2010
loved it for the second time will read again in another year or two
February 15, 2011
Complex and slightly depressing -- but a good ending. Interesting world building.
August 26, 2022
It's been years since I've read this (probably 20 years), and the only thing I remembered about it was that the main character pretended to be an idiot to protect himself. I've since read all the books in the Mercy Thompson universe (including the Alpha & Omega series) and while I can tell this is early writing, I still enjoyed it quite a bit.
Ward narrates the story, but it seems to be a story that he is relating to an audience (us?) since he occasionally makes comments about what he did or what he knew or didn't know. It wasn't bad, but it did occasionally take me out of the moment. The other thing that was challenging was that as much as I enjoyed the audio narration, I sometimes got lost when the characters became involved in talks about politics. That's never my favorite part of a story, so I would occasionally have to rewind to try to figure out what was going on.
Despite these things, I really liked the story and I especially liked Ward's character. And while I didn't love all of the political stuff, the mystery of what was going on kept me interested throughout. I was really happy to find out that one of the characters who could have gone to the dark side was on the side of good. I also loved the reveal at the end, and the last sentence was an awesome way of setting us up for the second book without being a cliffhanger. I can't wait for the next book!
Ward narrates the story, but it seems to be a story that he is relating to an audience (us?) since he occasionally makes comments about what he did or what he knew or didn't know. It wasn't bad, but it did occasionally take me out of the moment. The other thing that was challenging was that as much as I enjoyed the audio narration, I sometimes got lost when the characters became involved in talks about politics. That's never my favorite part of a story, so I would occasionally have to rewind to try to figure out what was going on.
Despite these things, I really liked the story and I especially liked Ward's character. And while I didn't love all of the political stuff, the mystery of what was going on kept me interested throughout. I was really happy to find out that one of the characters who could have gone to the dark side was on the side of good. I also loved the reveal at the end, and the last sentence was an awesome way of setting us up for the second book without being a cliffhanger. I can't wait for the next book!
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