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Of Blood And Bone Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Of Blood And Bone is the second in the Chronicles of The One trilogy by Nora Roberts. I reviewed the first in the series, Year One, two years ago. This sequel came out last year but I am just now reading it. This delay had a purpose, because I can now go from the second installment to the finale without a large gap of time.

The tone Of Blood And Bone is a bit different than its predecessor. The initial novel centered on survival whereas the second book in the trilogy is a coming of age novel. To be truthful, I liked the sequel better than the start of the series. Perhaps because the back story was already known. Or maybe from the possibility of romance foreshadowed for the last book in the trilogy. Regardless, I really enjoyed Of Blood And Bone.

Fallon Swift

The center of the novel and indeed the trilogy is Fallon Swift. She is The One. Her birth ended the first of the series and her passage through puberty is the focus of the second. I love the character. She is an uncanny and hence otherworldly, yet she is human too.

Roberts has created a compelling persona in Fallon. She is mature one moment and immature the next. So like the teenager she is, caught between child and adult. Her lessons with Mallick are important for both plot and character growth. The pages fly through the telling.

Return to New Hope

Even though Of Blood And Bone has a very different tone, the climax once again is centered at the outpost called New Hope. History repeats itself with yet another of Fallon’s blood and bone meeting their end.

But before that happens, the reader reconnects with many of the original characters. Since fifteen years have passed, the babies are now front and center. And romance stirs.

Of Blood And Bone

I thoroughly enjoyed Of Blood And Bone. As stated above, I rate the novel above the first of the series. Furthermore, I am anxious to get my hands on the finale-The Rise of the Magicks. Now that the entire trilogy is out, I can see how one might binge read from start to finish. If only I were snowed in with no chores to do! Some binge watch television, but my idyll is to binge read by the fireplace!

Fantasy and futuristic fans should add Of Blood And Bone to their book lists. But, there is plenty to like for those who prefer a coming of age story. Best of all for those of us who love romance, there is a promise of just that for Fallon Swift.

 

 

Crucible Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Crucible

The latest action adventure from James Rollins is Crucible. This complex tale stretches geographically from the United States to Europe, particularly but not exclusively, Portugal. But the time line begins in the era of the early 1600s.
The novel begins with a brief flashback to the Spanish Inquisition and the extermination of witches. A priest serving as an Inquisitor takes possession of an amulet. The significance of this prologue becomes evident in one of the many twists and turns of Crucible.

Out of necessity, the first part of Crucible contains quite a bit of action spanning the two continents. Rollins incorporates a large number of characters into the novel. Thus, turmoil is used to introduce many of the key players. Furthermore, I had trouble pinpointing a single protagonist.

Equal Opportunity

Both men and women characters are villains in Crucible. The same can be said of the heroes. The dual story line between a home invasion and kidnapping in the United States and an assassination of female scientists in Portugal merges relatively early in the story line.

Gray and Monk are government agents. They were absent during the home invasion but directly affected. Monk’s wife Kat is in a coma but his two girls along with a pregnant Seichan, Gray’s significant other, are missing. The men are directly involved in the action. So are the women. Science and medical advances play a significant part of this narrative.

Rollins is masterful at weaving the scenes involving neurological treatment alongside the chase for the kidnappers. But even more powerful is his approach to artificial intelligence. At times, the character of Eve gets the nod for protagonist. Eve is not human. Yet.

Artificial Intelligence

Mara Silviera is the creator of Eve. She is alive only because the preliminary test of Eve was at a remote location during the attack on the science lab. The two are on the run.

The race to develop artificial intelligence is the center of Crucible. Fiction is mirroring reality. James Rollins does an outstanding job of blending fact with fiction. Eve’s character is pure fiction. But, we are on the threshold of developing many Eves. In actuality, we may already be there. Rollins treats this subject matter with the seriousness it deserves all while spinning a thrilling tale.

Once again, an action adventure thriller provides food for thought as well as entertainment. The twists and turns keep the reader enthralled. The author ties up the many tangents. The bad guys meet their just rewards and the ending is happy for the good guys. What more can you ask for? Perhaps a sequel for Eve.