Bone Chase

by Weston Ochse

In true The Da Vinci Code fashion, a taut thriller filled with rival factions vying for control of the truth in a giant global conspiracy.

There were giants on the earth in those days—at least that’s what the Bible says. But, where are they? Did they ever really exist at all?

When out-of-work math teacher Ethan McCloud is sent a mysterious box, he and his ex-girlfriend begin to unravel a mystery 10,000 years in the making—and he is the last hope to discovering the world’s greatest conspiracy. Chased by both the Six-Fingered Man and the Council of David, Ethan must survive the chase—and find the truth.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Horror, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

336 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2020

About the author

The American Library Association calls Weston Ochse “one of the major horror authors of the 21 st Century.” He has been praised by USA Today, The Atlantic, The New York Post, The Financial Times of London, Publishers Weekly, Peter Straub, Joe Lansdale, Jon Maberry, Kevin J. Anderson, David Gerrold, William C. Dietz, Tim Lebbon, Christopher Golden, and many more of the world’s best-selling authors. His work has won the Bram Stoker Award, been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and won multiple New Mexico Arizona Book Awards.

A writer of nearly thirty books in multiple genres, his military supernatural series SEAL Team 666 has been optioned to be a movie starring Dwayne Johnson and his military sci fi trilogy, which starts with Grunt Life, has been praised for its PTSD-positive depiction of soldiers at peace and at war.

Weston has also published literary fiction, poetry, comics, and non-fiction articles.
His shorter work has appeared in DC Comics, IDW Comics, Soldier of Fortune Magazine, Cemetery Dance, and peered literary journals. His franchise work includes the X-Files, Predator, Aliens, Hellboy, Clive Barker’s Midian, and V-Wars. Weston holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and teaches at Southern New Hampshire University. He lives in Arizona with his wife, and fellow author, Yvonne Navarro and their Great Danes.

Reviews

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went in expecting something similar to The DaVinci Code, and I definitely think this book has the potential to rivet the same audience, but I struggled to slog through many of the ancient logs and artifacts included in the story. There is a lot of technical terminology, and just as I felt I was sinking into the story again, another info dump was inserted, and I was lost again. Overall, lots of potential, but the execution just didn't work for me.

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.

[Boston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give me a more interesting main character and no romance and this would have been 5 stars. But maybe I’m just partial to conspiracies.

[Michael Hicks]

DNF at 12%.

Many thanks to Saga Press for the NetGalley ARC, but this story is straining credulity too much for me to continue any further.

Much of this comes down to the manner in which the story is presented. Weston Ochse thrusts us headlong into a narrative in which the characters know so much more about what's happening than the reader. This, in turn, makes for a disorienting read and demands that the reader accept these spurious claims and leaps of logic involving the existence of giants and global conspiracy to keep them secret despite there being no narrative build-up to invest in similar beliefs alongside the reader. We're given no real reason for the characters themselves to believe these outlandish ideas, and I'm at a loss as to why I'm supposed to believe it just as readily. These opening chapters come off more like a random drunk, demented guy on the subway ranting conspiracy theories at you and expecting you to run off with him to uncover the truth despite just having met the man.

Early blurbs have compared this book to James Rollins and Dan Brown. Say what you will about those authors, but at least they took the time to invest in world building and presenting their fictional evidentiary findings to goad you along. Here, there's little reason to buy into the fantastical and of the four chapters I've read this morning, each bit grows more ludicrous than the previous, and then I finally hit the perfect line to decide to call it quits on, in which "the woman backed out of her car, not carrying a baby but a shotgun."

Ah, the ol' baby-shotgun switcharoo. Yep. I'm out.

[Susan Tunis · Rating 2 out of 5]

From start to bitter end, rarely do I dislike a book this much. Badly written, badly plotted, badly resolved, and just so stupid.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is full of conspiracy theories so if you can suspend your disbelief and don't care about science or facts then maybe it's fun? But also the way Ethan ends up in like 6 different ppl's clutches is just ridiculous and this story's flow is all over the place.

