Rating: 
Summary: A fast-moving fantasy adventure with good characters
Review: Briggs brings her characteristic skills to this novel: colorful magic, likable characters, a solid and exciting plot.Lacking a conventional romance plot, this nonetheless has frienship, betrayals and political struggles. The main character--Ward of Hurog--is likable, capable young man, thought to be pretty dim by those around him. When events alter his surroundings, his tremendous sense of responsibility puts him in a difficult position, but his intelligence, courage and honesty allow him to struggle with injustice. There are a notable lack of true villains, most of the adversaries are well portrayed and are flawed and ambitious rather than truly evil. The characters are sympathetic, and there is an opening for future novels, although all major plots are resolved. This is a very enjoyable, fast-moving fantasy.
Rating: 
Summary: Pat Briggs just keeps getting better and better....
Review: But then, I'm a sucker for lots of interesting and strong characters (both male and female), and a plot that thickens nicely into a bubbling brew of humor, action, adventure, magic and a touch of romance. Even if you are FED UP with dragon stories, ad nauseum, take a chance on this one. Because it's really not only about Dragons. Even if you could scream if you read one more stale yarn about sorcerers and their nefarious deeds, pick this one up. Because it ain't stale, and there's a whole lot more to it than that! And don't even think of missing this one because you're afraid it has any swooning maidens (yuck!) and MANLY (see the chest hair!) men just waiting to rescue them. It doesn't. Pat Briggs doesn't DO that!
Rating:
Summary: Bones beneath the keep
Review: Dragon Bones is a nice, light little fantasy. It's short, relatively self-contained (a sequel just came out, but this book does stand by itself nicely) book that goes down smooth and easy, though it doesn't really have much body. I enjoyed it and it has a really nice climax (though the ending is a bit of a cheat). It just didn't really seem to mean much. The first thing I'll address is the ending, because it's really the only thing that's wrong with an otherwise very interesting plot. The climax was exciting, with Ward having to make a decision that really builds his character. I was beginning to wonder how Briggs was going to end the book, and thought that maybe it would be a typical cliffhanger, making the reader wait until the next book to find out what happens. But then I found out I was wrong, and I was so pleased. I love it when characters have to make hard decisions. The bad thing is, though, subsequent events make it so that the decision ultimately doesn't mean anything, and it's robbed of most of its drama. Sure, the fact that he had to make the decision is character-building, and I'm glad Briggs didn't take the decision out of his hands, like sometimes happens. The problem is that Ward is saved from the consequences of his actions, and I was a bit sorry to see that. Otherwise, this is a very good novel. It won't take very long to read, as it's very light. It's not very filling, though. There's plenty of action, which is nice. Swords flash, arrows fly, and the bad guys die. It's quite an exciting book, once it gets going. It just doesn't seem to have a lot of substance. It's a snack, almost. It's well-written, with very good prose and an air-tight plot. You definitely won't go wrong by picking this up and spending an afternoon with it. The characterizations are very well done, with only Kariarn being the two-dimensional villain. A few figures at the beginning of the book start out looking like stereotypical bad guys too, but they develop a depth to them when Briggs writes from their point of view (the book is mostly in first person from Ward's point of view, but there are sections of the book written from others' point of view that were told to Ward 'after the fact'). Ward's cousins, Beckram and Erdrick, start out as typical tormentors of both Ward and his sister. Garranon and his brother Landislaw are the men who come to take Ward away to the insane asylum after Ward won't produce Landislaw's slave. However, we find out that Garranon is the enforced lover of the king who just wants freedom for his people. Landislaw disappears from the story, so he doesn't get much characterization, but the others are very well-rounded by events. We find out that they are just doing what they have to do in order to get by in a crazy world under a cruel and sadistic king. It's nice to see characters get this kind of treatment, rather than becoming complete stereotypes. Ward, the main character, is very interesting as well. He's played a role for so much of his life that he doesn't know where the real Ward is anymore. He's always fantasized about being his ancestor (the one who killed the dragon, though he doesn't find that out until this book), a great hero in all of the stories. When he sets out to prove himself, that's what he sees himself