Twenty-five years ago Kreya became one of the five heroes of Vos by killing the evil bone wizard Eklor. Now, she’s journeying back to the battlefield to find the human bones she needs to bring her husband back to life, but she might not be the only one who is using magic to cheat death. What do you do when you think someone might have undone your greatest accomplishment?

It took me a bit to get into the story, but once I was invested it pulled me right along. The pragmatism and irreverent humor of the protagonists made a book with necromancy, battles, and political subterfuge fun and lighthearted. A good read for anyone who likes when their fantasy doesn’t take itself too seriously.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

This actually reminded me of Chosen Ones, by Veronica Roth - both books deal with the aftermath of defeating an impossible enemy and how the heroes deal with their life after. The Bone Maker wasn't as dark as I thought it would be, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a solid book and I liked it.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an eARC of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

The Bone Maker is a story about a band of heroes getting back together to defeat an evil they thought they had already vanquished. Kreya was the leader of the group, but after her husband, Jennt, was killed in the final battle, she hid the two of them away and studied the forbidden resurrection magic to bring him back to life. In order to accomplish this, she has to reach out to her old friend, Zera who may or may not hate her. Over the course of the book, they also regroup with Marso and Stran, the remaining members of their team, to defeat the big bad... again.

This book was fast-paced, adventurous, and entertaining. The world building/magic systems were very engaging. I liked learning about all the different bone magic specializations and how the magic could be used and developed. I will say however, that the pacing is a little all over the place. I felt like there were sections of the book that went very quickly, but the transitions between sections noticeably dragged. Also, the repetition of the confrontations was a little lackluster. Despite that, I love a good found family, and this was a re-found family, which apparently I like just as much. I loved the interactions between characters, especially between Kreya and Zera. Also Marso is an angel and I will protect him until my dying days.

My Thoughts: I loved the premise of this book - what happens after five heroes save the world? Where does their story end? I really liked Kreya's relationship with Zera. They have great banter. I love how they came back together after all those years apart. This is a creepy but fascinating book in terms of the bone magic and the animation creatures. I love the moments of friendship and trust between the five heroes. I loved the addition of the new people in their lives. It was interesting to explore the question - do people change? Another great book for Sarah Beth Durst - I love her books.

"Maybe there were no perfect choices for anyone to make, hero or villain. Maybe there was only doing the best you could with the time you had. That was an unsatisfying thought, but just because it was uncomfortable didn’t mean it wasn’t true."

Twenty-five years ago, the Heroes of Vos saved the world when they ended the Bone War by stopping Eklor and his monstrous bone constructs. Ballads are still sung about their now-mythic deeds. But the cost of victory was steep for the five heroes.

Stran, the team's strong man is keen to leave his memories of the Bone War behind. He's a farmer now with a young family--two things that need to be tended and leave little time to dwell on the horrors of battle.

Marso was the most proficient bone reader in all of Vos, able to read the bones and anticipate the enemy's next move. But something changed after the Bone War. The bones still want to tell Marso something. But the truth the bones hold is so unthinkable, Marso would rather shatter his own fragile psyche than face it.

Zera barely survived the final battle. Jentt gave his own life to save her--a cost the bone wizard knows she can never repay. Instead she now focuses on honing her craft and building an empire selling her bone talismans to the elite from her tower in the city of Cerre.

Kreya, the leader and a bone maker like Eklor himself, dealt the killing blow--a victory that feels meaningless when her husband Jentt is lost to her. Unwilling to accept his death, unable to share her grieve, Kreya hides herself away searching through Eklor's texts. The Bone War started because of Eklor's quest to bring back the dead--forbidden magic requiring human bones and a terrible cost. But Kreya is willing to pay any cost if it will bring Jentt back.

When Kreya's efforts to resurrect Jentt reveal that Eklor may not be as defeated as the world thought, the Heroes of Vos will have to reunite once more to fight impossible odds and face an unimaginable enemy in The Bone Maker (2021) by Sarah Beth Durst.

The Bone Maker is a standalone adult fantasy. The novel is written in close third person following various characters (primarily Kreya) throughout the story.

Durst once again creates a carefully rendered world with a complex, if often macabre, magic system. Kreya and her five friends walk a fine line saddled with the legacy of their past deeds while acknowledging that their stories--and their work--is far from over when Eklor resurfaces. Heroes past their prime, who have already completed their great mission, are rarely seen in fantasy making The Bone Maker unique. This focus gives the story space to unpack the burdens of heroism and moving on after completing your supposedly greatest act.

