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The Bone Factory

by Nate Kenyon (Goodreads Author)

3.41 of 5 stars 3.41 · rating details · 104 ratings · 19 reviews

David Pierce has moved with his wife and daughter to accept a job with a recently reopened hydropower plant in Quebec. But the owners of the mysterious plant are hiding a deadly secret, and David-s little girl has begun to have terrifying premonitions of blood and death.

Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages

Published June 9th 2009 by Leisure Books (first published May 5th 2009)

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Mar 06, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

First of all, and I want to be really clear about this, The Bone Factory hit on my deepest bias. (No, not the one where I eternally love anyone who supplies me with chocolate, the other one.) There's a horrific child abuse scene which goes into great detail, and I have a really hard time dealing with that sort of thing. Seriously, I didn't make it through Gregory Maguire's Wicked because I couldn't get past the neglect/abuse in the earlier parts of the book, and that was pretty mild compared to...more First of all, and I want to be really clear about this, The Bone Factory hit on my deepest bias. (No, not the one where I eternally love anyone who supplies me with chocolate, the other one.) There's a horrific child abuse scene which goes into great detail, and I have a really hard time dealing with that sort of thing. Seriously, I didn't make it through Gregory Maguire's Wicked because I couldn't get past the neglect/abuse in the earlier parts of the book, and that was pretty mild compared to what I'm talking about here. I read the scene and had to put it down and walk away for awhile because it disturbed and upset me, and it's probably pretty clear it still does. I can handle a lot of dark and disturbing things, but child abuse goes over the line for me, and colours my feelings for the book.

With that out of the way, I'm going to do what I can to write a fair and honest review, but since I'm only human, I ask everyone to bear in mind that this book pushed my personal buttons, which may not have the same effect on other readers. I suppose the same could be said of any other book, but even more so today.

The first thing I feel I should mention is the setting. Above and beyond all the characters, the harsh winter permeates the story so thoroughly you almost feel it. Death by climate is just as big a threat as the "blue man" in the woods, perhaps even more so. As someone who happens to be a Canadian having just lived through a winter with several weeks hovering between -40 and -60F, I can appreciate the freakish weather in the book and how it becomes a physical challenge for the characters, as big a problem as all the other issues going on. (Although I'd like to point out the wussy jackets they would have worn around New York would not be adequate protection from the snow and cold, not even in March. A good quality parka is a necessity in the north.)

The mystery is beautifully crafted, with the pieces slowly coming together, the reader actually working out what's going on along with the characters rather than being three chapters ahead and wishing the protagonists would learn to add one and one. When everything finally comes together, it creates one of those delightful "ahhh" moments, like book nirvana, where it all suddenly makes sense.

I really liked the concept of Jessie, a little girl who knows far more than she should, although I wish she had been explored more thoroughly. There are hints of what she can do, but if we're going to delve into the supernatural, I wanna know all the details. Most of the things she does are by accident, and I got the sense we never really find out the extent of what Jessie can do (not to mention how they work), which is a shame.

I was less keen hearing from the perspective of the madman (not really a villain per se, since he never set out to commit evil, but a mentally disturbed killer is still a killer). Really, the pieces from that side of the story could just as well have been brought in by Amanda the therapist, which would have streamlined and served to emphasize the bond between therapist and patient, which becomes important later on but is more told to us than shown.

So that's the good, the bad, and the ugly. Despite my nitpicks, it's a well-written mystery/thriller with some genuinely scary moments and a lovely attention to detail. If you're looking for something creepy with minimal gore, this might be the book you want.(less)

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Jun 29, 2011 William M. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

Author Nate Kenyon continues to improve with each book, especially his technical writing. The Bone Factory illustrates Kenyon's talent for smooth prose and his special attention to atmosphere. I'm a sucker for novels set in snowy, desolate locations, and the locations in this story are about as far away from civilization as you can get. But there were a few choices that I wish were handled differently and the overall storyline didn't grab me the way I would have liked.

I enjoyed the slow, calcul...more Author Nate Kenyon continues to improve with each book, especially his technical writing. The Bone Factory illustrates Kenyon's talent for smooth prose and his special attention to atmosphere. I'm a sucker for novels set in snowy, desolate locations, and the locations in this story are about as far away from civilization as you can get. But there were a few choices that I wish were handled differently and the overall storyline didn't grab me the way I would have liked.

