4.5 stars.

An excellent sequel filled with brutal and bloody seafaring adventures, Call of the Bone Ships elevated the story with remarkable character work.

I've to say this again just to emphasize how amazingly well-written these books are. I'm typically not a fan of seafaring stories, be it a book or a show. Whenever I read a book that contained a section involving sea voyage, I tended to view it with trepidation. As such, when I first read The Bone Ships though, I was mind-blown by how much I loved it despite the narrative being predominantly taking place on a ship (albeit one made of bones of a type of dragon called the arakeesian in this world). I waxed lyrical about the superb worldbuilding in my review of that book, and I think that Barker's gamble of spending so much time doing so for the introductory volume paid off for now he could really play with the character arcs and plotlines. That doesn't mean that worldbuilding was thrown overboard though as we did get to learn more about the lore behind its strange and wonderful creatures.

"We live in the now. We fight for what we believe is right. We can do nothing else."

There's some seriously marvellous character work in this sequel. I think one of the reasons why I loved The Bone Ships so much despite it not being a preferred setting was the theme of redemption and being able to rise above oneself. The main cast here are those among the condemned of The Hundred Isles, and hence cast out as crew of black bone ships. I've grown to be really fond of the crew of the Tide Child - some more than others but as a whole the bonding, camaraderie and loyalty of the crew to each other and their shipwife and deckkeeper were some of the highlights of the book for me. Even though most of the characters could be considered as secondary to the plot, they are nonetheless primary to the Joron Twiner's character development.

“Look in the mirror when you return to your cabin. Ask yourself if people can change, ask yourself if people can surprise you.”

Barker was really brutal on Twiner, who went through so much loss, suffering and pain. The man that Twiner has become by the end of this book was completely unrecognisable from the person I first met in The Bone Ships . The best part was how believably compelling his character arc was, which was compounded by the significance of his role in the future of The Hundred Isles. At some point, I actually started to equate his arc and growth with that of Girton Club-Foot from The Wounded Kingdom as I felt some similarities there. True enough, in the Afterword and Acknowledgements, the author mentioned how this cycle of growth seemed to fascinate him as a writer because Girton went through a similar process.

"She may never like you, but you gave her back her life, and now she will die for you."

I've actually met R.J. Barker and he's a really sweet and nice guy. But man, he can write some truly dark stuff. The Hundred Isles was one of the most unforgiving and harsh worlds I've ever read which seemed to highlight all the worst of humanity. There was also the ever present feeling that no one was ever safe. Maybe except for Twiner, given that the stories are mainly told from his perspective. To make it even more tensed, the entire narrative was pretty much a non-stop roller-coaster of action and danger. These scenes were really well-written and the ones involving the might of the sea and nature were highly cinematic. The element of magic was there, even though it's usually not the focal point of the fights and battles. Well, not until it culminates into the power of songs, and that's when I started getting epic feels and goosebumps.

"If we do not try we are nothing. You are right there. Better to lose it all for what is right than to live in fear.”

Just like this debut series, Barker's writing was always engaging and never failed to pull at the heart strings. Although the narrative was dark and brutal, there was also a lot of heart which made it even more captivating. This book put me through the wringer many times, and from what I've come to expect from the author, the finale will likely be even worse. Call me a fool as I'm all for it, because nothing beats an emotionally powerful conclusion that rips my heart to pieces.

A superb sequel that elevates the series.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of RJ Barker's Wounded Kingdom series, and when I recently reread the first book in the Tide Child trilogy I was once again reminded how much I love his stories and I kept on thinking about the story and the characters long after that reread. So when the time came around for myself, TS and Petrik to resume our buddy read with the Call of the Bone Ships I was more than excited to plunge into this world again and I was overjoyed to find that it was every bit as good as I'd hoped.

The story starts as we immediately join our favourite crew of misfits who make a deeply disturbing discovery. Of course, this discovery is tightly linked to the story and revelations of the first book, so I won’t divulge any specifics other than to say that it sets them on a race against time to save lives and uncover the depths of this horrific plot.

“Better to lose it all for what is right than to live in fear.”

RJ Barker managed to lay down a tremendous amount of worldbuilding in The Bone Ships and while this did impact the pacing slightly in that story, it’s now paying huge dividends in this second book, allowing him even more time to focus on character development. And wow, has he done an outstanding job of it. I laughed and cried and cursed as I followed the journey of the crew, characters I have come to love and hate. Farys, Coughlin, Anzir, Dinyl, Shorn, Cwell… So many feelings. It’s also a testament to the author’s adeptness at clearly portraying relationships in all their complex glory that my feelings about characters I once loathed are now... I don’t know! You’ve muddied the waters RJ! It’s complicated. And it’s fantastic.

The single most impressive journey for me though is that of Mr Twiner. I am flabbergasted just trying to compare the Joron we met in chapter one of The Bone Ships to the Joron we leave at the end of Call of the Bone Ships. The trial and tribulations that he is put through in this book are enough to break many a person, but the losses he suffers somehow make him stronger, more confident, as he refuses to break but rather bends and weathers every tempest that besets him, steadily growing into the best version of himself. I think his relationship with both the Gullaime and Meas is also one of the highlights of the series, and I hope we get to see much more of all of this, but the way RJ is going I am not so sure Joron will make it to the end. If he does, it will probably only be because he is being held together by some combination of string, bandages and hope. I will happily add my hope too.

“Look in the mirror when you return to your cabin. Ask yourself if people can change, ask yourself if people can surprise you.”

As mentioned, less worldbuilding is required in this book, but it's still very much present as more parts of the map of the world are filled in and history and lore are expanded upon or hinted at. Personally, I hope we get to learn much more about the lore and that it is not left to the imagination, but I think the author will oblige us as there is surely a treasure trove’s worth of things we still don’t know about Gullaime and Arakeesians and the Song within Joron and I can hardly wait to find out all the things.

description
Map by Tom Parker

The pacing is steady throughout, with ebbs and flows, but the tale never loses the wind in its sails, taking on elements of the story as it mimics the swell of waves, moving along smoothly only to build to a peak multiple times throughout the book and bringing everything to a frothy head before crashing down again and then purposefully building up to the next crescendo. It makes for an utterly engrossing read and had all of us who read the book together devouring it swiftly.

