A creaky band of former heroes must reunite in this inventive, fast-paced and nostalgic fantasy by Sarah Beth Durst (The Queen of Blood; Race the Sands).
Twenty-five years ago, bone maker Kreya and the four other Heroes of Vos defeated the dark lord Eklor, but Kreya's husband, Jentt, was killed. Now living anonymously in a tumbledown tower, Kreya illegally scavenges human bones to fuel a forbidden spell that resurrects Jentt for short periods by taking equal time from Kreya's life. When a funeral pyre theft goes awry, Kreya decides to return to the battlefield around Eklor's deserted tower and gather enough bones to bring Jentt back for good. Former comrade Zera, a powerful, flamboyant bone witch, joins her but stipulates, "I require pie before I desecrate a mass grave." The pair are horrified to hear a sound on the battlefield they thought silenced forever: Eklor's laughter. Kreya longs to go away with Jentt, but first they must reunite with bone reader Marso and warrior Stran to uncover the truth behind Eklor's possible resurrection. What they find leaves them reeling from past traumas and wondering how far second chances should extend.
Bone magic wielders can either make animated constructs, create magical talismans or divine the future from animal bones in Durst's inventive magical system. Fantasy readers used to the climactic final battle trope should enjoy this spin on what comes after, and whether a hero remains forever responsible for saving the day. The Bone Maker is a witty, thoughtful delight. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads