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Charlie Parker #17
A Book of Bones
The new thrilling instalment of John Connolly's popular Charlie Parker series.
He is our best hope.
He is our last hope.
On lonely moor in the northeast of England, the body of a young woman is discovered near the site of a vanished church. In the south, a girl lies buried beneath a Saxon mound. To the southeast, the ruins of a priory hide a human skull.
Each is a sacrifice, a summons.
And something in the darkness has heard the call.
But another is coming: Parker the hunter, the avenger. From the forests of Maine to the deserts of the Mexican border, from the canals of Amsterdam to the streets of London, he will track those who would cast this world into darkness.
Parker fears no evil.
But evil fears him . . .
720 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2019
2047 people are currently reading
3366 people want to read
About the author
John Connolly
220 books7,931 followersJohn Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 710 reviews
December 17, 2019
3.5 stars
I finally finished this BEAST! It was a creepy, weird, long-winded, complex, and fragmented reading experience.
“The past was alive in the present, and the seeds of the present were lodged in the past.”
I am not even going to attempt to describe The Book of Bones. There are multiple plot lines, timelines, genres, and characters, all deeply connected to religious history. Events from the previous book result in Parker, with Louis and Angel in tow, traveling to London to stop Quayle from putting the final pages of the atlas together.
This is one of my all-time favorite series--I love Connolly’s writing, but I struggled to connect with this installment. At almost 700 pages in length, some parts felt superfluous. I didn’t feel like the plot really came together until I hit the 500-page mark. I was fascinated by Mors and Quayle and the history of the atlas, but could have done without the perspectives from the police--I was bored with their chapters. A good chunk of the storyline involved their investigation and these parts almost felt the police procedural. While the case was interesting, I didn’t really care much about the victims or the murderers. I wanted more Parker! I was waiting and waiting to get to the chapters from Parker’s POV. His presence was sparse, but his impact was deep.
I finally finished this BEAST! It was a creepy, weird, long-winded, complex, and fragmented reading experience.
“The past was alive in the present, and the seeds of the present were lodged in the past.”
I am not even going to attempt to describe The Book of Bones. There are multiple plot lines, timelines, genres, and characters, all deeply connected to religious history. Events from the previous book result in Parker, with Louis and Angel in tow, traveling to London to stop Quayle from putting the final pages of the atlas together.
This is one of my all-time favorite series--I love Connolly’s writing, but I struggled to connect with this installment. At almost 700 pages in length, some parts felt superfluous. I didn’t feel like the plot really came together until I hit the 500-page mark. I was fascinated by Mors and Quayle and the history of the atlas, but could have done without the perspectives from the police--I was bored with their chapters. A good chunk of the storyline involved their investigation and these parts almost felt the police procedural. While the case was interesting, I didn’t really care much about the victims or the murderers. I wanted more Parker! I was waiting and waiting to get to the chapters from Parker’s POV. His presence was sparse, but his impact was deep.
November 4, 2019
"This is what you must understand: the ground is polluted, befouled. We walk on blighted soil. It holds within it the record of blood spilled, of villages and towns that thrived once but exist no longer, of all who have lived and all who have died in those places. The Earth remembers"
You know that feeling when you anxiously wait for a book to come out. That anticipation, that excitement. I had that when I picked this up from the library. I have not read all the books in this series but once I got started, I have not missed. Connolly continues to be a beautiful writer who has the heart of a poet. He writes beautiful passages and created interesting characters.
Having said that, this book is my least favorite that I have read in this series. You can boo and hiss now. I know I am in the minority on this one, but I found it to be extremely slow in parts and I wanted to have more scenes with my favorite guys - Parker, Louis and Angel. I think I would have been happier if 100 pages had been edited out. Plus, I'll be honest, I wasn't so impressed with the ending. I thought "That's it?" Seriously, I thought he should have reached down her throat and pulled her intestines out her mouth...but hey, that's just me. Those who have read the book know who and what I am talking about.
The slowness coupled with the many, many characters in this brought it down a star for me. This was a hard one to rate because the parts I liked, I really liked. But the slow parts, I just couldn't get past them. The best parts of this book (and the series) apart from the wonderful writing, are the relationships, the gut wrenching pain of Parker and they way he expertly weaves plots and subplots, and the originality of this series.
So, this one didn't exactly set my soul on fire, but will I be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. You are damn right I will be. Because if Connolly keeps writing, I will keep reading.
You know that feeling when you anxiously wait for a book to come out. That anticipation, that excitement. I had that when I picked this up from the library. I have not read all the books in this series but once I got started, I have not missed. Connolly continues to be a beautiful writer who has the heart of a poet. He writes beautiful passages and created interesting characters.
Having said that, this book is my least favorite that I have read in this series. You can boo and hiss now. I know I am in the minority on this one, but I found it to be extremely slow in parts and I wanted to have more scenes with my favorite guys - Parker, Louis and Angel. I think I would have been happier if 100 pages had been edited out. Plus, I'll be honest, I wasn't so impressed with the ending. I thought "That's it?" Seriously, I thought he should have reached down her throat and pulled her intestines out her mouth...but hey, that's just me. Those who have read the book know who and what I am talking about.
The slowness coupled with the many, many characters in this brought it down a star for me. This was a hard one to rate because the parts I liked, I really liked. But the slow parts, I just couldn't get past them. The best parts of this book (and the series) apart from the wonderful writing, are the relationships, the gut wrenching pain of Parker and they way he expertly weaves plots and subplots, and the originality of this series.
So, this one didn't exactly set my soul on fire, but will I be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. You are damn right I will be. Because if Connolly keeps writing, I will keep reading.
June 25, 2019
“A Book of Bones” Written by John Connolly is book seventeen about the exploits of Charlie Parker, a ‘righter’ of wrongs, fighting for the better side of good and always battling against evil often with his protectors Angel and Louis.
This time out, Charlie is on the trail of the seemingly immortal lawyer Quayle and his deadly enforcer, good with a knife, ghastly Pallida Mors who smells of death and decay.
The story picks up shortly after the previous novel last year’s “The Woman in the Woods”. Quayle believing he had got hold of the complete version of a book of unspeakable evil called ‘The Fractured Atlas’, which would alter the world itself (not in a good way). Its pages had been scattered to prevent it from doing irreparable harm to humanity, but now it appears Quayle is closing in on his objective to open up a channel to other worlds of fearsome creatures and other gods. Now, Parker, Louis and Angel are on his trail.
“A Book of Bones”, being such a long book, has many new characters introduced. Among them are Sellars, the serial killer, in Northumberland, D.I Nicola Priestman and her team of detectives, including Beatles-loving Derek Hynes. Their exploits add elements of police procedural and thriller into the mix. Never fear, as its all good writing, I believe Mr. Connolly has stretched his muscles as he deftly fleshes out all their characteristics and motivations.
The book got me through some personal hard times. I had to take frequent pauses, yet I found the book to be exciting, mesmerizing and it never lets me go. One word of caution however, this is not the best place to begin reading the series, which started twenty years ago with “Every Dead Thing”, and as the series progresses, the books get better and better.
“A Book of Bones” is a more akin to a thriller and structurally very different from his previous novels which many consider ‘crime’ novels. In fact, within the novel, four short stories are cleverly embedded. These stories are described by Mr Connolly in an interview as “kind of short ghost stories”, although their importance to the novel and its plot is absolute.
Also, perhaps of interest, to those who are interested in knowing more about ‘The Fractured Atlas’ they should seek out a copy of “Night Music – Nocturnes Volume Two” (Published October 15th 2015 by Hodder & Stoughton) wherein will be found a 150-page novella called “The Fractured Atlas –Five Fragments”. Read a wonderful review from GR reviewer Char of that particular book here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This giant 707 page hardcover book is the UK edition and the official publishing date is 18 Apr 2019.
The book arrived with a book/tote bag displaying "Parker Private Investigations" and picturing an angel conquering a demon on one side and a human holding the skin sack of a vanquished opponent on the other. The bag is black print is white.
The book is signed by John Connolly.
Thank You to Brian and John.
This time out, Charlie is on the trail of the seemingly immortal lawyer Quayle and his deadly enforcer, good with a knife, ghastly Pallida Mors who smells of death and decay.
The story picks up shortly after the previous novel last year’s “The Woman in the Woods”. Quayle believing he had got hold of the complete version of a book of unspeakable evil called ‘The Fractured Atlas’, which would alter the world itself (not in a good way). Its pages had been scattered to prevent it from doing irreparable harm to humanity, but now it appears Quayle is closing in on his objective to open up a channel to other worlds of fearsome creatures and other gods. Now, Parker, Louis and Angel are on his trail.
“A Book of Bones”, being such a long book, has many new characters introduced. Among them are Sellars, the serial killer, in Northumberland, D.I Nicola Priestman and her team of detectives, including Beatles-loving Derek Hynes. Their exploits add elements of police procedural and thriller into the mix. Never fear, as its all good writing, I believe Mr. Connolly has stretched his muscles as he deftly fleshes out all their characteristics and motivations.
The book got me through some personal hard times. I had to take frequent pauses, yet I found the book to be exciting, mesmerizing and it never lets me go. One word of caution however, this is not the best place to begin reading the series, which started twenty years ago with “Every Dead Thing”, and as the series progresses, the books get better and better.
“A Book of Bones” is a more akin to a thriller and structurally very different from his previous novels which many consider ‘crime’ novels. In fact, within the novel, four short stories are cleverly embedded. These stories are described by Mr Connolly in an interview as “kind of short ghost stories”, although their importance to the novel and its plot is absolute.
Also, perhaps of interest, to those who are interested in knowing more about ‘The Fractured Atlas’ they should seek out a copy of “Night Music – Nocturnes Volume Two” (Published October 15th 2015 by Hodder & Stoughton) wherein will be found a 150-page novella called “The Fractured Atlas –Five Fragments”. Read a wonderful review from GR reviewer Char of that particular book here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This giant 707 page hardcover book is the UK edition and the official publishing date is 18 Apr 2019.
The book arrived with a book/tote bag displaying "Parker Private Investigations" and picturing an angel conquering a demon on one side and a human holding the skin sack of a vanquished opponent on the other. The bag is black print is white.
The book is signed by John Connolly.
Thank You to Brian and John.
April 17, 2019
A difficult book to review this, even if I hadn’t said pretty much every good word available in previous reviews of the series- because there is a kind of end game for a particular story arc here that I need to be careful not to spoil- whilst also getting across how utterly brilliant A Book Of Bones is. Because it is. Utterly brilliant.
A warning though. If you are not up to date, or indeed have not even started the Parker series, this is definitely not an entry level story. There are various books along the way that you could start or return to the journey with but A Book Of Bones is a culmination of sorts,as such the last few books are must reads.
If you are prepared then BE prepared. This is an epic tale, dark, realistically creepy and all kinds of emotional. The authors talent for freaking you out and engaging you deep down in the depths of the mind is on full power here, before you know it you’ll be sucked back in to that honeycomb world we Connolly fans know so well yet don’t know at all – where the familiar is off kilter and you never know where you’ll end up.
Fully committed within moments I read this fast, despite its tome like quality it felt like it went by in an instant.It threw me out the other side unrepentant in its addictive and traumatic quality and I loved every last moment. Even when I was tempted to hide in a cupboard.
As ever beautifully written, intelligently plotted and wonderfully complex, our very anti heroes get better with age and a treat for us British fans finds them very close to home.
Magnificent. That is all.
Highly Recommended.
A warning though. If you are not up to date, or indeed have not even started the Parker series, this is definitely not an entry level story. There are various books along the way that you could start or return to the journey with but A Book Of Bones is a culmination of sorts,as such the last few books are must reads.
If you are prepared then BE prepared. This is an epic tale, dark, realistically creepy and all kinds of emotional. The authors talent for freaking you out and engaging you deep down in the depths of the mind is on full power here, before you know it you’ll be sucked back in to that honeycomb world we Connolly fans know so well yet don’t know at all – where the familiar is off kilter and you never know where you’ll end up.
Fully committed within moments I read this fast, despite its tome like quality it felt like it went by in an instant.It threw me out the other side unrepentant in its addictive and traumatic quality and I loved every last moment. Even when I was tempted to hide in a cupboard.
As ever beautifully written, intelligently plotted and wonderfully complex, our very anti heroes get better with age and a treat for us British fans finds them very close to home.
Magnificent. That is all.
Highly Recommended.
October 27, 2024
In this 17th book in the 'Charlie Parker' series, the intrepid private investigator is chasing a long-time enemy, and trying to prevent Armageddon. The book can be read as a standalone but does refer back to earlier books in the series.
*****
Private investigator Charlie Parker suffered an almost insurmountable blow when his wife and young daughter were murdered years ago. Since then Parker has dealt with the perpetrator and gone on to fight evil in many forms, using his own supernatural abilities to good advantage.
Parker's most recent, and perhaps most dangerous, nemesis is a man who calls himself Quayle. Quayle, who's seemingly immortal, has a sinister cohort called Pallida Mors - an albino woman who stinks of decay. Together, Quayle and Mors are trying to reassemble an occult book called 'The Fractured Atlas', a magical tome that will bring on the apocalypse. Quayle and Mors have been torturing and killing people to locate the Atlas's missing pages, and have even arranged for unrelated murders to throw the police off their trail.
Parker, who's a consultant for the FBI, is on the trail of the evil duo with his colleagues Louis and Angel.
The hunt takes Parker from his home in Portland, Maine to Arizona, then on to Amsterdam and London - where Quayle is holed up in a secret enclave.
The story is very complicated. It's a police procedural combined with scenes of a bizarre religious sect called the Congregation of Adam Before Eve & Eve Before Adam; incitation of conflict between Muslims and right wingers; an occult church whose stained glass windows come to life; a questionable student-teacher relationship; captives imprisoned forever, with their eyes and lips sewn shut; an archaeological site in Hexhamshire, England that harbors demonic murderous plant roots; and more.
There's also a large cast of characters, including FBI agents; police detectives in Amsterdam and London; archaeologists; book collectors and sellers; murderers drawn into Quayle and Mors' schemes; female victims and their families; fictional historic figures; a farmer and his loyal dog; and so on.
The book has many vignettes of torture and violence, so consider yourself warned.
The story also has some light moments, like when Parker shows up in Arizona and his novice FBI handlers tell him their instructions are 'not to let him shoot anybody.' Parker's guides in Europe have the same instructions, enhanced by regulations that forbid foreigners to carry weapons. So it's pretty clear that Parker's reputation precedes him.🙂
I thought this 720 page book was overly complex, with too many characters and too many tangential scenes only vaguely related to the main narrative. Still the central story line is compelling, and readers who like supernatural mysteries - and John Connolly fans - would probably like the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
September 21, 2022
Dear John,
I wanted to read a book about Charlie. His buddies, Louis and Angel. His ghost-kid. Maybe something sort of supernatural. But this felt like an EXTRA!!! version of a Connolly book, the ridiculous kind, like a taco shell wrapped around another taco. (Have you been reading Anthony Horowitz? I would advise not doing that before you write your own book).
I was with you for the supernatural viewpoint when we left Charlie and friends and went back to England, and I tried to hang in there for our dual killer viewpoints, one . And I gritted my teeth and hung in there when we went back in time to the 17-somethings (I think?) and did the viewpoint of the poor wretch that got involved with the Atlas wayback when. It actually became kind of pertinent and I sort of (note the ambivalence) looked forward to seeing how you would loop that back into the plot. But when you then transformed it a police procedural on the English moors and I was still hanging around at 35% or so by my kindle's estimation--I gave up. Literally. The library sent an email saying, 'hey, we want our book back,' and I said, 'sure, no problem, here you go' without any regrets. No trying to lock it away in a trunk, hide it away in my basement, nothing. Just an immediate 'adios.'
And no nightmares resulted at all.
I'm told this one is pretty important and sort of brings together a lot of the wandering threads that were left around earlier editions, but I gotta say: not worth it to me. Sorry, friend.
I wanted to read a book about Charlie. His buddies, Louis and Angel. His ghost-kid. Maybe something sort of supernatural. But this felt like an EXTRA!!! version of a Connolly book, the ridiculous kind, like a taco shell wrapped around another taco. (Have you been reading Anthony Horowitz? I would advise not doing that before you write your own book).
I was with you for the supernatural viewpoint when we left Charlie and friends and went back to England, and I tried to hang in there for our dual killer viewpoints, one . And I gritted my teeth and hung in there when we went back in time to the 17-somethings (I think?) and did the viewpoint of the poor wretch that got involved with the Atlas wayback when. It actually became kind of pertinent and I sort of (note the ambivalence) looked forward to seeing how you would loop that back into the plot. But when you then transformed it a police procedural on the English moors and I was still hanging around at 35% or so by my kindle's estimation--I gave up. Literally. The library sent an email saying, 'hey, we want our book back,' and I said, 'sure, no problem, here you go' without any regrets. No trying to lock it away in a trunk, hide it away in my basement, nothing. Just an immediate 'adios.'
And no nightmares resulted at all.
I'm told this one is pretty important and sort of brings together a lot of the wandering threads that were left around earlier editions, but I gotta say: not worth it to me. Sorry, friend.
October 2, 2019
One of my favourite authors writing about one of my favourite book characters! What could possibly go wrong? Answer - nothing of course. The seventeenth book in the series is every bit as good as it could be.
Unusually this book takes place mostly in England and includes a lot of interesting historical fact as background for the story. A police investigation also runs parallel to the main story giving the reader more of an insight into what is happening. This sadly takes a tragic turn with an unexpected death. Mind you there are many, many deaths! This is John Connolly we are talking about after all.
As usual the book is dark, creepy and involves the supernatural. Charlie's daughters, Sam and Jennifer, play a small but vital role and Louis and Angel are featured prominently. I am pretty sure one of the reasons I love this series so much is that I am so involved with Charlie, his family (both alive and dead) and his friends.