Although much of the story focuses on Kreya and Jentt's marriage--and the lengths Kreya is willing to go to bring Jentt back--friendships are the real heart of The Bone Maker as the Heroes of Vos find their way back to each other after years apart. The bond between Kreya and Zera is a particularly strong anchor in this character-driven adventure.

The Bone Maker is a story of fierce friendship, duty, and what it means when your story doesn’t end when you get to “the end.”

Possible Pairings: A Crucible of Souls by Mitchell Hogan, The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen, Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth, Vicious by V. E. Schwab, The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth, Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente

First sentence: Kreya always wore her coat with many pockets when she went out to steal bones.

Premise/plot: The war has been over for twenty-five years, but for the five heroes of Vos who "saved the world," it feels like yesterday. Especially for our heroine, Kreya, who has never come to terms with her husband's death. But all five heroes--Kreya, Jentt, Zera, Marso and Stran--have paid dearly for their so-called victory.

The Bone Maker is dark fantasy with elements of horror, romance, and comedy. Definitely an adult novel. Mainly we get two points of view that of Kreya and Zera. Though readers get to know all five (yes, even the supposedly "dead" Jentt) heroes to some extent. (There are a few scenes from other points of view.)

So essentially the premise is, what if the grand victory wasn't really so FINAL and "the end." What if the heroes--twenty-five years later--are called upon to save the world again...in their middle age years.

My thoughts: The Bone Maker is an odd book. I think it will definitely appeal to some readers. Those that like their books spooky, creepy, with gothic, horror vibes. An unsettling discomfort that drives the plot forward. We've got dark magic that is ethically suspect. Big time ethically suspect. We've got heroes--and villains--using dark magic to raise the dead. The world building in this one has depth--we've got layers upon layers. Not just with the world-building but with the characterization as well. Perhaps not all five characters are given equal treatment. But what is spared on some of the heroes perhaps is poured out onto the villain. And perhaps that is how it should be.

The book deals with some serious issues--grief, post traumatic stress disorder, trauma, war, mental health, etc. Not to mention the ethics of using dark magic. It explores what it means to be labeled a "hero" vs. labeled a "villain." But it also blends in some crude passages and slightly distasteful humor. Perhaps for a comedic effect that did nothing for me. I did at times expect it to veer into a philosophical direction and go a bit deeper, but it didn't really.

The Bone Maker is set in a fantasy world. I have to keep reminding myself of that. The characters do not have any hope of resurrection (and reunion) outside of dark magic. This made me a bit sad.

This one reminded me of a couple science fiction shows. Babylon 5's "Quality of Mercy" and "Rising Star." (The first being from season one and the second being from season four.) There is a device in those episodes. If you've seen Babylon 5 you probably know what I'm talking about. Once you've seen how it is used in season four, even the introduction of the device in season one is brutal to the heart.

Star Trek The Next Generation's Time Arrow (Part I and II) also comes to mind.

This was such a compelling fantasy standalone, and what made it unique was that the characters are middle aged or above. It's also packed with messages about intentions not being what makes someone good or evil, it's how they go about it.
The only thing missing from the story for me was more about the villain. For a good portion of the book, the protagonists are discovering that he has reemerged, wondering how he had survived, and fighting his minions, but we don't really see Elkor himself until he shows up in a very normal circumstance that throws the heroes for a loop. So for a good portion of the story, he felt like a faceless villain, and then just shows up as a normal person in a normal circumstance. There are no flashbacks or anything, to 25 years ago when they initially fought and defeated him, so all we get is just an explanation of how bad he was.

This was the first book I read on my new kindle. It made me reignite my love for reading again, after years since I last picked up a book. I really appreciated the originality in the book premise, with characters that sometimes landed in a grey area between what's right and wrong. This book doesnt rely on a lot if overused tropes and cliches, which is a breathe of fresh air considering the myriad of cookie cutter books in the fantasy genre that I've seen on goodreads. I enjoyed the magic system in the bone maker, with bonework being a source of magic. I do wish that there was a little more detail put into world building and the history or boneworking (i.e. why do bones have magical properties?) The only other minor complaint I have is about writing style. These characters are in their mid 40s if not older, but some of their dialogue and mannerisms read as YA characters, not someone with decades of life experience. It almost seems like their personalities were sort of "frozen in time" from their Bone War era that happened 25 years before the beginning of the book. I wonder if this is intentional or if its just the authors signature writing style.

What a great book. I haven't read a Sarah Beth Durst book I didn't like. This was a great story of what happens to the survivors of war.

