The Bone Fire

by Gordon Reid

Praise from Amazon reviews for Gordon Reid’s debut novel, An Inquisition of Demons:<br><br>‘I soon found I could not put the book down.’<br><br>‘This is a very satisfying book to read.’<br><br>‘The story here is fantasy of the highest order.’<br><br>‘Gripping, exciting and thought-provoking.’<br><br>‘A totally gripping read. Highly recommended.’<br><br>--------------------------------------<br><br>Now here is Gordon's second novel, The Bone Fire.<br><br>Homeless people are disappearing from the streets of Edinburgh. Nick Cosgrove’s niece Alison has vanished too, and he’s been asked by his estranged sister to find her. But what is the meaning of his dream: a girl hanging from a cross under alien stars, trapped between a bonfire and the restless ocean?<br><br>Jason is a 14 year-old boy, adrift in a new school, in a strange city. When he is befriended by his charismatic classmate Lee and the mysterious stranger Owen, his life begins to take off. But both Lee and Owen hide secrets, and Jason has a lot to learn - and Owen is a man on a mission. <br><br>As the various strands come together, the solution to these mysteries will challenge all their beliefs about life, and especially - as the story builds to a climax in the desolate, twilight shamanic spirit world – death.<br><br>An original fantasy featuring a cast of characters including Merlin the magician and an Arthurian knight newly awoken from slumber under the bald Welsh hills, The Bone Fire is both a compelling mystery story in its own right and a profound meditation on what happens to our souls when we die—<br><br>—if, that is, we are fortunate…

261 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOODNESS, YES!

I adored An Inquisition of Demons and thought that was amazing and was prepared to be let down with this book, but instead I was blown away. This had more of what I enjoy and less of what I don't enjoy. This book is primarily set in Edinburgh - by the docks and away from the tourist areas - but also has smatterings of settings in both Wales and the afterlife.

I enjoyed the tie-ins to the arthurian legend. I enjoyed the academic ramblings; I am the daughter of an academic so this felt like home to me. I enjoyed the dysfunctional family. I enjoyed the thoughts that the animals had. I enjoyed Merlin as the comic relief. I enjoyed the fact that this book addresses racism. I just loved this book.

Gordon Reid, in this book, is very Dean Koontz. VERY Dean Koontz. That Dean Koontz book with the dog who could spell things with scrabble tiles, to be precise. Of course, if you found that book disappointing, you'll find this one disappointing. I recommend this book only to those who enjoyed that Dean Koontz tome.

I did. I'm happy. And I hope Gordon Reid writes more, but according to Goodreads, I've now read all he has completed. And that makes me sad.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had all the things I usually enjoy but I just couldnt get into it. Set in Edinburgh with a smattering of time travel, after life mysteries, people disappearing and Authurian historical links it should have been a winner for me.
I found much of the dialogue tedious and long winded and often it added nothing to the story. The action scenes were well done but too few and far between. I didnt bond with any character except Owen and had to force myself to read on. The mystery of the cave was left hanging as though the purpose of a lot of this book was merely to lea to the next one. There were so many dramas and back fill in the lives of most of the characters that I had trouble recognizing the main plot and key players.
I really enjoyed his first book and see he is currently doing a trilogy so I will have a break and then go again.

[Nithya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised how well the solid day to day stories of people in Edinburgh meshed so well with shaman legends and spirit walking. A really different fantasy, enjoyed it a lot.