Bullets And Bones: Trade Edition

Desa Kincaid #2

by R.S. Penney

Desa Kincaid set out to save her world from the machinations of a madman.

She failed.

Now, she finds herself a prisoner in her own city, navigating a web of political intrigue. Hope beckons in the form of the mysterious Spear of Vengeance, a weapon forged by the gods.

To recover it, Desa will have to take a journey into the very heart of the ancient world, and confront an enemy more powerful than any she has faced so far: her own guilt.

Genres: Adventure

446 pages, Paperback

First published March 29, 2020

About the author

I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario where I attended Saltfleet High School and McMaster University. I've spent most of my life fighting for the little guy in one form or another, advocating for the poor, for environmental sustainability, for minority rights.

Throughout my twenties, I wrote about five novels and threw them all out because they weren't very good. But I improved and honed my skills with each new manuscript. About two years ago, I had an offer from a traditional publishing house, but I chose to go indie instead. Writing is my passion; if I could dedicate myself to one thing, it would be bringing the ideas in my head to life.

Reviews

[Alisha Rowe]

This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/2T9DYR2.
With Adele on the loose Desa and her group will stop at nothing to stop her from taking over the world using the power of the Nether. Even if that means killing someone Desa once loved in the process or even chasing down an old fairytale to a "cursed" land. Adele is not going to make their journey an easy one, however, as she will throw everything she can at this bunch in an attempt to kill Desa and end the threat to her forever. Just how far are Desa, Tommy, Miri, Marcus, and Kalia willing to go to rid the world of evil? Will they survive long enough to complete their newest mission?
Desa, born in Aladar, is a Field Binder. This means she can bend the Ether to form certain tools which make life, and combat, much easier. Field Binding is a closely guarded secret of Aladar, so when the Prelate learns that Desa has been sharing their knowledge with the simpleton country folk outside the city she must be punished. Tommy, Desa's apprentice, is proving himself to be very adept in the arts of Field Binding now that he is able to commune with the Ether and has even been given permission to study the texts of Aladar at the Library. Here he meets Dalen and develops a crush. Now he is stuck between caring for Miri and Dalen. But, the biggest development is when he finds just what can destroy the beast taking up space in Adele. Too bad it is only a folklore item, but a small chance is better than none. Now to travel to a cursed land and hope for the best...

I tried very hard not to divulge more in this summary of events than what the actual synopsis of the book covered. I will state that I was approached to read and provide an honest review of this book and when I agreed to read it I did not know it was book 2 in a series. I have not read book one. That being said, the author provides enough information to determine most of what happened in the first book so that you are not left feeling like you are in uncharted waters. There are a few minor details that I am not sure what happened, but I can live with that. There is action, love, and a lot of attempted murder in this book. Where everyone was loyal had me guessing until the end, which is always a lot of fun.

Now then, with all of those positives about the book I have a very big glaring negative. I will state that this negative may be due to the copy of the eBook I received in exchange for the review. I have no way of knowing if it is or not, so please let me know if the actual copies of the book do this if you decide to get it. The book will jump from one point of view to another from one paragraph to the next without any kind of separation. More than once I found myself going back and rereading sections because I thought I had zoned out and missed details. Instead I had just jumped from Desa to Tommy or some other characters. It was quite annoying. That is the only real negative I have to say about this book.

[Manik and Sayee |favbookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first part of the series (Bounty Hunter) and I liked it. And so I went to read the second part. Sadly it didn't turn out to be as expected. I expected the plot to be more catching and the pace to be a bit fast. Though the narration was quite good.

[Lino Matteo · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Magic is just reality waiting to be understood.” That is the way that I like it. Finally, I give it 4.5 stars. Looking forward to reading more.

Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo

For the rest of my review, as of Feb 12, 2o22...

https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2022...

[S. Bavey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a Kindle version of this book in return for an honest review.
Described as a Sci-Fi Western, Bullets and Bones opens with a prologue in which Bounty hunter Azra Vanya is chasing and catching her prey through a narrow canyon.