It feels like Ochse was trying to achieve the kind of thrillery, mind-blowing fun Dan Brown gives you in Da Vinci Code. The difference is that Robert Langdon puzzles out conspiracies surrounding stories about Mary Magdalene in the Bible and Ethan WhateverHisNameIs just says "bone chase" a lot and is supposed to be figuring out if giants exist and there's a huuuuuge coverup by (all?) religion for giants........ because giants would rule the world if ppl knew about them. What's exciting about Da Vinci Code is that while the story may be fictional, all the things being referenced and the locations of clues are all REAL! In Bone Chase, everything reads like a wacky forum post from people who religiously watch the fake alien documentaries on the History channel. I've yet to comb through all of the references in this book to supposed fact, but in terms of believability, this book doesn't cut it, and therefore loses a lot of the excitement for readers.

There are also a lot of ridiculous things in this book like a woman pulling a machine gun out of a baby carriage to shoot at the protagonists and laying a dead ally on a bed in a crappy motel so "at least he'll get a proper burial this way." Not to mention to incredibly badass but still a virgin Shanny--Ethan's ex girlfriend-- who does all of the hands-on adventuring for Ethan so she has to die/be kidnapped for half the story so Ethan can finally get some agency. Shanny was better than I expected from this sort of story, but I rolled my eyes hard at the obligatory "hero has sex with the damsel" scene. It's just so unnecessary.

I also don't necessarily need virtue signaling in my characters, but some of these people were just written as weirdly racist??? The priest who is very young and Asian says "is it my age or my Asian?" which isn't even a joke worth typing in your first draft, and a guy who eventually pulls over to help says he almost kept driving because he thought they were Mexican. 😒😒

I also feel like it's pretty messed up to claim an actual atomic bomb that killed people irl was actually a part of your group's way of "sending a message to the giants." Seriously not cool.

This part I'm not 100% sure about because I've been nonstop absorbing information about Israel attacking Palestine the past several days and already returned the book and my wifi is spotty atm so PLEASE don't quote me on this or take any of this out of context. I'm unsure if this is poor taste like the aforementioned atomic bomb or an actual reflection of the author's views, but this book also has some dialogue where characters are talking about Israel being a home base for one of the big groups in this conspiracy and part of this involves what seems like a pretty Zionist character. To be fair, she's a villain, but it also seems misplaced and I wasn't as comfortable with this being in the book. While this isn't a story you're supposed to take too seriously, there's a time and place for such things and this just isn't it.

Okay and the god damn Hodge conjecture Ethan has tattooed on his bod bc he loves it sm gets "solved" in a way that's so dumb, it's the equivalent of "love is the answer." THERE'S AN IRL MILLION DOLLAR PRIZE

It's also baffling the way Ethan and co. seem to throw caution to the wind and swap loyalties all the time to the point that the conclusion just feels like one big joke. It wasn't very satisfying and things wrap up too cleanly given the way the climax goes.

[Joann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Dan Brown. I was so excited to dive into this one after so many reviewers said Dan Brown fans would enjoy it. While I made it through the book, it was not easy at all nor super enjoyable. The technical details, archaeology "logs" and high brown academic writing inserted made this so much less readable for me, and it deterred from my immersion into the story itself. Each time I found myself perking up thinking I was getting somewhere, insert yet another "excerpt" from an ancient log that I had to read three times to understand. I think it would have been far more enjoyable with a more balanced approach, however, I did enjoy the premise overall. Thank you for the ARC!

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining if superficial read. While the jacket name-checks the Davinci Code it falls a bit closer in tone to the Event Group novels than it does Dan Brown. Adventure/Thriller fans not as comfortable with the presence of the fantastical in their reading will likely balk. Open-minded readers who just want a fun romp should definitely give this a shot.

[Leo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sounded so awesome with unraveling a 10,000 years old mystery with giants and so on with thrilling elements to it. But meh, I was so underwhelmed and not at all excited by the story. This wasn't the fun adventure I wanted

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast, exciting story, very reminiscent of Indiana Jones and The Da Vinci Code. This had everything you would want in a thriller, giants, bones, secret societies, hidden history, gun chases and explosions. The story begins with Ethan getting a box full of notes claiming giants exist. He is thrust into a search for the truth that could cost him his life. He is chased by two groups, the mysterious Six-Fingered Man and the Council of David. These groups are willing to do whatever it takes to stop people from finding out the truth. There are numerous mentions of giants throughout history including the Bible in this book. I was intrigued about the messages and historical cover-ups. I wrote them down to look up when I finished the book and they took me down a rabbit hole. I enjoyed the book and look forward to more from this author.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2020s answer to The Da Vinci Code. Part thriller, part history lesson, part conspiracy theory, this book had me hooked. Step aside, Robert Langdon, a new scholar sleuth is in town, and he means business.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve mentioned before, more than once, how I like a story that mixes ancient history and folklore with its fiction. Bone Chase is one of those, written from an American perspective but on an epic global scale.

