Reviews

Tall Tales by Tom Sniegoski

dereksilva's review

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

A fun continuation of the Bone universe, though it felt more young adult than the original story.

ostrava's review

5.0

Cute little Bone stories I didn't get to read. Bartleby talks a lot in this one (no, really!)!!

ionamcewan's review

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I borrowed bones because I heard it had been banned in the US and I’m glad I did. It’s funny, irreverent, one long piss take that never feels like it picks on one type of character but explores the little traits that make us all silly little ants running around on this earth 

mjfmjfmjf's review

3.0

The short stories were actually pretty cute. But they were overshadowed by the boring awfulness of Big Johnson Bone. It actually made Smiley seem pretty good. From an art point of view I think Bartleby is my favorite. This could have been worse.

librarycobwebs's review

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

warriorpickle's review

4.0

Jeff Smith and his Bone universe continue to impress. This is turning into a world and series that is at the top of my list of things I love. I'm probably going to be reading everything in this universe.

This book is just a nice addition to the world. Some smaller stories about (mostly) Big Johnson Bone. Who just fits absolutely perfect in a book called Tall Tales. The humor is here and while it doesn't make you lough out loud it does out a smile on your face. I feel like you gotta try pretty hard to not enjoy these characters.

If you haven't checked out Bone it high time you did so.

narflet's review

4.0

It's been a while since I read any Bone (read them Oct/Nov of last year, 2011 - so almost a year ago), but I'm finally getting around to reading the last things in the Bone series. This volume was good fun. I never really 'got' Bone - I enjoyed it but it always felt like characters from a weekly strip smashed in to a fantasy epic and it never really worked for me. Having since learned that Jeff Smith started drawing the Bone characters and writing stories when he was 9/10 years old, and that the fantasy valley aspect came later in his college years this weird mash-up now makes sense - and also is perhaps the reason why it doesn't work for me. I really loved parts of the series though, particularly the rat creatures - always entertaining. So this volume was rather enjoyable, simply because they were fun stories rather than the epic side of things. Also because it featured a cracking story at the end with the rat creatures and why they cut off their tails (although, sadly, no quiche), and it was nice to have a bit more Bartleby.

This, and Rose, are probably my favourite volumes of the series for similar reasons - this one because it features no epic fantasy aspect, and Rose because it features no Bone creatures. It works better that way for me.

I'll probably read the bits in the handbook, but I'm not bothered enough to track down the 'Quest for the Spark' series. This is, essentially, the end of my Bone reading.

kylielynelle's review

2.0

Not nearly as good as some of the other books in the series. I did not connect with the characters and the story falls flat almost all the way through. This book does provide some back story- It explains why the animals of the valley fight the rat creatures year after year, and why the rat creatures do not have tails. However, I felt that all of this new information could have simply been interspersed throughout the other books in the series.

alexctelander's review

3.0

In this next Bone prequel after Rose, fans get to enjoy some entertaining tales set in the world of Bone before a new trilogy coming early next year, Quest for the Spark. While Tall Tales is no epic story like the Bone series, readers get to enjoy some fun stories told by Smiley to the bone scouts and Bartleby. First there’s the story of Phoney Bone and Fone Bone and how they had no plans of helping with the laundry, and after being led on a wild goose chase that almost gets them killed with a planted “treasure map,” they learn their lesson. The rest of the stories focus on an important character: he discovered the Rolling Bone River, and most importantly founded Boneville; he is a bone of legend, Big Johnson Bone. His first story is of how just moments after he was born, he was whisked away into the cold winter night, and how he came face to face with Old Man Winter and gave him a piece of his mind. Then there’s the story of the eating contest which Big Johnson Bone has won for many years running, but this one time he might change his mind for a special bone. The last and longest of the collection tells of multiple great adventures Big Johnson Bone went on, fighting against the deadly Rat Creatures, as well as enjoying the company of one sneaky little monkey.

Originally written on November 16, 2010 ©Alex C. Telander.

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williamsdebbied's review

5.0

Companion book to the Bone series.

Smiley Bone tells these tall tales about Big Johnson Bone to a group of young 'uns around the campfire. Phoney Bone, Fone Bone, and Thorn also make an appearance. Funny and endearing.


Can be read by existing or new fans of the series.