Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Tor Books (2015), Edition: Reprint, 320 pages
Description
When Daniel Blackland was six, he ingested his first bone fragment, a bit of kraken spine plucked out of the sand during a visit with his demanding, brilliant, and powerful magician father, Sebastian. When Daniel was twelve, he watched Sebastian die at the hands of the Hierarch of Southern California, devoured for the heightened magic layered deep within his bones. Now, years later, Daniel is a petty thief with a forged identity. Hiding amid the crowds in Los Angeles--the capital of the Kingdom of Southern California--Daniel is trying to go straight. But his crime-boss uncle has a heist he wants Daniel to perform: break into the Hierarch's storehouse of magical artifacts and retrieve Sebastian's sword, an object of untold power. For this dangerous mission, Daniel will need a team he can rely on, so he brings in his closest friends from his years in the criminal world. There's Moth, who can take a bullet and heal in mere minutes. Jo Alverado, illusionist. The multitalented Cassandra, Daniel's ex. And, new to them all, the enigmatic, knowledgeable Emma, with her British accent and her own grudge against the powers-that-be. The stakes are high, and the stage is set for a showdown that might just break the magic that protects a long-corrupt regime. Extravagant and yet moving, Greg van Eekhout'sCalifornia Bones is an epic adventure set in a city of canals and secrets and casual brutality--different from the world we know, yet familiar and true.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member richardderus
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: When Daniel Blackland was six, he ingested his first bone fragment, a bit of kraken spine plucked out of the sand during a visit with his demanding, brilliant, and powerful magician father, Sebastian.
When Daniel was twelve, he watched Sebastian die at the hands
Now, years later, Daniel is a petty thief with a forged identity. Hiding amid the crowds in Los Angeles—the capital of the Kingdom of Southern California—Daniel is trying to go straight. But his crime-boss uncle has a heist he wants Daniel to perform: break into the Hierarch's storehouse of magical artifacts and retrieve Sebastian's sword, an object of untold power.
For this dangerous mission, Daniel will need a team he can rely on, so he brings in his closest friends from his years in the criminal world. There's Moth, who can take a bullet and heal in mere minutes. Jo Alverado, illusionist. The multitalented Cassandra, Daniel's ex. And, new to them all, the enigmatic, knowledgeable Emma, with her British accent and her own grudge against the powers-that-be. The stakes are high, and the stage is set for a showdown that might just break the magic that protects a long-corrupt regime.
Extravagant and yet moving, Greg van Eekhout's California Bones is an epic adventure set in a city of canals and secrets and casual brutality--different from the world we know, yet familiar and true.
My Review: Want to know something amazing? My assisted-living facility's library, which I created from my own library, cannot keep this book on the shelves.
So what, I hear you think really loudly. So this: I'm in a place where I'm young at 55...most of these eager readers are over 70.
This gives me the happy. It proves to me that, if you tell a good story well, people it with easy-to-relate-to characters, and pull no punches, any and all ages will grab and snatch and fight to get their shot to read it.
I'm no fan of teen heroes, get highly irked by teen angst, and never want to hear the phrase "coming-of-age" again; I am usually bored into a coma by magic; altogether this book should have made me sleepily grouchy. Instead, I was flipping pages and holding my breath, and so are all the library users I've spoken to.
For me at least, one of the main appeals is the future L.A. van Eekhout posits, a place turned into a quasi-Amsterdam by the devouring sea. I love that idea mostly because I don't like California despite being born there. But also and more positively, I got the image fixed in my head immediately, enjoyably, and permanently. Now I see photos of the real L.A. and feel confused...where's the sea?
Greg van Eekhout changed my image of a place I've been to a zillion times. He's that much of a wizard with his words. I can't wait to be able to afford the next two books! C'mon February, Daddy needs new books!
The Publisher Says: When Daniel Blackland was six, he ingested his first bone fragment, a bit of kraken spine plucked out of the sand during a visit with his demanding, brilliant, and powerful magician father, Sebastian.
When Daniel was twelve, he watched Sebastian die at the hands
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of the Hierarch of Southern California, devoured for the heightened magic layered deep within his bones.Now, years later, Daniel is a petty thief with a forged identity. Hiding amid the crowds in Los Angeles—the capital of the Kingdom of Southern California—Daniel is trying to go straight. But his crime-boss uncle has a heist he wants Daniel to perform: break into the Hierarch's storehouse of magical artifacts and retrieve Sebastian's sword, an object of untold power.
