“Dragon Bones” by Patricia Briggs
(From Paalin’s Fantasy Book Blog, originally published 2.01.05)
The main character in Dragon Bones, Ward of Hurog, is not your typical fantasy hero. He is large of stature, but sadly lacking in intelligence (or so it seems). It turns out that his father, an overly cruel man, saw him as a rival and beat him relentlessly. Out of self-defense, Ward decided it might be a good idea to appear less of a threat, leading to him pretending to be stupid. Of course, the stupid act comes with a price - no one really wants to see Ward rule Hurog after his father. So when an unfortunate (at least for Ward’s father) hunting accident brings the cruel leader’s reign to a sudden halt, Ward is faced with the task of taking over. Outside forces, with the intentionally mistaken impression that Ward is not fit for the position, conspire to take Hurog away from him, and he must find a way to get it back.
Let me just say first that Dragon Bones is one of my all time favorite fantasy novels. There are several reasons for that, but it really all comes down to the characters. Read more >>
(From Paalin’s Fantasy Book Blog, originally published 2.01.05)