We then move into the main story, written in third person with different characters being focused on as we learn more about each of them.

Desa Kincaid is in jail in her home city of Aladar. She is a Field Binder able to use the Ether to infuse items with forces forces and make them blow apart, illuminate, or become extra susceptible to gravity.

We learn from one of her companions that she is particularly good at this

“Almighty preserve us,” Kalia whispered. “She’s so fast...”
“she’s one of the best Field Binders Aladar has ever known,” Miri replied.

It turns out that Desa has been away from her home city of Aladar for a decade and much has changed in her absence. There are now cars and electric light, for instance. She left to chase and try to stop a Field Binder called Bendarian who found a way to use another form of the Ether (referred to as the nether) differently, making him more deadly. It seems people able to use the Ether in this way are susceptible to being possessed by a more powerful being. Adele Delarac has now also discovered how to do this and been possessed by a powerful entity calling itself ‘The Weaver’. She has sent the deadly bounty hunter Azra Vanya after Desa, who is determined to leave Aladar once more and go to stop Adele.

I was told I would not need to read the first book in this series first, in order to follow the story - but I think that was doing a disservice to the author. The magic system in this story is well thought out, but it is complicated and I wish I had read book one first to be able to understand it better. It took about half of this book for me to feel like I understood it. There are also a large number of characters whose relationships are not clear without reading the first book first. I will read book one and then reread this one at some point.

There are some exciting western style fights between Desa and other characters, some of which take place in a typical western style dusty road setting in Aladar. However these fights are not between gunslingers but magic users who also happen to carry guns.
Some of the characters are described as dressing in a similar manner to typical western gunslingers too:

“Marcus still wore dungarees and a duster, and he still carried a pistol on his hip. The wide-brimmed hat atop his head did him no favors either.”

Once Tommy, one of Desa’s companions who came with her to Aladar, has discovered how to sense the Ether, he gains confidence as a character and Desa begins to train him in Field Binding:

“That was the key. The shape of the lattice determined what the Infusion would do, and the thickness of the strands determined how strong it would be.”

At the end of Part 1 of the book, around 50% through, there is a big fight between the heroes and the Eradian militia, who are acting on the Weaver’s command by invading Aladar. During this fight Desa discovers how she might be able to defeat Adele once and for all.

The descriptions of the fights are very well done and make them easy to visualize, lending a cinematic feel to them.

Tommy has discovered he is also a talented archer which helps him to gain even more confidence and the character develops into a more assertive self confident fighter, an asset to Desa’s band of heroes.

Aladar has a well thought out history and mythology. It turns out that some of the mythology is actually history and Desa and her companions will need to seek the legendary Spear of Vengeance in order to defeat Adele. They embark on a quest through many different lands in order to find the spear and encounter both monsters and ghosts along their way.

I would recommend Bullets and Bones to most fans of Sci-Fi and fantasy genres. The western elements make it a little more interesting than the average ‘group of companions going on a quest’ story. There are a lot of nuanced romantic relationships going on in the story as well which is unusual for a quest type of story, but I did not find it distracted from the main story arc. I would suggest that readers start with book 1 before reading this one. There is also a lot of diversity, both cultural and sexual which was a particular goal for the author and he certainly achieved it. The writing style was easy to read and made the book difficult to put down.