During the course of 17 books Charlie Parker has grown into a real force to be reckoned with. In A Book of Bones he is totally unperturbed by the supernatural, disposes of demons with one small action and has Jennifer at his back with information from the other side.
This was a totally unputdownable 694 pages of pure unadulterated pleasure. Thank you Mr. Connolly.
Unusually this book takes place mostly in England and includes a lot of interesting historical fact as background for the story. A police investigation also runs parallel to the main story giving the reader more of an insight into what is happening. This sadly takes a tragic turn with an unexpected death. Mind you there are many, many deaths! This is John Connolly we are talking about after all.
As usual the book is dark, creepy and involves the supernatural. Charlie's daughters, Sam and Jennifer, play a small but vital role and Louis and Angel are featured prominently. I am pretty sure one of the reasons I love this series so much is that I am so involved with Charlie, his family (both alive and dead) and his friends.
During the course of 17 books Charlie Parker has grown into a real force to be reckoned with. In A Book of Bones he is totally unperturbed by the supernatural, disposes of demons with one small action and has Jennifer at his back with information from the other side.
This was a totally unputdownable 694 pages of pure unadulterated pleasure. Thank you Mr. Connolly.
November 6, 2019
The panels of stained glass in an ancient church provide a murderous mosaic for this tale of old gods and old blood. A face hidden in the foliage of an ivied wall, dead limbs, and creeping roots that snake their way through an ancient land, feeding on a remembered evil. Shudder at the contents of a 900 year old yew tree, and shrink from the ones whose esoteric tastes and proclivities make themselves known. I will never look at stained glass the same way again.
In my opinion, this installment in the Charlie Parker series suffered from a dearth of Charlie Parker, as well as of Louis and Angel. I bow in respect to the amount of research that went into the novel, but it became almost too dense, and my interest waned accordingly. It took me forever to read it. No matter, I remain a John Connolly fan through and through.
In my opinion, this installment in the Charlie Parker series suffered from a dearth of Charlie Parker, as well as of Louis and Angel. I bow in respect to the amount of research that went into the novel, but it became almost too dense, and my interest waned accordingly. It took me forever to read it. No matter, I remain a John Connolly fan through and through.
April 14, 2019
Even though this offering is just as well written as the rest, atmospheric and macabre, the paucity of time spent with Parker et al means that it just doesn't hit the spot. They're still essential to the plot but are largely absent from it, giving the book the feel of one of those tv crossover episodes in which new detectives about to get their own series are given authority by their interaction with old favourites. Without the focus on the characters we know and love, most of the heart, humour, and allure is lost. Connolly's preference for adding depth via short, sharp vignettes from all kinds of alternative POVs is exacerbated to a dull degree, lost to tangents and his own cleverness. It's all interesting enough, but it drags on.
Anyone who has got this far will probably keep reading until the end of time, but its instalments like this that make me wonder whether the author really has that much more to say.
ARC via Netgalley
Anyone who has got this far will probably keep reading until the end of time, but its instalments like this that make me wonder whether the author really has that much more to say.
ARC via Netgalley
June 29, 2023
A little too long and the ending felt rushed.
I still enjoyed the plot and characters. Speaking about characters, John Connolly writes evil ones so well. He needs to win an award for it!
I love this series and can’t wait to continue!
I still enjoyed the plot and characters. Speaking about characters, John Connolly writes evil ones so well. He needs to win an award for it!
I love this series and can’t wait to continue!
December 27, 2021
Una novela muy entretenida, con una trama compleja que en parte se inició en la novela anterior y que en esta tiene su desenlace.
Buena ambientación, esta vez en Ámsterdam y Londres, y personajes bien trabajados, con un protagonista más maduro y asentado.
Buena ambientación, esta vez en Ámsterdam y Londres, y personajes bien trabajados, con un protagonista más maduro y asentado.
February 26, 2020
My expectations were much higher than this novel delivers. 2 of 10 stars
April 4, 2021
Charlie Parker books are reliably well-written and so entertaining.
April 29, 2019
(No spoilers.)
"Butter scraped over too much bread".
That's the line that springs to mind when reading this, the latest Charlie Parker book. Having read all the other books in this series, I now feel that it has run its course; ran out of steam quite a while back actually, now that I reflect on it. What you've got here is a book 'going through the motions'. A series which rightly focused heavily on Charlie Parker (and his much loved friends) early on, now does little more than sprinkle their names in at opportune times, to maintain appearances and earn the "Charlie Parker series" title on the cover. If you've ever read the Sean Dillon series by Jack Higgins, you'll know what I mean. Most of the chapters in this book are from the viewpoint of the villains, with quite a few chapters from the viewpoint of minor characters. These minor characters offer little or nothing in the way of overall plot, and instead seem to be there purely as filler. Take out these chapters and the book's tedious (very, very tedious) length could have been halved. The characters of Parker and friends occupy very little of the book; there were times I'd even forgotten they were in it at all, so mired was I in the irrelevant details of these other "bit" characters.
Far too many, and no need at all for them.
Another point that annoyed me was the overall sense of cruelty and depression in this book. None of the Parker books are light-hearted, they're not meant to be. I get that. It's undeniable however, that these books have become progressively more nasty and unsettling as they go on, and while I'm not averse to baddies being baddies, there's so much overkill when it comes to the nasty stuff that I found myself weary to the point of exhaustion by the time I was finished. If it added to the story in some way, or had a point to make, then perhaps it wouldn't have bugged me so much, but there's only so much cruelty and deaths-for-the-sake-of-deaths that you can take before getting pissed off. For example, and without spoilers, there are many characters in this book which take up a lot of their own chapters and end up getting the chop for no apparent reason other than they were rendered useless by the end stages of the book, and had to be dealt with. Why write wonderfully fleshed out characters only to bump them off? It's stupid and annoying, making the reader invest when they shouldn't have wasted their time. See? MORE filler. The hardcover version of this book is listed at 720 pages, and now you're beginning to see why.
Moving on to plot.
Most of the Parker books have a good plot, or so I used to think, but this one spent many hundreds of pages going absolutely nowhere. Showdowns that were long expected turned out to be disappointing and pretty irrelevant, and the incredulity caused by Parker & Co. just showing up in the right place at the right time, when they'd spent most of the book playing catch-up, just ruined my immersion further. It seems that in the last few books, Parker always manages to sail in and save the day, even though he's been behind the scenes for most of the plot, barely able to string the facts together. Perhaps I'm missing something, but the story in this book is so overly complicated that I pretty much coasted along through it all, hoping it would all make sense at the end. It really didn't anyway.
Things have become so convoluted from the original stories that there's just no way to untangle the mess anymore, and I miss the "simplicity" of the earlier novels, which were much more character focused and less.... well, plot-in-a-blender.
Summing up. What you're left with now is a series that reached in zenith years ago and is being dragged out and milked for all it's worth, again likening it to other similar series which should have been retired long ago. The sparkling characters are gone, replaced with robotic clones. The simple but gothically gripping plots are gone, replaced with confusing and overly complicated yarns that meander for miles and yet end up nowhere. Miles and miles of words polished over a long career of writing, yet contributing nothing of substance.
It's a shame, a damn shame, but I'm now officially done with this series of books.
"Butter scraped over too much bread".
That's the line that springs to mind when reading this, the latest Charlie Parker book. Having read all the other books in this series, I now feel that it has run its course; ran out of steam quite a while back actually, now that I reflect on it. What you've got here is a book 'going through the motions'. A series which rightly focused heavily on Charlie Parker (and his much loved friends) early on, now does little more than sprinkle their names in at opportune times, to maintain appearances and earn the "Charlie Parker series" title on the cover. If you've ever read the Sean Dillon series by Jack Higgins, you'll know what I mean. Most of the chapters in this book are from the viewpoint of the villains, with quite a few chapters from the viewpoint of minor characters. These minor characters offer little or nothing in the way of overall plot, and instead seem to be there purely as filler. Take out these chapters and the book's tedious (very, very tedious) length could have been halved. The characters of Parker and friends occupy very little of the book; there were times I'd even forgotten they were in it at all, so mired was I in the irrelevant details of these other "bit" characters.
Far too many, and no need at all for them.
Another point that annoyed me was the overall sense of cruelty and depression in this book. None of the Parker books are light-hearted, they're not meant to be. I get that. It's undeniable however, that these books have become progressively more nasty and unsettling as they go on, and while I'm not averse to baddies being baddies, there's so much overkill when it comes to the nasty stuff that I found myself weary to the point of exhaustion by the time I was finished. If it added to the story in some way, or had a point to make, then perhaps it wouldn't have bugged me so much, but there's only so much cruelty and deaths-for-the-sake-of-deaths that you can take before getting pissed off. For example, and without spoilers, there are many characters in this book which take up a lot of their own chapters and end up getting the chop for no apparent reason other than they were rendered useless by the end stages of the book, and had to be dealt with. Why write wonderfully fleshed out characters only to bump them off? It's stupid and annoying, making the reader invest when they shouldn't have wasted their time. See? MORE filler. The hardcover version of this book is listed at 720 pages, and now you're beginning to see why.