becoming. Ward has to learn through what happens in this novel to be his own person and a good leader. He is devastated when he finds out that his ancestor killed the dragon, and that his ancestor is the one who brought the curse down on his family that has made it what it is today. He has to work through all of that, and it makes for a very interesting character arc. He's a very good storyteller, and I'm glad Briggs decided to write this book in first person. It adds a sense of immediacy to the actions, and makes some of the choices he makes that much more intriguing. The other characters fulfill their roles well, though there really isn't a lot to them. Tosten, Ward's formerly suicidal brother, isn't very interesting. He sulks when he thinks that Ward likes Oreg better than him (not knowing what Oreg really is). He does what he needs to do, but doesn't really distinguish himself. Oreg is a child and most of the time acts like one. The rest of them are fairly nondescript. They're certainly not badly done, they're just there. The book is well worth a read, though. I did really enjoy it. I will definitely look up the sequel and see if it's as good. If you're in the mood for light fantasy, you could do worse than picking up Dragon Bones. *Note: Despite the review blurbs from 'Romantic Times' and 'Romantic Science Fiction & Fantasy,' this book isn't a romance at all. So don't let the fact that you can't stand romance novels drive you away. You're safe.
Rating: 
Summary: have to agree, good book, but incomplete
Review: I bought this book based upon mostly good reviews, but I had a difficult time keeping my focus on this book. Although I liked a lot of the characters: Ward, Oreg, etc., ultimately, the storyline wasn't enough to keep my interest.
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Book by Patricia Briggs!
Review: I found this novel to be very entertaining and well written. Her character development is tremendous and I found myself right there along side Ward and his comrades. I did not want to put the book down and was saddened when it ended. I look forward to another story about Hurog!
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Summary: ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOKS
Review: I just casually picked this book up off of a friend's book shelf, and was totally enthralled after having read only a few pages. If you read all about the plot, it sounds seriously depressing, but Briggs made it into an edge-of-your-seat thrill the whole way through. This is a book with a truely unique style - I have been dying for the next book in a row ever since!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: I love finding a new author that can really write. Wow, great book.
Rating:
Summary: Really like this book
Review: I really like this book. It is a great read and a wonderful very suprising ending. BUT! There were a few things that didn't ever get explained. Like why did Oreg's Father trap him to the ring. And who was the Dragon that was channed and killed to Oreg. And how much of a dragon is Ward. Maybe it explained and I missed it or maybe it will go into more detail in the next book. I sure hope so. I give it 4 stars out of 5 because of those question and few others, But over all I really Like this book and can not wait to read the second book Dragons Blood.
Rating:
Summary: Unusual, but rewarding
Review: I usually shy away from books whose major selling point appears to be a recommendations by 'Romantic Times', however, this book was a pleasant surprise. I found Dragon Bones to be a funny, interesting and imaginative book which I throughly enjoyed reading. The cover art is misleading. It looks like the publisher couldn't decide if it was a fantasy or romance novel, and the result is the smallest dragon coupled with the most well-musceled fantasy protagionist I've ever seen. Very amusing. Please don't let the cover art deter you from buying this book. On a side note, I believe that Dragon Bones and it's sequel Dragon Blood were originally concieved of as one book. This would explain the 'odd' ending of Dragon Bones as it is in a way the first half of a longer book.
Rating:
Summary: Unusual, but rewarding
Review: I usually shy away from books whose major selling point appears to be a recommendations by 'Romantic Times', however, this book was a pleasant surprise. I found Dragon Bones to be a funny, interesting and imaginative book which I throughly enjoyed reading. The cover art is misleading. It looks like the publisher couldn't decide if it was a fantasy or romance novel, and the result is the smallest dragon coupled with the most well-musceled fantasy protagionist I've ever seen. Very amusing. Please don't let the cover art deter you from buying this book. On a side note, I believe that Dragon Bones and it's sequel Dragon Blood were originally concieved of as one book. This would explain the 'odd' ending of Dragon Bones as it is in a way the first half of a longer book.
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