For this dangerous mission, Daniel will need a team he can rely on, so he brings in his closest friends from his years in the criminal world. There's Moth, who can take a bullet and heal in mere minutes. Jo Alverado, illusionist. The multitalented Cassandra, Daniel's ex. And, new to them all, the enigmatic, knowledgeable Emma, with her British accent and her own grudge against the powers-that-be. The stakes are high, and the stage is set for a showdown that might just break the magic that protects a long-corrupt regime.
Extravagant and yet moving, Greg van Eekhout's California Bones is an epic adventure set in a city of canals and secrets and casual brutality--different from the world we know, yet familiar and true.
My Review: Want to know something amazing? My assisted-living facility's library, which I created from my own library, cannot keep this book on the shelves.
So what, I hear you think really loudly. So this: I'm in a place where I'm young at 55...most of these eager readers are over 70.
This gives me the happy. It proves to me that, if you tell a good story well, people it with easy-to-relate-to characters, and pull no punches, any and all ages will grab and snatch and fight to get their shot to read it.
I'm no fan of teen heroes, get highly irked by teen angst, and never want to hear the phrase "coming-of-age" again; I am usually bored into a coma by magic; altogether this book should have made me sleepily grouchy. Instead, I was flipping pages and holding my breath, and so are all the library users I've spoken to.
For me at least, one of the main appeals is the future L.A. van Eekhout posits, a place turned into a quasi-Amsterdam by the devouring sea. I love that idea mostly because I don't like California despite being born there. But also and more positively, I got the image fixed in my head immediately, enjoyably, and permanently. Now I see photos of the real L.A. and feel confused...where's the sea?
Greg van Eekhout changed my image of a place I've been to a zillion times. He's that much of a wizard with his words. I can't wait to be able to afford the next two books! C'mon February, Daddy needs new books!
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LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
Set in an alternate US where there is magic all around us and the best magic comes from bones and people fight to control the fossils and even kill magic users to eat their bones to take the magic they in turn have eaten. Daniel watched the Hierarch of Southern California start to eat his father as
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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magic hid him from being dined on as well. Years later he gets a chance to strike back and retrieve a magical sword that was was stolen that day. The sword is made out of parts of Daniel so he really wants it along with it possibly being the best item his Dad ever created. Most of the book reads like a heist which is what the most of the plot is but you get a lot of background on how society works and get to see that the magic users are not nice people. The ending can go either way of setting up for a sequel or walking away with enough of your questions answered that you can live without more story until a next one might show up. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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LibraryThing member stefferoo
Have I mentioned how much I love a good heist? I definitely would have jumped on this book a lot sooner had known the treat I was in for. But there’s also a lot more to California Bones aside from being the ultimate fantasy crime caper novel. Author Greg van Eekhout also wraps it all up in a cool
The magic system is based on osteomancy, the drawing of energy and power from the bones of humans, animals, and even mythical creatures. Fossilized remains of extinct animals are the rarest of all, worth vast fortunes on the black market. But the users of bone magic – called osteomancers – who can get their hands on them are capable of the most powerful spells. A chunk of sabertooth can grant great speed and agility; a bit of sint holo, the ability to turn invisible; some essence of firebird can allow the user to breathe flames; and so on.
The most straightforward way to extract magic from a piece bone is to consume it – literally. Our protagonist Daniel Blackland was only six when he ate his first bone fragment, a piece of kraken spine fed to him by his osteomancer father. Little did young Daniel know, Sebastian Blackland was already preparing his son for survival against his enemies. After the elder Blackland was murdered by the brutal Hierarch of the Kingdom of Southern California, Daniel is forced to go into hiding, eking out a living with petty thievery…until he and his friends are offered the job of a lifetime. The score? Caches of untold osteomantic treasures in the Heirarch’s heavily guarded storehouse, including a magical sword that holds immense personal significance for Daniel.