Kreya has been living in her tower alone since her band of heroes defeated the evil bone wizard Eklor and Jennt, her husband, was killed in the process. Using illegal magic, Kreya might just have found a way to bring Jennt back from the dead but she will need help from an old comrade, Zera, has done very well for herself after the war. Her skills are in demand, she is wealthy and she is a little bit bored. When Kreya shows up after 25 years to ask for help, Zera reluctantly agrees. Together the old friends discover that maybe Eklor is not as dead as he's suppose to be and that being him a second time will require even more than the first.

This book was awesome. I love the complicated relationship between Zera and Kreya. Is your best friend still your best friend if you abandoned them and haven't talked to them in 25 years? Also the banter is fabulous. This was such a good what happens after the battle is over book. Love it.

Review: 5 Stars

While part of me was drawn to this book because it looked rather dark, the reason I requested a review copy is because it’s by Sarah Beth Durst. I absolutely loved Race the Sands and when I saw that this book was by Sarah Beth Durst I decided to give it a shot. I didn’t really have any expectations for this book, I just thought that I would give it a shot and see if it was any good. I struggle with slow beginnings, so when this book had me crying by the end of the second chapter, I knew that I was hooked. The Bone Maker absolutely blew me away and is my favorite book that I’ve read so far this year.

The characters were done so incredibly well. I loved them all fiercely and was emotionally invested in each of their lives. This book is the best example of a found family that I’ve ever read. These characters would die for one another, but they’d prefer to fight to keep each other alive. Each character is fully fleshed out and filled with personality. Kreya was the main character and I loved her fierce determination, but Zera was my favorite. Zera was theatrical and a bit full of herself, but she was also bold and a source of comic relief. Her character arc was fantastic, I loved watching her change from being narcissistic and petty to becoming someone who put others first.

The plot was filled with so much action and adventure that I had such a hard time setting it down, not that I wanted to. It was an emotional ride that had me on the edge of my seat a lot of the time. The first half of the book was filled with a lot of action and the second half was more political. I loved the characters so much and found myself rooting for them and at many times I was anxious with worry for them. It was really an emotional book that I think anyone who has lost a loved one will find impactful. The story made you want to cherish your loved ones and live life to the fullest. I cried, I laughed and I was tense with worry when reading The Bone Maker. It really was an incredible ride.

The world building was so fascinating. The magic system was so cool and unique, which by itself would have me raving about this book. Immediately I was reminded of another recent favorite, The Bone Shard Daughter, because in both books bone shards are used to create constructs, but that is where the similarities between the two books end. There are also bone readers who can read the past, present and future in the bones and bone wizards who create talismans for strength, speed and other things. The world revolves around bone magic and there are plenty of politics and history given as well. The world is incredibly vivid and magical, but it is also filled with horrors.

The Bone Maker blew me away. Prior to reading this I had read two of Sarah Beth Durst’s books, Race the Sands, which I absolutely loved and Fire and Heist, which I thought was pretty mediocre. After reading The Bone Maker I need to check out her other books because now I’ve read 2 books by her, both of which I went into with no expectations and they both absolutely blew me away. This book was powerful, it was emotional, but it was also fast paced and fun to read. I highly recommend this incredible stand-alone fantasy to those who love found family stories, action packed fantasy and unique magic systems.

Twenty-five years after they defeated an evil tyrant and became legendary heroes, five aging warriors come together once again to fight for the country of Vos. This time, however, the stakes are higher, the magic darker and more costly, and the trauma of their past deeds heavy on their shoulders. Will these five bone-magicians overcome their own struggles and defeat the evil force they failed to expunge the first time, or will they die trying?

Our protagonist is Kreya, a bone maker who uses animal bones to animate the inanimate, creating machines and taking the skeletons of birds or small animals and bringing them to "life". Recently, though, she's also been bringing her husband back to life for short periods of time. He died on the battlefield defeating the terrible wizard Elkor. Following his death, and partially out her shame for her unethical actions, Kreya has been isolating herself from her former teammates.

But Kreya needs help to bring her husband back to life, so we get to meet her friends again as she asks for their assistance. Zera is a bone wizard who creates talismans out of animal bones that imbue their users with powers like strength, speed, and stealth. Marso, a bone reader, can tell the past, present, and future using the bones. Finally, Stran, who applies Zera's talismans to bring himself strength on the battlefield.

With a clever plot, highly inventive magical system, and wonderful world-building, fans of fantasy will enjoy this engaging and witty read.

