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Of Bone and Thunder
Apocalypse Now meets The Lord of the Rings in a bold new fantasy from the acclaimed author of the Iron Elves trilogy, filled with "heroic action that keeps fans coming back" (Publishers Weekly).
Channeling the turbulent period of the Vietnam War and its ruthless pitting of ideologies, cultures, generations, and races against each other, military historian and acclaimed fantasy writer Chris Evans takes a daring new approach to the traditional world of sword and sorcery by thrusting it into a maelstrom of racial animus, drug use, rebellion, and a growing war that seems at once unwinnable and with no end in sight. In this thrilling epic, right and wrong, country and honor, freedom and sacrifice are all put to the ultimate test in the heart of a dark, bloody, otherworldly jungle.
In this strange, new world deep among the shadows under a triple-canopy jungle and plagued by dangers real and imagined, soldiers strive to fulfill a mission they don’t understand and are ill-equipped to carry out. And high above them, the heavy rush of wings slashing through the humid air herald a coming wave of death and destruction, and just possibly, salvation.
Channeling the turbulent period of the Vietnam War and its ruthless pitting of ideologies, cultures, generations, and races against each other, military historian and acclaimed fantasy writer Chris Evans takes a daring new approach to the traditional world of sword and sorcery by thrusting it into a maelstrom of racial animus, drug use, rebellion, and a growing war that seems at once unwinnable and with no end in sight. In this thrilling epic, right and wrong, country and honor, freedom and sacrifice are all put to the ultimate test in the heart of a dark, bloody, otherworldly jungle.
In this strange, new world deep among the shadows under a triple-canopy jungle and plagued by dangers real and imagined, soldiers strive to fulfill a mission they don’t understand and are ill-equipped to carry out. And high above them, the heavy rush of wings slashing through the humid air herald a coming wave of death and destruction, and just possibly, salvation.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2014
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1402 people want to read
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October 13, 2014
ARC copy received from NetGalley in exchange for a review
Of Bone and Thunder takes us into a fantasy setting that is heavily inspired by the Vietnam War.
The Kingdom is the dominant force in the known world and is inhabitated by humans and dwarves. The Kingdom occupies Luitox, a jungle realm full of goblin/faery like people that are just called slyts by the humans. As there is unrest and the first signs of rebellion within the slyt community the kingdom sends troops to deal with those issues. But as most of the slyts don't act hostile and the troops are stationed within an endless jungle, it proves rather difficult to actually spot an enemy as the slyts only attack guerilla style.
In this setting we're following a bunch of characters, but four of them are the most prominent ones.
We're introduced to Luitox by Jawn Rathim, a thaum (think mage) who is a new recruit filled with illusions of grandeur and heavily influenced by the ideology of the kingdom.
On the ground level we're also following a shield (think unit) of 40 soldiers.
A Shield consists of a Shiled Leader (think Luitenant), a Lead Crossbowman (think Sergeant) and the normal soldiers.
One of those soldiers is Carny, a man who doesn't live up to his full potential and who tries to escape the horrors of war by taking a lot of drugs.
Another pov we get into Red Shield is Lead Crossbowman Listowk, who has to deal with all the stupid things his soldiers do and all the crazy things the higher-ups decide.
The last main character is Vorly, the Flock Commander of Onyx Brigade. He commands a flock of 6 huge black dragons, who are mainly used for transport.
The novel itself is seperated in three parts and each part is a singular event in the war and is loosely connected by the characters and subtle plot development.
But overall this is not an epic fantasy that wants to tell a great coherrent tale, it's more of a military fantasy that focuses on the very personal reasons of every character to fight.
Your enjoyment of the novel will most likely depend on how fascinating you find the Vietnam scenario and how much fun you have in looking for little similarities, cause the books is full of well researched details.
Let me give you two examples for this:
The racial tension between white and african-american soldiers is shown at the example of the dwarves in Of Bone and Thunder. The dwarves were slaves for the humans and only recently have been granted full citizenship. So the dwarven soldiers still carry a grudge towards the humans and many human soldiers still see them as slaves a only call them "mules".
Another example would be that at one point a town crier from the kingdom is flown in to observe the troops and the battles, so she can go back to the kingdom and report what she saw at the front.
This is of course in reference to embedded journalism, that was very common during the Vietnam War.
For me this was a really fresh scenario and I had fun to spot all the little similarities. So, if the setting speaks to you, that novel will be very interesting, if not than you won't enjoy it as much as I did.
Oh, and one final thing. You might want to give this a try, if you're a lover of dragons, cause the dragons are depicted very interestingly as quite raw and wild beasts, that heat up their bodies to produce the energies to fly and have to be cooled down by ground crews, when they land. And there are some very memorable dragon scenes in it that should be worth the time of every dragon lover.
Link to the video review on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-jAZ...
Of Bone and Thunder takes us into a fantasy setting that is heavily inspired by the Vietnam War.
The Kingdom is the dominant force in the known world and is inhabitated by humans and dwarves. The Kingdom occupies Luitox, a jungle realm full of goblin/faery like people that are just called slyts by the humans. As there is unrest and the first signs of rebellion within the slyt community the kingdom sends troops to deal with those issues. But as most of the slyts don't act hostile and the troops are stationed within an endless jungle, it proves rather difficult to actually spot an enemy as the slyts only attack guerilla style.
In this setting we're following a bunch of characters, but four of them are the most prominent ones.
We're introduced to Luitox by Jawn Rathim, a thaum (think mage) who is a new recruit filled with illusions of grandeur and heavily influenced by the ideology of the kingdom.
On the ground level we're also following a shield (think unit) of 40 soldiers.
A Shield consists of a Shiled Leader (think Luitenant), a Lead Crossbowman (think Sergeant) and the normal soldiers.
One of those soldiers is Carny, a man who doesn't live up to his full potential and who tries to escape the horrors of war by taking a lot of drugs.
Another pov we get into Red Shield is Lead Crossbowman Listowk, who has to deal with all the stupid things his soldiers do and all the crazy things the higher-ups decide.
The last main character is Vorly, the Flock Commander of Onyx Brigade. He commands a flock of 6 huge black dragons, who are mainly used for transport.
The novel itself is seperated in three parts and each part is a singular event in the war and is loosely connected by the characters and subtle plot development.
But overall this is not an epic fantasy that wants to tell a great coherrent tale, it's more of a military fantasy that focuses on the very personal reasons of every character to fight.
Your enjoyment of the novel will most likely depend on how fascinating you find the Vietnam scenario and how much fun you have in looking for little similarities, cause the books is full of well researched details.
Let me give you two examples for this:
The racial tension between white and african-american soldiers is shown at the example of the dwarves in Of Bone and Thunder. The dwarves were slaves for the humans and only recently have been granted full citizenship. So the dwarven soldiers still carry a grudge towards the humans and many human soldiers still see them as slaves a only call them "mules".
Another example would be that at one point a town crier from the kingdom is flown in to observe the troops and the battles, so she can go back to the kingdom and report what she saw at the front.
This is of course in reference to embedded journalism, that was very common during the Vietnam War.
For me this was a really fresh scenario and I had fun to spot all the little similarities. So, if the setting speaks to you, that novel will be very interesting, if not than you won't enjoy it as much as I did.
Oh, and one final thing. You might want to give this a try, if you're a lover of dragons, cause the dragons are depicted very interestingly as quite raw and wild beasts, that heat up their bodies to produce the energies to fly and have to be cooled down by ground crews, when they land. And there are some very memorable dragon scenes in it that should be worth the time of every dragon lover.
Link to the video review on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-jAZ...
February 9, 2015
"Apocalypse Now meets Lord of the Rings" is an apt description of this book as long as you recognize anyone's comparison with Lord of the Rings is interchangeable with "Fantasy."
Not even high fantasy, which Lord of the Rings is, but in the case of Of Bone and Thunder it's more on the grimdark, realistic fantasy level.
The Kingdom (America) occupies the jungle of Luitox (Vietnam, pronounced Luto) and back home citizens of the Kingdom are blissfully unaware of how bad things are actually going. But, it's hard to come to grips with the fact when you already know your country can't be beat.
Chris Evans created an incredibly realistic world here with different peoples at war, humans, the slits (derogatory name for people of Luitox), and even dwarves.
The armies of the Kingdom ride dragons, or rags as they're commonly called, who have been domesticated as much as dangerous fire-breathing dragons can be. Plus, there's magic in the form of thaumaturgy and all the divided allegiances you could ask for.
What I liked about this book was the focus on the common soldier. Mostly, we follow a shield (a handful of soldiers) and their tasks on Luitox. We see their grumblings with their senior staff, their difficulties with the "slits", their treatment of the new recruits, and get to know them quite intimately. You easily feel at home with this grouping.
Also, we follow Jawn Rathim, a thaum, and later a grouping of dragon riders.
There's lots going on and it's obviously a well-thought out world. I also liked the use of the strange words that become commonplace by the end of the book. You feel part of the world and the soldiers who tend to have their own language as well.
Because it is a Vietnam-type book, there's lots of racial tension and even more focus on the grim. I have to admit to getting a little worn out by the end of the audiobook because it was constantly a downer. It's only natural given the circumstances, but it is wearing.
Speaking of the audiobook, the narrator, Todd Haberkorn, did an excellent job. He nailed the voices and quickly became unnoticeable, which is the sign of a great narrator - you forget it's being narrated. There are lots of gruff soldiers and yet he had a different voice for each and it wasn't even too difficult to recall who was talking with all those harsh voices.
Count me impressed with this book. I don't know what I expected, but this book is quite unique with its take on an unstoppable fantasy kingdom who's met its match. The world is all its own and the characters are relatable if not loveable.
3.5 out of 5 stars (recommended)
Not even high fantasy, which Lord of the Rings is, but in the case of Of Bone and Thunder it's more on the grimdark, realistic fantasy level.
The Kingdom (America) occupies the jungle of Luitox (Vietnam, pronounced Luto) and back home citizens of the Kingdom are blissfully unaware of how bad things are actually going. But, it's hard to come to grips with the fact when you already know your country can't be beat.
Chris Evans created an incredibly realistic world here with different peoples at war, humans, the slits (derogatory name for people of Luitox), and even dwarves.
The armies of the Kingdom ride dragons, or rags as they're commonly called, who have been domesticated as much as dangerous fire-breathing dragons can be. Plus, there's magic in the form of thaumaturgy and all the divided allegiances you could ask for.
