Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Magical Realism
The intrigue of Game of Thrones meets the magic of Harry Potter in this multifaceted new fantasy series.
Raise. Your. Phantom.
In a world on the brink of the next Great Dying, no amount of training can prepare us for what is to come...
A young heir will raise the most powerful phantom in all of Baiseen.
A dangerous High Savant will do anything to control the nine realms.
A mysterious and deadly Mar race will steal children into the sea.
And a handsome guide with far too many secrets will make me fall in love.
My name is Ash. A lowly scribe meant to observe and record. And yet I think I’m destined to save us all.
Crown of Bones is the first installment in A. K. Wilder's Crown of Bones series. Wilder has created a world of savants and phantoms, and creatures made to serve those who call them. Amassia is the third planet from the sun whose seven continents have, over millenniums, formed a single landmass surrounded by sea. *Think Earth before the continental drifts separated the 7 major continents we have today.*
This is a world that is broken into Potentials and Non-savants. Potentials are children whom the Bone Throwers deem worthy
to try to raise a phantom. They are sent to the sanctuaries at
eight years of age. The brown-robes receive intensive training to
see if they are indeed savant. Most will fail and go back to their
families, declared non-savant. Those who do raise their phantom
will stay on as blue-robes and train up through the ranks, as far
as they can go.
Ash
was
orphaned at age eight; she's best friend of Prince Marcus Adicio; she's a 17-year-old
non-savant wordsmith whose dream is to set foot in every realm of Amassia.
Though she hasn't raised a phantom of her own, other phantoms are oddly curious
about her. Ash’s connection to Marcus's phantom and the voices in her head may the biggest mystery of this entire
story.
Marcus Adicio is the green-robe Heir to the throne of Baiseen. He's the third son of Jacas Adicio and raises a warrior phantom. Marcus is sent to the mysterious island of Aku where he is to tame his own powerful phantom or lose his status as heir to his non-savant brother. He’s also Ash’s best friend. De’ral is Marcus’s warrior, a phantom of massive size and who somehow seems to be attuned to Ash. The others who join Marcus & ash are:
Belair
Duquan is a
green-robe warrior savant from Tangeen who joins Marcus on the initiation
journey to the Isle of Aku.
Larseen is a yellow-robe friend of Marcus who raises a jackal
caller phantom.
Samsen is a yellow-robe
savant who raises a part caller-part alter phantom that is confined to various
forms of birds. He accompanies Marcus on his initiation journey as guard.
Piper—an
orange-robe, one of the top healers in the Baiseen
Sanctuary who raises a double-headed black serpent healer. She’s the official
healer on Marcus’s initiation journey to the Isle of Aku.
Others of important:
Kaylin is the mysterious bosun’s mate formerly of the Sea Eagle who guides Marcus and his company when they are stranded on their way to Aku. He manages to gain the attention of Ash who is supposed to be observing and recording Marcus. Kaylin is connected to Salila.
Salila is a Mar (think mermaid) woman with extreme appetites, intractable will, and no obvious morals. Her only fear is Teern, known to all Mar as Father, and King of the Sea.
First
Whistle Bones—also
called the original whistle bones—the first twelve whistle bones, purportedly
carved from the skeleton of King Er, which actually stem from much earlier
times. Each represents one of the lots or ways on the path to An’awntia. Once
made into a Crown of Bones, eventually, they were dismantled and sent to the
sanctuaries for protection. Each is kept in a place of honor, symbolic of the
responsibility and privileges of being savant. In order, they are:
Crown of Er (jaw) —First Lot—Awareness of Self
Tree of Eternity (vertebra)—Second Lot—Awareness of Body
Ancient Shearwater (scapula)—Third Lot—Awareness of Mind
Ma’ata (Femur)—Fourth Lot—Awareness of Feelings
Water Serpent (coccyx)—Fifth Lot—Awareness of Creativity
Mummy Wheat (radius)—Sixth Lot—Awareness of Service
Mask of Anon (cranium)—Seventh Lot—Awareness of Relationship
Scroll of Hetta (rib)—Eighth Lot– Awareness of Renewal
Arrow of Nii (femur)—Ninth Lot—Awareness of Expansion
Jenin Stones (Tibia)—Tenth Lot—Awareness of Leadership
Eye of Sierrak (fibula)—Eleventh Lot—Non-judgment
Prince of the Sea (scapula)—Twelfth Lot—Self-acceptance.
The story is told in multiple first person narratives which is a good thing since it gives the readers different views of what is happening over the course of the story. This story is action packed almost right out of the gate as we witness a stunning betrayal of a young girl who just raised a phantom but was stunted instead making it impossible for her to become a savant. As Marcus and his friends make their way to the Island of Aku, they are under a deadline. They must make it before the gates close for the season, or come back again next year. For Marcus, that means absolute failure.
Over the course of the story, it is apparent that there are those who want Marcus to fail. Which makes the actions of Kaylin that even more impressive as well as curious. What are his real plans? Will he betray Ash and break her heart, or will he ensure the she and Marcus make it home to Aku on time? Aku is a supposed to be a politically neutral island realm where all initiate savants go to train for advancement to yellow robes. Ash, however, finds that the school is holding many secrets that she is eager to expose. An act of betrayal tests the students loyalties and friendships after an unexpected attack leaves Marcus and his group struggling to find a way home.
Ash is my favorite character because she is constantly ignored, made fun or, and treated as a non entity. The voices in her head lead you to wonder who her parents were, and if they were able to do what she does with phantoms. Ash is an especially likable lead. From her foul mouth in several different languages, to her soft heart to her hungry curiosity. The ending of this book involves a huge cliffhanger that focuses on Ash so I won't dig deeper into what leads to this moment. I think the most interesting question is what are we supposed to think about Kaylin after all is said and done? He had a mission. He ignored it. He was told he must complete his mission or else. And yet, he stands with Ash and Marcus at the peril of his own future.
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