Bone Rider : le chevaucheur d'os

by J. Fally, Jessica Hyde (Translator)

Riley Cooper est en cavale. Misha Tokarev, l’amour de sa vie, s’est révélé être un assassin au service de la mafia russe, et Riley a toujours mis une limite à « meurtre prémédité » dans sa charte des défauts acceptables.

McClane, un système de protection extra-terrestre, est lui aussi en fuite, car il est responsable, d’une part, du crash accidentel d’un vaisseau spatial sur le territoire terrestre, et d’autre part d’avoir échappé à sa détention aux mains des forces armées américaines.

Prototype défectueux, McClane était prévu pour la casse. Son sabotage du vaisseau a mis un terme à son funeste destin, mais il a été baptisé « chevaucheur d’os » pour une bonne raison : il ne peut pas vivre sans un hôte corporel. C’est pour ça qu’il finit par se cacher dans le corps de Riley. Leur partenariat réticent évolue bientôt en quelque chose de bien plus puissant (et personnel) que tout ce qu’ils auraient pu imaginer.

Ensemble, ils embarquent sur un road-trip infernal, rendu encore plus exaltant par les troupes gouvernementales et les gros bras de la mafia qui leur collent aux trousses. Mais Misha est bien décidé à récupérer Riley et il est prêt à tout pour assurer sa sécurité. Quand un tueur à gages et un extra-terrestre allient leurs forces, ils découvrent très vite l’impressionnante étendue de leur potentiel de destruction. Il faudra toute la force et la détermination de Riley pour les guider à travers les ennuis qu’ils se créeront eux-mêmes.

Genres: M M Romance, Science Fiction, Romance, Aliens, Military Fiction, Contemporary, Fantasy

406 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2013

About the author

J. Fally is a dedicated if somewhat involuntary multitasker who's gotten used to juggling two day jobs, her writing, and her pride and joy, the Old Man, a 23-year-old gelding who loves mud, carrots, and being pampered, and scorns other horses. She currently lives near Vienna, Austria, but loves to travel and explore new places. She also enjoys comic books, action movies, and pizza. Her stories tend to develop a life of their own, which occasionally leads to loud arguments between her and her muses. She's sad to say that eight out of ten times, the muses will win. They are stubborn bastards.

Reviews

[Julio Genao · Rating 2 out of 5]

poor thing never stood a chance.

keep in mind that i just finished an editing project, and my brain is typically broken for a period of days afterwards, as far as the whole 'reading like a normal person' thing goes.

so.

yeah.

um.

this needed an editor.

feel free to ignore the writerly nits and word-nerd outrage that follows.

there were entirely too many POVs.

an absurd and completely unnecessarily high body count, as per the difference between the alien engineers who sacrificed themselves to crash-land the ship (necessary) and what i estimate is the 300 (unnecessary) dead bodies left in a bloody trail behind a supposedly super-covert government organization blowing things up across, like, nine states, including a scene at a wholesome midwestern diner, in the middle of the day, with other people around caught in the crossfire. one set of deaths (sacrificed engineers) advanced the plot effectively, but the others served no purpose at all.

not one, not two, but three grand miscommunications that would neatly obviate the entire plot if the characters involved had behaved like ordinary people instead of supporting characters in a rapey/explodey telenovela. GM 1: u.s. military fired the first shot. GM 2: riley saw his boyfriend holding a rifle and started running without ever saying a word... in a state with concealed-carry permits. GM 3: super-dumbass military black ops team decided riley was collateral damage without any evidence at all that this was, in fact, the case.

line-edit stuff: several phrases were repeated within pages of one another (a la 'most important people in his life').

at least twice an alternative POV replayed the same scene that literally just happened, but from the POV of someone else present during the scene, for no real reason that i could detect, because these instant-replays did not add much at all to the story.

which is like, okay, thank you for making me read the same scene twice just with more italics this time?

little inaccuracies with regards to how satellite photography works. also human biology. and the concept of conservation of mass.

for example, the human body does not in fact have loads of un-utilized space throughout, conveniently available for 100 pound puddles of sentient, alien, liquid-metal nanotech to slide into and make themselves at home in without, like, irretrievably catastrophic injury and/or death.

they don't make blackhawk helicopters bulletproof on the bottom and then kindly design the cockpit so that some dude with a gun can take the pilot out with a shot to the head.

...from the ground.

...hundreds of meters away.

...with a small-calibre handgun.

...twice.

medium-to-large plot holes all over the place. like: i still don't know how they figured out how to track maclane before they had dogs.

and: how did scads of military dudes get down into the caves if the elevator was destroyed?

also: that they'd survive not just the fall over the cliff but also the missile, plus the cave-in, and then casually 'meet up elsewhere' was jarringly implausible.

plus: how was maclane able to leave riley's body without killing him in the instant before the missile exploded? in the beginning, he explained that the only way he survived the initial encounter with the military was by abandoning his host—a thing only possible because he had not fully bonded.

which he had just done.

like, ten minutes earlier.

with riley.

oh—hi. your dad's dead now. let's never mention it again—no time—we have to make out at the edge of this cliff before the military shows up.

finally, there were problems with both riley and misha's voice. too harlequinishly swoony, to put it baldly. one's a cowboy and the other's a russian mobster, and their inner monologues were distressingly prone to long rambly episodes of emo introspection that you'd be able to find in any 13yo girl's diary anywhere in america.

among other nitpicks.



there was a lot to like, but things stopped making sense on a structural level really early for me. the extra POV's pretty much killed my joy before i could develop any affection for any single one of the maybe 7 different characters given a POV in the course of this book.

it started off well, with an ironic tone and self-aware sense of humor, but it felt to me like it just sorta... got away from the author, at some point.

which is a shame. there are loads of crazy good ideas and just plain fun in this book. it's just... the editorial oversights made it so i didn't enjoy reading it very much.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

****MAJOR CRUSH ALERT****

Soldiers, Cowboys, Aliens and Hit men all come together to… wait. What? Go Back. Oh yes I said Aliens, sorry where you confused? I suppose you would be because I never read about aliens or sci-fi things. I mean, I have done a couple of times but you know …it’s not really my thing and yet the alien was my favourite character!