What I liked about this book was the focus on the common soldier. Mostly, we follow a shield (a handful of soldiers) and their tasks on Luitox. We see their grumblings with their senior staff, their difficulties with the "slits", their treatment of the new recruits, and get to know them quite intimately. You easily feel at home with this grouping.
Also, we follow Jawn Rathim, a thaum, and later a grouping of dragon riders.
There's lots going on and it's obviously a well-thought out world. I also liked the use of the strange words that become commonplace by the end of the book. You feel part of the world and the soldiers who tend to have their own language as well.
Because it is a Vietnam-type book, there's lots of racial tension and even more focus on the grim. I have to admit to getting a little worn out by the end of the audiobook because it was constantly a downer. It's only natural given the circumstances, but it is wearing.
Speaking of the audiobook, the narrator, Todd Haberkorn, did an excellent job. He nailed the voices and quickly became unnoticeable, which is the sign of a great narrator - you forget it's being narrated. There are lots of gruff soldiers and yet he had a different voice for each and it wasn't even too difficult to recall who was talking with all those harsh voices.
Count me impressed with this book. I don't know what I expected, but this book is quite unique with its take on an unstoppable fantasy kingdom who's met its match. The world is all its own and the characters are relatable if not loveable.
3.5 out of 5 stars (recommended)
January 2, 2015
An interesting concept, well written and reseached.
loved the dragons and how they worked. Really well thought out.
Wanted more character driven storyline.
a 3.5 star read.
loved the dragons and how they worked. Really well thought out.
Wanted more character driven storyline.
a 3.5 star read.
June 27, 2020
"Deep in the jungle below, blood was spilling."
What made me buy Of Bone and Thunder years ago? The cover. The glorious cover that I've often thought would make for a rad tattoo. JUST LOOK AT IT!!
Unfortunately, the cover tells a story more finely crafted than the one written by Chris Evans (no, not Captain America) inside.
Of Bone and Thunder is an allegory of the Vietnam war but with dragons in place of helicopters! I mean.. that's more than a little badass, right?! Throw in wizards and dwarves and I AM ALL OVER THAT SHIT! Except--
What a fucking sausage fest!
For real.
So. Much. Sausage.
OF BONE AND SAUSAGE.
I struggle to think of a single non-male character with a speaking role. You know one will face my wrath because of that problem alone!
Chris Evans the actor WOULD NEVER.
This military dragon book that wasn't written by Captain America has the bones ::ahem:: to be a good story, but it ultimately falls ridiculously short.
What made me buy Of Bone and Thunder years ago? The cover. The glorious cover that I've often thought would make for a rad tattoo. JUST LOOK AT IT!!
Unfortunately, the cover tells a story more finely crafted than the one written by Chris Evans (no, not Captain America) inside.
Of Bone and Thunder is an allegory of the Vietnam war but with dragons in place of helicopters! I mean.. that's more than a little badass, right?! Throw in wizards and dwarves and I AM ALL OVER THAT SHIT! Except--
What a fucking sausage fest!
For real.
So. Much. Sausage.
OF BONE AND SAUSAGE.
I struggle to think of a single non-male character with a speaking role. You know one will face my wrath because of that problem alone!
Chris Evans the actor WOULD NEVER.
This military dragon book that wasn't written by Captain America has the bones ::ahem:: to be a good story, but it ultimately falls ridiculously short.
dnf
October 9, 2014See more reviews on my blog
When I read “Vietnam-era style warfighting with dragons,” my first thought was SIGN ME RIGHT UP!
What I got was “Vietnam War, with random elements replaced with dragons.” Which is a subtle but significant difference.
A lot of the disconnect in this book came from the fact that it wanted so hard to just be the Vietnam War, but it was still set in a pre-industrial society. This cause a huge amount of dissonance when it came to bullshit like “eh, crossbows are basically rifles, right?” and “yeah, they’re sending town criers over to report on the war.” (No, really, I almost rolled my eyes right out of my head at that line.) A lot of the stuff that’s iconic to the Vietnam War simply does not translate without all of the history and societal/economic/industrial changes that led up to the Vietnam War. And, really, a historian should know that already. The more I read, the more it grated on me that all this incongruent elements were being mashed together in a setting that couldn’t contain them. It’s really a shame, because it sort of tried to make “60s era setting with magic,” it just couldn’t actually go all the way and do it.
Add to that, the book didn’t really have a plot. It was, essentially, a series of vignettes about various “cool” things. “Let’s spend a whole chapter on using old dragons for panoceanic travel! Why a whole chapter? Well, so you can hear about all the cool details I made up! What does it lead to? Um…some guy arrives at the place he was going to. WoooooOOOoooOOooOOoo.” It’s just that, over and over again. Little episodes that don’t amount to anything or build on each other. There’s no actual story in this thing, at least, not in the part of it that I read. There might be a story eventually, but if you can’t start your book at the start of your story, I’m not sticking around to indulge you.
For being what it is, it’s not really bad. The bits are interesting, so if all you want is to read about gritty warfighting with crossbows and magic, this’ll do it for you. But I really need something more continuous to hold my attention. Alas.
When I read “Vietnam-era style warfighting with dragons,” my first thought was SIGN ME RIGHT UP!
What I got was “Vietnam War, with random elements replaced with dragons.” Which is a subtle but significant difference.
A lot of the disconnect in this book came from the fact that it wanted so hard to just be the Vietnam War, but it was still set in a pre-industrial society. This cause a huge amount of dissonance when it came to bullshit like “eh, crossbows are basically rifles, right?” and “yeah, they’re sending town criers over to report on the war.” (No, really, I almost rolled my eyes right out of my head at that line.) A lot of the stuff that’s iconic to the Vietnam War simply does not translate without all of the history and societal/economic/industrial changes that led up to the Vietnam War. And, really, a historian should know that already. The more I read, the more it grated on me that all this incongruent elements were being mashed together in a setting that couldn’t contain them. It’s really a shame, because it sort of tried to make “60s era setting with magic,” it just couldn’t actually go all the way and do it.
Add to that, the book didn’t really have a plot. It was, essentially, a series of vignettes about various “cool” things. “Let’s spend a whole chapter on using old dragons for panoceanic travel! Why a whole chapter? Well, so you can hear about all the cool details I made up! What does it lead to? Um…some guy arrives at the place he was going to. WoooooOOOoooOOooOOoo.” It’s just that, over and over again. Little episodes that don’t amount to anything or build on each other. There’s no actual story in this thing, at least, not in the part of it that I read. There might be a story eventually, but if you can’t start your book at the start of your story, I’m not sticking around to indulge you.
For being what it is, it’s not really bad. The bits are interesting, so if all you want is to read about gritty warfighting with crossbows and magic, this’ll do it for you. But I really need something more continuous to hold my attention. Alas.
December 20, 2015
Received to review via Netgalley.
Once I read some reviews pointing out this is essentially a novel about a fantasy version of Vietnam, “slyts” and all, I couldn’t unsee it. I found it surprisingly absorbing at first, though I’m generally not that interested in war stories. There are some amazing bits of description — mostly gross, but it still makes you really feel the world in which the characters live, the heat and dirt, the discomfort of riding a dragon, the futility of the fight.
But… the dull grind of it started to get to me. When they talk about this being anything like Tolkien, they really mean just because it’s got dragons. It’s basically a very thinly veiled version of Vietnam. Everything’s dirty and futile and there’s no justice in it. I couldn’t keep track of the characters, given their fantasy-fied names (which made me wonder if Evans actually bothered thinking about the language these people speak and what their naming conventions are, because I couldn’t really detect patterns), and I just… lost interest.
If you’re into war novels, though, it might be more up your alley. It’s definitely more Abercrombie than Tolkien in terms of tone, though. If you’re reading this for the dragons… to me, they were just a prop, a way of making the Vietnam War into a fantasy war.
Originally posted here.
Once I read some reviews pointing out this is essentially a novel about a fantasy version of Vietnam, “slyts” and all, I couldn’t unsee it. I found it surprisingly absorbing at first, though I’m generally not that interested in war stories. There are some amazing bits of description — mostly gross, but it still makes you really feel the world in which the characters live, the heat and dirt, the discomfort of riding a dragon, the futility of the fight.
But… the dull grind of it started to get to me. When they talk about this being anything like Tolkien, they really mean just because it’s got dragons. It’s basically a very thinly veiled version of Vietnam. Everything’s dirty and futile and there’s no justice in it. I couldn’t keep track of the characters, given their fantasy-fied names (which made me wonder if Evans actually bothered thinking about the language these people speak and what their naming conventions are, because I couldn’t really detect patterns), and I just… lost interest.
If you’re into war novels, though, it might be more up your alley. It’s definitely more Abercrombie than Tolkien in terms of tone, though. If you’re reading this for the dragons… to me, they were just a prop, a way of making the Vietnam War into a fantasy war.
Originally posted here.
February 29, 2016
DisclaimerThis ARC was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
I really do believe this book is a combo of a high fantasy (LOTR is not an accurate description, but still a very good high fantasy) and Apocalypse Now! (though I have never seen the movie). The book did have a modern day warfare feel to it.
So YMMV but I liked it, even though it took me forever to get through it.
I really do believe this book is a combo of a high fantasy (LOTR is not an accurate description, but still a very good high fantasy) and Apocalypse Now! (though I have never seen the movie). The book did have a modern day warfare feel to it.
So YMMV but I liked it, even though it took me forever to get through it.
![Profile Image for Lulu [at] Reckless Reading.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1758243005i%2F1062818._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
September 15, 2014
Received ARC via NetGalley
This book was absolutely amazing, though I do believe the comparison to Lord of the Rings is a bit misleading. Whereas Lord of the Rings focuses on the macro image of war and the struggle between good and evil, Of Bone and Thunder focuses on war at the micro level, taking a look at the toll it takes on the participants who have little time to sit and philosophize over the morality of war or good and evil as they try to survive. It is much more Apocalypse Now, mixed with hints of Heart of Darkness. The parallel to the Vietnam War is overwhelming, but presented with enough fantastical elements that it doesn’t stray out of the fantasy genre and into purely war and military fiction. Weapons are traditional, without a single firearm. There are wizards and dragons and elementalists/magicians with the ability to manipulate energies (called thaums.) Dragons supply air travel to the troops and firepower from the air.