[Vesna S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was offered a free copy of the book by the author's manager in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis of the book I was really intrigued. I actually never really liked westerns but sci-fi is a genre I love. Since many authors are repeating the same »recipe« for sci-fi novels, this book has a very unique genre mix and that is the main reason I deceided to pick up the book. I'm also used of sci-fi novels taking place in the future but since it's also a western, the setting of the book was in the past in the west, where cars are not a common thing and towns are just getting electricity.
Desa is a bounty hunter and she is a strong, confident woman. She is very skilled with weapons and has unique powers. The concept of Field binding and Ether as powers is really interesting and while reading I did want to know more of how the powers work, but I did not read the first book about Desa (this book was presented to me as stand-alone), so maybe it's my loss of not knowing more about it and was explained more into detail there.
The character I liked the most was Tommy. He is the most developed character in the book. He begins as a shy, unconfident boy who, in the course of the story, manages to find his powers and develops them to their full potential. With this, his confidence rises and he becoms the most »badass« charcater, who might be even better than Desa.
There were also few things that were bothering me but are not major problems. Firstly, the action scenes are so fast paced that I really needed to slow down to get the grip on what was happening and that kind off disturbed the reading flow of the book. The second thing are the love interests and love triangles. The book is action packed novel with great characters and it would be completely fine if love interests were left out since there was no need for them and the scenes felt a bit forced.
But afterall, the book was an enjoyable, quick read, with an unique idea and if you love fast paced and action packed novels, this is the book for you.

[Andrew Male · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was prompted to read this book by the author's manager with an offer for a free copy. Though I declined the copy, I decided to read the book and its prequel to see if the series could earn a place in my collection.

The Good
Much like the first in the series, this book continues to employ the speedy pace that makes sections of the book fly past in a satisfying manner. This second book also adds quite a few new subplots to the overarching story, obviously allowing for further expansion.

The Perhaps Bad
As with the first book, the pace has its moments of being problematic. The additional subplots do add to the story, but there is also some feeling of repetition with the romantic entanglements. That's not to say they aren't still engrossing at some level, simply that there could have been more variation provided between them.

Final Thoughts
I walk away from this book pleased, same as the first book. It's easy to pick one style of writing and compare all others to it, but it seems far better to me if you can find enjoyment in varied styles. If all authors wrote alike, I imagine the literary world would quickly become predictable and boring. In this book, I again find myself curious to discover where the characters go next, so all nitpicks aside, it is hard to say that I did anything except be entertained by this book.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whirlwind adventure full of action, intrigue, lore, love, & danger - as well as relatable, inclusive characters - I had a blast entering Desa Kincaid's world.
It's been awhile since I've taken the literary plunge into another realm, but (much like a dive into the Sapphire Sea after days of roughing it), Bullets And Bones was refreshingly worth it.
I look forward to reading more of this story as it unfolds!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billed as a Sci-Fi Western, this book is a new genre for me as well as a new writer. I did read sci-fi for a short time as a teenager, but soon reverted to my preferred selection of reading matter - crime, romance, classic literature and historical fiction. So, it's kind of odd to find myself liking a book of this nature. But I did.
I found that Mr Penney's narrative flowed well and was very easy to read. His world building was excellent, detailed where necessary and totally believable in the alternative reality of his book. I liked the characters - they were all beautifully drawn, even the baddies - and the dynamics between them worked wholly in support of the plot.
Essentially a story of good versus evil, this novel moves with great pace, through peaks and troughs of emotion and crisis to a very satisfying conclusion. This was definitely a book that I found very hard to put down once I'd started reading it.
A very pacey and compelling read.

[E.G. Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely get a chance to read straight westerns, mostly because I haven’t actually been in touch with a lot of authors who write westerns. Now, that being said, I have a special fondness for all things space opera (read, western with sci-fi) or even westerns with fantasy elements (I don’t know if there’s a specific genre name for this) and any chance to delve into a series with such things is really quite a treat. Reading R.S. Penney’s Desa Kincaid series was no exception. This review is for the second in the series, though I read both books and shall try to provide some context.

