Charisat is the City of Bones … built on the decaying bones of an Ancient civilization that fell when the Wastes rose up to consume the world … or perhaps it takes it name from the practice of burning human[oid] bones to some necromantic effect. Regardless, it is the most powerful Trade City in the authoritarian dystopian landscape that remains with a stratified power structure, giving raise to very believable biases and prejudice based on which “tier” of the city they have access to … patricians and elites with their warders at the top and destitute at the bottom 8th tier. The system is stacked against outsiders (non-citizens).

The main character is doubly an outsider, being denied any change of citizenship because of his heritage as a “krisman” or desert person; a genetically altered human designed to withstand the dangers and hazards of the Waste where most of the flora and fauna want to kill you. The obvious mystery here is what happened to destroy the world of the Ancients? The answer here becomes a central part of the overall plot … and doesn’t get much play until the action picks up in the second half of the story. Still, the fantastic and somewhat unique take on world-building and character introduction of Khat and his supporting cast in the first 25% kept me fully engaged … with the next quarter starting to drag somewhat.

The story opens with Khat, desperate to get out from under his debt to the merchant crime lord, agrees to take a group of elites out into the Wastes on a Relic hunt … which quickly the rails to bring the Khat into the dangerous realm of elite power games, where his somewhat hidden talents help figure out the various puzzles and mysteries (a la Indiana Jones). Along the way, we get a little more backstory, but not enough to completely dispel the shadows (and this helps give the world a feel of incredible depth). And the interplay between all of the characters allows for some interesting social elements without being overly preaching (letting the PoV speak for itself). Finally … the plot is fairly predictable, so the small twists you get along the way keep it interesting and entertaining.

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#CityOfBones #NetGalley

Genre: fantasy
Original pub date: 6/1/1995
Rerelease pub date: 9/5/2023

Khat is a krisman, a humanoid species designed to withstand the brutal conditions of the Waste, the barren land threatening to creep closer to the city. Kris were genetically modified by the Ancients in case the Waste ended the rest of civilization as they knew it, and the kris are born with immunities to desert poisons, the ability to sense true north, and pouches to carry babies. But kris are now considered subhuman in the City of Charisat. Khat and his human business partner Sagai are relic dealers, collecting and selling on the black market. They find themselves entangled with a Warder, Elen, and on an action-packed adventure seeking relics to prevent a fanatical cult from taking over.

One of her earliest fantasy novels, and a rare standalone in a genre (and time period) of epic series, City of Bones has been edited, refreshed, and is being re-released for a new generation of readers.

A signature of Martha Wells’s style is dropping you in the middle of the action. I wrote about this when I reviewed Witch King, and she does it here with City of Bones as well. In fact, I honestly can’t remember the last time I read such an action packed book, which is great because Wells writes action scenes like no other. She provides just enough detail to keep you engaged in a scene while not over-describing every spin-move or punch.

Interestingly with this novel though, was an almost lack of narrative plot-propulsion. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as I was never bored as a reader, but it does do unexpected things to the overall pace of the novel. In some ways, much of the book felt like miniature side-quests until the end when Wells brings the entire thing together. For me, this is the sort of novel that would have worked a little better on audiobook, but that I still really enjoyed reading with my eyes.

The worldbuilding of City of Bones is astounding. Wells provides vivid detail and gorgeous descriptions, but never gives into the urge to info-dump. We see the city unfold through Khat’s eyes, which means we as readers get an outsider’s perspective of culture. If an author is only setting one book in a fantasy world, sometimes they will skimp on details, leaving you unsatisfied, but Wells presents us with a fully formed, elaborate culture in which the plot hinges on the depth of the worldbuilding.

It’s truly satisfying to spend 400 pages with well developed characters in an action-packed novel, and see plot threads come together towards the end. In fact, the ending was one of the more satisfying fantasy endings I’ve read because it was uniquely true to the characters.

City of Bones follows the adventure of Khat and Elen as they search for artifacts and remnant structures whose purposes had been lost to time, but could be a powerful engine. Khat is a Krisman, a descendant of a new human species designed to survive in the harsh world that lost many of its seas. Elen is a warder, a class of humans who have special mental powers (similar in some ways to the force in Star Wars) mastered through extensive training and practice, though their usage runs the risk of madness. They both live in the tiered city of Charisat that abuts a harsh desert known as the Waste. Together and apart, they'll journey through the many different parts of Charisat society and battle against pirate raiders who haunt the wastes.