Readers are thrust into the middle of a war that should have been won ages ago, according to main public of the Kingdom. We meet solider Carnan “Carny” Qillibrin, a crossbowman desperate to leave the jungle and beginning to tire of the war. He and his fellow soldiers have been climbing through the mountainside jungle in search of the enemy, natives of Luitox whom the soldiers call Slyts. We follow his unit through the war and through their losses. It feels frighteningly real and Evans did an amazing job capturing the feelings of anger, futility, and despondency, but also the sense of camaraderie and responsibility that begins to form between completely people from completely different upbringings due to battle. The soldiers vary from illiterate farmers, to bards, to killers, to simple villagers and religious zealots, yet they each play a vital role in their unit, the war, and the story itself. There’s Wraith, the expert killer who might not be a good soldier, but is an expert at tracking prey and taking them out quickly and quietly. The stereotypical soldier, Big Hog, who cannot read but is a man of the earth, able to follow directions, inspire others, offer comic relief, and still maintain enough faith and hope that the war will end soon and he will make it back home to his farm. Above all, we have Carny, the protagonist of the unit and the embodiment of the everyman, a poor villager who was thrust into a war because he had nothing else going for him in life. A boy who fights because to quit would mean death and when faced with the grim truths of war in reality, as opposed to war in propaganda, turns to local narcotics to numb himself.
In addition to the soldiers, we have dragons and their riders fighting in the war. While the dragons are treated as wild animals, and not as sentient, thinking, magical beings, it is nearly impossible not to care about them. I myself grew incredibly attached to the main dragon, Carduus, that by the end of the novel, I was frantically searching for news on his fate. They are described with such a scientific mind, that I was impressed at how well thought out they were and the “science” behind it made sense (at least to my non-scientific mind). The dragons are the main form of long distance transportation, used by the army to bring new soldiers into Luitox, as well as flying current soldiers deeper into the Lux. Maneuvering these dragons are their riders who have always relied on hand signals and intuition to drive them, and new additions to the dragon system, thaums – magical people who can manipulate energy. They are a recent addition as they try to perfect the dragon system. The thaums enable long distance communication between riders and are able to navigate through the air with better precision. The main rider we follow is Vorly, who rides Carduus along with thaum Breeze. Vorly cares for the dragons more than he cares for most of the soldiers and almost as much as he care for his own life.
Like the militants themselves, the reader never really has a firm grasp on what the war is about, or what the Kingdom hopes to gain from starting or ending it. We know as much as the soldiers know, immediately putting us in their shoes and creating an empathizing link. We know that there is a question of legitimacy regarding the current ruler of the Kingdom. We know there threatens to be a blood civil war at home in the Kingdom over how to deal with the illegitimate rulers and whether power should be given to one faction or various factions or the common man. What we never really know is why the Kingdom is invading Luitox. The land produces little that can be used by the Kingdom, all of the produce described as disgusting to taste by the soldiers. It provides no necessary trade route to a friendly country. The war exists only as a distraction from the troubles at home. An excuse to keep the peace within Kingdom borders intact. This is all we know about the war at the macro level. To some, it may prove to be a distraction and they may come to dislike the lack of information regarding the war. They may come to think of it as lazy writing, but it isn’t. It’s an incredibly well-constructed literary device to force readers to bond with the characters. Readers are not given an option to rationalize the war, or form an individual opinion about whether it is justified or not, just as soldiers aren’t. You are just at war and that’s the only reality you know because it’s the only thing that will help you survive.
Reviewing this book has been incredibly hard because there is just so much about it that I love, it becomes overwhelming at times. The prose is great, the descriptions are perfect and work really well at creating the suffocating atmosphere of Luitox. The characters are believable and sympathetic. The depiction of warfare is accurate, as is the effects it has on its participants. The dragons are fantastic. It is a heavy read, but definitely an enjoyable one and a book I look forward to buying a physical copy of and rereading often.
Of Bone and Thunder Review was originally published on By Lulu with Love
This book was absolutely amazing, though I do believe the comparison to Lord of the Rings is a bit misleading. Whereas Lord of the Rings focuses on the macro image of war and the struggle between good and evil, Of Bone and Thunder focuses on war at the micro level, taking a look at the toll it takes on the participants who have little time to sit and philosophize over the morality of war or good and evil as they try to survive. It is much more Apocalypse Now, mixed with hints of Heart of Darkness. The parallel to the Vietnam War is overwhelming, but presented with enough fantastical elements that it doesn’t stray out of the fantasy genre and into purely war and military fiction. Weapons are traditional, without a single firearm. There are wizards and dragons and elementalists/magicians with the ability to manipulate energies (called thaums.) Dragons supply air travel to the troops and firepower from the air.
Readers are thrust into the middle of a war that should have been won ages ago, according to main public of the Kingdom. We meet solider Carnan “Carny” Qillibrin, a crossbowman desperate to leave the jungle and beginning to tire of the war. He and his fellow soldiers have been climbing through the mountainside jungle in search of the enemy, natives of Luitox whom the soldiers call Slyts. We follow his unit through the war and through their losses. It feels frighteningly real and Evans did an amazing job capturing the feelings of anger, futility, and despondency, but also the sense of camaraderie and responsibility that begins to form between completely people from completely different upbringings due to battle. The soldiers vary from illiterate farmers, to bards, to killers, to simple villagers and religious zealots, yet they each play a vital role in their unit, the war, and the story itself. There’s Wraith, the expert killer who might not be a good soldier, but is an expert at tracking prey and taking them out quickly and quietly. The stereotypical soldier, Big Hog, who cannot read but is a man of the earth, able to follow directions, inspire others, offer comic relief, and still maintain enough faith and hope that the war will end soon and he will make it back home to his farm. Above all, we have Carny, the protagonist of the unit and the embodiment of the everyman, a poor villager who was thrust into a war because he had nothing else going for him in life. A boy who fights because to quit would mean death and when faced with the grim truths of war in reality, as opposed to war in propaganda, turns to local narcotics to numb himself.
In addition to the soldiers, we have dragons and their riders fighting in the war. While the dragons are treated as wild animals, and not as sentient, thinking, magical beings, it is nearly impossible not to care about them. I myself grew incredibly attached to the main dragon, Carduus, that by the end of the novel, I was frantically searching for news on his fate. They are described with such a scientific mind, that I was impressed at how well thought out they were and the “science” behind it made sense (at least to my non-scientific mind). The dragons are the main form of long distance transportation, used by the army to bring new soldiers into Luitox, as well as flying current soldiers deeper into the Lux. Maneuvering these dragons are their riders who have always relied on hand signals and intuition to drive them, and new additions to the dragon system, thaums – magical people who can manipulate energy. They are a recent addition as they try to perfect the dragon system. The thaums enable long distance communication between riders and are able to navigate through the air with better precision. The main rider we follow is Vorly, who rides Carduus along with thaum Breeze. Vorly cares for the dragons more than he cares for most of the soldiers and almost as much as he care for his own life.
Like the militants themselves, the reader never really has a firm grasp on what the war is about, or what the Kingdom hopes to gain from starting or ending it. We know as much as the soldiers know, immediately putting us in their shoes and creating an empathizing link. We know that there is a question of legitimacy regarding the current ruler of the Kingdom. We know there threatens to be a blood civil war at home in the Kingdom over how to deal with the illegitimate rulers and whether power should be given to one faction or various factions or the common man. What we never really know is why the Kingdom is invading Luitox. The land produces little that can be used by the Kingdom, all of the produce described as disgusting to taste by the soldiers. It provides no necessary trade route to a friendly country. The war exists only as a distraction from the troubles at home. An excuse to keep the peace within Kingdom borders intact. This is all we know about the war at the macro level. To some, it may prove to be a distraction and they may come to dislike the lack of information regarding the war. They may come to think of it as lazy writing, but it isn’t. It’s an incredibly well-constructed literary device to force readers to bond with the characters. Readers are not given an option to rationalize the war, or form an individual opinion about whether it is justified or not, just as soldiers aren’t. You are just at war and that’s the only reality you know because it’s the only thing that will help you survive.
Reviewing this book has been incredibly hard because there is just so much about it that I love, it becomes overwhelming at times. The prose is great, the descriptions are perfect and work really well at creating the suffocating atmosphere of Luitox. The characters are believable and sympathetic. The depiction of warfare is accurate, as is the effects it has on its participants. The dragons are fantastic. It is a heavy read, but definitely an enjoyable one and a book I look forward to buying a physical copy of and rereading often.
Of Bone and Thunder Review was originally published on By Lulu with Love
September 1, 2014
Actual rating: 3.5 Stars
ARC received from NetGalley
I admit I first picked this up because of the stunning cover and secondly because of the comparison to the Vietnam War. What a great and interesting way to educate about a turbulent time in our world's history. It is a topic I wanted to learn more about, but just had not gotten around to it and this seemed like a perfect time to learn while also reading my favorite type of book.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the parallels in this book, and found myself going back to read about the Vietnam War to find even more parallels. This is a history lesson wrapped up in a well written military fantasy book.
Let's start with the negatives.
I did have some issues with connecting as there was no back story to the characters, but I did manage to connect to some of them just by being with them through their struggles in an unforgiving place. There was also not a lot of explanation. I would have liked more on for example how long one eighth of a candle is, or more time describing some of the beasts or the world the author had created.
Now onto the positives.
The dialogue was clever and thought provoking. The author was great at getting his point across, but making it seem natural. There were also humorous moments dropped in, emphasizing the camaraderie between the characters, and making me laugh out loud. The battle scenes were full of action and well executed, and the world was intriguing. This is a talented author, who I would love to see more from.
Recommended for fans of history that want something a little different.
Cross posted at: Kaora's Corner
ARC received from NetGalley
I admit I first picked this up because of the stunning cover and secondly because of the comparison to the Vietnam War. What a great and interesting way to educate about a turbulent time in our world's history. It is a topic I wanted to learn more about, but just had not gotten around to it and this seemed like a perfect time to learn while also reading my favorite type of book.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the parallels in this book, and found myself going back to read about the Vietnam War to find even more parallels. This is a history lesson wrapped up in a well written military fantasy book.
Let's start with the negatives.
I did have some issues with connecting as there was no back story to the characters, but I did manage to connect to some of them just by being with them through their struggles in an unforgiving place. There was also not a lot of explanation. I would have liked more on for example how long one eighth of a candle is, or more time describing some of the beasts or the world the author had created.
Now onto the positives.
The dialogue was clever and thought provoking. The author was great at getting his point across, but making it seem natural. There were also humorous moments dropped in, emphasizing the camaraderie between the characters, and making me laugh out loud. The battle scenes were full of action and well executed, and the world was intriguing. This is a talented author, who I would love to see more from.
Recommended for fans of history that want something a little different.
