The Bone Palace

I think Amanda Downum is my favorite.

I loved the atmosphere, the gritty adventuring, the gorgeous and respectful handling of trans characters, the blood and magic (and blood magic), the wealth of capable women.

Really, about the only thing that didn't entirely work for me was Isyllt's most serious romantic connection -- but I think that's just a matter of me not going for the mentor/student trope in general.

And Savendra's relationship plot made me so happy I could barely stand it, so it balances out.

I enjoyed the first of these ([b:The Drowning City|6296885|The Drowning City (The Necromancer Chronicles, #1)|Amanda Downum|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327901734s/6296885.jpg|6481427]) but didn't find it amazing. The Bone Palace, however, built on the introduction of the main character and just took off. The pace was excellent, and the writing just sang in a way the first one never quite managed for me. Ms Downum's phrasing is rich, varied and replete with sensorial detail, even if she occasionally overuses a word or two. For instance, "conflagrant" is such a stand-out word that it can probably only be supported once a book, especially if you're burning through the pages as fast as this tight-plotted and splendidly turned-out book show more almost demanded.

I particularly loved the "third gender" (as trans-gender people of all kinds are referred to in the world of the books) characters in this story. Savedra is an amazing, complex, sympathetic, understandable character, who is introduced and developed with deftness and sensitivity. She is also privileged, and well aware of her privilege - which makes her a nice contrast with the general perception/treatment of androgynes, a specific example of which is also introduced with deftness and sensitivity later in the book.

All of which turns the book incidentally into an excellent consideration of the element of gender in the struggle for identity (nicely supported by cisgender characters with non-real-world-traditional senses of their gender) AND a consideration of privilege. I say incidentally, because it never gets anywhere near preaching on this, but does all of it in the background of a rollicking fantasy urban adventure.

And for that, fuck it, I'm giving the book fives stars, because while it's not perfect, it's an amazing achievement, and a damn good read. show less

The Bone Palace by Amanda Downum

This is the second book in a series, but I was able to read it despite not having refreshed my knowledge of the first book. In the first book, The Drowning City, we meet Isyllt Iskaldur, a necromancer in service to her country's crown, while she's on foreign assignment. The Bone Palace takes place two and a half years later, when Isyllt is called in by the capital city's guard to investigate a dead prostitute... who somehow had gotten a hold of one of the dead queen's ring, which should be buried with her. Considering that the king -- away with the army -- will go apeshit when he finds out someone's been looting his wife's tomb, the guard wisely ask for help finding out what's going on and Taking Care of show more It.

Of course, things are never that simple, are they? There are two other narrators -- one is Isyllt's mentor/former lover, Kiril who is neck deep in trouble of his own, and the personal reason Isyllt left town for Book 1, and the other is Savedra Severos, a noble's daughter and the Crown Prince's concubine, using her mother's spy network to protect the Crown Prince and Princess from trouble.

One thing I found interesting in Downum's world is the incorporation of GLBT folks. It's casually mentioned that Kiril has had both male and female lovers. While Isyllt is having breakfast with the (female) chief of the city's guards, she jokes that if the chief wasn't taken and Isylllt liked women, she'd get involved with her just for the food. There's also an opera attended -- officially to get a look at some of the conspirators against the crown -- featuring a tragic romance between two women, where the tragedy is more that one of them is a ghost-haunted widowed sorceress. In other words, aside from things such as noble inheritance, same-sex relationships are seen as a normal part of relationships.

Trans and intersex folks are stigmatized, though. One of the novel's subplots features the hirja, the third sex which encompasses what I'd call trans, genderqueer and intersex folks. A lot of them are recognized and often face stigma, so much so that many have banded together to make their own communities... which are often forced to turn to (legal) prostitution, since they figure people might as well pay for their curiosity. Saverda is a transwoman, and was lucky enough that her family didn't kick her out, but one of her subplots is her inability to marry the prince due to the inability of her to bear his heirs. There's the recognition that not only is she facing the personal demands of being in a body of the wrong sex in a setting where makeup and good clothing is all she can do about it, but also the fact her status as the prince's lover would last only as long as the princess permits it.

