I have a secret, one that brings shame down upon my head, at least in the eyes of fellow fans of escapist entertainment fare. I'll share this secret with you, but you have to promise not to make fun or spread it around...
I didn't care for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Don't get me wrong... I thought it was a thing of beauty and a significant accomplishment in special-effects filmmaking. But at times, I found it boring, and there wasn't anything inherently grounded and human to relate to in all of it, save perhaps Gollum's desperate need to be accepted. Jeff Smith's Bone is the sort of fantasy quest story that I can really appreciate. It's funny and grand in scope. It's touching and tumultuous. While simpler visuals dominate this book as compared to Jackson's Middle Earth trifecta, Smith's storytelling is stronger. Not as timely, but stronger.
Fone Bone chases Thorn through the caverns beneath the valley as Thorn desperately tries to reach the Crown of Thorns. If she's able to touch it, she could end the threat of the Locust forever, but there's a rather significant obstacle in her way. Meanwhile Queen Rose takes Phoney Bone along for a specific mission: she aims to surprise her sister, Briar, and her rat creature followers with an attack from behind. Meanwhile, Smiley Bone makes his own contribution to the war... he bakes a quiche.
Smith's style is a simple one, but one cannot help but be struck by the ambitious nature of the art here. The scenes featuring the battle between Rose and Briar are stunning. The action in which those two characters are embroiled is dynamic and exciting, and there's plenty unfolding around them as well. I also love the intensity that Smith brings to both Thorn and her subterranean opponent. The artist conveys the enormity of scope of the story in the art incredibly well too. One is struck by the incredible depth Fone Bone must climb and the towering nature of the setting for Rose and Briar's ultimate confrontation.
The opening scene doesn't contribute much in terms of the plot, but it is one of the most important sequences in this issue. It brings a playfulness to an otherwise grim and violent issue. Smith refuses to let his readership forget about the fun of fantasy. The scene also rounds out the Bone triumverate nicely, giving Smiley Bone somethign to do when there's, well, nothing for him to do.
I think what strikes me the most about this book is just how much personality Smith brings to the main characters. Fone Bone is all about dedication. On the surface, he's just a cutey, but there's depth to be found in his determination and bravery. Smiley may be silly, but there's a spark of smarts at play as well. Thorn's wisdom beyond her years is quite touching, and I was quite pleased that her showdown scene didn't follow a predictable path.
