Dark crime fantasy

Listened to Priest of Bones and thought it was fantastic, enjoyed the whole thing and raced through it. I liked the crime and city setting, and the way magic and fighting was used was very impactful.

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2 people found this helpful

Fantastic story well told by a brilliant narrator.

I loved this book and cannot wait for the sequel it's like the peaky blinders but flat out better. Fantastic stuff.

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4 people found this helpful

Gritty, dark, gangland fantasy

Priest of Bones sees Thomas Piety and his gang return to Ellinburgh after the war has been won. They return to find the streets their gang once ran in the hands of other, unfamiliar faces and a city that has grown weak in their long absence.

Obviously, they want to change that.

This is a book for anyone that enjoys their fantasy with a healthy of dose of dark, gritty reality. The best way to describe Thomas Piety, a priest of Our Lady, is to think of how Robin Hood might have turned out if he were a gangster. He has all the dark and nasty traits of a fantasy world mob boss, but he still loves the streets and the people he protects. Those who pay their protection money to the Pious Men (Thomas’ gang) have in them a genuine protector who will see any harm or loss suffered made right in whatever way he can. The dynamic of being both a bad guy and a good guy all at once, makes for an interesting character. Certainly makes him feel more three-dimensional and real than some other characters I have read in the past who are just names on the page with a bit of flair about them.

Priest of Bones has been described as a fantasy version of Peaky Blinders, I’d say everyone is fairly spot on in that likeness. It bares a lot of similarities to the hit show and the bleak feel to the world fits perfectly. You have your gang, returning from a war on foreign shores turning out to be the, if not good guys, at least the anti-hero/grey area good guys (if that makes sense). And there’s obviously other gangs that have taken their place and need stamping out. All makes for an entertaining, fast-moving plot set in and interesting world. Especially when you add in the shady, underhanded dealings of the city’s elite and the threat of foreign powers muscling in.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Thomas Piety as he recounts his life, or at least his life upon his return from the war, and it has a very distinctive voice because of this. Distinctive and, at certain times annoying. For instance if I had to hear the phrase ‘and that was good,’ one more time I may well have cried, but it adds to the realistic feel of it as it’s being written in a way that the author (in this case Thomas Piety) would write as he speaks, so you have to expect the regional colloquialisms.

Obviously, with this being a gang-style book, there are some pretty gruesome moments. None of it feels over the top, though, due to the gang aspect.

Priest of Bones also has some of the more interesting characters I have come across. Thomas is interesting enough, but his brother Jochan is also incredibly interesting and you can just tell there’s something darker living beneath the surface. Billy the Boy is another one you feel you need to watch as well for good development. The author does incredibly well of making the more minor characters interesting and always seeming like they are on the verge of doing more (Cutter, for one). So yea, all in all, this book has an awful lot going for it with very few negative points.

I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it was one of the more engaging listens I have had this year. I think I breezed through it in three or four days and didn’t want it to end. I went and downloaded the sequel immediately after because of this … sadly, the third instalment isn’t out at the time of writing this, so I can’t pull that same trick again. The narrator is quite easily the only man I could ever envision reading this (I know the old ‘ nobody else could do it so well’ is a bit cliché, but his voice and tone are just so perfect that it seems like he was born to voice a gangster. Or, as Thomas would put it, a businessman.

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Dark and fascinating

Liked every second in this lovely but dark book.
Looking forward for book 2.
Enjoy

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Gripping and Gritty gang novel

Great dark fantasy book. You obviously feel on the pious mens side even if their motives are questionable. It's Peaky Blinders meets Game of Thrones, and the narrator brings the characters to life, to my mind. The repeated phrases actually makes the listener feel more like they are listening to a person as it is written in 1st person

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Excellent

Grimdark it is but there's a heart to this that is often absent in other novels in the genre. It is necessity that drives the bleakness, not a lack of hope and that makes a big difference, I think. If you don't normally read grimdark, you may find you enjoy this when you haven't enjoyed other examples of the genre before The reading is also excellent. Slightly reminiscent of Sean Bean, if anything. It's nice to get a top notch narrator for a story and it's a shame Mr. Morley-Hale doesn't have a broader catalogue. I'd be happy to recommend this to anyone.

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Absolutely class!

If you like an eclectic mix of fantasy and Peaky Blinders, this will right up your strasse!

Great characters and a compelling storyline, it’s not for the faint hearted but I lapped this up in a few sittings.

The narrator can make it break such stories and Mr Hale does a fine job here, also.

I’m just surprised that it hasn’t got more reviews. Really looking forward to part 2....

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Game of Thrones meets Peaky Blinders!

I really enjoyed this mix of genre. The story is fast paced but also takes time to build emotion and you really emphasize with some characters. It's also very well narrated.

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3 people found this helpful

Very peeky blinders!

This is a solid 4 start book but I don't think will be for everyone. It is first person narration throughout which personally isn't my favourite pov but I very quickly adjusted to it.
The characters are well defined with Bloody Anne a particular favourite! This is very similar to Peeky Blinders so if you're not a fan this might not be the book for you.
The narrator was amazing, his voice and accents really suited the novel.

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fantastic and gritty

fantastic, face paced and gritty. a real treat for grimdark fans. loved it and would recommend.

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