Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Dragon Bones
Review: This book was interesting, I enjoyed reading it.
I liked best how Ward of Hurog(the main character) could be passably stupid but wise as well. He has played the fool for most of his life but when his abusive father, the Lord of Hurog, and his reason to feign simpleness, dies Ward becomes the Lord of Hurog. That is until a nobleman declares him too dim witted to rule, thus Ward rides off to the War brewing on the border, to prove that he IS the rightful Lord of Hurog. Through most of which he is accompanied by an odd servant named Oreg, who really isnt what he seems, Tolsen, Wards runaway brother,and Ciarra, his little sister who led him to a great discovery... the Dragon Bones.
I think I'll add one more enticing bit of information.
"Hurog means dragon."
Rating: 
Summary: Huh?
Review: This book was just fabulous!! It's one of the best stories that I've had the pleasure of reading in a long while, and I can't wait to read the sequel. It's funny, at times maddening, and at others just plain fun!Ward is the son of an abusive father, who is the ruler of Hurog and would--and in the past, has--violently beat Ward. The man is paranoid that his son wants his power. So you see, for survival purposes, Ward plays dumb, his thick muscles and dull eyes giving him the advantage of appearance. And then, when his father dies after regretfully appointing Ward his heir, things start to move fast. Running away from danger of being imprisoned in an insane asylum, Ward makes off with his mute sister, his groom, his body guard, the family ghost, and a slave. He's bent on getting to Oranstone, an enemy land, and winning them over in order to wage a war against the King and get back his lands. Of course, things go differently then he planned, and over the course of the book his ideas jump and evolve with the uprising of new problems. And over the course of the book, you just can't help but like the guy. He completely under-rates himself, you know. By the way, in retaliation to what a few people have said, this book does NOT circle around what happens when a woman gets out of her place. ...This book IS set in a time in which men are still the main rulers, but they DO NOT scorn women or tell them their place in the world. Every women in the book chose to be where she was, given her circumstances.
Rating: 
Summary: Fire the editor!
Review: This is a clever, likeable story that escapes the usual fantasy conventions. The hero's dilemna--a brutish, dangerous father from whom he would like to escape, but can't--is nothing unusual in the fantasy genre, but the way Ward combats his father's intentions is quite clever and amusing. The characters are complex and interesting, particularly the hero. Briggs doesn't fall into the typical fantasy trap of having flawless, perfect heroes and entirely sadistic, evil villains. And--hurray!--not a single one of her names has an apostrophe in it!
There are a few flaws in the text, all of which could have been avoided with an attentive editor. There are a few cases of awkward phrasing ("Like me, Ciarra was clad in a blue velvet gown...") Hmm. Ward, the muscular hero, was wearing a blue velvet gown? Sometimes Briggs has used the wrong word ("His face had a blank inward look that...usually precluded some of his odder moments.") She means "preceded," not "precluded." The queen is referred to as having "not born..an heir" when the word should have been "borne." Such errors are a distraction from the plot, and detract from the generally good impression the writer has made.
A good editor might have made some corrections to the pacing of the story, too. It takes nearly 90 pages for the author to get her hero on the road, and a mere 20 to describe climax (and anti-climax, as a reviewer below pointed out), and wrap up all the loose ends of the plot. The fate of two major characters is actually conducted "offstage," as it were; even though one of them was important enough to have parts of the story told from his point of view. It's almost as if Briggs was in a hurry to move on to another project.
Rating:
Summary: Oh No! Another Dragon Book? Yes, But It's Good.
Review: This is my third Patricia Briggs novel and all the things she has done so well - interesting and sympathetic characters, a fast-moving story that doesn't need 500+ pages to get started, let alone finish a story, and new territory every outing - were all in Dragon Bones. The two central characters definately carry the story. Ward is an honorable man making do under trying circumstances that include the death of his tyrannical father, an ancient curse, a family ghost and some rather twisted political manovering. He deals with all this while attempting to preserve his land and family. The other standout, Oleg, is the family ghost/wizard/bastard cousin/? and if you thought Ward had problems wait til you hear Oleg's. Briggs' characters always draw you into the story, so that even if the plot isn't perfect you are willing to overlook it to find out what happens to your favorite characters. Another thing I enjoy about Patricia Briggs' books is her sense of humor. The chapters all have headers of rather wry observations by Ward that add nice commentary to the story that follows. Or take Ward's horse. Ward decides to rename his father's vicious battle stallion from Stygian to Pansy and then enjoys using it to confound his uncle's attempts to have the horse put down -how can he be a frightful beast? His name is Pansy = ) I enjoy little touchs of the absurd like that. The quest to restore Ward's birthright forms the bulk of the story and many, though not all, of the secrets that are hinted at are resolved. Fortunately for us the sequel, Dragons Blood, is scheduled for publication in 2003 and will hopefully provide us with another enjoyable story as well as clearing up some lingering questions. I recommend Patricia Briggs' Dragon Bones and her other works (When Demons Walk, Hobb's Bargain) and I think she should definately get more recognition. There aren't a lot of fantasy writers out there today who are willing to write good, short novels that don't rely on the reader investing huge sums of cash or time to slog through 12 volumes at 600 pages each. Not everyone has to write (nor read) the Grand Epic. I for one enjoy a refreshing sip of a light wine before my heavy meal.
