Another Seanan McGuire book that delights me with its spooky weirdness. I've never played the Deadlands game, but this makes me want to.

It is not a secret that I am a tremendous fan of Seanan McGuire’s work. I think she’s the best urban fantasy and urban horror writer actively working today (under both her name and her pen name Mira Grant). And so, of course, when I see I McGuire/Grant novel available for review I eagerly request it.

Deadlands: Boneyard is a media tie-in book. This is the third book in a series and it is based on a role-playing game (RPG) series. While I am a self-professed gamer, I stick primarily to board and card games. My RPG experience sticks pretty much to the first and second editions of Dungeons & Dragons. The basic premise of Deadlands is that it is a steampunk American western with a horror bent, which is appealing to me.

Annie Pearl travels with a circus. She is in charge of the freaks and the monsters that run amok and terrorize the citizens of the communities in which the circus performs. Annie is mother to Abigail, a mute girl.

The circus is heading for a place in Oregon known as The Clearing, where the word is that a circus can make good money. But The Clearing holds a secret and Annie will need to step up to save her daughter and the circus.

Of all the McGuire/Grant books that I’ve read in the past few years, this is one of my least favorites. I thought about this along the way and I think it’s mostly because this isn’t her own world. As much as she created something unique for herself, this is someone else’s world in which McGuire is playing.

There are some moments that made it clear this was a McGuire book – more than once I felt a connection to her Ghost Roads series. But despite the clever storytelling and plotting, I never felt the connection to the characters that is typically so powerful in a McGuire book. Everything here centers around Annie but Annie’s connection to the circus and the circus performers seems less important than setting a mood and telling a dark story.

Horror is hard to sustain in a novel and we never quite get a full sense of horror or a strong motivation to stay invested in the story. Still, it’s a McGuire book, and that counts for something.

Looking for a good book? Boneyard by Seanan McGuire is part of the Deadlands series of books, based on a role-playing game and doesn’t have the typical McGuire flair and thrills, but fans of the game, looking for a read will likely enjoy this.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I've reached the conclusion that I pretty much will read a menu as long as it is written by Seanan McGuire.

I hate historical novels with a passion. Westerns specially.

That been said, I couldn't put the book down. It was absorbing from word one, and I absolutely loved it to pieces, creepy as it was.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Step right up to see the oddities and marvels of The Blackstone Family Circus and Travelling Wonder Show! Gasp at pit wasps the size of a man’s forearm. Beware the pumpkin-headed corn stalker, lest it plant its roots in you!
Annie Pearl is the keeper of oddities, the mistress of monsters. Her unique collection of creatures is one of the circus’s star attractions, drawing wide-eyed crowds at every small frontier town they visit. But Annie is also a woman running from her past . . . and the mother of a mute young daughter, Adeline, whom she will do anything to protect.
Hoping to fill its coffers before winter sets in, the circus steers its wagons to The Clearing, a remote community deep in the Oregon wilderness, surrounded by an ominous dark wood. Word is that a travelling show can turn a tidy profit at The Clearing, but there are whispers, too, of unexplained disappearances that afflict one out of every four shows that pass through the town.
The Clearing has it secrets, and so does Annie. And it may take everything she has to save her daughter—and the circus—from both.

I have to admit from the start that part of my issue with this book was my own fault - I wasn't aware that this was based on an RPG, nor was I aware that this was the third book in the series. I will admit that I went for this book based solely on my knowledge of the authors work.

And that didn't work out so well for me.

However, the good stuff first. As expected the writing style for this book was typical Seanan McGuire. I was drawn in to the weird and wonderful characters she described and the fantastic settings and locations she laid out before me. I was sucked into that world pretty quickly.

But then it started to fall apart on me. I think that the circus itself was a major disappointment. After a rather sluggish start (which is unusual for McGuire), I was hoping to be rewarded with something cool but it was of minimal impact - as well as the "mystery" of The Clearing. It was just not engaging and I felt a bit disappointed...

