Fabulous reads – Dystopian fantasy novel is a keeper

The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1), Jonathan Ball Publishers, Samantha Shannon, ISBN: 9781 4088 79726

Samantha Shannon kicks off her seventh (yes, seventh) book series with The Bone Season. Welcome to the year 2059, where clairvoyants roam and the world is slightly steampunk mixed with a hint of Victorian and more than a dash of grunge.

The heroine, Paige Mahoney, is a clairvoyant in a world where ‘voyants’ are meant to turn themselves in and work for the government, the Scion.

Paige works in the criminal underworld but is captured and taken to a prison ruled by the Rephiam, an otherworldly race.

For your average reader this is a lot of information to take in and the book is jammed-packed with them.

All 466 pages full. It is a long-winded and complicated introduction to the series but it is an interesting and promising premise that you realise, as you reach the last page, could easily have been done in half the time.

The Mime Order (The Bone Season #2),

Luckily, the second book picks up the pace and it begins precisely where The Bone Season ended.

Thankfully, the world building was covered previously and we can take a big juicy bite out of the story line.

You will gain a greater insight into Paige and her past as well as her present role.

We learn more of Jaxon Hall, her vile but snarky boss in the underworld and the corrupt Scion. As this series is set in London and we now know everything we could possibly know about the world, the series starts to feel more recognisable and enjoyable.

The Song Rising (The Bone Season #3)

Without giving too much away as the series is now entirely addictive and any spoilers would be counterproductive – definitely start at the beginning.

Paige’s character is utterly brilliant and is a pleasure to read.

The book stagnates a touch towards the middle but the pace rapidly increases until the horrific (no spoilers) ending.

Paige has now risen through the ranks and in her newly appointed leadership role, she faces conflicts from all sides.

The group has gone underground for protection and at this point, you do not know who to trust.

Adding in the newest threat to the clairvoyants is the Senshield, a technology that could destroy them all.

The focus of this third installment could have been messy but Shannon perfects it with well-written dialogue and well-planned plot roll out.

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