1. Thoughts on the plot
The second book in the series, Bullets and Bones starts where the first left off. For context, our hero Desa has just been through the desert and all sorts of uncomfortable and dangerous situations in order to track down her nemesis, a villain who uses Field Binding (sort of like Jedi powers) to hurt people and bring some unknown force into the world. After this, Desa and her friends were transported by this unknown force back to her home of Aladar. And things there are…complicated. Now, with a stronger enemy to face, a past to reconcile, and politics to battle, Desa’s trials are far from over.
I think this second book did a really good job of continuing the story from the first book, while also providing more in the way of world building, specifically regarding Desa’s past. We learn a good deal more about where she came from and those added elements make things much more difficult for the characters. Then, in the second half of the book, when they set off to go defeat their enemy, things pick up a bit in pace. This could have been done badly, to the point where the pace shift gives you a bit of whiplash, but I think that this particular change was perfect for teh story and the situation. Though, the travel was a bit hard to follow, but that’s because I am geographically challenged.

2. Thoughts on the characters
Any sequel, featuring the same cast of characters, is meant to take those familiar faces and give them more struggles, highlight their character even more, and provide more insight into their lives. In short, the character development in any sequel should be a continuation and expansion of what we learned in the first book. And this book definitely did that.
The first book was really quite good in that I liked the characters while also acknowledging their flaws. I could see the way that they were growing and I had fun reading them. Bullets and Bones, though, really let me see the characters for what they were. Desa’s past added a whole element of answers to questions that I didn’t know I had. Learning about Miri and Marcus and their lives in Aladar was perfect for both plot and character. And that plot twist at the end…just lovely.

3. Favourite part
Probably the technical/mystical exploration of Field Binding. There seems to be a good portion of this art which is grounded in science, and some which is not. I can’t really explain it more than that, but I loved seing something that looked slightly familiar transplanted into a new, action-oriented and fascinating environment.

4. Critique
Some of the action scenes—and there were quite a few—did overwhelm the plot just a touch. They were important, yes, but they seemed almost scripted rather than flowing from the natural progression of the plot. While I enjoyed the action scenes quite a lot, I think they didn’t need to be quite so over-the-top dramatic. Still, that’s more of a personal preference than anything.

Overall, I would say that this second instalment in the Desa Kincaid series is a gripping adventure that combines some of my favourite elements of both sci-fi, and westerns: a defining sense of right and wrong, a technological element that shapes the world, and characters that cause a good deal of trouble. Very good.

[Rohan Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay before we get into the review itself, I just need to disclose the following. I did not buy this book, I was provided with a copy of the eBook by the author’s manager, Henry Roi, in exchange for an honest review. Anyway, with that out of the way, onto the review.

Straight away, reviewing the book, a sequel to the author’s previous work Desa Kincaid: Bounty Hunter, without having read the first book puts me in a tough position. Some of the issues I have with this book could be chalked up to me not having read the other book but it can also give an insight for people like me that haven’t read the first book and are wondering if they should just jump in now and give it a chance.

If you’re in that position, let me save you some time and cut to the chase. Don’t read this book if you haven’t read the first one. Go back, read the first one and then if you enjoy it you can come back and read this review. Go ahead, I’ll wait…

Done? Okay for everyone that’s read the first book and are wondering if they want to read the second book, here’s my review.

The plot continues on from the first book (obviously) and follows the main character, Desa Kincaid, as she returns to her hometown after failing to stop the big bad of the first book. Desa is happy to return home at first but it’s not long before she’s swept up into a web of political intrigue orchestrated by the highest levels of government. A prisoner in her own city, she is called to adventure by a mysterious traveller to find the mystical Spear of Vengeance, a weapon forged by the gods themselves.

Now to the big question on your lips… does Desa find the spear? She could have found the spear and used it as a flute to play Hall of the Mountain King for all I know because I didn’t finish the book. I got about seven chapters in and put the book down and haven’t given it a second thought.

That being said some of the ideas in the book are really interesting. The use of Ether in the field binding and the sci fi western setting initially drew me to the book and made me agree to review it. Unfortunately, these things couldn’t keep me invested in the book for very long as more and more pronouns were fired at me from a cannon like a thesaurus after a night of dodgy seafood. This would normally be where the characters step up and keep me engaged in the story.

