Jeff Smith is an absolute genius. Bone One Volume is a whooping 1,342 page book containing all of Smith’s work in the Bone universe. Over thirteen years he worked on the Bone storyline, and his patience shows in this amazing collection.

The story begins with three bald, white, huge-nosed and scantily clothed cousins making their way around a mountain landscape. They have recently been kicked out of their hometown, Boneville, and are trying to find a new place to stay, when they are suddenly separated by a huge swarm of locusts and are forced to wander alone.  Fone Bone, a humble, polite, and thoughtful guy, is the series’ protagonist, and is the first to find shelter in Barrelhaven, a small town in which a young girl, Thorn, and her grandmother take him in. In time, both the wildly funny and outrageous Smiley Bone and the grouchy, penny-pinching, and conniving Phoney Bone reunite with each other in Barrelhaven, where their adventures merely begin.

It is this portion of the book (about the first third) that so effectively captures the reader and drags them into the universe of these strange creatures. The happy-go-lucky atmosphere is sure to make anyone from the youngest child to most veteran adult smile as they watch the miniscule, yet exciting adventures of the Bone cousins unfold. Most of these adventures arise from one of Phoney Bone’s poorly thought-out plans to make quick cash, of which Smiley Bone usually tags along in and Fone Bone usually dismisses. The hilarity that ensues from these exploits can range from mere chuckling to outright laughter. It is also in this portion of the book that the Great Red Dragon makes his first appearance, though his true meaning is not conveyed until later, and Fone Bone’s love for Thorn becomes apparent. This entire new aspect of love adds dimensions to the seemingly laidback and inviting atmosphere of the book.

Rat creatures are also presented in this portion of book, and while they seem intimidating and menacing, like the Great Red Dragon, their true meaning and significance are not revealed until later. These creatures seem to be looking for “the one who bears the star,” a description which matches Phoney Bone exactly. Why they are looking for him is pivotal, and is also revealed later.

The beginning of the book does a great job of attaching the reader with the characters through their exploits. It is humorous and touching, this part of the book, but it is no way comparable to what happens later on. Basically, the world in which the Bone’s frolic goes array for reasons I will not delve into for the sake of spoiling, and the real adventure begins. The characters travel out of Barrelhaven to meet villains, creatures, and worlds beyond their, and most probably the readers’, imaginations. Things they come into contact with include long-forgotten kingdoms, invisible circles capable of trapping those who wander into them in another dimension, and the long dormant Lord of the Locusts, whose desire to break free dates back to a world populated by wise and magnificent dragons, among many other things.

Needless to say, the story quickly becomes much deeper than the fanciful artwork and cute characters make it seem. Smith does an absolutely unbelievable job of layering the story to make it accessible for readers of all ages, yet just about as deep as any of the most prolific fantasy series (think Lord of the Rings). It’s almost impossible to not get caught up in his work. Even more impressive is the fact that he did all of the drawing and writing himself, which is unheard of since this book is absolutely massive. What we have here is a legendary writer whose life’s work is chronicled in one amazing collection.

I can’t think of any downsides of Bone One Volume. Some may be intimidated by its size, but given all that the story provides this shouldn’t be a problem. I actually wish there were more pages to this book, because I could not put it down. Anyone looking for a good, engrossing read should definitely check out Bone One Volume; I guarantee you won’t regret it.