Old Man's Cave has a lot of exposition, and a lot of characters move from hither to yon. It's more slowly paced than previous books in the series, lacking both action and humor through much of the book. Rather, writer Jeff Smith pauses in his rapid plot development to explain a few things and move his pawns into position for the inevitable conflict.

While not as interesting a read as other books in the series to date, the information gleaned from Old Man's Cave is vital to understanding the overall tale. And to keep readers engrossed, Smith kicks up the pace quite a bit towards the end of this volume, when armies skirmish, secret identities are exposed and fates hang in the balance. The source of a defining prophecy is revealed -- and it's not what the forces of evil expected. The final chapter of Old Man's Cave shakes up much of the storyline, signaling a significant change in direction in the coming pages.

Jeff Smith's Bone series remains one of the best ongoing books on the market. I strongly urge fans of fantasy and good storytelling to start at the very beginning and relish each and every page on the journey.

- Rambles
written by Tom Knapp
published 27 September 2003