Would it have been better if I had an interest in the game? More than likely. Would it have helped to have read the previous books? Maybe. But it should have still stood on its own and I think it may have just missed that aim.


Paul
ARH

I couldn't get into this, which is strange since I usually love Seanan Mcguire's books! I think it is interesting and well-written, though, so I'm not rating it down too much.

This is the third book in the Deadlands trilogy, which is a book trilogy based on the Deadlands role-playing game. I am not familiar with the RPG and have not read the previous two books in the series. However I do love Seanan McGuire as an author so I thought I would give it a read. This ended up being an interesting and well done story; I didn’t feel like I was missing anything jumping in at the end of the series...the story stood alone on its own fine.

The characters are well done. I enjoyed reading about Annie Pearl, her mute daughter, and unraveling her mysterious past. The side characters are just as engaging as the main ones. I always enjoy books that are set in a circus setting; especially a traveling circus setting (it is kind of odd though because McGuire's last InCryptid book was also set in a circus).

The circus travels to Oregon to stop in The Clearing for one last performance. Of course the circus members know nothing of the dark history of The Clearing and the creatures that lurk in the dark woods surrounding it. What happens in the The Clearing will not only change everyone’s life, but lead to a confrontation Annie has been dreading.

The story is full of adventure, action, mystery, and some horror. There are quite a few steampunk elements as well and the tone is very Wild West. While I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as McGuire’s other books, I did still like it a lot. Deadlands is a very interesting world and this book has me intrigued enough that I might look into the RPG.

Overall a well done book. There is a good balance of interesting world-building, action, horror, mystery, romance, and engaging characters. I would recommend to those who enjoy the whole steampunk western theme and don’t mind a horror undertone to their stories.

As a fan of author Seanan McGuire, I could not let myself miss this new book that promised to be something different from her usual Urban Fantasy offerings: from GoodReads I learned that the Deadlands book series is derived from a role-playing game, and since I know nothing of the gaming world I wondered if this might have somehow prevented me from fully enjoying the story, but I should not have worried because Boneyard walks quite surely on its own legs and what’s more it’s the kind of story that draws you in and does not let you come up for air until the end. Which is hardly surprising at all, since it’s Seanan McGuire we’re talking about after all and, no matter how biased this might sound, her craft as a storyteller is such that she can draw you in and keep you there, not in spite of the darkness and the fear, but because in her hands these elements can become as mesmerizing as more light-hearted ones.

What’s more, the story’s background is set in the Wild West, in the era of bold settlers forging their way over uncharted territory to build a new life, but with the added spice of a supernatural/horror theme (and some steampunk elements as well): what could be more attractive, particularly since I read the book in the days just before Halloween? For this very reason I decided that posting this review today would be quite appropriate.

The story in short: the Blackstone Family Circus faces some difficult decisions, since winter is approaching and the show has not gathered enough income with their tour to survive comfortably during the cold season, so they are debating whether to accept a potentially remunerative gig in the Oregon settlement of the Clearing, a place where some companies are rumored to have reaped good earnings while others suffered unexplainable losses. Annie Pearl is the keeper of the “oddities”, bizarre and often deadly creatures that she gathered all over the country, like the nibblers – piranha-like fish cursed with perpetual hunger and terrible teeth that jut “out at all angles, making it impossible for the fish to feed without biting themselves”: Annie has been with the circus for several years, and we soon learn that she escaped with her mute daughter Adeline from the house of her worse-than-abusive husband, and has been hiding with the circus ever since. Once the company reaches the Clearing, a bowl-like hollow surrounded by a dense, strangely looming forest, they find the settlers less than welcoming and prone to bizarre behavior, to say the least.