Moving on to plot.
Most of the Parker books have a good plot, or so I used to think, but this one spent many hundreds of pages going absolutely nowhere. Showdowns that were long expected turned out to be disappointing and pretty irrelevant, and the incredulity caused by Parker & Co. just showing up in the right place at the right time, when they'd spent most of the book playing catch-up, just ruined my immersion further. It seems that in the last few books, Parker always manages to sail in and save the day, even though he's been behind the scenes for most of the plot, barely able to string the facts together. Perhaps I'm missing something, but the story in this book is so overly complicated that I pretty much coasted along through it all, hoping it would all make sense at the end. It really didn't anyway.
Things have become so convoluted from the original stories that there's just no way to untangle the mess anymore, and I miss the "simplicity" of the earlier novels, which were much more character focused and less.... well, plot-in-a-blender.
Summing up. What you're left with now is a series that reached in zenith years ago and is being dragged out and milked for all it's worth, again likening it to other similar series which should have been retired long ago. The sparkling characters are gone, replaced with robotic clones. The simple but gothically gripping plots are gone, replaced with confusing and overly complicated yarns that meander for miles and yet end up nowhere. Miles and miles of words polished over a long career of writing, yet contributing nothing of substance.
It's a shame, a damn shame, but I'm now officially done with this series of books.
August 2, 2020
This world, Quayle said, would continue almost exactly as before, except for those who understood where, and how, to look. They would see shadows where no shadows should be, and forms shifting at the periphery of their vision. As for the rest, they would watch the rise of intolerance, and the subjugation of the weak by the powerful. They would witness inequality, despotism, and environmental ruination. They would be told by the ignorant and self-interested that this was in the natural order of things.
But in their hearts they would know better, and feel afraid.
That awkward moment when you realise you're living in the darkest timeline, and John Connolly might be writing it...
That aside though, this is a monster of a book. For a series that averages roughly 500 pages a book, this one clocks in at 700 or so (going by Kindle edition numbers, as there seems to be variation between editions). And as much as I love this series and this author, it certainly felt like a marathon this time.
Part of it, no doubt, is that unlike most of the rest of the series, you're definitely going to want context for this. There's enough here that you could read it without, but the culmination of storylines set in motion of 16 other books, be it minor contributions or large, is certainly something to experience. There's a number of threads to follow even just in this book, with most of it taking place in the UK, from London to Hexhamshire in the North-East (I confess to being ridiculously excited that the very small patch of land I grew up in was featured in this book). And despite this being the climax moment - at least for the vast majority of dangling threads from the series - I was surprised to find that Parker was so infrequently the focus.
But despite what sets it apart from the rest of the series, there is enough to this story to keep it in place as a strong entry, even if I wouldn't count it the strongest. John Connolly's more than earned some leeway by now.
But in their hearts they would know better, and feel afraid.
That awkward moment when you realise you're living in the darkest timeline, and John Connolly might be writing it...
That aside though, this is a monster of a book. For a series that averages roughly 500 pages a book, this one clocks in at 700 or so (going by Kindle edition numbers, as there seems to be variation between editions). And as much as I love this series and this author, it certainly felt like a marathon this time.
Part of it, no doubt, is that unlike most of the rest of the series, you're definitely going to want context for this. There's enough here that you could read it without, but the culmination of storylines set in motion of 16 other books, be it minor contributions or large, is certainly something to experience. There's a number of threads to follow even just in this book, with most of it taking place in the UK, from London to Hexhamshire in the North-East (I confess to being ridiculously excited that the very small patch of land I grew up in was featured in this book). And despite this being the climax moment - at least for the vast majority of dangling threads from the series - I was surprised to find that Parker was so infrequently the focus.
But despite what sets it apart from the rest of the series, there is enough to this story to keep it in place as a strong entry, even if I wouldn't count it the strongest. John Connolly's more than earned some leeway by now.
April 19, 2019
Many people who read the first books in the Charlie Parker series wrongly assume that by the seventeenth instalment it would be seriously floundering and quickly running out of steam, but I feel strongly that it just keeps getting better and better. It's a difficult one to review without giving too much away, so I'm going to keep it short. This is an intense story in which violence, the supernatural and dangerous characters collide in spectacular fashion. There's never a dull moment with nonstop action and plenty of surprises this tomb of a novel passed quickly, much too quickly. I just couldn't get enough.
As A Book of Bones is the culmination of different plot strands from previous episodes it's pretty much essential to have read the preceding novels to get the gist of things. This is deliciously dark, depraved and intense and is certainly not for the faint of heart. Connolly masterfully crafts a world that is creepy, chilling and oppressive in its claustrophobic nature and there is plenty of unexpected emotion involved too. Exceptionally well written and perfectly paced this is a complex, multifaceted thriller which for crime aficionados is unmissable.
Like a fine wine this series just keeps on getting better. I'm already pining for the next gripping instalment. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.
As A Book of Bones is the culmination of different plot strands from previous episodes it's pretty much essential to have read the preceding novels to get the gist of things. This is deliciously dark, depraved and intense and is certainly not for the faint of heart. Connolly masterfully crafts a world that is creepy, chilling and oppressive in its claustrophobic nature and there is plenty of unexpected emotion involved too. Exceptionally well written and perfectly paced this is a complex, multifaceted thriller which for crime aficionados is unmissable.
Like a fine wine this series just keeps on getting better. I'm already pining for the next gripping instalment. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.
May 26, 2020
Still on the trail of the super creepy Mors, as well as the seemingly ageless Quayle, Charlie Parker and John Connolly never seem to give us a break!
Quayle is still trying to put together the Fractured Atlas, and Parker is still trying to prevent it. In this volume, Parker, with his pals Angel and Louis, head off to London along with a book expert to try to figure out where Quayle will strike next. We have creepy churches, stained glass windows, (or what appear to be windows), the Green Man, some moors and so much more. We also have appearances from Charlie's daughters, both alive and dead.
This was a long book and it could have been 500 pages longer and it still wouldn't bother me. I never, ever get bored with Connolly's prose or Charlie's thoughts. At this point in the series, I'm expecting things to wrap up, while at the same time, dreading it. I'm hoping that perhaps the series will continue with Charlie's offspring? This is all speculation on my part, but any time now, I'm expecting one or more of these fictional characters I love to die. I'm not sure if my heart can take it, because I've been friends with them for so long.
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, because I can't imagine my life without looking forward to the next Charlie Parker book!
My highest recommendation!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2XqVL4k
*I received an e-ARC of this book through Atria/Emily Bestler Books via NetGalley, but I was approved so late, (I didn't think I'd get approved at all at that point), I bought the hardcover!
Either way, this is my honest opinion. READ THE BOOK!*
Quayle is still trying to put together the Fractured Atlas, and Parker is still trying to prevent it. In this volume, Parker, with his pals Angel and Louis, head off to London along with a book expert to try to figure out where Quayle will strike next. We have creepy churches, stained glass windows, (or what appear to be windows), the Green Man, some moors and so much more. We also have appearances from Charlie's daughters, both alive and dead.
This was a long book and it could have been 500 pages longer and it still wouldn't bother me. I never, ever get bored with Connolly's prose or Charlie's thoughts. At this point in the series, I'm expecting things to wrap up, while at the same time, dreading it. I'm hoping that perhaps the series will continue with Charlie's offspring? This is all speculation on my part, but any time now, I'm expecting one or more of these fictional characters I love to die. I'm not sure if my heart can take it, because I've been friends with them for so long.
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, because I can't imagine my life without looking forward to the next Charlie Parker book!
My highest recommendation!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2XqVL4k
*I received an e-ARC of this book through Atria/Emily Bestler Books via NetGalley, but I was approved so late, (I didn't think I'd get approved at all at that point), I bought the hardcover!
Either way, this is my honest opinion. READ THE BOOK!*
September 5, 2025
Очаквах с голям интерес развитието на историята, но за съжаление, намирам тази част за най-слаба в поредицата за Чарли Паркър към момента.
Многото повторения от предишните книги от серията, немощната интрига, както и пореден лош превод на български свалят нивото значително...
Струва ми се, че Конъли е бил притиснат както от издателски срокове, така и от сериозна творческа криза - "Книга на костите" ми стоеше едва скърпена, разпиляна и на моменти скучна, създадена единствено май за да се отбие номера.
Моята оценка - слаб 2*... :(
Многото повторения от предишните книги от серията, немощната интрига, както и пореден лош превод на български свалят нивото значително...
Струва ми се, че Конъли е бил притиснат както от издателски срокове, така и от сериозна творческа криза - "Книга на костите" ми стоеше едва скърпена, разпиляна и на моменти скучна, създадена единствено май за да се отбие номера.