From the publisher: “When out-of-work math teacher Ethan McCloud is sent a mysterious box, he and his ex-girlfriend begin to unravel a mystery 10,000 years in the making--and he is the last hope to discovering the world's greatest conspiracy. Chased by both the Six-Fingered Man and the Council of David, Ethan must survive the chase--and find the truth.”

I wasn’t sure whether I’d like this one at first. True, it ticks a lot of boxes. Each chapter begins with a historical or religious reference that shows impeccable research – I wasn’t sure if they were real, but it seems like they actually are – relating to prophecies, politics and historical events.

Ochse (pronounced “Oaks”, I understand) skillfully manages to weave these into a best-seller plot in such a way that it (unlike many) sounds almost plausible. It certainly raises questions that every conspiracy theorist would love – for example, What if humans as a race were uplifted thousands of years ago by giant beings we would consider today as god-like? What if any mention of these giants were being subtly erased from history in order to maintain their anonymity? And in order to do this, what if there were secret societies, which have existed for hundreds of years, dedicated to removing any evidence of such beings, finding their remains from around the world and either hiding them or destroying them? What if all of this was connected to a secret group who covertly ran the world? And what if the return of these giants could signal the end of the world?

There are some pretty big ideas there, and Weston must be congratulated on the way that he has stitched these together, even if putting these plot revelations here in a manner as stark as this might make the book sound unrealistic. I’m not accepting that the idea is real, but I like the way that it has been used here. And whilst I must admit that some of the characterisation is straight off the blockbuster cookie template, the relentless pace keeps the momentum going without giving you time to think about things much. There’s enough background detail here to make it sound convincing, which the characters clearly pick up on. It’s part Indiana Jones, part X-Files, part James Bond wrapped up in Biblical conspiracy theory in a way that I think Dan Brown would be pleased with.

Being of the blockbuster-adventure type story, there are obvious sacrifices the author has to make in order to maintain the pace. There are elements of the personalities I liked, but if I had stopped to think about it the idea of a gun-toting ex-Maths teacher stretches the credulity a little. It also doesn’t help that there’s a few too many conveniences along the way for the sake of plot, an unrealistic premise of a love interest who is a 28-year-old virgin*, and far too many characters who handily do nice things at the drop of a hat, but it is written is such a way that I was happy to forgive such matters. I was surprised to blow through this in a couple of days.

Summing up then, Bone Chase is a great adventure yarn, set within an intriguing premise and set at a rapid pace that is very entertaining. Whilst you pretty much know what you’re going to get here, Weston doesn’t disappoint.



*Yes, I know these things happen and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But considering the character’s backstory, I wasn’t convinced.

[Brandy {The Review Booth} · Rating 3 out of 5]

The science, mathematics, and biblical explanation portions of Bone Chase were relatively frequent, which bogged down the story for me. I found them tedious, to be honest. I was relieved at the introduction of the third member of the “team” because Ethan and Shanny’s theories, musings, etcetera often needed an explanation in layman’s terms. The DaVinci Code was written without making you feel like you had an inadequate background on the subject or lost in what it was trying to prove. The history behind the giants was quite intriguing, in addition to the intended or unintended mistranslations of text and languages over time.

Ethan was honestly a little underwhelming, hard to connect with, and childish for someone in the primary role of a book like Bone Chase. There’s also the factor that he was a high school math teacher, not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just had a hard time reconciling against a character like Professor Robert Langdon in The DaVinci Code. I felt like Matt’s character and backstory could have been better developed, especially since he seemed significant to Ethan’s father. I don’t feel like any of the people in the story have enough backstory or development to establish much of a connection with them, and since I didn’t connect with Ethan – it made me care less and less about what happened to most everyone.

After all the buildup, it felt choppy to get thrown into the situation Ethan finds himself in and what he witnesses. The first two-thirds of Bone Chase is reasonably fast-paced, has its fair share of narrow escapes, and action – yet it felt rushed. The ending also felt rushed, as if the journey there took too long, and everything needed to be organized and boxed up for a neat conclusion.

