Bone Walker

The Free Court of Seattle #2

by Angela Korra'ti

Two months should be long enough for a girl to learn to cope when she finds out she’s half-Sidhe, or so Kendis Thompson has convinced herself. She wants nothing more than as normal a life as possible, playing her violin and pursuing her growing relationship with Christopher, Warder Second of Seattle. But when the Unseelie bard Elessir falls through a portal out of Faerie, bringing with him a ghostly peril that puts her best friend Jude’s life and sanity in danger, Kendis must test the strength of her new magic. And when the bone walker Melorite threatens all of the Emerald City, Kendis must fight to save everyone she loves—even if it means succumbing to the dominion of the Unseelie Court.

Genres: Urban Fantasy

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 3, 2015

About the author

The very first thing Angela Korra'ti ever wrote, at age 8, was a short story about a girl spirited away to rule over the leprechauns for a day. She progressed rapidly to pretending to take notes in class when she was actually writing novels, and writing fanfic before she had any idea what fanfic was! Music has been a part of her life almost as long, thanks to six years playing flute and piccolo in school band and an adulthood dabbling in flute, guitar, bouzouki, and mandolin. In anything she writes, music is likely to make an appearance.

Angela (Anna the Piper to her friends) lives in Kenmore, Washington, along with her partner and housemate, one cat, and a whole heck of a lot of computers and musical instruments. Despite the fact that she is a mild-mannered former employee of a major metropolitan newspaper, rumors that she is a superhero are exaggerated. (Even if she did pull the door off a refrigerator.)

Under the name of Angela Korra'ti, she writes the Free Court of Seattle series (including Faerie Blood). As Angela Highland, she writes the Rebels of Adalonia trilogy, forthcoming starting in April 2013 from Carina Press! Come say hi to her at angelahighland.com!

Reviews

[Jarla Tangh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, Peoples, Her Tangh-i-ness has something to say again. Listen up.

*Spoiler Alert*

Her Tangh-i-ness greatly appreciates pithy plot summaries. However, for those who must have a virgin reading experience, read no further, and eyeball elsewhere.

*Spoiler Alert End*

So African American females can play violins, have Faerie blood, enjoy interracial relationships, have a human mage and a Faery Rockstar equivalent's attentions, and save the day? An established Male-Male and a new Female-Female couple figure as the other ongoing romances? Best of all, Japanese Dragons and Kitsune abound? And all of this happens in Seattle? (which happens to be the only city in the US that I happily consider dwelling in as an alternative to my native Boston?)

Efffff-Ya! I wanna read me some o' dat! (Ebonics totally intentional)

Bone Walker is a book that celebrates the power of music and music-makers and subtly reminds us of just why despots have always feared the creatives of this world. Bone Walker is the kind of novel where girl has to play her violin into a fury before she goes out and kicks the baddie's butt. Can I get a witness?

I can say the good news about the novel Bone Walker is that I am this book's target audience. There are readers like me who are People of Color, a Geek/Geekette, LGBTQI/Allied, Creative, and who defy what Mainstream Marketing would have readers like us absorb. I am on Team Anti-Twilight. Keep the 1950's throwback Bella. Kendis Thompson makes up for me the Serious Suck value of watching Rue and Thresh die in The Hunger Games. Bone Walker is for readers like me who squirmed through Lord of the Rings every time the beautiful, blond elves clashed with the dark, ugly orcs, goblins, and trolls. Guess who this reader identified with every time? Just sayin'.

That said, I am also a reader who started with a second book in the series. Let me tell you Bone Walker worked as a standalone. So much so that I wanted to begin reading the first book, Faerie Blood, immediately to see what I'd missed and I will happily follow Kendis to a third book.

Note: This copy of Bone Walker: Book 2 Free Court of Seattle was an electronic edition acquired from an author upon the reviewer's request. Her Tangh-i-ness usually reviews on a for-the-love basis. No lucre has been involved.

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first one of these ages ago... the premise was enough to sell me on it. (Living in Seattle, I have a weakness for fictional books set in places I know when they're done well. Modern faerie tale set in Seattle? Sold!) The gap in time made this one hard to get back into at first; I remembered Kendis, but had to do some scrambling to figure out who everyone else was again. However, what the book lacked in initial momentum it made up for later on; it's a delightful adventure story and doesn't take itself more grimdark seriously than it ought to.

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bone walkers, dragons, kitsune, Warders and Sidhe magic abound in this sequel to Faerie Blood. One of the signs of good urban fantasy is that the world and magic continue to expand in later books, instead of just retreading the same ground. It was great to see both Christopher and Kendis 'go up a level' strengthwise, and I really enjoyed their deepening relationship.
Quibble: I found the names Melorite and Melisanda too close and confusing.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairie Blood surprised me with how good it was. Bone Walker didn't. I was expecting it and got it. I've become invested in the characters. I can't wait until Angela writes more in this universe. In the meantime, I'm moving onto Valor of the Healer. I expect that series to be just as compelling. Sounds like a good way to start the new year.

[Redbeardsghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! Can't wait to see how the series ends.

[Susan Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Science Fiction novel, which is not my cup of tea. However, if you like that genre this book is filled with Faries, Bone Walkers and lots of interesting characters.

[Apel Mjausson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Satisfying geeky read. Looking forward to the next one in the trilogy, whenever the author writes it.

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars