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110th out of 2,140 books
—
5,583 voters
The Bone Doll's Twin (Tamír Triad #1)
by
Lynn Flewelling (Goodreads Author)
Sometimes the price of destiny is higher than anyone imagined....
Dark Magic, Hidden Destiny
For three centuries a divine prophecy and a line of warrior queens protected Skala. But the people grew complacent and Erius, a usurper king, claimed his young half sister’s throne.
Now plague and drought stalk the land, war with Skala’s ancient rival Plenimar drains the country’s li...more
Dark Magic, Hidden Destiny
For three centuries a divine prophecy and a line of warrior queens protected Skala. But the people grew complacent and Erius, a usurper king, claimed his young half sister’s throne.
Now plague and drought stalk the land, war with Skala’s ancient rival Plenimar drains the country’s li...more
Mass Market Paperback, 524 pages
Published
October 21st 2009
by Bantam Spectra
(first published July 16th 2001)
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okay people. i see what books y'all add when i post 'em.. you're not fooling me! and i know all your biases against fantasy. but i gotta tell you, that lynn flewelling is pretty fucking gifted.
she writes super detailed, complicated characters who have lots of internal and external struggles.
these books focus on a girl who was turned into a boy for survival and how that "survival" happens and her gender dysphoria when she is "turned back" into a boy among other things.
i couldn't stop reading.
yum....more
she writes super detailed, complicated characters who have lots of internal and external struggles.
these books focus on a girl who was turned into a boy for survival and how that "survival" happens and her gender dysphoria when she is "turned back" into a boy among other things.
i couldn't stop reading.
yum....more
This plot hinges on a rather interesting idea.
What if a boy was really a girl, but didn't know it?
I don't mean didn't know it in the sense of the The Ill-Made Mute, but truly didn't know it, and most people didn't know it.
Flewelling starts to answer such questions in this book. She also looks at how a land that once used women warriors slowly changes its view on them.
It's strange because there is not much "action" in the traditional sense of the word in the book. It is more about family, fait...more
What if a boy was really a girl, but didn't know it?
I don't mean didn't know it in the sense of the The Ill-Made Mute, but truly didn't know it, and most people didn't know it.
Flewelling starts to answer such questions in this book. She also looks at how a land that once used women warriors slowly changes its view on them.
It's strange because there is not much "action" in the traditional sense of the word in the book. It is more about family, fait...more
7 likes
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Although I don't agree with some of the precepts of these books, the stories are very good and well-written. They're traditional sword and sorcery with a fair portion of intrigue and mystery, and some feminism thrown in for good measure.
A creepy beginning sets the stage for ghosts, hauntings and some creatively developed characters. Flewelling's world-scape is believeable and well-crafted, with just enough originality to make the places and their people interesting in description, but not so muc...more
A creepy beginning sets the stage for ghosts, hauntings and some creatively developed characters. Flewelling's world-scape is believeable and well-crafted, with just enough originality to make the places and their people interesting in description, but not so muc...more
2 likes
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I read Flewelling's other set of book but for one reason or another I found myself reluctant to read this trilogy. I will admit that in a brief summary this book sounds cheesy, it is hard to imagine this done in a skillful way. After getting pushed in to reading it (with recommendations from more than one person) I found myself pulled into this unique story. This is truly an original plot done in great taste and with definite skill. The characters are believable and you find yourself being pulle...more
This is set in the same world as Nightrunners, but five hundred years in the past. It came about from a quick reference in
Luck in the Shadows
. A Skalan sailer was explaining the tradition that, "As long as a daughter of Thelatimos rules, Skala shall never be subjugated." But of course there was a usurping uncle who isisted that the prophecy was misunderstood, that as long as the daughter of Thelatimos ruled....and claimed the throne, then quietly killed all the girls in the royal family, excep...more
This book was impressive. Maybe it's only a fantasy book, but the characters seem so real that the only indication that its world is not the same as ours some centuries ago is the little magic used in it. The main character is Tobin, a feminine child whose real identity has been hidden in order to save her life from the king who wants to suppress every feminine heir to the throne: a spell has changed the girl's appearance into a boy's. A prophecy links Tobin to the throne: she must become queen,...more
Breaking with tradition to show you how my friends recommend books to me. This came from a PaperBackSwap buddy, who sadly is not on Goodreads (YET!), and I discuss books all the time and our conversations tend to be a bit . . . odd.
Friend: Pst, T.B.?
Me: What?
Friend: Got a SciFi book you absolutely have to read.
Me: I'm busy, besides I'm not really reading SciFi right now.
Friend: Two words, hon - Demon Baby.
Me: Oh dear Gods, that horrid. Who the hell would write about something like that?
Friend: L...more
Friend: Pst, T.B.?
Me: What?
Friend: Got a SciFi book you absolutely have to read.
Me: I'm busy, besides I'm not really reading SciFi right now.
Friend: Two words, hon - Demon Baby.
Me: Oh dear Gods, that horrid. Who the hell would write about something like that?
Friend: L...more
The Bone Doll's Twin
OR
There Are Probably More Awkward Ways To Save a Kingdom But I Can't Think of Them Now
This is not a happy book, but for all the darkness, all the discomfort inherent in it, it's not a hard read. It doesn't make the reader miserable, but rather intrigues and invites them further into this strange story.
The book works for two reasons. One, Flewelling has an excellent grip on how to write children and teens. Tobin reacts to everything the way a child does. He doesn't grasp how s...more
OR
There Are Probably More Awkward Ways To Save a Kingdom But I Can't Think of Them Now
This is not a happy book, but for all the darkness, all the discomfort inherent in it, it's not a hard read. It doesn't make the reader miserable, but rather intrigues and invites them further into this strange story.
The book works for two reasons. One, Flewelling has an excellent grip on how to write children and teens. Tobin reacts to everything the way a child does. He doesn't grasp how s...more
Okay, I'll admit that I was bored at first because of the book's slow start, but seeing that the book had such good reviews made me keep reading, and I'm glad I did.
Initially the story looked like the typical tale of good vs. evil. I mean, you get slapped with a prophecy the first couple of chapters. If the two wizards succeed in their mission, they will bring a golden age for their kind, but if they fail, the consequences are much more adverse. Also, weaving segments of the story's aftermath i...more
Initially the story looked like the typical tale of good vs. evil. I mean, you get slapped with a prophecy the first couple of chapters. If the two wizards succeed in their mission, they will bring a golden age for their kind, but if they fail, the consequences are much more adverse. Also, weaving segments of the story's aftermath i...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
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3.5 stars. A good start to what looks to be an above average fantasy trilogy. I am a big fan of world building and the world that Ms. Flewelling has created is well-thought out, complex and believable. Add to that an original twist to the standard coming of age warrior tale, quality writing and some good characterization and you have all the ingredients for a great story. This one ends on somewhat of a cliff hanger so be ready to go right into the second installment. Recommended!!!!!
It’s a simple enough premise:
The land Skala has been protected by centuries due to a prophecy stating that as long as the country has a Queen, they’re gravy. Of course this doesn’t sit well with possible Kings, so we get Ol’ King Erius knocking out the female competition to ensure he stays in charge. When his sister has twins, the only way to protect the female and ensure Skala is once again ruled by a Queen again is to affix the girl child with the body of her dead twin brother’s so no one know...more
The land Skala has been protected by centuries due to a prophecy stating that as long as the country has a Queen, they’re gravy. Of course this doesn’t sit well with possible Kings, so we get Ol’ King Erius knocking out the female competition to ensure he stays in charge. When his sister has twins, the only way to protect the female and ensure Skala is once again ruled by a Queen again is to affix the girl child with the body of her dead twin brother’s so no one know...more
Flewelling calls this book 'gothic fantasy' and one can see where the genre applies. A history to her wonderful Nightrunner series, I found The Bone Doll's Twin to be a bit creepy and somewhat disturbing at times. It certainly is a darker turn from the main story of the Nightrunner series -- even her penchant for torturing (physically and emotionally) her favourite characters doesn't reach this level of skin crawling storytelling.