Finally, I have one more thing I’d like to say about RJ’s writing. I feel like we have seen such a scope of literary ability already in his two published series, but just like the above-mentioned lore, he has so much more in store for us. Call of the Bone Ships once again puts this talent on full display with brilliant writing all around, be it the use of certain literary devices, the tugging of heartstrings by the simplest of sentences or gestures of the characters, constantly subverting expectations, the quiet contemplative moments, the frenetic chaos and panic of being confronted with the ferocious force of the ocean’s fury, the deep despair of loss or the brutality of naval warfare; the man has a skilled touch and it’s a joy to experience.

"Worry only about tomorrow, and the day after. Think not on the day after that for we fly a ship of the dead, and the Hag calls us all. To plan far ahead is to ask for the Maiden to thwart all you are. We live in the now. We fight for what we believe is right. We can do nothing else.”

Call of the Bone Ships is a superb follow up to the first book in the series, and in my opinion even better, raising the bar and laying down a challenge to Wake of the Bone Ships. It underlines why RJ Barker is one of the best writers in fantasy and together with Jen Williams, still one of the most underrated. Criminally so to say the least. I truly hope more people discover them and that they become the household names their work deserves.

ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.

A great sequel that doesn’t shy away from developing the characters through harsh circumstances.

“We are nothing, Shipwife… If we do not try we are nothing. You are right there. Better to lose it all for what is right than to live in fear.”


Call of the Bone Ships is the second book in The Tide Child trilogy by R.J. Barker. There’s no middle book syndrome here. I was one of the relatively few readers who were slightly disappointed by The Bone Ships on my first read. To sum it up briefly, it was too different from The Wounded Kingdom trilogy, and I expected a focus on characterization right from the getgo. But that wasn’t the case, The Bone Ships spent the first half of the novel heavily focused on world-building, and the characterizations came in the second half. This storytelling decision, however, made the reread experience of The Bone Ships that I did rewarding. And I’m happy to say that Call of the Bone Ships provided a more character-driven narrative in addition to retaining the fascinating world-building.

“You think it cannot be, Joron Twiner? That we would not murder hundreds for a chance to hunt the keyshans once more?... We sacrifice our own children to our ships, you think those in power care about the lives of the sick and the useless?”


Do note that Call of the Bone Ships isn’t a light tale in any possible way. Brief moments of respite are there, and they’re placed at the right spot for the characters to catch a breath, but this is a brutal sequel. If you’re not a fan of your main character being tortured, Call of the Bone Ships won’t be for you. This is a ruthless sequel that showcases just how harsh the world the characters lived in, and I loved it for that. The first book consisted of Lucky Meas uniting Joron and many other broken characters together under her wing, this sequel is more or less the other way around. Meas doesn’t make many appearances here; definitely not when compared to The Bone Ships. If the role of Joron in the first novel was to be an observant of the legend of the Lucky Meas, Call of the Bone Ships is about Joron having to survive through his ordeals before he became a man of his own.

“And if they heard him weep a little, did they care? No, they did not, for what did it matter to them if a brave man wept? It did not make him any less brave, and had they not all wept at some point in their lives? So they smiled to themselves and went on with their jobs, never to mention it again.”


Thankfully, Joron Twiner is never alone. Readers of The Bone Ships will know that found family is one of the key themes of the series, and I’m gratified to state that Barker nailed the growth of the other characters as well. The themes of loss, sacrifice, responsibility, and loyalty were established, and they’re indeed pretty savage, but the crew of the Tide Child knows they are all in this together. Being battered non-stop by waves of pain and blood, it’s only by working together they can put a dent in their seemingly unbending end. Whether they succeed or not, I’ll leave that for you to find out for yourself. I enjoyed what I’ve read, and the growth of the characters—I won’t mention their name to avoid spoilers—was incredible.

“Look in the mirror when you return to your cabin. Ask yourself if people can change, ask yourself if people can surprise you.”


We also get to learn more about the gullaime, keyshan, and the Hundred Isles. As far as world-building goes, the world that Barker has crafted is a genuinely distinct one. I don’t think I’ve read many, or any, fantasy world similar to this. And speaking of creativity, Barker is one of the few fantasy authors I know who continue to utilize the limited formatting of the pages inside his novels to convey an emotion. This was executed in The Wounded Kingdom trilogy, and I’m glad to see it made a return again here. The action sequences were also breathtaking and vivid; there was a sequence in the middle of the novel that completely wowed me. If you haven’t read this book yet, prepare for the tidal wave.

“Maybe that is the true nature of prophecy—we can only change what is within our reach. So do not worry about the gullaime, do not worry about their prophechy. Hold close those you care for. Worry only about tomorrow, and the day after. Think not on the day after that for we fly the ship of the dead, and the Hag calls us all. To plan far ahead is to ask for the Maiden to thwart all you are. We are in the now. We fight for what we believe is right. We can do nothing else.”


I do have one minor issue with Call of the Bone Ships, and it’s the lack of a prominent antagonist figure. Don’t get me wrong, we do get to learn who the main villain is. But we still haven’t seen the character yet. There’s a good chance that Barker is saving the entrance for the final book, but I do believe that I would’ve been able to enjoy this book even further with the appearance of this villain. That being said, my co-blogger mentioned that the real villain of this series is the Hundred Isles, and she’s not mistaken on this.

“I was a Hundred Isles shipwife, boy. How many innocents do you think fell to my blade? Too many. You think I would throw away the one person I genuinely care about for those who I know nothing of? Those I care nothing for?... No, never.”