Cross posted at: Kaora's Corner
August 9, 2016
I really liked his other military fantasy series, but this one was haaaaaaard to like. After having read half of it I so wanted to throw in the towel, but then I already spent one day reading and was all aaaaaargh! So I read 50 more pages, and then just started skimming.
Do not ask me to tell you about the characters, I can not remember anyone's name. I do not remember anything about anyone. This was Vietnam, except it wasn't, except it totally was American solderers talking, crawling through the jungle, shooting civilians, realizing they will never win this stupid war, flying dragons instead of helicopters. Any real combat was scare, next to nothing. I knew about about the rash on a soldier's crutch than actual fighting.
I was bored, I need to know names, but all soldiers blended into each other, except for that spy guy Rickets and Jawn the magician. See I know two from dozens.
So not for me, a pain to read, and it's a stand alone, of course the war was not over, think of the actual war, they will just continue to go around that jungle until they give up and are shipped home.
Do not ask me to tell you about the characters, I can not remember anyone's name. I do not remember anything about anyone. This was Vietnam, except it wasn't, except it totally was American solderers talking, crawling through the jungle, shooting civilians, realizing they will never win this stupid war, flying dragons instead of helicopters. Any real combat was scare, next to nothing. I knew about about the rash on a soldier's crutch than actual fighting.
I was bored, I need to know names, but all soldiers blended into each other, except for that spy guy Rickets and Jawn the magician. See I know two from dozens.
So not for me, a pain to read, and it's a stand alone, of course the war was not over, think of the actual war, they will just continue to go around that jungle until they give up and are shipped home.
April 8, 2023
Really surprised at how much I enjoyed this war-inspired fantasy novel. Characters were beautifully complex and it was well written, with an intricate story that you get to see from multiple perspectives. I cried, wanted to punch fictional characters, and rejoiced after their successes. I usually don't like war-time books/movies, but this one had me staying up till the wee hours of the morning.
September 29, 2014
Review: http://bennitheblog.com/bookbiters/of...
The Kingdom has waged war on Luitox, a land situated in an otherworldly jungle and populated by people called “Slyts.” More than three years into the war, there’s still no end in sight. Although the Kingdom has power in numbers and continues to send in troops, the Slyts’ guerilla-style warfare has all but stalled significant progress.
Billed as “Apocalypse Now meets The Lord of the Rings,” Of Bone and Thunder draws inspiration from the Vietnam War. The book excels in capturing the hell that is war, something one rarely sees in fantasy literature. The colorful dialogue and slang take you down into to the trenches. The clash between the idealistic new recruits (“fawns”) and the more seasoned soldiers calls to question the motivations and efficacy of the war. Magic is not magic, but rather “thaumology”—science that the general populace does not understand. Those called “wizards” are actually battlefield medics.
In addition, readers disappointed with the sparse information regarding dragons in Marie Brennan’s The Natural History of Dragons can take comfort in getting up close and personal with the dragons of Of Bone and Thunder.
Despite the above achievements, Of Bone and Thunder fails to reach its full potential. Just as the Vietnam War seemed interminable, so did Of Bone and Thunder. Whereas Apocalypse Now found focus in its distinct mission to kill Colonel Kurtz, Of Bone and Thunder relies on a goal more traditionally found in the fantasy oeuvre: winning the war. The problem with such a vague, generalized goal is that there’s little narrative progression for the reader to cling onto. As we stumble from skirmish to skirmish, battle to battle, aside from admiring the gritty-but-gorgeous writing of Chris Evans, there’s little to do but ask, what’s the point? (And as far as I can tell, the point isn’t that it’s all pointless.) The parallels between the Kingdom’s war and the Vietnam War are made early in the book, and unfortunately, the bulk of the book merely restates the same theses or are at best variations of the same theme. There’s no commentary or insight in Of Bone and Thunder that wasn’t better conveyed in Apocalypse Now or that movie’s inspiration, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
In fact, the ending to Of Bone and Thunder, as well as its treatment of major characters as heroes (albeit with shades of grey), undercuts the questionable nature of the war. Although a last-minute surprise development raises some more questions, those questions are promptly and summarily extinguished. It’s as if the book decides to split the difference between the endings of Apocalypse Now and The Lord of the Rings, which unfortunately leaves Of Bone and Thunder worse off than either.
If the book’s strengths—the writing and worldbuilding—are enough for you, Of Bone and Thunder is definitely worth the read. But the book’s ambitious setup left me wanting more: more narrative direction, more thematic cohesion, more unique commentary above and beyond that from its sources of inspiration.
Additional note: I received my review copy on July 28, 2014, only 8 days after author Chris Evans wrote that he was still tweaking the final pages. As the final pages were quite rough in quality (especially the dialogue and a tonally dissonant sex scene), I will refrain from commenting further on those pages prior to checking the finished product.
I received a digital review copy of the book via Netgalley, courtesy of Gallery Books.
Review: http://bennitheblog.com/bookbiters/of...
The Kingdom has waged war on Luitox, a land situated in an otherworldly jungle and populated by people called “Slyts.” More than three years into the war, there’s still no end in sight. Although the Kingdom has power in numbers and continues to send in troops, the Slyts’ guerilla-style warfare has all but stalled significant progress.
Billed as “Apocalypse Now meets The Lord of the Rings,” Of Bone and Thunder draws inspiration from the Vietnam War. The book excels in capturing the hell that is war, something one rarely sees in fantasy literature. The colorful dialogue and slang take you down into to the trenches. The clash between the idealistic new recruits (“fawns”) and the more seasoned soldiers calls to question the motivations and efficacy of the war. Magic is not magic, but rather “thaumology”—science that the general populace does not understand. Those called “wizards” are actually battlefield medics.
In addition, readers disappointed with the sparse information regarding dragons in Marie Brennan’s The Natural History of Dragons can take comfort in getting up close and personal with the dragons of Of Bone and Thunder.
Despite the above achievements, Of Bone and Thunder fails to reach its full potential. Just as the Vietnam War seemed interminable, so did Of Bone and Thunder. Whereas Apocalypse Now found focus in its distinct mission to kill Colonel Kurtz, Of Bone and Thunder relies on a goal more traditionally found in the fantasy oeuvre: winning the war. The problem with such a vague, generalized goal is that there’s little narrative progression for the reader to cling onto. As we stumble from skirmish to skirmish, battle to battle, aside from admiring the gritty-but-gorgeous writing of Chris Evans, there’s little to do but ask, what’s the point? (And as far as I can tell, the point isn’t that it’s all pointless.) The parallels between the Kingdom’s war and the Vietnam War are made early in the book, and unfortunately, the bulk of the book merely restates the same theses or are at best variations of the same theme. There’s no commentary or insight in Of Bone and Thunder that wasn’t better conveyed in Apocalypse Now or that movie’s inspiration, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
In fact, the ending to Of Bone and Thunder, as well as its treatment of major characters as heroes (albeit with shades of grey), undercuts the questionable nature of the war. Although a last-minute surprise development raises some more questions, those questions are promptly and summarily extinguished. It’s as if the book decides to split the difference between the endings of Apocalypse Now and The Lord of the Rings, which unfortunately leaves Of Bone and Thunder worse off than either.
If the book’s strengths—the writing and worldbuilding—are enough for you, Of Bone and Thunder is definitely worth the read. But the book’s ambitious setup left me wanting more: more narrative direction, more thematic cohesion, more unique commentary above and beyond that from its sources of inspiration.
Additional note: I received my review copy on July 28, 2014, only 8 days after author Chris Evans wrote that he was still tweaking the final pages. As the final pages were quite rough in quality (especially the dialogue and a tonally dissonant sex scene), I will refrain from commenting further on those pages prior to checking the finished product.
I received a digital review copy of the book via Netgalley, courtesy of Gallery Books.
Review: http://bennitheblog.com/bookbiters/of...
December 7, 2015
I was disappointed with this book. It isn’t poorly written, but it is very clichéd, full of typical war-related military trope (even though it is set in a world of dragons and wizards).
The book is obviously based on the Vietnam War (as indicated in the blurb), with very little deviation except for what was left out. Everything in the book has a direct parallel in actual history: JFK, the CIA, the Chicago mafia, the racial tension among the soldiers, even women’s lib makes an appearance with women back home are protesting by burning their brooms (yes, seriously). There is no reason given for this war to even occur. The soldiers are there fighting, disgruntled and questioning why, but no reason was ever really given. Magic is used in weaponry, communications, and medicine, and what you end up with is a real war interpreted through the lens and imagery of fantasy.
My biggest issue with this book is that the writer simply transcribes actual events through his “fantasy” filter, but fails to include the primary antagonists: there’s no “fantasy” USSR or China, and there are no manipulators behind the curtain, pulling the puppet strings of the Viet Cong. This was surprising, considering that every other aspect of the war is included, down to mundane details like drug smuggling, brothels, and the dangers and discomforts of helicopters.
I came very close to pitching this into the DNF pile. This book wasn’t poorly written, but it really failed to keep my attention. It didn’t draw me in, wanting to read more. I put it down without the desire to pick it back up again for a day or two.
Only recommended for those with an intense desire to read an "new" interpretation of the Vietnam War.
The book is obviously based on the Vietnam War (as indicated in the blurb), with very little deviation except for what was left out. Everything in the book has a direct parallel in actual history: JFK, the CIA, the Chicago mafia, the racial tension among the soldiers, even women’s lib makes an appearance with women back home are protesting by burning their brooms (yes, seriously). There is no reason given for this war to even occur. The soldiers are there fighting, disgruntled and questioning why, but no reason was ever really given. Magic is used in weaponry, communications, and medicine, and what you end up with is a real war interpreted through the lens and imagery of fantasy.
My biggest issue with this book is that the writer simply transcribes actual events through his “fantasy” filter, but fails to include the primary antagonists: there’s no “fantasy” USSR or China, and there are no manipulators behind the curtain, pulling the puppet strings of the Viet Cong. This was surprising, considering that every other aspect of the war is included, down to mundane details like drug smuggling, brothels, and the dangers and discomforts of helicopters.
I came very close to pitching this into the DNF pile. This book wasn’t poorly written, but it really failed to keep my attention. It didn’t draw me in, wanting to read more. I put it down without the desire to pick it back up again for a day or two.
Only recommended for those with an intense desire to read an "new" interpretation of the Vietnam War.
February 17, 2015
I had a bit of trouble getting into this book, but once I got rolling I really liked it. If you are a fan of military fantasy, this is likely the book for you. I thought the characters, the weaponry, and the world building were all pretty top notch. I thought at times there were a few too many characters, but for the most part they paid off well in the end. The two major downsides of this book I felt were Carny, who I think had too many sections that should have gone to Jawn, and the fact that this book needs to constantly remind you it is about the Vietnam War. It hits the "we are in it for our brothers in arms!" VERY hard at times. But I think there will be an audience who really likes that aspect of it, and I think the author did what he set out to do.
