Book Review - Ink and Bone

I took this book out on a whim, and was not disappointed. Finished reading it in just about two days, it had the 'unputdownable' quality about it. Looking forward to going back to work to see if the sequel is available to take out.

The world that Ink and Bone is built upon what would have happened if the Library of Alexandria had never been destroyed. In this world; knowledge rules and the Library rules knowledge. No one is allowed to own personal copies of books, which lead to a black market run by book smugglers who hide from the Library.

Ink and Bone has its protagonist in the form of Jess Brightwell. To say that he has a complicated family life is putting it lightly. Jess's family are book smugglers, but he would rather read books than smuggle them. His father decides to send him to the Library, so that he can aid the family business from the inside as a spy.

However, there is more to the Library, and Jess soon finds that becoming a member of the Library is not as easy as it sounds. Add to that, is the terrorist organisation known as the Burners who believe that the Library holds too much power and should be destroyed.

Entering the Library as a student, Jess soon makes several friends and enemies out of his fellow students. Their teacher, Scholar Wolfe, gives no quarter in his lessons.

Jess encounters several intrigues and dangers on his path to becoming a Library scholar, while trying to hide the fact that he comes from a family of book smugglers.

Lovers of fantasy should enjoy this novel, it also has elements of steampunk within it. It has plenty of action and adventure to keep its readers entertained.

This was a library book read for enjoyment, and reviewed for fun.