This is where the book falls down for me. I just don’t like the characters. There’s too many of them being introduced to me at once making me switch off and detach from the story. Desa herself feels boring with some of her companions being a bit more interesting but not by a large margin. The perspectives jump from character to character so much at the start of the book that is gets jarring after a while.

Another thing I didn’t enjoy about the book was how the exposition was handled. It’s dumped at the start of the book with a lot of telling not showing which, paired with the dialogue feeling overwritten and stilted at parts, pulled me further out of the experience.

So, the plot, characters and dialogue haven’t fully engaged me but maybe the action will keep me in.

Oh…

The action scenes just go on for too long. There’s a lot of back and forth but not an actual feeling of momentum. It’s a lot of noise and punches that absolutely bores me to death. Like with everything in this review, these are all my personal opinions and some of these issues come from me not having read the first book in the series and that’s a fair critique.

However, the long and short of it is this… It took me 98 pages for the book to get interesting with a bit more sci-fi worldbuilding that I enjoyed. Sequel or not, it should not take almost 100 pages for any book to become interesting.

Overall, an intriguing premise let down in the execution.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing style is lovely and flowing, and I found myself charmed by a lot of the descriptions. There are many diverse characters whose personalities and motivations are distinct and memorable. My favorite character is Tommy, and I also LOVE the descriptions and dialogue from the Weaver. The action scenes are fast-paced and just violent enough that I understand the danger, scope, and size of them -- a very good thing. The training scenes between Tommy and Desa are also enjoyable and natural ways to help us the readers understand more of the rules of the powers, and it’s fun to watch Tommy spend the rest of the book coming to terms with his abilities. I’m also a sucker for “using magic/powers in everyday life/mundane situations just to make things easier,” like when the mom is cooking. Great way to make things natural!

The author here takes care to do little things that give life and imagery to the writing -- dialogue flows like a “movie in my head” because the author doesn't use clunky dialogue tags and instead gives characters individualized body language. The plot overall is high-stakes and I felt (appropriately!) tense most of the time, and I felt real anxiety before (without spoiling, being as generic as possible here) some of the scenes like that in chapter 14 when they knew a fight was about to happen. The fight scenes in the immediately following chapters are particularly excellent. I also liked some of the twists related to the goddesses near the end -- in fact, the ending particularly is gripping and fast-paced, with more twists that really challenge the characters.

This book is a 4 out of 5 for me because: I think the otherwise high-stakes, hard-to-predict plot gets bogged down by pacing and some things that, if cut and/or streamlined, would make this as a whole really truly excellent. In general, there’s a LOT of detail here, and especially in the first half before we meet the Weaver I found it easy to get lost and to forget which character was on which path. We don’t need a cookie-cutter three-act structure, but still, it’s a bit hard to follow what the events in order are sometimes. The powers are interesting and are revealed naturally through the story (especially with the training scenes, that helped a lot!) BUT since this is not a super “light and easy” read, I went back a few times to make sure I wasn’t missing stuff about powers and such -- there’s just a lot of detail and a lot of plot threads in both good and maybe-inefficient ways.

Additionally, without spoiling too much, little subplots like the tension between Miri, Tommy, and Dalen in the first half really took me out of the experience. The characters go from being nice/supportive to each other in literally one second and then screaming at each other in literally the next. This is not a charming/relatable/etc. character interaction. Later they have more-mature conversations and resolve the issues, but in a weird way, I actually laughed out loud at the scene where Tommy flatly dismisses both the potential love interests -- that’s how I felt about it, too, Tommy, and the fact that it’s that easy to just go back to the interesting training stuff with Desa pretty soon after just highlights for me how pointless all that drama and bad communication was (the more-mature conversations later wouldn’t be less impactful if that earlier drama was gone). Cutting things like this would really help streamline this already-dense-in-plot story -- we don’t need additional tension and drama in this story!

