carnivalofvanity's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
craines's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
theshaggyshepherd's review against another edition
5.0
Call of the Bone Ships // by RJ Barker
I was lucky enough to receive this title right along with the first one so as soon as I finished The Bone Ships, which was one of my favorite reads of the year, I dove into Call of the Bone Ships. There is just something magical and exciting about not having to wait for the next book at all. It feels so much more immersive.
A big difference between book 1 and book 2 at the very start is that you now know a lot more about this previously unknown world and therefore won't experience the same level of confusion as before. Our previous knowledge allows us to dive right into the next events of this grand adventure without needing as much guidance. But that does not mean the world-building has ended. That is not the case at all. Barker continues to impress with the details in his descriptions of his world. While we may understand the big picture now that allows us to travel through his lands and follow the adventures of his cast, he shows that there is so much left to learn about the flora, fauna, traditions, and society. As I've said before, this is one of my favorite parts of starting a new series and I was excited to see that he continued this very well in this second book.
For the most part, the narration still continued from one point of view. I don't mind multiple POVs if they are done well but overall I like for books to continue in the same vein as the first book does. Barker does include some chapters told by other characters and while it was a little jarring for me sometimes, they did add a lot of detail to the story in ways we wouldn't have been able to receive otherwise. It was fun to see how differently those other characters think and perceive the world and their place in it. For the majority of the book though, we stay with Joron and continue to learn more about the world and being a fleet member with him. He has experienced a lot of growth and we get to see that in this book in the way he carries out his job as d'keeper. But that does not mean he is over his self-doubt yet, which to me just makes him even more likable. Lucky Meas is still, well, Lucky Meas. For the most part, she is still the ever-confident shipwife we got to know before but we do get to see her more up close and personal this time since Joron has gotten to know her more by now. A little glimpse under the armor so to speak. I continue to adore her as a character with her strength and confidence and moral compass.
Sadly I do have to wait a little while for the next book in this series now instead of jumping right in like before. I really just want to devour the entire series in one go but that is what we get for being on the team of early reviewers. I cannot wait to see where Barker takes us next. He leaves me with my heart aching and yearning for more. Thankfully he does have another series so I will take a look at those books while I wait!
Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!
I was lucky enough to receive this title right along with the first one so as soon as I finished The Bone Ships, which was one of my favorite reads of the year, I dove into Call of the Bone Ships. There is just something magical and exciting about not having to wait for the next book at all. It feels so much more immersive.
A big difference between book 1 and book 2 at the very start is that you now know a lot more about this previously unknown world and therefore won't experience the same level of confusion as before. Our previous knowledge allows us to dive right into the next events of this grand adventure without needing as much guidance. But that does not mean the world-building has ended. That is not the case at all. Barker continues to impress with the details in his descriptions of his world. While we may understand the big picture now that allows us to travel through his lands and follow the adventures of his cast, he shows that there is so much left to learn about the flora, fauna, traditions, and society. As I've said before, this is one of my favorite parts of starting a new series and I was excited to see that he continued this very well in this second book.
For the most part, the narration still continued from one point of view. I don't mind multiple POVs if they are done well but overall I like for books to continue in the same vein as the first book does. Barker does include some chapters told by other characters and while it was a little jarring for me sometimes, they did add a lot of detail to the story in ways we wouldn't have been able to receive otherwise. It was fun to see how differently those other characters think and perceive the world and their place in it. For the majority of the book though, we stay with Joron and continue to learn more about the world and being a fleet member with him. He has experienced a lot of growth and we get to see that in this book in the way he carries out his job as d'keeper. But that does not mean he is over his self-doubt yet, which to me just makes him even more likable. Lucky Meas is still, well, Lucky Meas. For the most part, she is still the ever-confident shipwife we got to know before but we do get to see her more up close and personal this time since Joron has gotten to know her more by now. A little glimpse under the armor so to speak. I continue to adore her as a character with her strength and confidence and moral compass.
Sadly I do have to wait a little while for the next book in this series now instead of jumping right in like before. I really just want to devour the entire series in one go but that is what we get for being on the team of early reviewers. I cannot wait to see where Barker takes us next. He leaves me with my heart aching and yearning for more. Thankfully he does have another series so I will take a look at those books while I wait!
Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!
luckykaos's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I am so upset in the best way possible
book_bird_anja's review against another edition
4.0
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
One POV (male, third person), multiple short side POV (male, female, third person)
A fantastic follow-up that explores the growth of its characters amidst challenging situations. It was better than the first one. While the first one started slow and was confusing first, in this second book everything felt comfortably familiar already. The same can be said for the worldbuilding, which becomes even more intricate and refined, providing a deeper level of detail. It was so satisfying to get to know more about the world and especially the Guillaimes.
The story keeps getting bigger and the stakes keep rising as it unfolds, gradually turning into an epic and bloody adventure. It never loses that personal touch, exploring the tight-knit friendships and camaraderie among the crew on the main ship, Tide Child. I really loved to see all the characters again and get to know more about a few of them. We learn about the past or details in live for a few of the characters, which made me bond more with them. While the first book already was tough and had some brutality, the second installment takes it to an even greater level. The characters suffer more, and I suffered with them. There are again many battles – you really should like those, if you intend to read that series.
The only issue I had, that restrained me from giving it a 5-star rating was the lack of a clear threat and not enough tension in the first half. While book one was clearly focused on a mission and the Keyshan, in the second book the Keyshan are only a side element of the story same as the main enemy. There were several, kind of side quests, which took away the tension sometimes, even I knew about the greater conflict of the several parties involved.
Overall, Call of the Bone Ships brilliantly builds upon the foundation set by The Bone Ships, delivering a great sequel and improves on the first book. The new mysteries and information about the world and the people leave me eagerly anticipating the final installment of the trilogy. Especially with this cliffhanger at the end I can’t wait to continue with the last book.
One POV (male, third person), multiple short side POV (male, female, third person)
A fantastic follow-up that explores the growth of its characters amidst challenging situations. It was better than the first one. While the first one started slow and was confusing first, in this second book everything felt comfortably familiar already. The same can be said for the worldbuilding, which becomes even more intricate and refined, providing a deeper level of detail. It was so satisfying to get to know more about the world and especially the Guillaimes.
The story keeps getting bigger and the stakes keep rising as it unfolds, gradually turning into an epic and bloody adventure. It never loses that personal touch, exploring the tight-knit friendships and camaraderie among the crew on the main ship, Tide Child. I really loved to see all the characters again and get to know more about a few of them. We learn about the past or details in live for a few of the characters, which made me bond more with them. While the first book already was tough and had some brutality, the second installment takes it to an even greater level. The characters suffer more, and I suffered with them. There are again many battles – you really should like those, if you intend to read that series.
The only issue I had, that restrained me from giving it a 5-star rating was the lack of a clear threat and not enough tension in the first half. While book one was clearly focused on a mission and the Keyshan, in the second book the Keyshan are only a side element of the story same as the main enemy. There were several, kind of side quests, which took away the tension sometimes, even I knew about the greater conflict of the several parties involved.
Overall, Call of the Bone Ships brilliantly builds upon the foundation set by The Bone Ships, delivering a great sequel and improves on the first book. The new mysteries and information about the world and the people leave me eagerly anticipating the final installment of the trilogy. Especially with this cliffhanger at the end I can’t wait to continue with the last book.
awaterswadesthrough's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Classism, Death, Medical trauma, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Medical content, Trafficking, Animal death, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, War, Child death, and Chronic illness
c_lotte's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
mjbooknerd's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mcnimz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5