Bone Rider is so much fun and so very, VERY good. It all starts when System Six (a sentient symbiotic artificial weapons and armour system) decides he can’t live with his (real) alien host and decides to jump ship. His actions lead to a crash landing on Earth which sets off an explosive chain of events involving a Cowboy, the Russian mob, a soldier, a scientist, a bunch of survivalist and an alien named after John McLane (yup, the alien has a crush on Bruce Willis from Die Hard).

System six needs a new host and Riley (cowboy on the run from his hit man boyfriend, Misha) just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whop! Smack! Choke and gag! Riley is invaded by McLane. Ha! I bet you just flashed to a hundred different movie scenes, none of which are correct btw. McLane is not going to burst through his chest or lay eggs – he’s a smart armour and weapons system. He’s very useful to a guy running from the mob. Plus he’s adorable in a non-tentacles kind of way.

“I can and will protect you in return for riding your bones for a bit. I’ve already taken the liberty of hardening your skeletal structure. Did you know your left knee was all kinds of fucked up?”

See? Useful!

General Nick Young with the help of his SF team is getting closer to the alien that got away and in the interest of US security he will not, cannot fail to retrieve the critter.

Misha (dangerous but sexy as hell – you will love him) is a hit man born and raised and he is desperate to win back the love of his life. Riley is the only man who has ever meant anything to him. He LOVES him, misses him desperately and needs him back. He too, will not, cannot fail.

Riley and McLane are still working out their cohabitation rules when Boom-Boom-Boom all three forces collide in El Paso, Texas. Sharpshooters, helicopters, missile launchers and the wrath of Armani clad hit men. Holy Hell! This gets so freaking good, my blood was pumping and I could feel my adrenaline spiking. J. Fally knows how to write an action scene like nobody’s business. More than once she writes her darlings into a tight corner that seems impossible to crawl out of.

Okay, that’s the idea of it.
The bonus part is the humour, the additional hitmen and the sex (very different but nonetheless very hot sex) the pace is fast and PERFECT and I guarantee you will be more than entertained from start to finish. The writing is snug, nicely compact, very informative and yet without any unnecessary superlatives. Doesn’t mean there aren’t any quotables, there are some sparkling quotes here.

“Gentled like a skittish horse, roped in like a bimbo, lured out with the patience of a sniper, and it made Riley’s gorge rise how desperate he must’ve been for affection …”

Lots of points of views (about 10, 11, 12?) make me want to smack and shove each character out of way in favour of the last one, and yet I loved them all. J. Fally’s writing style reminds me of Martina Cole in it’s set up but that’s where the comparison ends. The characterisation is so excellent that I never wanted anyone getting hurt or losing at the end.

I could tell you that at times it feels like you are trapped in a B movie; I could tell you that it’s a little over the top and I wouldn’t be lying. But what I will say is: I don’t care, I don’t care that this is the closest I’ve ever come to tentacle sex and loved it. I don’t care that I had to suspend my disbelief a few times. Hell I’m allowed to – it’s sci-fi (ish).

This book is original, thoroughly entertaining, has characters I freaking LOVE and I want more of. Dammit, do I want more! Please! I admired the hell out the writing and even though I want an epilogue to the epilogue I love it enough to make it a hands down favourite; it gets a full 5 stars!

Bloody excellent!!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO BUT WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY NEXT READ WILL NOT HAVE A COWBOY ON THE RUN FROM HIS MAFIA-LINKED EX BOYFRIEND, WEIRD ALIEN INTERNAL SEX STUFF, WEIRD MMM ELEMENTS, A SENTIENT SUIT OF ARMOUR AND THE 5 BESTFRIENDS THAT ANYBODY COULD HAVE ON AN ALIEN ROADTRIP???????

Be normal about them, be normal about them, be normal about them, be normal about them, be normal about them.........

HOLY FUCKING SHIT THAT WAS THE BEST BOOK OF 2025 FOR ME HANDS DOWN.
SO MUCH ENTERTAINMENT VALUE.
I FEEL INVIGORATED to read something so fresh and unique!!
Easiest 5 star I ever dropped.


Did everything make sense?
No.
Why did weird alien sex happen?
Who knows, and who cares, he was like... fucking him from the inside out? and I was into it.
Was the book weird?
Well yeah, but it almost turns into this super beautiful love crazed journey with MMM elements between 2 hotties and an alien suit of armour??? BUT I WAS INTO IT.



There are so many POV's from random af people, and I loved all of them.


POV 1:
A sentient suit of armour/weapons system, discovers he is to be eliminated for failing to merge with a host body.(he doesn't merge because his host is ew and he has attachment issues)
So he says HEYO HOW ABOUT FUCK THAT, I WANNA LIVE..... and crashes his spaceship in to earth by accident when trying to create a diversion to prolong his own life before he is murdered.
HELLO?
IS THIS THE RANDOMEST BOOK STARTER EVER??? YES.


POV 2:
Sexy cowboy man who is always aloof with his emotions, goes on the run after accidently stumbling upon the fact that his cute lil boyfriend is a murderer.

POV 3 & 4:
Either an army man, or some scientists POV, these chapters are super cool to see like... almost like a POV from who you’d maybe consider a bad guy if this was a movie??????? It really added dimension having these POV's!

POV5:
MISHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. MY SHAYLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. Bestest Ex boyfriend on the planet, who yes, maybe does murder......... but he loves cowboy SO MUCH and refuses to let him go and really does go FULL "touch him and die 💀" && "I WILL BURN THE WORLD DOWN FOR YOU" vibes.
UGH.
He's so infatuated with Riley, and I was EATING THAT SHIT UP.


I definitely could have dealt with an addtional chapter of wholesome goodness or some extra cowboy riding alien sex, but it was fantastic regardless.


ANDY 💖
my girl, wow. You told me I would be feral, and I can confirm the rats are out on this one.
🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀✨

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t have much to add to my original review below. Still love this story like crazy.