So yes, California Bones has everything I want in a heist novel: a diverse crew with each member equipped with specific, specialized talents? Check. High stakes? Check. Innovative solutions to get around alarm systems, physical barriers and other security measures? Check. And last but most importantly, lots of plot twists to set up an explosive final act. Double check. This book was plenty of fun to boot, with great characters and great dialogue infused with plenty of humor. But that’s also counterbalanced with some pretty dark, nasty stuff. I mean, we have cannibalism and examples of human beings butchering other human beings to ingest the magic in their flesh and bones. An interesting idea, but also icky and horrible.
Van Eekhout also makes his novel special by setting it in a version of Los Angeles where we have canals and waterways instead of streets, and everyone gets around in boats and barges. The world of this alternate southern California is revealed gradually, letting the mystique of it filter through to us little by little. For example, the Hierarch’s allies include historical figures like Walt Disney, but instead of being the creator of cartoons beloved by children everywhere, this world’s Disney is an evil bastard whose corruption knows no bounds. The fossil record is also replete with all manner of legendary creatures, as varied and fantastical as any medieval bestiary. From phoenixes to venomous seps, you never know what you’ll be exposed to next.
That said, there are a few things that didn’t fully work for me. I mentioned earlier that I like heist stories, mainly because I enjoy reading about the entire process of theft, from planning to execution. There’s a lot of problem solving involved for the characters, learning the layout of the location to be robbed, figuring out the best way past seemingly insurmountable defenses, etc. Hence in a way, the richness of the magic system in this book is both a positive and a negative. What happens when there are a countless number of creature bones that can endow an osteomancer with a countless number of abilities? Well, that means no barrier is impossible. Granted, there are a lot of neat problems that the thieves in the novel have to overcome, and plenty of awesome ideas. But still, I knew that anything the author could throw at our characters, there’s bound to be some sort of magical solution. It takes a lot of the challenge and excitement out of the heist, as a result.
The second half of the novel also doesn’t read as smoothly as the first half. This might be due to the shift in story focus, because the plot does progress from the heist to something much bigger by the end. The climax and conclusion felt a bit rushed, and I can’t really put my finger on why, but the characters didn’t feel as natural or fleshed out either. All told, however, I want to stress that these are rather minor quibbles in the greater scheme of things.
In the end, I thought California Bones was a great book and I’m glad I finally got around to reading it. This is a fun, inventive and very clever series that holds lots of potential, and by all accounts the second book is already living up to expectations. I’m definitely going to make the effort soon to tackle the sequel Pacific Fire so I’ll be all caught up, because I hear there is already a book three (Dragon Coast) on the horizon.
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package featuring some amazing magic, setting his story up in a savage dystopian world.The magic system is based on osteomancy, the drawing of energy and power from the bones of humans, animals, and even mythical creatures. Fossilized remains of extinct animals are the rarest of all, worth vast fortunes on the black market. But the users of bone magic – called osteomancers – who can get their hands on them are capable of the most powerful spells. A chunk of sabertooth can grant great speed and agility; a bit of sint holo, the ability to turn invisible; some essence of firebird can allow the user to breathe flames; and so on.
The most straightforward way to extract magic from a piece bone is to consume it – literally. Our protagonist Daniel Blackland was only six when he ate his first bone fragment, a piece of kraken spine fed to him by his osteomancer father. Little did young Daniel know, Sebastian Blackland was already preparing his son for survival against his enemies. After the elder Blackland was murdered by the brutal Hierarch of the Kingdom of Southern California, Daniel is forced to go into hiding, eking out a living with petty thievery…until he and his friends are offered the job of a lifetime. The score? Caches of untold osteomantic treasures in the Heirarch’s heavily guarded storehouse, including a magical sword that holds immense personal significance for Daniel.
So yes, California Bones has everything I want in a heist novel: a diverse crew with each member equipped with specific, specialized talents? Check. High stakes? Check. Innovative solutions to get around alarm systems, physical barriers and other security measures? Check. And last but most importantly, lots of plot twists to set up an explosive final act. Double check. This book was plenty of fun to boot, with great characters and great dialogue infused with plenty of humor. But that’s also counterbalanced with some pretty dark, nasty stuff. I mean, we have cannibalism and examples of human beings butchering other human beings to ingest the magic in their flesh and bones. An interesting idea, but also icky and horrible.
