The Bone Ship's Wake

I started the year with the first book of this series ([b:The Bone Ships 43521682 The Bone Ships (The Tide Child, #1) R.J. Barker https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553245088l/43521682.SX50.jpg 67688478]) and, though I liked it enough, I wasn't sure if I would be picking up the second book. Then I found the second book ([b:Call of the Bone Ships 50637119 Call of the Bone Ships (The Tide Child, #2) R.J. Barker https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1654468932l/50637119.SY75.jpg 75640964]) on sale so I obviously had to get it and I think that was one of my best book decisions this year.It was a wild journey and it was all so very fun. I think this may the most unique world-building I've seen in a fantasy series (and I have read many). A matriarchal naval society with sea-dragons, talking bird creatures that control the wind, a social hierarchy system based upon the ability to give birth. I loved it. Additional a bad-ass hero who is a greying older woman? FANTASTIC.At one point I was so sure a woman wrote this book with how well it treated all its characters, imagine my surprise HAHAEverything about this series is refreshing. I will definitely be picking up more of R.J. Barker's books.

I knew I knew this was going to make me cry.

First lets talk about the ending. What an ending!
There was no other way for it to end and it was bitter sweet and sad and perfect.
The relationships hold this series together. I think of what Joren went from the beginning of this series to the end and it leaves me full of such love for this character who I hated at first. Such a large character arc, and loved every second of Joren story.

Lucky Meas the Gullime ! What they did in this book, the friendship they have with Joren— I cry thinking about it.

This book still surprised me. Even though I knew what the ending was most likely to be, I was still shocked at the betrayal in this book. And RJ Barker managed to get me to feel something for a character I hated in so little time.


A perfect end to a a series for an excellent story. I immediately wanted to read the whole series again.
One of the best books I have read.

I never really properly got into this one for some reason compared to the previous books in this series. There were a few highlights that were really good, but everything else was either very meandering or just happened so damn fast that you had barely time to process it. The Solemn Muffasz thing for example was just like... why as immediately after they realize how dumb this shit is they change their mind but then it's too late when it seems like barely any time has passed? I just felt really weird about a lot of scenes that were meant to invoke an emotional reaction. It seemed a bit forced some of the time, which I didn't feel that much previously. Otherwise I really loved the parts with Meas and her mom, and a lot in those few chapters around it, and The Ghosts In The Fog.

I genuinely admire RJ's vision. The Tide Child is such a refreshing fantasy trilogy and a good part of the reason for this is how different it feels from a lot of modern fantasy. First take the setting - Nautical Fantasy is definitely an interesting niche. There are other Nautical Fantasy series out there, but I have yet to encounter one as well realised as this. The boneships, constructed from the bones of ancient seamonsters in a land devoid of natural wood sources, are described with an eye to nautical detail giving them a brilliant sense of reality. The wildlife, formed of fantastical sea creatures, moves beyond the classic nautical tropes. Most fantasy settings cleave so close to land that they forget about the weird and wonderful creatures that can inhabit the oceans. The setting is certainly a star here!

But moving beyond that the relationships that form the core of tightknit crew are center stage. This is as much a character study for Joron Twiner as it is a world building exercise for a nautical world. The growth in this character over the series is just brilliant constructed. He goes from essentially a failure at the start of the series to this titanic heroic figure at the end. And through that the growth feels earnt. All that character development feels natural and deserved. This is no mean trick and shows the quality of RJs writing.

Modern fantasy is in safe hands with creative works like these. I cannot recommend the Tide Child enough!

Much like a fireworks show, The Bone Ship's Wake starts slowly before building in pace and intensity to an epic and explosive finale. It's a satisfying conclusion to a magnificent seafaring adventure trilogy.

While the first book in this series remains my favorite, the entire saga is worthwhile and this final book is just the cherry on top of a thrilling and bloody pirate sundae. Sounds tasty, right?

It's been gratifying to watch these characters withstand both literal and figurative storms and come out better for it, but I am certainly sad to see their adventures come to an end. Although this particular saga is at its close, Barker leaves the door cracked open enough should he ever want to return to tell more tales from the Scattered Archipelago. I would happily sign up for another tour of duty in this world.

My thanks to Orbit for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

See this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.