*******
Perfection. This unique story was an absolute joy to read.

“You heard this one? So a cowboy, an alien, and three hit men walk into a bar….”

A highly intelligent, sci-fi, MM, cowboys, aliens, mobsters, military mashup of brilliance. Infused with feelings, friendship, and a really clever first contact.

You liked it, the alien repeated, smugly. You like me. I’m awesome.

“Don’t lick me again.”

Heavily military, yet cerebral and fun, this story read like a summer blockbuster.

“We fired the first shot,” the president continued ruefully. “No use denying it. It’s done. We won’t ever admit to it, but yes, we fucked up. I don’t think the entity’s going to come quietly, so you’re authorized to use whatever means necessary to secure it.”

Reminiscent of the 80's movie, Starman (Jeff Bridges), or books like The Host (Stephenie Meyer), and my personal favorite, Contact (Carl Sagan). Stories that ask us what it is to be human and what love really means. Where the bad guys aren't necessarily bad and the good guys aren't necessarily good.

This review will not do this book justice. I have no idea how the author came up with these amazingly different POV's, richly detailed, with short bursts of information about multiple characters that suck you even deeper into the journey. This is not a fluffy, light read. But it's also not bogged down with backstories or world building.

Battle armors were symbiotic by design; they couldn’t survive on their own. It was why they’d been dubbed “bone riders” by their designers.

This book has some of the most unique and sensual MM sex scenes I've ever read. Not salacious, but intimate, questioning, and HOT. (There's only a few of them)

Riley had never been so thoroughly tongue-fucked in his life. His knees buckled and he let them, let the stranger ride him to the ground and rut against him with an eagerness that was kind of funny, kind of endearing, and more than a bit flattering.

There were little drops of humor throughout, that made me cackle.

"And tell us before your chest explodes,” Andrej muttered, “so we can shoot the alien babies when they pop out.”

This is one of those stories when you finish the last page, you sigh deeply, and wish it would never end. I needed another scene between Riley, Misha, and McClane. This is primarily a MM, first contact/adventure/romance, but it's also MMM...but not, it's kinda complicated to explain, so you'll just have to read it to understand. Ends with a hfn.

[Simsala · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars
Sod it! Even if the first part of the book made me grit my teeth - single minded romance reader just wanted to get to the good stuff - it gets the full five for originality and a cozy place on my favorite list.
A sure-fire re-read!

Whew...
That book tried my patience to snapping point, but it was so worth it!
I could try the squee thingy with twenty "e"`s in bold letters and a shitload of gifs with explosions and sweaty nekkid men going at it, but my keyboard gives me the evil eye, sorry.

A short, spot on review from Lady*M and the that`s-all-you-need-to-know blurb should be convincing enough to give this book a try.
For those who shy away from science fiction (I`m one of them), be assured the few s/f gizmos aren`t off-putting or complicated. This is highly entertaining sci-fi in a contemporary setting and easy to read.

What awed me to no end (and tried my patience...) was the brillant way this book is written. Such a tight and carefully constructed plot is a rare occurrence in m/m romance and that makes it hard to believe this
is a first published work.
9 different POVs! (If I counted correctly) The MCs and almost every secondary character get their own voice. And Wow!, what a clever move that was! The POV switching with every chapter might be seen as a minus (I don`t call it headhopping - for me headhopping is switching POVs in paragraphs and sections without making clear who`s head I`m in) but in hindsight it made for a fascinating read.
The story doesn`t divide in good guys/bad guys, wrong or right. No justification for thoughts and actions of the involved characters and NO regrets...only agendas and the determination to pull said agendas through, come what may. Makes it damn near impossible to dislike any of the characters for their `slightly` askew morals and what they did or intended to do.

We`re talking about russian mobsters here - professional hit-men with blood on their hands who like their job - no question. The U.S. Army that has only one goal in mind - protect their country at all costs and if innocent bystanders get hurt - so be it!
An alien armor system that only wants to survive and protect his host Riley - at all costs.
Misha, who is so in love with Riley he forgot where left and right is and gives a shit about his former life. He just wants Riley - at all costs.
Riley, who feels the same way but ran away from the love of his life because he couldn`t cope with Misha`s profession. Once convinced there is no running away from Micha he has the same single minded goal. Protecting Micha - at all costs.
Somewhere in the middle of the book all involved parties meet - and from here on it gets NUCLEAR! Brillantly written action-scenes galore - I had no nails left to chew on - kudos Ms. Fally!!!
This book has only one sex-scene (sniffs!...but the palpable and very emotional forever-is-not-enough love between Micha and Riley makes more than up for that) with Micha and Riley as couple (there are more sex-sc. - but this is their only reunion scene) and McClane as `enhancement`. But what a scene! How they survived that unscathed is anyones guess....
Why do I point out the smut? See "single minded romance reader".

I don`t highlight and in this case I regretted it. Many funny lines that would have been more than worth it, especially from McClane. How he adjusted to his human host and got all snuggly...awwwww! An endearing mix of clueless alien falling in love and a deadly, protective weapon.

I might add a few things to this review later, but for now this must be enough. READ IT!

[Kaje Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, this gets five stars for basically dragging me through two and a half action movies worth of adventure, plus a very sweet and very weird love story, that I read straight through. *deep breath*

This book has aliens, military men, hit men, survivalists, cowboys, scientists, guns, explosions, helicopters, bigger explosions and a very sweet, occasionally hot, second-chances-at-love story. I wasn't fully persuaded by the alien, McClane, especially early on. Even with him getting his information directly from a human mind, he was just too comfortable with not only American idiom but cultural references and expectations. Understanding is one thing, generating some of those statements and opinions within his first day on Earth... just no.

But it didn't matter to the entertainment value of this book. This is not reality-based fiction, although it clings to the edges of plausibility well enough to be fun. The basic concept was imaginative, the characters engrossing to be around, and the plot was sweeping and fast, with moments of love and regret to make the characters fates matter. There are a lot of POVs, in addition to the MCs. Sometimes I don't like that, but here it was fitting for what is essentially action/Sci Fi with a romance, not the reverse. I didn't lose patience with being out of the MC's heads, because it filled in the background of the plot well, and gave us some fun moments to boot. I enjoyed seeing Mischa's best friend, Andrej, in his affectionate, exasperated observations.