The very first night after their arrival, the circus people find themselves fighting fire, nightmarish predatory creatures and the hostile indifference of the townies, and it falls on Annie – desperately searching for Adeline in the treacherous woods – to uncover the Clearing’s horrible secrets while also facing the long-dreaded return of her husband Michael bent on reclaiming what he considers his properties. The main action develops over that long, horror-filled night that seems to go on forever, both for the characters and in the reader’s perception: to call this a compulsive read would indeed be the understatement of the century…

On the surface Boneyard is a story about horror and the supernatural, focused on surviving in a hostile environment that’s splendidly represented by the forest surrounding the Clearing, a place where trees seem to possess a life of their own and a malicious will, and shadows can take shape and form, pressing on the unwary travelers to sap their energy and life. Yet, on a deeper level, it’s a tale about facing one’s fears and refusing to succumb to them, about never giving in to despair to the point it might consume us: the legend of the wendigo that’s so skillfully employed here is indeed a case in point, where the hunger-stricken colonists give in to their deprivation and become the beast, devoured by a craving for flesh that can never be sated because it goes beyond the mere material plane and ends destroying one’s soul.

Annie has indeed been hiding for a long time, her sole goal that to protect Adeline: she left her home town of Deseret with literally only the clothes on her back, her infant daughter and the lynx Tranquility and we see through the artfully inserted interludes what she left behind – a man whose unwavering faith in science and in his god-given right to own her, body and soul, reveal him as a true monster. Despite her need for concealment, however, Annie has grown stronger: caring for the “oddities” in her wagon she has learned to master different kinds and levels of fear and when push comes to shove she understands that she needs to take survival into her own hands and be the aggressor so that she will not become the victim. Her example helps others find their own courage and the will to fight against the darkness: in this young Martin and his girlfriend Sophia are wonderful examples of timid people who, once faced with the prospect of annihilation, prefer to go down fighting rather than cower in fear waiting for the monsters to kill them.

The other great element of this story is the unstated but always present question about the nature of monsters and how the worst of them always start in human form: the wendigo I already quoted looks like a nightmarish beast, its appearance nothing but the outward manifestation of the shadier, more horrifying sides of our soul; the inhabitants of the Clearing have accepted the price to be paid to the flesh-eating creatures in the woods turning into willing accomplishes, even the younger among them – as shown by the kids who willfully send Adeline into the woods knowing what might find her. The worst monster however remains Michael Murphy, Annie’s husband, whose depths of depravity and madness I will refrain from describing, leaving this discovery to my fellow readers.

By comparison, the creatures that Annie shows to the paying customers, the “oddities” meant to engender fear and revulsion, end up looking like friendly beings, the danger they represent merely coming from inescapable nature and not from the exertion of a twisted will – and their contribution to the story’s development does nothing but reinforce this notion, particularly in the case of Tranquility the lynx, who deserves a special mention.

Once more Seanan McGuire reveals her skills as writer, offering us a gripping story and some unforgettable characters: no matter the tale she chooses to reveal, rest assured that it will be an amazing experience.

At a Glance


Genre(s):

adult dark fantasy, weird west, horror,

Age Range:

Adult

Plot:

Set in the haunted frontier, Annie Pearl is the keeper of the oddities and freaks in the Blackstone Family Circus and Travelling Wonder Show. As the circus travels to Oregon for one last show before winter sets in, will Annie be able to keep the monsters at bay, or will her past finally catch up with her?

Pros:

The premise is fantastic
I like the folklore tie-ins
The author was good at raising the stakes
I really enjoyed the characters
The book made me want to try the RPG (the books are based on a role-playing-game)
Having lived in Utah, I liked how the state was different in this weird west version
Cons:

The resolution of the book was way way too short. It felt like it just ends
a few "get out of jail" moments seemed a bit too convenient

Would I recommend this title:

Yes, if someone was into creepy books and looking for an original premise.


Full Review


Holy Awesome Premise, Batman! I loved the idea of a traveling circus in an alternate 1860s American West. Having lived in Utah for a number of years, I liked the complete twist on that state. The book made me want to play the tabletop game.

I loved the characters. They felt real and fleshed out. McGuire was great at raising the stakes on the characters too. Overall, the book was well written and a definite page turner.

For me, a really great premise can carry a book and make the downsides seem like small speed bumps. That's how I felt in this book. I have a few issues with things here and there, but the concept is so great that I am able to look over them and still really enjoy the book. With that said, these are my few grievances.