I would possibly recommend this book to readers who enjoy mystery, thriller, supernatural beings, and myths. As always, a big thank you to Gallery/Saga Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of Bone Chase – all opinions are my own. *Rounded up from 2.5 stars*

[˗ˏˋ maddie ˊˎ˗ · Rating 1 out of 5]

full disclosure: i received an arc through a goodreads giveaway.

this wasn't exactly godawful but it was beyond poorly executed. the idea had promise and not an ounce of follow-through. the writing was haphazard and shallow, the characters two-dimensional (every. single. one of them. usually there's one or two characters i gravitate towards but there was no meat on literally any of them), and the bone chase a mess of the absolute least interesting parts sloshed together in a watery stew. also this is the second book in a row by a middle-aged white guy that just needed me to know that the love interest was a virgin. (what the fuck is that fantasy..... i guess i didn't realize that was still a thing in the year 20fucking20.) loved it ending on gender stereotypes too (the woman in the kitchen, the man out hunter-gathering), that was just the icing on the cake.

just.... how do you make a book about GIANTS so gd boring???

[Fred Rayworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second Weston Ochse novel I’ve read, and it was a real treat. It was weird finding it in the icky bug section at Barnes & Noble because as far as I’m concerned, I’d have categorized it as a thriller right along with the likes of James Rollins and Preston & Child. While there was some icky bug, the majority of the story was a big chase thriller with only the suggestion of said icky bugs. Not to give anything away, but it wasn’t until the very end that there was any big reveal.

That being said, the writing was outstanding, with solid third-person limited and past-tense writing. The chapters and scenes were relatively short, which made the pace fast, along with a brisk narrative that never bogged down with too much characterization. There was some characterization but it did not seem to get in the way of the pacing because things were always happening.

The cast of characters, or in much of the case, “victims,” was likable, and the survivors saved the day. My only issue was that the main protagonist was a bit of a pill, and a lot of times, I wanted to reach into the pages and slap him up the side of the head.

Outside of that minor quibble, I had a great time, and was able to close the book with a big smile on my face. Highly recommended.

[Hayden Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is probably more of a 3.5.

I had a lot of fun with this pulpy conspiracy-brain thriller.
That blurb on the cover comparing this to X Files and National Treasure is pretty accurate. So basically like DaVinci Code with more Facebook sleuthing and giants.

[Kimberly Spanton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I DNFed it after a few chapters. The way the story progresses, and the way the protagonist shares everything right away is too fast, and unbelievable. Far too many eyerolls to continue. And I don't want to sound sexist, but I could definitely tell a man wrote this book by the way he portrayed the female. Not all girls love pink everything and believe everything the men in their lives tell them.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billed as a National Treasure/ DaVinci Code-type thriller, the plot doesn’t let up very often… But while you’re going to find a non-stop chase, parts of the story don’t exactly stick together well, and I will get to that in a bit.

One of the first things Ethan does is hook back up with his ex… she’s smart, she cares about him, and she’s an ex-soldier. Everything Ethan will need to keep the Six-Fingered man and the Council of David away. The many legions and allies are out for the duo. And in this sense, I find Dean Koontz’s Jane Hawk series to be a much better fictional world to compare to…

And here comes the balance in my review… But unlike Koontz, Ochse’s transitions between the “real” world and the scifi elements are often rough and necessitate a rather large leap. In the business of deep-state conspiracy writing, it’s hard to keep the illusion up without that (fictional) credible evidence. It mostly comes up in those transitions between dashes from one clue to the next.

While Bone Chase is loaded with those thriller-tensions, the ties that bind the plot don’t always work together.

3 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery/ Saga, and the author for an advanced copy for review.

For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2020/11/11/bo...

For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a mysterious box is sent to Ethan, an unemployed Math teacher, he sets his search to solve the mystery. The story is set to unveil a conspiracy theory of giants roaming in our world, bone findings and cryptic symbol that could date back to 10,000 years in the past. Reading through the mysteries, reminded me more of Indiana Jones, with a touch of SciFi elements. The plot is movietastic, interesting and I loved Ethan, a grounded and of course a good decryptor. The writing itself was easy to follow and captivating, but at some places I felt that the author wanted to be descriptive, but over explained instead. The story really fed my conspiracy theory loving self!!

3.75/5

Thank you Netgalley, Gallery books and Weston Ochse for the ARC.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from goodreads in exchange for an honest review.

This book was bad. Just blah. To be honest, it's almost 1 stars except I kinda almost dug the last 75 pages or so when shit actually went down.