Think Raiders of the Lost Arc in plot style, but with even the villains having more plausible motivations, and the leads being two (or three?) hot, gay men. A romp that managed moments of emotion, and well worth reading, and probably rereading.

[Heller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm absolutely flailing with the awesomeness of this story. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.

I saw the cover and title and without reading the blurb figured it for a western of some kind. This is thriller sci-fi all the way that's riddled with an intense manhunt from start to finish.

It has jumping POV's: aliens, military, mobsters, cowboys but it never once seems a gratuitous literary gimmick. It works. It works so well. I loved being in everyone's head and it made this story rich and layered. It never once felt jumpy or disjointed.

System Six/McClane is an alien military armour and weapons AI. He heartily dislikes his host and refuses to fully bond with him. In searching for a way to save himself from destruction he screws with the navigation system of the ship. That throws it far of course and accidentally causes it to crash land in the Texas desert almost on top of a US Military exercise.

One firefight later we have a desperate alien looking for a ride out of the mess it's made. Hello Riley Cooper, cowboy extraordinaire, a man on the run from his Russian mobster boyfriend and goons. Riley literally stumbles over System Six and so begins a beautiful partnership that starts out a tad hitchhiker from hell but mellows out over a shared love of nachos, cold beer and orgasms.

This is intense and fun and had me on the edge of my seat. I won't spill the beans about the romance but it rocked my world. It turned out in a way that I never expected it would and I love that it surprised me.

This is one of the best books I've read this year. Hands down. Can't recommend it enough. Just go read it.

[M'rella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I am giving this action flick 5 stars for what it is - McClane/T-100/Robocop/alien/Russian mafia/US Military pile-up.

It doesn't have to be realistic


And there are a few hiccups,

but so what?

As long as there is

a hunky cowboy


a studly Russian mafia hit man со товарищи (& Co)


a cool gay alien armour system - that rides cowboy's bones - with a McClane crush


all of whom survived the US Military

^
That's Rasputin, btw 😉

and a surprisingly decent Russian (however little), I am a very very happy camper.

The ending was perfect. Perfect! No "6 months later", no epilogue, no dragging things out. Very efficient and satisfying.

More, please :D

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 thrilling stars!

What an amazing debut novel!

I wish Quentin Tarantino would get his hands on this book and bring it to the big screen! I would be the first on line to buy a ticket.

Simply put Riley is running away from his hit man boyfriend, Misha. Misha loves him too much to let him go, so he is trying to track him down. An alien armor system shaped as liquid metal is in need of a host to survive and forces himself in to Riley’s body. The Military now wants Riley and the alien inside of him.

There is so much more that happens in this book; I don’t even know how to review it other than to say, expect a lot of crazy, fun, edge of your seat action. It’s definitely more action than romance. There are several POVs given, the secondary characters are very present and share the spot light with the MCs.

[Lilia Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's the word I want? Fantastic? Stupendous? Expialidocious? None of them will do this justice. I'm not sure I'm up to a full review on this, so I'll stick to a few of the things I most admired about this book:

It is totally original. The premise and the development toss every cliche out the truck window. I've never read a story like this.

It is a total thrill ride--the plotting is just unfuckingbelievably awesome. The reference to Die Hard is no exaggeration: J. Fally can write an action sequence--make that about 19 action sequences. It's a roller coaster thrill ride, without, I'm not kidding, a single lame or dull moment in it.

The Capital H's: Hilarious and Hot.


It has... I really don't have a word here for the characters. The book features a good half dozen major perspectives and a host of secondary characters, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF WHICH is treated with respect. There are no cheap shots, cheap stereotypes, cheap villains. Strictly speaking, there are no villains at all, though there is plenty of conflict and there are adversaries. I used the word "respect": this is an author who respects her characters enough to look at why they act the way they do, and treats their choices with what I'll have to call compassionate understanding--that sounds too sentimental for the actual effect, but it's the best I can do. When you realize that this is a story about government special ops soldiers in hot pursuit of an alien they are desperately trying to kill, you will realize how goddamn many cliches Fally does not fall into here. The closest comparison I have is to Dani Alexander, another author who avoids villains, even when her characters do evil things.

Bottom line: Christmas has come early. This is far better than anything you'll find on Black Friday. You've been given a great gift here, people, so read it and enjoy it, and then read it again. That's my plan.

(Also posted on my blog: http://liliafordromance.blogspot.com/...)

[Macky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well " Take me to your leader and probe me like you mean it!!! " that was an absolute blast! 5 stars just isn't enough for this one.

I am on such a high now, its not true! What can I add to the mix of awesome reviews that this amazeballs book is getting? Oh god I don't know ... Just pure enthusiasm, excitement and joy I guess is a start. * Doing the happy alien dance*

First of all its got soooo much going on, that really it should be a total clusterf**ck but honestly, it flows like melted butter over a juicy corn on the cob and gives you a story with plenty to get your teeth into that's totally yum and moreish. I got waylaid at the beginning with Real Life stuff I couldn't avoid but once I got really invested in Riley, Misha and McClane's story - BTW I'm officially in love with a puddle of silver goo - that was it... total real life shutdown and beware the wrath of Macky if you interrupted me! I'm not even going to go anywhere near the plot because its far too much fun discovering it all yourself but be prepared for edge of your seat palpatations and umpteen OMG!!! moments, right up to the very end and I mean the very end! At 95% I was literally crapping myself so hang on fast because this one doesn't let up for anything!

Aliens, Russian mob assassins ( loved Kolya and Andrej ) , US army , a group of survivalists, a Texan cowboy and a cast of extras who don't all manage to get to the end in one piece. Eeeeeek! This was different, fresh,funny, surprising, hot in its own way, absorbing, gripping, witty and one hell of a fun exciting ride. Please somebody make this into a film because it would be kick ass fabulous!