Definitely a fresh world and take on a classic Tolkien-esque fantasy world that I can see people who are fans the military aspects of books like the Malazan series enjoying.
Definitely a fresh world and take on a classic Tolkien-esque fantasy world that I can see people who are fans the military aspects of books like the Malazan series enjoying.
April 16, 2018
I picked this up at Dollar Tree because it had a dragon on the cover. I figured, "I'll try pretty much any fantasy book with dragons for $1!" I enjoyed it far more than I expected to. The story is a pretty open analogue of the Viet Nam war (as experienced by the American troops), with the Empire trying to put down an uprising of the Forest Collective. It's fantasy, so dragons (shortened to "rags") are air cavalry, witches and wizards are the medics, and crossbows replace rifles. Dehumanizing nicknames for the enemy "slyts" are present, but it seems clear that the enemy isn't actually human anyway - it's a fantasy novel - and there's a danger there, I think. There are intelligence agencies operating in theater, too. I found it a little less palatable that a race of fantasy dwarves, nicknamed "mules," who had been slaves until fairly recently, seem to take the place of African Americans (down to some who wonder if they shouldn't side with the Forest Collective - "No slyt ever owned my people as slaves! No slyt ever oppressed my people!") - now the author is *really* playing with fire, by making a minority race in his fantasy analogue of America *really* inhuman, non-human, but putting some of the words of African Americans into their mouths. Despite the fact that some of this seemed very tone-deaf to me, the writing itself was very well done. Each scene is well-crafted. But that's my other problem with the book. While each individual scene is well-crafted, they don't necessarily join together to make a satisfying narrative. That may have been deliberate - the message that war is NOT a satisfying narrative, that to those who lived through the events of the Viet Nam War, it just seemed a mass of chaos and one blunder after another. It was worth reading, both for the clever handling of the allegory and the good writing in individual scenes, but I can't give it more than three stars for its flaws. Still, I look forward to finding out of there was ever a sequel!
December 7, 2017
It's "Lord of the Rings" in Vietnam. With a touch of "The Quiet American," "Platoon," and the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
October 5, 2014
I would like to thank Galley Books & NetGalley for granting me a copy of this e-ARC to read in exchange for an honest review. Though I received this e-book for free that in no way impacts my review.
Goodreads Blurb:
This book was a slow starter for me, with too many characters being introduced only to disappear within a few pages. Luckily things began to turn around about a quarter of the way in, or maybe just a bit further. Once the bulk of the characters had been set up and were on the stage we actually began to get to know them, allowing for attachments - both positive and negative, and some few that remained a mystery all the way to the very end, and possibly beyond.
The land was a character as well, eliciting strong emotions from those there on behalf of the Kingdom, plus an understood emotion on behalf of the native peoples. In its own way it acted as a metaphor for the story, with a variety of different properties that reflected each of the players, including the power players that remained safely at home and out of sight. Across this diverse landscape a horrible game of political maneuvering was played out, with little, if any, regard for the individual lives being spent as the coin of the realm.
Watching the development and progression of several key players was intensely fascinating. Some of their stories were surprisingly uplifting, while others were a train wreck from which you couldn't look away. Lest you think that what you see is what you get, there were numerous surprises sprinkled throughout the characters, keeping things interesting even though the book is mired in the harsh daily realities of an unsustainable war. A war being fought for all the wrong reasons (are there ever any right reasons?), yet was continued long past the time when it was known to be un-winnable.
Evans created a gripping conclusion that left me reeling, and gave me a glimpse of what war is really like. There is no real rhyme nor reason to who survives and who dies. It doesn't matter how well you fight, or how devoted you are to the cause; when your ticket gets punched how you lived your life and how you fought have no bearing. It all comes down to dumb luck. War doesn't care about anyone or anything. It isn't a means to a end, though some seem to think otherwise. It is simply an end. Period.
Goodreads Blurb:
Apocalypse Now meets The Lord of the Rings in a bold new fantasy from the acclaimed author of the Iron Elves trilogy, filled with "heroic action that keeps fans coming back" (Publishers Weekly).
Channeling the turbulent period of the Vietnam War and its ruthless pitting of ideologies, cultures, generations, and races against each other, military historian and acclaimed fantasy writer Chris Evans takes a daring new approach to the traditional world of sword and sorcery by thrusting it into a maelstrom of racial animus, drug use, rebellion, and a growing war that seems at once unwinnable and with no end in sight. In this thrilling epic, right and wrong, country and honor, freedom and sacrifice are all put to the ultimate test in the heart of a dark, bloody, otherworldly jungle.
In this strange, new world deep among the shadows under a triple-canopy jungle and plagued by dangers real and imagined, soldiers strive to fulfill a mission they don’t understand and are ill-equipped to carry out. And high above them, the heavy rush of wings slashing through the humid air herald a coming wave of death and destruction, and just possibly, salvation.
This book was a slow starter for me, with too many characters being introduced only to disappear within a few pages. Luckily things began to turn around about a quarter of the way in, or maybe just a bit further. Once the bulk of the characters had been set up and were on the stage we actually began to get to know them, allowing for attachments - both positive and negative, and some few that remained a mystery all the way to the very end, and possibly beyond.
The land was a character as well, eliciting strong emotions from those there on behalf of the Kingdom, plus an understood emotion on behalf of the native peoples. In its own way it acted as a metaphor for the story, with a variety of different properties that reflected each of the players, including the power players that remained safely at home and out of sight. Across this diverse landscape a horrible game of political maneuvering was played out, with little, if any, regard for the individual lives being spent as the coin of the realm.
Watching the development and progression of several key players was intensely fascinating. Some of their stories were surprisingly uplifting, while others were a train wreck from which you couldn't look away. Lest you think that what you see is what you get, there were numerous surprises sprinkled throughout the characters, keeping things interesting even though the book is mired in the harsh daily realities of an unsustainable war. A war being fought for all the wrong reasons (are there ever any right reasons?), yet was continued long past the time when it was known to be un-winnable.
Evans created a gripping conclusion that left me reeling, and gave me a glimpse of what war is really like. There is no real rhyme nor reason to who survives and who dies. It doesn't matter how well you fight, or how devoted you are to the cause; when your ticket gets punched how you lived your life and how you fought have no bearing. It all comes down to dumb luck. War doesn't care about anyone or anything. It isn't a means to a end, though some seem to think otherwise. It is simply an end. Period.
November 28, 2014
The Kingdom is fighting a war in Luitox, a land of impenetrable forests, deadly swamps, and unrelenting heat. The enemy, the Forest Collective (FnC) and their soldiers known as the Slyts, are fighting a type of Guerilla warfare that takes advantage of the landscape. They also have powerful magic and,most importantly, a sense of purpose. The Kingdom soldiers, trained in normal combat procedures, are unable to respond adequately. This is a war of time and attrition. Their weaponry is, for the most part, inadequate and their magics are no match for the Slyts. The one exception is their ‘rags’ or dragons that can fly over and whose fire breath can easily deforest any area. But they can only fly during the day and, when the rags are in the air, their size makes them easy targets. Worse,there is no way to communicate with each other. The Kingdom, however, is developing a new form of communication using thaumic crystals to allow communication between the rags that may change the nature of the war completely.
The Kingdom soldiers spend most of their time between stifling boredom and abject fear, seduced by the appeal of drugs or religion, waiting for something, anything to happen and, when it does, it’s fast and deadly. Their leadership seems more concerned with high enemy body count to appease the people back home than any concern for the soldiers and are willing to send them into danger zones just to get them. The soldiers, themselves, don’t care much about the Kingdom that has done little for them or their families at home or the war that makes little sense and seems to have no clear purpose or direction. What they do care about and what keeps them going is each other. They are brothers and their safety is all that matters in this gods-forsaken place. They want no soldier left behind.
The story revolves around the soldiers of the Red Shield platoon This is a large, diverse, and beautifully drawn cast of characters including Carney who spends his time in a drug haze; Big Hog who sees everything in terms of farming; Commander Listowk who stands between the higher-ups who are mostly arrogant and incompetent and the men under him whom he wants to protect; Jawn, a recent graduate of The Royal Academy of Thaumology; Wraith who can appear and disappear like his namesake; Rag Driver Vorly with his young Rag, Caduus; Breeze, one of the only women in a combat role who is helping to create the new communication system; Rickets, the mysterious ‘Crowny’ who may be much more dangerous than he seems; and the dwarves, once slaves, now called ‘mules’ and allowed only support roles in this never-ending war.
For anyone who is old enough to remember or who has studied the Vietnam War, this may all sound familiar despite the medieval weapons, dragons, and magic. Author Chris Evan is a military historian as well as a fantasy writer and, in Of Bone and Thunder, he has created not only a compelling military fantasy tale but a powerful story of the nature of war, the relationships that develop between the soldiers, the ugliness of combat, how it effects those who fight, and how those in power take advantage. A must-read for fans of military fantasy.
The Kingdom soldiers spend most of their time between stifling boredom and abject fear, seduced by the appeal of drugs or religion, waiting for something, anything to happen and, when it does, it’s fast and deadly. Their leadership seems more concerned with high enemy body count to appease the people back home than any concern for the soldiers and are willing to send them into danger zones just to get them. The soldiers, themselves, don’t care much about the Kingdom that has done little for them or their families at home or the war that makes little sense and seems to have no clear purpose or direction. What they do care about and what keeps them going is each other. They are brothers and their safety is all that matters in this gods-forsaken place. They want no soldier left behind.
The story revolves around the soldiers of the Red Shield platoon This is a large, diverse, and beautifully drawn cast of characters including Carney who spends his time in a drug haze; Big Hog who sees everything in terms of farming; Commander Listowk who stands between the higher-ups who are mostly arrogant and incompetent and the men under him whom he wants to protect; Jawn, a recent graduate of The Royal Academy of Thaumology; Wraith who can appear and disappear like his namesake; Rag Driver Vorly with his young Rag, Caduus; Breeze, one of the only women in a combat role who is helping to create the new communication system; Rickets, the mysterious ‘Crowny’ who may be much more dangerous than he seems; and the dwarves, once slaves, now called ‘mules’ and allowed only support roles in this never-ending war.