But don't. Seriously, just don't. Don't waste your precious life time reading this boring ass "thriller."

[Ashlee Bree · Rating 1 out of 5]

For me, this was a thriller which lacked the fundamental "thrill." It was neither titillating in action nor was its psychology pulse-climbing in any anticipatory degree. If this book were a heart monitor, it would shoot a succession of flat lines across the screen from beginning to end not because it's dead to rights or anything but because it lacks the peaks of intrigue or tension that one comes to expect from a story about a professed centuries-old coverup.

Ethan McCloud, an ordinary man and laid-off math teacher, receives a mysterious box in the mail one day. In it, he finds information espousing a conspiracy about giants who have supposedly roamed the earth in tandem with humanity since Biblical times. (Sounds promising, right?) After his father dies under suspicious circumstances, however, he is tasked with learning, as well as with exposing, the truth about them. Or to die trying. With his ex-girlfriend from college, Shannon "Shanny," in toe, they soon find themselves on the hunt for giant bones and on the run from two secret societies - The Six-Fingered Man and The Council of David - who are determined to keep the real history of giants lidded. Buried. The lengths these two rival factions will go to in order to preserve the secret are exacting not to mention explosive. (Pun intended.)

The premise of Bone Chase, like giants themselves, had enormous potential but the narrative itself sputtered its plot, characterization, and suspense like a punctured balloon. The characters were affable enough, I suppose, but they lacked substance. Dimension. Personality. I found Ethan to be mundane to the point of boredom, Shannon "strong and courageous" to the point that she came off like a Badass Tough Girl archetype, and the tertiary characters too insipid for me to care about remembering them.

The story suffered from a lack of depth overall. Readers are never afforded a sufficient explanation as to why these "bone hunters" are willingly hurling themselves headfirst into danger to unearth the whole giants-do-exist underground. Nor are we given good reason as to how or why Ethan's father became involved in particular, or why he'd pass the torch to his son after he died. Furthermore, there's little distinction between the two rival factions and what they want. Their justifications for going after bone hunters like Ethan are frail at best, non-existent at worst. Even the giants were a disappointment because the footprints they left behind made no indentation on my imagination at all. They simply...faded into obscurity.

I was more than hopeful I could bask in this book's "giant awe" by the time I finished it. Instead, I'm going to have to label it a "giant yawn."

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

BOOK BLOG

[Amanda McHugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not many people know this about me, but when I was a little girl, I was terrified of giants. I dreamed about them storming into my city, bigger than skyscrapers, stomping on cars and coming directly for me. Maybe it was those old Mickey cartoons where they climb the beanstalk, or maybe I've always had an overactive imagination, whatever the case, I was intrigued to read Bone Chase on the premise and fun cover, and was soon lost in a world where giants might've walked the earth.

Ethan is an unemployed math teacher called back to his home town when his father starts ranting about a six-fingered man. After he suddenly dies, he finds a box and a mystery, joins with Shanny, an old girlfriend, and together, they embark on a quest to prove the existence of giants.

In truth, I was wary to continue this after the first few chapters. Mysteries were handed to us rather than given rationale or reason. Ethan, a learned educator and man of facts, accepts things because his father left cryptic messages in a box. Without actually knowing anything about said box, he automatically makes wild assumptions and just seems to "know" what he's supposed to do. And the relationship with his ex goes from estranged to I love you in exactly three seconds. But the premise was interesting and I wanted to see where the mystery, even if it was ill-explained and a little outrageously executed, was leading.

I'm glad I stuck with it. This was a fun, mindless read that asks a lot of questions without being preachy or dismissive. The inclusion of various texts was interesting, and I especially appreciated Ochse's handling of the translations. As a lifelong English major, I find etymology and translational discrepancies fascinating, and so much of this chase hinged on how words shifted meaning throughout generations, taking into account the people who were writing the texts and their motivations to do so. Ethan's journey makes more sense the deeper into his "mission" he goes, and along the way, we get some pretty insightful discourse on mathematical theory, global religions, PTSD, and friendship. Once I got over my initial disbelief of their relationship, Ethan and Shanny made a pretty good team, and I liked seeing the shifting power dynamics meeting the needs of their current task.