I do like how Saverda and Isyllt and Kiril's personal issues interweave with the political and supernatural plot in the book. Actually, the book does a lovely job in general interweaving the history and setting into the plot, so that things like an influx of refugees, or the regular patterns of sickness, or Saverda's family and their own affairs are relevant in the mystery. It also managed a 'antagonist POV' (not telling whose) without feeling false or betraying too much of the plot, and lacking the cackling madperson.

This is definitely a keeper. show less

Fast paced, action packed and never a dull moment. WOW. A wonderfully dark and twisted fantasy with a twinge of romance sprinkled all through the tale. It read like a fantasy/romance/paranormal mystery. An epic tale of magic, greed, revenge, lust, hate, power, love and death. It's all here in this book, vampires, sorcerers, necromancers, demons, witches, prostitutes, murderers, kings, princes, princesses, castles, transsexuals,...and I am sure I missed something. All tastefully, characterized. It is written so well, the story grabs your soul and does not not you sleep at night. It's a long book so I lost some z's.
I have to add this author as one of my "not to miss authors"

Interesting fantasy story, with lavish descriptions of the environment and in this second installment a much better characterization of the protagonists. The books are set in a somewhat Asian world with their history and mythology and contained an interesting combination of political and paranormal plots, looked at different sexual tabus, painted a picture of the intrigues in the court of nobles, all in all this book was much more interesting and better constructed then the first one. We also have a scary look at the catacombs with their vampires and other beings. What I liked most was Isyllt's particular form of "Necromancy" and her passionate caring for the poor and therefore her uncompromising need for justice "No matter what" the show more rank of one person. show less

Rbrs #12

I would've loved this book back when I was still in my epic fantasy craze, when an eye-catching cover picture and a minimum 1.5" paperback thickness was all that was needed to earn my devotion. This series is like Melanie Rawn without the near-pornographic descriptions of clothing and appearance, or Jacqueline Carey (who provides a cover quote) without the S&M...huh, fantasy does seem to throw in lots of secks. Anyway, I might have drooled over this as much as I did for Rawn (Carey appeared about the time I was starting to want more from my reading without realizing it), all the magic-iness and intrigue. It's too late for me.

But in these comparisons to other epics, this is watered down. The characters weren't given much depth, show more even the main character and especially the bad guy (really? madness? and that's it?). The big conflict was small. The reveal, after all the shadowing, wasn't all that shocking. And what's with all the smells?

I did like that many of the strong characters are women, good and evil, like in the first book. A transexual (maybe? physically born a male but identifies as female?) has a major role. Odd, that the book describes her as being unusual and shunned but then showing a society that accepts her completely as she is. The book seemed to make an effort to cover all variations on relationships besides the male-female one. All of them, across genders and, um, spiritual states. Again, the main character's necromantic talent seems ho-hum.

I guess my biggest disappointment is...myself. I remember loving books like this. I recall long summer days of reading and barely eating or drinking or even moving, caught up in something that my not be written perfectly but still able to transport my little imagination. I know I would've enjoyed this and the reason I still dive into books like this with expectations is that I have these memories. When did I change? Why can't I recalibrate?


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All right, Rbrs-ers, we've lost our way. Although there are romantic elements, this isn't romance at all. I pinpoint Joel's membership as the source of our troubles, throwing all these fantasy books into the mix (I could go back and see who actually suggested it before throwing out an accusation, but that would require fairness and, and, justice or something...plus I think I could beat up Joel :o). I'm not campaigning for smut! Stand down, Elizabeth and Ceridwen, do NOT send me smut, thank you. Not that I want to risk another Skye O'Malley level of yucky, but I'm just saying my bodice is intact. show less

Overall Satisfaction: ★★★★1/2
Intellectual Satisfaction: ★★★★1/2
Emotional Satisfaction: ★★★★★
Read this for: The characters
Don't read this for: The prose
Bechdel Test: Pass
Johnson Test: Unable to determine*
Books I was reminded of: Kushiel's Chosen, by Jacqueline Carey; Farthing, by Jo Walton
Will I read more by this author? Absolutely.

This book has, I think, carved out a little piece of my soul.

This is partly because it caused me to have an epiphany that, even if it isn't particularly novel, was still needed. But it's mostly because of the characters.

They aren't Romantic heroes. . .

Read more on my book review blog, no spoilers.