For anyone who is old enough to remember or who has studied the Vietnam War, this may all sound familiar despite the medieval weapons, dragons, and magic. Author Chris Evan is a military historian as well as a fantasy writer and, in Of Bone and Thunder, he has created not only a compelling military fantasy tale but a powerful story of the nature of war, the relationships that develop between the soldiers, the ugliness of combat, how it effects those who fight, and how those in power take advantage. A must-read for fans of military fantasy.
October 20, 2014
Pros: real war feel, lots of slang and specialized vocabulary, superb world-building, varied characters
Cons: tough read, slow beginning
Join the Kingdom’s ‘finest’ as they fight to keep their colony, Luitox, free from the Forest Collective. But the FnC are hard to fight, hiding deep in the jungle and, though their arrows snipe the troops, they’re never there when the troops arrive. Manned dragons fly overhead, ferrying troops and flaming suspected hotspots. Some newly freed dwarves have enlisted but still bear hatred for their former slavers. New technologies are invented as soldiers face a mostly faceless enemy. The army must deal with privations and problems galore, even as the war finally rushes towards a conclusion.
This is a fantasy retelling of the Vietnam war. I don’t know much about the war, but this makes me want to learn more. If even a portion of what happens in this book is true it was a truly horrific event. The book touches on all sorts of issues - racism, demonizing the enemy, lack of communication, the incorporation of new and barely understood technology, the horrors of battle, losing friends, those back home not understanding the realities of what’s happening, and more.
It’s a difficult read in that no punches are pulled. War isn’t noble or heroic, it’s dirty, full of pain and desperation. You’ll be seeing blood, puke and all other bodily fluids. Don’t get too attached to any of the characters as the ones that make it to the end do so greatly changed by their experiences.
There’s a fair amount of slang to master, but aside from ‘rag’, short for dragon, which took me a while to figure out as there was no context for it the first time it was used, I picked it up pretty fast. The book jumps ahead frequently, allowing it to cover more time and give a broader look at the perceptions and realities of the war. You’re also getting several points of view: a grunt soldier, two thaums (a cross between a magic worker and a scientist), a dragon rider, people in different levels of command, a journalist, etc. This also helps give a more varied view of the war.
The opening is a bit slow. There’s an atmospheric prologue and some scenes with soldiers followed by a chapter that consists of a much needed info dump that explains the purpose of the war. Things pick up fast though and draw you into the lives of the characters.
It’s a compelling read, and sometimes its easier to come to grips with the horrors of reality when they’re presented as somewhat removed from it. History retelling aside, it’s a great book that will have you wishing that real wars were a thing of the past.
Cons: tough read, slow beginning
Join the Kingdom’s ‘finest’ as they fight to keep their colony, Luitox, free from the Forest Collective. But the FnC are hard to fight, hiding deep in the jungle and, though their arrows snipe the troops, they’re never there when the troops arrive. Manned dragons fly overhead, ferrying troops and flaming suspected hotspots. Some newly freed dwarves have enlisted but still bear hatred for their former slavers. New technologies are invented as soldiers face a mostly faceless enemy. The army must deal with privations and problems galore, even as the war finally rushes towards a conclusion.
This is a fantasy retelling of the Vietnam war. I don’t know much about the war, but this makes me want to learn more. If even a portion of what happens in this book is true it was a truly horrific event. The book touches on all sorts of issues - racism, demonizing the enemy, lack of communication, the incorporation of new and barely understood technology, the horrors of battle, losing friends, those back home not understanding the realities of what’s happening, and more.
It’s a difficult read in that no punches are pulled. War isn’t noble or heroic, it’s dirty, full of pain and desperation. You’ll be seeing blood, puke and all other bodily fluids. Don’t get too attached to any of the characters as the ones that make it to the end do so greatly changed by their experiences.
There’s a fair amount of slang to master, but aside from ‘rag’, short for dragon, which took me a while to figure out as there was no context for it the first time it was used, I picked it up pretty fast. The book jumps ahead frequently, allowing it to cover more time and give a broader look at the perceptions and realities of the war. You’re also getting several points of view: a grunt soldier, two thaums (a cross between a magic worker and a scientist), a dragon rider, people in different levels of command, a journalist, etc. This also helps give a more varied view of the war.
The opening is a bit slow. There’s an atmospheric prologue and some scenes with soldiers followed by a chapter that consists of a much needed info dump that explains the purpose of the war. Things pick up fast though and draw you into the lives of the characters.
It’s a compelling read, and sometimes its easier to come to grips with the horrors of reality when they’re presented as somewhat removed from it. History retelling aside, it’s a great book that will have you wishing that real wars were a thing of the past.
September 3, 2014
After eagerly awaiting this new book from the author of The Iron Elves trilogy (which is on my permanent re-read list, no mean feat) I was fortunate enough to get an ARC from the author himself and read it over the Labour Day weekend. I loved it, and I fully admit that I am biased - he can do no wrong in my eyes. The stand alone novel - which is a rarity nowadays - reads almost like a military fiction novel... with the addition of dragons. I think that it captures the ethos of a group of soldiers in marvellous detail, and the descriptions are incredibly vivid, both of the jungle and the characters who struggle to make sense of everything around them.
It all felt so real reading it - the humid heat, the flying manoeuvres, the despair and hopelessness and ultimately the "brother-in-arms" feeling that unites these characters, that you can tell a lot of inspiration was drawn from veterans who have lived through the hell of war.
While fairly dark in tone, which was only natural given the subject matter, there were numerous light hearted interludes, some wry, some funny, some quite pointedly sarcastic. The role of media and reporters and the gap between reality experienced first hand versus propaganda being penned at home was in my opinion one of the highlights of the book. It was very subtly addressed and the more poignant for it, and so was the role of - well, call it information services. I don't want to spoil the book so won't say more, but the greater good theme justifying individual crimes was woven through and neatly (if chillingly) brought to an end.
Killing characters that you grow to love in the latter part of the book brought home the absolute randomness of war and dying; of those who survived, some did grow, some changed very subtly... it was all done with a deft and sure hand and I wish there would be another book in this world. That being said, readers who love their endings neatly done and "they lived happily ever after" may not be pleased with how this one ends. To me it did not feel unfinished, although I would have liked to know more about what happens next... I think that was the point - for those who lived, it was a door opening to a new beginning, and hopefully they made it through to the other side. Still damaged and broken perhaps, but also better for it. All in all, a great read, and highly recommended if you are a fan of detailed fight scenes (particularly flying) and the men on the front lines.
It all felt so real reading it - the humid heat, the flying manoeuvres, the despair and hopelessness and ultimately the "brother-in-arms" feeling that unites these characters, that you can tell a lot of inspiration was drawn from veterans who have lived through the hell of war.
While fairly dark in tone, which was only natural given the subject matter, there were numerous light hearted interludes, some wry, some funny, some quite pointedly sarcastic. The role of media and reporters and the gap between reality experienced first hand versus propaganda being penned at home was in my opinion one of the highlights of the book. It was very subtly addressed and the more poignant for it, and so was the role of - well, call it information services. I don't want to spoil the book so won't say more, but the greater good theme justifying individual crimes was woven through and neatly (if chillingly) brought to an end.
Killing characters that you grow to love in the latter part of the book brought home the absolute randomness of war and dying; of those who survived, some did grow, some changed very subtly... it was all done with a deft and sure hand and I wish there would be another book in this world. That being said, readers who love their endings neatly done and "they lived happily ever after" may not be pleased with how this one ends. To me it did not feel unfinished, although I would have liked to know more about what happens next... I think that was the point - for those who lived, it was a door opening to a new beginning, and hopefully they made it through to the other side. Still damaged and broken perhaps, but also better for it. All in all, a great read, and highly recommended if you are a fan of detailed fight scenes (particularly flying) and the men on the front lines.
December 31, 2014
ARC received from NetGalley
I enjoy fantasy books; I enjoy war films but had never delved into the genre when it came to literature. Described as “Apocalypse now meets The Lord of the Rings”, this book caught my eye. Evans, an author whose work I haven’t read, has a new fan. Of bone and Thunder is one of the few books which have blown me away. An interweaving of Vietnam combat and scenery with themes that are more commonly found in fantasy made this book both original and captivating. Different races, magic, dragons and medieval weaponry made for an every turn of the page more enjoyable than the previous.
The first part of the book isn’t steeped in action; it is more world building and character development which to me as a reader is just as entertaining, I like to believe in the world I am reading about, therefore setting the scene is paramount. Politics, drug use and the hunt through unfamiliar territory for an elusive enemy are some similarities between the book and the Vietnam conflict. For me, including themes and situations that ran parallel to a real-life conflict added to the verisimilitude of the story. I also enjoyed the dialogue between soldiers, the bloke-ish banter, cursing and the use of acronyms as you would expect on the front line. The characters within the book are well defined, each fascinating, with their own personalities, flaws and beliefs regarding the war. This makes for dynamic relationships, with moments of conflict and friendship.
From action scenes to epic battles, soaring through the air on Rags/dragons or simply scouting the jungles of the enemies’ native lands; the detail with which Evans writes is so captivating and vividly descriptive, it engulfs the reader and gave me an almost cinematic experience. It would be awesome to see this turned into a movie.
A fascinating story narrated from the viewpoints of several service men with different roles within the war against the “Slyts”. An incredible interlacing of their experiences which all lead to the conclusion and an action packed, heroic and emotional ending. A compelling story of courage, leadership and sacrifice. Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy and military fiction.
I enjoy fantasy books; I enjoy war films but had never delved into the genre when it came to literature. Described as “Apocalypse now meets The Lord of the Rings”, this book caught my eye. Evans, an author whose work I haven’t read, has a new fan. Of bone and Thunder is one of the few books which have blown me away. An interweaving of Vietnam combat and scenery with themes that are more commonly found in fantasy made this book both original and captivating. Different races, magic, dragons and medieval weaponry made for an every turn of the page more enjoyable than the previous.
The first part of the book isn’t steeped in action; it is more world building and character development which to me as a reader is just as entertaining, I like to believe in the world I am reading about, therefore setting the scene is paramount. Politics, drug use and the hunt through unfamiliar territory for an elusive enemy are some similarities between the book and the Vietnam conflict. For me, including themes and situations that ran parallel to a real-life conflict added to the verisimilitude of the story. I also enjoyed the dialogue between soldiers, the bloke-ish banter, cursing and the use of acronyms as you would expect on the front line. The characters within the book are well defined, each fascinating, with their own personalities, flaws and beliefs regarding the war. This makes for dynamic relationships, with moments of conflict and friendship.