Моята оценка - слаб 2*... :(
April 15, 2020
Εδώ και πολύ καιρό, ο Κόνολι ανήκει στη λίστα με τους αγαπημένους μου συγγραφείς. Η σειρά με τον Τσάρλι Πάρκερ είναι κάτι το μοναδικό στον χώρο και συνεχίζει με σπασμένα τα φρένα, παρά τα 17 βιβλία της.
Δεν θα μπω σε λεπτομέρειες γύρω από το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο. Ακολουθώντας πιστά τη σειρά, πλέον μου είναι πολύ δύσκολο να ξεχωρίσω τι ακριβώς είναι σπόιλερ και τι όχι. Το βέβαιο είναι ότι ''το βιβλίο των οστών'' βάζει πολλά πράγματα στη θέση τους, ενώ έχει και μια κλιμάκωση που με κάνει να πιστέυω ότι οδεύουμε πια προς το γενικότερο τέλος . Επίσης, αν κάτι είναι βέβαιο, είναι πως ο Κόνολι σε αυτό το βιβλίο έχει αναπτύξει εντελώς εντυπωσιακά την πλοκή, ενώ και η λογοτεχνική γλώσσα που χρησιμοποιεί είναι πραγματικά απόλαυση.
Τα τέσσερα αστεράκια (αντί για πέντε) έχουν να κάνουν μόνο με την ''προσωπική κλίμακα Πάρκερ'', τα βάζω δηλαδή συγκριτικά μόνο με προηγούμενα βιβλία. Από το συγκεκριμένο έκοψα ένα αστεράκι κυρίως επειδή με δυσκόλευε ενίοτε λιγάκι λόγω της πολυπλοκότητάς του. Κάπου πάθαινα ένα μπλακάουτ και με τα ονόματα. Μπορεί να έφταιγα και εγώ μιας και αυτές τις μέρες η συγκέντρωση όλων μας δεν είναι στο 100%. Οι φίλοι πάντως της σειράς μπορούν να επενδύσουν άφοβα επάνω στο βιβλίο. Όσο για τους πιθανούς νέους αναγνώστες θα τους πρότεινα να ξεκινήσουν από το ''Κάθε νεκρό πράγμα''. Είναι κρίμα να χάσουν το ολοκληρωμένο ταξίδι στον κόσμο του Πάρκερ.
Δεν θα μπω σε λεπτομέρειες γύρω από το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο. Ακολουθώντας πιστά τη σειρά, πλέον μου είναι πολύ δύσκολο να ξεχωρίσω τι ακριβώς είναι σπόιλερ και τι όχι. Το βέβαιο είναι ότι ''το βιβλίο των οστών'' βάζει πολλά πράγματα στη θέση τους, ενώ έχει και μια κλιμάκωση που με κάνει να πιστέυω ότι οδεύουμε πια προς το γενικότερο τέλος . Επίσης, αν κάτι είναι βέβαιο, είναι πως ο Κόνολι σε αυτό το βιβλίο έχει αναπτύξει εντελώς εντυπωσιακά την πλοκή, ενώ και η λογοτεχνική γλώσσα που χρησιμοποιεί είναι πραγματικά απόλαυση.
Τα τέσσερα αστεράκια (αντί για πέντε) έχουν να κάνουν μόνο με την ''προσωπική κλίμακα Πάρκερ'', τα βάζω δηλαδή συγκριτικά μόνο με προηγούμενα βιβλία. Από το συγκεκριμένο έκοψα ένα αστεράκι κυρίως επειδή με δυσκόλευε ενίοτε λιγάκι λόγω της πολυπλοκότητάς του. Κάπου πάθαινα ένα μπλακάουτ και με τα ονόματα. Μπορεί να έφταιγα και εγώ μιας και αυτές τις μέρες η συγκέντρωση όλων μας δεν είναι στο 100%. Οι φίλοι πάντως της σειράς μπορούν να επενδύσουν άφοβα επάνω στο βιβλίο. Όσο για τους πιθανούς νέους αναγνώστες θα τους πρότεινα να ξεκινήσουν από το ''Κάθε νεκρό πράγμα''. Είναι κρίμα να χάσουν το ολοκληρωμένο ταξίδι στον κόσμο του Πάρκερ.
May 14, 2020
Απαιτητικό,πολυεπίπεδο,πολύς κόσμος,πολλοί κόσμοι,πολλά πράγματα που ειπώθηκαν με εξαιρετική ανάλυση,και ακόμη περισσότερα που ήθελαν να ειπωθούν,αλλά έμειναν κρυμμένα-για το επόμενο ίσως.
Υπέροχη,ώριμη γραφή,φορτωμένη συναισθήματα,κυρίως πόνο.Αφόρητο.
5⭐
Υπέροχη,ώριμη γραφή,φορτωμένη συναισθήματα,κυρίως πόνο.Αφόρητο.
5⭐
June 20, 2025
Despite what the title says, John Connolly’s newest Charlie Parker detective novel, A Book of Bones, contains zero bones. Seriously. This baby doesn’t even contain an insignificant little phalange or metatarsal, let alone something cool like a skull. To be honest, it’s a little disappointing. So if you are an intrepid paleontologist seeking Stegosaurus remains, a 5th year med student specializing in orthopedic medicine, or just a particularly friendly German Shepard in search of a little something to bury in the back yard, you going to be disappointed. If however your expectations lie more along the lines of a riveting and extremely well-written thriller, you might just be pleasantly surprised.
In this newest installment Parker and his crew head across the pond to England, tracking the villains from the previous book in this series – Quale and his lethal assistant Mors. These two are looking to bring on the end of times using the occult book called the Atlas. In typical Connolly fashion, A Book of Bones contains tense suspense ratcheted up to a heart-stopping degree; historical background on many different environments and locales; a fantastic cast of characters; propelling dialogue; various femurs, scapulas, and ribs; and an all-too-brief (and somewhat unsatisfactory) third act. OK, the part about the femurs, scapulas, and ribs were a test. Let me state again: there are NO bones in A Book of Bones.
Overall this is yet another fine addition to a fantastic series. But be warned. If you are in fact looking for actual bones you will not find them in A Book of Bones. My recommendation on this front would be to just step up and get you bones through grave robbing like the rest of us.
In this newest installment Parker and his crew head across the pond to England, tracking the villains from the previous book in this series – Quale and his lethal assistant Mors. These two are looking to bring on the end of times using the occult book called the Atlas. In typical Connolly fashion, A Book of Bones contains tense suspense ratcheted up to a heart-stopping degree; historical background on many different environments and locales; a fantastic cast of characters; propelling dialogue; various femurs, scapulas, and ribs; and an all-too-brief (and somewhat unsatisfactory) third act. OK, the part about the femurs, scapulas, and ribs were a test. Let me state again: there are NO bones in A Book of Bones.
Overall this is yet another fine addition to a fantastic series. But be warned. If you are in fact looking for actual bones you will not find them in A Book of Bones. My recommendation on this front would be to just step up and get you bones through grave robbing like the rest of us.
May 24, 2019
Following the events of the previous novel, The Woman in the Woods, Detective Charlie Parker alongside his friends Louis and Angel travel to Europe to track down a pair of killers and stop them before they can complete and use a book that could bring about the end of the world as we know it - The Fractured Atlas.
A Book of Bones is meant to be the finale to an arc that began with the twelfth novel in the series, The Wolf in Winter. In The Wolf in Winter, Parker comes into contact with The Familiasts, a religious group that fled England centuries ago by traveling to America and founding Prosperous, a village in rural Maine. In the four books that would follow, Parker would nearly lose his life in an attempt to bring down a vast network of those who seek to procure a book that could bring about hell on Earth.
This book sees Parker and company travel the globe as they hunt Quayle and Mors, the aforementioned devious duo, that sees our protagonist hit Arizona, Texas, Amsterdam and England. This is a pretty big change for the series which mostly kept our heroes inside the United States - most notably Maine. In an interview to promote the book, Connolly said by placing the action in Europe, he was able to explore a much deeper and far richer history than he would be able to do in the US.
Therefore, due to an emphasis placed on exploring religious folklore, A Book of Bones is one large book, coming in at a hefty 720 pages. Not only are we following Parker, Louis and Angel, we periodically check in with a handful of English cops investigating the murder of a young woman linked to those looking to finally complete the Atlas as well as a couple of cold-hearted killers contracted by Quayle to leave bodies lying. Connolly also takes ample time to explore Quayle’s very long and very detailed history throughout his century-long quest to get his hands on the completed Atlas. So, as you can see, the plot is both intricate as well as sprawling in its nature.
The consequence of presenting the story in this manner is that we spend a limited amount of time with Parker. As much as I enjoyed the new characters introduced into the “Parker-verse”, I was craving more of Charlie’s brash behaviour and witty remarks. That being said, Parker, Louis and Angel are beginning to show signs of age. All three men have ventured into their fifties and having a difficult time with their evolving limitations. While I’m not advocating that they all be shipped off to retirement homes - fifty isn’t exactly old (it's the new forty, right?) - but for those in their line of work, they’re certainly no spring chickens. While Parker is just as determined and stubborn as ever, he has two decades of wear and tear that is finally beginning to catch up with him, same goes for Louis, who suffered significant damage in The Woman in the Woods that a younger version of himself would have never permitted. As for Angel, he’s battling cancer, so he’s not exactly on the top of his game either. It’s a stark reminder that Connolly made the decision to have them age in real-time. Probably best to have them share some of the pages with others.
Following the book’s conclusion, Connolly pens a brief afterword looking back at Every Dead Thing, the first novel in the Charlie Parker series. I thought it was entertaining and enjoyed hearing a bit of the history surrounding his struggle to get the novel published as well as his writing process.
A Book of Bones finishes up present-day Charlie Parker for now as we’ll see Connolly travel back to a period shortly after the first novel but prior to Dark Hollow (the second novel) for a new story next year. Connolly said there will be no supernatural elements in this one, so I’m intrigued to see Parker go back to his roots.
A strong entry into the Parker saga - now seventeen novels deep - A Book of Bones helps to further solidify Connolly as a writer at the top of his game producing one of the best long-running series around.
A Book of Bones is meant to be the finale to an arc that began with the twelfth novel in the series, The Wolf in Winter. In The Wolf in Winter, Parker comes into contact with The Familiasts, a religious group that fled England centuries ago by traveling to America and founding Prosperous, a village in rural Maine. In the four books that would follow, Parker would nearly lose his life in an attempt to bring down a vast network of those who seek to procure a book that could bring about hell on Earth.
This book sees Parker and company travel the globe as they hunt Quayle and Mors, the aforementioned devious duo, that sees our protagonist hit Arizona, Texas, Amsterdam and England. This is a pretty big change for the series which mostly kept our heroes inside the United States - most notably Maine. In an interview to promote the book, Connolly said by placing the action in Europe, he was able to explore a much deeper and far richer history than he would be able to do in the US.
Therefore, due to an emphasis placed on exploring religious folklore, A Book of Bones is one large book, coming in at a hefty 720 pages. Not only are we following Parker, Louis and Angel, we periodically check in with a handful of English cops investigating the murder of a young woman linked to those looking to finally complete the Atlas as well as a couple of cold-hearted killers contracted by Quayle to leave bodies lying. Connolly also takes ample time to explore Quayle’s very long and very detailed history throughout his century-long quest to get his hands on the completed Atlas. So, as you can see, the plot is both intricate as well as sprawling in its nature.
The consequence of presenting the story in this manner is that we spend a limited amount of time with Parker. As much as I enjoyed the new characters introduced into the “Parker-verse”, I was craving more of Charlie’s brash behaviour and witty remarks. That being said, Parker, Louis and Angel are beginning to show signs of age. All three men have ventured into their fifties and having a difficult time with their evolving limitations. While I’m not advocating that they all be shipped off to retirement homes - fifty isn’t exactly old (it's the new forty, right?) - but for those in their line of work, they’re certainly no spring chickens. While Parker is just as determined and stubborn as ever, he has two decades of wear and tear that is finally beginning to catch up with him, same goes for Louis, who suffered significant damage in The Woman in the Woods that a younger version of himself would have never permitted. As for Angel, he’s battling cancer, so he’s not exactly on the top of his game either. It’s a stark reminder that Connolly made the decision to have them age in real-time. Probably best to have them share some of the pages with others.
Following the book’s conclusion, Connolly pens a brief afterword looking back at Every Dead Thing, the first novel in the Charlie Parker series. I thought it was entertaining and enjoyed hearing a bit of the history surrounding his struggle to get the novel published as well as his writing process.
A Book of Bones finishes up present-day Charlie Parker for now as we’ll see Connolly travel back to a period shortly after the first novel but prior to Dark Hollow (the second novel) for a new story next year. Connolly said there will be no supernatural elements in this one, so I’m intrigued to see Parker go back to his roots.
A strong entry into the Parker saga - now seventeen novels deep - A Book of Bones helps to further solidify Connolly as a writer at the top of his game producing one of the best long-running series around.
August 6, 2019
I was so annoyed at the final two lines of this book that, had it not been a Kindle version on my tablet, I would have thrown it across the room. I suppose, in hindsight, it was two lines that have been lurking in the shadows for quite some time now.
It is also two lines that puts into perspective John Connolly’s comments in the media that #18, entitled The Dirty South (due in 2020), will actually return to the events of the book that started it all, Every Dead Thing.
According to the US Amazon website, the hardcover is 688 pages, while the Kindle version is 480. Goodreads lists the latter as 720 pages, which is just 16 pages shy of Fire and Blood, which is clearly impossible. Nobody writes at such tortuous length as George R.R. Martin.
And yet Connolly has done a pretty good job of it. Much of #17 delves into the history of a certain church in England, and the web of murder, deceit, and supernatural shenanigans linking it to a certain place in Maine in the US. (At excruciating length and back story. Connolly says he was inspired by nineteenth-century novels like those by Dickens.)
This points to a major disadvantage of this 20-year-old series to date: It is one a reader can, under no circumstances, dip into casually, and then go back to earlier books to make sense of it. You simply have to read it in sequence.
This is because, at this late stage of the game, Connolly’s mythology has become so baroque and Byzantine that it seems near impenetrable to even an avid fan of the series. The Fractured Atlas seems like something straight from a Clive Barker novel like Weaveworld.
Exactly how this book was meant to bring about the apocalypse is referred to only obliquely. That is probably because the true villains of the piece are yet to be revealed. Yup; 17 books later, and we’re not really that much closer to the dark heart of the Backers.
This is a much tighter book than many of the Parker novels to date, being a rather seamless continuation of The Woman in the Woods. The change of location to England is managed well, with Connolly, as usual, a master of place and mood. Unfortunately, the narrative is stretched a bit too thin for the actual length, which bizarrely makes the ending appear rushed and contrived.
Except for those final two lines.
It is also two lines that puts into perspective John Connolly’s comments in the media that #18, entitled The Dirty South (due in 2020), will actually return to the events of the book that started it all, Every Dead Thing.
According to the US Amazon website, the hardcover is 688 pages, while the Kindle version is 480. Goodreads lists the latter as 720 pages, which is just 16 pages shy of Fire and Blood, which is clearly impossible. Nobody writes at such tortuous length as George R.R. Martin.
And yet Connolly has done a pretty good job of it. Much of #17 delves into the history of a certain church in England, and the web of murder, deceit, and supernatural shenanigans linking it to a certain place in Maine in the US. (At excruciating length and back story. Connolly says he was inspired by nineteenth-century novels like those by Dickens.)
This points to a major disadvantage of this 20-year-old series to date: It is one a reader can, under no circumstances, dip into casually, and then go back to earlier books to make sense of it. You simply have to read it in sequence.
This is because, at this late stage of the game, Connolly’s mythology has become so baroque and Byzantine that it seems near impenetrable to even an avid fan of the series. The Fractured Atlas seems like something straight from a Clive Barker novel like Weaveworld.
Exactly how this book was meant to bring about the apocalypse is referred to only obliquely. That is probably because the true villains of the piece are yet to be revealed. Yup; 17 books later, and we’re not really that much closer to the dark heart of the Backers.
This is a much tighter book than many of the Parker novels to date, being a rather seamless continuation of The Woman in the Woods. The change of location to England is managed well, with Connolly, as usual, a master of place and mood. Unfortunately, the narrative is stretched a bit too thin for the actual length, which bizarrely makes the ending appear rushed and contrived.
Except for those final two lines.
December 28, 2020
This was almost 700 pages. It did not need to be. And was anyone else letdown by the ending? I definitely felt letdown. I was waiting to finally hear what or who sent Charlie Parker back and what or who he is exactly. Instead we get a lot of information about the "Atlas" and I just don't care about that book anymore. And the book seems to be setting up the fact that possibly we may end up losing our fantastic musketeers one day. And also there may be a larger evil/organization at work and I just got tired by that point and happily put this away.
Pros:
-We get Charlie, Louis, and Angel. We also get them off on in adventure in other countries.
-We get a newish character (he was introduced in the last book) that I actually enjoyed reading about.
-We get information about the Atlas.
-We finally have an ending with the Atlas. I hope it is never brought up again.
Cons:
-Still not determined what Charlie's higher purpose is or what.
-Charlie, Louis, and Angel don't really "do much" in this one which was a surprise. We hear more about Louis's past.
-Charlie needs to move on from his house or something. Or renovate it. The house is starting to depress me and I don't even live there.
-We get "too much" information about the Atlas.
-The flow of this book was awful. I mean this had to be the "slowest" and most repetitive of Connolly's works. I think because we were following too many people. Not only Charlie, Louis, Angel, but also Quayle, Mors, FBI agents, detectives investigating murders, a man that serves the Green Man, Charlie's daughters, etc. At one point I just gave up keeping people straight beyond the characters I have been following this past year.