Van Eekhout also makes his novel special by setting it in a version of Los Angeles where we have canals and waterways instead of streets, and everyone gets around in boats and barges. The world of this alternate southern California is revealed gradually, letting the mystique of it filter through to us little by little. For example, the Hierarch’s allies include historical figures like Walt Disney, but instead of being the creator of cartoons beloved by children everywhere, this world’s Disney is an evil bastard whose corruption knows no bounds. The fossil record is also replete with all manner of legendary creatures, as varied and fantastical as any medieval bestiary. From phoenixes to venomous seps, you never know what you’ll be exposed to next.
That said, there are a few things that didn’t fully work for me. I mentioned earlier that I like heist stories, mainly because I enjoy reading about the entire process of theft, from planning to execution. There’s a lot of problem solving involved for the characters, learning the layout of the location to be robbed, figuring out the best way past seemingly insurmountable defenses, etc. Hence in a way, the richness of the magic system in this book is both a positive and a negative. What happens when there are a countless number of creature bones that can endow an osteomancer with a countless number of abilities? Well, that means no barrier is impossible. Granted, there are a lot of neat problems that the thieves in the novel have to overcome, and plenty of awesome ideas. But still, I knew that anything the author could throw at our characters, there’s bound to be some sort of magical solution. It takes a lot of the challenge and excitement out of the heist, as a result.
The second half of the novel also doesn’t read as smoothly as the first half. This might be due to the shift in story focus, because the plot does progress from the heist to something much bigger by the end. The climax and conclusion felt a bit rushed, and I can’t really put my finger on why, but the characters didn’t feel as natural or fleshed out either. All told, however, I want to stress that these are rather minor quibbles in the greater scheme of things.
In the end, I thought California Bones was a great book and I’m glad I finally got around to reading it. This is a fun, inventive and very clever series that holds lots of potential, and by all accounts the second book is already living up to expectations. I’m definitely going to make the effort soon to tackle the sequel Pacific Fire so I’ll be all caught up, because I hear there is already a book three (Dragon Coast) on the horizon.
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LibraryThing member tenaciousreader
California Bones is a gritty, slightly canabalistic urban fantasy, but trust me, it’s quite a good read. I know, how can something be “slightly canabalistic“? Either there are canabals or there are not. Well, there are. But, it’s osteomancers that eat other osteomancers once they run out of
As you may have gathered, the magic in this book is attained by consuming bones, and not just any bones, but the bones of mythical creatures. Fun things like basilisk teeth, kraken spines and griffin claws. Our protagonist Daniel had a very powerful father, who fed Daniel fed bones regularly since he was just six years old. Somewhere along the way, he became so saturated with magic that it changed him. He no longer needs to consume bones, but can draw power from within himself.
Being powerful sounds great, right? Well…It also comes with quite a downside. The more powerful someone is, the more power another osteomancer can attain from their bones. That makes powerful osteomancers a target. Being from a powerful family, Daniel has suffered because of this. His family was massacred, but thankfully with some foresight and some very loving parents, Daniel was spared and sent to live in hiding. Current day, Daniel is grown and still living in hiding. He has forged some amazing friends and is surviving by living the good old life of a conman (seriously, who doesn’t enjoy some con jobs in their books?)
The story revolves around a huge heist that Daniel and his friends were hired for. It also gets the attention of Gabriel, an agent that has stumbled on to some information that leads him on a hunt for Daniel (who is supposedly dead). I really enjoyed the dynamics between Daniel and his friends, so I always liked his sections. I was also intrigued by Gabriel, and curious to see what his plans were for working his case. Heists are always good reading, and getting the perspective of someone on the other side of the law is great as it lends more urgency to the story.
Overall, I found this to be an exciting and fun read. The characters were interesting, there were definitely a few twists I did not see coming, which is always wonderful. Definitely recommend.
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their special magic bones to chomp down on. (Osteomancers are the magic users). But not all osteomancers go to that extreme. There is definitely one rather creepy scene that sets the tone for this, and leaves a lasting impression on both the reader and Daniel. But what reader doesn’t like lasting impressions? Especially when they are creepy!As you may have gathered, the magic in this book is attained by consuming bones, and not just any bones, but the bones of mythical creatures. Fun things like basilisk teeth, kraken spines and griffin claws. Our protagonist Daniel had a very powerful father, who fed Daniel fed bones regularly since he was just six years old. Somewhere along the way, he became so saturated with magic that it changed him. He no longer needs to consume bones, but can draw power from within himself.