Lastly, the beautiful map and chapter icons by Tom Parker are back, with two new chapter icons related to the narrative, too. Call of the Bone Ships is a great sequel that improved upon everything established in The Bone Ships. It answered several questions from the first book, and it also left us with enough intriguing mysteries to be answered in the final book of the trilogy. I’m glad I gave this trilogy a second chance. The story did end on a cliffhanger, and I look forward to reading The Bone Ship’s Wake in a few weeks.

You can order the book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

This is the second book in a series where I was very much taken with the general background of pirates and sea-monsters. Here, of course, the dangers of just serving up more of the same are great but Barker doesn't fall into this particular heffalump trap. Having met the man (and seen the Twitter feed full of cats, antlers and gothic goodness) I wasn't expecting him to, to be honest.

The first novel ended with Shipwife Meas, Joron Twiner and the crew saving what they believe to be the last of the great sea dragons whose bones are used to make the great warships of warring island nations. This crew of rebels hope, with the cooperation of some of their erstwhile enemies, to end the cycle of warfare and destruction, of inequality and hate, but first they need to discover what has happened to the inhabitants of their secret community. The threats of betrayal, slavery and failure are only increased when it turns out that there are more of the sea dragons to come. Cue a suitably swashbuckling adventure but with lots of thoughtful episodes where our heroes need to question how they live, who their enemies really are and how they treat those they work with. If you like your epic fantasy with a side order of principles then give this series a try...

When more arakeesians are sighted, it seems the Tide Child's efforts to protect the last and bring peace to the Hundred Isles may have been in vain - until it becomes clear the Hundred Isles have no more weapons that can kill the creatures. But Thirteenbern Gilbryn has a plan that will kill two birds with one stone, ridding her of rebellious islanders and providing the poisons she needs to kill the beasts that provide the bones for her ships. Lucky Meas and her crew must once again risk everything - but there's a mutiny brewing aboard the Tide Child...

The Bone Ships was one of my favourite reads of 2019. Call is a worthy sequel: another slice of brilliantly-realised maritime fantasy that delivers more sea-borne hijinks, mysterious magic and shipboard friction whilst raising the stakes. Part of the joy is how immersive the narrative is - you can feel the bite of the wind and taste the spray in this meticulously-imagined world. Hell, you could be forgiven for spontaneously developing sea legs. The action scenes are brilliant for being tightly-focused, the heaving deck and majestic confrontations reduced to the view of one man at the heart of the maelstrom; shoving shields; darting blades; drumming feet - it's all confusion and panic, delivered in sentences as short and laboured as Joron's breath to get the blood racing along with his.

That said, it felt surprisingly slow-paced for all the heart-stopping action. There's a lot of sailing for very little getting anywhere (an accurate portrayal of travel by tall ship, I realise), making it feel episodic. It took a long time for the carefully-constructed elements to come together and finally feel as urgent as book one's dramatic 'save the last sea dragon' pitch. Once in full flow, it's fierce and atmospheric, the stakes pushing ever higher as we discover more about the Thirteenbern's plan and the secrets of the gullaime.

...and gosh, there's a lot of work setting up immense drama for book three. If book one saw Joron Twiner come of age, book two sees him blossom as a commander - only to be broken down and built up and broken down and built up until we leave him boiled down to a capable man fuelled by rage, ready to do whatever it takes to save his shipwife and end the war. Including, I suspect, burn the whole world down. I can't wait to find out.

Very much a middle book, but a good one.

I fell in love with the first book and found this one even better.
The author is a great storyteller and delivers a great world building and excellent character development.
I loved the tightly knitted plot and couldn't put it down.
Can't wait for the next book, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Really enjoyed this. It improved on the first book in every way. I love Pirates!! I would definitely read the final book in the series and would recommend this to friends.

I love this world, I love the writing, I love the characters - R.J. Barker just keeps getting better and better with every book!

The world he has created in this series is so well thought out and unlike anything I've read before, and it's exquisite. From the matriarchal societies, to the way the harshness of the lands and seas shape all aspects of life, to the numerous sea shanties dotted about and unique ship terms which add to the feel of life aboard the Tide Child - it all feels so well-realised.

The characters are fantastic. Joron has come a long way since the first book, but the challenges thrown at him in this sequel really test his mettle, and his loyalties to his fellow shipmates (or 'deckchilder' as they're known in the novel) are equally put to the test, and vice versa.

If you're looking for a new fantasy series then I can't recommend this one enough!

Synopsis: The Keyshans are back, no longer believed to be extinct, and people wish to hunt them again. But something more sinister is occurring in the Hundred Isles, people are going missing and Shipwife ‘Lucky’ Meas, Deckkeeper Joron, and the Tide Child crew are determined to find out why.

CW/TW: Violence/Gore/Death/Sacrifice/Slavery/Ableism/other’s associated with fantasy may be present.

Spoiler Warning: This review may contain spoilers for book in this series: The Bone Ships, by RJ Barker

This book was an anticipated release of mine (despite the delayed review…..) because book 1 was a GLORIOUS seafaring adventure! And let me tell you, book 2 lived up to the charm of book 1 and was even more thrilling and dangerous, and I LOVED IT!

RJ Barker continues to impress with this sequel. Another atmospheric and absorbing read with an immersive and engaging narrative, beautiful, comical and realistic prose and a gripping and challenging plot that will keep you up way past your bedtime!

Book 1 introduces us to The Hundred Isle’s, their people, their societal system and, most importantly, to our beloved Tide Child Crew. It kicks off the epic adventure of the Black Ship and starts off the mystery of the Keyshans and Book 2 takes these mysteries and everything you thought you knew and takes you on a WILD ride! The Keyshans are back, people are going missing and it seems the Maiden, Mother and Hag all have it out for Joron.