Overall, there’s a lot of really creative stuff here -- an interesting fantasy world! I’ll go check out the other books in this series too!

[Nicole Bedford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book with an open mind and was pleased to be able to read it in one sitting. I had to re-read it in a few places (my own failing not the author's) to ensure I was following the world-building going on.

It is a western fantasy - that is the best genre I could give it - but it is more than that. The world we are introduced to is not wholly unique, but that is where the magic happens. First, let me say that this is a very inclusive book. Staid, unimaginative and/or non-inclusive readers who have a problem with main characters who do not conform to the stereotype of genders/relationships should not read this. I am not giving any more than that away. Most of the world-building happens as the Desa moves through it, so we learn organically and not all at once which can be over-whelming. It is still a lot, and I had to focus on what I was reading. Not for a light reader. You will be required to think through what it happening and focus to remember the many powers she has (Sink-force sounds cool!) and being a Binder is a new entity I had not heard of in other books either.

The MC is powerful. I love a strong female lead. She is also struggling with understanding her role - which I also adore. There is a lot of room for growth as she harnesses her powers (there a lot! Electric, anchoring, gravity, etc) she also must find answers to the Ether and try to save those she loves when an enemy takes on the form of one she would not suspect to challenge her.

If you want a good read with well-described action, adventure, love, and proven growth of the MC as she sometimes loses her battles (what fun is a book if the MC is always winning?) but rises to become stronger? Yes please. The ending promises a new battle - another war - she will have to fight now that the evil has a face. It ends HFN but I could definitely hear the drums of war beating in the background.

P.S. Since I know some people are nit-picky about this, the grammar, spelling, and structure were all on point as well. I did not spot a single one - though even if I had it would not have interrupted my enjoyment of the story since it was that engaging.

[Jim Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fun, Engaging Steampunk, Gun-slinging, Magical Adventure

I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy without having read the first book in the series. Though plenty of references to the events of the first book helped fill in some of the blanks, I wish I'd read the first book.

There's a lot to love in this book. The characters are well-drawn, each with their own backstory, skillsets, and perspectives. As the main hero, Desa Kincaid is scarred and socially awkward, which is actually an endearing quality. Her companions are loyal and each has their own issues to contend with and arcs to address.

However, my favorite feature is the magical system. It manages to be imaginative and engaging, very visual, and unlike many others I've read. I appreciate how it's incorporated in the larger world and how some "find the ether" and others don't or can't.

The main antagonist is intriguing, though again I wish I'd read the first book where she was fleshed out as a person before becoming a villain. There is also an assassin that creates some exciting, fun, fight scenes. I'll admit my favorite character is Tommy, a follower of Desa who has the largest arc, coming to maturity both as a man and magician.

The pacing and plot kept my interest and the book is a quick read. If I had any quibbles, I think some of the emotional arcs could've been explored further and been a bit more nuanced. I understand this is an adventure novel, not a drama, but I think its potential to explore some of the issues, especially those impacting Tommy, Desa, and Miri could've been worth explored further. And, since I haven't read the third book yet, may well be explored there.

As I said, that's a quibble, and readers looking for an interesting adventure that creates a unique world should definitely pick this one up. Enjoy!

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ebook from the author's manager in exchange for a fair review.

This is a fun Western Fantasy with an interesting magic system that worked well with the Western theme.

While in the end, it was an enjoyable story with likeable characters, I had some trouble getting into this novel because I hadn’t read the first one. I presumed this wouldn’t be an issue when I accepted the copy, assuming there would be a synopsis or recap at some point, but in the first few chapters, I was quite confused as I had no idea who anyone was or how the magic system worked. The book starts with an engaging prologue but the first real chapter starts from where book 1 ended (I’m guessing) in media res. Once I figured it all out, it started to grow on me, and I thought Desa’s power (field binding) was really interesting, but don’t pick up this book if you haven’t read book one.

The characters are likeable and once I learned their relationships I did care about them (Tommy’s arc was great). I really enjoyed the number of female characters and the diversity.

