Bone Volume 9: Crown of Horns (2004)

Somehow I missed the Bone series as it was coming out, though I'd read Cerebus and Elfquest earlier. I guess by the '90s I was burned out on epic fantasy, and the "big name" graphic novels (Watchmen, V for Vendetta, etc.) really repulsed me with their old-school drawing style.

I'm sure I won't be the first to say that Bone is like the characters from Pogo, dropped into a valley-scale microcosm of Middle Earth—in terms of not only characters and action (there's a cow race, and there's also an Evil Power which invades dreams), but drawing style too. In other words, it doesn't take itself too seriously (as 99.9% of epic fantasy, including The Lord of the Rings, does), and as a result it succeeds fantastically on its own terms. It's just a good yarn, very well told. ( )

Definitely parallels to The Odyssey and The Hobbit for Zach. ( )

“Bone: Crown of Horns” is the ninth volume of Jeff Smith’s fictional graphic novels. This volume is a final installment of the fantasy series, published in 2007.

The book begins as Briar, the Pawan army and the rat creatures go to war in Atheia. To hold off the return of the Lord of Locusts, Gran’ma, the Bone cousins, and Thorn defend the valley. Thorn enters a ghost circle and hears a voice that tells her to locate the Crown of Thorns. Thorn sets out on a journey to the grounds of the dragons in hopes of finding the Crown of Thorns, their salvation.

I found the book to be unique in its characters and story line. Having not read many fantasy books like “Bone” before, I was not accustomed to the whimsical and supernatural content. Because it was a new genre for me, I was very intrigued and found it entertaining. It is evident that Smith is an imaginative author who uses fantasy literature to tap into the basic human struggles of war and purpose. Thorn is in the midst of a war while trying to find the Crown of Horns, her contribution in saving the valley. I agree with the author that like Thorn, we all have a purpose and can do our best to defend and save the things and people that we love.

Some effective ways to teach “Bone: Crown of Horns”:
• Discuss with the class the purpose and value of fantasy literature. Have they read any? Do they think fantasy literature can still hold moral lessons? Can literature be entertaining and educational/valuable at the same time?
• Have a discussion with students after reading the book to elicit the same questions and see if their responses have changed. Did they find “Bone” to contain moral lessons? Did they find it entertaining?
• Students can write reflective summaries detailing their opinions on supernatural or fantasy literature. Would they want to read more? Do they see a place for it in the school? Do heroes always win the day?

“Bone: Crown of Horns” is a whimsical, fantastical graphic novel that plays into science fiction while still holding moral lessons. It shows that with passion and purpose one can do what is called of them. It is a series of events written in a comic book format that hold life lessons and imagination throughout. ( )

Reason for Reading: next and last in the series.

A powerful, exciting finale to a most enjoyable series. Coming up to this last book I had some trepidation. Would it be worth the journey? Would it be a satisfying end? I can wholeheartedly say yes to both those questions. First off we are presented with a nice fat volume considerably larger than previous volumes, letting us know we can settle down for a good read. Action-packed, with a conclusion worthy of the eight previous volumes it took to get here. All major characters have their fates determined and get closure and it is not all "happy, happy, joy, joy" for everyone either. I'm not going to say anything about plot in this review, you'll just have to read this far yourself to find out on your own. But I highly recommend the series. Some volumes are better than others, but all rated high with me, either 4 or 5 stars. The story takes turns towards the darkside and is lightened up every now and then with a humorous side story. And all throughout the story, even though it does get mighty dark at times the humour is always there too. My favourite characters were the Red Dragon, Ted the leaf bug, and Bartelby. My favourite of the main characters was Smiley Bone. If you haven't had the pleasure yet, take some time out and read the series as it is a great ride with a satisfying ending. ( )

The final volume of the Bone series doesn't have many surprises. All of the plots that were set up in the earlier numbers play out in a way that seems pretty inevitable, if not outright predictable. There are a few jokes, and lots of chasing and fighting. Comeuppances and rewards (including a hero's burial) are distributed according to the characters' merits established before.

I had been holding out for some exciting backstory on Ted the bug, but I was disappointed there. Maybe it's in one of the prequel supplements: Rose or Stupid Stupid Rat Tails.