Of Bone and Thunder: A Novel

by Chris Evans Narrated by Todd Haberkorn

Overview

Apocalypse Now meets The Lord of the Rings in a bold new fantasy from the acclaimed author of the Iron Elves trilogy, filled with “heroic action that keeps fans coming back” (Publishers Weekly).

Channeling the turbulent period of the Vietnam War and its ruthless pitting of ideologies, cultures, generations, and races against each other, military historian and acclaimed fantasy writer Chris Evans takes a daring new approach to the traditional world of sword and sorcery by thrusting it into a maelstrom of racial animus, drug use, rebellion, and a growing war that seems at once unwinnable and with no end in sight. In this thrilling epic, right and wrong, country and honor, freedom and sacrifice are all put to the ultimate test in the heart of a dark, bloody, otherworldly jungle.

In this strange, new world deep among the shadows under a triple-canopy jungle and plagued by dangers real and imagined, soldiers strive to fulfill a mission they don't understand and are ill-equipped to carry out. And high above them, the heavy rush of wings slashing through the humid air herald a coming wave of death and destruction, and just possibly, salvation.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

06/22/2015
Evans (the Iron Elves series) considers the grim consequences of a drawn-out civil war following the revelation that the king of a fantasy realm is illegitimate. His characters—including lowly crossbowmen; a thaum, or wizard; and a royal ranger—each have individual story lines that weave together as they make their way through a war that has no end in sight and often appears to lose any sort of moral imperative. The characters are a ragtag collection, thrown together by the fortunes of war and often at odds. In addition to the battle between the rival factions, there is a guerilla war against the humans by their non-human enemies. The hurry-up-and-wait pace of warfare is reflected in the structure of the novel, which focuses on the day-to-day minutiae of the characters' lives with occasional bursts of action. Readers will spot parallels to real-world ongoing wars, their horrors seen all the more clearly through the lens of the fantastic. (Oct.)

John Ringo

"Fascinating...combining the best touches of fantasy and military storytelling."

Charles Coleman Finlay

"Imagine Napoleon's armies invading Middle Earth, mixing gunpowder with magic, monsters, and heroes. The Iron Elves will march across the landscape of fantasy and claim new territory. Chris Evans gives us an entertaining debut, with the promise of more great adventures to come."

R. A. Salvatore

"I'm always thrilled by seeing a new author press the boundaries of the conventions of fantasy. Chris Evans does just that — taking the broad sword and sorcery archetypes and placing them squarely in a new and exciting environment."

Richard A. Knaak

"A thrilling epic from beginning to end, filled with wit, intrigue, and twists and turns reminiscent of Glen Cook's The Black Company. A grand new entry in the field of fantasy masters!"

David Drake

"A fantasy in which the gritty realities of war and politics are as important as the magic — and all are handled very well."

Booklist

"An earthy, sardonic antihero, Konowa (Swift Dragon) stands uneasily at the crux of a complicated network of loyalties while flanked by a large, colorful cast...A truly worrying conclusion hooks readers for book two."

Karen Traviss

"A masterful debut — if J.R.R. Tolkien and Bernard Cornwell had a literary love child, this would be it."

Booklist

"An earthy, sardonic antihero, Konowa (Swift Dragon) stands uneasily at the crux of a complicated network of loyalties while flanked by a large, colorful cast...A truly worrying conclusion hooks readers for book two."

MAY 2015 - AudioFile

Narrator Todd Haberkorn skillfully rises to the challenge of voicing this riveting allegory of the Vietnam War, set against a sword-and-sorcery backdrop. The narrative tells of the futile efforts by the Kingdom's ground forces to conquer “the slits,” who have been waging a guerilla war from a dense jungle. The unsuccessful campaign has led to disillusionment and drug use, as well as racial prejudice, among the king's men. This story is more military history than fantasy, despite the dragons and magic. Through his fluid use of accents, Haberkorn creates dozens of distinctive male characters who populate the king's forces, no mean feat. His skill is essential for the listener as the action shifts rapidly from one military division to another. Haberkorn's mastery makes this lengthy production fly by. D.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2014-09-18
New military fantasy—imagine the Vietnam War fought with medieval weaponry, magic and dragons—from the military historian and author of the Iron Elves trilogy (Ashes of a Black Frost, 2011, etc.). Evans' scenario is vividly portrayed and, for the most part, well worked out. Despite turmoil and political uncertainty at home, the Kingdom intends to pacify the jungle-covered continent of Luitox. Opposing the Kingdom's occupation, the Forest Collective operates from concealed positions deep in the jungle, has powerful magic, and its fighters, or "slyts," are far more numerous than the Kingdom's leaders will admit. The soldiers of Red Shield—Carny, Big Hog, Listowk, the Wraith and many others—face not only the Collective, but also searing heat, suffocating humidity, the seductions of drugs or religion, superiors who care only about body counts, an enemy that refuses to stand and fight, and a lack of clear objectives, yet remain determined to do their jobs, and we come to care deeply about their fates as they struggle through a series of confusing and unpleasant engagements. Formerly slaves, dwarves may serve in support roles but not in actual combat, and they represent the racial element in the mix. Instead of helicopters, the Kingdom has dragons, or "rags." Rag driver Vorly Astol, his rag, Carduus, and a RAT, or Royal Academy of Thaumology, Breeze—one of the few women serving—have been chosen to help field-test a new communications and navigation system based on thaumic crystals. Jawn Rathim, a naïve junior officer and powerful RAT, proves surprisingly useful despite his lack of familiarity with the system. And then there's mysterious "crowny," Crown Service, officer "Rickets" Ketts, who may well be a secret agent. It all adds up to an ugly and utterly compelling narrative, the one possible drawback being uncertainty about how magic works and what its organizing principles are.Memorable and deeply satisfying—a fitting tribute to those who serve.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172697326
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	10/14/2014
Edition description:	Unabridged

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