The Bone Maker is a phenomenal standalone fantasy with strong crossover appeal across both adult and YA markets. Sarah Beth Durst sets up an incredible world with a unique, creative magic system that truly draws readers in. Kreya is one of five heroes who risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor twenty five years ago. Her husband is the hero who lost his life. Kreya will do anything to bring her dead husband back, but for that to be possible, she’ll have to use human bones for magic, which is very illegal to do. On top of that, Kreya will have to live one day less for every one day her husband lives. All the sacrifice is worth it to Kreya. She’ll use the bones from the battlefield where the fight to defeat Eklor played out. What happens when the past arises again? This book has it all from action to suspense and rich, realistic characters. I truly cannot recommend The Bone Maker enough! Be sure to check the novel out today.

The Bone Maker is like a cyclone of gothic aesthetics. If you like the innate gothness of Gideon the Ninth but want fantasy and prose that’s beautiful but still simplistic, pick this one up. At its heart, this one is about found family and breaking the law, and even your ethics, for the ones you love most. Again with the funny assholes. What I loved most is that the characters hurting most used humor to deal with their trauma, something many of us know with familiarity. The mixture of Romance tropes and Fantasy tropes kept me vibing and living the whole way through. I loved every bit of this, from the quiet romantic moments to the heartbreaks between friends.

This is a book about grief. It's raw and painful and weirdly, happy, in all the ways that forget how to handle grief in our day to day lives. It's a story about just how far we are willing to go as individuals to avoid dealing with grief, and all the ways it's going to smack you upside the head until you do.
It is a truly beautiful story.

The Bone Maker is an interesting fantasy novel with a unique magic system. The book has a lot going for it; it touches on grief; it has funny moments and magic, but it didn't hit the stop with me

This is a bit of a change from what I usually expct from Ms. Durst. Not that I am complaining! I loved it. The characters are very realistic, the premises well-supported, and the conflicts horrific. I was spellbound from beginning to end.

The Bone Makers is an adult fantasy that asks “what if after the big fantasy adventure, the adventure isn’t over?” Picking up 25 years after Elkor, the Bone King, murdered hundreds of thousands in a vain attempt at revenge, the land of Vos is in peace time. However, the hero who initially defeated Elkor is anything but peaceful, frantically trying to find a way to revive her dead husband who died 25 years ago.
I really loved this take on the aftermath of adventure. The classic hero group has scattered and moved on with their lives until they no longer can when danger looms ahead. Everyone is dealing in their own ways, both poorly and very well.
They really were a classic 5-man band, which was really cool! You could really tell they were all friends, which I appreciated! There was tension because some of them hadn’t talked in over 25 years, but you could tell they had history.
The dialogue was funnier than I anticipated considering this book is about bone/blood magic with undercurrents of dealing with grief. That being said, there were parts where it felt like too much because they were bantering in the middle of a tense situation so that cut some of the tension too much?
It you’re worried about the world-building of an adult fantasy novel being hard to decipher, the bone magic was very straight forward. There were three different types, reading the future, creating constructions, boosting abilities. At no point was I confused, so I’d recommend this if you want to get into adult fantasy but are afraid of being confused.
I rated this book 3.5 stars! The adventure held by interest, the characters were good, overall would recommend this adult fantasy!

Ok so I was really pleasantly surprised by this one!
I didn't know much about this one going into it, just that it dealt with bone magic which really intrigued me.
Right from the start I connected with the main character and what she was willing to do to save her husband. It was quite refreshing to read about older characters who were married and had already been through a lot trying to protect the world from someone who they believed was crossing the lines of their magic and its rules.
I loved all the characters in this and their relationships with each other. They all bought something to the story and we really see their love for one another even though they have broken apart from each other at the start of the book.
The story also was great with how it progressed and it kept me gripped the entire time.
My favorite part though was the magic system!! I love the idea of bone magic and I really enjoyed how there was different aspects of it depending on what you used it for. It was really well developed and I just loved the concept so much.
So yeah highly recommend this one and I think it's really underrated!

The Bone Maker was an immensely enjoyable read that poses the question of how heroes navigate their lives and their worlds after the day has been saved, and how the ghosts of the past linger into the present. One thing I really appreciate about many of the Sarah Beth Durst is how consistently good her writing is. I love that her characters are not younger people in their 20s but middle-aged and out of their prime. I don't read a ton of fantasies, even adult fantasies, that has this focus of the age of their characters. It was really refreshing and the characters themselves carried a lot of history and complexities within themselves. I really loved Kreya and Zera's dynamic, but all of the characters have a lot of good chemistry and the banter within the team as they come back together to face an evil they thought they had already put down was really fun to watch. I also loved the foil between Kreya and Eklor and how the author differentiates between the lengths they will go for love or revenge. This book had a lot going on with it and was very fast-paced, which was something I really loved. There were times where I couldn't look away from it. The Bone Maker is a story about heroes and villains, love and loss, and the lines that must be crossed when fighting for the innocent.