I enjoyed the slow, calculated buildup with the family and the move to their new home, but sometimes I think too much time was spent on small events which could have been edited down and been just as effective. For instance, there is a section nine pages long describing a character's inspection of the woods around his property to see if there is anyone lurking around. Surely this didn't need to be nine pages. There were also some character reactions that I found rather odd that pulled me out of the story. Helen's strong reaction to Angie's information about the missing girl seemed a bit melodramatic. David's reaction was strange as well. It's not as if the girl was torn to shreds inside the house. They were simply living in a house where the previous owner's daughter went missing. What's the big deal? They never even found her body. People go missing all the time for any number of reasons. These revelations could have been smoother for me.

Prologue aside, and with the exception of a brief death scene involving a camper, the horror really doesn't get going until another two hundred plus pages. And while there is no doubt that Kenyon is a fine writer, I question the need to tell this particular story. Well executed, sure, but it was not that engaging as a tale, especially a full length novel. Perhaps it would have worked better as a novella. The separate parts of the story didn't quite connect in a natural, organic way for me. The section about the baby and his bottle was quite vivid and horrifying, but for most of the book, I found the horror rather tame for adult fiction. However, I have heard great things about Kenyon's new novel, "Sparrow Rock", so I plan on giving that a try.
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Jul 14, 2009 Margaret rated it 4 of 5 stars

When David Pierce first walked into the offices of Hydro Development, he wasn’t expecting much. For the last few months, he’d been searching for a job, but no one would give him a chance after his former employer fired him over a disagreement. The money was beginning to run out, and David really needed some good luck. Well, as they say…be careful what you wish for.

Hydro Development sets David and his family up in a house on the edge of nowhere. It’s cold, isolated, and foreboding. David thought,...more When David Pierce first walked into the offices of Hydro Development, he wasn’t expecting much. For the last few months, he’d been searching for a job, but no one would give him a chance after his former employer fired him over a disagreement. The money was beginning to run out, and David really needed some good luck. Well, as they say…be careful what you wish for.

Hydro Development sets David and his family up in a house on the edge of nowhere. It’s cold, isolated, and foreboding. David thought, though, that once they got settled in, his daughter’s nightmares would end—but they only seem to escalate. She dreams of a mysterious man she calls “blue man.” She says he’s coming to get her, and he’ll be here soon.

David then discovers that Hydro Development may have environmental problems, and he begins to wonder if his job is to clean it up or to take the fall for it. What once seemed like a good opportunity soon turns into David’s worst nightmare as he fights to save his family from both a disturbed stranger and an ecological disaster.

The Bone Factory is a character driven novel that will draw you deep into one man’s life as he struggles to survive in a cruel set of circumstances. You’ll feel for David because all he wants is a decent job so he can take care of his family, but life can be a pest when it wants to be, and it goes after David with both barrels blazing.

Author Nate Kenyon has created a cold, isolated setting and brought it to life, stirring in a dose of creepiness to give readers an extra chill. However, the focus is mainly on the characters, so don’t expect a fast-paced plot. It doesn’t need it, though, because the characters are well-drawn and interesting enough to keep you tuned in to their story. Then, near the end, the pace picks up, and it will leave you breathless as you rush through the pages, eager to find out how it’ll end.

In the mood for a well-developed horror novel that doesn’t use scare tactics to get your attention? Then The Bone Factory is an excellent choice.

First appeared in Nightsandweekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/arti...(less)

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Jul 20, 2009 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

David Pierce is in desperate need for a job. He has a wife and a child to take care of. When he is offered the job as an advisor at Hydro Development. The plant has recently been re-opened after being shut down for a while. When the mutilated body of a farmer and the disappearance of a little girl where thought to be connected with the plant, the company shut it down. Now Hydro Development is ready to get up and running again. David will be the man to help them do just that.

Dan Flint works for...more

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Dec 10, 2009 J.M. Cornwell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Murder, disappearances and madness in the snowbound forest of Quebec.

Joe Thibodeau searched for the missing little girl, following his instincts and the faint trace of tracks to the silent hydro plant and straight into the lair of a maniac.

After a year of being unemployed, David Pierce has been hired to put the Jackson Hydro plant back on schedule. He moves his little family – Helen and his daughter, Jessie – to Jackson near St. Boudin in Quebec.