From action scenes to epic battles, soaring through the air on Rags/dragons or simply scouting the jungles of the enemies’ native lands; the detail with which Evans writes is so captivating and vividly descriptive, it engulfs the reader and gave me an almost cinematic experience. It would be awesome to see this turned into a movie.
A fascinating story narrated from the viewpoints of several service men with different roles within the war against the “Slyts”. An incredible interlacing of their experiences which all lead to the conclusion and an action packed, heroic and emotional ending. A compelling story of courage, leadership and sacrifice. Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy and military fiction.
February 5, 2015
I have to admit that I wasn't familiar with the work of Chris Evans' work in the slightest. All I knew about him was the simple fact that he is best known for his fantasy novel work so when I saw a blurb that said the story was a mix between a Vietnam War story and a Lord of the Rings style fantasy adventure. Would the combination of the two mix well or merely be a disjointed mess of a novel?
The first couple of chapters are a masterclass of how to hook a reader in and keep them in to seeing where the story was going to be taken next. In fact, I would say that those first couple of chapters were the reason that I dove straight in to the story itself. With the story having such a top notch start, Evans was going to have to pull something special out of his hat in order to keep the quality flowing through the novel and for the most part he succeeds.
All in all, this is a very well written, well thought out book that really does mix the theme of combining the Vietnam War and a magical fantasy feel. I really wanted to know a little bit more about the characters but for the most part, this is a unique and interesting take on the genre. Definitely worth picking up.
For the full review please take a look at my blog link below!
http://curiosityofasocialmisfit.blogs...
The first couple of chapters are a masterclass of how to hook a reader in and keep them in to seeing where the story was going to be taken next. In fact, I would say that those first couple of chapters were the reason that I dove straight in to the story itself. With the story having such a top notch start, Evans was going to have to pull something special out of his hat in order to keep the quality flowing through the novel and for the most part he succeeds.
All in all, this is a very well written, well thought out book that really does mix the theme of combining the Vietnam War and a magical fantasy feel. I really wanted to know a little bit more about the characters but for the most part, this is a unique and interesting take on the genre. Definitely worth picking up.
For the full review please take a look at my blog link below!
http://curiosityofasocialmisfit.blogs...
July 25, 2015
Of Bone and Thunder
By: Chris Evens
Published By: Gallery Books
Copy Courtesy of Goodreads First Read
Reviewed By: tk
Politics started this war. As it ultimately does in many situations. The brave men that are engaged in the inhuman conditions of a bug ridden jungle must use what little they have to survive. With limited food and water, not to mention weapons, are trying to survive the extreme heat and each other will have to fight to retain their freedom and lives.
Chris Evens has a rare talent. He takes you on a journey with no limits to the hardships these soldiers must over come. Weaving a unique view of the Vietnam War and intergrading it with fantasy and magic of dragons and sorcery to create a believable and terrifying full scale conflict.
This is not my usual genre…but I was TOTALLY taken away to another time and place. It was equal parts of wonder and terror for the characters. The hardships were situations that I had never even before imagined. The realistic personalities of the men and how they must endure will pull on your heart strings. How much they love and miss their homes, form tight relationships with their buddies, and die with dignity are just the beginning of this incredible story.
If you enjoy history, fantasy, action and drama, you will love this book!
4/5
August 17, 2014
ARC from Netgalley.
Absolutely fantastic read. Loved the parallels between War in Vietnam and Fantasy .The characters were really engaging and made for a great story, good to feel so many points of war all at the same time. Utterly brilliant. I also liked the way the rags were more part of the story than the riders. Loved it.
Absolutely fantastic read. Loved the parallels between War in Vietnam and Fantasy .The characters were really engaging and made for a great story, good to feel so many points of war all at the same time. Utterly brilliant. I also liked the way the rags were more part of the story than the riders. Loved it.
March 2, 2015
F-bomb, second page. Too bad. I'm not reading any further.
September 30, 2017
BSFA Award-winning author Chris Evans brought readers his Iron Elves trilogy; Ashes of a Black Frost, A Darkness Forged in Fire and The Light of Burning Shadows. Of Bone and Thunder is a re-imagining of a Vietnam War we never saw, but could have and here Evans is writing from his experiences as a historian. The book has a normal start with the image of soaring condors, which don't seem related to the wartime feel of the novel. Chapter 1 introduces the characters who protect Luitor from their enemy. Carny, Big Hog and Vooford are members of Red Shield, a group of men who were conscripted into a war that might never end.
For me, the name Chris Evans is synonymous with the entertainment industry as a TV presenter, but as I've only just heard about Chris Evans the author, I expected a lot from him after gazing thoughtfully at the back cover blurb for his newest novel which tells of a Vietnam style war fought in the past that many of the men think might never end in their lifetime. Just about everything is given a slang name in this story, from the dragons to the men fighting battles for those who might not be so good to the cause. War is hell, and Evans tells us this in great detail. While the opening scene of the condors tends to throw you at the start, the rest of the story seems to concern Carny's men of Red Shield who protect their land from the marauding hoards of enemy's day in day out. The trouble is, after a while the sight of these men in the same place telling of their troubles and hatred of the war can get tiresome, though the fighting and reading of what happened in the past is interesting to read.
Every day the men of Red Shield have to face the Collective as they need to keep the Kingdom enemy free in Luitox. Here while they play the waiting game for their enemy to approach, we hear the war from several viewpoints during the story and many of the accounts aren't what the Kingdom's rulers might expect. The men are tired, hurt, stressed-out and at times bored out of their brains, and who can blame them? Their enemy is sneaky, dangerous and worthy of being feared as they never show themselves if they can help it, and they aren't the sort of enemy who fights en masse.
It is refreshing to see why Evans has written from the Vietnam perspective as Red Shield try as they might to keep control of their area, the enemy advance and prove the might they have almost every day. The Collective also have the advantage of knowing where their enemies are as they have slyts or powerful fighters and magic they have no hope of being able to fight off. For the most part readers spend most of their time reading about the Red Shield characters being in the jungle. This ends up being a much longer time than I had anticipated, but I can see why Evans did this as he wants to get across what it would have been like for men in the Vietnam War if they were set in the past without the many weapons they had. Evans had a very good idea he brought out into the open with strong, valiant characters who, I thought were realistically portrayed as the sort of ordinary types who thought they were there to do good, but soon realised what politics was going on back home.
I would like to have known more about the magic their enemy used and less about the jungle warfare, but it would be such a waste to miss out on a compelling book as this one for those reasons. Of Bone and Thunder isn't just another wartime fantasy story with dragons in it, it is also about the men who served in the jungle, their thoughts on the war and whether they would get home alive. The themes of drug use, depression, worthlessness and racial oppression are just some of the issues that get mentioned in here. Mainly the racial oppression as the Dwarves are very much the underdogs in this novel with years of racial hatred and prejudice that goes back centuries. This is quite the tome to go through, but once readers have digested all the facts they will understand why it was written from this perspective.
For me, the name Chris Evans is synonymous with the entertainment industry as a TV presenter, but as I've only just heard about Chris Evans the author, I expected a lot from him after gazing thoughtfully at the back cover blurb for his newest novel which tells of a Vietnam style war fought in the past that many of the men think might never end in their lifetime. Just about everything is given a slang name in this story, from the dragons to the men fighting battles for those who might not be so good to the cause. War is hell, and Evans tells us this in great detail. While the opening scene of the condors tends to throw you at the start, the rest of the story seems to concern Carny's men of Red Shield who protect their land from the marauding hoards of enemy's day in day out. The trouble is, after a while the sight of these men in the same place telling of their troubles and hatred of the war can get tiresome, though the fighting and reading of what happened in the past is interesting to read.
Every day the men of Red Shield have to face the Collective as they need to keep the Kingdom enemy free in Luitox. Here while they play the waiting game for their enemy to approach, we hear the war from several viewpoints during the story and many of the accounts aren't what the Kingdom's rulers might expect. The men are tired, hurt, stressed-out and at times bored out of their brains, and who can blame them? Their enemy is sneaky, dangerous and worthy of being feared as they never show themselves if they can help it, and they aren't the sort of enemy who fights en masse.
It is refreshing to see why Evans has written from the Vietnam perspective as Red Shield try as they might to keep control of their area, the enemy advance and prove the might they have almost every day. The Collective also have the advantage of knowing where their enemies are as they have slyts or powerful fighters and magic they have no hope of being able to fight off. For the most part readers spend most of their time reading about the Red Shield characters being in the jungle. This ends up being a much longer time than I had anticipated, but I can see why Evans did this as he wants to get across what it would have been like for men in the Vietnam War if they were set in the past without the many weapons they had. Evans had a very good idea he brought out into the open with strong, valiant characters who, I thought were realistically portrayed as the sort of ordinary types who thought they were there to do good, but soon realised what politics was going on back home.
I would like to have known more about the magic their enemy used and less about the jungle warfare, but it would be such a waste to miss out on a compelling book as this one for those reasons. Of Bone and Thunder isn't just another wartime fantasy story with dragons in it, it is also about the men who served in the jungle, their thoughts on the war and whether they would get home alive. The themes of drug use, depression, worthlessness and racial oppression are just some of the issues that get mentioned in here. Mainly the racial oppression as the Dwarves are very much the underdogs in this novel with years of racial hatred and prejudice that goes back centuries. This is quite the tome to go through, but once readers have digested all the facts they will understand why it was written from this perspective.
September 3, 2022
Not having read Chris Evans before, I picked this up based solely on the cover blurb of "Apocalypse Now meets The Lord of the Rings." It was a bit of a calculated risk, given that I'd exhausted my patience with Vietnam war stories way back in the 80s, when just about every TV action drama had that one big 'event' episode full of jungle flashbacks, but the concept of a gritty, realistic, magical fantasy intrigued me.
I must say, the chapters that open Of Bone and Thunder: A Novel is absolutely remarkable. They offer up a painfully realistic approach to riding dragons into battle, one that completely strips the experience of the magic and the awe that we've come to expect. Evans makes us feel the heat beneath the dragon's scales, the punishing wind that threatens to peel us off its back, the stomach-churning acrobatics of living flight, and the hot, wet vomit splashing across your face from the passenger in front of you. More than that, he forces us to appreciate the logistics of training these magnificent beasts, and the perils of pushing them beyond their limits.
From there, Evans thrusts us deep into the jungle, for what I found the be the weakest part of the tale. We get a lot (and I do mean a lot) of detail regarding jungle warfare tactics, the politics of war, and the challenges of being lost and alone at the front, surrounded on all sides by enemies that you can't see or hear . . . until it's too late. That alone was okay, but the constant reminders of inflexible authority structures, men losing their minds, rampant drug addiction, and quandaries of faith and morality simply got to be too much for me. It got to the point where I dreaded any scene that opened on the mountain.