Rating:
Summary: Good and yet lacking something
Review: This is the first of Patricia Briggs books that I've read and I must say I'm rather impressed. This slim (by fantasy standards) novel packs in more characterization that most of the current giant series. I enjoyed the storyline and felt for the central characters. There's only a couple of points where I felt let down. At one stage a character dies and I didn't feel a strong enough connection with him to care. This is surprising in a book which generally worked hard on characterization. The other point where I felt let down was at the end of the book. It seemed somehow incomplete. A lot of time had been spent building up detailed characters even introducing them near the end of the book and then not really doing anything with them. Now I have no problems with the idea of writing book series, indeed I'd love to read a sequel to this book. But if a book is being written with that intention in mind, I'd like to know about it from the outset. Put something on the cover. "Book One of.." etc. All in all though I'm impressed and I'll be keeping an eye out for other books by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Good Ideas but Incomplete
Review: This is the second of Ms. Briggs books that I have read and both suffer from the same flaw. Her ideas are interesting and absorbing. Her characters are people you can really get to care about. Her twists are twisty but... her books are to short. I don't mean that it a good way. I don't mean that I was disappointed when it was over and I wanted to pick it up again and read it a second time. What I mean is that she spends 4/5th of the book on build up and plot and more build up, only to wrap things up to quickly and neatly in the very last bit. I don't think I have ever said this about an author before but her books need to be longer. If you are looking for a quick summer read with iteresting ideas and characters and a light ending then this might be the book for you. Interestingly I think I will at least LOOK at her other books as they come out. I think there is tremendous potential there, it just (as far as I am concerned) hasn't been reached yet. J
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding...
Review: This is the story of Ward, heir to a keep that had faked imbecility since entering his teens in order to avoid his violent father's wrath. When his father is killed in a hunting accident, Ward's facade becomes his undoing as he is declared unfit to rule. Exiled with an unlikely band of travelling companions, he and his friends encounter court intrigue, ancient magic, and a plot to use the dragon bones hidden beneath Ward's keep for corrupt magic. The book has excellent pacing, fascinating characters, and a vivid setting, and I eagerly await the sequel. I also intend to seek out other books by this writer. My only criticism is that Ward and friends at one point manage to take out several groups of bandits without serious injury. I understand training and surprise are invaluable, but some of Ward's party lacked armor. Some peasant raider would have gotten lucky eventually.
Rating:
Summary: Dem Bones
Review: This was my introduction to Patricia Briggs and, although it started a bit slow for me, I really enjoyed this novel. After the slow start I found I couldn't put it down. That's a nice discovery for me. I don't find story's often enough any more that will grab me like "Dragon Bones" did. This is a well done "coming of age" book and will run you through all the emotions that such a discovery entails.
Patricia has a nice way of character delvelopment. One that sneaks up on you. It's kind of like a suprise ending of a movie. The character Bastilla caught me totally by suprise and I pride myself on figuring plots out ahead of time.
Patricia Briggs has earned a permanent place in my library right along with Mercedes Lackey, Marion Zimmer Bradley and the woman who started it all for me, Andre Norton.
Thank you.
Rating:
Summary: dRaGoN bOnEs
Review: Ward pretends to be stupid to save himself from being seen as a threat to his Father's throne and killed. Dad is fatily injured in a hunting accedent and dies at home. Ward is relieved but still plays dumb for his uncle fearing the he might be like his abusive Father. A strange boy who claims to be the family ghost gives Ward his Father's ring. All this happens real quick and everything takes off after the slave hides in the casttle sewers and Ward reminds his Uncle that there are no slaves in his land. He his then sentenced to tdhe king's house for crazys and other wise enbarisments. He runs brings his sister, the ghost, the head stable man, the slave, his Father's body servant and his Father's stolen horse, who he renamed 'Pansy'. Next in this sieres is DRAGON'S BLOOD This book is writen in the 1st person from Ward's piont of veiw. Exolent read. Briggs made her charicter come to live in a way I haven't seen before and I am known for how much I read.
(Eat, sleep and read)
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