The Bone Doll's Twin (Tamir Trilogy, Book 1)

More people should read this author.

There are only so many LOTR/Dragonlance knock-offs you can read in this world, which is why this series is such a breath of fresh...er, dark and haunting air. It does still have all the good high fantasy elements like magic and swordplay, but Flewelling takes it in a new direction with her ghostly, gender-twisting storyline. I agree with a previous reviewer that this series is more brooding than the Nightrunner one, but it still shares the same detailed world and characters. You really get to understand them and live inside their heads. You can also tell Flewelling isn't making up Oreska magic or other details as she goes along. She's thought about this stuff and thought about it deeply--hence making you think deeply about it and want more. Final analysis. If you like dark fantasy, read this. If you only like cute fantasy, read it anyway. You need to get in touch with your darker side.

Fate has an important role in this story about the first years of a future hero --who is, in fact, a heroine-- and the ever-present ghost of his twin brother. We see the life of Tobin from the beginning until he (she) realizes who he (she) really is. The tension is built to have its climax in the moment of final discovery, where the novel ends. Even though we witness the secret event and know the truth from the beginning, the author manages to have us thrilled and turning pages at a fast pace to learn HOW what-we-know is going to happen. I also loved the no-nonsense use of magic, always logical and justified, and the role that the "old religion", the Goddess religion which has almost disappeared, has in the story.There is also love,fear, friendship, loyalty and adventure. I simply loved this novel and will read everything that I find by the same author.

Having read Flewelling's other three books in the "Nightrunner" series, I snapped up "Bone Doll's Twin" with a little bit of frustration: it was a prequel. I wanted more from Alec and Seregil, not new characters, so I resisted for a while before settling down to read this book. I'm glad I waited, because now I'm salivating over the next in the trilogy. The story is actually rather straightforward, and one we know quite a bit about already as "history" in the Nightrunner series. There was a mad king who killed off all his female relatives, so that the ancient prophecy of a Queen on the throne could not come to pass: even though the prophecies were clear: the kingdom wouldn't prosper without a Queen on the throne. Enter the heroes. When twins are born to a royal bloodline, one a girl, and one a boy, the heroes kill - yes, kill - the baby boy and wrap the baby girl up in an illusion of being male that will last long enough to keep the girl alive to the point of taking the throne. Alas, the girl herself doesn't even know what's going on - she believes she's a boy named Tobin, and the dead brother is a haunting demon-spirit, rather upset at being murdered in such a way... The empathy and pathos of this story was remarkable. The heroes had to get their hands dirty from step one - and it's still coming - and you can't help but be drawn into their plight as they do truly evil things for the greater good. Likewise, poor Tobin is living a lie throughout the book - and you can keenly feel his sense of not being "quite right," and his desire for a normal life with a good friend. Where this series is going seems likely to be even darker, and the characters all seem to hover in a fragile state: you get the impression that many of these folks are going to die a nasty death. It's truly captivating. Fans of James Clemens or George R.R. Martin should definitely give this series a shot. 'Nathan

After discovering Lynn Flewelling's books last year, I was prepared for an exciting adventure in Bone Doll's Twin. Boy, was I wrong! I didn't get an adventure ... I got fantasy, mystery, horror, tragedy, and little snippets of humor. You want an angry ghost? Got one right here. Warped twisted bindings and death magic? Yep, that too. I wasn't disappointed by Lynn's latest book; I was absolutely amazed at the richness of her characters and her world.The first book in a new trilogy, Bone Doll's Twin explores timeless topics, such as: do two wrongs make a right; does the good of the many outweigh the good of the few; can evil truly be fought with more evil, without making the outcome evil as well? Here, Lynn delves into the shades of grey that exist in life, especially in relation to complex and life-altering decisions. Tobin has got to be one of the most haunting characters that I've ever encountered in my years of reading fantasy, and his friendship with Ki was one of the most moving parts of the story. After losing so much in his short life and under such horrifying circumstances, Tobin craves normal things, like a good friend who isn't scared of an angry ghost.Something like this has (most likely) been done before, but Lynn has added her own unique twists and turns. I was so enthralled with the story that I was practically on the edge of my seat as the book got closer and closer to the cliffhanger ending.I can say, without reservation, that this is one of the best fantasy novels that I've read in years. Bone Doll's Twin exceeded all of my expectations, and I'm eagerly awaiting Book 2.

...but deliciously so! Lynn, you genius, you've done it again: just when I was convinced that the fantasy genre had nothing new to offer, you set the whole thing on its ear. This was one of the most delightful reads I've had in a loooooong time! Clear writing, believable and continuously developing characters, and a premise that will leave you reeling... this book has it all.Fair warning to those in search of a light romp: you won't find it here. This is NOT "Stalking Darkness". This is a moody, suspenseful, often disturbing story, on par with Edgar Allen Poe. For the first two chapters, I wasn't sure if Lynn was divinely inspired or taking strong meds. But after chapter two, I didn't care! I was sucked in so deeply that I heard the creak of the floorboards (ooohhh...), the rustle of skirts down the unlit hall (gasp!), felt the chill, ghostly breath on the back of my neck (shriek!!!)... okay, you get the idea. For those of us with highly vivid imaginations, this book sparkles. An ideal read for All Hallow's Eve.In addition to the sheer entertainment value of the story, it raises some very deep questions, primarily: Do the ends always justify the means? Toss aside all your preconceptions at the door, 'cause none of the characters is entirely what s/he seems. No one wears a white or black hat... this book is all about shades of grey. You're shocked to discover the depths to which the "good guys" will plunge in order to secure a future for their world. And you're surprised by the likeability of some of the "bad guys".I can't recommend "Bone Doll" highly enough! Clear your calendar for the next few days so you can completely immerse yourself in this engrossing, thought-provoking, delightfully eerie book!