Bones of the Past by Drew Hayes Narrator: Amy Landon
Series: Villains' Code #2
Published by Tantor Audio on March 30, 2021
Genres: Fantasy
Length: 35 hours, 48 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Apple
After her apprenticeship was done and a place in the guild of villains secured, Tori's life was supposed to get simpler. Unfortunately, a poorly timed errand sees Tori caught in the debut of a new team of capes, one wearing an all-too-familiar name. Thrust into the spotlight, Tori will have to navigate her unwanted fame as well as the suspiciously superheroic new neighbors down the hall, all while keeping up with her own villainous enterprises. With the guild no longer a secret, Hephaestus needs to grow as strong as possible to face her mounting threats. Ambitious gangs, battling against mechanized traps, and brawling with capes are only the beginning. Behind the scenes, a hidden enemy works to settle an old score, one that has burned for decades. This secret scheme will not only endanger Tori, her friends, and the guild, but the very world itself.
I loved Forging Hephaestus, the first book in the Villains’ Code series. I was introduced to a world where I followed villains going through training to join the Villains’ Guild. I was also able to watch as others went through superhero training. It was a long story at 27 hours, but I was lost into the world and amazing characters. So when Bones of the Past became available, I couldn’t wait to see where the story went this time.
In Bones of the Past, we now get to see the people who made it through training and now they’re rookies out in the world. We mostly follow Tori, who’s villain name is Hephaestus. She is considered a “meta”, a person with powers. But she’s also big on tech. She likes to build meta suits.
Tori ends up getting rescued by another group of rookie superheroes and then they move into her apartment building to keep an eye on her, not knowing that she and her roommates are also metas (one roommate is a villain too, the other is trying to stay out of the spotlight of both the villains and heroes). A villain befriending superheroes is easier said than done.
The part I loved most about this story was getting to know more about Ivan (Tori’s mentor who has gone by both Pseudonym now but is also the more notorious Fornax who has only been beaten once before). He is a father of two and his kids don’t know about him, but his ex-wife does.
Then there is Lodestar. She is unbeatable. She’s the only one who has been able to defeat Fornax. She’s also a mother. She’s the ultimate superhero. She does have a friendship with Ivan, which is interesting. The strongest villain and strongest superhero are close friends. They know how lonely it can be to be strongest and a bit on the outside.
Anyway, in this story, someone attacks a Starscout cluster camping trip that Tori, Ivan and Helen (Lodestar’s real name) with Helen and Ivan’s young daughters. Needless to say, they messed with the wrong group of people. And this was just a test for Fornax and he doesn’t take kindly to someone putting his daughters in harm’s way.
I don’t want to go into more of the story because of spoilers. I will say that the length of the first book or this one is a non-issue. Once you start the story, you fall into the world and characters and you want to keep listening even once you arrive at the end of the story. The world is very well developed and very unique. Then there are the characters. I really love both the heroes and the villains. I love that we got to spend more time with the characters in their everyday lives, not just as the villains and heroes that they are.I just had an overall fun time with this story.
Narration:
Amy Landon does a great job with the narration of this series. There’s a large cast of characters, both men and women, not to mention the characters that aren’t human. She nails all the voices. It’s a long story and she keeps my attention throughout the entire story. She really brings me into the world while listening. I’ve listened to her in other series and I always love her performance. If you haven’t listened to Ms Landon, you’re really missing out.
About Amy Landon
Amy Landon is a classically trained actress with numerous off-Broadway, film, and television credits. Her voice can also be heard on many television and radio commercials. She has an easy facility with dialects, which she also coaches and teaches, and she is happy to find her lifelong obsession with books is matching up with her acting and vocal work.
About Drew Hayes
Drew Hayes is an aspiring author from Texas who has written several books and found the gumption to publish a few (so far). He graduated from Texas Tech with a B.A. in English, because evidently he’s not familiar with what the term “employable” means. Drew has been called one of the most profound, prolific, and talented authors of his generation, but a table full of drunks will say almost anything when offered a round of free shots. Drew feels kind of like a D-bag writing about himself in the third person like this. He does appreciate that you’re still reading, though.
Drew would like to sit down and have a beer with you. Or a cocktail. He’s not here to judge your preferences. Drew is terrible at being serious, and has no real idea what a snippet biography is meant to convey anyway. Drew thinks you are awesome just the way you are. That part, he meant. Drew is off to go high-five random people, because who doesn’t love a good high-five? No one, that’s who.
| Rating Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
|
| Writing |
|
| Characters |
|
| Dialogue |
|
| Narration (Audio) |
|
| Overall: | |
I started listening to audiobooks when a new book in a series was coming out and I wanted to get a refresher, but didn’t have time to read all the books (I think it was Anita Blake). I fell in love. I stayed with strictly re-reading books that I’d already read for a long time. I eventually tried an audiobook for something that I hadn’t read first and was hooked there too. Now, I listen to audio for both re-reads and first time. I have some series that I’ve given up reading and only listen. I try to get any many books/audiobooks from the library to help save on my budget. Books on CD and the newer digital downloads from the library really allow me to listen more. I then purchase my favorites (because who can wait in line for your favorite book??) and less mainstream books from Audible or some other online retailer.
Friend me at Goodreads.
- Gone for Good by Joanna Schaffhausen @slipperywhisper @MinotaurBooks @AudiobookMel - September 13, 2024
- Alone by Lisa Gardner @LisaGardnerBks #BantamBooks @AudiobookMel - August 23, 2024
- Mating Season by Kitty Thomas @kitty_thomas @1BurlesquePress @AudiobookMel - August 9, 2024
You always find interesting books that I somehow missed. Wonderful review!
You already know my love of Hayes. I’ve listened to Landen before too. I had to try it.
I love the shades of gray that is present in this Superhero/Villain story and that the two best from either side are sorta friends.
yeah, it also covered how lonely it could be at the top (being the most powerful). A fun series. I hope there will be more.
I really love the sound of this one (and the first one), but the length of the books is really putting up warning signals for me!
I’m always hesitant about long books (I don’t know if I would’ve grabbed the first one if I had seen how long it was when I requested it). But, I was so engrossed in the story, I didn’t even realize the length.
I enjoy this narrator and will add this series to my wishlist.
I hope you get a chance to try it. I think you would enjoy it.
oooooooooh I need to read book 1! Now!
I think you would like this series. It is so much fun. I hope you love it as much as I did.
I have always said that longer books fly by if they are good enough. It sounds like this is a fantastic series so far! I will keep an eye out for it.
I agree completely. There is a series that I’ve read and I’m always hesitant to start a new book in the series, then once I start it, I am engrossed and finding myself finding every moment I can to read more.
I want to know more, how can they be friends? 😀
I guess it can be lonely at the top, so the only other person who can relate to you is a person at the top of the other side. It was fun to see their friendship more.