I did feel like the characters got out of a few situations too easily. I also felt like the wrap up of the end was entirely too short. I wish there would have been at least one more chapter of resolution to tie up a few ends.

Again, I really did enjoy this and I would recommend this to anyone looking for some good storytelling.

* the link of this review will go live on November 1st*

https://lynns-books.com/2017/10/16/boneyard-deadlands-3-by-seanan-mcguire/
I think, having read a few of Seanan McGuire’s novels now, I can safely say that she has a wonderful ability to write about the dark, the different and the downright creepy. So, given that I love the dark and the different loving this book wasn’t really a surprise. Plus, there’s just something so right about reading a creepy book at this time of the year isn’t there?

The Deadlands series is based on a RPG of the same name that brings together a strange combination of the wild west, steampunk and horror. I have no idea what the game is like to be totally honest or how the books relate to it but I’ve read the first and now the third book and so can safely say that (1) there’s clearly plenty of material to go on (2) this is the weird, weird West; and (3) these books can all be read as standalones – although the completist in me is crying out to go and pick up No.2 now and I’ll have to do so otherwise it will just nag and worry at me.

The Boneyard brings to us The Circus. Who can resist the circus really? It promises delights at the same time as it promises something dark and mysterious, something dangerous maybe, and The Blackstone Family Circus and Travelling Wonder Show is no exception. It has it’s very own collection of oddities. A caravan full of the wondrous and unusual, run by the secretive Annie Pearl. As the story begins we’re given to understand that this year the Circus is down on it’s luck. It’s almost the end of the season and the coffers that keep everyone going during the leaner months just don’t stack up this year. There’s nothing else for it – the Circus needs one more visit – the Clearing, an unusual place, set in the forests of Oregon. The Clearing has it’s own strange stories – people who go to the Clearing don’t always return, but the people there pay well to be entertained and needs must when the devil vomits in your kettle, food doesn’t just put itself on the table after all.

The first part of the story is a little bit slower paced, but I really enjoyed it because McGuire takes the time to establish the main characters. The primary focus is of course on Annie, she has a past that she’s running away from, the detail of which is steadily revealed, and she makes for fascinating reading. A wonderful character to be honest, McGuire excels at drawing her characters in such a believable way that you almost feel like you know them personally. Annie is travelling with her young daughter Adeline. Adeline cannot speak or make any sounds although she was perfectly capable of doing so as a newborn baby. Her father seems to be something of a monster (definitely gave me Frankenstein vibes), he had a plan that involved Adeline but Annie stole her away and has been on the run ever since.

I don’t want to go over the top about the characterisation but I have to just say that McGuire is a wonder at writing relationships such as the mother and daughter one displayed here. It’s probably what makes her books so appealing to me because her characters are flawed, they’re not always capable of doing everything by themselves, they just feel ‘real’, she has a way of expressing emotions and feelings that is absolutely spot on. Of course, she also delivers some other very appealing traits involving folklore, fairytales, dark forests, monsters, shadows and other things from your worst nightmares.

Two things that I must throw a mention in for are the forest – which is almost like a character in itself. Surrounding the Clearing with it’s statuesque trees it feels sometimes as though it’s closing in, looming, if you will in an almost claustrophobic fashion. The shadows seem to have a life of their own, they feel menacing and almost invasive, and all of this makes for an overall impression of being trapped, being watched, being stalked. The second thing – Annie’s caravan of novelties. I loved this. I have a clear picture in my mind’s eye. Huge poisonous pit wasps, killer spiders whose natural anatomy includes a skull on the back! Piranha like fish that are always hungry, but, my absolute favourite – this strange corn husk critter with a pumpkin head – this one gave me the serious heebie-jeebies – given the chance it would plant itself into the body of a corpse – so that’s now inside my brain ready and willing to cause nightmares! This caravan of oddities, seriously, I loved it. And, the absolute best, not an oddity at all, a lynx cat that has been with Annie for many years. I loved that lynx.

Basically as the story progresses the ante is upped with two storylines set to crash together in a most dramatic fashion.

So, any criticisms. Nothing that spoiled the read at all for me. I guess in some ways the two storylines felt almost a bit superfluous – like The Clearing would have been simply enough by itself, but, I’m thinking that’s probably linked to some element of the game and, seriously, I’m not going to complain about an over abundance of things to entertain me. The horror side of things – it’s got some gruesome and scary elements to the story but if you’re seriously into horror then I don’t expect it will scare you.

I really enjoyed this, a very entertaining read that feels perfect as the nights draw in.

I received a copy through Netgalley courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

I will be totally honest and say that Deadlands: Boneyard is not my cup of tea. I am not familiar with the Deadlands RPG system that the books are based around, but I don’t think that affected my overall enjoyment of the book.

McGuire does weird well, and she seamlessly blends circuses, mad scientists, steampunk, and the wild, wild wilderness in Oregon. She builds a cohesive world and interesting characters. My issue is the plot.

There are no holes, dangling threads but boy is it slow to start. I’ve read a lot of McGuire’s writing (just about everything I can get my hands on) and a slow start isn’t atypical for her, but Deadlands: Boneyard was the first where I struggled with the slow start. McGuire spends the first four chapters of the book just setting the scene. It isn’t until part of the way through the fourth chapter does the plot start to finally take shape. Once it gets going, she builds and maintains tension with skill making Deadlands: Boneyard a perfect October, pre-Halloween read.

McGuire’s writing is lyrical and descriptive, though she does sometimes get lost in metaphorical descriptions it does make for a nice turn of phrase.

If the wild, weird West is your kind of thing, Deadlands: Boneyard will be your kind of book.

3.5 Stars

As I was telling my friend and fellow blogger SleepingKoala45, who blogs at Wishful Thinking, only yesterday, I'm just not much of a gamer. I find myself playing less and reading more as I um, get older. (insert grimace) So perhaps my taking up this book in the Deadlands book series, which is part of the Deadlands Weird West RPG (role-playing game) franchise seems to be a curious choice. Those of you who know me as a huge Seanan McGuire fan are probably unsurprised. However, I have to honestly say that this book just didn't grab me as much as some of her other work.

As mentioned, the book stems from a gaming franchise and since I don't play the game and I'm not much Weird West fan, it's reassuring that the book actually reads perfectly well as a standalone for those, like me, with no background in the game or the Weird West world. And, in addition to not being a Weird Wester (honestly, the West has never been my thing and I can barely even keep it together to stay with HBO's Westworld, and that's a show with great writing and excellent actors), I'm also not much of a carnie/circus/freak show fan or even much of a horror fan. So, you can see my problem here. But I am willing to follow this author off my well-beaten paths. I firmly believe that Seanan McGuire is simply incapable of writing a bad book. This just wasn't, perhaps, the best book for me. I'd have to say that Annie is an interesting character though not my favorite in this author's pantheon of Georgia Masons, Toby Dayes, Alice Healy-Prices, and Henry Marchens. That said, without giving too much away, the advent of Wendigos in the wild was rather exciting. While not a horror fan, I do enjoy folklore monsters and the Algonquin mythical cannibal creature is deliciously monstrous. Wendigos did not disappoint.

If you're a Weird West fan or a Deadlands player, this book will likely hit the spot!

Electronic ARC provided by NetGalley.

This is one of the only Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant books so far that just hasn't quite worked for me. I'm not entirely sure why, because I love the idea of a main character who is a single mom traveling with a carnival. The writing is strong, as I would expect from McGuire, and the characters are once again refreshingly diverse. I'm not familiar with the Deadlands setting, so it's possible that I would have been more engaged if I understood more about the world, although at the same time I feel like Boneyard stands well on its own. I didn't feel like I was missing major pieces of the story while reading. It's also possible that I just hit this book at the wrong time. I had just read three new McGuire/Grant books in a row and so I may have just been ready to break it up with something else.

While Boneyard didn't quite work for me I would still recommend that people who are generally interested in McGuire's writing (or in the Deadlands setting) give it a try.

Review of Deadlands: Boneyard by Seanan McGuire

In the interests of full disclosure, I was sent an ARC of this book by the publisher for review purposes.

What makes a monster a monster?

Is it nature? Choice? Acting? Refusing to act? Is it something inherent in the monster itself or is it inherent in the eye of the beholder?

Seanan McGuire makes you ponder all of these questions and more in the latest Deadlands novel.

Annie Pearl, Adeline, Nathanial Blackstone, and the bevy of supporting characters who make up the travelling Blackstone Family Circus do not ask you to care about them. But their independence and grit make you care, and even more, actively root for them against all manner of calamities on the road whether natural, unnatural, or caused by men.

Seanan McGuire’s lyrical storytelling is nearly impossible to put down. I read it in the quiet dark of the late night, in the cool Autumn just before All Hallow’s Eve. It was a perfect fit.

If you are looking for a mysterious adventure for Halloween or a wonderfully eerie fantasy for anytime, I highly recommend this book.

I give it 5 stars.

Book Review Rating System
1 star Not even worth the $1 at the used bookstore
2 stars Worth the $1
3 stars Worth the time to read
4 stars Good book! Earns bookshelf space
5 stars Great book! Start hunt for more books by this author

I've read all of Seanan McGuire's novels and so very many of her numerous short stories. She has certain themes that she'll hit over and over. For instance, she like seasonal monarchs, Snow White, mermaids, and circuses or carnivals. A few of her short stories have been set in a circus and they've been some of my favorites. The most recent Incryptid novel has Antimony undercover in a circus and it's a blast.
All this preamble brings us to Boneyard. This novel is set in the Deadlands or Weird West RPG world. I don't know anything about that, but I will read anything Ms. McGuire publishes so here I am! This was a very creepy story of a traveling circus and focuses on the oddities wrangler, Annie Pearl and her mute daughter, Adeline. The circus needs the money from one more stop so they can get through the winter. They end up in The Clearing, Oregon. And here is where all the creep comes in. Everything is mysterious in the best Old West way and I won't give it away.
Overall, this was an interesting and moving story in addition to being creepy and awesomely "Seanan." The characters are all drawn well and will make you love (or love to hate) them. The story is as always for Ms. McGuire, well written and paced. I enjoyed this immensely even if I didn't get the underlying Deadlands stuff.

Seanan, I doubted you, and I shouldn't have. #ashamed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy for review (and additional thanks for adding the Kindle version so I didn't have to try to read this on a really tiny phone screen in an even tinier font that settings wouldn't seem to change in Adobe Digital Editions!).

I have never heard of Deadlands before this, not at all. But I think I'm going to attempt to get my hands on the first two books in this series of standalones set in the Deadlands world. Sure, they won't be Seanan, who is poetic and deep and knows both how to plot and how to develop characters like a pro (better than a pro, really, a savant)... but she made me like this world enough to try them.

The plot revolves around a circus, a setting that seems to be one Seanan loves. In this world, however, we aren't witnessing her beloved Price family make their way in the Incryptid world, no, we're witnessed Annie Pearl find her way in the world and live a life of love and protection for her daughter, Adeline. And in this world, there are strange creatures, but not the same kind as in Incryptid. In this world, pretty much everything is dangerous.

I'll stop there, because I don't want to spoil the characters, but I will say that the first section of this book almost led me to give up -- but if you follow in my footsteps, please continue on as I did. Once they hit The Clearing and the creepy begins to set in, it'll grip you like the cold, hungry hands of... oops, spoilers again. Perfect October/Halloween-ish read, and it's Seanan, so you're not risking a thing by picking this one up. With Seanan, you're pretty much guaranteed a winner.

Now, you go join the circus while I go find myself copies of the other Deadlands books. And be warned, Seanan will inspire a voracious reading hunger, just like in the... oops, spoilers again.

