Bones of the Old Ones, by Howard Andrew Jones
I just finished reading this book!
Jacket illustration by Steve Stone.
It is the second of the Dabir and Asim books, which are often described as Sherlock and Watson in 8th Century Baghdad - only this time they're in MOSUL, near the ruins of the ancient city of NINEVEH.
Okay, okay, okay. So, as my mentor once signed off in an email, so I will say now: I'm Howard's "friend, fan and fellow writer." Everything I'm about to write could be construed as, you know, TOTALLY BIASED...
...But on the other hand, if I DIDN'T like the book, I'd just never mention it at all, right? And I'd respond to all queries about my opinion with polite temporizations and the odd, "Oh, look, SUPERMAN!" before escaping out the window. There. Disclaimer Duty DONE!
(I am wearing my Superman T-shirt today. CAN YOU TELL? I wore it ALL DAY under my khaki uniform. It was my secret. Oh, and here's a joke a very old man named Bob told me this afternoon: "What are khakis?" Me: "What ARE khakis, Bob?" Bob: "They're what you start a car with in Boston.")
But! THIS BOOK! BONES OF THE OLD ONES!!! (Looky there! The link leads you RIGHT TO AMAZON, where you may BUY IT FOR YOUR VERY OWN, my precious!!!)
In the first book, DESERT OF SOULS, we've got Dabir and Asim's origin story. They're just meeting each other and must learn to trust each other and how to banter wits (oh, their QUICK, SLY WIT!!!) in scary situations, and fight back to back while slaying AWESOME MONSTERS!!! I wrote all about, here:
http://www.blackgate.com/2011/03/08/desert-of-souls-a-review/
I quite liked it. I've read it a few times now.
But... I FRIKKIN LOVED Bones of the Old Ones!
First of all, Dabir and Asim are fast friends - brothers - by this book. It's adorable. One wants to cuddle them and read ancient scrolls in their parlor while they play shatranj and argue about the Iliad. They have earned each other's love and trust and would without question DIE for one another. So the stakes are pretty high. I have friends I love like that. I recognize it. It leaps from the page.
Second of all, Asim - who is the first person narrator - is just generally more likable in this one. Maybe it's Dabir's influence, but he seems less of a lunkhead, less arrogant, more tender. Not any less a warrior but beginning to become a poet. WARRIOR POETS! It kills me!
My LOVELY Dabir is, of course, pining for Sabirah. (I don't blame him. I, TOO, pine for Sabirah. All we get of her in this book is a casual mention in a letter, but I have a FEELING she will be CENTRAL to Book 3 - HURRAY!!!) But he's his usual competent and laconic self, and it's nice to see him reacting with friends he's had longer than Asim, and how his mysterious back story is shaping up.
The presence of women is HUGELY strong in this book (one of my plaintive outcries against the last was the usual 4 women versus 400 men complaint, though in most fantasy it's 1 to about 10,000), and they play every role from ghost-possessed seeress, to blood witch (LYDIA! whose character arc, I must observe, is VERY PLEASING), to warrior sorceress, to an immortal chaos priestess, to, like, a sort of Frost Goddess Titan. Anyway, I felt I was in good company. It was just so JOLLY to see these girls out and about, up and doing, WORLD DESTROYING, that sort of thing, instead of behind walls and veils, kept in the kitchen... Although the one housekeeper who IS in the kitchen has a SPLENDIDLY sour attitude, and I just LOVED her for that.
Also, there were tombs, and mountains, and temples, and ruins, and cities, and MAGIC FRIKKIN CARPET RIDES, and that part about HERAKLES, and the joke about GREEK, and the part where they finally get to stop and pray, making their ablutions in the snow.
Also, this book is UNABASHEDLY ROMANTIC. My heart! My cynical little heart decided it didn't mind. It can take the sweetness of falling in love (problematic as it is when the lady in question is POSSESSED) as well as the swords, sorcery and automatons.
The fight scenes were gorgeously executed and constantly interesting - and the pacing of the entire plot was smashing.
Asim's narrative voice is SO STRONG that I often found myself murmuring dialogue aloud and grinning foolishly and wishing I could be in the movie, just so I could wear cool costumes and wield a bone club. KABOOM!
I am happy.
I am full of GOOD BOOK ENDORPHINS. That shivery glad feeling you get at the end of something? That WILD HUNGER for the next supper - ink and paper and shiny cover and all.
Thank you, Mr. Jones. Such a gift.
***
Jacket illustration by Steve Stone.
It is the second of the Dabir and Asim books, which are often described as Sherlock and Watson in 8th Century Baghdad - only this time they're in MOSUL, near the ruins of the ancient city of NINEVEH.
Okay, okay, okay. So, as my mentor once signed off in an email, so I will say now: I'm Howard's "friend, fan and fellow writer." Everything I'm about to write could be construed as, you know, TOTALLY BIASED...
...But on the other hand, if I DIDN'T like the book, I'd just never mention it at all, right? And I'd respond to all queries about my opinion with polite temporizations and the odd, "Oh, look, SUPERMAN!" before escaping out the window. There. Disclaimer Duty DONE!
(I am wearing my Superman T-shirt today. CAN YOU TELL? I wore it ALL DAY under my khaki uniform. It was my secret. Oh, and here's a joke a very old man named Bob told me this afternoon: "What are khakis?" Me: "What ARE khakis, Bob?" Bob: "They're what you start a car with in Boston.")
But! THIS BOOK! BONES OF THE OLD ONES!!! (Looky there! The link leads you RIGHT TO AMAZON, where you may BUY IT FOR YOUR VERY OWN, my precious!!!)
In the first book, DESERT OF SOULS, we've got Dabir and Asim's origin story. They're just meeting each other and must learn to trust each other and how to banter wits (oh, their QUICK, SLY WIT!!!) in scary situations, and fight back to back while slaying AWESOME MONSTERS!!! I wrote all about, here:
http://www.blackgate.com/2011/03/08/desert-of-souls-a-review/
I quite liked it. I've read it a few times now.
But... I FRIKKIN LOVED Bones of the Old Ones!
First of all, Dabir and Asim are fast friends - brothers - by this book. It's adorable. One wants to cuddle them and read ancient scrolls in their parlor while they play shatranj and argue about the Iliad. They have earned each other's love and trust and would without question DIE for one another. So the stakes are pretty high. I have friends I love like that. I recognize it. It leaps from the page.
Second of all, Asim - who is the first person narrator - is just generally more likable in this one. Maybe it's Dabir's influence, but he seems less of a lunkhead, less arrogant, more tender. Not any less a warrior but beginning to become a poet. WARRIOR POETS! It kills me!
My LOVELY Dabir is, of course, pining for Sabirah. (I don't blame him. I, TOO, pine for Sabirah. All we get of her in this book is a casual mention in a letter, but I have a FEELING she will be CENTRAL to Book 3 - HURRAY!!!) But he's his usual competent and laconic self, and it's nice to see him reacting with friends he's had longer than Asim, and how his mysterious back story is shaping up.
The presence of women is HUGELY strong in this book (one of my plaintive outcries against the last was the usual 4 women versus 400 men complaint, though in most fantasy it's 1 to about 10,000), and they play every role from ghost-possessed seeress, to blood witch (LYDIA! whose character arc, I must observe, is VERY PLEASING), to warrior sorceress, to an immortal chaos priestess, to, like, a sort of Frost Goddess Titan. Anyway, I felt I was in good company. It was just so JOLLY to see these girls out and about, up and doing, WORLD DESTROYING, that sort of thing, instead of behind walls and veils, kept in the kitchen... Although the one housekeeper who IS in the kitchen has a SPLENDIDLY sour attitude, and I just LOVED her for that.
Also, there were tombs, and mountains, and temples, and ruins, and cities, and MAGIC FRIKKIN CARPET RIDES, and that part about HERAKLES, and the joke about GREEK, and the part where they finally get to stop and pray, making their ablutions in the snow.
Also, this book is UNABASHEDLY ROMANTIC. My heart! My cynical little heart decided it didn't mind. It can take the sweetness of falling in love (problematic as it is when the lady in question is POSSESSED) as well as the swords, sorcery and automatons.
The fight scenes were gorgeously executed and constantly interesting - and the pacing of the entire plot was smashing.
Asim's narrative voice is SO STRONG that I often found myself murmuring dialogue aloud and grinning foolishly and wishing I could be in the movie, just so I could wear cool costumes and wield a bone club. KABOOM!
I am happy.
I am full of GOOD BOOK ENDORPHINS. That shivery glad feeling you get at the end of something? That WILD HUNGER for the next supper - ink and paper and shiny cover and all.
Thank you, Mr. Jones. Such a gift.
***