Ten years ago, I received an ARC for the first book in a new series written by a debut author while she was a student at Oxford. I let this book sit on my bookshelves, unread, and focused on e-galleys and other books from better-known authors. I finally read it a few weeks after its publication date. When I finished it, I knew I would not hesitate to read anything Samantha Shannon wrote. 

I stand by that original assessment today. The six novels Ms. Shannon wrote and published over the last ten years are among my all-time favorite books. The Bone Season series is my favorite series. I've read each book in that series at least twice and listened to the audiobook versions at least that many times. 

I am in awe of Ms. Shannon's writing. She is so careful to build as much realism into her fantasy world. She never makes up words but chooses them for their meaning and linguistic origins; this is especially true of her proper nouns. For The Bone Season series, she visited each place that appears in the novels in order to get the details correct when adding them to a scene. The characters are as alive to the reader as they are to Ms. Shannon; it shows in every aspect of the stories. 

When Ms. Shannon announced she was rewriting The Bone Season for its tenth anniversary, I could only wonder why she would do so. I loved it as it was, and I knew I wasn't alone. The series has a rabid fan base for a reason. While it wasn't perfect, it reflected Ms. Shannon's writing as it was then - untested and a little too descriptive. This isn't a bad thing; it simply is due to the fact that it was her first novel, and she was a young first-time author. 

Having read The Bone Season: Tenth Anniversary Edition, I recognize the changes she made and acknowledge that her rewrites make for an even better series opener. The world-building is more fluid and done in a more natural manner. She connects key figures and plot points to future books. The pacing is more even. She fleshes out the world of Scion and the Underworld. More importantly, she matures Paige to reflect her years as the second-in-command of a crime lord. Gone is the slightly naive girl, and in her place is the world-weary, hardened, sarcastic Paige Mahoney we see in the later books. 

In rewriting her first book, Ms. Shannon wanted to show her improved writing skills as well as do a better job of introducing readers to Paige, Warden, and the world of Scion. In my opinion, she has done exactly that. The Bone Season: Tenth Anniversary Edition is tight in all the right places and filled with the perfect balance of world-building and action. There is no doubt Paige and Warden's burgeoning relationship will be important in future books. More importantly, she sows the seeds for upcoming storylines and starts developing characters we most definitely see again. 

As a fan, I want everyone to read The Bone Season: Tenth Anniversary Edition. The new cover design is so gorgeous that I almost feel unworthy to touch it, but it is what is between that cover that excites me the most. Ms. Shannon already proved herself to be an outstanding writer. In doing a few rewrites, she shows mastery of her craft and creates a series opener worthy of her characters.