Being powerful sounds great, right? Well…It also comes with quite a downside. The more powerful someone is, the more power another osteomancer can attain from their bones. That makes powerful osteomancers a target. Being from a powerful family, Daniel has suffered because of this. His family was massacred, but thankfully with some foresight and some very loving parents, Daniel was spared and sent to live in hiding. Current day, Daniel is grown and still living in hiding. He has forged some amazing friends and is surviving by living the good old life of a conman (seriously, who doesn’t enjoy some con jobs in their books?)
The story revolves around a huge heist that Daniel and his friends were hired for. It also gets the attention of Gabriel, an agent that has stumbled on to some information that leads him on a hunt for Daniel (who is supposedly dead). I really enjoyed the dynamics between Daniel and his friends, so I always liked his sections. I was also intrigued by Gabriel, and curious to see what his plans were for working his case. Heists are always good reading, and getting the perspective of someone on the other side of the law is great as it lends more urgency to the story.
Overall, I found this to be an exciting and fun read. The characters were interesting, there were definitely a few twists I did not see coming, which is always wonderful. Definitely recommend.
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LibraryThing member TadAD
I was slightly surprised by this book. I think it was left at the cabin by a houseguest and the blurb didn’t seem to promise too much. However, it was a fairly original urban fantasy with some good action. My quibbles would be that it was a slightly predictable and the ending was way to pat: the
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unbeatable bad guy gets knocked off in a second or two? Hmmm. If you enjoy urban fantasy thrillers, this might be for you. Otherwise, give it a pass. Show Less
LibraryThing member adamwolf
An urban fantasy heist!
LibraryThing member LongDogMom
I loved this book. I really liked the idea of ingesting bone to gain the powers of the beast the bones came from..and many of the beasts are mythological and beasts of legend I thought that was a really unique idea and I loved how Daniel's father begins preparing him from a young age to be powerful
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and survive the machinations of the gritty and dangerous world they inhabit. . The start of the book is terrifying, but really set the scene of how frightening this world of magic and mages competing for power really is, and Daniel learns as he grows, that there are secrets within secrets that begins to uncover. Gritty and unique, a great read! Show Less
LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The book will be released on June 10th.
As a native Californian, one who greatly misses her home state, I find it incredibly appealing to read alternate histories of the place. In this case, it's not merely alt-history--more
I'm not from L.A.--I'm a Central Valley girl--but I really liked how Van Eekhout creates an intimate setting, making his new version of the valley a character in its own right. It's something I also admired in Ex-Heroes by Peter Clines last year.
The story is pretty darn good, too. Daniel is a powerful osteomancer, a mage who gains powers from mythical creatures by ingesting their bones. His crew has diverse talents, magical and otherwise. It reads like a heist-thriller, but with a major magical twist. It's not shallow action, though. I really liked Daniel as a character, and there are a multitude of reasons why he has such fiercely loyal friends.
I'm really hoping this is a series because I selfishly want Daniel to travel north through my home region, because I'm sure Van Eekhout come up with something twisted and fun.
As a native Californian, one who greatly misses her home state, I find it incredibly appealing to read alternate histories of the place. In this case, it's not merely alt-history--more
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like alternate reality. Van Eekout has created a Los Angeles driven by magic, where So Cal icons of the early 20th century live on as crazed mages (yes, Disney's in there), canals are used more often than streets, and modern landmarks like Tito's Tacos are still very present. It's bonkers, but a cool kind of bonkers.I'm not from L.A.--I'm a Central Valley girl--but I really liked how Van Eekhout creates an intimate setting, making his new version of the valley a character in its own right. It's something I also admired in Ex-Heroes by Peter Clines last year.
The story is pretty darn good, too. Daniel is a powerful osteomancer, a mage who gains powers from mythical creatures by ingesting their bones. His crew has diverse talents, magical and otherwise. It reads like a heist-thriller, but with a major magical twist. It's not shallow action, though. I really liked Daniel as a character, and there are a multitude of reasons why he has such fiercely loyal friends.
I'm really hoping this is a series because I selfishly want Daniel to travel north through my home region, because I'm sure Van Eekhout come up with something twisted and fun.