Don't miss out on this one or you'll be kicking yourself. One of the best books I've read all year.

"And tell us before your chest explodes," Andrej muttered, "so we can shoot the alien babies when they pop out." Riley made a rude gesture. "McClane says, go fuck yourself." Kolya chuckled. "Lets keep him."

My sentiments exactly....

[Eugenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Why isn't there a second one? I really want more of MacClane, Riley, and Misha.

This book was creative, action-packed, funny, sexy, and sweet. Beyond that, it was well written with interesting characters who were wholly imperfect.

I will definitely have this on my list of re-reads!

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's about the story, stupid.

Okay, this was fun. I had my doubts when I saw the bits filtering through my feed about the mafia, aliens, and cowboys--and all I could think is how disappointed I was when that movie came out promising similar delights. Well, this book delivered.

Action-packed, funny as hell, and a memorable cast of characters.

I recommend we run like hell before they drop a helicopter on us.

This was a dense gem that just charged through and racked up an impressive body count while still managing to successfully weave a believable romance between Misha, Riley and McClane. Not to mention the excellent secondary characters and antagonists that keep adding to fun.

Love the sarcasm, dry wit, and when these guys come together--Hawt. Sweet bejeezus. ::fans self::

I've been lucky with my sci-fi picks lately. Just might be my genre of 2014. Hot damn!

Favorite quote:

I don't care what it's called; you planted the tadpole idea, stop criticizing my metaphors!

[Kazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

...and mafia and military and love....

This is an action packed, romantic, weird-arsed love...triangle?...type of book. You know, the usual. No, not really.

"What happened to you?"
There was simply no way to make this sound anything but ridiculous, so Riley copied Misha's shrug and tried for nonchalance.
"I got body snatched by an alien."
McClane grumbled a protest.
"A sentient alien armor and weapons system," Riley clarified. "Very sophisticated. Very unique. Very much a smartass. His name's McClane."

Cowboys, aliens, hit men, and now a canyon full of survivalists ... not to mention the military.

The above quotes give you a good idea that this is a little different.
But terrifically so!

Alien crashes space craft to get away from host. Needs a new host. Host is found running from mafia ex. The military want the alien and the host, the mafia wants the host, the host is still in love with his mafia ex, the ex is still in love with the host, the alien takes on the name of McClane, in honour of John McClane from Die Hard, the alien and the host become close and it is truly touching...GAH!!
It's fantastic action packed reading and something a little different, very romantic and sweet. Not to mention extremely humorous.
A proper review after the madness of my daughter's wedding.
Review up now http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...

[Trix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God! I loved this!

Was it over the top and highly unrealistic? Pretty much! Was it action packed, adrenaline pumping? Hell yes!! Did it have emotional bonding and romantic moments to melt your heart away? God yes and then some! Did it have witty dialogue and funny repertoire to ease the tension? Still wiping away laughing tears. Did it encompass a wide array of characters, all charmingly flawed and wonderful in their own way? Definitely so!

This story pushed all my buttons! I couldn't put it down until I had read the very last line and then was dismayed I had to say goodbye to the cast of unique misfits. I was thoroughly enamored with them! For all the reasons above this book is truly deserving 5 stars and a promise to re-read whenever I'm in the mood for action-romance-angst-alien chasing-happy ending story!

Highly Recommended!

Thank you Riayl for putting this on my radar! I'm forever in your debt!

[Elizabetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I can and will protect you in return for riding your bones...”

First of all, that book title… bone rider, best double entendre ever.

This book has raised the bar. For the sheer audacity of it, and the FUN of reading it.

Such a great (but not unheard of) concept:

Cowboys and Aliens and skirmishes in the desert… (wait, wasn’t there a movie about that?).

An alien symbiont seeking a host… (Stephanie Meyer’s Host comes to mind, but Bone Rider is in a much different league, hands down.)

Russian mafia hit-men, Special Ops soldiers, crazy desert survivalists. And a road trip… (check, check, check, and Check. Okay, Now we’re getting somewhere.)

Bone Rider is engrossing and entertaining and manages to be fresh:

A non-corporeal alien MC with a wicked sense of humor and a keen sense of survival (metal armor plating included). Loves nachos. And two human lovers who are at odds with each other. Wait… three lovers?... One on the inside, one on the outside, one in the middle… A love sammich. yum.

On the run from the bad guys. With lots of cars and trucks and things that go boom. How will Riley Cooper, host, and main MC, keep it all together? You will not guess, must read to the very last page.

The author manages to pull it all off with panache -- maneuvering the puzzle pieces of a great cast of characters (every single one of them), smooth plotting, sci-fi action, and an enduring love story with wit and style. (C'mon a puddle of metallic goo giving the warm and fuzzies? Brilliant.)

Does it have some weaknesses? Yes…
***The first chapter is a baptism of WTF-ery, but once you figure out what’s going on, it’s all good, be patient. ***There’s a lot of head hopping up in this thing… ***Riley is a bit too quickly acquiescent about being commandeered, especially with all the talk of his strong, independent nature. Granted, McClane is awesome, (such an endearing killing machine) and we want this to work out, but…

It’s a credit to the author that things move at such a good clip, you get over any qualms pretty quickly and proceed with gobbling the pages up. This is some inspired storytelling and a hot love story to boot.

“Like a boss.”

Bone Rider is (incredibly) a debut novel and all I can say is, please, may I have some more? Like, now?

(Thank you Trix for steering me towards this one!)

[Emma Sea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you very much to my other secret santa for buying me the book :)

The head-hopping affectionately recalled those great 1970s disaster/action/sci-fi books like The Stand. It did mean it was hard to become emotionally involved in the characters, as I was pulled away from each one just when I became attached, but still, this was a fun read.

I wish we'd got to see McClane finally try his mancakes.