The Bone Doll's Twin is a distinct piece of 'rising action'. There...more
The Bone Doll's Twin is a distinct piece of 'rising action'. There...more
This is a departure for me. I have not read a lot of fantasy in over a decade and while I used to read it quite a bit, it got a little repetitious and boring for me so I moved on to other genres. I have had this book for a long time and bought it when I wasn't planning to read fantasy so I just held on to it. All I can say is something about it intrigued me. I even loved the cover art so I decided to give it a try.
This would be a five star read if the author had edited it down about 5-10%. There...more
This would be a five star read if the author had edited it down about 5-10%. There...more
OK, I admit I got this book only because it was called "The Tamir Trilogy." I really enjoyed reading it, and plan to continue the series. The story was creepy and confusing at first, and I considered not finishing the book. But this unique story turned out to be an excellent read! I loved the history and tradition of the kingdom that is shared in detail, and each character turned into a believable person I wanted to know more about. I enjoyed the sorcery, feminism, and moral complexity of everyo...more
The Bone Doll's Twin is the first installment of a fantasy/science fiction trilogy. The appearance of witches and wizards satisfied my desire for a fantastical escape while the tales of battle and kings and queens struggling for power appealed to my love of historical fiction. A royal court in a fantasy land very much resembles a royal court anywhere else :0). The three books in the trilogy bleed right into each other. The second one picks up in almost the same breath as this first one leaves of...more
This started off really slow for me, and I had a hard time sticking with it at first. But I think a lot of that was how often I was reading a child's perspective, and that just didn't interest me. It's not that I didn't like Tobin - I actually did, quite a bit! But I tend to hve a hard time reading kids' perspectives, maybe because I just don't get them. ^^; Young children baffle me thoroughly in real life, and apparently in fiction as well. Once Tobin got a bit older and the story started picki...more
I found it a refreshing mix of originality and myth. It brings up questions about power and prejudice though it was a little shaky on aspects of world-building.
Tobin was an engaging character as a boy, and believable, that charms, without being without fault. His Brother is also an attractive mix of fantasy and horror that astounds and draws one in, with his mood-swings and tantrums as well as his sad history.
The wizards, Lehl, Arkoniel, Iya and Nyrin bring a different philosophies of life suppo...more
Tobin was an engaging character as a boy, and believable, that charms, without being without fault. His Brother is also an attractive mix of fantasy and horror that astounds and draws one in, with his mood-swings and tantrums as well as his sad history.
The wizards, Lehl, Arkoniel, Iya and Nyrin bring a different philosophies of life suppo...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I have to be honest. When I first picked this book up I came close to putting it right back down. It had a real rough start for me. But because I had read really good reviews about it I decided to follow through and finish it. I'm glad that I did.
The further I got into the book, the more the story pulled me in. There is so much of the story that I feel unfulfilled on but I think that is partly because there is more books but I cannot help but feel that the end was very unsatisfactory for me. The...more
The further I got into the book, the more the story pulled me in. There is so much of the story that I feel unfulfilled on but I think that is partly because there is more books but I cannot help but feel that the end was very unsatisfactory for me. The...more
2 likes
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Another really excellent, dignified fantasy series. But other than the big 4 (Martin, Hobb, Flewelling and de Lint), I haven't found more great authors. Well, yeah, Tolkien, but come on. The movies are so much better--(kiss my -ss, Tolkien die-hards, I don't have time for the listing of every familly name of every Hobbit in the Shire)
4 likes
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I love Lynn Flewelling's books in general, and this one didn't disappoint. It's not one of those books where there's a lot of action and major events, it's more focused on character development. The author does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life, making the book extremely compelling.