It is hard to write this review without spoiling the book but i’ll do my best. So, at the end of book 1 Joron seems to have called a Keyshan to help him and the crew, alluding to his title of Caller. Book 2 gives a little more information into whether Joron actually called the sea dragon or not, and gives us more insight into the title of Caller. Now I can’t say too much about what this all means and what we learn in this brilliant book, but I can tell you that it firstly, sounds like an epic prophecy that turns the tails on the prophecy trope. Secondly, it adds wonderfully to the worldbuilding and magic systems in place in this world. Thirdly, what we learn literally still leaves me in the dark because RJ Barker has an impressive ability to hit you with plot twists and subvert expectations and so I don’t even know if this prophecy will come about (You’ll understand what I mean when Meas and Joron have an intriguing conversation!). So RJ Barker really blew the bone ship out of the water with this element of the story, because it answers questions posed in book 1, but maintains and creates a suspenseful new mystery ready for book 3. Did I love it? Yes I DID!

Now, the main plot point of this book is the missing people. Shipwife Meas, Deckkeeper Joron, and crew make a disturbing and horrifying discovery, and Meas suffers a devastating blow. Both of these events lead to Shipwife Meas and crew on a mission to find their missing people and uncover why they are being taken. At first glance this plot seems random, but RJ Barker masterfully weaves a mysterious and horrifying tale that adds to the larger picture of the whole series – and it was done very well, I did not anticipate the reveals at all! I really loved the plot of this book because it was so well crafted. The characters had to work to get answers, and they did not succeed with every plan they made, and some go in a completely different direction to what was planned. I Loved this because when they did have failed plans it forced the characters to choose another route, the plan did not magically fall into place in spite of the obstacles. The book has multiple plans and plots throughout all for scraps of information, almost like the pirate treasure hunt games you play with your family or on holidays to find hints leading to different locations (of course this was much more deadly but that’s where the fun lies no?) The structure, the complex plot, the plethora of plans – it all fell together so nicely and naturally, making the story an epic adventure full of action (and it avoiding the sequential repetition other series fall victim to when they need more obstacles because each plan was essential for different reasons and let you try to fill in the larger mystery.)

Each plot/plan was a delight to read about because, the characters actually split into helpful and skilled groups to carry them out, and it was fun to watch them succeed, or fail and find another way. It keeps you on your toes! Not only that the risks in this book are real – I’M ACTUALLY HEARTBROKEN at some of the consequences in this book (How dare you make me hate then love this person – when you read this book you will know exactly what I mean). RJ Barker manages to create something extraordinary here- because,as in book 1, characters are not magically protected from harm or death regardless of how much they appear – so when there are battles and fights you actually fear for the characters and suffer with the crew when the consequences hit. As much as it pains me when the risks are real, it also makes the book more enjoyable because it adds suspense, evokes that essential pathos and adds a sense of realism to this fantasy world making it more immersive.

I also have to say that Barker really puts Joron through his paces in this novel. He is the main character so he is our narrator (mostly) so we know he is likely (though I’m afraid to actually say this) to survive most things … But that does not stop Barker from making me absolutely terrified everytime he goes into battle, or enacts a secret plan because the poor man gets a BEAT DOWN in this novel. But, I have to admit, I really liked this because it is not often our main characters suffer to this extent (AND OMG IT HAPPENED – as soon as I heard pirates in association with this book, I have waited and waited for something very specific associated with pirates to happen – AND IT DID in this book – Guillame: “Good ** Bad ***”, “like mine!” -> When you know you know.) Felt bad for Joron, but it added a lot to the story.

When Meas, who is as awesome in this book as she is in book 1 (Though I like that we see a more raw side of her here), and crew find out the truth behind the people going missing it was a shock, a great one! Everything from the execution to the shock reveals were done perfectly, it was unpredictable and unique.

Another absolutely favourite thing of mine in this book was the characterisation and story of the Guillame and his kind. (I also need to get a nod in here to Black Orris – I absolutely love RJ Barker for keeping the foul mouthed bird and continuing his rude interjections because, I don’t know why, it just brings the story to life for me- and I love a chucle at his input). Anyway, the Guillame play a big part in this book – I loved the Tide Child's one a lot in book 1 and I love him even more here- but I also really liked that we saw more of them including the Windshorn. Firstly, Guillame is hilarious in this book, he has SO much character that you will definitely feel he is part of the crew, and it added such a brilliant dynamic to the story – especially his relationship with Joron. But I also love how we see him integrate with the crew, and actually wander around deck being a little demon – I cannot explain my love for this. But I also like how we learn more about him, his story and his determination to help Joron. Secondly, the Windshorn were an interesting addition to the story, and the book’s world. We meet two main Windshorn in this book (a type of Guillame), the first one is timid but has a fun dynamic with our Guillame – the hissing gets me every time. The second is sarcastic and hilarious. The addition of them adds comedy to the story, but also so much more – it adds depth and mystery and sets up for an interesting third installment. The wider story surround the Guillame as a whole in this book was intertwined well with the missing people and adding a new layer to an already amazing plot.

The crew are another absolutely delightful thing in this book. The relationships between them all a real, natural and dynamic. Those who often go with Joron on his plans are absolutely hilarious (wait until you get to THE scene where they talk in hypotheticals – had to chuckle). But I also liked the tension and conflict. Book 1 establishes some bad blood between some crew members and book2 we get to see it play out. You will hate, and love so many of the crew members it is done so well. I love how they are all human and flawed, how the conflicts blow up and are resolved – everything that happens is executed so well.

Meas – I have to talk about our brilliant Shipwife. Meas in this book has a lot more to her. We see her strong, charming, can do anything side, but we get a more raw and human side of her here too. We get a little more of her story, and we get a Meas who has purpose and passion for her people. An outstanding and strong female lead character who is just so well written.

The ending. This book ends perfectly, setting up book 3 in a fascinating way. Am I mad about the ending? yes. But was it good? HECK YEAH! This book has a fantastic ending that will have you scrambling in desperation for the next book – my eyes are peeled and waiting for Book 3!