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LibraryThing member kmajort
Will need to return to review... but *really* enjoyed this different take on magic. Hope Van Eekhout has more of this caliber in the mix.
LibraryThing member pwaites
I’ve been interested in getting my hands on this ever since I heard it was a fantasy heist story. I love fantasy. I love heist stories. What could be better than the two combined?
I do wish someone had warned me about the cannibalism. So here’s your warning – there’s cannibalism.
When Daniel
Now, Daniel is a petty thief hiding in LA. But then his uncle comes to him with the heist of all heists: raid the Hierarch’s magical stores. According to the back blurb:
“For this dangerous mission, Daniel will need a team he can rely on, so he brings in his closest friends from his years in the criminal world. There’s Moth, who can take a bullet and heal in mere minutes. Jo Alverado, illusionist. The multitalented Cassandra, Daniel’s ex. And, new to them all, the enigmatic, knowledgeable Emma, with her British accent and her own grudge against the powers-that-be. The stakes are high, and the stage is set for a showdown that might just break the magic that protects a long-corrupt regime.”
This bit of the back blurb made the book look dubious for female characters in a way that is completely not true. Like, Jo is a female shape shifter, so there’s actually three women and two men on the team. Referring to Cassie as “Daniel’s ex” was really misleading. I mean, she was his ex-girlfriend, but I don’t see why they said this instead of “safe-cracker” when all the other team members got some reference to their skills. I also felt like it implied the usual sort of cliches associated ex-girlfriends. He’d reluctantly have to get her on the team, they’d have an adversarial relationship, ect. None of this happened. At the beginning of the book, she’s introduced as his partner. They’ve been working together for years. Yes, they dated when they were teenagers, but why is that put on the back of the book?
When it comes to the characters, they are mostly serviceable at best. None of them really came alive for me, and I don’t actually like Daniel very much. My favorite characters were actually Gabriel and Max, who were both associated with the police and on Daniel’s trail. I liked them best, but there were no characters who I just feel in love with.
Oh, the book also pulled a pet peeve of mine where real world people are characters. Like, Disney appeared as an evil magic user who works for the Hierarch. I have no idea why this bugs me as much as it does.
The most interesting part of the book was the magic system – eating the bones of long dead creatures (like griffin or kraken) gives you magical powers. Unfortunately, when a magic user eats a fossil, the magic becomes stored in his bones. Thus, with a dwindling supply of fossils magic users eat each other to become more powerful. Hence, the really gross cannibalism aspect. I probably would have regretted listening to this on audio, and if there’s ever a movie of it… it may pass my limits for what I can tolerate. I was alright with reading it on the page though.
In terms of plot, plenty happened and the pacing was good. Unfortunately, I never became completely involved or sucked in (possibly because of the characters?). Anyway, I was never gasping at an amazing plot twist.
Overall, California Bones is a short, gritty fantasy heist story with a unique magic system. I would recommend this to people looking for non-romance based urban fantasy or a fantasy heist story.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I do wish someone had warned me about the cannibalism. So here’s your warning – there’s cannibalism.
When Daniel
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Blackland was twelve, he saw his father killed by the Hierarch of Southern California, the tyrannical and all powerful magic user who rules the Kingdom of Southern California. The back blurb actually says “devoured for the heightened magic layered deep within his bones” so I really should have guessed about the cannibalism.Now, Daniel is a petty thief hiding in LA. But then his uncle comes to him with the heist of all heists: raid the Hierarch’s magical stores. According to the back blurb:
“For this dangerous mission, Daniel will need a team he can rely on, so he brings in his closest friends from his years in the criminal world. There’s Moth, who can take a bullet and heal in mere minutes. Jo Alverado, illusionist. The multitalented Cassandra, Daniel’s ex. And, new to them all, the enigmatic, knowledgeable Emma, with her British accent and her own grudge against the powers-that-be. The stakes are high, and the stage is set for a showdown that might just break the magic that protects a long-corrupt regime.”
This bit of the back blurb made the book look dubious for female characters in a way that is completely not true. Like, Jo is a female shape shifter, so there’s actually three women and two men on the team. Referring to Cassie as “Daniel’s ex” was really misleading. I mean, she was his ex-girlfriend, but I don’t see why they said this instead of “safe-cracker” when all the other team members got some reference to their skills. I also felt like it implied the usual sort of cliches associated ex-girlfriends. He’d reluctantly have to get her on the team, they’d have an adversarial relationship, ect. None of this happened. At the beginning of the book, she’s introduced as his partner. They’ve been working together for years. Yes, they dated when they were teenagers, but why is that put on the back of the book?