Brief overview with no major spoilers (you'd get everything here from the back of the book): The book is set in a kingdom where there is an ancient prophecy declaring the kingdom will be safe as long as...more
Brief overview with no major spoilers (you'd get everything here from the back of the book): The book is set in a kingdom where there is an ancient prophecy declaring the kingdom will be safe as long as...more
The first book of the fantasy series ‘Tamir Triad,’ which follows the life of Tobin, the rightful queen of Skala whose gender was magically switched to keep her uncle, the King, from killing her at birth. It is the sister/prequel series of Lynn Flewelling’s ‘Nightrunner’ series, set several hundred years before it. I came across this series while searching for The Nightrunner series, but I was uninterested in reading it due to the poor copy of my edition, though after completing Ms Flewelling’s...more
Feb 08, 2013
type95
rated it
5 of 5 stars
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review of another edition
Shelves:
favourites,
book-series
Very refreshing read.
Yes it is slow with the uptake of the story but you come to appreciate it as you move further along in the book. You understand the characters better and how the whole of that world operates.
My beginning thoughts were along the lines of "the whole book is just about his day to day actions in his early life...how boring."
Totally wrong.
I came to appreciate Flewelling's style - the way she didn't rush into adulthood but allowed the readers to wander around in the mind of a you...more
Yes it is slow with the uptake of the story but you come to appreciate it as you move further along in the book. You understand the characters better and how the whole of that world operates.
My beginning thoughts were along the lines of "the whole book is just about his day to day actions in his early life...how boring."
Totally wrong.
I came to appreciate Flewelling's style - the way she didn't rush into adulthood but allowed the readers to wander around in the mind of a you...more
The Tamir Trilogy is truly a `proper' trilogy - that is, a single story, broken up into three volumes, as opposed to a series of self-contained, interconnected books. Book 1 (The Bone Doll's Twin) sets-up the story and sends us on our way. In an age of plague and war, a girl child is destined to take her place as the rightful Queen, to reunite the people, and to bring peace back to the land. To thwart this prophecy and ensure his continued rule, the King carefully monitors all noble births and a...more
Loved it. Great world, real, complex characters who lived and breathed - but what really sold me on the book was the way Flewelling subtly wove an almost gothic thread of horror into what might otherwise have been a stock fantasy narrative; necromancy, vengeful spirits, haunted dolls, magic involving bones and blood, oh my! The main character is a girl who, due to magic that was worked on her at birth, has spent most of her life in the body of a boy and has grown up believeing herself to BE a bo...more
Amazing series, i was in hawaii and i brought all three along to read and ended up reading them all in 5 days.. so obviously i couldnt put them down. DEF not the usual hero/heroine ;-)
I've always enjoyed reading about female protagonists who have to disguise themselves as boys, which is of course a character type common to the fantasy genre, though I guess the same could be said for most genres. However, Flewelling goes a bit further with it than most, creating a main character born a girl, but who is at birth given every appearance of a male through magic. It's interesting to see something like this, and it gives a new twist to an old idea. Overall, this was enjoyable to rea...more
This is one of my all time favorite books. I get pretty bored with high fantasy and sword & crown type books, but there is a sparseness and a deep humanity to this book (and those that follow it). I like the way in which Flewelling deals with moral complexity (I've never been a fan of Superman style "good guys" and one-dimensional "bad guys"). I also love the sensitive and well wrought way in which she deals with gender ambiguity and transition throughout the series. The characters are real,...more
Just started this, and so far I like the premise, decent worldbuilding, and it is CREEPING ME OUT. Thanks for the series, Ann! :)
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fantasy Aficionados: The Bone Doll's Twin (Tamír Triad) - Lynn Flewelling | 55 | 80 | Feb 16, 2012 03:31am |
Born Lynn Elizabeth Beaulieu.
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