Review: Road of Bones

Road of Bones by Christopher Golden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review the book, it comes out today January 25, 2022.

This book was fast paced and the world building was excellent.  If you a looking for paranormal horror to read this winter, this is it!  We got a few inches of snow over the weekend while I was reading this and I swear I could feel the cold coming through the pages.  This follows Felix Teigland or Teig on a research trip as he works to put together a documentary in the coldest place on Earth with his friend and cameraman Jack Prentiss.  Teig is full of great ideas, but many of them have not panned out, but this is his last ditch effort to pitch a unique documentary about The Road of Bones.   The stretch of road was home to the Soviet gulags and many people died along the road and are buried beneath it.  Teig and Prentiss are accompanied by a local Yakut guide who can help them with the language, people, and locations they want to scout for their film.  They want to put a bit of a paranormal twist on their film as the Road of Bones is full of ghost stories.  When they reach their destination they get their fill of paranormal activity in a form they did not expect to encounter.

I would have liked a bit of background on the lore surrounding the story.  I think it would have added to the creep factor.  As the synopsis indicates a malignant shaman and the spirits under his command chase Teig and the people he has teamed up with through the night on the creepy Kolyma Highway.  I think the author missed the mark on explaining why.  We do get a bit of a reveal very late in the book, but again I would have liked a better explanation and resolution.  The author delivers the creep vibes.  The creatures are creepy and weird, the setting is stark and lonely, the road itself has an ominous presence.  I thought the writing was good and this certainly was a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end.

Overall, I thought this book was unique in the setting and premise.  It is fast paced and action packed.  If you are looking for a paranormal horror book to read this winter, I recommend it!  

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