Finally the world. In my review for book 1 I said how much I loved this world, its society, its magic and the idea of the female dominated society and ‘Goddesses’, I also found the idea of the Berncast, and disability to be explored in such a unique way. Let me tell you book2 keeps this up, the world, now we know it, is phenomenal as we learn more and more details about it all adding to the larger epic picture. The female dominated society still continues to fascinate, and has some unexpected consequences for the plot that I found absolutely incredible. Finally, disability (particularly physical) comes into play again here, and a little more prominently as the book goes on – the society is ableist, but Meas and her crew are not and I love watching them prove that the disabled characters are capable, Meas being a strong voice for seeing people’s worth beyond their physical appearance – It delights me so much. Finally, RJ Barker also tackles the notion of gender as a spectrum, very slightly but very naturally – with having a character (Who I adore -they are the sweetest) who seems to fall on the spectrum around the non-binary sort of area. RJ Barker’s characters are diverse and real, with a few being LGBTQ+ as well, and the cast being heavily POC. The diversity (SPOILER>>>>>> Especially including Joron now as a disabled mc >>>>>> SPOILER OVER) is so naturally included and I love it, especially as a disabled reader, but the other forms of diversity are equally fantastic to read about.

There is so much more I could talk about in this review but SPOILERS! So I’ll leave it here.

This was a very rambly review… I apologise but I LOVED this book so much and thought it was a fantastic sequel to an epic first book. RJ Barker truly impresses with this imaginative series which is beyon unique, it is such a dynamic story with excellent actions, characters, settings and plots that it just hits every mark. We need more fantasy like this because it simply blows my mind!

If you have read book 1 I HIGHLY recommend diving into this one because it has everything book 1 has to offer and more. I would also recommend this to anyone who loves epichigh fantasy, or a good seafaring adventured littered with danger, dragons and sassy birds!

*I received an eARC from #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review – Thankyou!! *

After his Wounded Kingdoms series, I thought Barker was one of the most talented new authors around. That’s still true, but I’ve had to face up to the fact that what he’s trying to do with the Bone Ships series simply isn’t for me. Maybe the extent to which I can’t really remember the supporting cast is me not connecting with his execution rather than his vision, but the extent to which this is about Joron’s flaws over and over is vision, and I just don’t get enough entertainment from such stories. So I’m sadly DNFing this and hoping the next series is more to my taste.

Please note, Call of the Bones Ships is a direct sequel to The Bone Ships and if you have not read the first book in the Tide Child trilogy then it is likely what follows may contain some minor spoilers. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

Dragons have returned to the Hundred Isles. But their return heralds only war and destruction. When a horde of dying slaves are discovered in the bowels of a ship, Shipwife Meas and the crew of the Tide Child find themselves drawn into a vicious plot that will leave them questioning their loyalties and fighting for their lives.

Ahoy me hearties, tis time for us to set sail once again on the good ship Tide Child. R J Barker is back with Call of The Bone Ships so prepare yourself for more fantastical adventures on the high seas. Ok, I’ll admit it. I have been looking forward to this book for ages. C’mon, we’re talking sea dragons, skeletal pirate ships and more swash than you can shake a buckle at for goodness sake. How could you not be excited about that?

Joron Twiner has come a long way since the end of book one. Before his tenure on the Tide Child, he was a good for nothing layabout. Life on the ocean has changed him. The boneship has become his home and the crew his family. Ok, they are a mite maladjusted, prone to violent tendencies and would turn on you if there was a profit to be had in it, but they are still family all the same. The wanderlust is in Joron’s blood and the Tide Child gives him the life of excitement that he realises he has always craved. In many respects the evolution of Joron’s character is the backbone of the entire narrative.

Lucky Meas returns cutting a bloody swath through everything the comes before her. The formidable Shipwife* of the Tide Child remains a force to be reckoned with. I love Meas, her brazen attitude is so damned infectious. She is beholden to no-one and does not suffer fools gladly. Chances are pretty good that if Meas thought you were messing her around, you’d be thrown overboard. She is nothing if not pragmatic. Meas has decided she will live free, and if that means war, then so be it. Conflict between the Hundred Isles and the Gaunt Islands is nothing new but Meas believes there is a third option, a better way. The only downside to her plan is she is now surrounded by enemies on all sides. Just is well Meas is an expert at staying one step ahead of her rivals.

The crew of the Tide Child are a rogue’s gallery of knaves and ner-do-wells, cutpurses and killers. In this novel Barker explores the back story to some of these marauders and it made me love them all the more. Solemn Muffaz, Cwell, Mevans, Farys, Dinyl and Coughlin all get the opportunity to step into the spotlight. It almost goes without saying that Black Orris also remains a firm favourite. His fearlessly honest insight cuts to the very heart of everything. He doesn’t say much but when he does you can’t help but listen.

As an aside, I think I’d quite enjoy being a crew member on the Tide Child. I think my ridiculously large beard, earrings and multiple tattoos mean I’d at least look the part. Hmm, come to think of it, I don’t have the greatest sea legs and my sense of direction isn’t brilliant. Perhaps a life on the ocean waves is not for me after all. I’ll just have to content myself living vicariously through Lucky Meas’ exploits.

There is always a worry that the second book in a trilogy can never hope to capture the imagination in the same way its predecessor may have. No such qualms here, Call of the Bone Ships has all the skulduggery, treachery and action you could wish for. Barker expands on the premise of The Bone Ships and sets things up for what I expect is going to be an epically glorious payoff. It warms the cockles of this salty old sea-dog’s heart. The crew of the Tide Child are back, Hag’s tits! How I’ve missed them.

Call of the Bone Ships if published by Orbit and is available now. Highly recommended.

I have a couple of choices for you regarding my musical recommendations to accompany Call of the Bone Ships. You could go with the soundtrack to Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s safe and suitably piratical. You’ll be humming the theme to the movie before you know it. If, however you are looking for something a bit more chaotic and full-on can I suggest anything from Alestorm’s back catalogue. You can’t beat a bit of high-octane pirate metal in my opinion. From Captain Morgan’s Revenge through to The Curse of the Crystal Coconut they are the leading exponents of the genre.

