Crown of Bones (Amassia, #1)

by A. K. Wilder

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of Crown of Bones in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A.K. Wilder's debut novel, Crown of Bones, is more than enough to get her added to my 'automatically read' list from now on.

Crown of Bones is the beginning to an all-new epic fantasy, one that introduces a new world of phantoms, magic, and politics. Ash has lived her whole life knowing that she's a non-savant. Meaning that she can't raise phantoms.

Yet somehow she's about to get wrapped up in one of the most dangerous and complex circumstances of her generation. And it's her presence that is going to change the outcome. Hopefully, if they're all lucky, for the better.

Traveling alongside Ash readers will find the heir apparent, a sailor and surprisingly competent and loyal guide, and several other determined savants willing to give their lives to the cause. Something that hasn't been ruled out, not just yet.

“War draws upon us. And if our enemies are infiltrating our lands, I may already be too late.”

If you have to pick only one epic fantasy to dive into in 2021, let it be Crown of Bones. This was an amazing tale, right from the start. Ash's story (along with all her friends and allies) is a powerful one. And yes, I am already counting down the days until the sequel is revealed.

The worldbuilding portrayed in Crown of Bones is superb, in fact, I'm just a wee bit desperate to learn as much as possible about it. There's politics, magic (in the form of phantoms), lore and heritage, history, challenges, and so much more.

All of which makes for a pretty fantastic setting, if you ask me. Throw in characters like Ash, Marcus, and Kaylin, and it becomes so much more along the way. On that note, this novel is split into three main perspectives (those mentioned earlier).

Yet for me, it very much felt like Ash was and is the main character. She's the driving force, the reason readers are able to learn so much about the world. The reason why we care. She's a delight to read about, and I am so extremely anxious to see what happens next in her life.

It's not just her character, both Marcus and Kaylin and enthralling as well. Actually, even the secondary characters are fascinating, even those who got little to no screen time. In short, this novel is full of fleshed-out characters, which makes me eager to see more.

The fact that the cliffhanger is killing me probably doesn't hurt either. It's not the worst cliffhanger I've seen, but it is certainly enough to make the wait between book one and two just a bit painful. Yet I have no doubt that it will be worth the pain.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks