Title: The Bone Ships
Author: RJ Barker
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2019
Pages: 464
Goodreads Rating: 4.05
Rating: 10/10
“Pull tight the topwings and keep your eyes open, for a sea dragon awaits us, and a sea dragon we shall find!”
The Bone Ships tells the story of a world made up of many islands where ships are essential. Sea dragons’ bones are the only viable resource for strong, sturdy ships and the creatures were all hunted down and killed centuries ago. With the disappearance of sea dragons, quality building materials for the ships are scarce and there’s an endless war focused on acquiring resources through any means necessary. So what’s going to happen now that a sea dragon has been spotted?
Pros
Immediately captures your attention
I was hooked after reading the first chapter. The unique introduction to the two main characters was brilliant in that it quickly highlights the stark differences between Joron and Meas as well as sets the foundation for this world’s harsh circumstances that dictate people’s lives.
Pacing
Barker does an amazing job of keeping your attention throughout the entire book. His pacing keeps the story moving, skipping through weeks of travel while giving critical moments their time in the spotlight. When I heard that this book was set on a ship, I worried that it would quickly become repetitive and Barker beautifully avoids that issue.
Character development
In The Bone Ships, we have one POV through the eyes of Joron Twiner. Joron is a great portrayal of an anxious, depressed, naive character with low self-confidence. Throughout the story, we witness his personal growth and maturity as he learns how to be an inspiring, hard-working leader. It is a tough journey that is realistically played out.
Unique world
There are so many unique, fascinating aspects of this world. Let’s start with the political structure. In this world, strong female fertility is highly valued. If you are able to give birth to a healthy, fully formed child and survive childbirth, you immediately rise in rank joining the Bern. Then there’s the corpselights… firstborn healthy children whose souls are sacrificed to become damage indicators for ships. The Berncast makes up the unfortunate, deformed lower class. And I’ll wrap up with the arakeesian who are sea serpent-like dragons that are extremely rare and prized for their bones.
Plot
Simply put, The Bone Ships is an interesting, unique, and captivating story.
Cons
Berncast explanation
We don’t get a ton of explanation as to why so many births end in deformity. Why is healthy fertility so hard to come by? What caused the issues with fertility and fetal development? I’m hoping that the future books provide some new details into what’s going on with the Berncast.
Overall…
I highly recommend The Bone Ships. It is most definitely a hidden gem in the world of fantasy.
Caroline’s Library 