*Captain/Commander/Boss

The Bone Ships was a fantastic read. The Call of the Bone Ships is a spectacular read. Perhaps because the first book had taken the time and effort to lay an extraordinarily strong foundation for the world and characters, this second book caught the wind from the very first page and didn’t slow down until that ending that has left me staring off into the distance and desperately wanting the next book right now.
This was not quite the second book I had been expecting, as it started quite some time after the events in the first book and taking everything and everyone that we thought we knew and shaking them up and pushing them forward. This is a middle book only in terms of moving the plot forward, and leaving us needing that final concluding part, because The Call of the Bone Ships does not suffer the weakness that sometimes come from being the middle book and instead, it has raised the stakes completely while also steering the series into new, more dangerous waters.
It was simply a joy to return to this world, and to see Barker expanding the world-building as we learn more about the politics of the Hundred Isles, visit more locations, and get to see the world of the Bone Ships unfold alongside the events. Even more, it was a delight to return to the cast of the Tide Child and sail with them once more, although it has to be said that Barker puts his cast through the ringer in more ways than one, especially Joron. As with the world, we get to see the characters growing and changing, shaped by the events they are experiencing, and as much as I love Joron as a character, I love the moments that we get to spend with the rest of the crew, and with Maes who remains a staunch favourite.
Fast paced, action packed, this was an incredible book from start to finish, and has firmly made this series one of my favourites and that ending!!! Barker’s writing is so vivid, his characters so engaging that you can’t help but be pulled into the narrative, and I for one will be waiting on tenterhooks until the third book comes out, because I need to know how it will be resolved.

Having absolutely adored The Bone Ships when I read it last year, Call of the Bone Ships was one of my most anticipated books of 2020. I'm so pleased (and totally unsurprised) to say that it lived up to my expectations

Barker continues to create a beautifully atmospheric world that is gritty, yet hopeful. As Meas and her crew continue to try to avert war, we learn more about the politics of the Hundred Isles and the gullaime, as well as see more locations within the world. He takes the already interesting world and expands it even wider, giving the reader more room to imagine and explore.

Poor Joron really gets put through the ringer in Call of the Bone Ships, but it's fascinating and wonderful to see him grow as a character in spite of his troubles. He continually fights against self doubt and begins to gain more confidence and authority after the events of The Bone Ships, yet he remains a flawed and wonderful character.

Bring tissues, this one will make you cry.

And he felt the song within, the beat of his heart, the high-pitched passage of blood through veins, the cymbal-spatter of thoughts, the crack of muscles and the groan of tendons and it was beautiful. Behind it all was some meaning, and although he could not quite fathom it he felt sure of it it, felt certain that this meaning was only a moment away from him.

I'll confess, this sequel did not take me in any of the directions I was expecting at the end of The Bone Ships. I had thought we'd jump straight into the action, calling up the Arakeesians and taking down the Thirteenbern.

Instead, I've been given a tale steeped in espionage and cunning. The stakes have been raised, and the winds are changing. Joron will find himself flensed to the bone, losing everything he holds dear. He will be hammered and tempered into steel before he can live out his destiny... or reject it entirely and shape a different future from what has been foretold.

The moment the realization of just what was being risked hit me was singularly profound, and I am deeply, deeply curious how Barker will work all this out in the trilogy's final book. The Hundred Isles are not what they seem, and the stakes are higher than I ever could have guessed. The implications hinted at in the events of Call of the Bone Ships are grand and epic in scale even as the cast remains small and focused.

Written in the same flowing, descriptive voice as The Bone Ships, you can be well assured you're in excellent narrative hands. Barker explores themes such as waste, ableism, and the basic assumptions of societies. By setting his epic naval fantasy in a world steeped in perfectionism, matriarchy, and distrust, he creates a world that is engaging and refreshing. He is casual in the extreme as he subverts gender roles and expectations, allowing women readers to experience the same relaxed set of assumptions that male readers tend to enjoy in most fantasy settings.

A great sequel to an excellent book.

Middle book of a trilogy, it's always a hard one. You have to keep the reader interested, remind them of the characters, have something happen but not tie up all the threads, so as to save something for the finale.

The problem with Call is that the first book was so good, it's hard to live up to. I think the writing itself is probably better, but the story is a bit action heavy. There's good character development for some of the cast, but a little lacking for Shipwife Meas I think. No-one should read this stand alone anyway, but it wouldn't be easy to understand if you did.

I read this in a couple of days and was happy to pick it up again, it didn't get boring. I want to know what happens next, I want to hear more from the characters and visualise these ships some more.
RJB is a very capable author and I've read all his books and will probably read all the rest he publishes. Where Bone Ships is a 9 or 9.5, this is probably an 8 or 8.5. Still strongly recommend this series.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an impartial review.

4.5 stars

Wow. Just wow. This book started going on page one and was just relentless until the end. Emotional blow after emotional blow. How is anyone expected to be okay after that T_T

This book follows on a couple of years after book one, the crew of the Tide Child is now established and Joron has settled comfortably into his role as deckkeeper. This book takes a turn when the crew of the tide child come across a mysterious ship bearing a bunch of half dead prisoners and gullaime. The book follows on unravels the mysteries around the missing people and Meas and Joron rescuing them.

Joron grew on me so much throughout reading book 1, and now after reading this one I'm ready to lay it all down for him. He is a very interesting and complex character, wanting what is best for his crew and showing the classic fantasy heroism but also being pretty flawed and self-doubting, which I think is how a lot of us would feel/do feel. He just feels like such a real character and I just want happiness for him. He goes through so much in the book and watching him grow and learn, as well as watch his developing relationships with others was so great to read about.

I adore the setting of this series, it all feels so well researched and you really feel like you are out at sea with them. The writing is also incredibly vivid (spoiler - there was one scene where they are stranded out at sea with no food and water and I was so anxious reading that, I think a testament to how well it was written).