Having not read the original 1995 versions, I can't speak to what has changed between the editions, but I found it much easier to keep track of the characters and political maneuvering in this book as compared to Wells' Witch King. Khat works as an artifact trader alongside his partner the scholar Sagai. As they are both not natives of Charisat, they cannot gain the same credibility and gain their living on the margins, often trading or dealing with the black market or underbelly of the city. Khat is hired to be a guide for Elen to visit a site out in the wastes, but they are attacked and have to survive against a band of pirates before any chance of help might arrive. Elen is from a privileged case and wants to prove some of her master's ideas and is taking a gamble by journeying with an artifact to the remnant.

It is a novel of conspiracy, mystery, cults and fractional fighting. While Khat is working with Elen, and pulled into the power struggle, he is also in a separate conflict with one of the black marketeers who wants his continued employment, even though the debt owed to him has been paid.

Like any book by Wells, the world this text inhabits is well realized, with a clear structure to the society and thought given to its functioning beyond the necessities of the plot. Water is a considerable asset in this world, and at many points how it is treated or presented helps illustrate the social hierarchy.

Plot wise, it is the gradually unraveling of a mystery of who holds the sought artifacts and determining what, if anything, they do. There are lots of parties and factions involved, and not all of them are honest about their motivations or goals.

Worth a read for anyone who likes their fantasy with more of a political twist than a brute force hack and slash. There is blood and battle, but much more is determined by what is said or left untold.

This review is for the revised and updated 2023 version of City of Bones by Martha Wells and published by Tor Publishing Group.

City of Bones is a standalone fantasy book set in the post-apocalyptic city of Charisat. We follow Khat, a humanoid Krisman who is hired by a powerful group to find relics of the Ancients. What they end up finding is much more concerning, and Khat is forced to decide between doing what is right, and what is needed to survive.

This is my first read of City of Bones, so I cannot compare this updated edition to previous versions of the text. However, I found City of Bones to be an enjoyable story that touches on many important social issues while keeping the reader engaged and enthralled though incredible storytelling. The post-apocalyptic setting of Charisat has both sci-fi and fantasy vibes. We have a city that is tiered and separated by social class, a race of human like creatures designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the ruined Waste, and Ancient technologies that help users channel magic. I am more of a fantasy reader, but even the more science-fiction elements resonated with me and worked well in this story. The world-building is complex, and it took me a bit to get into the story, but once I did, I was hooked. The second half of the story flew by, as we get deeper into the mysteries around the Warders and the ancient artifacts. The slowly built friendship and trust between the Patrician Elen and Krisman Khat was also nicely written. Their relationship demonstrated how individuals from different classes and races can work together towards a common good. Wells’ anthropological background is evident in this story, as she takes care to flesh out the different civilizations and cultural practices, such as those of the Krismen and what we know of the Ancients, in detail.

In all, I found this to be an excellent and rich fantasy. I appreciate that it is being re-released and that new generations of readers can enjoy this epic, standalone story.

I want to thank NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for sharing an electronic advanced reader copy of this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

DNF @ 50%. I feel like I am letting down Martha Wells because I adore the Murderbot series. I really wanted to love this but I am just not able to get into it the way it deserves. Right place, wrong time is what I'm going to call it. It has all the elements of a good fantasy book. For me, it's just a bit slow and it didn't have the snarky lil banter that I expected and wanted.

Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for the e-ARC of the revised and updated version!

Some fantasy stories you read for the characters. Some, you read for the plot. In others, you want to immerse yourself in a different world, so you're looking for complete worldbuilding. City of Bones is one of the worldbuilding ones. Martha Wells constructs a different world so well and so completely that there are never any chips in the mural. This book is set in a post-apocalyptic world. The characters know they aren't as advanced as "the Ancients," who left behind remnants of their advanced civilization. Their current world is a desert where water is scarce and city states, few and far between, each have their own customs and culture. In addition to those basics, there is also a system of magic that has its own logical rules, killer ghosts that roam the streets, and a different species of "krismen" who, lore has it, were created by one of the Ancient Mages to survive in the newly inhospitable world.

But wait! you say, I want characters and plot, too! Don't worry. Wells brings us some immensely appealing characters in Khat, kris relic hunter, and Elen, mage "Warder." Elen hires Khat to help her investigate the "mysteries of the Ancients" (imagine that line with cheesy reverb, because that's how Khat thinks of it). They're almost immediately swept up in more danger and politics than either expected from a short expedition to visit a Remnant. They have to decide very quickly whether or not to trust each other as they try to survive.

