See These Bones

The Murder of Crows, Book 1

By: Chris Tullbane

Narrated by: Joseph Vernon

Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's Summary

Some superheroes want to save the world. Damian is just hoping to save himself. In the post-Break world of superpowers, necromancy is the one gift nobody wants. Everyone knows what happens to Crows; they go mad and they go bad. That's the story of infamous mass murderers like Crimson Death, Gravedigger, and Sally Cemetery. It's also the story of David Jameson, an otherwise unremarkable man who came home one day and killed his wife, orphaning their five-year-old son, Damian.

Thirteen years later, Damian has inherited more than just grey eyes and a beak of a nose from his father. He too is a Crow, doomed to become a killer unless he can find a way to avoid the violent madness endemic to his powers. When a Finder offers enrollment at Los Angeles' Academy of Superheroes, he jumps at the chance, believing training could be the key to changing his fate. His classmates despise him, the majority of his teachers want him expelled, and his mom's ghost hasn't said a word since reappearing when he was nine, but Damian isn't the kind to give up. He's going to take control of his destiny or die in the process. It's that or end up like his father. 

See These Bones is a post-apocalyptic, superhero, coming-of-age ghost story...with expletives.

©2019 Chris Tullbane (P)2020 Chris Tullbane

Amazing, read this and don't stop until the end

This is one of the best stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I read through the trilogy and came back to leave a review to make sure others read this too. (no spoilers, safe to read)

Not many authors do necromancy or summoning stories well, but the author really crushed it, and didn't need to rely on litrpg cop outs like most people who try this type of story do these days. The writing was great, the characters had depth, and I couldn't help but root for (or yell at) the characters as I listened. I recommend this book to everyone who isn't squeamish, and read through the series because it keeps getting better.

My only complaints were the narators monotone and the authors overuse of foreshadowing in this story. The monotone is 100% excused, and I encourage everyone else to give it a shot too, because by the time I got to know the characters I realized it was actually the most accurate voice possible for being in Damiens head, rather than a flaw in the narators performance, and the emotion he does bring to the story when necessary is a stark contrast. There's a very short line towards the end of the last book that absolutely destroyed any lingering misgivings I had with the raw emotion. As for the foreshadowing, I do wish there had been less of that. It got better in other books but this one seemed to end every chapter with some form of foreboding foreshadowing. Not enough to make me rate this anything less than a 6/5, but worth mentioning in case the author reads this

Brilliant

This book was brilliant. I have to wake up for work in 5 hours so naturally I’m going to start the next book. The narrator was amazing

Engaging series, looking forward to more.

For me, this was an absorbing story with imaginative world-building and a different take on the superhero genre. Just ordered the second in the series, because I need to know where this story goes!

A great first listen from this author

Without discussing the other aspects of the plot or feel of the book, this story had possibly the best written examples of combat that I've personally encountered. If I was a budding author attempting to write a piece with action in it, See These Bones would be in my top 5 research materials.

In the age where media is flooded by trending superhero fiction, this book managed to stay interesting and relatively unpredictable throughout.

While I believe the narration may leave some people dissatisfied, the sleepy tone left me feeling relaxed. The narrator sounds mostly like a barely awake Howard Stern but he made it work.

I would very much recommend this book and am sorry that at the time of my writing this review the sequel isn't available on audible.

I liked it

The story has a good pace and and interested main character. Every power is different, and what makes MC's power unique is the question.

Great finish. I need another book!

Cheeks.

Dnf at chapter 40. I love necromancers. I don't love reading about a guy who is unliked, has a troubled past and a shitty personality.

I don't like reading a fantasy book which barely has any excitement.

I don't like a book starting strong and boring you to death later on. All the while he teases you directly about your ability to stop reading his book altogether.

Likely knowing you are only listening for the slim chance the author finally decides to get the show on the road and let the main character actually start doing necromancer like things.

I don't care to hear the dean lecture him. I don't care to hear the author address the reader directly. Hey dummy your story is moving at a glacial rate and you have no plot, maybe get the story moving!

I don't care for puny chapters with no distinct objective of their own.

Just bad. Bad. I wouldn't recommend this to anybody.

Fantastic!

A fantastic start to a promising series! Especially if you enjoy your super hero genre from the comfort of a darker than typical corner.

An excellent story!

Very enjoyable characters, an unusual premise, and great story telling. The only real negative for me was a bad decision made by the protagonist in a half-brained attempt to derail his future: found that frustrating. But overall, full marks.

A true rarity of the superhero/fantasy genre

It's a completed series/story! One I binged very quickly. This review is for the entire series.

This story runs kind of similar to the Super Powereds series early on due to the superhero school, but it is different enough to avoid being considered a copy. It's told in 1st person from a flawed but relatable if not likeable MC and it's much darker on the whole. It diverges substantially from that series as the tale unfolds. The world building and full story arc was unique and very imaginative. It kept me interested from start to finish.

I'm sure if it gains popularity the bible thumpers will be here bashing it for the profanity, violence, and the little bit of sexual content, but for those not so prude or squeamish it's a very entertaining story. The performance by the narrator was well done; good pacing, energy, and usage of different voices and accents for different characters. I will add this to the list of stories I re-listen to.

Just awesome

I love superhero hero books. Most suck. This one was the opposite. Totally worth a credit and more.

Dark superhero origin

Gripping origin story of a dark super hero!

More adult and mature than Drew Hayes Super Powered but great for it.

I couldn't stop listening! On to the next book!