Okay, onto my favorutie part of teh book - the Gullaime!!! We follow the gullaime we know and love from book 1, who is such a great character and every interaction with Joron is so precious uwu. We also get to meet some new gullaime, who are slightly different and known as windshorn, who we meet when Joron and crew discover the ship with prisoner on. One of the windshor, who becomes known as Shorn, stays with the crew of the TIde Child to guard the gullaime (who very much doesn't appreciate shorn). This relationship was so well done, a very complex power dynamic and it completely broke my heart at the end. Shorn is my precious baby T_T

Like the first book this one is filled with so much action and shipwise political drama, as well as characters who have very grey morality and unclear motivations. Joron has to figure out who to trust, which leads to some very sticky (and painful for the reader T_T) scenarios. It was also interetsing to get to know some of the side characters and crew of the TIde Child a bit more, especially Dinyl (his character was very interesting after the events of book 1) and Aelerin (they are now one of my favourites :')).

In conclusion this is a fantastic sequel, filled with plenty of shocking plot twists and reveals, whilst expanding beautifully on the lore of the world and growing the characters arc in a very emotionally compelling way.

Synopsis: This second volume of the Tild Child Trilogy is set a good while after the first book. Shipwife (Captain) Lucky Meas and her First Officer Joron run petty jobs for their home country on board of the bone ship Tild Child. They hit on a ship full of dying people, and a mystery starts which they want to end: who is in charge of this cruel deed, and what would they want to achieve? They are sure that it has to do with the sea dragons, and suspect someone from their Home town behind it. Their search leads them across the map through storms, fights, torture and injuries.

Review: If you don‘t like huge cliffhangers, then wait until the final book will be published before diving into this one. It is well separated from the first book which can be read as a standalone. And surely connected to the last book where the blatantly bad ending of this book will hopefully be resolved in a meaningful way. I won‘t discuss the details, but you surely don’t want to wait a year for it.

While I liked this book overall, with its colorful characters and a wonderful, dangerous world, the second book emphasizes deficits from the first book and adds a few.

First of all, the setting isn’t much extended - we see storms, yet another island, sea battles, and even a mutiny. But neither the map brings fresh locations, nor is the magic system enhanced. Even the characters are mostly the same. In summary, the given scenery is just the same, and the given relations between characters meander their way forward in expected ways.

Plot resolutions are often resolved by deus ex machina, and the evolving mystery didn’t draw my attention.

The authors tendency to repetitions and staccato sentences kept on bothering me. Why does everything need its very own different term - like deckchild‘s sickness instead of scurvy? A good measure of replaced terms transport the concept of a foreign world well enough, but here it‘s taken to extremes and I constantly have to check where landwards and seawards is and who’s more important: deckkeeper or deckholder? Glancing over those terms doesn’t help, because the next one waits in the next sentence. And that’s the state after having read both books back to back. I can’t imagine how one feels after a year.

I recommend waiting another year and read the rest of the trilogy in one go. I just hope that there’s more awe in the last volume. This is a weak three stars.

The book immediately jumps straight into action as the crew of the <i>Tide Child</i> step in to rescue a ship stuck in shallow water. It is quickly discovered that even a simple rescue is not as straightforward as it looks. Following the events of the first book, Meas has been kept at arms length from Bernshulme by her mother and her spymaster. That doesn't stop her from getting involved as she uncovers secrets others would rather stay unnoticed.

I praised the world building in my review of book one and I can happily say that the depth of field we got in this sequel measured up to my high expectations. I would even say that my immersion and enjoyment of the world building increased this time around as I had a much stronger footing in the world. I also found that this book built on the fundamentals established in the first book without adding too many unfamiliar words.

<blockquote><i>The sea about them was grey and eternal, a continuous shifting of waves that gently jostled the little boat as it coasted across the sea, wings full of the storm's gift and the sky above as blue as promises.</i></blockquote>

However, it was the characters who had me so attached to this book from the start. <i>The Bone Ships</i> had taken two main characters that I did not feel any attachment or admiration for and created two individuals I came to love. I also was on the edge of my seat throughout the book waiting to see how relationships developed between different members of the crew. All without a focus on a romantic plot line. By the time the end of the first book came around I was emotionally wrought and worn out.

In book two, Joron in particular has built up several relationships (positive and negative) that I was already invested in. I was especially elated to get more progress of the bond and trust developing between him and Meas. I said previously that some of the "second tier" crew were hard to pick out individually and keep track of, but this was much improved on in this book as Joron developed stronger ties to the crew and spent more time with them.

Meas was also given more of a spotlight and we saw sides to her character that were previously unknown. I found in both books I was impressed by how she can remain a mystery and person of legend and still have a real humanity to her character.

The plot of this one did not let up for a second. It is a testament to RJ Barker's skill with a pen that they can cram in enough plot to feel like I've read multiple books but still manage to build such fully realised worlds and characters along the way.

<blockquote><i>"That is indeed right and proper what we were ordered," said Mevans, for as said, he had particular and certain beliefs. "But he did not say to us that we should do it with all speed.</i></blockquote>

<i>The Call of the Bone Ships</i> was all engrossing, captivating read that blew my socks off. I was loving the read so much that despite incurring eyestrain and a headache, I didn't put the book down for eight hours. I think the plot is jam pack, the world building is fully realised and three dimensional. But it is the characters that steal the show and my heart. A full 5/5 stars from me, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.

Call of the Bone Ships takes us back to Barker's fantasy archipelago, divided into two warring nations - the Hundred Isles and the Gaunt Islands. In the previous book we saw Joron Twiner, a desperate drunk heading to the bad, rescued by Shipwife "Lucky" Meas Gilbryn together with the ship of which he had titular command, Tide Child. It was a ship of convicts, of outcasts, but Meas built it and them into a potent element of the Fleet - for her own purposes, revealed at the end of the book.

In Call of the Bone Ships, we see the consequences. No longer a loyal ship of the Fleet, Tide Child makes a shocking discovery which reveals a vile trade apparently flourishing under the eyes of Meas's estranged mother, who rules the Hundred Isles. Investigating, and seeking to end, it sets Meas up for a conflict with the entire Fleet and makes her and her crew the enemy of the Hundred Isles.