ETA: I've given this book a lot of thought over the last couple of days. I think the reason I didn't like it better is because the climax hinges on McClane and Riley: McClane falls in love with Riley with that particular flavour of selfless love that is the cornerstone of every good romance. And yet why? We hardly get to know Riley at all. He has almost no page time. I remain unconvinced by the denouement.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so damn hard!!! I love the characters, the humor, the action, the fact that the author wrote something so crazy and different and took chances and things are a mish-mash of every genre, but it all works. J. Fally is probably one of those authors that I’d love to go grab a beer or glass of wine with and discuss our favorite movies, books and the like because I’m dying for a sequel with these characters and this world. Sequel talk: more on that later because I will use whatever Tumblr inspiration pics I can find to inspire the woman for more!

OK, so as a Die Hard/District 9 aliens are among us! with assassins! and caves! plot this had it was basically straight-forward. An alien weapons-and-armor system abruptly crashes on Earth – right next to some military folks. These aliens use host bodies and as they fight with the humans, one particular alien decides to fight in a different manner, to take a different course. It manages to escape and enters cowboy Riley Cooper. Riley is fleeing from his hit man boyfriend, Misha. Misha and his friends and partners Andrej and Koyla are coming after Riley, but probably not for the reason he believes. So, cowboys, Russian hit men, aliens, military, road trip, etc. Just trust me. The alien or System Six invades Riley and uses him as his host. This is a pertinent part of the book, the relationship between man and alien, but this particular man is of most importance.

System Six or McClane as he begins to call himself after watching Die Hard has had other hosts before, but never anyone he bonded with on a real level. Riley and McClane bicker, they make each other laugh, they confide in each other, protect each other and sometimes need a stern talking to in order to not stray and do something crazy…like blow up humans. It’s a relationship the reader has to look at differently than Riley’s relationship with Misha. There is love there, even love similar to Misha, but it is most certainly a different and intriguing relationship. One I felt I just barely scratched (much like McClane does to Riley when he’s tense).

One thing I want to mention is McClane is hilarious as hell!! His running commentary on how yucky certain people were and his pride at holding back from killing characters or that he wanted “mancakes” made me *die*. He’s indignant, slithery, dangerous, confused with emotions, and he’s insistent that he’s not a parasite. He’s wise and clever, even.


“McClane’s not real,” he argued, once he was coherent again. “He’s a movie character. He’s make-believe.”

“All names are make-believe”.



The side characters brought me big smiley face joy because they stood out!! They had quirks and their relationships with the main characters and each other were all just slightly different and unique. The bromance between Misha and Andrej is probably my favorite friendship in a book this year, aside from Merrick and Crane from The Magpie Lord. Dr. Butler is a female that I admire, that intrigues me and I’d love more background story and future story with her. General Young had many facets because he was tough, of course, but he felt conflicted on many things, knew he might be wrong on several things, but the man kept on fighting. There are many more (with accompanying point of views) but I never felt confused with that and it kept me invested in all of the characters throughout. My only complaint is with so many point of views it did hinder me from getting to know any one character completely.

A morning scene and a shocked character in a car was powerful. Punch in the gut powerful.

The relationship between Riley and McClane is complex, especially given Riley’s relationship with Misha but it all works. I don’t understand how it does, but it’s fascinating and sexy and I would gladly be the third/fourth in that party.

This book is over the top and non-stop and many might roll their eyes, but I ADORED it. And what kills me – KILLS me – is a hinted at relationship between Andrej and his friend J.C. (I won’t go too much into J.C. because it’s best that readers experience the ride of the book than me go plot point by plot point). I don’t know if J.C. and Andrej are boinking but let me tell you – they are missing out, if they aren’t. Those two gahhhhhh sigghhhhh thud. Oh come on!!! Give. It. To. Me.

This would make a perfect movie and I felt I only just got the beginnings of these characters and I mean that about every single one of them. I could read off-shoots about any of them and be happy, because the author knows how to write interesting and funny people. One of my definite faves of the year. So happy this gem came upon me towards the end of the year, too, to end it all amazeballs. I would hi-five McClane right now if I could.

[Ula'ndi Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third Time Around

Still borderline depressed about the author pulling a disappearing act.

STILL LOVE THIS STORY.

It still makes my heart happy. I'm going to choose to focus on that part and
not cry myself asleep about there not being any follow-up books.

_______________________________________



Second time around! I'm still doing a happy dance! I'm still hopelessly in love with Mclane and his boys! I'm still borderline depressed about the author pulling a disappearing act on us.
But SO glad I had the brain wave to do this one again. Me, giving a contented happy sigh.



First Read

Overall book rating: 4.5
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3.8


One of those books that always hover on the horizon and for some reason you just don’t get around to reading it. Well.. I’m happy to say I DID finally get around to it and dear heaven... I have absolutely no regrets! This was so good!

Someone please answer me this – WHERE THE HELL DID THE AUTHOR DISSAPEAR TO?? You can’t write stuff like this and then just drop of the face of the earth? We need more! Cause wow!

I have only one compliant. There should have been at least one or two more chapters. Just to round everything off in detail.

The story was unique to me, I loved the characters and I could really do with a series in the story. Seriously! It has so much potential!

Enough said. Read this if you haven’t yet and if you have a secret little thing for aliens and action. ;-)

I highlighted so much in this book I decided to keep the review short and sweet because otherwise there would have been a complete rewrite when I was done.

[Bitchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome, what a fun, emotional ride! I admit, I had some slowdowns here and there, sci fi (and mobsters, for that matter) isn't really my favorite thing, but once it finally grabbed me again, I could not put it down.

I loved "McClane" from the very start. He was so unique and funny. I also loved Riley, and was surprised to find myself loving Misha and his merry band of enforcers.

Bone Rider reads more like a big budget action flick, than most books I've read. You get a LOT of POV switches, showing you pieces from everyone involved in all sides of the story, not just our main characters. You see the Army, the military officials, all sides of the ship crash and the aftermath, and the author let the reader see every aspect of the story, making us feel for every side. While you love McClane and Riley, and want them to get away, you also understand the government's fear, and why they fight so hard to recover a bit of alien tech.