Fortunately, Carny's jungle scenes are only one-third of the story, and we get two much more interesting story arcs with Jawn and Breeze. Jawn Rathim is an idealistic Thaum (i.e. wizard) who volunteers for one tour of duty out of a sense of . . . well, duty. It's through him and his experiences that we get to know the 'enemy' as just another group of people, little different from the human heroes/oppressors. He gets tangled up with the fantasy equivalent of the CIA, adding another Vietnam parallel to the story. Breeze is another Thaum, working on changing the nature of warfare with her magic. It's through her that we get to understand the challenges of fighting over long distances, in unfamiliar terrain, with equipment that's either broken or tired. She also serves as something of an impartial observer, exposing us to the more personal conflicts of the battlefront, such as with the Dwarven conscripts who never let anybody around them forget their history of racial slavery.
As is often the case with real-world conflicts, it's often hard to tell the heroes from the villains - and just because we call them heroes, it doesn't mean they're all good guys. It's a war that one side thinks it should have won a long time ago, and which the other side sees as a matter of survival. Evans gives us war that is dark, violent, and ugly, a conflict that tears men and women from their natural lives and twists them into something else. Of Bone and Thunder is a hard book to get excited about, in the traditional sense of cheering on heroes and jeering the villains, but it's an interesting read . . . one that makes you rethink the traditional 'glory' of fantasy battles. It does leave a rotten taste in your mouth, but I think that's precisely the point.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
I must say, the chapters that open Of Bone and Thunder: A Novel is absolutely remarkable. They offer up a painfully realistic approach to riding dragons into battle, one that completely strips the experience of the magic and the awe that we've come to expect. Evans makes us feel the heat beneath the dragon's scales, the punishing wind that threatens to peel us off its back, the stomach-churning acrobatics of living flight, and the hot, wet vomit splashing across your face from the passenger in front of you. More than that, he forces us to appreciate the logistics of training these magnificent beasts, and the perils of pushing them beyond their limits.
From there, Evans thrusts us deep into the jungle, for what I found the be the weakest part of the tale. We get a lot (and I do mean a lot) of detail regarding jungle warfare tactics, the politics of war, and the challenges of being lost and alone at the front, surrounded on all sides by enemies that you can't see or hear . . . until it's too late. That alone was okay, but the constant reminders of inflexible authority structures, men losing their minds, rampant drug addiction, and quandaries of faith and morality simply got to be too much for me. It got to the point where I dreaded any scene that opened on the mountain.
Fortunately, Carny's jungle scenes are only one-third of the story, and we get two much more interesting story arcs with Jawn and Breeze. Jawn Rathim is an idealistic Thaum (i.e. wizard) who volunteers for one tour of duty out of a sense of . . . well, duty. It's through him and his experiences that we get to know the 'enemy' as just another group of people, little different from the human heroes/oppressors. He gets tangled up with the fantasy equivalent of the CIA, adding another Vietnam parallel to the story. Breeze is another Thaum, working on changing the nature of warfare with her magic. It's through her that we get to understand the challenges of fighting over long distances, in unfamiliar terrain, with equipment that's either broken or tired. She also serves as something of an impartial observer, exposing us to the more personal conflicts of the battlefront, such as with the Dwarven conscripts who never let anybody around them forget their history of racial slavery.
As is often the case with real-world conflicts, it's often hard to tell the heroes from the villains - and just because we call them heroes, it doesn't mean they're all good guys. It's a war that one side thinks it should have won a long time ago, and which the other side sees as a matter of survival. Evans gives us war that is dark, violent, and ugly, a conflict that tears men and women from their natural lives and twists them into something else. Of Bone and Thunder is a hard book to get excited about, in the traditional sense of cheering on heroes and jeering the villains, but it's an interesting read . . . one that makes you rethink the traditional 'glory' of fantasy battles. It does leave a rotten taste in your mouth, but I think that's precisely the point.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
July 21, 2020
Reading this book felt sort of like trying to put together a puzzle that's missing half of its pieces: frustrating and ultimately disappointing. Of Bone and Thunder was clearly trying to be a bold statement about the horror and pointlessness of war, and yet it managed to fail in so many ways that I hardly know where to start. How about I just list the things that annoyed me in no particular order?
~Apparently this is asking too much, but give me a sympathetic character to cling to, just one, please. Anyone who isn't an absolute asshole would be appreciated.
~You had a female character right there and you couldn't even be bothered to give her a POV? Really?
~Dwarves as a really blunt "metaphor" for Black people. Need I say more.
~For a book that pretends to be all about the horror of war, it does a really good job of turning all the soldiers into victimized heroes. And there's a major problem with that, because while these soldiers are victims, to an extent, at the hands of a system that has thrown them into a meaningless conflict filled with bad and worse choices, it ignores the biggest problem: the "enemy." In fact, Of Bone and Thunder ignores the other side of the conflict so well that in 550 pages, the "slyts" are never once identified by anything other than a slur. We never once see a slur speak. We never once see them when they are not dead or dying. They're nothing more than a tool to display the victimization of the Kingdom Soldiers. They literally do not have a voice in the entirety of this story. In trying to display the "horror of war," Evans somehow managed to leave out the truest victims: the ones who have been invaded, attacked, driven from their homes and land, and killed without provocation.
As a book about war, Of Bone and Thunder sadly misses the whole point and demonstrates an amount of privilege that is startling... and disappointing. The only reason this got an additional star is because I love dragons. The dragons are the only interesting characters, quite honestly.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
~Apparently this is asking too much, but give me a sympathetic character to cling to, just one, please. Anyone who isn't an absolute asshole would be appreciated.
~You had a female character right there and you couldn't even be bothered to give her a POV? Really?
~Dwarves as a really blunt "metaphor" for Black people. Need I say more.
~For a book that pretends to be all about the horror of war, it does a really good job of turning all the soldiers into victimized heroes. And there's a major problem with that, because while these soldiers are victims, to an extent, at the hands of a system that has thrown them into a meaningless conflict filled with bad and worse choices, it ignores the biggest problem: the "enemy." In fact, Of Bone and Thunder ignores the other side of the conflict so well that in 550 pages, the "slyts" are never once identified by anything other than a slur. We never once see a slur speak. We never once see them when they are not dead or dying. They're nothing more than a tool to display the victimization of the Kingdom Soldiers. They literally do not have a voice in the entirety of this story. In trying to display the "horror of war," Evans somehow managed to leave out the truest victims: the ones who have been invaded, attacked, driven from their homes and land, and killed without provocation.
As a book about war, Of Bone and Thunder sadly misses the whole point and demonstrates an amount of privilege that is startling... and disappointing. The only reason this got an additional star is because I love dragons. The dragons are the only interesting characters, quite honestly.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
February 18, 2022
3.5/4 stars
This is the Vietnam War written in a fantasy setting. It's bloody, painful, frustrating, disgusting, vulgar, and difficult, and it's supposed to be. This is a raw commentary of what the Vietnam War was like for boots on the ground and how disconnected from reality command was. It's heartbreaking. There is also a commentary on those in power fearing others becoming more powerful. The author must have done his job making me care because I have some strong feelings after finishing this book.
The prologue was interesting, written in the POV of a black condor. That grabbed my attention right away. The epilogue ended with a black condor, so things came full circle by the end. Nice closure.
Calling dragons "rags" grates on my nerves. It has such a negative connotation for such magnificent creatures. Some of the characters' POVs show us a different side of dragons, one that is horrible and terrifying, so the negative connotation makes sense. Calling dwarves "mules" also grated on my nerves, but that was kind of the point.
I like the way that dragons were handled otherwise. The dragonsmith, the "charking," the sparkers, the fire molt, air gills, hammering iron into the scales...I found all of that fascinating, and I wish we had spent more time with Vorly and Breeze so we could learn more about the dragons.
The magic system was interesting but not well explained. I wish we could have explored thaumics in more depth with Breeze and Jawn. I still have so many questions.
The different character POVs were handled nicely, and several of them had great character development, Carny, Jawn, and Vorly, especially. Some characters got exactly what they deserved, and others...well, what happened to Listowk, Big Hog, and Jawn just wasn't fair. But then, that's war, isn't it?
This is the Vietnam War written in a fantasy setting. It's bloody, painful, frustrating, disgusting, vulgar, and difficult, and it's supposed to be. This is a raw commentary of what the Vietnam War was like for boots on the ground and how disconnected from reality command was. It's heartbreaking. There is also a commentary on those in power fearing others becoming more powerful. The author must have done his job making me care because I have some strong feelings after finishing this book.
The prologue was interesting, written in the POV of a black condor. That grabbed my attention right away. The epilogue ended with a black condor, so things came full circle by the end. Nice closure.
Calling dragons "rags" grates on my nerves. It has such a negative connotation for such magnificent creatures. Some of the characters' POVs show us a different side of dragons, one that is horrible and terrifying, so the negative connotation makes sense. Calling dwarves "mules" also grated on my nerves, but that was kind of the point.
I like the way that dragons were handled otherwise. The dragonsmith, the "charking," the sparkers, the fire molt, air gills, hammering iron into the scales...I found all of that fascinating, and I wish we had spent more time with Vorly and Breeze so we could learn more about the dragons.
The magic system was interesting but not well explained. I wish we could have explored thaumics in more depth with Breeze and Jawn. I still have so many questions.
The different character POVs were handled nicely, and several of them had great character development, Carny, Jawn, and Vorly, especially. Some characters got exactly what they deserved, and others...well, what happened to Listowk, Big Hog, and Jawn just wasn't fair. But then, that's war, isn't it?
Want to read
June 10, 20206/10/20—From a r/fantasy post about "favorite epic fantasy standalones." The cover is intriguing. And so was catching a glance at someone's question about whether it was a standalone, saying, "I had to sit down because I was so stunned. Books like this one find a place in my heart, the day to day struggle of a character trapped in a world/situation they don't really understand." And then I caught Bob's three-star review and saw this part: "I must say, the chapters that open Of Bone and Thunder: A Novel is absolutely remarkable. They offer up a painfully realistic approach to riding dragons into battle, one that completely strips the experience of the magic and the awe that we've come to expect. Evans makes us feel the heat beneath the dragon's scales..." So—harshly depicted war on the backs of dragons and later in the midst of jungles? Sounds grim and gut wrenching. And unfortunately, not at SBClib.
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