I'm being circumspect about just what happens here and (I hope) not spoiling the first book for any reader who hasn't opened it yet (my advice: you must read it, and quickly). The plot here is action-filled, full of twists ands turns, feats of arms and rending loss, and you don't want to know the details in advance because Barker's telling of them is superb and frequently shocking. Like its forerunner, Call of the Bone Ships scratches all the same itches as CS Forester or Patrick O'Brian except in a fantasy world with magic, great sea beasts called Arakeesians and a matriarchal society. There is shattering, sudden combat. There is the unease of a sailor, forced to trust to the land. There is the fellowship and web of relationships aboard ship. Above all there is the restless, heaving sea.

But - and because this is an RJ Barker book I was expecting this - there is more. A story filled with scrapes and chases would be fun, but Barker's fiction has heart besides. In the first book we saw Joron grow and come into his own as a sailor and as a human. We saw him discover a strange gift - the ability to call the Arakeesian. We saw him make friends, and enemies.

Here, every scrap of what Joron became is put to work, is tested, against enormous odds. His trust in Meas (and hers in him), his bond with his crew, his friendship with the strange creature the Gullaime. (Note to author: can we have a series of gullaime spinoff stories please? I just loved its rudeness, its self-possession and its liking for colourful scraps and bric-a-brac). Joron is no longer learning to be who he is, rather he's learning what that person can do, and working out what they should do. And what price he's prepared to pay for that, what he must give up.

In some respects it is a very dark book indeed. The plot which the crew of Tide Child confront is bad enough, but there are also woeful discoveries about the history of Barker's world, about how the Arakeesians were hunted, discoveries that taint all with an age old guilt. And there is a threat in the future too which no doubt we'll hear more of in the next book. Joron has many low moments - Barker doesn't spare his reader and there were many occasions reading this book that I felt, no, not that, don't do that. AND RJ ALWAYS DOES IT! However, the darkness is never all there is. There is trust and loyalty. There is friendship. There are songs - Barker's sea shanties roll in with the tang of salt and carry the rhythms of waves and tides. There is terrific, rich worldbuilding, glorious passages of prose and deep, well realised characters at every hand.

I could write that this book blew me away, and that's true, but I have to add, yes, it blew me away and dropped me in the heaving sea, where my flesh was gnawed by sea beasts, it cast my bones on a far shore to be ground by the tides. It is a book of combat and action, yes, but beneath it is a book of deep, deep feelings.

If you'd asked me before I read this I would have said it would be hard for Barker to match, let alone surpass, The Bone Ships, yet here we are, I think he has. Both books are superb, but this one - well, this one just flies. It's just superb writing, and feels so real, so human and moving.

I am, as you may have worked out, strongly recommending this one.

https://lynns-books.com/2020/11/23/call-of-the-bone-ships-by-rj-barker-the-tide-child-2/

Five Word TL:DR Review: I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Dear Hag what is going on? This book has left me an emotional wreck. I just don’t understand what is going on in the tiny spaces of my brain because I’m all over the place. I want to cry and this just doesn’t happen, I’m a tough cookie, I taught hard nails a thing or two, I didn’t cry for Lassie. I don’t cry. But I so want to do so right now and it’s brilliant and unexpected and inexplicable. Frankly, any book that gives me all the feelings is a winner.

I would mention at this point two things. Firstly this is a second book in series and I do not think you can jump in at this point – and why would you anyway, the first is not only essential to understanding this world but is also damn fine so ‘how very dare you’ think of bypassing it. Secondly, beware of spoilers – I don’t believe I’ve included any but who knows – you have been warned.

To be honest, and sorry for this, but this second instalment blows the first book totally out of the water (I know – but I couldn’t resist). To be clear, I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, I really did, and I wondered if this would suffer maybe from second book syndrome, and, whilst there may be a slight set up for the final instalment going on here, this book is definitely not a suffering from any type of middle book sickness. It works well, the characters grow, the author is bloody ruthless, there are skirmishes on land and on the high seas, it seems like the dragons have not perished or declined after all and there are prophecies afoot, oh my.

I am going to write nothing of the plot other than to say that Meas and her crew make a terrible discovery and are forced to throw everything they know into a heroic rescue type of mission that will leave many dead. That is all I’m going for here so pick up the book and discover everything with fresh eyes for yourself.

This second instalment really takes us around the Hundred Isles. The fights take place on land and on the sea. There are huge kraken style monsters, so enormous that they cause Tsunami size waves and chaos in their wake. There are islands where foul deeds take place and there be rescues.

In terms of the characters. Well, Joren has come a long way by the time this book concludes. I could say it’s exhausting watching his struggles, and it is to be honest, but it’s also satisfying. Not everything goes according to plan, and Joren definitely goes through the wringer here but I loved all the gut wrenching emotion and the dramatic quests. Meas, well, she is an enigma. There’s something comforting about her presence whenever she appears on the page. I was just like ‘please tell everyone what to do and save the day’, but of course, every now and again there are little cracks in the facade and she clearly fears her mother – so, Contrary Mary that I am – I cannot wait to meet her.

Why the emotion. I can’t really pin it down to be honest. I just fell for the characters. There’s such a depth to them all and Joron experiences one of the most incredible story arcs. There’s this whole feeling of acceptance,. He’s not perfect, he may have disliked people for all the wrong reasons, but this books shows him prepared to learn, to find out about differences and to overcome things he never thought he would have to. This is an author that can write all these little light bulb moments into a book but they’re so subtle that you feel like you’re turning on the switch yourself. On top of this I feel like this is an author who has grown in style and confidence.

In terms of criticisms. Stop killing people I like. Please. I will send cake. Okay, not really a criticism but seriously I have nothing. I would mention that this is not a quick read. You need to sit down and pay it the respect it deserves but that’s not really asking too much is it? Although, I would just mention, cliffhanger – but, oh what a cliffhanger. Give me the next book soon for the love of the Hag.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating 5 of 5 stars.