The fight scenes were where the story really shined - they were fast-paced and well-described. The inclusion of magic with Western shootouts (amongst other fights) was cool.

I did find the prose jumped around a bit too much between characters so that I had to reorient myself sometimes to figure out who I was following. I also wasn’t particularly engaged with the dialogue (it was fine, but didn’t stand out to me in any way).

I think if I’d read book 1 before book 2 I would have given this four stars; I was a bit frustrated at the start. I’d definitely give this author another go in the future.

Recommended to those who enjoy westerns and fantasy!

[Kim Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bullets and Bones is a wonderful Sci-Fi Fantasy that includes touches of magic, technological innovation, and the mythological atmosphere of the Wild West. It’s action -packed, does a remarkable job of incorporating important social issues without heavy-handed fanfare, and provides the perfect set-up for another book in the series.

Totally unprepared for how enjoyable this story would be. I started reading, thrown into a world I was not familiar with, not having read the first book in the series, and finished craving more of this world. Wonderful world-building let me gain insight relatively quickly. The writer used a combination of allowing the world to build slowly, and encouraging the reader to catch up with what readers of the previous book would understand immediately. Never a dull moment, all of this was accomplished through a series of physical/mental/emotional challenges and set-backs that helped to build both the storyline and the characters. Imagery throughout is vivid.

Wonderful female protagonists (and antagonists)! Desa Kincaid’s strength of character, was a beacon throughout the story. She behaves with purpose in a complex environment and follows a strong moral code – perhaps not always to her advantage. As well, the band of supporting characters, each unique and intriguing, with their own character flaws and challenges, made for a variety of interesting sub-plots.
I would recommend this book to fans of fantasy, sci-fi, future and worlds. It will appeal to a young adult and up. It is fast paced and fun to read. I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I look forward and going back to read the original in the series.

[W.A. Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided a copy of Bullets and Bones in exchange for an honest review.

Without having read Desa Kincaid: Bounty Hunter, I must confess being lost through much of the story, which assumes the reader has read the first volume. While I am sure that fans of the original will love to jump right in, for those who haven't read it, it makes following along difficult.

I also found the pace to be quite slow. Despite the prose being on point, the editing being strong and the author excelling at action sequences, the length of these sequences slowed down the pace, rather than creating something less exciting and dynamic than it could have been.

The characters are largely well-written, and it is wonderful to see such a focus on diversity and inclusion, especially as it does not feel forced at all. However, with this in mind, I do wish the author had not described female characters as "bitches" multiple times. While it does not feel deliberate, it does come across as somewhat sexist.

3 stars from me, however if I had read Desa Kincaid: Bounty Hunter first, I could see it reaching 4 stars. If you do decide to read it, please start with Book 1 first.

For my complete review, click here.

[Ryan Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of Desa Kinaid’s adventures set in the mystical alternate to the American Wild West is filled with unique lore, adventure, intrigue, action, and rich character development. Much of the lore may seem confusing, giving the reader reason to check out the first book in the series as well, but the text is clear and accessible to almost any reader. Penney works wonders with words as he has painted vivid, beautiful scenes of the world he created in Bullets and Bones. The characters are complex and believable, and the overall story-telling is superb.

It is clear that the author was inspired by fantasy classics such as “Lord of the Rings”, and while his books include a fair amount of original mysticism and maintain a surreal approach, there is an edge to the writing that grounds the reader and makes the overall experience a little more believable. Fans of fantasy, sci-fi, and even historic fiction will all greatly enjoy this series, and any avid reader will find this book to be a pleasure.

[Mani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bullets & Bones is a western sci-fi fantasy, and is the second book in the series. Again, I hadn’t read the first book but was assured it could be read as a standalone. And yes, it can be!!!

I found the book to be well written and found the plot and characters to be interesting, and the world building was also great. There is a lot of fast paced actions scenes which I really enjoyed but they did make my head spin a bit and found them quite confusing at times. I think this was because they didn’t quite match the pace of the rest of the book.

