I bought the paperback of Hall of Bones a few years ago, it’s been sitting on my shelf ever since, calling to me. I just didn’t find the time. And it sounded like I would love it. And boy howdy, was I a fool for waiting so long.
This seems to be becoming a trend for me of late, taking too long to get around to reading a book that according to everything I hear is gonna be right up my alley. If there’s one payoff in taking so long though, it’s that Tim Hardie Kickstarted an audiobook, and it was well worth the wait!
I usually try to write these reviews sooner after finishing a book, while it’s still fresh in my head along with all the feelings I got during the read. But I finished this one a few weeks ago, and unfortunately life just got in the way. Because of that, I worry this review won’t be able to do Hall of Bones nearly the justice it deserves. So first, off, just know this: This book is amazing! It’s safe to assume that any praise I bestow upon it should be magnified tenfold.
Suffice it to say, Tim Hardie certainly did not disappoint. He proves all of the good things I’ve heard about this book were absolutely true.
The reader gets plunged headfirst into this Norse inspired setting, introducing the main character Rothgar and establishing his world. As the story unfolds, Hardie seamlessly weaves a tapestry of rich, deep history and lore, and populating the world with in-depth, well-rounded characters, and lots of them. All this is done masterfully, creating an immersive experience that just begs the reader to get dug in. And that amazing worldbuilding is just perfectly sprinkled throughout. Growing and growing. Surrounding you.
There’s so much here. Really. This book checks all the boxes. Rich, beautifully crafted and perfectly executed worldbuilding. A massive cast of intriguing characters of all sorts of varieties and questionable moralities. Characters you’ll root for, ones you want to see die a violent horrible death, and ones you’ll worry over, white-knuckle gripping the arms of your chair and holding your breath as you wait to see if they make it or not. And some that are kinda all of the above, to one degree or another. There’s conniving, backstabbing, and political intrigue. Weird witches and interesting magic that I won’t spoil here. Battles large and small. Unexpected turns. Carnage and tension that will steal your breath away.
To top it all off, RJ Bayley narrates the audiobook. I don’t really know what else to say there. It’s perfect. Bayley is just one of the best narrators. That’s all there is to it.
So, if you’re looking for Norse inspired fantasy, or a tale of plotting and scheming politics, or a book of epic battles and awesome sorcery, or a… well, you get the point… just read Hall of Bones it won’t disappoint. There is no doubt I’ll be continuing this series, already, Hall of Bones is down as one of my all-time Top 10 reads!
Thanks for the awesome review, Thomas. I’m so glad you liked this one. RJ Bayley was my top choice as narrator for the audiobook after I worked with him to help produce The Anatomy of Fear anthology in 2023. I knew his voice and more importantly range would be perfect to handle the wide cast of characters in Hall of Bones and, I hope, the rest of the series. His narration of Hall of Bones exceeded all my expectations and this is now my preferred version of the novel. He just brought so much depth to the world. That Kickstarter was a wild ride but the results were absolutely worth it!