The Bone Ships
by R. J. Barker.
The Tide Child Trilogy, Book 1
Two nations at war. One prize beyond compare.
For generations, the Hundred Isles have built their ships from the bones of ancient dragons to fight an endless war. The dragons disappeared, but the battles for supremacy persisted.
Now, the first dragon in centuries has been spotted in far-off waters, and both sides see a chance to shift the balance of power in their favor. Because whoever catches it will win not only glory but the war.
Fresh and thorough worldbuilding.
Story
In a world of small islands and wild seas, a 'black ship' - condemned and outcast - is commandeered by a Lucky Mais, a captain of legendary repute, for a mission that would see myths surface and change the fate of the world.
Great drip feeds of information about characters and the world, building up at a steady pace.
Overall the pacing was strong, with the story moving ahead at full sail. Action scenes were excellent and the sea battles created serious tension.
Characters
Each character had memorable spark that made them stand apart as unique individuals. This was done well with a crew of the black ship,
While definitely not 2-dimensional, I didn’t feel especially invested in all the main characters. They stood out and were memorable, but I didn’t feel as much ‘kinship’ with them as I have in some of my other favourite stories.
Characters grew with the story, developing as events and decisions combined with personal histories and temperament.
Worldbuilding
Solid and pervasive. The ideas for the world were really cool and tied together with no 'holes' (that I noticed). Small things, such as consistently calling the sun a different name according to the unique mythos of the world, really made me feel a part of the world.
The world was really cool, drawing on Scottish (I think?) traits with unique ecology and heaps of monsters. The story, characters and cultures clearly grew from the material conditions of the world, which is always a plus.
I have a suspicion that Mr. Barker is terrified of the sea, as in The Bone Ships it was the most lethal environment I've ever come across in fantasy (these seas would make Mordor piss).
Prose
Scene setting and character descriptions were standouts, creating clear impressions of a totally new world.
Actions scenes were intense and gripping, somehow putting you in the thick of it while keeping track of the overall conflict.
Some moments suffered from repetition. I get that some of these scenes accentuated something boring or arduous, such as repairing a ship, but they definitely dragged on.
And also
Damn good to see a totally fresh world, where the resources, climate and ecology inform how the world and story develop.