Overall, Bone Chase is a fast-paced, fun, lose-yourself read with no short supply of wacky characters and humor to lighten the more serious moments. If I had to make comp titles, I'd say this is Da Vinci Code with a heaping of National Treasure. I'd recommend to anyone who loves mythologically or historically driven mysteries, or anyone who's looking for an escapist text with overarching theological questions.

Thank you to Gallery/Saga and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

[Chaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mild-mannered math teacher Ethan receives a mysterious box from his father containing hints and clues for a world-wide centuries-old conspiracy involving real giants who supposedly roamed the earth. Ethan is now entrusted with this, and must, for some reason known only to the author, continue his father's quest in search of the truth.

This story has the makings of a Da Vinci-type thriller, but the biggest problem with the book in my opinion is that the author never puts forth a good explanation for why ANY of these characters -- Suz, the old couple, Ethan himself, any of them -- would care enough about this issue to put their and others' lives in danger for the sake of the idea of giants. So giants were once real? So what? They all come off as a bit loopy for being so obsessed. (Suz's entire life, it seems, is dedicated to this hunt, and so sure is she of being hunted herself that she has bought 3 homes, connected them via tunnels, and rigged them to explode the minute "they" seem to find her). In addition, I can't figure out why Ethan's father would knowingly put his son's life in danger for this cause, nor can I figure out why Ethan takes up the mantle of the quest, rather than say, "huh, giants? Interesting" and get on with their lives.

Beyond that, I just didn't buy the whole worldwide conspiracy thing, nor why either side would be so interested in these "hunters" like Ethan, who obviously could look his entire life and never find the underground giant hideouts in Iceland or Malta anyway. And why they would care enough about him to bring him to both places is beyond me. If the conspiracy, as is put forth, has managed to control the media to the point that no one talks about giants anymore, why would they care about piddly little Ethan and his girlfriend's hunt?

There were many, many events and plot points that stretched the limits of belief, even for fiction. A woman who hides an explosive device in her prosthetic in case she meets up with a giant? The old couple who just happens to be at the motel where our hero happens to stop by in a random spot of the Southwest U.S.? An ancient giant king still living, hidden with the help of some friends,on the island of Malta? Gimme a break.

If the author/publishers are interested, there are a couple of misuses of the word "whomever": page 239 of the ARC, 5th line down, and page 234, 2nd line down. In both cases "whoever" is the correct pronoun to use.

[Jewel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will say I enjoyed this book, and it kept me intrigued enough that I had a hard time putting it down some nights, so there's that. I have always been intrigued by the Bible versus about the Nephalim, and though that would make an interesting movie subject. (Apparently, someone else already had that idea years ago, and made a serious of movies about them, but I missed it!). But I found none of the characters particularly developed enough to care about them, at least, none of the main characters. Some of the minor characters (e.g. Nash, Suz and the Browns) were probably some of the more interesting figures. I found the need to suspend belief when it came to envisioning the giants themselves. I guess the dimensions are hard to picture in your mind if you are not mathematically inclined, which I am not. Or maybe it's just something you need to actually see rather than read. . But I did enjoy the pieces of history and trivia, even though most are debunked by Snopes and other sites when you Google them (but that's all part of the conspiracy, right?). It did have me wondering just how much our government does cover up and hide from us, though I am not a conspiracy theorist for the most part. Overall, a fun and enjoyable read. Just not outstanding. Would probably make a better movie.

[Jud Hanson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mythology is full of stories of giants that lived in the distant past. From the story of David killing Goliath to the children’s story of Jack and the Beanstalk, giants have always fascinated humanity. But what if the stories were true? This is what Ethan McCloud wonders when he receives a mysterious package and finds himself on the run from not one but two secretive groups with different agendas in regards to the truth about the existence of giants.

Bone Chase by Weston Ochse was billed as a DaVinci Code-type thriller. While the premise was certainly fascinating, this book fell short in some key areas. To begin with, Ochse never really defines the two groups that are chasing the central character. There is also never an explanation of what their agendas are or why it is so important to keep the truth about giants from the world at large. As I read the book, I kept waiting for the big climatic moment which simply wasn’t there. While Ochse is an accomplished author in the horror genre, he was not successful with Bone Chase. I cannot strongly recommend this book and give it 2/5 stars.

