Robin’s Review of A Call to Bones (The Athyziad)

A Call to Bones (The Athyziad)

Before the Osseomancer unleashed his hordes of undead against the kingdoms of Jenor, there was A Call to Bones. It was quiet and whispered, but it could be heard by those willing to listen…

Huke is a typical teenage boy. He likes girls (although he is too shy to talk to any) and sword fighting. His father is the sheriff of a small village, while his mother recently learned some simple garden-variety magics.

All this changes, however, when the old man rides into town. He has ridden into town before, hollering about hobgoblins and spooks, but never like this.

He has captured a dark evil in his barn. Its magic is above Huke’s knowledge, above his father’s, above even his mother’s. They must alert the proper authorities. They will know what to do, Huke’s father assures him.

But will they? As they bring the new danger to their lord and then their king, both seem to have different ideas of what to do with it — and different motivations beyond simply finding its source.

Robin’s Review

Triggers: violence, undead, political manipulation, dark magic, death

What Did I Just Walk Into?

Imagine you’re a shy teenage boy in a small fantasy village. Your hobbies include sword practice, being awkward around girls, and assuming adults probably know what they’re doing.

Then some guy rides into town yelling that he captured literal dark evil in his barn.

And suddenly your life becomes a political conspiracy tour across the kingdom where everyone in power has their own agenda and absolutely none of them can be trusted.

Welcome to A Call to Bones.

This prequel drops us into the world of Jenor before the undead apocalypse really kicks off, back when the Osseomancer was still more rumor than nightmare. What starts as a weird magical problem in a small village slowly spirals into a web of schemes, ambition, and the realization that sometimes the people in charge are scarier than the dark magic.

Here’s What Slapped:

Hoskins wastes zero time getting things moving. The story kicks off with dark magic, captured evil, and a creeping sense that something very bad is about to snowball.

The world building here is excellent. Even though this is technically a prequel, the setting feels lived in, layered, and politically messy in the best fantasy way.

Once Huke and his parents start bringing this mysterious magical threat to the people in power, the story shifts gears into intrigue. Suddenly it’s not just about the dark magic. It’s about who benefits from it.

And if you enjoy fantasy that slowly reveals how corrupt and complicated power structures can be, this book absolutely delivers.

Also worth mentioning: Huke’s family dynamic is surprisingly strong. His parents actually matter to the story, which in fantasy is always refreshing since most protagonists usually start with a tragic “my entire family died in chapter one” origin story.

What Could’ve Been Better:

Huke himself is exactly what the story promises.

A very teenage teenage boy.

He’s shy. He’s awkward. He believes adults are competent.

Which means he spends a good portion of the book learning that last assumption was a mistake.

While that realism works for the coming-of-age angle, some readers may find him a little frustrating early on.

The ending also wraps things up a bit abruptly. Not badly, just quickly. But since this is a prequel, it’s clearly more interested in planting seeds for the larger series than tying everything into a neat bow.

Perfect for Readers Who Love:

Epic fantasy with political intrigue.

Dark magic and undead threats.

Prequel stories that deepen a larger world.

Coming-of-age fantasy heroes.

Slow building conspiracies in fantasy kingdoms.

Sum It Up:

A Call to Bones is a strong prequel that mixes classic fantasy adventure with the political scheming fans of the Athyziad series already enjoy. It starts small with a captured evil in a barn and slowly expands into a reminder that dark magic isn’t always the most dangerous force in a kingdom.

Sometimes it’s ambition.

Book Series:

A Call to Bones (The Athyziad)

Related to: The Athyziad

The Council of Athyzia: A Fantasy Novel of Politics and Magic (The Athyziad Book 1)

The Sorceress in Exile: A Fantasy Novel of Politics and Magic (The Athyziad Book 2)

Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review

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