And of course, this is where the plot comes in. The book is lengthy but moves at a clipping pace, with lots of action, twists, and reversals of fortune. Since neither Khat nor Elen are the primary movers or shakers, the reader, like them, is left in the dark about the ultimate goal of their actions. We're all swept along to an appropriately epic and bittersweet ending. Even though it takes a while to understand the ultimate consequences of all of the action, all of the characters are competent and generally strive to do what they perceive of as the right thing, which makes living in their heads while we find out a pleasure.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the book.

Take a bit of SF (post apocalyptic world), a bit of fantasy (magic), a bit of Indiana Jones (dry hot world and treasure hunting), a sarcastic/streetwise hero, a pinch of humour and there you have it : an original world where water is scarce and mages are hunting for relics left by the former inhabitants of this world because every trace of their knowledge has disappeared.
Even if the story is a little slow to begin with (just a few pages), it will soon leave you breathless and wondering where are those relics, who (what ?) are those enemies, but most importantly, what are those relics for.
I discovered Martha Wells only a few years ago with her Murderbot series so I'm glad Netgalley gave me this opportunity to discover more of her writings. Though a different type from the Murderbot, this novel comforted me in the thought that she's a major author and well worth devouring.

Early Martha Wells, updated

City of Bones, published in 1995, was Martha Wells' second published novel. This book is an updated and revised edition, and is Wells' preferred text. Now, I have a confession to make: I have not read the earlier edition. Thus I do not know how it changed to make this one*. (And while I'm in a confessional mood, let me also admit that I don't know why the book is called "City of Bones"-- bones play a very small role in the book.) Like many of you (your turn to confess!), I became interested in Wells through Murderbot. If that is you, well, if you were hoping for something a lot like Murderbot, this is not that.

City of Bones is one of those novels that avoids commitment to either Fantasy or Science Fiction. It's a postapocalypse novel. The seas of the world on which it takes place (which could be a future Earth) have been replaced by volcanic wastelands. Prior to the apocalypse the world was inhabited by a technologically sophisticated people whom the present inhabitants call "The Ancients". The Ancients left behind artifacts which the present inhabitants call arcane engines. In addition they left behind a race of people genetically engineered to survive in the wastes, called Krismen. One such person, Khat, is the main point-of-view character. The Krismen are, however, a minority. Most of the people are more ordinary humans. Some of them have magic -- the science fictional interpretation would be that this is Clarke's Law magic: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

The exact nature of the apocalypse that took away the water and created the wastes is not at first clear. In fact, this turns out to be an important plot point, and, to avoid spoilers, I will say no more about it.

Aside from Khat (who is, to be honest, a pretty typical Action Hero kind of guy), the most important character is Elen, who is a Warder, who are a kind of magical police force. Elen's intelligent and methodical personality is far more important than her magic. Hers is the quest mentioned in the publisher's blurb, "to find relics believed to be part of one of the Ancients' arcane engines". Khat makes a living as a relics trader, and Elen hires him to help her out. And thus the story begins.

My biggest problem with City of Bones is that it's so *slow*. The previous paragraph, in which I outlined the beginning of the story, takes the first half of the book. Things pick up a bit after that, as we begin to find out the nature of the relics Elen is searching for. Eventually it becomes quite a good story. But it takes a long time to get there.

I thank NetGalley and Tor for an advance reader copy of City of Bones: Updated and Revised Edition. This review expresses my honest opinions. Release date: 5-Sep-2023.

*The ARC I read lacked an Acknowledgements section or any other end matter that might have explained how the 1995 edition changed to produce this one. I will edit this review on the release date, if the final publication includes anything I think ought to be noted.

This book didn’t really work for me. I’m finding that I like Martha’ science fiction more than her fantasy. The pacing is almost glacial and that was frustrating as a reader. For me, this book lacked any sort of hook, so there was no motivation to grind through the book. Like the Witch King, this book had the elements to be decent, but execution wasn’t great. Overall, it was just ok.

Great to see this novel back in print! (Well, it *will* be back in print, in a couple weeks, anyway.)

If, like many people, you discovered Wells's work through her excellent Murderbot Diaries series (also published by Tor.com), then I'd certainly recommend you pick up the author's fantasy novels -- CITY OF BONES and WITCH KING are the most recently published by Tor.com. They are different from the Murderbot stories, in tone and scope, but they are as inventive and engaging.

