Liz Williams is a writer who deserves much more attention than she seems to be getting. As other writers fill the shelves with humongous, Tolstoyan epics that lumber on into multiple volumes, Williams has waged a guerilla war on mediocre fiction, wielding her pen in precise strokes that shape single novels of imaginative storytelling. Put simply, Liz Williams writes excellent novels, and brings a welcomed measure of creative craft to the genre.
Empire of Bones is Williams’ second novel, and deals with alien intervention in human affairs. This is a simple plot, and one that has been used by countless other writers. Where Williams really shines is in her ability to craft a compelling story that immerses the reader in an unfamiliar world, centers on interesting, likeable characters, and takes both hero and reader on a strange adventure of discovery. This last aspect makes her books readable in the can’t-put-down vein, as each revelation brings the story that much closer to a satisfying conclusion.
This is a remarkable talent to find in a second novel. Even more remarkable is the fact that Williams has written five novels in as many years, and not one of these is a sequel. Each novel is an entirely self-contained story, and based in a world unrelated to the others. Compared to the sprawling, multi-volume series that require thousands of pages for a complete story, Williams’ concise storytelling is indeed a welcomed alternative.
Williams is also a bold author. Her ideas can be massive, with the far-reaching ramifications that one looks for in a space-opera epic such as Dan Simmons’ Hyperion; or they can be wicked, involving bad-ass weaponry and gadgets that Iain Banks is famous for in his Culture novels. Nor does Williams dole these out a few at a time to keep the story going. Each novel is full of these imaginative ideas, and they all combine to create a fascinating world that inspires the wonder and speculation that genre readers continually crave. The breadth of Williams’ imagination is truly awesome
In Empire of Bones, Williams turns her imagination to the entire human race, and questions both our origins, and our ultimate destination as a species. The novel is split between the central characters on Earth, who interact with the aliens that have been sent there; and the homeworld of these aliens, whose politics and events directly affect our own world. The balance between these two narrative threads is well tended, and they are equally interesting, making it easy to switch from one to another.
As for the alien intervention in humanity’s affairs, Williams shies away from the usual emphasis on technology, and instead focuses on the communication that takes place between the alien emissaries, and their chosen human intermediary. The methods of communication that Williams concocts are quite imaginative, and based upon ideas that are central to the book. Of particular interest are Williams’ ideas about disease, and its potential application for ends other than the gradual death of the infected host.
Another notable difference that Williams brings to this plot is her choice of setting. The events on Earth take place in a future India, where the caste system has been revived, and ruthlessly enforced. Caste is also a defining characteristic of the alien planet, and an integral part of their complicated methods of communication. These caste systems influence the actions of the central characters, and help to explain everyone’s motivation in the story. Western readers may find it hard to relate to the ramifications of a caste system; however, its presence in the novel is integral to the story, and not just a plot gimmick. The other nations of the Earth are only mentioned in passing, and the India that Williams envisions is a fascinating place to visit.
Empire of Bones is a character-driven novel, and this only adds to its appeal. Williams employs the third person limited perspective, and fully uses the freedom that this kind of narrative allows a writer. The perspective changes smoothly from one character to another, and combined, these viewpoints offer the reader a panoramic view of events. More time is spent with the central characters than others, and the heroes of the novel are likeable, as well as believable. While they may not necessarily become real in the Shakespearean sense, they do avoid cliché, and sustain reader interest alongside the compelling aspects of the plot.
The events happen chiefly to these characters, and Williams manages to evade the sense that she has conveniently stacked the plot in their favor. By its very nature, the story centers on this finite number of people, and it is their story that Williams is most interested in telling. The epic flavor of the book comes from the impact these events will have on the rest of humanity. These consequences are alluded to throughout the novel, and though their finality is not included in the story, enough has been revealed to form a sufficient picture of what may come next.
But this speculation should be welcomed, for though Williams provides a satisfying end to her novel, the world she has created remains open. This is another aspect of Williams’ writing style that excites: at the end of Empire of Bones, there is a sense that the characters will continue, and move on to other fantastic adventures. Readers who have been weaned upon the aforementioned series of incredible length may find themselves pining for a sequel that features these future exploits. But they would be missing the point.
Williams writes good fiction, because she cares about the worlds she creates; her characters are interesting, because she cares about their journeys. This compassion for her art extends beyond the scope of every novel she writes, into the possible pasts and futures they connect to. The story that she offers us is but one chapter in a greater work of awesome imagination. That we are allowed to experience this part of the story is a privilege, and a joy.