-The book is almost 700 pages. It needed to be edited. It could have easily lost about 200 pages and nothing would have been hurt by that. Maybe because I already read about the Atlas in Nocturnes, book 2, I just felt bored reading about it's beginnings and the people who came across it throughout the centuries.
-We hear about another organization that is dark and murky and I just felt tired since I assume they may come into play in a new book. I know The Dirty South takes us back to before Every Dead Thing and I may read that in the New Year or just wait until Spring or something.
Pros:
-We get Charlie, Louis, and Angel. We also get them off on in adventure in other countries.
-We get a newish character (he was introduced in the last book) that I actually enjoyed reading about.
-We get information about the Atlas.
-We finally have an ending with the Atlas. I hope it is never brought up again.
Cons:
-Still not determined what Charlie's higher purpose is or what.
-Charlie, Louis, and Angel don't really "do much" in this one which was a surprise. We hear more about Louis's past.
-Charlie needs to move on from his house or something. Or renovate it. The house is starting to depress me and I don't even live there.
-We get "too much" information about the Atlas.
-The flow of this book was awful. I mean this had to be the "slowest" and most repetitive of Connolly's works. I think because we were following too many people. Not only Charlie, Louis, Angel, but also Quayle, Mors, FBI agents, detectives investigating murders, a man that serves the Green Man, Charlie's daughters, etc. At one point I just gave up keeping people straight beyond the characters I have been following this past year.
-The book is almost 700 pages. It needed to be edited. It could have easily lost about 200 pages and nothing would have been hurt by that. Maybe because I already read about the Atlas in Nocturnes, book 2, I just felt bored reading about it's beginnings and the people who came across it throughout the centuries.
-We hear about another organization that is dark and murky and I just felt tired since I assume they may come into play in a new book. I know The Dirty South takes us back to before Every Dead Thing and I may read that in the New Year or just wait until Spring or something.
November 15, 2020
This is a follow-up to John Connolly's The Woman in the Woods in which the evil, not of this world Quayle is continuing the search for the 'Fractured Atlas' or 'Atlas of Unknown Realms', along with his rotten death in flesh helper, Pallida Mors. This time Quayle knows Parker is on his trail and it unnerves him in a way he hasn't experienced in a very long time. There is a lot of research that went into this book and the history is quite intriguing. However, it was like peeling a very large onion, very slowly. It takes a while to get to what you know is coming but only John Connolly could tie this all together. We do get to see justice but I would have liked to have seen the more "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" type of justice for Mors, as would most readers, I think.
It took me a while to get through this but it was more my frame of mind as opposed to anything to do with the author or book. I will definitely be back for more and I think I'll go back to his earlier books to get some of Parker's backstory. It is my understanding that this is book 17 in the Charlie Parker series.
It took me a while to get through this but it was more my frame of mind as opposed to anything to do with the author or book. I will definitely be back for more and I think I'll go back to his earlier books to get some of Parker's backstory. It is my understanding that this is book 17 in the Charlie Parker series.
June 3, 2019
So, if you’ve never read any Charlie Parker books, I suggest you do. They’re a wonderfully dark mix of crime and supernatural and you’ll likely finding yourself wanting to binge read the entire series.
That being said, they also work wonderfully as standalones and Book of Bones is no exception.
The read is epic. Within a few pages, I was completely lost in this very dark world. The plot is chilling and I found myself worrying for so many of our characters!
Honestly, it was a perfect read for me. I was only sorry when it was over!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
That being said, they also work wonderfully as standalones and Book of Bones is no exception.
The read is epic. Within a few pages, I was completely lost in this very dark world. The plot is chilling and I found myself worrying for so many of our characters!
Honestly, it was a perfect read for me. I was only sorry when it was over!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
October 11, 2019
When a body left in a remote Arizona dump to throw off law enforcement is found too soon, Charlie Parker realizes that Pallida Mors is alive......and it's time to put an end to her, her master Quayle and the book known as the Fractured Atlas.
Aided by the FBI, Charlie follows the pair's trail, from Arizona, to the Netherlands and finally London.
But not alone.
Where Charlie goes, a healing Louis follows, seeking his pound of flesh from the deadly duo. And where Louis walks, Angel, staggering under the effects of chemotherapy, is beside him.
While, in England, human sacrifices are being left at pagan sites.....spilling fresh blood and awakening old gods......as Quayle seeks the final key to unleash the power of the Fractured Atlas....a power that is already leaving tears in reality, letting creatures of myth and nightmares spawned in the minds of the insane to cross over....leaving more death in their wake.
And others are in the hunt, powerful individuals who want the Atlas at any cost.
The final race has begun.......and in America, two special little girls stand together on opposite sides of the veil between life and death, watching as their father faces a force that must be stopped at any cost.
With this, the 17th installment of the Parker series, Connolly has let loose with a steamroller of a thriller, overflowing with human evil and supernatural forces.....packed with cursed books, amoral evil, and England's rich past of human history and it's connections to the occult.
This one is a monster of a novel, and a must-read addition to one of the must-read series ever written.
This was an eARC from Netgalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books.
Expected publication: October 15th, 2019 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books.
Aided by the FBI, Charlie follows the pair's trail, from Arizona, to the Netherlands and finally London.
But not alone.
Where Charlie goes, a healing Louis follows, seeking his pound of flesh from the deadly duo. And where Louis walks, Angel, staggering under the effects of chemotherapy, is beside him.
While, in England, human sacrifices are being left at pagan sites.....spilling fresh blood and awakening old gods......as Quayle seeks the final key to unleash the power of the Fractured Atlas....a power that is already leaving tears in reality, letting creatures of myth and nightmares spawned in the minds of the insane to cross over....leaving more death in their wake.
And others are in the hunt, powerful individuals who want the Atlas at any cost.
The final race has begun.......and in America, two special little girls stand together on opposite sides of the veil between life and death, watching as their father faces a force that must be stopped at any cost.
With this, the 17th installment of the Parker series, Connolly has let loose with a steamroller of a thriller, overflowing with human evil and supernatural forces.....packed with cursed books, amoral evil, and England's rich past of human history and it's connections to the occult.
This one is a monster of a novel, and a must-read addition to one of the must-read series ever written.
This was an eARC from Netgalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books.
Expected publication: October 15th, 2019 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books.
June 25, 2022
Antigua sangre
Esta novela es la numero 17 de la serie de Charlie Parker de John Connolly, es la continuación de la anterior, La mujer del bosque.
Cuando quedan cabos (cabrones) sueltos lo mejor es resolver el problema. En este caso los malos han huido a Inglaterra llevándose el libro, el Atlas fragmentado, que tanto buscaban. Para seguir con su propósito de alterar el mundo a su antojo van haciendo sacrificios humanos en sitios claves y de la manera que necesitan.
Es imprescindible leer el anterior para comprender este. Y en este nos vamos a encontrar que Parker no aparece en muchas fases porque hay una serie de asesinatos relacionados con el caso que los lleva la policía inglesa. Así, nos encontramos con escenarios que aparentemente están desconectados. Parker y sus amigos por un lado buscando los cabrones sueltos y la policía británica por otro intentando saber qué pasa.
Haremos un recorrido desde el sur de estados unidos hasta Europa, Ámsterdam, norte de Inglaterra y Londres
La historia tiene relación con el libro numero 12 de la serie, El invierno del lobo. Aquí vemos la raíz de lo que llegó a Prosperous, la antigua iglesia que transportaron a Maine piedra a piedra. Nos encontramos con el Patrocinador principal, un personaje enigmático que mueve los hilos.
Una historia de generaciones portadoras del mal hasta nuestros días, leyendas de dioses enterrados y la antigua sangre derramada.
Novela negra con poderes sobrenaturales en lucha contra el mal. Un poco extensa, quizás solo para fans de la serie, recomendable saber de qué va esto sino quieres hacerte preguntas todo el tiempo.
Un placer leer a Connolly.
4,5 estrellas
Esta novela es la numero 17 de la serie de Charlie Parker de John Connolly, es la continuación de la anterior, La mujer del bosque.
Cuando quedan cabos (cabrones) sueltos lo mejor es resolver el problema. En este caso los malos han huido a Inglaterra llevándose el libro, el Atlas fragmentado, que tanto buscaban. Para seguir con su propósito de alterar el mundo a su antojo van haciendo sacrificios humanos en sitios claves y de la manera que necesitan.
Es imprescindible leer el anterior para comprender este. Y en este nos vamos a encontrar que Parker no aparece en muchas fases porque hay una serie de asesinatos relacionados con el caso que los lleva la policía inglesa. Así, nos encontramos con escenarios que aparentemente están desconectados. Parker y sus amigos por un lado buscando los cabrones sueltos y la policía británica por otro intentando saber qué pasa.
Haremos un recorrido desde el sur de estados unidos hasta Europa, Ámsterdam, norte de Inglaterra y Londres
La historia tiene relación con el libro numero 12 de la serie, El invierno del lobo. Aquí vemos la raíz de lo que llegó a Prosperous, la antigua iglesia que transportaron a Maine piedra a piedra. Nos encontramos con el Patrocinador principal, un personaje enigmático que mueve los hilos.