A must for fantasy fans. Recommended.

I wanted to like this one so bad but I found it lagged a bit. I may try witch king to see if that’s more up my alley

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for providing me an eARC to review!

I think this might be another case of 'it's me it's not you' cause I didn't really love this. Maybe my attention span is fried and I'm just in my short book era, but for 400 pages this felt LONG.

I never felt fully drawn into the world or characters, so it was almost like experiencing the story at a distance. Combined with the worldbuilding that really forces you to concentrate (which I prefer to info dumping but maybe I just didn't have the capacity rn), it just didn't grip me. I feel this is a case where I really respect the craft going on, and maybe a reread would help, but I never had that 'omg this is incredible' moment that I was hoping for. It didn't feel intentionally exclusionary to the reader like some sci-fi/fantasy I've tried, but it definitely makes you work, which maybe I just wasn't in the mood for.

It's definitely a slow burn read, but sadly I didn't really get that excitement of seeing everything come together at the end. Khat and Elen were interesting and well-crafted characters, but I just wanted more. I feel like Elen's arc in particular was really up my alley, but I never really got the emotional beats I wanted.

Also....not a fan of pouch content SORRY I HAD TO SAY IT

I will say - this one does start out fairly slow! Especially for what I've come to expect from a Martha Wells book. BUT ! If you stick with it, it's more than worth it!!

A found family of misfit friends, post-apocalyptic atmospheric settings, and a heist type adventure! What more could we need?

An absolute standout amongst it's genre, if you're looking for a fantasy stand-alone then look no further! This is the book for you!

4.5 stars.

"City of Bones" by Martha Wells is a captivating fantasy novel that transports readers to a richly imagined world filled with ancient technology, mystery, and danger. With its well-developed characters, intricate world-building, and suspenseful plot, this novel offers a thrilling and immersive reading experience.

Set in the city of Charisat, a towering structure built by the Ancients, the story follows Khat, a member of the humanoid race created by the Ancients to survive in the desert known as the Waste. Alongside his human partner, Sagai, Khat works as a relic dealer in the lower tiers of society, navigating the complex and sometimes treacherous world of artifact trade. When Khat is hired by the powerful Warders to recover relics linked to ancient technology, he becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that uncovers long-buried secrets and threatens the safety of Charisat.

Martha Wells' world-building is a standout feature of the novel. The city of Charisat is intricately described, with its tiered structure, diverse inhabitants, and remnants of the Ancients' advanced technology. The blending of fantasy and science fiction elements creates a unique and immersive setting that captures the imagination. The way the author explores the dynamics between different races and classes within the city adds depth to the world and its social complexities.

Khat is a compelling and multi-dimensional protagonist. As a relic dealer with unique abilities, he finds himself caught between the interests of various factions, forcing him to make difficult choices that shape the course of the narrative. The relationships he develops with other characters, including his partnership with Sagai, add emotional depth to the story. Sagai, too, is a well-rounded character with his own motivations and challenges, making him a strong complement to Khat's perspective.

The plot is engaging and filled with twists and turns that keep readers guessing. The exploration of the Ancients' technology, the mystery of the relics, and the threat posed by the fanatical cult create a sense of urgency and intrigue that drives the narrative forward. The action sequences are well-written and contribute to the tension and excitement of the story.

Martha Wells' prose is descriptive and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the city, its inhabitants, and the challenges they face. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing for moments of character development and world-building alongside moments of high-stakes action.

"City of Bones" delves into themes of power, knowledge, and the consequences of uncovering ancient secrets. The author's exploration of these themes adds depth to the story and gives readers something to ponder beyond the adventure.

In conclusion, "City of Bones" is an enthralling fantasy novel that seamlessly blends elements of mystery, technology, and magic. With its rich world-building, well-crafted characters, and engaging plot, it offers a rewarding reading experience for fans of fantasy and speculative fiction.

I love Martha Wells's boundless imagination, and I admire her ability to write in different genres. I find her fantasy requires more concentration and patience than her sci-fi. Her world-building in this one was of the sink or swim variety, but by the end, I could really visualize the terrain and the tiers of the city. I still wasn't clear on some of terminology, and I wouldn't have minded a glossary. Maybe the published copy will have one.
A drawing of the tiered city would be cool too.
The thing I like most about Wells is her characters and the merry bands of allies that form as the adventures progress. I loved Khat and Sagai, and I liked Elen, but I wished I could have gotten to know her a little better. The ending made sense, but it felt a little abrupt, and I was disappointed about one aspect of it. Overall, it was a great ride!