The house is amazing, but isolated. The forest is...more

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Sep 19, 2010 Merredith rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: horror lovers

Shelves: 4-or-5-stars, horror

Back when i was younger, i used to love stephen king books, and then his writing changed and became worse. And john saul, and then the same thing happened to him too. when i was reading this book i kinda felt like i was in a time warp.. i thought wow this is so stephen king! then i belatedly noticed that some quote on the cover said the same thing..so i guess my thought wasnt that original. oh well. anyway, this book went very quickly, and wasnt what i expected from the beginning. ill read more...more

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Feb 02, 2011 Sommer Marsden rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another great read from Nate Kenyon. Really fast paced, no boring spots, fine-fine horror that rings true--which is all I really ask for. :) Mr. Kenyon and I must be roughly the same age because he references the one and only cartoon moment from my growing up years that still haunts me. It just made it that much creepier. ;)

Highly recommended if you're looking for well written horror/suspense.

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Sep 09, 2011 Bandit rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nate Kenyon has an uncanny ability to write horror, I mean some major unsettling terrifying horror, without resorting to gore and gratuitous sex/violence (not that there is something wrong with those, of course :)). I read this book immediately after Brian Keene's The Rising and City of The Dead, because I wanted a break from nonstop action and dangling intestines and this book fit the bill. There is really almost no supernatural element to this book, but it's quite scary all the same. Would mak...more

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Sep 18, 2009 Wayne rated it 2 of 5 stars

It was a decent story. I didn't care for the end though. It seemed to raise more questions about one of the characters, which I guess could be seen as a lead in to a second one but I wouldn't know why.

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Aug 26, 2009 Danna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Book 2 of 3, Vegas Vacation '09: Hey, it's Nate Kenyon again! I read The Reach once upon a time; enjoyed this one even more. Another fine airport/lounging thriller.

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Aug 21, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite

An intense ride! I loved the writing style and the multiple, overlapping stories. A true suspense Horror! Definitely looking into more from this author.

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Jul 06, 2009 A. R. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Nate scored this time! I didn't care much for The Reach, but I loved Bloodstone, his first novel, and this one scared the crap out of me! Cheers to Nate for writing like Nate and not Stephen King (though I love King)!

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Feb 26, 2012 Scott Bibliophile marked it as to-read

Shelves: own, did-not-finish

Felt like the author took a pinch of The Shining, with a pinch of Firestarter. Could not get into this one, did not finish, got to page 143.

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May 14, 2010 Jake Maschino rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good beginning, slow middle, excellent ending. Not as good as The Reach, but still a book worth reading.

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May 19, 2012 Judy Ahrens rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: did-not-finish

just wasnt able to finish it. just didnt hold my interest

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Feb 08, 2011 Tammy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ill, horror

Probably my least favorite Nate Kenyon to date (other than Prime) but still excellent writing, interesting characters, and fast-paced plot.

It is interesting to note that this book started out very Shining-esque. Kenyon's earlier work The Keep (?) has been compared to Firestarter.

I think it's perfectly fine to emulate beloved horror classics. And despite the similarities at the beginning, the plot of the BF came into its own about half-way through the book.

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Nov 06, 2009 Matt R. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, 2009

A snowy forest in Quebec with a maniac on the loose in the setting for The Bone Factory. This is a suspenseful book that builds throughout with strong characters who grow on you. Kenyon will keep you thinking as the terror builds in this book. This is a good creepy book by one of my new favorite authors. I look forward to reading more from Nate Kenyon in the near future.

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Feb 28, 2010 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Tracy by: Beckie Kingery

Shelves: fiction, fiction-adult

Suspenseful, Frightening, and Gruesome.
What's not to love.

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Aug 03, 2010 Bunny rated it 1 of 5 stars

Though well written, the plot was somewhat predictable from the first page.

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Apr 27, 2013 Kathys rated it 3 of 5 stars

Apr 24, 2013 Kyle marked it as to-read

Apr 18, 2013 Sahdri marked it as to-read

Apr 11, 2013 Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes marked it as to-read

Apr 08, 2013 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Apr 06, 2013 Jenny marked it as to-read

Shelves: horror

Apr 03, 2013 Addy Amato marked it as to-read

Mar 23, 2013 Chris Guiliano rated it 1 of 5 stars

Mar 08, 2013 Kev marked it as to-read

Mar 05, 2013 Jessie marked it as to-read

Feb 18, 2013 Glenn Rolfe rated it 3 of 5 stars

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About Nate Kenyon

Nate Kenyon grew up in a small town in Maine. His first novel, Bloodstone, received raves from places as varied as Library Journal, Fangoria, Publishers Weekly, about.com, Cemetery Dance and The Romance Studio, and praise from authors such as Brian Keene, Tim Lebbon, Douglas Clegg, Mort Castle and Rick Hautala. Bloodstone was a Bram Stoker Award finalist and and P&E Novel of the Year Award win...more

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