City of Bones (original 1995; edition 1996)

I didn’t like this as well as Wells’ other books–just didn’t quite get into either the story or the characters–but it’s still very solid.

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The premise: ganked from BN.com: Charisat is a city at the Fringe of the Waste, a rocky and treacherous area of desolation formed more than a thousand years ago when a mysterious holocaust drained the sea and destroyed the flourishing civilization of the Ancients. It is a city which survives by trade, and its most valuable merchandise is relics, artifacts from the remains of the Ancient city that once occupied Charisat's present location. Relics are priceless, and in a city where living space is at a premium and water is a scarce and valuable commodity, they are dangerous to own.

Khat, a member of a humanoid race created by the Ancients to survive in the Waste, and Sagai, his human partner, are relic dealers working on the edge of society, trying to stay one step ahead of the Trade Inspectors and to support Sagai's family. When Khat is hired to find relics believed to be part of one of the Ancients' arcane engines, they are both reluctant to become involved. But the request comes from the Warders, powerful mages who serve Charisat's Elector. Khat soon discovers that the deadly politics of Charisat's upper tiers aren't the only danger. The relics the Warders want are the key to an Ancient magic of unknown power, and, as all the inhabitants of Charisat know, no one understands the Ancients' magic.

A beautiful woman and a handsome thief will try to unravel the mysteries of an age-old technology to stop a fanatical cult before they unleash an evil that will topple Charisat, a place where silken courtesans and beggars weave lies side by side, and where the tier that you live on determines how high up the food chain you are.

My Rating: Problematic, but Promising

If you have not yet Martha Wells' fantasy, I would not suggest starting here. AT ALL. Instead, go pick up The Cloud Roads and prepare to enjoy the hell out of it. City of Bones is a much earlier work, and while I definitely see the glimmers of the author Wells becomes in The Cloud Roads, reading City of Bones was a chore more than anything else. I ended up napping more often than not while reading this, and that's never a good sign. Truth be told, if Wells hadn't already proven her value in The Cloud Roads, City of Bones would've easily been a DNF for me. I didn't connect to the characters, the stakes weren't very clear to me, and was simply very disengaged with the book as a whole. Some of this might be my own fault for falling asleep at a crucial time in the text, but there's something to say about the fact I kept falling asleep during crucial points in the text, you know? That being said, it's not going to stop me from reading The Serpent Seas, which Amazon DID end up discounting to super-cheap prices for the Kindle a few weeks ago! I'm just sorry I impulse-purchased this…it should've really waited until I'd read the Wells book I really wanted.

So yeah. Start with The Cloud Roads. You won't be disappointed. And when you do get enough of her work under your belt and you consider yourself a fan and want to read this, just do yourself a favor and don't get the Kindle copy. I know it's cheaper, but the messed up formatting really makes for a trying read, so go for the hard copy instead. :)

Spoilers, yay or nay?: Nay. But I will talk at some length about why I wish I hadn't given into impulse, so if you're interested in the full review at my blog, just click the link below. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Martha Wells' CITY OF BONES

Happy Reading! ( )

Pretty interesting world but something just didn't do it for me. Seemed amatuerish. A lot of action. ( )

This book was excellent. I got so wrapped up in the story that I literally got locked on the subway train. The conductor had to come by and let me out. Even then, I was still more in the city of the story, hoping that Khat and his partner wouldn't get captured or hurt than I was in the station.

I highly recommend this book. Martha Wells is my favorite current author. ( )

Jun09:
Characters: I really liked the characters in this book. There was just enough development to keep them non-flat, and really almost all of them were likable.
Plot: Maybe a few too many twists. Still, it was wrapped up nicely. The main conflict was almost logical.
Style: I just really like Martha's style. She was a little rough in her first book. This was her second, and although a little rough, much smoother than Elements of Fire. After this book I think she really came into her own. ( )