I'm not sure how I just got around to reading this book now, but I'm happy that I did! I enjoyed the world building, the way the city was set up with varying levels and the intermixing of characters. The story was a good pace and I would be happy to read more books set in this world.

This is a new rerelease of Martha Wells older fantasy, this is reedited and revised and I was so excited about it. It’s an epic tale about a world after something or someone destroyed what we know about earth. There’s no more oceans, water is scarce. We are introduced to Khat who has a bit of a strange life and he is a relic dealer at the lowest tier of class, he lives in poverty. So we do get a coming of age story of a sort. The books takes us on a journey of saving this world and the people. There’s mystery, artifacts, magical realism, monsters, just your grade A fantasy story and I’m happy to be seeing it getting a new look and a new release. Oh this is a standalone by the way, I know most Martha Wells books are series but this one you don’t have to worry about that.

Thank you to NetGalley and TorDotCom for the eARC of this great title!

City Of Bones was first published in 1995! “This updated and revised edition is the author’s preferred text.”

I haven’t had a 5 star read in awhile but this one knocked it out of the park for me. In keeping with my plan to read more fantasy this year, City Of Bones was absolutely perfect.

The plot was incredible, and I found the universe to be very immersive. Charisat is a city that has risen from the rubble of times long ago, and is surrounded by the Waste on all sides.

Khat is a lovable main character, and born Krismen, which makes him especially well suited to survive in the Waste. When a powerful warder approaches Khat for help, an epic journey begins to uncover ancient relics and the meaning behind them.

Wells can 100% write a character, and I fell in love with the crew in this story. Check this one out if you like fantasy, post apocalyptic and dystopian themes, and adventure.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book early!

Thanks to the recent slew of re-publications, I am quickly becoming a huge Martha Wells fan and the City of Bones did not disappoint.

Marketed as a combination of Dune and Tomb Raider, this intricate mystery of a novel takes place in the capital city of Charisat, a hierarchical oasis of a city offering the only protection for miles for its citizens from the brutal desert that surrounds it where access to water is currency. The story mainly follows Khat, an self-exiled desert native who is treated as "other" by many in Charisat, but is happy to make a living pricing and selling ancient artifacts left over from the advanced, Ancients who went extinct when the desert suddenly and mysteriously emerged. At the promise of a good payout by a wealthy man and magician, Khat agrees to accompany them out into the desert to look at an artifact and quite suddenly finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy that would bring unrivaled power to the city's magic-wielders but also death and destruction not seen since the Ancients went extinct.

I thought the story was wholly unique and unlike anything I'd read before. I was kept intrigued by the intricate world-building, but at times I did think the plot lagged slightly. Khat is such an interesting character and I wish we'd learned more about his background. In addition, I really liked Elen as the young, at-first naive magic-wielding enforcer in the city who quickly becomes disillusioned. And it is with Elen's character that I could appreciate the re-publication of the book to be the version Wells always intended it to be, because through the interactions between Khat and Elen I could tell that in the original, their relationship may have been romantic in nature. Here, it was more platonic, even familial--and I preferred that.

As any fans of the Murderbot Diaries or Witch King, Martha Wells excels at the found family trope, and this book is no exception. Pick this up for the bone and artifact-stealing mystery and stay for the found family.

City of Bones follows our main character, Khat, who is a relics dealer in the lower class of the city Charisat. While dealing in day to day trades, he is asked to be an escort to an ancient building outside of city limits. After embarking upon this adventure, Khat is asked for a lot more than just one trip to the outside world. In Martha Well’s rewrite of City of Bones, we are taken on a fantastic adventure of trade, pirating, and politics. Wells introduces us to a cast of characters with all different backgrounds and not all are completely human! I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The story was interesting and the plot twists were fun. There’s a bit of Well’s well known humor throughout the book as well. The biggest thing I see holding this book back is the setting of the story. Unlike Well’s extremely popular Murderbot Diaries series, this book is set in a dystopian world somewhere located in the Middle East or Southwest Asia. Some of the descriptive language hints towards this. As a reader, this tells me one of two things; I need to broaden my understanding of this cultural setting or I need to be prepared to look a lot of things up to understand some of what’s going on! Other than that, I feel it is truly a fun ride. I can’t wait to read more in this world if it becomes a series!