When it comes to the characters, they are mostly serviceable at best. None of them really came alive for me, and I don’t actually like Daniel very much. My favorite characters were actually Gabriel and Max, who were both associated with the police and on Daniel’s trail. I liked them best, but there were no characters who I just feel in love with.
Oh, the book also pulled a pet peeve of mine where real world people are characters. Like, Disney appeared as an evil magic user who works for the Hierarch. I have no idea why this bugs me as much as it does.
The most interesting part of the book was the magic system – eating the bones of long dead creatures (like griffin or kraken) gives you magical powers. Unfortunately, when a magic user eats a fossil, the magic becomes stored in his bones. Thus, with a dwindling supply of fossils magic users eat each other to become more powerful. Hence, the really gross cannibalism aspect. I probably would have regretted listening to this on audio, and if there’s ever a movie of it… it may pass my limits for what I can tolerate. I was alright with reading it on the page though.
In terms of plot, plenty happened and the pacing was good. Unfortunately, I never became completely involved or sucked in (possibly because of the characters?). Anyway, I was never gasping at an amazing plot twist.
Overall, California Bones is a short, gritty fantasy heist story with a unique magic system. I would recommend this to people looking for non-romance based urban fantasy or a fantasy heist story.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Osteomancy involves getting power by eating the bones of magically-imbued animals, including people. The main protagonists both had a parent eaten by the wizard in charge of the region around LA, who carved it away from the US about a century ago. One, Daniel, responded by becoming a thief and
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trying to stay out of sight, while the other—no osteomancer—worked as an enforcer for the regime. That he is therefore a murderer many times over is referenced but not really dealt with; he’s better than the worst people in the story, I guess. When he checks out a slave headed for the death penalty to help his investigation, he doesn’t make the enslaved man wear a collar or send him back to be killed, so. Most of the action is about the other protagonist, who is himself a powerful osteomancer, putting together a heist from the ruler’s bone stash. If you like magical heist stories, this could be fun, though one of the twists is signalled so often that my only question was when the protagonist actually knew about it. Purportedly, later than I assumed. It was interesting enough that I’ll read the sequel, but don’t look for anyone trying to do the right thing for people other than the particular people they personally love. Show Less
LibraryThing member lyrrael
I don't think I'm going to rate this, because although the premise was really interesting -- and the beginning of the book held a lot of promise -- there are several styles of fiction that just do not click with me, like portal fiction (random person is picked up, teleported to a new world, has to
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figure out how to stay alive), or false accusations. One of them is heist fiction. Yes, that means that out-of-this-world books like The Lies of Locke Lamora just do not rev my engine. This book would be very well recommended to anyone who enjoyed it. I read the first... oh, I dunno, quarter of the book before conking out. Kind of bummed -- I've been looking forward to this for a while, but that's the way the wind blows. Show Less
LibraryThing member jazzbird61
It's been a really long time since I was forced to stay up past my bedtime because I couldn't put a book down. This one made me do it.
I loved the worldbuilding. Even though the entire book was set in Los Angeles, we get a glimpse of how this alternate world is much like, but unlike our today. Being
And, oh, the magic.... It was as fascinating as it was creepy and made sense.
I hope this was the beginning of a trilogy and/or that we see more of this world. I'm off to see what else Mr. Van Eekhout has written.
Highly recommended read.
EDIT 2/6/15 - Still as good as the 1st time.
I loved the worldbuilding. Even though the entire book was set in Los Angeles, we get a glimpse of how this alternate world is much like, but unlike our today. Being
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a Los Angelina, I loved the historical figures that were featured in the book.And, oh, the magic.... It was as fascinating as it was creepy and made sense.
I hope this was the beginning of a trilogy and/or that we see more of this world. I'm off to see what else Mr. Van Eekhout has written.
Highly recommended read.
EDIT 2/6/15 - Still as good as the 1st time.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2014-06-10
Physical description
320 p.; 5.46 inches
ISBN
0765376911 / 9780765376916