My favourite was the unique mix of characters, they were well developed and I was impressed with the diverse representation throughout the book. my favourite character was definitely Desa. She is so confident and strong, and she has some interesting powers and skills that I loved.

I really enjoyed this unique read and think it would appeal to fantasy and sci-fi lovers.

I would like to that the authors manager for contacting me and sending me digital copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Kechi Otta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was offered a free copy of the book by the author's manager in exchange for an honest review.
When I realized this was a scifi novel, I was immediately intrigued because I have been looking for one to read. It isn't really a complicated and advanced scifi novel, it was quite easy for me to catch up and understand what is going on.
The characters, I love so much. There is great and diverse representation in the novel. I love the inclusion of love interests despite how action packed it is. There is this battle of love and duty in the novel.
The powers(Ether and Field Binding etc) are very unique ways. I haven't seen such power systems before in a sci fi novel.
It is a fast paced novel which I absolutely love though some action scenes usually confuse me but I always get them. If you love scifi fast action packed novel, this is for you.

[Brianne Kreppein · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be fair, I started on book two and that was my fault, so I was a little slow to pick up some of the characters relationships in the beginning. I would have preferred a little deeper dive into character development even though it's a sequel. That said, definitely recommend this for anyone who is a sucker for science-based magic like I am. Selfishly, everyone should read it, so we can get a movie adaptation and see the epic fight scenes on the big screen (and they would be epic). The villains are just the right amount of outrageous and the heros are just the right amount of reluctant. Penney has created a really unique world and I will definitely be going backwards to start over at the beginning and see more of it.

[Rosa S · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept of a western fantasy action story is very unique. This is a sequel to the first novel, Desa Kincaid and the story follows Desa and her friends as they set out to find the spear of Aladar.
Things I enjoyed about this story:
I love Tommy's character arc in comparison to the first story. When this book begins, he has no confidence, but toward the end of the book, he proves to himself that he has what it takes to be a hero.
I had a hard time following parts of the story, but it's just so full of action that it's hard to keep up with the storyline. If you love adventure and action, you'll love this book.

[Shonda Prickett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review. The book is set in the Wild West in a fictional city called Aladar and there are people who have magical abilities that can be used for both good and evil. I really liked Desa's character. I always appreciate a female lead role that can kick butt. I feel like there are definitely a lot of readers out there that would really love this book. I recommend this to all those that love magic and lots of action scenes. I also recommend reading the first book before this one. Maybe this just isn't the genre for me, but I did give it 3 stars. It was a good book.

[Ben Berwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first book a while ago, and started reading the second book a while ago too, but finally finished it on Christmas Day!

I've enjoyed the concept of ethereal powers blended with the unruly societies of the Wild West and the risks they present. There's some thorough world-building and the second book adds a new layer of history to the mix. It also presents the characters with challenging new decisions and situations, where answers are not necessarily clear-cut. I'm keen to see where this series goes!

[Lynelle Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author for my unbiased review.
Since I haven't read book 1 in the series it took me a few pages to get in the book. Once I did, I enjoyed this fast-paced adventurous book.
Desa Kincaid is not a woman to mess with, and her "super power" kept the momentum going.
It is well written with a wonderful plot that sets the bar for this genre, sci-fi western with steampunk elements.
A definite must read.

[Paloma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. First time reading a book like this, sci-fi meets Western. I loved Desa’s character, so strong, independent and strong willed. The story line was interesting and fast paced. The book is full of action and romance.

[F. C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Desa’s tale continues

This, the second book about Desa Kincaid, fully lives up to the promise of the first. The characters are more fully developed, and the book ends with a pair of cliffhangers that ensure my reading book three.

Recommended.

[Suzy Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the mixture of mixing the old West and sci-fi. An interesting read with lots of good action and interesting characters. I really enjoyed it.