* An ebook copy of this book was the only compensation received in exchange for this review. *

[Aria Winters · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book we follow ex math teacher, Ethan McCloud on a journey through history and an ages old mystery that all starts when his father begins acting strangely and sends him a mysterious box. When Ethan's father tragically dies Ethan is left with two options, solve the mystery or die trying. When his old college flame, Shannon, just recently back from Afghanistan calls with condolences, the two decide to meet for coffee and Shannon is inevitably wrapped up in the mystery. With no where confirmed safe and no idea who is their enemy, they can only trust each other while they unravel the mystery of the box and his father's death together.

This was a really interesting and wild ride. I'm not really one for biblical based works of fiction, but I was absolutely fascinated with the plot of this book. There were so many tidbits and things to keep in mind and keep track of while reading this book that I would highly recommend annotations if you can. The writing is strong but the sift through information is definitely dry. Turns out I'm not really a Dan Brown fan, who knew. However this is a very well constructed thriller and overall I really enjoyed the read.

[Kim Friant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a good adventure story, especially the ones based in history. Biblical history is even better. But this adventure stories have to make sense, they have to be based on logic and evidence, even if that evidence doesn’t necessarily exist in real life. Nothing kills historical adventure like assumption and fallacy. Unfortunately, Bone Chase is rife with both. Maybe if religion had been left out of it, I’d feel differently. But the idea that the existence of giants would somehow bring religion to its knees; it did nothing but make the entire plot seem inconsequential and anticlimactic. Thankfully, there was enough action and mystery to keep me going thru the book, so it wasn’t a total loss. But throwing in complicated math concepts that have really nothing to do with the story and then not explain them clearly so laypeople can understand ... This was just a disappointing read. Although it’s fiction, The DaVinci Code didn’t feel inconsequential because Langdon was dealing with things of true theological significance. The existence of giants, even talked about in the Bible is a big deal historically and even scientifically, but theologically? I was just disappointed.

[O Prism · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conspiracy theory? Sure, why not! An excellent read by Weston Ochse. Unemployed math teacher Ethan McCloud is sent a mysterious box, and the chase is on. Searching for giants that may or may not exist, with danger at his heels the entire time. Many thrilling twists and turns occur in Ethan’s search for the truth. Don’t want to give away the ending, so suffice it to say, if you enjoyed The DaVinci Code with some sci-fi thrown in, you will want to read this book. I didn’t know what to think when I began reading, but the characters and plot were clear and concise,, and the more I read, the more I was intrigued. Had a hard time putting this down until I was finished. Reminded me of the search for mermaids/are they real stories. Very, very interesting book, and I highly recommend if this genre interests you.
Thank you to the author (thank you for your service, sir), Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast, exciting story, very reminiscent of Indiana Jones and The Da Vinci Code. This had everything you would want in a thriller, giants, bones, secret societies, hidden history, gun chases and explosions.
The story begins with Ethan getting a box full of notes claiming giants exist. He is thrust into a search for the truth that could cost him his life. He is chased by two groups, the mysterious Six-Fingered Man and the Council of David. These groups are willing to do whatever it takes to stop people from finding out the truth.
There are numerous mentions of giants throughout history including the Bible in this book. I was intrigued about the messages and historical cover-ups. I wrote them down to look up when I finished the book and they took me down a rabbit hole.

I enjoyed the book and look forward to more from this author.

I received an arc from netgalley for an honest review.

[That Book Guy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to read an advanced copy of Bone Chase by Weston Ochse through NetGalley.com.

After his father’s sudden death, Ethan McCloud and a love interest embark on a search to find proof of the existence of modern day giants. Yes, giants. Along the way, they encounter a six-fingered man, a secret cabal, alien hunters and the rarest of the rare, a Motley Crue fan.

Initially compared to a Dan Brown book, this has more a feel of James Rollins or Matthew Reilly. Fast paced and action packed, this is an over the top yet entertaining thriller. The two main characters are appealing and the villain is one easy to hate.

We’ll give this one 4 stars, it’s a fun read.

* An ebook copy of this book was the only compensation received in exchange for this review. *

[Elysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a mysterious box is sent to Ethan, an unemployed Math teacher, he sets his search to solve the mystery. The story is set to unveil a conspiracy theory of Giants. With many roaming in our world findings of bone artifacts, and cryptic symbols could date back to 10,000 years in the past. Reading through the mysteries, reminded me of an adventure, with a hint of SciFi. I loved Ethan, and his character development, even under stress he was smart and stable. The story was captivating, and loved all the conspiracy juiciness!


Thank you Netgalley, Gallery books and Weston Ochse for this oppurtunity.