I rarely read game-based books, especially role playing game books, but for Seanan McGuire, I was willing to give it a try.

I found the world -- steampunk mixed with horror in an alternate US -- fascinating, and the characters were very likeable. The plot itself was a bit obvious here and there, but included enough twists to keep me enthralled. Seanan once more proves herself versatile and well worth reading.

In this world, American Indians from various tribes got together to perform a ritual in an attempt to drive the Europeans off their land. This didn't really work, but it did create a large number of animal and mystical dangers.

Annie Pearl is a member of a travelling circus, along with her mute daughter. She takes care of the wagon of deadly 'freaks'. Things like nibbler fish that sound like pirhanas with even worse teeth and attitude, terrantula spiders, pit wasps, a corn husk creature with a pumpkin head that if allowed would plant itself inside the corpse of a human. It's a dangerous job, but she does well at it, and it's the last place her husband (a steampunk style inventor/Frankenstein) back in Desertet (in Utah) would look for her.

Unfortunately, the circus has had some bad luck, and may not make it through the coming winter. The manager decides to take the risky chance of going to a community called The Clearing in Oregon, which has a patchy reputation. The Clearing is just that, a treeless bow-shaped valley in the middle of the woods of Oregon. The people come across very hostile, but the circus has little choice.

Worse than the people of The Clearing is the shadows lurking in the forest, watching and waiting. And when Annie's daughter is tricked by the local children into going alone into the woods, everything comes to a head. Meanwhile, the husband she fled is coming after her, and will stop at nothing to claim his daughter for reasons that are not good for her.

I'm not sure that I am interested in reading any of the other books written for this game setting, but I am very glad I read this one. It's a perfect read for right around Halloween.

Boneyard by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I've been a big fan of Seanan McGuire for a while so I was super excited to get this ARC, only to realize, belatedly, that it was a part of a series based on a western-style tabletop RPG filled with darkness, magic, monsters, undead, mad science, and a very particular brand of steampunk devoted to the American Wild West.

That's not a dealbreaker. Far from it. I like Weird West stuff. In fact, just to prepare myself for this title, I went out and got the first of the Deadlands books and devoured it, enjoying the fast-paced fun immensely.

So of course, my expectations were very high with this one by an author I've followed religiously.

Unfortunately for me, it felt a bit uneven. There's a ton of great things that can and probably will happen in this RPG setup, but most of that was left out of the book until after the traveling circus made it to Oregon. After that point, however, it picked up wonderfully and I had a great time.

Where it felt slow to me was due to the immersion of being in a circus. And it's odd that I'd feel that way because I enjoyed McGuire's particular circus branding in her InCryptid series.

For that reason, though, it took me a long time to get into the characters and things didn't really start clicking until after the main action began fairly deep into the text. Alas! It ended well and I loved all the supernatural stuff and the history and the wraparound of the main character arc, but I just wish I hadn't had to work so hard to get there.

Maybe it's just me! A lot of people apparently love circus tales and maybe I just don't! :) Even so, I did like this one a lot even if I happened to like the first book in the series better.

I should say, however, that this one felt a lot more genuine, full of deep and complicated characters... unlike the twisted stock characters from the other book. That's definitely a huge kudo for McGuire. :)

Weird West for the win! Anyone hungry?

Seanan knocks it out of the park AGAIN. As a fan and bookseller, she makes it so easy to enjoy AND to handsell!

This is a tale filled with rich characterisation and a story that will hold your attention. An impressive read. The worldbuilding is so close to reality that it takes little to cross into a world where monsters can be found and created. As the story progresses new facets of the characters are revealed that enrich them in ways that could not initially be either considered or necessarily viewed positively.

There is a growing tension throughout with threats to the core characters from a number of sources. That some do not make it to the end is to be expected. It is interesting to note however that one of the weakest characters becomes pivotal in how the book turns out.

The writing is well-paced with a clear writing style that holds the attention of the reader. A very satisfying read, well recommended.