Once I got to the halfway point, I was grabbed fully, and read straight through, til 6 am. I only wonder now where this author has been, this can NOT be a first effort! And I can't wait to see what comes next, whether it's more in this world, or something completely new.

[K.J. Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started with a hell of a bang. It's a terrific idea, really vividly done, with great writing and mostly really good pacing. Hot sex, lots of violence, the fantastic Riley/McClane interaction, what's not to like.

Well...a few small things. The multiple points of view were jarring - there must have been eight or more, including some that really weren't necessary - Misha's sister, or Andrej's viewpoint when Misha and Riley were right there. They were well handled in themselves, but it made me more interested in the overall story than the romance.

And - this may be me - I found the body count disturbing. We spent so much time in the heads of the pursuing soldiers, I couldn't just accept it when Riley and Misha killed them in such numbers. (This may well have been the author's intention, in which case fair play, it worked.)

Quibbles notwithstanding, this is a cracking sci-fi romance, and I will absolutely read more by this author.

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Wow. This was wild and fun - it literally was an action sci-fi adventure romantic dramedy, all rolled into one. There are a lot of players in this story, each with their own agenda. At its core is a runaway alien inhabiting a man on the run from his criminal lover, a lover who is desperate to find him along with the government who perceives the alien/man combo as a potential threat to national security.

First there's Riley with his awesome intuition/sixth sense, the stubborn loner who trusts no one. He's resolute in his moral compass, hurt and betrayed by Misha's omission about his occupation. Things change quickly though once he's reunited with him - his only desire is to protect the man he loves.

And then there's Misha who throws away his carefully crafted persona of conditioned company hit man - his top priority is convincing Riley to give him a second chance because no way in hell is he ever going to let him go.

It was possessiveness, obsession, lust, and projection. It was love in its scariest, most primal form. It was huge. It was all-consuming, different from anything Misha had experienced before, and he was so far gone he couldn't even be properly terrified of how completely invested he was in Riley Cooper.

Well said - one has to give credit for his determined single mindedness; sexy and thrilling in its ruthlessness.

These two gruff manly men, self-preservationists to the core - somehow engrained themselves onto each other, each longing for the other despite obvious obstacles. And if one was ever going to be inhabited by an alien AI, you should be so lucky that it would be by a sweet thing like McClane. His eye opening experiences to human life, such as eating his first taste of nachos, to learning English slang, to sex, was funny and endearing and hot!

This was a symbiosis, a menage that worked perfectly for all players involved. Gawd this would make such a fantastic summer blockbuster movie! And like how most of those go - the ending leaves it open for a sequel. If only!

[Lady*M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a crazy, crazy ride.

In the words of one of the characters, there are "cowboys, aliens, hit men, and now a canyon full of survivalists" in it. It's science fiction, romance, adventure. It's funny and it's sad and so, so exciting that the suspense will choke you. It has an AI who names himself after a Die Hard character. It has a distrustful wanderer with a heart of gold and open mind. It has a Russian hit man who has a determination of homing missile because he fell in love for the first time. It has a dozen developed secondary characters. You might not like some of their actions but you won't be able to activelly dislike them. It's original and it's charming. It's so, so well-written. It's a surprise in a way The Magpie Lord was a surprise.

And, I wanted more. Much, much more. Maybe a sequel? Maybe with Andrej and J.C.? Whatever... just more.

Please?

[Xing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to give two different star ratings for this book, because my feelings changed completely towards the later half of the novel (and in a GOOD way). Anyways, let me explain...

The Bone Rider is a story told through third person perspective from many different characters. You have Riley, a mid-30 year old cowboy with trust issues. He is currently on the run from his lover, Misha, who is a hit man for a New York-based Russian crime syndicate. Then there's Misha's right and left hand men, Kolya and Andrej. There's also Nick Young, who is leader of the United States Special Forces. The army neurologist Dr. Butler who is working with Young to bring down the alien armor system. Which then leaves said sentient armor and weapon system, formally known as System Six and later named McClane.

So yes, there's a lot of POV hopping from one character to the next. The ones I mentioned above don't include all of them, but they are the major players in the story. While I am not a fan of head hopping, I will complement J. Fally's ability to implement it well. The POV changes only occur at the start of a new chapter, and the chapters themselves aren't very long. Therefore, if there is a character you don't really care for (in my case, I didn't really care much for Dr. Butler), then it won't be much of an issue since the chapters are pretty short and you'll be hopping onto a new character in the next chapter. Another reason I usually hate head hopping is that it takes attention away from the main MCs. In this case, J. Fally does a good job juggling attention. Enough for us to feel that the secondary characters are more than just plot devices, but still keep the spotlight on Riley and Misha.

In terms of characters, I will have to confess. While Riley is one of the main characters, I find him to be the least interesting and likeable compared to the other characters for the majority of the book. My opinion of him changes in the later half, but he seemed like another of those "guy with trust issues, because his family didn't like he was gay" kind of guys. He liked to play the "denial" game and prefers to run away than to stand up against his problems. I didn't dislike him by any means. He just didn't really click with me is all.

Since there are so many other characters in the Bone Rider, I won't go in depth into how I feel about every single one. My favorite character is Misha, because he's one loyal and possessive bastard who will do anything (and does) to get Riley back.

Now onto the relationship between Riley, McClane and Misha. Other reviews have mentioned that there is a love triangle among the three. Some have even mentioned that his was like a M/M/M. My feelings on this? Even though McClane and Riley had some sexual experiences with one another (it was more like enhanced masturbation if you ask me), it didn't really compare to the visceral emotions between Riley and Misha. I don't know if this is really M/M/M moreso than McClane is there for the ride when Riley and Misha are having sex (unfortunately, there was only one moment of sexy time between the two). This relationship is kind of complicating to describe. Riley LOVES Misha and vice versa, and McClane loves Riley and accepts Misha because Misha makes Riley feel loved. And okay, Riley does love McClane, but I like to think of it as a best friend kind of love. So I can see how people are drawing a triangle out of this. Even if one of the party involved is a sentient metal armor/weapon system riding the body of one other character...Gah! I'm moving on, since I'm having a hard time articulating the weirdness of my feelings on this relationship...