Una historia de generaciones portadoras del mal hasta nuestros días, leyendas de dioses enterrados y la antigua sangre derramada.
Novela negra con poderes sobrenaturales en lucha contra el mal. Un poco extensa, quizás solo para fans de la serie, recomendable saber de qué va esto sino quieres hacerte preguntas todo el tiempo.
Un placer leer a Connolly.
4,5 estrellas
November 14, 2019
I finished this one weeks ago, just had a hard time writing this review because...
This book has EVERYTHING in it. It's a mystery; it's horror. It's got ordinary police procedural written all over it, and then there's the supernatural. It's got Charlie Parker, the MC, and his pals, Louis and Angel, and his daughter - the live one and the dead. It's got cities and rough terrain, London and parts all over the US. It brings back some of Charlie's most horrible nemeses and of course, the missing pages of the fabulous book which everyone wants, the Fractured Atlas. And to do this, well of course Mr. Connolly had to write it all in one fat and chunky, deliciously-served meal of a book. (Like it's got eighteen courses here!) And I loved every single dark and daring, rich and roaring, mystifying word of it.
Just a moment of caution, if you've never read a John Connolly/Charlie Parker book, this might be a singularly tough read. There is so much which has happened in the 16 previous books that all come to a gigantic mountain of a head in this one. Not that it can't be done, but I'd certainly be scratching my own head over some of the things which happen if this was my first Charlie Parker book. So my advice, read at least a few, get a feel for Charlie and his friends, what they're up against, how Mr. Connolly can suddenly shift so suddenly from, well...
I was walking down the street, thought I'd stop for coffee when - OMG is that a werewolf over there?
No, jk here. It's not exactly that extreme, but the line between what we know, what we think we know and what we DEFINITELY do NOT want to know is so thin in these books you can be reading about an ordinary day in Charlie's life, or ongoing investigation, or crisis, and then be absolutely stunned by what slips on by. It's like walking over thick ice on a puddle. You know the water is only inches deep if you crack through, but come on - if your foot does break the ice...
You cannot pull it out! Suddenly a puddle of ice becomes a lake and you're drawn in, drowning. His writing is like that. Real - until not real. But I love it.
In this one Charlie is looking for the last few pages of a book which will change the whole world of reality as we know it. He's got some help: friends, an FBI contact, a lawyer, his daughters - but who can you really trust? Meanwhile the villains of the piece - and they are horrid to the nth degree - are out doing their thing, which involves a lot of nastiness in old, old locations overseas where various worshippers of the 'Green Man' once existed. (Or maybe still do exist) There are a lot of pieces here, and several different POVs. We see cops working a case, which seems entirely separate from what Charlie's doing. We see villains plotting, hiding, watching Charlie, watching everyone, and just when you want to see what they're up to next...
We're back to Charlie, or an entirely new character, an elderly historian and expert on books, doing research in a dusty old library in London. I just love it! The old settings, the characters' give and take, the dialogue, the description, the richness and complexity...
And if Mr. Connolly ever stops writing about Charlie, his cohorts, his enemies, I'm gonna cry. Or...
Start reading the series all over again.
I OWN THIS BOOK.
Five stars.
This book has EVERYTHING in it. It's a mystery; it's horror. It's got ordinary police procedural written all over it, and then there's the supernatural. It's got Charlie Parker, the MC, and his pals, Louis and Angel, and his daughter - the live one and the dead. It's got cities and rough terrain, London and parts all over the US. It brings back some of Charlie's most horrible nemeses and of course, the missing pages of the fabulous book which everyone wants, the Fractured Atlas. And to do this, well of course Mr. Connolly had to write it all in one fat and chunky, deliciously-served meal of a book. (Like it's got eighteen courses here!) And I loved every single dark and daring, rich and roaring, mystifying word of it.
Just a moment of caution, if you've never read a John Connolly/Charlie Parker book, this might be a singularly tough read. There is so much which has happened in the 16 previous books that all come to a gigantic mountain of a head in this one. Not that it can't be done, but I'd certainly be scratching my own head over some of the things which happen if this was my first Charlie Parker book. So my advice, read at least a few, get a feel for Charlie and his friends, what they're up against, how Mr. Connolly can suddenly shift so suddenly from, well...
I was walking down the street, thought I'd stop for coffee when - OMG is that a werewolf over there?
No, jk here. It's not exactly that extreme, but the line between what we know, what we think we know and what we DEFINITELY do NOT want to know is so thin in these books you can be reading about an ordinary day in Charlie's life, or ongoing investigation, or crisis, and then be absolutely stunned by what slips on by. It's like walking over thick ice on a puddle. You know the water is only inches deep if you crack through, but come on - if your foot does break the ice...
You cannot pull it out! Suddenly a puddle of ice becomes a lake and you're drawn in, drowning. His writing is like that. Real - until not real. But I love it.
In this one Charlie is looking for the last few pages of a book which will change the whole world of reality as we know it. He's got some help: friends, an FBI contact, a lawyer, his daughters - but who can you really trust? Meanwhile the villains of the piece - and they are horrid to the nth degree - are out doing their thing, which involves a lot of nastiness in old, old locations overseas where various worshippers of the 'Green Man' once existed. (Or maybe still do exist) There are a lot of pieces here, and several different POVs. We see cops working a case, which seems entirely separate from what Charlie's doing. We see villains plotting, hiding, watching Charlie, watching everyone, and just when you want to see what they're up to next...
We're back to Charlie, or an entirely new character, an elderly historian and expert on books, doing research in a dusty old library in London. I just love it! The old settings, the characters' give and take, the dialogue, the description, the richness and complexity...
And if Mr. Connolly ever stops writing about Charlie, his cohorts, his enemies, I'm gonna cry. Or...
Start reading the series all over again.
I OWN THIS BOOK.
Five stars.
October 26, 2019
Up front and personal opinion: This is a tough book to read - even for series fans like me. First, it's long (just shy of 700 pages); second, it draws from past books so heavily that, unless you've read and remembered all those that preceded it, you're likely to be at least a little bit lost. Although this one picks up on loose ends from 2018's series entry "The Woman in the Woods" (which, fortunately, I've read) and private detective Charlie Parker's search for a very nasty character named Quayle and potentially even nastier female partner Pallida Mors, it extends backward to other books which, unfortunately, I have not.
To be sure, I had trouble following the story early on, actually considering calling it quits at a couple of points. But honestly, great writing won out; the author is so skillful that even if I didn't always "get" where some of the extensive historical background came from, I was able to enjoy the story in the moment even if many of those moments took place a very long time in the past. The series does touch heavily on otherworldly things; Charlie himself has experienced death three times, always (so far) returning to the land of the living but with an even greater understanding of the dark supernatural that exists to threaten the hearts of man. And therein lies another issue for me: for the most part, Charlie's presence here is notable by his absence. Other familiar characters like his close friends Louis and Angel play major roles, but it's Charlie who most fascinates me - and I just didn't get enough of him here.
Still, the intricacy of the story here is nothing short of amazing - much as I always say after finishing a Stephen King novel, I simply cannot imagine a mind capable of concocting such complex and intriguing plots. As this one begins, Parker is continuing his quest for Quayle, who in turn is questing for pages that are missing from an ancient "atlas" that allegedly has supernatural powers; it can, for instance, alter itself at will. Bringing all the pages together, it seems, could alter the course of history - and definitely not the the better.
Murders also are the order of the day, most related to locations of ancient religious cults. Figuring out if, and how, they all tie together won't be an easy task, but failure to do so could condemn the world to unimaginable evil. Needless to say, I'm not about to explain more other than it's a wild ride to the finish. Many thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
To be sure, I had trouble following the story early on, actually considering calling it quits at a couple of points. But honestly, great writing won out; the author is so skillful that even if I didn't always "get" where some of the extensive historical background came from, I was able to enjoy the story in the moment even if many of those moments took place a very long time in the past. The series does touch heavily on otherworldly things; Charlie himself has experienced death three times, always (so far) returning to the land of the living but with an even greater understanding of the dark supernatural that exists to threaten the hearts of man. And therein lies another issue for me: for the most part, Charlie's presence here is notable by his absence. Other familiar characters like his close friends Louis and Angel play major roles, but it's Charlie who most fascinates me - and I just didn't get enough of him here.
Still, the intricacy of the story here is nothing short of amazing - much as I always say after finishing a Stephen King novel, I simply cannot imagine a mind capable of concocting such complex and intriguing plots. As this one begins, Parker is continuing his quest for Quayle, who in turn is questing for pages that are missing from an ancient "atlas" that allegedly has supernatural powers; it can, for instance, alter itself at will. Bringing all the pages together, it seems, could alter the course of history - and definitely not the the better.
Murders also are the order of the day, most related to locations of ancient religious cults. Figuring out if, and how, they all tie together won't be an easy task, but failure to do so could condemn the world to unimaginable evil. Needless to say, I'm not about to explain more other than it's a wild ride to the finish. Many thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
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