Anyways, I was kind of "meh" up to about 60% of the book. The author was setting things up: the key players involved, the issues that build up, and how each of these players come to finally meet. For me, it was aggravating that Misha and Riley don't actually meet up until 60% into the book. There was some action scenes towards the beginning of the book, but not much going on until we hit that wonderfully, spectacular 60% mark. And from there, the book went from "meh" to HOLYSHITFACE!!!111 awesomeness. If there is one more thing I can praise this author, it is her ability to write very great battle/action scenes. The battlefield violence is easy to follow, well written, and is not gory enough to gross the more light hearted readers. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

And the romance. *contently sighs*. I was worried that the romance would be shoved towards the back door, since it took so long for the main couple to meet, then some more time to reconcile. But boy, nothing makes romance blossom like a mushroom cloud than one reignited during a battlefield.

So yeah, the rest of the 40% made me giddy and happy. And over all? I wished there was more (a sequel, pretty please?). I will definitely keep my eyes out for more from this author in the future.

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, love, smiles, grinding of teeth, hope, grit, dust. Yes to all.

This has been on my shelf for ages (years) and then I saw the love Katerina one of my friends had for it and I read the first sentence. And then I was in, all in.

[SheReadsALot]

1. The title is divine. I want to high five the hell out of that title.

2. Mob criminals...and Aliens? WTF not? *shrugs*

3. And then a love triangle too? Love those.

4. Please see #1-3.

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

*stunned*
This story hit me the same way The Magpie Lord did. So original, with suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. The tension would be killing me, and I couldn't bear to read on, then something would happen that would make me laugh and my heart rate would settle back into a normal range. Funny, intense, and sexy. So many great scenes, from playing darts to the diner to the compound. So many great emotions, especially Misha's vulnerability with Riley. And so many great details, like McClane's claws when he got nervous. I loved it all.

Side note:
At one point, toward the end, I thought the author might throw in something that I did not want to happen. I was getting all anxious and upset, but it was all for naught. :)

[Christina]

3.5 Stars

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. Round up, round down. I'm not sure yet. How could I love something so much and hate it at the same time? Well, let me tell you. The characters and the plot get 5 stars, holes and all and there were many. But I still freakin loved it!!!! The non-stop action, the humor, and the freshness, it all kept me completely engrossed. I can ignore most of the holes, however some bugged me, like when Misha and his boys left General Young alive in the parking garage. No way would the mob do that. Yes, they needed him for cover but since he was out cold anyway why leave him alive as a liability? Plus, I had many eye-rolling moments by the stupid decisions made by the Military/Government. One was when they opened fire in a diner parking lot jam-packed with people, using heavy explosives, and of course there were no repercussions. The author tried to explain this by using the government’s strong-hold on the police and media but some things go too far to believe and this was one of them for me. Also, I could not believe that the government’s first instinct was to destroy the alien. Yes, they did rethink that decision and go with capture first but this was not their first choice. This seemed very strange to me. You really have to suspend disbelief with this book.

I could also ignore the OTT action scenes because it was fun to read. Again, suspending disbelief. It did flash me back to a ton of sci-fi/action movies, good and bad.

The worst part of the book and what I could not ignore was the multiple POV’s. Now, I don’t mean 3 or 4, I mean at least 6 or more. Some completely unnecessary. What was the point of hearing from Misha’s sister or even the doctor for that matter? We didn't need their back stories. We didn't need to hear from them at all! It was boring and for me deterred from the story. It broke up the tension. I didn't feel like it moved the story forward or brought anything to it.

The funny thing is, I really like all the side characters. Young was a great character and I especially liked Andrej and Koyla. Oh and I loved the dialogue. McClane is a witty little devil. They all had their own twist on humor and individuality. I had so many laugh out loud moments, I can’t even tell you. There was so much camaraderie and love in this book. Each relationship was special and you could feel how much these men cared for one another. Misha and Andrei, Misha and Riley, Riley and McClane, Anjrei and Koyla and of course JC. Each different and brought depth to the book.

GAH, there was so much good and so much that made me smile! It saddens me because this had all the potential to be a 5 star book but I just couldn't get past the POV changes :(

[Ami]

I really should listen when I had Jiminy Cricket in my ears whispering, "No Ami, this book is not for you, no matter how many people vouch for it" ... because it turned out to be true

I only able to make it to 20% when I decided that I gave up. Raised a white flag.

*) I don't like sci-fi. Period. Anything with the word "alien" makes me cynical. When I read the beginning of this book, from System Six's point of view, I ended up lost. All words became just words, without meaning, went through my brain. If you asked me what happened in those first chapters, I wouldn't able to tell you. I just didn't understand.

*) The multiple point-of-view didn't really bother me (but then again, I was only about 20%) but every time the chapter became 'technical or science-fiction-y, with the word humanoid or artificial something, my eyes glazed over, and my brain shut down

*) It made me felt detached to everything that happened, even if I was only 20%. You said there was humor and so many quotable sentence?? I had to trust you on that because none of them registered to me.

Everyone said how BRILLIANT and FRESH this is, but it's hard to agree with I looked at the words and it meant nothing. So yes, this is a case where it's MY issue not the book. For those who like something different, buddy reading, adventure, fresh, this book is good for you. As for me, I'm just following Jiminy Cricket from now on.

PS: Sorry I have to bail on our BR, Emma

PSS: Thanks for the book, Shel, sorry it's not working for me. But hey, a new material for our Split Decision section!

[Jyanx · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, but not great story. I thought it dragged in parts, especially the behind the scenes military stuff. I often found myself skimming the General's parts. Even though I really liked supporting characters, like Dr. Butler, it seemed like there were just too many changes between characters in the narration, and it kept me from being as engaged in the plot as I would have liked. The final action sequence was a bit too over the top, and left me feeling a bit cold. It had an interesting premise, but I think I would have liked more of Riley and Mclean, and a little less of everyone else. It would have felt like a much tighter, and better focused story to me.